Chapter 5: Days Pass…(730 days in fact.)

Days, months and years passed as Harry Potter became 10 years old. He had grown into a healthy boy, at least four and a half foot tall, skin now more healthy and pink than his old pale skin, green eyes now more brighter that hid something behind the mirth and playfulness. Jet-black hair that still had that same hair cut. The lightning shaped scar on his forehead, a glaring reminder of his past. And the round glasses that rested on his nose.

His living conditions, unfortunately, saw no change. He still lived in the same house in the Privet Drive. Though he had gotten one of the smaller rooms Dudley used for his toys. He had played one of his dangerous games and used his great persuasion skills, that's all.

Still it wasn't all jolly, living with his least favourite people in the world, The Dursleys. Uncle Vernon was still the bully he was, with his mustache and rotund body, which seemed to have become much heavier with passing time.

Aunt Petunia, was still the mean lady. Always frowning and chiding him for littlest of things. Her neck, unfortunately, hadn't grown longer. That would've been a spectacular sight. Dudley on other hand, was growing in all directions. He was slowly resembling his father, which was alarming considering he was only 10 years old.

He kept his visits to Mrs. Figg a secret, which wasn't hard considering the Dursleys never bothered asking him. He was as always fond of the cake she made and the judgemental little demons, and that was something that kept him going. He also realized that she liked him visiting her.

He had many times asked her what Kneazles were, after finding out that there was no such breed of cats. She had brushed him off saying the books didn't write everything. He had a glaring suspicion that she was cat trader. He wondered why she didn't tell him, he could've helped her.

Another thing that he had come to LOVE about going to her house was, books. Yes, those antique and silly books that Mrs. Figg had bought. Harry was quite elated when he found that she had bought more books. She had just smiled weakly and had told him to read those books only there. He was more than happy to create more reasons to sneak from the Dursley's.

Another one of his friends, Pip. He had gotten another dog, it was a clownish and energetic Sussex Spaniel. So it was double fun playing with them and talking to Pip. He had near endless stories, which were fun to hear. ("Better than that Beedle guy!", he had said heatedly to Mrs. Figg.)

Regardless of the somewhat dull tone of his life, he managed. He didn't feel much regret that he didn't have parents like other kids. Of course, it didn't mean he didn't want any. He did, like any other kid. But now it had gotten somewhat of a habit.

He even wondered whether his dreams about all those strange people were real. Whether the red headed lady and the guy with round glasses were real. Whether the all green light, where those 2 vanished in those eyes… He wondered--no he felt that, he had for some time, lived with his parents.

He with some courage, had asked his aunt and uncle about his parents' death. He figured, if they aren't here, they're most likely…dead. Their response was mostly a non-answer. That was what he had expected, considering how little they cared about him.

Still he wondered and wondered… After all, a boy could dream.

--Mrs. Figg's house--

It was 5 pm in the evening. Harry and Mrs. Figg were sitting at the dining table. Several half empty plates of snacks and biscuits sat on the table. Both of them were having the evening tea. Unfortunately for Harry, his cake consumption was reduced by her. Reason being 'unhealthy and not nutritious' if eaten on a daily basis.

Both of them were reading books. Before Mrs. Figg sat a book titled, 'Befriending the Magical Felines, by Clamella Felinet'. She was reading the book quite intensively, which was unlike her. She sure took her felines quite seriously.

And Harry was reading quite the interesting book titled, 'Art of Dueling, by Sorcerer Fascino Draoith'. The words in the book were quite hard to understand but he had help. It was all about history, rules, techniques, thoughts and examples on dueling.

When he read it was about 'fighting' between 'magicians', he was quite excited. But it was a damper reading all about the rules origins and rules of dueling. He thought that, who follows rules in a fight? But after reading it, he kind of made sense.

He was now at the final part of the book, 'Notable Examples'. He was practically vibrating, reading all about the exciting parts of some duels, which were described with interesting details. Harry wouldn't tell a soul, but after getting such a large influx of books, he had given in and tried to chant something from a book using a tree branch. And Dudley had caught him in the act, all jiggling while laughing. He had paid quite the price to shut him up.

Seeing how excited he was, Mrs. Figg couldn't help but be curious. She leaned forward but couldn't quite place what was he reading about. Unable to hold her curiosity she asked, "What are you reading and getting so excited about lad?"

Harry jerked. He looked up at her and grinned.

"I'm reading about 'Art of Dueling'! Oh its very interesting indeed!", he said in a tone higher than normal.

"That sounds dangerous? I'm not sure you should be reading that--even though its fiction.", she said, correcting herself at the end. From what she had heard about, dueling was kind of a nasty business between wizard folk.

"No!? It's very detailed. See--", and thus began his summary version about the book. It happened with every book he read. If she asked or even showed interest, she would hear an earful of excited ramblings about the book.

This time he gave all the examples about the 'fictional' duels. Alberta Toothill versus Samson Wiblin duel in the national competition or Chadwick Boot, Webster Boot, Isolt Sayre and William versus Gormlaith Gaunt duel at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Or the most recent one, which was described in detail, on 2nd November 1945, Albus Dumbledore defeated Gellert Grindelwald, the most terrifying Dark Lord! To Harry, it was something akin to a fairy tale. The big bad guy defeated by the good guy. Sometimes, it was so simple for the minds of young to separate people as 'good' and 'bad'. Alas, reality soon sets in.

After rambling for nearly for half hour or so, time to set go back to the Dursleys had come. He took the book a bit reluctantly and opened the closet door. Another 7 to 8 books were stacked in the corner. He didn't understand why couldn't he just keep them on the shelves. Oh well, maybe she was embarrassed.

As he started arranging the books properly, he read their names.

"The Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk.

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling.

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch.

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore.

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble."

Aside from the history and herbs book, he loved them all. Although it was interesting to know about witches and wizards of old and weird plants which could chew your ears off, it wasn't engaging as others.

Potions and magic theory were interesting to know about. Various potions that could put you to sleep for a long time or potions which sprouted pimples on your face, it made him wish that he could feed on of these to Dudley. Magic theory sometimes surprised him. It showed how magic flowed through wizards and how it could be felt. It reminded him of the times when he did things he couldn't make sense of.

Transfiguration was hard to understand. But the examples of how people accidentally turned a teapot into an anteater which only ate sugar cubes was funny.

His favourite books though were about the spells, beasts and dark forces! The spells were weird, but reading what they did excited him so much that, he had tried the spell for levitation. He had tried it on a yarn ball, and swore to Mrs. Figg that it had moved, but she had just pointed to one of the demons that was waiting for its yarn ball to be given back.

He had also tried to find the beasts mentioned in the book, but she had scolded him and confiscated the books for a week. She had asked him to promise to not wander off finding these 'mythical' creatures. When he had seen a 'kneazle' in the book and asked about it, she had stuttered and threatened to take the books away if he asked such 'silly' questions.

The best book, the most beloved of them all, was the book about dark forces. It just fascinated him to know about the creatures he read about in regular 'normal' stories. How to avoid them, repel them and sometimes need be, kill them. Although it was a bit morbid, it was just so fascinating. He had to be content with it when he couldn't go out and try to find the beasts in the other book.

He sighed contentedly. These books were his one of the sources of fun and entertainment. He had re-read them sometimes…but the options were limited.

After sometime, when it was getting really dark, he bid Mrs. Figg goodbye. She was quite tense when he got near the door though. She stopped him and opened the door herself, then only she relaxed, as though she had confirmed something. She turned to him and beckoned him forward.

As he somewhat confusedly went forwards to her, she tied a small pendant around his neck.

"A lucky charm. I bought it after I read about it in the antique shop.", she smiled as he looked at her.

Even though somewhat confused yet elated about the gift, he accepted it. As he went out the door, she called out from behind him.

"Go straight home, you hear? Don't wander around! Its gotten really dark!"

He just waved his hand without turning back and hurried home. The night was truly peculiar. It was getting unusually misty. So much so, it was hampering his vision. Noises were also quite reduced.

His thoughts were still on the duelling examples, when he saw something peculiar.

A group of people, a little hunched, were standing over someone. The person was lying on the ground and one of them was kneeling over the person. He stopped in his tracks. They were near a flickering streetlight, so he couldn't see.

As the light above flared for a moment above them, he saw it. Blood. Pooling below the person, a man, who had his eyes closed. Harry's heart started beating faster. Either his morbid fascinations regarding dark creatures were getting to his head or the someone kneeling over the bleeding man was drinking the blood!

His breath hitched. He involuntarily clutched the lucky charm around his neck. But as he had noticed them, they had noticed him. The ones standing over, had loose, rotten skin, empty eyes and a wide mouth. They had long slender arms. They slowly got on all fours and started surrounding him.

Harry slowly inched back in the dark, hoping to disappear. If he wasn't wrong, they were the Inferi. The dead walking, through a dark wizard's spell. He had read about the dark wizard who had created the spell briefly in the History of Magic.

But all the Inferi suddenly jumped as a slow screech came from the still kneeling 'someone'. He was now completely surrounded. As his heart threatened to burst out and the blood rushed to his head, he concluded one thing: 'Silly, antique books, my ass! These things are bloody real!'