Chapter 36 — To The Burrow
After bidding farewell to Lord Arcturus Black, Madam Andromeda brought me back to the Tonks house. From there, I went home by myself. The air was calm, but my thoughts were not. As I walked, my mind kept circling the same question, how was I supposed to reach Peter Pettigrew?
I knew where he was. At the Burrow. Living comfortably as a fat old rat named Scabbers.
But knowing isn't enough. I needed a legitimate, natural, harmless reason to show up there. If I simply appeared without a proper excuse, anyone could become suspicious. And if Dumbledore truly had some motives, I didn't want even the slightest unusual action from me to reach his ears.
So, I thought about Percy Weasley.
Percy was one year ahead of me, a Gryffindor, and someone I had spoken to a few times. He was exactly the kind of person who would respect an academic request. He liked rules, he liked order, and most importantly, he liked being recognised for his achievements.
I could use that.
As I reached home, I sat at my desk and quickly wrote a note to Percy. I explained that I wanted to prepare early for my second year and asked if I could borrow his notes or receive some advice. I made sure to sound earnest, studious, and respectful. I also mentioned that I hoped to score even higher next year and admired how he always kept himself at the top of his class.
A letter written perfectly for Percy's ego.
And being a Hufflepuff helped too. Nobody suspects Hufflepuffs. We are either ignored, underestimated, or seen as harmless. Perfect cover.
I tied the letter to my owl, Drein, who hooted happily and flew off immediately. Only after he disappeared into the sky did I let myself exhale.
Now the real problem, Peter Pettigrew.
He was currently a pet of Percy Weasley. And later, he would become Ron Weasley's pet, joining Harry's side without anyone realising he was the traitor hiding under their noses. If I wanted to change Harry's path, I had to get Pettigrew before he changed hands.
If I could catch the rat now, everything would change.
That evening, Drein returned. I tore the letter open.
Percy had agreed. He wrote in his usual stiff, prefect-like handwriting that he appreciated my initiative and approved of my plan to study ahead. He asked only one thing, 'How will you come?'
That was easy.
I wrote back asking if we could meet at the Leaky Cauldron and use Floo Powder together. It made sense as I was younger, and floo travel was new to me. It also gave Percy control, which he liked. Drein took the reply back, hooting proudly the whole time.
Later that night, I received his final confirmation: Tomorrow, 11 a.m., at the Leaky Cauldron.
Perfect.
––
The next morning, I woke early, ate breakfast, and told my parents that I needed to get some supplies and seek notes from a senior. They had grown used to me leaving for "study-related reasons." Dudley barely looked up from the TV. Dad adjusted his tie and said, "Be careful around those freaky people."
I simply nodded and left.
By 11 a.m., I reached Diagon Alley. The Leaky Cauldron was dim and warm as usual, filled with its usual smell of dust, cooked stew, and old magic. And there they were, Percy Weasley with his mother, Molly Weasley.
Percy stood stiffly, posture straight, chin slightly raised. His Hogwarts badge wasn't on his robes, but I felt as if he wanted it there. Molly Weasley, meanwhile, was talking animatedly with Tom, the barkeep, waving her hands as she described some mischief by the twins.
I walked over.
"Good morning, Mr. Tom," I greeted.
Tom looked up, smiling. "Good mornin', lad."
I nodded and turned to Percy. "Hello, senior. Thank you very much for accepting my request."
Percy adjusted his glasses, looking pleased. "It's quite admirable of you, Arthur. Not many first-years think ahead. This is my mother, Mrs. Molly Weasley. Mum, this is Arthur Dursley, Hufflepuff, first year, top of his class."
Molly Weasley turned toward me with warmth overflowing from her face. Before I could react, she pulled me into a hug.
"Oh my dear! Aren't you a handsome one?" she said. "Percy told me you wanted to visit to get help with studies. Wonderful! Children nowadays hardly care about books. You must meet my two younger sons who do nothing but mischief from morning to night, both of them!"
She sighed dramatically, then smiled again. "Come along now. We'll use the Floo."
She led us toward the fireplace near the corner. The flames crackled softly.
"Have you used Floo Powder before, dear?" she asked.
"No, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh don't call me that. Call me Aunt Molly."
I nodded politely.
She explained, "Just take a pinch of the floor powder and anounce where you want to go. Speak loud and clear so as to not make mistakes. Percy, why don't you show him?"
She handed Percy the bowl of glittering powder. Percy took a careful pinch and stepped confidently into the fireplace.
His voice rang clear: "The Burrow!"
Green flames engulfed him and he vanished.
Aunt Molly gave me an encouraging pat. "Go on, dear. Just speak clearly."
I stepped into the fireplace, took a pinch of floo powder, and threw it down.
"The Burrow!"
The world spun. Colours blurred. My stomach twisted. Then everything stopped.
I stumbled a step forward and saw Percy standing in front of me.
"You did fine," he said, brushing off his robes, as if he were a teacher. "Come out. Mum will be right behind."
A moment later, Aunt Molly stepped out of the green flames. She dusted herself off and immediately tapped her wand on my robes. All the soot vanished at once.
"Much better," she said cheerfully.
Then I turned around and saw where we were.
The house looked exactly as the books described. Chickens could be seen running around the yard. Gnomes peeked from the bushes. A giant old-fashioned clock hung on the kitchen wall, its hands labelled with places instead of numbers—Home, School, Lost, Mortal Peril…
Everything was warm, messy, alive inside the house
The knitted tea cozies. The moving family photos. The cluttered yet welcoming kitchen table. A pile of books on one chair. A homemade blanket draped over the sofa. A small stack of school letters. A radio humming with the Wizarding Wireless Network.
It felt like stepping into a warm storybook.
And somewhere in this house under these mismatched floorboards, behind these cosy walls was the rat I needed to find.
The traitor who had changed Harry's fate.
End of Chapter 36 — To The Burrow