Chapter One
A Cliché Return
to Hogwarts
Authors notes: The begining is somewhat strange as you would least expect
book 6 to begin like it does in my fanfic. But, it is there for a reason as
Harry is actully trying to block out all unhappy thought. He hasn't even thought
of his godfather since he left, he is, begining to show the signs.....
I would also however, like to try my best as to follow a simmilare writing
style to J.K (which will be half the battle) as it is what makes Harry Potter
unique. That is, how well J.K has built her charactors.
Anyhow, on with a..... unexpected begining.
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Life on Privet drive with the Dursleys was as gloomy as ever for Harry,
he couldn't wait to see his two best friends again, Ron Weasly and Hermione
Granger. Harry's room was littered with letters and gifts that he had received
from his friends; Harry, like many other teenagers had forgotten the old tradition
of a tidy room and the fact that he was not able to use magic to clean up
didn't help the problem either. Harry got into his pyjamas, turned out the
light and went to bed. At last he would be seeing his friends again, at last
he would be able to do magic and play quidditch and go to Hogsmeade and everything
else he had been missing since last year. Tomorrow was the day he had been
waiting for all summer, and it was finally here at last. Harry awoke in his
bed from the chirping of Hedwig, Harry's snowy white owl. It was a little
earlier than he was used to, but it didn't bother him, because today was
finally the day he had been looking forward to ever since he took that step
off the Hogwarts train into London.
Harry put on his clothes and packed his bags eager to get to the train
station as quickly as possible. Hedwig fluttered in her cage and hooted wanting
some attention, but all Harry did was give Hedwig a little pet on the head
as he broke away from his packing briefly. "Sorry Hedwig, I'm a bit rushed
at the moment, but we will be at Hogwarts soon."
Harry half-lied: he was hurrying to get everything done, but he wasn't
really in a rush, as he had woken early anyway.
Finally when Harry had finished packing his belongings he went down stairs
and into the kitchen quietly as not to wake any of the Dursleys. Harry frowned
as he noticed all there was to eat were vegetables and bread, because of
Dudley's diet. Harry got two slices of bread and put them into the toaster.
While he waited for them to toast he went back upstairs and started lifting
his heavy baggage of belongings down. When Harry got the last suitcase down
the stairs (and was huffing and puffing as he thought to himself how badly
he wanted to use magic to do this) he noticed his toast was done. He carefully
picked up a piece so as to not burn himself but found it had already gone
cold, to his disappointment. Nevertheless he started chewing as he moved
his baggage outside the door.
Harry often thought, as he was heaving his heavy belongings, why he had to
take so much, as he knew he wouldn't have any time for most things until
Christmas anyway.
Harry rested for a bit outside, letting the cool morning air hit his face
before returning indoors. By this time Harry had finished his first piece
of toast, and was going to get his second but instead, he found himself looking
at a very fat and rounded boy enjoying the other piece of toast he had made.
"Dudley! That toast was mine!" Harry said irritably "Neh neh, Harry. It's
mine now, you shouldn't leave things unattended you prat," Dudley responded.
This would usually be the point were Harry would get angry and begin a fight
with Dudley, but he had more important things to think about and he didn't
dare let Dudley ruin his day. Instead Harry made a face at Dudley and picked
up the phone to call a cab. This was perfect for Dudley to make a fuss about
of course: "Harry, you know you're not allowed to use the phone without Mum
or Dads permission!" Dudley said in a threatening 'I'm going to tell on you'
tone. "Ye, and you know you shouldn't be eating bread and butter and anything
else fatty! You won't be able to fit in the lounge soon, but you don't care
do you?" Harry heard a ladies voice on the receiver and but was slightly
disturbed by Dudley as he started to cry like a little baby. Harry thought
it was quite humorus hearing Dudley, gang leader sobbing but not before he
was suprised how easy it was to get rid of him.
Harry was not ignorent however, he knew that this would lead to a lot of
trouble if Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia heard about this so he hired his
cab quickly and reached into the draw underneath the telephone on the side
table the phone was resting on, and took £40 from Uncle Vernon's wallet.
Harry knew that he couldn't get anywhere trying to give Wizzarding money
to a cab driver in the muggle world. Harry looked behind him in shocked realisation
that Dudley could have been witnessing this, but to his relief he wasn't
there; to Harrys utmost relief.
Before Harry made his final dash out the door he raced up to his bedroom
and came back down with Hedwig's cage. "Didn't think I was going to forget
you did you?" Harry teased as Hedwig fluttered about and nipped the cage edges
with its beak.
As Harry got exited his way out the front door, Harry heard a honking sound.
The cab was here already and the driver was getting out to help Harry with
his baggage. The driver looked at Harry and Hedwig and seemed to look like
he was annoyed that an owl was going to be inside the cab. But instead of
the expected annoying tone and uneasy questions the cab driver asked "Is there
a Owl show on or something? That's the 4th owl today that will be coming into
this cab," he said with a look of disbelief in his face. It was now clear
to Harry that the driver was just confused. "Oh and err, don't tell me, you're
heading to the train station right?" The driver questioned with a smile.
Harry smiled back and explained that he was taking Hedwig to a place that
was filled with all sorts of owls. This seemed to satisfy the driver until
everything was packed and loaded into the cab.
As Harry looked out the window he could see Uncle Vernon waving his fists
out at Harry, and unfortunately for Harry the driver noticed too. "Eh, don't
worry, I'll just pretend I can't see him eh kid?" The driver smiled into the
rear-view mirror as Harry smiled back. "Thanks," Harry said, both relieved
and grateful. "So what's the owls name?" "Hedwig" Harry replied "Sorta strange
name for an owl, err no offence to you or the owl of course-- " The driver
quickly reassured Harry "--we had an owl too once, we didn't own it but it
lived around the neighbourhood, always made its home in the trees on our property,
beautiful creatures, kept the mouse and rat population down, too," the driver
went on.
"What happened to him?" Harry asked, his curiosity getting the best of
him. "He got old, and we think he died of old age. Beautiful creature it
was, sort of like your owl, nice and white" The driver started telling Harry
about how Pecker (the owl the driver was talking about) used to peck on the
window sill and how they would pet it and give it a little bit to eat.
This didn't really interest Harry but he was overly glad that he had got
a driver that was fond of animals, especially owls.
As they reached the station the money tab read £34.60. Harry gave
the driver the £40s and told him to keep the change as a tip. After
all, he saved Harry from his Uncle and he also allowed Hedwig to ride in the
back seat of the cab instead of the boot. The driver thanked Harry as he
helped him put his belongings onto a baggage trolley before driving off leaving
Harry at the entrance to the train station. Harry pulled his ticket that
read 'Platform 9 and 3/4" from his pocket and pushed his trolley towards the
area that had the entrance to the platform. On his way there he spotted Ron,
Ron's mother, Ginny who seemed happy to see Harry, and Fred and Gorge who
looked like they were seeing their fellow siblings off. He went off course
slightly to meet up with Ron. Ron's mother was the first to spot Harry moving
towards them and she waved at Harry, and as Harry waved back, Ron and Ginny
spotted Harry and made theit way to meet up with their friend.
As he approached the Weasley's, he noticed that Ron had grown quite a lot
over the summer break: he was a fair bit taller and looked like he
was just a hair shorter than his twin brothers.
"Hey Harry" Ron greeted his best friend as they finally met feet apart with
their own trolleys leading the way.
"Whoa Harry, you've grown!" said Ron in his astonished voice "So have you,
you look like you could carry both our bags at once" Harry replied making
Ron feel proud of his new body muscle development brought on by puberty. As
they approached the pillar, Fred and Gorge made their way through first. Closely
followed by Ginny and then finally Harry and Ron, who ran as fast as they
could as if they were racing each other to the entrance of the platform. As
Harry and Ron passed through the pillar they found themselves once again at
the Platform 9 and 3/4, train headed to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry.
As Harry unloaded his belongings he kept an eye out for Hermione, but he
couldn't find her - perhaps she was running late? It certainly didn't seem
like a thing Hermione would ever do. Harry finished unloading his stuff and
went to join Ron in a room inside the train that was fast filling with students.
Harry sat down and let out a huff as he sat, finally able to rest after heaving
heavy baggage all day. "Harry you look worn out, you ok?" Ron questioned.
"My baggage load wasn't as light as last years, or any of the years before
that," Harry replied in a tone that sounded like 'isn't it obvious Ron?'.
Ron just smirked and shook his head at Harry. Harry was puzzled as to why
Ron was looking so disappointed, but before he was could question him Ron
had already answered Harry's query: "Harry, didn't you learn anything at Hogwarts
these 5 years? One of the simplest spells you could of use to eliminate that
problem, like I had, Wingardium Leviosa. Remember?" Harry let out a moan
and let himself collapse onto the side of the seat so he was half lying down
and half sitting down. Ron's knowledge of magic reminded Harry about Hermione
and he quickly re-positioned himself so he was upright and facing Ron. Harry
asked if he had seen Hermione anywhere. Ron explained that Hermione was getting
dropped off at the castle by Victor Krum and his family, as she had chosen
to accept Krum's invitation to his place for the summer.
"She is still all over Krum?" Harry felt a twang of jealousy, as if one
of his best friends was suddenly too occupied for him now, or at least for
the moment. Harry heard the trains whistle blow and then felt a jolt as the
train started off for Hogwarts. "Ron, what do you think it will be like at
Hogwarts this year now that Voldemort is around and the ministary are hunting
him?" As Harry said Voldemort's name he noticed Ron's left eye twitch and
he seemed reluctant to reply for a second. Ron was beginning to get used to
Harry saying Voldemort's name, but he still needed a bit more fine-tuning.
"Dunno Harry, its the kind of thing I'd ask Hermione, but I'm' telling you
right now, if they delay the feast when we get there because they need to
check for poison or something, I'm gonna die then and there, I'm so hungry!"
Harry sighed to himself and looked out the window. Typical Ron thinking with
his stomach, he was right though, it would be something Hermione might have
an idea about.
Then it all came crashing back, and Harry burst into a fresh wave of tears.
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That was the start of chapter one, I hope you didn't like it because that
is most definantly the worst chapter in the whole fanfic. Chapter 2 will be
better, I promise.
As Harry Potter fans will of noted, Harry would not usally cry in frount
of Ron like that. I know he wouldn't an I am gambeling with myself here but
I thought about it and decided to put it in anyway and, er, repeir it in Chapter
2.
Oh yes and, Please review :)
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