1
"Harry! Get down here!" shouted uncle Vernon.
"What is it?" said Harry running down the stairs as fast as he could. By the sound of Uncle Vernon's voice it didn't seem like good news.
"Tonight the Waldenbergs will be coming for dinner. We're discussing a very important deal, and somehow they heard about you. No matter how many times I told them that St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys can only do so much but they still insisted that you join us for dinner. Well the point is that I want you to do nothing! Nothing at all! Not even eat! I will not stand Petunia's wonderful cooking go down your mouth! And let this be easy for both of us. DON'T YOU DARE SHOW ANY SIGN OF YOUR ABNORMALITY! You got that?" by the time he finished all the blood in him must be in his cheeks because it was as red as red could be.
"Yes Uncle Vernon." said Harry.
"Now get out of my sight! Oh! And clear your room of all your junk!"
Harry ran up stairs as fast as he came down. He was just as glad to get away from uncle Vernon as Uncle Vernon was for him to get away. He ran to his room and sat on his bed. He looked around. On the wall he saw the calendar he had drawn himself. It counted down the days till school started. The school Harry went to isn't like any other school. It was Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. Now why would a boy like Harry go to Hogwarts? Because Harry isn't just any boy. Harry is a wizard. He was a wizard who in exactly one month and two days would start his fifth year at Hogwarts. Then he looked at the corner of his room where his stack of books about potions and spells and old famous wizards and witches lay. An hour later he has stuffed all his things that might look remotely suspicious to muggles in where ever he could. Then suddenly he heard three little taps on his window. He looked around.
"Hedwig!" Harry said. He was extremely happy to see his large snowy owl, which had been out for four entire days. He saw an envelope tied around Hedwig's leg. Instantly he recognised Ron's messy characters. "Thanks girl." he said, giving the owl a pat then untying the letter.
Dear Harry
How would you like to come and stay? I thought you'd want to because I know how much you dislike those muggles. Well please give me an answer as soon as possible. We can come and pick you up if your uncle and aunt won't mind (which I reckon they would because of our last visit). Bye bye
P.S have you heard from Sirius yet?
Ron.W
A huge grin started to appear from Harry's face. He was going to stay at the Weasleys. The Weasleys are Harry's favourite family in the world. Then the grin faded. How was he going to get there? The Dursley's would certainly not take him. They most probably wouldn't let the Weasleys come to pick him up. The last time they came they blew up half of the Dursley's living room wall, and made Dudley's tongue a foot long. Then another thing came across Harry's mind that made him even more worried. Sirius. Sirius hadn't written to Harry in a while. Sirius is Harry's godfather and a convicted murderer who is innocent. His name hasn't been cleared yet so he was still on the run with a hippogriff. Harry became more worried by the second. He went to his desk and took out some parchment and a quill. And started writing straight away.
Dear Sirius
Hi. Haven't heard from you in a while. Are you and Buckbeak all right? Please reply as soon as possible. I'm fine don't worry about me.
Bye!
H.Potter
Then he rushed to Hedwig's cage where she stood half asleep.
"Sorry to wake you up. Could you please give this to Sirius?"
She gave him an annoyed hoot and flew out the window.
"Harry! Come down here! Quick!" shouted uncle Vernon with an impatient tone in his voice.
Harry walked down stairs and saw all three of the Dursleys lined up at the door. All three were dressed their best. Uncle Vernon opened the door. A very flash Mercedes was parked outside. An almost bald blonde man stepped out first. Then a dark haired woman came out next. After, came out a girl about Harry's age.
"Hello Vernon! Very glad to see you." said the man, holding out one of his hands to shake uncle Vernon's.
"Oh hello Simon." uncle Vernon said still looking at the shiny car. Uncle Vernon feels rather intimidated by anyone with a better car.
"May I introduce my wife Laura-Mel and my daughter Linda" Simon said.
"Pleasure to meet both of you." said uncle Vernon not taking his eyes off the car.
The man looked at uncle Vernon then at everyone else, looking like expecting uncle Vernon to introduce everyone as well. "Ah…ahem"
"Oh! This is Petunia and Dudley." uncle Vernon said and pushed Dudley up to the front.
Everyone shook hands. Except Harry who just stood there at the foot of the stairs.
"And that must be Harry!" the moment Mr Waldenberg had said that. His wife and daughter both turned their head and stared at Harry. All three looked at him and up at the scar.
"Um… hi…" Harry said giving a weak smile.
Linda Simon's daughter smiled back. Harry couldn't help noticing how pretty she was. She had very dark straight silky hair and wore a short pink dress that showed the her perfect curves.
Uncle Vernon realised they were all staring at Harry. "Come in and Petunia will make some tea."
*
At dinner Harry was immensely hungry but followed uncle Vernon's orders and did not touch a thing.
"Harry! You aren't eating a thing!" said Mr Waldenberg. "Here! This chicken is delicious!" he put a plump chicken leg on Harry plate.
"Oh no! He can't eat that!" uncle Vernon said wincing when the chicken touched Harry's plate. "St Brutus's said that we should starve him, food gives him energy! Once Petunia felt sorry for that boy and kindly gave him toast and he was like a crazy hyperactive monkey on speed!" he said as he took the chicken and gave it to Dudley.
Linda was shaking her head and for a moment Harry almost thought he saw her mouth "muggles".
When dinner was over and everyone was full, aunt Petunia left out a huge bowl of pudding and she and Mrs Waldenberg went to the living room to discuss the best moisturisers and uncle Vernon and Mr Waldenberg went to the other side of the living room to sign some contracts. Dudley grabbed as much as pudding as he could fit into his soup bowl and went to watch T.V. Harry decided to go back to his bedroom. Not long afterwards he heard a knock on his door. It was Linda.
"Hi!" She said holding two dessert dishes. "Here I bought you some pudding." she handed him a bowl.
"Thanks."
"I thought you'd be hungr-"
"Linda! We need to get going!" Mr Waldenberg called.
"Well bye Harry! Pleasure meeting you." then she went downstairs.
From upstairs Harry could hear the car outside leave.
*
The next day Harry was trying very hard to convince uncle Vernon to let the Weasleys come and pick him up. Even fake threats from Sirius wouldn't work. (Harry "forgot" to tell the Dursleys that he was really innocent.)
"What makes you even think I would let those crazy flame-heads step into my house again? And let them blow it up?" uncle Vernon said spitting onto Harry's face. " And if u speak one more word about going into their malformed habitat, then you'll be back in that cupboard under the stairs quicker than you can say you're sorry!" then he marched off.
Harry wiped his face with the sleeves of Dudley's old size XXXL large jumper and went upstairs. Back in his room Harry saw a huge feathery lump outside the window. It took a while for Harry to realise it was Errol. Errol is the Weasleys' old owl. Harry opened the window and Errol fell inside and dropped right on Harry's bed. Errol wasn't looking so good. Harry took it to Hedwig's empty cage. And untied the letter that was attached onto it's feet.
Dear Harry
I guess the reason you haven't answered yet is because your aunt and uncle said no. Well we're coming anyway! Next Sunday. See ya then.
Ron
Harry was really happy that he was going to the Weasley's but he was worried about uncle Vernon. How would he react when the Weasleys turn up? He decided not to care, so he went did some holiday homework instead. After a while when the homework got boring, his mind started to wonder off. Why hadn't Sirius replied to his letter yet? Had he really been caught? Then he thought that it had only been two days. He's taken months before. Maybe he had to change locations and Hedwig just couldn't find him. Well what ever happened Harry decided to give him more time.
Next morning Harry walked in the kitchen for breakfast. Uncle Vernon was reading The Daily Mail, aunt Petunia was cutting up pieces of oranges. Dudley was looking at the little pieces of oranges pathetically. Dudley's diet wasn't working well. He'd only lost at the most two pounds in the previous year. No one looked up at Harry. He sat down and ate his one fifth of the orange. After he had eaten orange which Harry thought was no point since it was so small and barely filled a tiny area of his stomach he went upstairs. He sat down rubbing his rumbling stomach. Then far away he saw a white snowy owl.
"Hedwig!" shouted Harry rushing over to the window and opening it. It didn't come in or gave Harry a nip on his finger. It was just floating in midair waiting for Harry to untie the package. Then Harry realised that the owl wasn't Hedwig. It looked a bit larger and bolder. Harry untied the package and instantly the owl flew away. The package was wrapped in gold paper and on it in neat writing said "Happy Birthday Harry!" he opened it. Inside was a watch. It wasn't like any other watch Harry had ever seen. It didn't tell the time. The face was a clear blue sky with moving clouds and in the centre was a tiny golden snitch. It wasn't moving except for it's fluttering wings. Was it broken? Then he realised that there was no card and nothing that indicated who it was from. Maybe it was Sirius. Maybe he had been on the run so he couldn't leave a note. But why didn't he use Hedwig? Ron and Hermione had no excuse to not leave a note. Harry thought long and hard about how it worked and who could've sent it to him. He pocketed the watch. Roughly about an hour later another owl arrived. This one was tawny and medium sized. It had a package as well. This package was from Ron. It was a box full of tricks and lollies that had bad effects. Harry thought Ron must've got them from Fred and George. It also had a note and a card.
Dear Harry
We're using dad's work owl cause Errol hasn't come back yet. He must've died on the way. (That old feathered git) Hope you've got all the letters. I would've used Pigwidgeon but Fred and George was using him. Well see you tomorrow!
Ron
Harry had just realised that Errol was still there in Hedwig's cage. He was looking a lot better. But Harry decided he should let him go when he's ready. A few hours later two more packages arrived. Hermione got him a book "Everything You Ever Needed To Know On: Broomsticks", Hagrid gave him a box full of sweets. It was getting late so he went to sleep. That night Harry had a dream about a quidditch match against doxies, he had caught the snitch. The snitch started to make a tapping sound. It was a familiar tapping sound. Then it escaped from Harry's hands. And the crowd was booing Harry. He woke up and outside the window he saw a white blur. He put on his glasses and looked again. It was definitely Hedwig this time. He ran to the window pushed it open. Hedwig came in and flew to her cage and gave Errol a hoot that said, "Get out of the way!" Errol flew up to the ceiling, missed the window and went straight into the wall then finally out the window. Hedwig had a letter and a package. He ripped open the envelope and read the letter.
Dear Harry
Sorry I haven't been writing. I have been busy changing locations. Town's people getting suspicious. I thought since your birthday was so close I decided to reply and give you your birthday present at the same time. Well I'm OK. Goodbye
Sirius
Harry unwrapped the present. Sirius had got Harry a Wand Care Kit. Harry was just as relieved and excited, as he was tired. So he went to sleep.