A deafening laugh echoed around number 4 Privet Drive. It was to be
recognised as the laugh of Dudley Dursley, the overweight, do-no-wrong (as
far as his mother knew) cousin of Harry Potter. He was downstairs watching
a new British sitcom.
Sun streamed in through the open window of Harry's bedroom. The scruffy haired boy lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was thinking of his Godfather's death that had occurred over a year back. It was strange, the though of Sirius's death did no longer upset him, as he had realised that Sirius's death was to save Harry.
As far as muggles were concerned, the Summer Holidays had not been eventful at all, but a few times during his time at the Dursleys, Harry had taken the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley, and he had unexpectedly met a few school friends. Not once though, had he met Hermione or Ron.
Harry had been in touch with his two best friends via Owl Post over the holidays. It always brought a smile to Harry's face to see Ron's scrawny handwriting or Hermione's perfectly written letters. It was now the second from last week of the holidays, and Harry was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts at the start of the new term.
He had been spending his time entertaining himself with his birthday presents that he had received this year. From Ron, Harry had received a gift wrapped object, and a note saying,
'Harry,
Hope this gets to you ok. Your present is a 'Telephone Conversation Interceptor Kit,' and to be frank I have no idea what it does. I thought you might like it because I know the muggles you live with have a telephone. Tell me if it's any good,
Have an excellent birthday mate,
From Ron' Harry had had some fun using this to listen in on Uncle Vernon's phone calls, and interrupting them with strange quacking sounds that Harry made in his throat. When Harry was blamed, it was soon after believed that he wasn't the one making the noises, after all, he didn't have a telephone in his room. Dudley did, however...
From Hermione, Harry had again received a present and a note, which read,
'Dear Harry,
I hope you are well, how are the muggles treating you this summer? I know you must get quite bored sometimes, so I thought this gift might brighten up your days, I do hope you like it.
I asked my mum if you could stay for part of the summer (assuming you wanted to, of course), and she would have let you if it wasn't for the fact that my dad is now in St. Mungo's sustaining bad injuries from a car crash. He is recovering well.
I'm really looking forward to seeing you at the start of term, or even earlier if possible...
See you soon,
Love from
Hermione x' Her gift was a 'Wand Enhancer Kit' which consisted of a book containing charms and spells which were legal to perform below the normal magical age restriction laws, and a small sheath for the wand itself. He had thought that this was considerably better than Ron's present, but he wasn't going to tell him that.
As Harry had gone to throw away the gift paper in the kitchen bin the next morning a slip of paper fell out of Hermione's opened envelope. As Harry turned over the piece of paper, it turned out to be a photograph. Harry stared at it as he put the rubbish in the bin, and as he stood up, he stopped halfway through walking back to his room. The photo showed himself and Hermione in the Three Broomsticks on a trip to Hogmeade around Christmas last year. Harry stood reminiscing that day. Ron was due to meet Harry and Hermione in that pub, but he was a few minutes late. Ron pointed out when he entered that Harry and Hermione were sitting under mistletoe, and he took the picture. According to Ron, the opportunity was too good to miss...
Harry was brought abruptly back to the present by the grating sound of a chair being pushed back. It was Dudley. His mouth half full of breakfast, he stole the photo off of Harry, apparently not taking any notice of the fact that the characters were moving slightly.
"Hey look ," he grunted, laughing to himself, "Harry's got a girlfriend. 'He's snoggin' her under some of those Christmas Leaves!"
"Dudley, you fat ponce, it's called mistletoe," said Harry angrily, snatching the photo back, "and she's not my girlfriend! It was a friendly, jokey, Christmas kiss. I don't fancy her!"
"Whatever," replied Dudley, almost running back to his breakfast. Harry went back to his room, examining the photo.
Harry knew he had just lied to Dudley; he did have feelings for Hermione. After all, Harry was now sixteen. His hormones were raging and romantic impulses were taking over. He would often dream about Hermione and himself, alone...
But now, in the second from last week of the summer holidays, Harry wanted to leave Privet Drive. He decided he wanted to stay in the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the holidays like he had done in his third year. He sent Ron and Hermione notes to say where he would be if they wanted to contact him.
When he was packed and ready to go, he realised that he hadn't actually told the muggles where he was going (not that they would care.) He told Uncle Vernon and as he walked out of the front door, he heard him mutter something that sounded somewhat like "Good riddance."
The Knight Bus screeched to a halt outside the Leaky Cauldron. Stan helped Harry out with his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Harry turned to look at Stan with a puzzled look on his face,
"Don't muggles get suspicious when they see a purple triple decker bus stop in the middle of the road?" Harry asked.
"Nah," replied Stan, "it's enchanted so that muggles will only see it as a typical London double decker bus. Cheers mate, 'ave a good day."
"Yeah, bye," said Harry. He turned to enter the Leaky Cauldron as a familiar person walked out of the door.
It was Proffessor Snape, who merely smirked at Harry. Harry gave him a curt nod, and with that, heaved his trunk into the pub.
Inside, Tom the Landlord greeted Harry with a beaming smile on his face,
"Good to see you again Mr. Potter. What will it be today? A drink, a meal, or are you just going to Diagon Alley?"
"I'd like a room please Tom," Harry replied, buckling under the weight of his trunk, "and I'd like to stay until the school term begins if that's okay."
"Of course, of course. Now if you'll follow me," said Tom, leading Harry up the stairs to a nice secluded room. He unlocked the door and Harry walked in.
"All inclusive meals, I presume, eh?" asked Tom.
"No thanks, just breakfast and dinner," said Harry, opening his trunk.
"But of course," said Tom bowing slightly, "and er... first two nights are on the house."
"Oh, thanks Tom," said Harry grinning.
"No problem," replied Tom, and with that, he left Harry to his own devices. Harry was in for a good two weeks.
Sun streamed in through the open window of Harry's bedroom. The scruffy haired boy lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was thinking of his Godfather's death that had occurred over a year back. It was strange, the though of Sirius's death did no longer upset him, as he had realised that Sirius's death was to save Harry.
As far as muggles were concerned, the Summer Holidays had not been eventful at all, but a few times during his time at the Dursleys, Harry had taken the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley, and he had unexpectedly met a few school friends. Not once though, had he met Hermione or Ron.
Harry had been in touch with his two best friends via Owl Post over the holidays. It always brought a smile to Harry's face to see Ron's scrawny handwriting or Hermione's perfectly written letters. It was now the second from last week of the holidays, and Harry was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts at the start of the new term.
He had been spending his time entertaining himself with his birthday presents that he had received this year. From Ron, Harry had received a gift wrapped object, and a note saying,
'Harry,
Hope this gets to you ok. Your present is a 'Telephone Conversation Interceptor Kit,' and to be frank I have no idea what it does. I thought you might like it because I know the muggles you live with have a telephone. Tell me if it's any good,
Have an excellent birthday mate,
From Ron' Harry had had some fun using this to listen in on Uncle Vernon's phone calls, and interrupting them with strange quacking sounds that Harry made in his throat. When Harry was blamed, it was soon after believed that he wasn't the one making the noises, after all, he didn't have a telephone in his room. Dudley did, however...
From Hermione, Harry had again received a present and a note, which read,
'Dear Harry,
I hope you are well, how are the muggles treating you this summer? I know you must get quite bored sometimes, so I thought this gift might brighten up your days, I do hope you like it.
I asked my mum if you could stay for part of the summer (assuming you wanted to, of course), and she would have let you if it wasn't for the fact that my dad is now in St. Mungo's sustaining bad injuries from a car crash. He is recovering well.
I'm really looking forward to seeing you at the start of term, or even earlier if possible...
See you soon,
Love from
Hermione x' Her gift was a 'Wand Enhancer Kit' which consisted of a book containing charms and spells which were legal to perform below the normal magical age restriction laws, and a small sheath for the wand itself. He had thought that this was considerably better than Ron's present, but he wasn't going to tell him that.
As Harry had gone to throw away the gift paper in the kitchen bin the next morning a slip of paper fell out of Hermione's opened envelope. As Harry turned over the piece of paper, it turned out to be a photograph. Harry stared at it as he put the rubbish in the bin, and as he stood up, he stopped halfway through walking back to his room. The photo showed himself and Hermione in the Three Broomsticks on a trip to Hogmeade around Christmas last year. Harry stood reminiscing that day. Ron was due to meet Harry and Hermione in that pub, but he was a few minutes late. Ron pointed out when he entered that Harry and Hermione were sitting under mistletoe, and he took the picture. According to Ron, the opportunity was too good to miss...
Harry was brought abruptly back to the present by the grating sound of a chair being pushed back. It was Dudley. His mouth half full of breakfast, he stole the photo off of Harry, apparently not taking any notice of the fact that the characters were moving slightly.
"Hey look ," he grunted, laughing to himself, "Harry's got a girlfriend. 'He's snoggin' her under some of those Christmas Leaves!"
"Dudley, you fat ponce, it's called mistletoe," said Harry angrily, snatching the photo back, "and she's not my girlfriend! It was a friendly, jokey, Christmas kiss. I don't fancy her!"
"Whatever," replied Dudley, almost running back to his breakfast. Harry went back to his room, examining the photo.
Harry knew he had just lied to Dudley; he did have feelings for Hermione. After all, Harry was now sixteen. His hormones were raging and romantic impulses were taking over. He would often dream about Hermione and himself, alone...
But now, in the second from last week of the summer holidays, Harry wanted to leave Privet Drive. He decided he wanted to stay in the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the holidays like he had done in his third year. He sent Ron and Hermione notes to say where he would be if they wanted to contact him.
When he was packed and ready to go, he realised that he hadn't actually told the muggles where he was going (not that they would care.) He told Uncle Vernon and as he walked out of the front door, he heard him mutter something that sounded somewhat like "Good riddance."
The Knight Bus screeched to a halt outside the Leaky Cauldron. Stan helped Harry out with his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Harry turned to look at Stan with a puzzled look on his face,
"Don't muggles get suspicious when they see a purple triple decker bus stop in the middle of the road?" Harry asked.
"Nah," replied Stan, "it's enchanted so that muggles will only see it as a typical London double decker bus. Cheers mate, 'ave a good day."
"Yeah, bye," said Harry. He turned to enter the Leaky Cauldron as a familiar person walked out of the door.
It was Proffessor Snape, who merely smirked at Harry. Harry gave him a curt nod, and with that, heaved his trunk into the pub.
Inside, Tom the Landlord greeted Harry with a beaming smile on his face,
"Good to see you again Mr. Potter. What will it be today? A drink, a meal, or are you just going to Diagon Alley?"
"I'd like a room please Tom," Harry replied, buckling under the weight of his trunk, "and I'd like to stay until the school term begins if that's okay."
"Of course, of course. Now if you'll follow me," said Tom, leading Harry up the stairs to a nice secluded room. He unlocked the door and Harry walked in.
"All inclusive meals, I presume, eh?" asked Tom.
"No thanks, just breakfast and dinner," said Harry, opening his trunk.
"But of course," said Tom bowing slightly, "and er... first two nights are on the house."
"Oh, thanks Tom," said Harry grinning.
"No problem," replied Tom, and with that, he left Harry to his own devices. Harry was in for a good two weeks.