Harry Potter 05 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

were now taking it in turns to hug Hermione. ‘Well – shall we do it, then?’
    ‘Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur,’ said Moody.
    He and Mr Weasley took the lead across the station towards the Dursleys, who were apparently rooted to the floor. Hermione disengaged herself gently from her mother to join the group.
    ‘Good afternoon,’ said Mr Weasley pleasantly to Uncle Vernon as he came to a halt right in front of him. ‘You might remember me, my name’s Arthur Weasley.’
    As Mr Weasley had single-handedly demolished most of the Dursleys’ living room two years previously, Harry would have been very surprised if Uncle Vernon had forgotten him. Sure enough, Uncle Vernon turned a deeper shade of puce and glared at Mr Weasley, but chose not to say anything, partly, perhaps, because the Dursleys were outnumbered two to one. Aunt Petunia looked both frightened and embarrassed; she kept glancing around, as though terrified somebody she knew would see her in such company. Dudley, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to look small and insignificant, a feat at which he was failing extravagantly.
    ‘We thought we’d just have a few words with you about Harry,’ said Mr Weasley, still smiling.
    ‘Yeah,’ growled Moody. ‘About how he’s treated when he’s at your place.’
    Uncle Vernon’s moustache seemed to bristle with indignation. Possibly because the bowler hat gave him the entirely mistaken impression that he was dealing with a kindred spirit, he addressed himself to Moody.
    ‘I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house –’
    ‘I expect what you’re not aware of would fill several books, Dursley,’ growled Moody.
    ‘Anyway, that’s not the point,’ interjected Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Aunt Petunia more than all the rest put together, for she closed her eyes rather than look at her. ‘The point is, if we find out you’ve been horrible to Harry –’
    ‘– And make no mistake, we’ll hear about it,’ added Lupin pleasantly.
    ‘Yes,’ said Mr Weasley, ‘even if you won’t let Harry use the fellytone –’
    ‘ Telephone ,’ whispered Hermione.
    ‘– Yeah, if we get any hint that Potter’s been mistreated in any way, you’ll have us to answer to,’ said Moody.
    Uncle Vernon swelled ominously. His sense of outrage seemed to outweigh even his fear of this bunch of oddballs.
    ‘Are you threatening me, sir?’ he said, so loudly that passers-by actually turned to stare.
    ‘Yes, I am,’ said Mad-Eye, who seemed rather pleased that Uncle Vernon had grasped this fact so quickly.
    ‘And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?’ barked Uncle Vernon.
    ‘Well …’ said Moody, pushing back his bowler hat to reveal his sinisterly revolving magical eye. Uncle Vernon leapt backwards in horror and collided painfully with a luggage trolley. ‘Yes, I’d have to say you do, Dursley.’
    He turned from Uncle Vernon to Harry.
    ‘So, Potter … give us a shout if you need us. If we don’t hear from you for three days in a row, we’ll send someone along …’
    Aunt Petunia whimpered piteously. It could not have been plainer that she was thinking of what the neighbours would say if they caught sight of these people marching up the garden path.
    ‘Bye, then, Potter,’ said Moody, grasping Harry’s shoulder for a moment with a gnarled hand.
    ‘Take care, Harry,’ said Lupin quietly. ‘Keep in touch.’
    ‘Harry, we’ll have you away from there as soon as we can,’ Mrs Weasley whispered, hugging him again.
    ‘We’ll see you soon, mate,’ said Ron anxiously, shaking Harry’s hand.
    ‘Really soon, Harry,’ said Hermione earnestly. ‘We promise.’
    Harry nodded. He somehow could not find words to tell them what it meant to him, to see them all ranged there, on his side. Instead, he smiled, raised a hand in farewell, turned around and led the way out of the station towards the sunlit street, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley hurrying along in his wake.

 
    Titles available in the Harry Potter series (in reading order):
     
    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
    Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
    Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
     
     
    Other titles available:
     
    Quidditch Through the Ages
    Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
    The Tales of Beedle