Harry Potter and The Black Moon

Chapter 1 : Another flock of owls...

Harry awoke quickly with a start, beads of sweat slowly dripping down his forehead. He had just been sleeping when he started to dream of the moment his parents had been killed. For the past few nights now, he kept dreaming about that dreadful night in Godric's Hollow. It was the same scene that kept repeating in his head over and over every night when he'd finally get sleep, much like that of a broken record. The shrill scream of his mother, the thud of her falling to the ground limply and then the maniacal laughter of Voldemort. He slowly wiped his forehead and then lowered his head to lie on his pillow and try to get some sleep.

After a while Harry finally was awoken by the resounding tapping of something upon his window. He sat up quickly, shooting his gaze to the window and then, breathing again only seeing Hedwig. He got out from under his blankets and walked over to the window and opened it slowly, as to not make much noise, letting hedwig sore in along with Pig and a brown owl Harry quickly recognized as a post owl. He was suprised at the multitude of letters at first but then it occured to him, today was July 31st, his fifteenth birthday. A smile creeped across his face as he looked upon all the gifts his friends and family had sent to him.

He quickly gave each of the owls a treat and went to Hedwig first, removing a small somewhat badly wrapped package with a small piece of parchment attached to it. He removed the package from her and took the parchment into his hands reading it,

" Happy Birthday, Harry. I'm sorry that I could not get you this summer but I promise that I will make up for lost time eventually.I'm staying with Hermione, so you need not worry about me. Well, I must go now I hear Mr. and Mrs. Granger coming in. I will try to write again soon. "

-Padfoot

The smile he had a few moments ago continued to grow, knowing that Sirus was safe and in good hands. He was also relieved at hearing that he was with Hermione, knowing that as long as he was there, they would both be safe. He then turned his head to the package, opening it quickly and gasping at what the present was. In the package was a smaller version of Dumbledore's penseive that he had fallen into the year before. He held it up to his face seeing a small piece of parchment inside the basin of the structure, explaining how to use it.

With much reluctance, he put it down and then walked over to Pig. The small owl was not his usual ecstatic self, maybe due to the large load he had been given. He had been packed with about 4 different packages and what looked to be a birthday card of sorts. He quickly removed the gifts from the small owl at which point it proceeded to act in its ordinary way, zooming about the ceiling. he opened the parchment and smiled seeing all of the Weasleys' signatures there on it, feeling himself swell with joy. He then started to read the letter,

"Hey Harry, Happy Birthday! I was hoping to write to you sooner but so many things have been happening and we arn't supposed to talk about them over owl post so it'll have to wait. I hope your summers going well, mine is kinda shabby being stuck here with Fred and George, being used as a test subject for their sweets isn't my idea of fun. Well, everyone here sends their wishes to you and hope to see you soon. "

-Ron


P.S. - Don't eat any of the chocolate candies, I think Fred and George may have slipped some of their's in also.

Harry laughed as he read the last part of the letter,but then something in the letter caught his eye. What was it that Ron would be busy with that he could not risk getting intercepted? This boggled his brain for a few moments until pig hooted at him landing on the pile of gifts which he had just carried. Harry quickly got a hold of himself telling himself not to worry about it,as he reached for the gifts. Amongst them was a small birthday cake apparently from Mrs.Weasley.In anohter package he found an assortment of sweets which he set aside after Ron's warning. In another box was a small cassette tape and 3 batteries, apparently from Mr.Weasley, and in the final box there was a copy of "Fantastic Quidditch Tricks and How to Make Yourself Look Like a Pro" and a new set of broom maintenance items from Ron and Ginny.

He then looked to the post owl and grabbed a small letter off of its leg and unburdened it of the small package that it bore. After one look at the delicately wrapped package he could easily tell it had been sent to him by Hermione.He looked at the package for a moment and then quickly went to the letter that she had sent him. He quickly took the letter out and began to read,

"Happy Birthday Harry! Im so sorry i havent been writing as much as I know I should have but we have been on vacation and it was great! I sent you a picture of me and my parents and one of Ron, Ginny and the rest of the family because I knew Ron would forget. Things have been odd out here lately Harry, be glad you are where you are, for with Voldemort's return many people have begun acting strangely even though they claim not to believe it. Well Harry, I must go now i'll write back soon I promise. "

-Hermione

Harry was quite perplexed at the letters, both Hermione's and Ron's. He didnt know what to think of it and quickly his mind left the subject as 2 small photographs fell out of the letter. One of them of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Bill , and Ginny all waving from the back courtyard of The Burrow. Harry smiled as he looked at them, thinking of how great the summer was when he had stayed there. He then looked at the other picture Hermione had sent him of her and her parents. They were standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. Mr. and Mrs.Granger were standing behind Hermione , who was wearing a knee length golden colored sundress and a wide brim straw hat. Harry gazed at the picture with awe, he had only seen Hermione well dressed for one other occasion and it brought out the same effect this had, a jaw dropping transformation, so to speak.

Harry gazed for a few moments until noticing his still unwrapped present from Hermione laying on his bed. He quickly went to it and opened it carefully as not to tear or break anything. As he unwrapped the package inside he saw something glimmer as he slowly pulled it out of the silken bag holding it. It was a thin chain made of some type of gold-like material with a very intricately carved gryphon hanging at the end of it. He smiled as he looked at it and then quickly put it on letting it dangle about his neck.He smiled as he held the small golden trinket in his hand, staring down at it.

Harry then let out a long somewhat loud yawn which he hoped no one had heard. He quickly glanced up at the clock and realized how late it was and quickly moved all his presents, letters , and wrappings into a safe spot in his trunk and shut it softly.He however, kept the pendant around his neck and let the owls out whispering slightly to himself, "I'll send a reply to them in the morning," as he stroked Hedwig's soft,white feathers, watching the other owls fly away in the cloudless sky.

He sat at the window for a few moments before closing the window quitely, stopping the cool night wind from entering his room. He quietly walked around the trunk to his bed getting in and curling up in the sheets admiring his present from Hermione. He didn't know what it was but something about it enticed him, and he couldn't take his eyes off of it.He kept staring at it until his mind wandered back to the hidden topic of the letters. He thought of what Voldemort may be doing or what may have happened He was restless the whole night, hoping all his friends and everyone he knew would be all right. He finally fell into a restless sleep only to be awaken again by a tapping at his window.

He bolted upright at the sound of another tapping at his window and quickly went to the window, thinking nothing of it.As he opened the window he was suprised to see another owl which he did not recognize fly in. It was a black owl about the same size as hedwig with brilliant golden eyes that let out bright shimmers of irredescent light as the light hit them.Grasped in its large talons was a tiny peice of parchment.Harry observed the owl cautiosly and slowly reached for, and grabbed the parchment quickly unrolling it, reading the almost illegible handwriting that had quickly been written on it,

Mr.Potter, you are hearby authorized to use your wand and any spells you feel are needed. An incident has occured, of which we shall inform you of shortly. Do not go to sleep until you have heard from us. Do not let your guard down. We shall send an owl ahead ASAP with more information.

-Dumbledore

He read and re-read the letter through quickly, trying to understand anything he could when it finally sank in. Something horible had happened, of this he could be sure.Why else would they allow him to use his wand outside of Hogwarts. As it sank in he quiuckly ran to his trunk grabbing his wand up out of it going to the window and closing it quickly. He through on some of his jeans and a t-shirt quickly, throwing his old bed clothes aside. He paced around his room with his wand brandished forward, casting a glance at the window every few minutes or so.

After about 10 or so minutes, Harry noticed an owl coming in towards his window. He quickly darted to it and through it open, almost sure that his aunt and uncle would hear it crash against the boundarys of the window seal.The owl glided in coming to a rest on his dresser with a small scroll of parchment attached to its leg. Harry quickly ran over to it and grabbed it from the owl, unrolling it hastily. He read over the rough, hastily written words, his expression growinng more grim by the second.

Mr. Potter, sometime tonight an attempt was made to break into the Ministry of Magic. The attempt was thwarted but it seems that they were not its real target. At about 12:20 this night, the dementors around azkaban simply vanished and a number of Death Eaters escaped. Most of the escapees were those believed to have been in Voldemort's Inner Circle. Some of them include The Lestranges, and many of the other more influential Death Eaters of the last decade. You must watch over yourself Harry, for with these people, Voldemort may try and attack you. It is a very doubtful thing but it is still a possibility.We will be sending another owl sometime in the near future. Please Harry do not do anything rash, we cannot afford something like 2 years before and the inflating of a certain aunt.My hopes and prayers are with you Harry I have much faith that you will be safe.

-Dumbledore

Harry could not beileive what he was reading. Had this actually happened? Harry just couldnt beleive that Voldemort's best supporters had escaped and fled back to him. And what of the vanished dementors? Harry had no doubts that they had gone to help re-inforce Voldemort's , now quickly expanding, army. Harry breathed a heavy sigh as he re-read the last line over "I have much faith that you will be safe." He let out a sigh at the thought of the letter and then slowly moved to stash the letter and his wand into his trunk. After he moved silently to his bed and slowly laid down, clutching the covers around him tightly. As he closed his eyes words flashed before him along with many images he hoped he'd never have to see. Harry silently tunred over to face his window giving it a last fleeting look before he drifted into an uneasy sleep.