Harry sat on the edge of his bed, looking miserably around at the walls of his room at the Dursley's. He looked down at the picture in his hand. It was one of the pictures Hagrid had put into the photo album that he gave to Harry at the end of his first year. A tear trickled down the side of his face and fell toward the picture in his hand. He had carried the picture of Sirius and himself as a baby since he had attended Sirius's funeral. He missed him. Harry had never felt like he had real family until he met Sirius. Sirius was the only one he had left of what he thought of was his close family; although he knew Sirius was not related to him. He had felt as though no one wanted him to have any family left. They wanted him to be alone. Alone in the world with the Dursley's. Why didn't I go after him, why? This thought repeated itself in Harry's mind all the time. So many nights he had laid awake, gazing up at the dark ceiling wondering why he hadn't went after Sirius. I should have fought Lupin off to get to Sirius. Harry sat fixated on the picture for a moment, then he stood only to sit again at his desk. He picked up his quill, out of the ink bottle on the corner of the desk, and quickly began to write.
Dear Ron,
How are you? I am miserable. I can't get that thought out of my head. It keeps going and going. I can't make it stop. And I know if your mum finds out I am writing without consent she will go mad. But I need to talk to you. Oh, by the way when is the Chudley Cannons game? Well I am going to try to get some sleep now. Write soon.
Harry
Harry grabbed a small piece of string and the letter and made his way over to Hedwig's cage. As he opened the cage door, Hedwig was frantically trying to escape. She had been stuck in her cage for almost a month, without a single run. Harry took her tiny leg and tied the small roll of parchment to it. Ok Hedwig. Take this to Ron as fast as you can fly. I really need to talk to him. Harry then walked over to the window and opened it so Hedwig could get out. He watched her take off into the night. Then slowly he turned and made his way back to his bed. Heaving a great sigh of relief, he flopped down onto his bed. I hope I hear from Ron soon. Hedwig's a fast flyer, I'll probably get a reply tomorrow. Oh well it's only two more weeks until we return to Hog…He yawned and before he could finish his thought he fell asleep. The next thing he knew he was waking up to Hedwig's tapping on the window.
Harry rushed over to the window and let Hedwig in. Just as he had thought she had a reply attached to her leg.
Dear Harry,
I was so glad to hear from you last night. I don't really know what to tell you about your thought. I know that Sirius's death was the last thing you had on your mind. It's dreadful that you have no blood relatives left. Well none that you want anyway. But bloody hell you have us. Mum and Dad says we can pick you up on Friday at ten in the morning. Dad says to tell the muggles that we will be picking you up in a ministry car. A muggle type I suppose it will be. Mum was actually glad that you wrote. She didn't go mad. That means you get to come to the Chudley Cannons game with us on Saturday. I'm very excited and can't wait to see you again.
Ron
Harry felt immediate joy from reading Ron's letter. He dropped the small piece of parchment onto his bed and made his way to the door. As he approached the door and was about to open it he could hear Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon talking in whispers from their bedroom down the hall. "Vernon, what do you suppose this could mean?" Aunt Petunia sounded worried. "I – I – I can't open it. I just can't. I'm just going to throw it away."
"No! You can't remember what happened the last time you did that? Our house just about exploded." Uncle Vernon, too, sounded worried.
"Well I don't know what to do with it. I thought when my sister died all this would stop."
"As much as I hate the boy I think you should have him and that bloody wand of his near you."
"What? Why?"
"Just in case. You can't trust those bloody freaks."
"Ok. I'll do it after everyone is up and after Dudley goes outside to play."
Harry heard his aunt and uncle go downstairs. He figured he should wait a few minutes before going downstairs, then he remembered he hadn't gotten dressed. He was so happy to hear from Ron that he almost went downstairs in his pyjamas.
He got dressed slowly to pass some time before he made his way downstairs. As he approached the bottom of the stairs, Uncle Vernon was making his way to the refrigerator.
"Ahh your up. Good." Vernon said this with a stern, yet worried tone. "Go to the living room and sit down we need to talk to you."
Harry did as he was told as he was curious to see what could be worrying them. As he entered the living room he seen Aunt Petunia sitting in the chair, eyes fixated on a red envelope. He knew what that envelope was. It was a howler. He had completely forgotten she had received one before he left for Grimmauld Place.
"Go get your wand." She looked at him with worried eyes. "Now."
Harry ran upstairs, rummaged through a few things and found his wand. Then he ran back to the living room.
"Ok I'm going to open this and I want you to stand where you can spell it or something if it goes crazy on me."
"Ok." Harry tried to hide a laugh at what his aunt had just said. He found the whole thing rather funny and enjoyed seeing them worried like this.
Petunia bent down and picked up the red envelope. She was shaking horribly and had a hard time to open it. As soon as she opened it began to make a rumbling sound. She dropped it immediately and stepped away from it, as did Harry and Vernon. As it fell to the floor, smoke began to rise from it and it bellowed out a message:
Harry Potter must not live at Privet Drive any longer! He must move to a wizarding family's home!! Muggles are no longer safe in the presence of Mr. Potter. He must leave immediately!!!
The letter then burst into blue flames and vanished. Harry knew that voice. He knew that voice well so he tried to hide his laughter and make himself looked worried. Petunia and Vernon looked at each other then over to Harry.
"Well? I guess I'd better go pack."
"Yes. You should. You can go live at your parents old house." Vernon looked thrilled to finally be able to say these words. "Away from here. And you better do it quick."
"Actually I think I would rather live at the Weasley's." Harry took one last look at his aunt and uncle then left. When he got upstairs he laid on his bed and laughed uncontrollably. He laughed because he knew that the howler was a fake. He knew it wasn't real. That voice he heard was Mr. Weasley's.