CHAPTER 1
Petunia's Surprise Chat
Summer, usually a time for fun now had a somber feel to it. Privet drive lay full of joy but for one boy, Harry Potter, age 16, there would be no joy. Harry lay in his room, thinking. He thought about the events of the last year in Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. It had been a most interesting year for him. Harry glanced at the back of his right hand. There was still a slight scar of the words "I will not tell lies". It was a reminder of the evil witch that had been there, Professor Umbridge.
As Harry lay on his bed, his thoughts came back to Sirius, his late godfather. Sirius had died in a wizard duel against his cousin, whom had broken out of Azkaban not too long ago. It was an irony that in Harry's 3rd year at Hogwarts, Sirius had broken out of the very same prison. He had turned out to be innocent though nobody believed him innocent. He had been convicted of murders he did not commit. They had nearly gotten his name cleared when they had found the true murderer; Ron's rat Scabbers had in fact turned out to be an animagus named Wormtail.
Now as Harry thought about Sirius, he couldn't help but let a tear roll down his cheek. Sirius was like a father to him, since he hadn't had one. But something else came to his mind. The prophecy that he had heard in his 5th year made him wonder. He still wondered if he was the right person that Voldemort had gone after. Neville had been born the same day. What if Neville was the chosen one in that prophecy and not Harry? Voldemort may have picked the wrong person. It didn't really matter now that the prophecy was gone and Voldemort hadn't heard the last of it.
There was a knock on the door. Aunt Petunia walked to the door and opened it. Outside the door was a young girl. She had bushy red hair and very pretty eyes. It was Hermione Granger, Harry's friend.
" Hello Mrs. Dursley," said Hermione. Petunia surprisingly didn't clench her teeth at seeing a witch in front of her house. She kindly waved Hermione in, checking though to see if anyone had seen her…or was it to see if any dangerous people following her? She gently pushed Hermione to the living room where Dudley was watching TV.
" Out!" she said to Dudley sternly. Dudley quickly left the room. Hermione wondered how Harry could ever have a cousin like him. Her husband Vernon was in the kitchen as usual drinking coffee. Hermione sat down on the sofa neatly and smiled.
" Is Harry around?" she asked. Petunia sat across from her.
" Are you a friend from school?" Petunia asked. Hermione simply nodded her head.
" He's upstairs," petunia replied to Hermione's question. She quickly got up and went to the stairs.
" Harry! Come down, there's someone here to see you," Petunia called up the stairs. Petunia then walked back to her seat and sat. Harry came down a second later, noticing Hermione sitting in the living room and he was actually surprised that his aunt was not seething about a witch in the house. Then again things had slightly changed at the end of 5th year. It seemed as if the Dursleys were finally trying to understand his kind.
" Hermione!" he said. He walked up and they hugged. They both sat down together.
" Aunt Petunia, meet Hermione Granger. She's a friend from Hogwarts. Her parents are muggles like you," Harry said, introducing them better. Aunt Petunia was quite honestly confused about the word MUGGLE.
" What exactly is a muggle?" she asked.
" Non-magic folk," Hermione explained. Aunt petunia nodded her head.
" My sister, his mother was a witch. The only one," said Aunt Petunia. This was only the 3rd time in which Harry heard his aunt talk about her sister. Suddenly Petunia seemed serious.
" Is it true then?" she asked, " Has this You-Know-Who really come back?" Harry nodded his head. Aunt petunia gasped.
" I suppose this Dumbledore knows?" Petunia asked
" Yeah he knows. I made sure I told him the minute Voldemort came back," Harry answered. This time Hermione didn't gasp, but Petunia did. It was typical since almost every witch and wizard did, but petunia wasn't one. Hermione had gotten used to saying the name herself.
" Harry you better stay careful then. That school may seem safe but I know you. Your no stranger to danger," said Petunia.
" Oh we know," Hermione commented with a grin. Suddenly there was a racket at a window. They all turned to see an owl tapping at the window. Harry turned to Aunt Petunia and she nodded. Harry went over to the window and opened it. It was Hedwig! She had been sent to Dumbledore asking him for some advice as to his confusion. But they noticed it was slightly larger than just Dumbledore's reply. It was his O.W.L results!
