1. Owls and O.W.L.s
Uncle Vernon stalked into the room just as Harry was sending out Hedwig again. He looked immensely displeased. "What do you think you're doing with that ruddy owl?" he hollered.
"You heard what they said at the station," Harry said calmly. "I presume you don't want a wizard in billowing robes knocking on the front door?"
Uncle Vernon grew red in the face. "I don't care! I won't take all this owl post nonsense anymore!"
"Time for dinner!" called Aunt Petunia from downstairs.
They walked down to the dining room without another word. Harry couldn't help but notice that Aunt Petunia seemed a bit paler than usual and her nostrils kept flaring, as if trying work up the courage to do something. "V-Vernon," she said finally, looking as though she wished she was doing anything else—anything—rather than sitting here and saying what she was about to say.
"Yes, Petunia?"
"W-Well...you know the neighbors across the street? The ones with the tall blonde youngster who got into Harvard Law School?" She was positively shaking now.
"Yes?"
"Well, you know, it's summer vacation and everything...Their son's home, and last night he was celebrating with a couple of friends and they were out late at night..." she paused as if to regain her courage. "And they saw something...that they really wondered at...and..."
Uncle Vernon's face was seen visibly to turn purple. "If it has anything to do with you, boy," he said threateningly to Harry.
"Well..." She threw a furtive glance in Harry's direction. "They saw a bird fly into a window...You know, a snowy white owl flying into—into—their neighbor's window..."
"They WHAT?!!!!!!!" Uncle Vernon had jumped to his feet.
"Oh, Vernon, for goodness' sake—"
"I'VE TOLD YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT THOSE RUDDY OWLS WILL ATTRACT THE NEIGHBOR'S ATTENTION BUT DO YOU EVER LISTEN? I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY, IF YOU CAN'T FIT INTO THAT CUPBOARD THEN YOU CAN STAY LOCKED IN YOUR BEDROOM!!!!!! UPSTAIRS!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Harry stood up to leave the table.
"AND NO MORE OF THOSE BLOODY FEATHERY BIRDS!!!!!!!!!"
Harry turned at the foot of the stairs. "What do you mean?"
"Owls...delivering mail...no, I will not have them in the house!!!!"
"But—but—but—"
"NO BUTS! IF I EVER HEAR ANOTHER SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM A NEIGHBOR AGAIN THEN—What, Petunia?" He looked down at Aunt Petunia, who was tugging at his sleeve. Harry was strongly reminded of Umbridge.
"What if one of them turns up in the neighborhood?" she said in a terrified voice. "They said they would, if...you know...and they keep their words..."
"Keep their words? Don't be silly, Petunia. There's no telling what these weird type would do." But he did look uncomfortable at the thought of strange people turning up in the driveway.
"Yes, imagine if they came and the neighbors saw them," Harry put in. "If it's just a feathery bird then maybe he'll think he was hallucinating, but real live people in robes—"
"All right, fine!" Uncle Vernon growled.
Harry was relieved, but above all, he felt triumphant as he went up to his bedroom. When he turned on the lights, what he saw shocked him horribly.
A regal-looking owl with sharp eyes sat on his bed, and gave him a judgmental look as he came in. Ron's owl, Pigwedgen, was zooming around in circles and hooting merrily, while yet another owl, sitting on his lamp, watched with disapproval. Just as he approached the one on his bed, another owl flew in from the open window and sat down on the bed rather dreamily. It gave a hoot that sounded suspiciously like a musical note.
Harry took the regal-looking owl's letter first because it bore the Hogwarts crest. He was surprised once again, when he found that it didn't contain the list of books and supplies he had expected to find, but his O.W.L. grades. At first glance, he saw that he did indeed get an "Outstanding" in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and his heart skipped a beat.
Meanwhile, Pig was getting impatiently. He was zooming faster and faster, trying to get Harry's attention.
A few further looks told Harry that he got "Exceeds Expectations" for everything else, except an "Average" in Potions, which he scowled at, and a "Poor" for Divination, which he didn't care about. He stuffed it into his drawer with a broad smile and grabbed Pig eagerly.
Dear Harry, Guess what, I actually got "Exceeds Expectations" in everything except Potions and Divinations! Who cares anyway, old Snape and Trelawny are nutters.. Hermoine's been gloating about her grades, though. Big deal.
We're really looking forward to seeing you. Of course Mum and the others won't let you stay with those Muggles for the whole summer.
See you,
Ron
Harry grinned. So he was going to join them in Grimmauld Place again, probably, and—
Sirius, he thought. Grimmauld Place belonged to Sirius, but Sirius wasn't there anymore...He was no longer there to give Harry advice, to tell Harry about how great his father was, to laugh with him, to share thoughts and ideas—
He sighed and took the letter from the owl on the lamp. It was from Hermoine, who did indeed seem to be gloating. She had gotten "Outstanding" in Ancient Runes, Charms, Arithmanthy, and even Potions. She got "E" for everything else. Harry tried to feel happy for both of them, but the thought of his godfather lingered like a shadow.
He picked up the last owl, and all thoughts of Sirius were replaced but astonishment. It was from Luna Lovegood. Dear Harry,
I wonder how you're feeling at the moment. Please try to think positively. We'll see them again, don't you think? I hope the thought of what happened to your godfather won't ruin your holidays. He was a brave man. You were very lucky, Harry, to have known him when you could understand each other well. My mother...was a different case.
You don't have to write back if you don't want to. It's OK. We're really busy at the moment. I think we saw one yesterday, but we're not sure. We're going back to see if we can catch it.
Best wishes,
Luna
Harry felt his heart lighten a considerable amount.
Suddenly, another owl crashed into the room and landed on Harry's pillow. It contained only a slip of paper:
Harry, wait for us. We are coming tonight to take to a better place to spend the summer.
Lupin
Uncle Vernon stalked into the room just as Harry was sending out Hedwig again. He looked immensely displeased. "What do you think you're doing with that ruddy owl?" he hollered.
"You heard what they said at the station," Harry said calmly. "I presume you don't want a wizard in billowing robes knocking on the front door?"
Uncle Vernon grew red in the face. "I don't care! I won't take all this owl post nonsense anymore!"
"Time for dinner!" called Aunt Petunia from downstairs.
They walked down to the dining room without another word. Harry couldn't help but notice that Aunt Petunia seemed a bit paler than usual and her nostrils kept flaring, as if trying work up the courage to do something. "V-Vernon," she said finally, looking as though she wished she was doing anything else—anything—rather than sitting here and saying what she was about to say.
"Yes, Petunia?"
"W-Well...you know the neighbors across the street? The ones with the tall blonde youngster who got into Harvard Law School?" She was positively shaking now.
"Yes?"
"Well, you know, it's summer vacation and everything...Their son's home, and last night he was celebrating with a couple of friends and they were out late at night..." she paused as if to regain her courage. "And they saw something...that they really wondered at...and..."
Uncle Vernon's face was seen visibly to turn purple. "If it has anything to do with you, boy," he said threateningly to Harry.
"Well..." She threw a furtive glance in Harry's direction. "They saw a bird fly into a window...You know, a snowy white owl flying into—into—their neighbor's window..."
"They WHAT?!!!!!!!" Uncle Vernon had jumped to his feet.
"Oh, Vernon, for goodness' sake—"
"I'VE TOLD YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT THOSE RUDDY OWLS WILL ATTRACT THE NEIGHBOR'S ATTENTION BUT DO YOU EVER LISTEN? I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY, IF YOU CAN'T FIT INTO THAT CUPBOARD THEN YOU CAN STAY LOCKED IN YOUR BEDROOM!!!!!! UPSTAIRS!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Harry stood up to leave the table.
"AND NO MORE OF THOSE BLOODY FEATHERY BIRDS!!!!!!!!!"
Harry turned at the foot of the stairs. "What do you mean?"
"Owls...delivering mail...no, I will not have them in the house!!!!"
"But—but—but—"
"NO BUTS! IF I EVER HEAR ANOTHER SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM A NEIGHBOR AGAIN THEN—What, Petunia?" He looked down at Aunt Petunia, who was tugging at his sleeve. Harry was strongly reminded of Umbridge.
"What if one of them turns up in the neighborhood?" she said in a terrified voice. "They said they would, if...you know...and they keep their words..."
"Keep their words? Don't be silly, Petunia. There's no telling what these weird type would do." But he did look uncomfortable at the thought of strange people turning up in the driveway.
"Yes, imagine if they came and the neighbors saw them," Harry put in. "If it's just a feathery bird then maybe he'll think he was hallucinating, but real live people in robes—"
"All right, fine!" Uncle Vernon growled.
Harry was relieved, but above all, he felt triumphant as he went up to his bedroom. When he turned on the lights, what he saw shocked him horribly.
A regal-looking owl with sharp eyes sat on his bed, and gave him a judgmental look as he came in. Ron's owl, Pigwedgen, was zooming around in circles and hooting merrily, while yet another owl, sitting on his lamp, watched with disapproval. Just as he approached the one on his bed, another owl flew in from the open window and sat down on the bed rather dreamily. It gave a hoot that sounded suspiciously like a musical note.
Harry took the regal-looking owl's letter first because it bore the Hogwarts crest. He was surprised once again, when he found that it didn't contain the list of books and supplies he had expected to find, but his O.W.L. grades. At first glance, he saw that he did indeed get an "Outstanding" in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and his heart skipped a beat.
Meanwhile, Pig was getting impatiently. He was zooming faster and faster, trying to get Harry's attention.
A few further looks told Harry that he got "Exceeds Expectations" for everything else, except an "Average" in Potions, which he scowled at, and a "Poor" for Divination, which he didn't care about. He stuffed it into his drawer with a broad smile and grabbed Pig eagerly.
Dear Harry, Guess what, I actually got "Exceeds Expectations" in everything except Potions and Divinations! Who cares anyway, old Snape and Trelawny are nutters.. Hermoine's been gloating about her grades, though. Big deal.
We're really looking forward to seeing you. Of course Mum and the others won't let you stay with those Muggles for the whole summer.
See you,
Ron
Harry grinned. So he was going to join them in Grimmauld Place again, probably, and—
Sirius, he thought. Grimmauld Place belonged to Sirius, but Sirius wasn't there anymore...He was no longer there to give Harry advice, to tell Harry about how great his father was, to laugh with him, to share thoughts and ideas—
He sighed and took the letter from the owl on the lamp. It was from Hermoine, who did indeed seem to be gloating. She had gotten "Outstanding" in Ancient Runes, Charms, Arithmanthy, and even Potions. She got "E" for everything else. Harry tried to feel happy for both of them, but the thought of his godfather lingered like a shadow.
He picked up the last owl, and all thoughts of Sirius were replaced but astonishment. It was from Luna Lovegood. Dear Harry,
I wonder how you're feeling at the moment. Please try to think positively. We'll see them again, don't you think? I hope the thought of what happened to your godfather won't ruin your holidays. He was a brave man. You were very lucky, Harry, to have known him when you could understand each other well. My mother...was a different case.
You don't have to write back if you don't want to. It's OK. We're really busy at the moment. I think we saw one yesterday, but we're not sure. We're going back to see if we can catch it.
Best wishes,
Luna
Harry felt his heart lighten a considerable amount.
Suddenly, another owl crashed into the room and landed on Harry's pillow. It contained only a slip of paper:
Harry, wait for us. We are coming tonight to take to a better place to spend the summer.
Lupin