The Medium Between Life and Death

Chapter 2 - The Deathday Invite

Harry was curled up on his bed, ignoring his aching stomach and cursing stubborn house elves everywhere. He knew that he probably couldn't die of hunger, but that didn't mean he didn't feel it terribly. He'd tried to reason with Dobby. He even ended up telling the elf he was already dead, so there wasn't much that could happen to him, but the elf really didn't seem to believe him. His mum and dad weren't much help either since he couldn't use magic, so even if they told him a spell to get out of the house, he couldn't use it if he wanted to go back to school.

"Harry, there's someone here I want you to meet," James Potter broke into Harry's haze of hunger and anger.

"Really?!" He sat up excitedly. So far, he hadn't gotten to talk like this to anyone except his parents even though they assured him they weren't all alone in the afterlife.

"Yes, this is Fabian Prewett."

"Hello, little medium, I'm pleased to meet you," a kind, deep voice almost soothed Harry's anger and worry.

"Er...medium?" he asked in confusion.

"He hasn't had Divination yet, Fabian," James scolded the other man. "Harry, it just means that you can talk to the dead...you're a type of medium, though I don't think any others have actually been dead before like you are."

"Oh, okay then. It's good to meet you too, Mr. Prewett," Harry smiled out, not knowing just how much of him the spirits could see.

"Fabian, please Harry," Fabian laughed. "I feel like McGonagall is about to scold me and my brother for some prank when called Mr. Prewett."

"Harry, Fabian is going to teach you how to pick a lock the muggle way," James explained the new voice's presence.

"Er...that's really cool," Harry grinned excitedly, but knew it really wouldn't help. "It's not going to get me out of the room though. There are a couple chain locks on the door as well."

"Let's worry about the locks you can get to for now, and maybe your relatives will forget to lock those chains at some point. If not, I'll grab my brother and have him teach you how to break through a door with force," Fabian explained, sounding very excited.

"But, if I get out...where would I go? I'm not even twelve yet," Harry sighed, still seeing problems with this plan. He loved his dad and getting to know him, but he seemed to be a jump first and then look type of person.

"You'll go either your friend Ron's house, or I have an old friend named Remus I can lead you to," James explained. "We have to get you out before school though...I'm not sure they're planning on letting you go back to Hogwarts."

"My sister, Molly, and her family will definitely take him in," Fabian assured them both.

Harry was surprised. "Mrs. Weasley is your sister?!"

"She is. Gideon and I have kept tabs on her and the family over the years. We know they would look out for you if you went there," Fabian said confidently. "Now, you need to find a stiff wire or thin piece of metal. It looks like there are a lot of broken toys around you...look through those and see what you can find."

Harry succeeded in learning how to get through all the types of locks on the door except for the chain locks when the Weasley Twins and Ron had finally shown up to bust him out. Frankly, he was a little sad to not get Gideon Prewett's lesson on how to bust through a door, but hey, he was free at least and knew how to pick locks quickly and silently.

"Thank you, Fabian," he mumbled as the flying car pulled away from Privet Drive leaving a red-faced Vernon Dursley cursing them from the window.

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