.⊹⁀➷ CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE !
↳ ❛expelled❜

A MONTH HAD gone by since the summer holidays started and Annabeth and Harry had both never felt so abandoned by their friends.

Neither Hermione or Ron had written to them all summer. Well sometimes a letter that consisted out of two short sentences, but that was it.

Annabeth was disappointed and little angry, if she was truly honest.

The swing of the old playground was screeching horribly and Annabeth sighed when she felt the sun burning down on her.

The brunnet had closed her eyes, imaging that she was sitting by the black lake, listening to a couple of students jumping in while her and Hermione were laughing in amusment.

But her peacfull imagination was interrupted by Harry's voice, "Hey, Big D!"

"Harry don't." Annabeth whispered in a strict tone, but her brother just ignored her. She rolled with whr eyes.

Harry's face showed the anger that He held towards Dudley, "Beat up another ten year old?"

Dudley gave him a dumb and arrogant look, "This one deserved it." The group of boys' behind him agreed loudly while they were laughing.

Harry gave his cousin a cold look while still sitting on the swing besides Annabeth, "Five against one, very brave."

Their cousin chuckled amused, "Well, you're one to talk. Moaning in your sleep every night? At least I'm not afraid of my own pillow!"

The whole group behind him started laughing loudly and Dudley joined in. "Don't kill Cedric!" He repeated Harry's words jokingly.

Annabeth felt the rage bubble up in her stomach as soon as she heard Cedric's name being mentioned.

He had no idea what he was saying. How could somebody be so oblivious to someone elses pain.

"Who's Cedric, your boyfriend?" Dudley continued to mock Harry and the brunnet boy shouted. "Shut Up!"

But Dudley didn't stop there, he went on, "He's going to kill me, Mum! - Where ist your Mum, Potter? Where is your mum, Potter? She dead?"

The boys' behind him still laughed and Dudley continued shouting, "Is she dead?"

And suddenly something in Annabeth just snapped. The brunnet jumped onto her feet, pulling her wand out of the back pocket of her jeans and hurried over to Dudley.

She was breathing rapidly, the rage taking over her body, while she pressed the wand threatening against Dudley's throat.

The large, chubby boy immediatly stopped laughing and the amusment in his eyes was replaced with pure fear.

The boys' behind him laughed at her action, not knowing what the girl was actually capabel of.

Her brown eyes were narrowed at the large, chubby boy infront of her, "Think, before you say something you'll regret."

Suddenly a heavy wind errupted and the bright sun disapeared behind gigantic grey clouds.

The warm summer air turned into a cold breeze and after a moment it was dark, almost like it was night.

The group of boys' behind Dudley grew quiet nervous, "Dudley?-"

"Dudley, let's go!-"

Dudley had a worried gaze when he whispered, "What are you doing?"

Annabeth, who's face had been faced towards the sky, made eye contact with him and she shook her head, "I'm not doing anything."

Dudley's friends ran off and disappeared behind the field.

A few moments later thunder could be heard and that was the moment when Harry, Dudley and Annabeth started running down the field as well.

They had a longer way home than the other's and hurried down the alleyway that was between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk.

It had started pouring and Annabeth was completely soaked from head to toe. Her hair was clinging to her face and she was breathing rapidly when they were finally making their way through the dim lit alleyway.

Annabeth didn't knew what to say while they were walking in silence, but her breath hitched in her throat when she suddenly saw the lights of the alleyway flickering.

Her eyes wandered down to the puddle that had built on the ground infront of them. And her heart beat began to quicken when she took notice of the water freezing.

The girl immediately knew what caused water to freez in the middle of august. "Harry, look-"

Harry followed her gaze and they stopped walking when he spotted the frozen water.

His gaze quickly snapped towards her, "Dementors."

"In Little Whinging -?" Annabeth questioned before she glanced over her shoulder and suddenly came face to face with one of the dark creatures.

She immediately let out a scream before the Dementor grabbed her by her throat and hit her against the brick wall, strangling her.

Harry quickly turned to their cousin, "Dudley, run!"

The large boy didn't wait for him to say that twice and immediately made a run for it. But as he had reached the end of the alleyway, another Dementor entered and immediately attacked the boy.

Harry immediately held up his wand, pointed at the Dementor that had Annabeth still in his hold, "Expecto Patronum!"

The large silver stag erupted from the end of his wand and rushed towards the Dementor.

Annabeth felt it's grip disappearing from her throat and she fell down onto the cold stone floor, gasping for air.

Harry then called the stag back to him and pointed in the direction of the Dementor that was attacking Dudley.

The stag immediately followed his order and attacked the other Dementor, who was just about to give Dudley the kiss.

Annabeth was still gasping for air when suddenly their neighbor from across the road, Mrs. Figg, rounded the corner of the tunnel.

Harry quickly hid his wand, a shocked expression on his face and Annabeth was already panicking, not knowing how to explain the situation she had found them in.

But the old, little lady looked at them with big eyes, "Don't put away your wand, Harry. They might come back."

Annabeth quickly got onto her feet and hurried over to Harry and the unconcious Dudley.

She helped Harry to carry the heavy boy and Mrs. Figg was walking infront of them. "Dementors in Little whinging, whatever next? Whole world's gone topsy-turvy-"

"I don't understand- How did you know about-?", Harry questioned her a bit louder than he had intented to.

"Dumbeldor asked me to keep an eye on you", Mrs. Figg answered him calmly and Harry's eyes widened in suprise. "Dumbeldor asked you? You know Dumbeldore?"

The woman gave the siblings a questioning look, "After you-know-who killed that poor Diggory boy last year- did you expect him to let you go wandering on your own? Good Lord, Boy. They told me you were intelligent."

She placed a hand on Annabeth's upper back and carefully pushed her a bit towards their house, "Now, get inside and stay there. Expect someone will be in touch soon. Whatever happens, don't leave the house."

The two siblings nodded before they pulled the rather heavy Dudley into the house.

The boy still seemed to be completely out of it when the three finally entered the living room and Annabeth could already hear aunt Petunia's voice, "Diddykins? Ist that you?"

Annabeth opened the door and Harry quickly dragged Dudley, who was leaning with all his weigth on his back, inside.

Petunia had a shocked expression plastered on her face, "Duddy! Vernon! Come quick!"

Harry sat Dudley down on a chair and his parents immediatly looked at him carefully. "We're going to have to take him to a hospital."

Vernon bend over to look his son into his eyes, "Who did this to you, boy?"

Dudley's bottom lip was trembeling while he was forcing out the word, "Her."

His hand was pointing at Annabeth

His father turned towards the brunnet girl. "Happy, are we, now? You've finally done it. You've finally driven him loopy!" Vernon exclaimed loudly, which made Petunia gasp in horror. "Vernon, don't say that!"

"Well, just look at him Petunia. Our boy has gone yumpy!", the man exclaimed at his wife before he spun around to Annabeth and Harry.

"I've reached my limit with you, do you hear? This is the last I'm gonna take of you and your nonsens!", Vernon spat at them loudly before an owl suddenly few in through the back door.

The owl collided with the wall and the letter flew out of her cockle and up into the air.

"Dear, Mr. Potter. The Ministry has received intelligence that at 6:23 this evening you performed the Patronus Charm in the presence of a Muggle. As a clear violation of the Decree of the Reasonable Restriction of Underaged Sorcery you are hereby expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hoping you are well, Mafalda Hopkirk."

Harry and Annabeth exchanged a shocked face expression before Vernon caught their attention. He had a joyful smile on his face, "Justice!"

Harry immediatly jumped up from his chair and wanted to leave the living room, but Vernon stopped him. "Where d'you think you're going?"

The man yelled at him, his head growing more and more red by the second, "I haven't finished with you yet, boy! You're going to stay here and explain how my son-"

"If you don't get out of my way I'm going to jinx you", Harry threatened his Uncle with a serious face expression. "You just heard, they chucked me out. I've got nothing to lose!"

In that exact moment, another owl arrived in their living room, carrying another lette.

Harry quickly caught the letter and Annabeth read it over his shoulder.

It was from Mr. Weasley, saying that Dumbeldore was already at the Ministry this very minut, trying to sort everything out. The Orders were that Harry should stay inside and not use any more magic.

Harry huffed while he sat down once more, "I've changed my mind. I'm staying."

Vernon had his eyes narrowed at Harry and Annabeth, "Who are all these ruddy owls frome?"

Harry didn't seem to have the energy to have a discussion with his uncle, so he simply answered, "The first one was from the Ministry of Magic, expelling me- and the second one was from my friend Ron's dad, who works at the Ministry."

Vernon had a shocked expression on his face as he exclaimed, "Ministry of Magic? Peopel like you in goverment? Oh this explains everything, no wonder the country's going to the dogs!"

The room grew quiet after that, until Vernon chose to speake once more, "And why have you been expelled?"

Harry sighed heavily, "Because I did magic."

Vernon's eyes immediatly widened and he pointed his finger warningly at Harry, "Aha! So you admit it! What did you do to Dudley?"

"That wasn't me!"

Uncle Vernon spun around to his son once more, "What did they do to you, son?"

Dudley seemed to have found his voice again, but he still looked very pale and sick, like he was about to vomit, "She pointed her wand at me-"

"But I didn't use it-", Annabeth tried to defend herself, but Vernon silenced her immediatly.

"Go on, son."

"All went dark- everything was dark and then I heard- things", Dudley stopped for a second and glanced at Annabeth. "- inside my head."

Petunia rubbed her childs shoulders, a look of pure horror on her face, "What sort of things did you hear, Popkin?"

Annabeth had her eyes trained on her cousin. Dementors were forcing you to relive the worst moments of your life. What terrible moments could Dudley have lived through in his spoiled, little life?

Dudley remained silent and his parents went on with their questions, "How come you fell over?"

"I tr- tripped", he stuttered heavily while his hand moved to lay on his chest. "And then- horrible- cold."

Annabeth remembered the terrible, cold feeling that spread through ones chest when a Dementor was attacking you.

"What happened then, Dudders?"

Dudley seemed to have troubled discribing what he had felt, "Felt- felt- as if- as if-" Annabeth interrupted the boy, "As if you'd never be happy again."

Vernon inhaled deeply before he gave Annabeth a death glare, but the brunnet quickly interrupted him, "It wasn't me! It was the Dementors!"

Her Uncle frowned deeply while he gave her a dissbeliving look, "A couple of - what's this codswallop?"

Harry repeated the name of the creatures, "Dementors."

"And what the ruddy hell are Dementors?" The man raised his eyebrows at the teenagers.

"They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban", Aunt Petunia answered her husband, who gave her a suprised glance.

Petunia clapped a hand over her mouth in shock and Harry gave her a curios glance, "How did you know that?"

After a moment she took the hand from her mouth and spoke again, "I heard that awful boy tell her about them - years ago."

Annabeth felt the anger immediatly in her chest once more, "If you mean our mum and dad, why don't you use their names?!"

In that moment another owl made it's way inside the house and brought Harry another letter.

The boy quickly took it and read it.

Uncle Vernon seemed eager to know what it said, "Well? What now? Have they sentenced you to anything? Do you lot have the death penalty?"

Harry gave the man an annoyed glance before he answered simply, "I've got to go to a hearing."

"And they sentence you there?"

"I suppose so." Harry then got onto his feet and wanted to leave the living room once more, but Vernon stopped him again. "Sit back down!"

Harry grew more and more annoyed with his uncle, "What now?"

Vernon's head was red once more, "Dudley! I want to know exactly what happened to my son!"

Harry rolled with his eyes before he decided that it was best to tell them, "Fine! Dudley, Annabeth and I were in the alleyway between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk- when suddenly two Dementors turned up-"

"But what are Dementors - what do they do?", Vernon questioned him loudly and Harry answered him. "I told you- they suck the happiness out of you and if they get the chance they kiss you-"

Their Uncle seemed confused, "Kiss you?"

"It's what they call it when they suck the soul out of your mouth", Annabeth explained to them calmly.

Aunt Petunia immediatly turned completely white while letting out a shriek, "His Soul? They didn't take- he's still got his-"

Annabeth frowned at her aunt, "Of course they didn't get his soul- you'd know if they did."

Harry nodded his head before he went on, "I did the Patronus Charm to get rid of the Dementors- It's the only thing that works against them."

Uncle Vernon seemed to be thinking about something, "But what were Dementoids doing in Little Whinging?"

Harry gave him a cluless look while he shrugged, "Couldn't tell you. I have no clue."

Vernon gave the boy on his opposite a suspicious glance, his arms crossed over his chest while he exhaled deeply, "It's got something to do with you two, I know it. Why else would they turn up here? Why else would they be down that alleyway? You've got to be the only two- the only two you know what for miles!"

Vernon's eyes suddenly gleamed with happiness, "Were they coming to arrest you?"

Harry scoffed loudly, "Of course not!"

"Then why-"

The color of Annabeth's face drained completely when she suddenly realized, "He must've sent them."

Vernon raised his eyebrows at them, "Who must've sent them?"

"Lord Voldemort."

"Lord- hang on- I've heard that name - that was the one who-"

"Killed our parents, yes", Harry stated dully.

Uncle Vernon seemed to be growing impatient, "But he's gone. The giant bloke said so. He's gone!"

Annabeth had this heavy feeling in her chest when she stated, "He's back."

There was a long moment of complete silence in that living room and Annabeth saw the terror on her aunts face.

Petunia's voice was only above a whisper when she finally spoke, "He's back?"

Harry nodded his head at her, "Yes, he came back a month ago. I saw him."

Vernon had his eyes narrowed at Harry, "Hang on, this Lord Voldything's back, you say?"

The brunnet boy nodded his head at him, "Yes."

His uncle seemed like he wanted Harry to clarify, "The one who murdered your parents?"

"Yes."

He raised his eyebrows at him, "And now he's sending dismembers after you two?"

Harry nodded in confirmation, "Looks like it."

Vernon seemed unusual calm for the situation and Annabeth was about to say something when he suddenly expolded, "I see- well it's settled then- you can get out of this house!"

Annabeth was shocked when she continued listening to Uncle Vernon scream at them to pack their things and never come back.

But after a moment another owl came inside and dropped a red envelope directly into Petunia's hands.

Harry wanted to grab it from her hand but his aunt snatched it away.

Harry gave her a serious look, "You can open it if you want, but I'll hear what it says anyway- that's a howler."

Petunia glanced down at the envelope and her eyes widened, "It's addressed to me! Vernon, look! Mrs. Petunia Dursley, The Living room, Number Five, Privet Drive-"

The envelope began smoking and Harry urged his aunt, "Open it!"

The woman was trembeling and shouted, "No!" But suddenly the envelope burst up in flames and a horrible voice filled the living room.

"Remember my last, Petunia!"

Petunia had immediatly sunken to her knees and covered her ears before Vernon addressed her carefully. "Petunia?"

Without looking up from the floor, she stated firmly, "The two will stay here!"

Vernon wanted to argue with her, "But-" But she immediatly interrupted him, her voice firm, "If we throw him out the neighbours will talk- they'll ask questions, they'll want to know where they've gone. We'll have to keep them."

"Up to your room, now !", Vernon screamed at them and Annabeth quickly grabbed Harry by his arm and dragged him upstairs to their room.

THAT NIGHT ANNABETH couldn't sleep. As soon as she closed her eyes, all she could see was Cedric's cold, lifeless eyes staring up at her.

This moment on the graveyard Had been haunting her for the past month now. Every time she closed her eyes. Everytime she dreamed, she dreamed of that dreadful night.

Her eyes snapped open, she was covered in sweat and she was breathing heavily, but she remained in her position while she stared off into the dark room.

She listened into the darkness, but the Dursley weren't home because they had insisted on bringing Dudley to a hospital, so everything was quiet.

Annabeth wanted to turn in her bed and try to sleep, but suddenly Harry sat up in his bed, "Did you hear that?"

Annabeth sat up as well and immediatly grabbed her wand from her nightstand, "What?"

Now she heard it too, there were noises coming from downstairs and a moment later it sounded like someone was coming upstairs.

Annabeth got slowly onto her feet, followed by Harry, who also grabbed his wand.

The key in their lock started turning and Annabeth heard her heart speeding up in her ears while she watched.

Harry took ahold of her arm and yanked her a bit back, but in that moment a bright beam came from the door, and then, it flew open.

"Very clean, these Muggles!", a femal voice stated, before Annabeth could hear Moody's voice. "Tonks, for God's sake!"

A bright light came from the wand that was held by the young woman at the front and now Annabeth could see the group of wizards that was standing in the hallway infront of their room.

"Professor Moody- what are you doing here?" Harry immediatly questioned him, seeming quiet surprised.

The man had his usual grumpy look on his face as he answered, "Rescuing you, of course."

After that Annabeth and Harry grabbed their packed trunks and quickly followed the group of wizards outside.

"But where are we going? The letter said I've been expelled from Hogwarts", Harry stated while they stepped onto the street.

"Well, you haven't been. Not yet", Moody answered him before he turned towards the dark skinned Wizard behind him. "Kingsley, you take point."

"But the letter said- "

Kingsley, who had been walking behind him now spoke, "Dumbeldore persuaded the Minister to suspend your expulsion pending a formal hearing."

Annabeth sighed, "Ah, yes we've already heard about the hearing."

"Well, we'll explain everything when we get back to headquarters", the young purple haired woman to their left explained.

"Not here, Nymphadora!" Moody hissed at the woman besides him and her hair color immediatly changed into a bright orange. "Don't call me, Nymphadora!"

Moody hit his cane onto the concreat and a broom for every wizard that stood besides them appeared.

"Stay in formation, everyone! Don't break ranks even if one of us ist killed!", Moody bellowed loudly and commanding at the other's and Annenth gave him a worried look, before they all took off into the dark night sky.