In Chapter 3, Harry is finally pulled out of Privett Drive. Let’s go!
Harry is really, really angry at this point and, quite frankly, who can blame him! He’s been through dealing with his relatives, a dementor attack, expulsion from school, reinstatement at school, and all anyone can do is tell him to just sit there and do nothing. No one will tell him what’s going on! He writes three letters, to Ron, Hermione and Sirius, and tells Hedwig to peck them until they’ve written long responses explaining what the heck is going on.
He hears nothing for three days, where he spends his time holed up in his room avoiding the Dursleys and worrying about the Ministry hearing. Finally, the Dursleys go out for an evening and things start to happen. At first, Harry thinks there are burglars breaking in, but it turns out to be Moody, Lupin and some other wizards: Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, and Hestia Jones.
“A suprising number of people volunteered to come and get you,” said Lupin, as though he had read Harry’s mind; the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
“Yeah, well, the more the better,” said Moody darkly. “We’re your guard, Potter.”
The fact that the Dursleys are gone is no accident. Tonks had sent them a letter saying they were up for the “All-England Best-Kept Suburban Lawn Competiton.” Which doesn’t exist, of course. She goes with Harry to get packed up and we find out that she is a Metamorphmagus, someone who can change their appearance whenever they want to. Which is why her hair changes color. She’s also an Auror, as is Kingsley.
After they go back downstairs, Lupin tells Harry that he left a note for the Dursleys telling them that he had gone. Moody casts a Disillusionment Charm on Harry to make him blend in with his surroundings. At the arranged signal (red and green sparks), they all mount up on brooms and take off. Just being up in the air again makes Harry feel a lot better, and after being cooped up in the Dursleys, I can certainly understand why. They fly past several towns, looking out for danger and avoiding Muggles, before landing in a square in front of a series of houses.
Moody rummages through his cloak and pulls out a small silver contraption that is familiar to anyone who read Sorcerer’s Stone – Dumbledore’s Put-Outer. Moody clicks it and turns out all the lights so that Muggles will have a harder time spotting them. As they approach the houses, Moody hands Harry something that will both help things make sense and make them more confusing.
“Here,” Moody muttered, thrusting a piece of parchment towards Harry’s Disillusioned hand and holding his lit wand close to it, so as to illuminate the writing. “Read quickly and memorize.”
Harry looked down at the piece of paper. The narrow handwriting was vaguely familiar. It said:
The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
So at least now we know where they are! This was a short chapter, really just a quick broom ride, but things are really going to start ramping up now that Harry’s with the Order. See you next time for Chapter 4!
Categories: Chapter-A-Long
Life With No Plot 
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