12

Chapter 12: You Dirty Rat!

Early the next morning the air above the great hall was filled with hundreds of feathered bodies carrying letters and packages of items forgotten at home by this years students.

Two owls landed on the table before the quartet of friends who were once again eating together, the unfamiliar barn owl landing in a graceful swoop and the Weasley owl Errol crashing headfirst into a large platter of scrambled eggs, both owls had been transporting a rather large box with Molly's handwriting labeling it to simply 'My Boys'.

With eager hands Ron dug into the wrapping while Harry tended to the owls with crispy strips of bacon and a small dish of water as he soothed Errol's ruffled feathers.

Once the twine and paper were unceremoniously discarded Ron pulled the cardboard flaps of the box apart only for Hermione to let out a startled shriek as a fat grey rat with a tattered left ear popped its head from within the confines before scampering over to Ron who quickly took him into his hands with glee.

"Looks like mum found Scabbers!" Ron said happily as he cradled his pet to himself with such a happy grin that Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"Looks like she left a note too," Harry said as he reached into the boxes confines and pulling out a small scrap of parchment which Harry quickly read out loud, "This is all that I could find left at the house. Ron, Scabbers showed up just before I sealed the package oddly enough so he must have been around here somewhere. Try not to lose him again! Love you all, Mum."

"That was awfully nice of her," Hermione said with a smile as she hesitantly ran a finger down Scabbers head before turning back to her toast.

Neville, who had gotten a package himself, finally looked up from his letter with a happy grin of his own.

"Harry it worked! Gran got permission to come get me after classes and take me to go get a wand of my own as long as I'm back by dinner! She even said that she was sorry and was proud that I had already made such a good friend!"

"That's great Neville!" Harry said with a grin of his own, he was happy that Neville's Gran understood that he would need his own wand. It was just a good thing that they had noticed soon enough.

It actually seemed that a lot of people were forced to go without their own wands more often than one would think, he had actually fought with Molly to let her buy the others' wands when he had found out that they were mostly subjected to using hand me down wands. It was the only time he lost his temper that he could even remember and still the only reason that Molly had given in was because he had pulled the 'we're family now and you would do it for me' card.

Shaking himself from his thoughts Harry turned back to the conversation again.

"You know Ron, we could keep Scabbers with us until tomorrow, that was Neville could get a proper tank for Trevor while he's out with his Gran and Scabbers could just use Hedwig's cage," Harry offered.

"If you're sure that would be great!"

With that the four split yet again, Harry and Neville to store Scabbers and gather their class materials as Ron distributed the rest of the boxes contents to his brothers and Hermione to yet again review her homework assignment.

As Harry and Neville entered the common rooms Harry was acutely aware of Cedric Diggory's gaze as it traced his progress through the room.

Upon reaching the room Harry quickly put Scabbers into Hedwig's cage with a smile and double checked that the food inside would be able to be consumed by the rat. It seemed as though Scabbers was staring at Harry funny but he quickly shook it off and went about gathering his own materials before they both retreated from the room yet again.

Entering the common room again Harry was shocked to feel a surge of relief wash over him when he saw that the older boy was no longer there. Did the boy really bother him that much?

"Harry," The all too familiar voice chimed up from beside him and with a startled gasp Harry whirled to see the fourth year leaning casually against the wall.

Yes. He did make Harry that uncomfortable.

"Why don't you sit down and we can talk?" Cedric asked with a kind smile that, while it would usually look pleasant, just didn't look right paired with his eyes, "You know, new school and all. It must be... Overwhelming."

And with that purr Harry was ready to leave... Like, right now!

"Sorry Cedric," Harry said as Neville grabbed onto his sleeve and pulled him towards the exit.

"Yeah, we promised to go over last nights homework with our friends. See you," Neville said before he and Harry practically fled down the tunnel and the hallway beyond.

Once they had reached the top of the stairway the two finally stopped and bent over with their hands on their knees as they panted.

"We need..." Harry said between pants, "To get... Him... A bell."

Five minutes before dinner was set to begin found Harry, Hermione and Ron standing outside of the great hall waiting for their friends return.

Just as Ron was going to complain again the doors across the entry way opened revealing a smiling Professor Sprout and a beaming Neville.

"Hey guys!" Neville called as he burst into a run across the hall so that he stood before his friends and leaving the chuckling professor behind. "Look at my new wand! It's thirteen inch cherry wood and it had unicorn hair as a core. Mister Ollivander said that it was no surprise I wasn't getting good results with my dads wand, his materials were exactly the opposite!"

"Don't forget your new terrarium Neville," Professor sprout chimed in as she drew up the other children with a smile of her own. "It's already in your room for you so you can just transfer Trevor to it once dinner is finished. Now, I don't know about you lot but I for one am famished."

Just as dinner was finishing a dark speckled owl came flying through the air before landing in front of Harry accompanied by the stairs of the occupants of the great hall which caused Harry to blush as he quickly took the letter and gave the owl some water before it flew off yet again being stared at by the occupants of the hall.

"Who's the letter from Harry?" Ron asked with his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. Neither of them had seen this owl before so it was only natural to be curious.

Looking at the writing on the front of the letter Harry could practically feel his face split into a grin.

"It's from Charlie," He managed to say quickly before he tore the envelope open carefully to pull out the treasure inside which consisted of a carefully folded piece of parchment along with a flat glittering dark brown stone.

'Dear Harry,

I know that we decided on letters once a week but what can I say? I miss you terribly already and it's only been a day. I honestly have no idea how it is that I am going to make it until winter.

I have been back at the reserve for a few hours now and I must admit that it is nice to be back. This place has been a second home to me and I have missed it. I hope that you will get to see it soon, I think you would love it as much as I do.

We have just got a new nesting mother today too! A Norwegian Ridgeback of all things!

She is set to lay her eggs around February then they should hatch around April, the whole reserve is ecstatic and my boss says that I must be lucky which I am inclined to believe seeing as I somehow managed to get you as a soul mate.

I am being a little sappy though aren't I? I should probably stop that.

Anyway tell me, how did the sorting go? Have you made any new friends? What house were you sorted into?

I'm afraid that I have to leave this letter at that otherwise it won't reach you until midnight and I'd rather not have you forced awake for a silly little letter.

I love you my little dragon,

Charlie

p.s. I have included a scale that fell off of the new mother. I thought that you would like it.'

Harry couldn't help the soft grin that spread over his face as he held the small scale in his hand. He would have to see if he could make it into a necklace or something.

The remainder of the meal was spent in discussion of the new dragon on the reserve and admiration of the scale which already meant so much to Harry.

That night Harry slept with a smile on his face and the scale resting gently in one of Harry's small fists clasped loosely on the bed beside him...

Later that night Harry woke up uneasily with the odd sensation of being watched. It was well after midnight and Harry had been in the middle of a very pleasant dream so that couldn't be it. Deciding that it was a good idea to look around just incase Harry rolled over and glanced to both sides of his bed only for nothing to be wrong and yet he still didn't feel right...

Taking a deep breath Harry looked towards the foot of his bed and froze.

There standing at the base of his bed a large figure loomed. Its features were cast into shadow and Harry could make nothing out apart from the fact that this was a male and he was a threat!

As Harry quickly sucked in a breath to scream out to his room mates the figure struck. His movements were too fast as a large calloused hand clasped down onto Harry's mouth with such force that all that escaped was a small startled squeak as the mans weight pushed Harry back down and into the once comfortable bed.

Harry could feel terror claw at him desperately as his heart began to hammer somewhere in the vicinity of his throat.

Harry moved, trying desperately to claw at this strangers hands only for his hands to be grabbed in the mans other hand and forced down so that they were trapped between them as the man straddled his chest.

This man was heavy, far too heavy for Harry's frail form. He was extremely aware of the crushing weight pushing down onto him and making it even more difficult for him to breathe.

Harry's stomach rolled as hot breath wafted over his face and assaulted his nostrils as this mans face finally came into view.

From what he could see the robes were ratty, threadbare and covered in a layer of grime that Harry did not even wish to consider. His hair was a muted mousey brown color that hung down around his pudgy face both lank and snarled like twisted bits of string. His eyes were far too large and seemed to bulge out with a murky blue color.

This man looked like some rodent-man hybrid!

As the man leaned forward to speak Harry was able to see his yellowed teeth and vaguely noted that his front two teeth were longer than the rest just adding to the impression that he was some kind of rodent.

"You are going to be quiet," The strange man all but hissed into his ear and Harry felt white hot anger course through him as he bucked with all of his might and bit into this strangers hand as harshly as he could. He would not be the weak little boy whose uncle could beat and touch, Harry would not just lay there and take it!

As his teeth sunk into this strange mans skin a scream of pain sounded out but instead of letting him go his other hand came forward and wrapped tightly around Harry's neck as anger flared in his eyes.

"It's no use Potter," The rat man spat as his hand tightened causing a whimper to escape Harry's still covered lips before he removed his hand and instead yanked Harry's arms painfully from under his weight and pushed them so that they were pinned above his head at a painful angle. "Even if you could scream it's no use, ever heard of a silencing spell? Yes, that's right. Your precious friends won't be able to save you. No one can."

Terror, pure and simple coursed through Harry at this. This was just like with Vernon, he was weak and useless and no one would save him. Not even Charlie could save him, he was all the way in Romania!

As the man leaned forward Harry clenched his eyes shut in terror. This was it. This stranger was going to achieve what his uncle never had be that killing him, raping him or both.

Just as he could feel the soft scrape of chapped lips on his cheek a loud echoing screech sounded throughout the small space and echoed.

Harry's eyes flew open at the sound and his heart stopped before racing even fasted.

In through the special port that only owls could enter came Hedwig. His beautiful familiar whose claws had quickly found purchase in this strange mans buttery face.

With a roar of pain the man toppled backwards and Harry quickly scrambled out of his bed and took in the sight before him.

Hedwig did a quick swoop back around in a graceful arc to face the intruder and with another screech her claws sank into the strangers arm before she flapped her wings to lift off, claws still sunk in his arm, in an effort to tear off the offending limb.

Once the shock of seeing his familiar attacking his attacker Harry quickly began to look around for something that would let him help. His wand would do little good to him at the moment, this man was neither a needle nor was he a matchstick and they had only begun to touch upon theory in the other subjects and this was not the time to see if he could do any of the spells he had read!

His chest was too heavy for him to lift alone so that wouldn't work, Hedwig's cage had Scabbers, wait... Where was Scabbers?

Looking back at the cage Harry's stomach flipped. Scabbers was gone.

No...

Looking back to the, now bloody, man realization coursed through Harry like a bolt of lightning.

This was Scabbers!

Harry quickly grabbed onto Hedwig's cage and, summoning up all of his strength, swung it down on the strange mans head.

With an all mighty CRASH the cage made contact and the man went still. Hedwig fluttered up to land lightly on Harrys shoulder as she nuzzled into his cheek and made small almost encouraging sounds.

After a few moments of shock Harry finally got his wits about him and ran over to harshly shake Neville awake.

"Harry?" Neville asked in tired confusion as he attempted to blink the sleep from his eyes to gaze at his panicked friend. "What is it? Why is Hedwig here? What happened to you!?"

"There's a man! Go get a teacher or one of the older years! Please, before he wakes up!" Harry pleaded with his friend in desperation.

"Harry-"

"Go Neville! Hurry!" Harry all but shrieked as he shook.

With a nod Neville shot out of his bed and raced down the hallway to the seventh years' room where he quickly threw the offending door open and shook the closest seventh year awake which just so happened to be Austin Kirsty.

"You need to come now!" Neville panted out as he practically drug the seventh year from bed, happily noting that he had snatched his wand, "There's a strange man in our room and he attacked Harry!"

When the two had finally reached the first years room, followed quickly by the other seventh years who had awoken at the sound of Neville's panicked voice, they were greeted with the sight of an unconscious rat looking man and Harry being comforted by Justin, Ernie and his snowy owl Hedwig though they didn't seem to be making much difference.

"John, stun that guy and check him for any weapons and a wand then immobilize him. Ethan, go wake everyone else up and have them gather in the common room, we'll stay there for now. Matt, you go and get the professors!" Austin quickly ordered before he made his way over to the huddled first years.

Matthew Taylor ran as fast as he could through the Halls of Hogwarts hating, for the first time, the fact that they were generally free of professorial supervision. Racing up the stone steps and making as much noise as he could in an effort to catch a professors attention he could honestly say that he was glad to see Professor Snape's heated glare.

"Oh Merlin! Professor Snape am I glad to see you! You have to come quick, there's a strange man in the dorms and he attacked Harry!" Matt managed to pant out before the professor could let loose an insult of some sort.

The professors eyes widened ever so slightly in shock before he quickly cast a spell to alert the other teachers and turned to the seventh year with a withering glare.

"Well? Let's go," he growled before they both hurried towards the Hufflepuff common rooms.

The whole of Hufflepuff house were now gathered in the Den as the teachers took care of the strange man that had somehow managed to attack one of their younger members.

For a while the house had been abuzz with energy and anxiety at what exactly had happened and why but they had quickly settled down again and had slowly gravitated towards the center of the room where they settled into an odd form of a group cuddle session and yet no one seemed to mind. They were all just like a family after all.

Everyone was touching in one way or another be it resting against or on top of another member as they seemed to make a pile of entwined bodies all seeking and providing comfort.

The older years were positioned around the outside edges of the group as the youngest were grouped together in the center. Harry and Neville were laying side by side, both leaning into the other as they rested their heads, with some gentle prompting, on the side of an older student. Hannah was laying with her head resting on Neville's stomach as Susan's rested on Harry's Mary was curled in between Ernie and Justin who were also resting their heads on another student until each student was turned into and were using a human pillow.

A soft hum of contentment seemed to ring out through the air as everyone could feel their eyelids droop in contentment.

Harry had just began to fall asleep yet again, with a feeling of complete relaxation thrumming through him when he was startled by a gentle voice whispering softly into his ear.

"Good night Harry."

Yep. Definitely getting that boy a bell.