Chapter One
Harry Potter leaned back in his chair and read through the finished letter.
Dear Hermione,
Thanks for the sweets, I really needed them. I don't think I can survive on Dudley's diet. The salads and the boxing are starting to work. He's lost loads of weight.
I'm coming up at the weekend, Remus is coming to get me. I can't wait to see you and Ron again, I've really missed you both.
I'll see you soon.
Love
Harry
Satisfied he had said all he wanted, Harry put the letter to one side and pulled a fresh piece of parchment over to him. He loaded his quill and started writing.
Dear Ron,
Thanks for the Quidditch book, it's just what I wanted. Dudley's left me alone. You were right, threatening him with Dementors does work!
I'm coming up at the weekend, Remus is coming to get me. I can't wait to see you and Hermione again, it's not the same without you two!
I'll see you soon.
Harry
He nodded and walked over to Hedwig's cage. She watched him with serious amber eyes, and hooted softly as he approached. He opened the cage and she fluttered over to his shoulder. Harry attached the letters to her leg.
"That's for Ron and Hermione. You only need to make one trip."
Hedwig hooted again and flew out of the open window. Harry opened his wardrobe and looked in the mirror. Now sixteen, his body had evened out. He was quite tall and well-built, his messy black hair falling in front of vivid green eyes, looking seriously at his reflection through round glasses. He was still wearing the clothes from that day, jeans and a white shirt over a black T-shirt, not having changed yet. He grinned at his reflection, then closed the wardrobe and looked around his room. There was a pinboard on the wall above his desk, a present from Tonks, covered with photographs. Harry, Hermione and Ron, Ron, Fred and George, Ginny and Hermione, Harry and Ron. There were lots of Ron. Harry sat on his bed and picked up the book on the floor. He flicked it open and smiled. It was full of photographs of Ron and Hermione, in Hogsmeade, with Ginny and Neville and Luna, a few of the girls on their own, one of the whole group. He dropped it onto the floor and lay back on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.
"Two days until I leave. Two days until I see Ron again."
He laughed quietly as his mind strayed to his best friend. He had known Ron Weasley for five years, and Harry had become an additional member of the Weasley family, but he had found himself thinking about Ron more than usual. Harry snorted. It was down to the short wait between Thursday and Saturday, when he would see them again. He pulled off his glasses and threw them onto his desk, then pulled the covers over himself and went to sleep.