The summer rain pelted onto the windows as a young sixteen year old boy scanned the street outside him. This boy's name was Harry Potter and he lived with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley Dursley in Little Whingham, which he considered one of the dullest places to reside in England. He hated his relatives, but his parents had died when he was only one, so he was forced to stay with them.

Tonight however wasn't as dull as usual and Harry had a bad feeling that something terrible was about to happen. He glanced around his room nervously as if someone was about to appear on the carpet. Don't be an idiot, he told himself sharply as he turned back to his desk where he was writing a reply to his best friend Ron.

Harry and Ron were both wizards, along with many other people in the world. This unknown to Muggles (a term for non-magical people) and as the wizarding world were not eager to enlighten them, it was probably going to stay that way.

Sometimes Muggles would have magical children, and upon receiving a letter from a wizarding school, their family would be brought into the magical world. This was often a very difficult process. These children were despised by 'pureblood' wizards, who believed that only pureblood wizards should obtain magic, and thus these wizards invented the term Mudblood.

Wizards, and witches, had to be taught how to control their magical abilities and Harry was no exception. He attended Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, along with Ron and his other best friend Hermione.

A few hours previously, a tiny owl had flown into his window noisily with a letter from Ron and Hermionie, two separate rolls of parchment that brightened up the prospect of staying with the Dursleys for another day.

Harry, are you still coming the wedding tomorrow? Fleur asked me to make sure. Mum says that she's sure you aren't being fed well so she's been cooking since this morning! See you tomorrow!

Ron

Ron's letter had been very short but it was evident that he had re-written it a few times before sending it. Harry wondered how he was coping since the events during the last term.

Harry had forced himself to believe that Dumbledore was actually gone, and not actually on holiday somewhere. The hardest thing to believe was that he was not going to return to Hogwarts and see Dumbledore smile down at him during the feast at the beginning of term.

He picked up Hermionie's letter and read through it again.

Dear Harry,

I do hope that the Dursleys are treating you fine and that I'll get to see you tomorrow.

I was actually wondering whether you had any ideas on where to begin your search for you-know-what. I won't say it in case of interception of this owl. But I have something to show you that may interest you tomorrow.

Hermione

Harry was glad that neither of his friends had mentioned Dumbledore yet, as he wasn't sure how he himself would take to hearing his old headmaster's name in a conversation or a letter. But he was sure that he would hear the name at some point tomorrow, and he couldn't do anything about that.

He had pondered over what to do and what to say if the matter did pop up and reached a decision. Dumbledore would have wanted him to trust his friends and tell them everything and he thought that Dumbledore would want him to talk to them about this too. Harry had finally decided that he would talk to Ron and Hermione about Dumbledore tomorrow. At the wedding.

As he heard Dudley snore loudly from his room next door Harry glanced at his watch, it was half past one in the morning. He decided to quickly finish his letter and go to bed.

Dear Ron,

I am still coming tomorrow.

Harry

Harry doubted Ron would mind that his reply was so short but felt a pang of guilt as he looked at his longer reply to Hermione. He shook it off as he opened Hedwig's cage and tied the letters to her leg. "Take this to the Burrow for me will you?" Hedwig hooted happily to him as she spread her wings and flew out the window.

Momentarily distracted by his lamp flickering Harry allowed himself to watch her fly away. As he got ready for bed, he thought he could hear her hooting in the distance.