070203: hello! got bitten by an update bug, so set to edit every single chapter so that I won't be so mortified by this whole thing. Anyway, pretty minor changes (for this chapter anyway), which are quite pointless for those who have been reading all along, but all the same, I suppose that this will help me write, kind of. just bear with me. =)
Disclaimer: Not mine. All borrowed from the esteemed Ms Rowling.
CHAPTER ONE
CORRESPONDENCE
23:59, July 30th
Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived, was staring out of his window at No.4 Privet Drive. It was a perfectly normal night, and everything was quiet outside; only the cries of cats on their nightly conquests could be heard in the distance.
Midnight
"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me-e, happy fifteenth birthday to me..." Harry sang under his breath. He wondered how many more of his own birthdays he would be able to celebrate, now that Voldemort was back.
He shook himself out of those morbid thoughts, and with a sigh, settled down to sleep. Prof. Dumbledore had written a letter to his aunt and uncle, informing them of the Dark Lord's return, and explaining how his safety was threatened, and that it was within everyone's best interests to take extra precautions when going out. His uncle had snorted and muttered something about it being better off for everyone, were Harry to die.
Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he heard an urgent tapping at his window. It was Hedwig. He hurried to let the snowy white owl in. She was carrying a parchment in her beak. He took it from her, and she nipped his finger gently. It turned out to be a letter from Ron, wishing him a happy birthday, and inviting him to spend the rest of the holidays at the Burrow. Harry's mood brightened considerably at the thought of seeing Ron again, but he chose to write to Sirius and Dumbledore first, just in case.
Two other owls had arrived, bearing more letters. One was from Hermione, and the other carried birthday wishes from Sirius and Hagrid. As usual, all gave him food along with their birthday gifts, knowing that he was being made to follow Dudley's diet, along with the rest of the Dursleys. (He seemed even fatter to Harry, if it were even possible for him to grow any wider.)
Just then, a black owl swooped through the open window, dropped a letter onto his lap and flew off. Harry picked up the letter, wondering who it could be from. He turned the envelope over - it was unmarked.
He ripped the envelope open. The letter inside read:
Potter-
the Leaky Cauldron, 5pm sharp on 15 August.
The letter bore no signature, nor anything else that could provide a clue as to who the sender could be, save the letterhead - it was the embossed symbol of a single serpent, curled around a dagger.
Harry shuddered - the eyes of the snake seemed to glint evilly in the moonlight. If, indeed, he should go to the Burrow, this letter deserved a special mention to Hermione.
Harry duly replied to the rest of his correspondence, and, upon completion of the task, stretched back, satisfied. In the periphery of his vision, he caught sight of the letter again. He perused it at length, and decided that he would give the matter no more thought until he received the replies to the letters he had just sent out.
* * *
Harry-
I've consulted with Dumbledore, and he agrees that it would not be inappropriate for you to visit the Burrow. But do take extra precautions and refrain from jumping headfirst into trouble. Keep us informed.
Snuffles
* * *
"Suit yourself, go if you wish to, but I must make it clear that you are to expect no assistance from me whatsoever. If you choose to spend the remainder of your holidays with a family of lunatics, that is none of my concern. And good riddance too, I'll say!"
* * *
11:00, 5th August
"Harry! Hermione! Over here!!!" Ron yelled at the top of his voice to catch his best friends' attention.
Harry and Hermione turned and stared, their faces breaking into brilliant smiles as they walked towards the Weasleys, who had turned up in all their eight-party entirety to escort the two to the Burrow. All thoughts of Voldemort and his Death Eaters' return were forgotten for the moment as everyone exchanged greetings and hugs, and snippets of the conversation could momentarily be heard until they were drowned out by the cacophony they created . At last, they quieted down to a degree, and it was possible to hear Mrs. Weasley saying, "...unpack, you can catch up on the news, we'll be having a picnic on the 14th, and on the 15th, we'll be going to Diagon Alley to get your school stuff. It'd still be rather crowded, but at least we won't have to deal with the last-minute rush."
The date arranged for the visit to Diagon Alley rung a bell in Harry's head - he remembered with a start that it was the day arranged by the mysterious writer for them to meet at the Leaky Cauldron. Should they meet? Would it be prudent? Suddenly, he couldn't wait for the day to end, for he desperately needed Hermione's counsel.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
A/N: What do you think? Better? or odd? comments on plot, characterization and diction please. Does it sound childish? shallow? fangirlish? oh, and *huggles beta*. VyingQuill made some of those really stupid-sounding sentences actually sound right. yay!
Disclaimer: Not mine. All borrowed from the esteemed Ms Rowling.
23:59, July 30th
Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived, was staring out of his window at No.4 Privet Drive. It was a perfectly normal night, and everything was quiet outside; only the cries of cats on their nightly conquests could be heard in the distance.
Midnight
"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me-e, happy fifteenth birthday to me..." Harry sang under his breath. He wondered how many more of his own birthdays he would be able to celebrate, now that Voldemort was back.
He shook himself out of those morbid thoughts, and with a sigh, settled down to sleep. Prof. Dumbledore had written a letter to his aunt and uncle, informing them of the Dark Lord's return, and explaining how his safety was threatened, and that it was within everyone's best interests to take extra precautions when going out. His uncle had snorted and muttered something about it being better off for everyone, were Harry to die.
Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he heard an urgent tapping at his window. It was Hedwig. He hurried to let the snowy white owl in. She was carrying a parchment in her beak. He took it from her, and she nipped his finger gently. It turned out to be a letter from Ron, wishing him a happy birthday, and inviting him to spend the rest of the holidays at the Burrow. Harry's mood brightened considerably at the thought of seeing Ron again, but he chose to write to Sirius and Dumbledore first, just in case.
Two other owls had arrived, bearing more letters. One was from Hermione, and the other carried birthday wishes from Sirius and Hagrid. As usual, all gave him food along with their birthday gifts, knowing that he was being made to follow Dudley's diet, along with the rest of the Dursleys. (He seemed even fatter to Harry, if it were even possible for him to grow any wider.)
Just then, a black owl swooped through the open window, dropped a letter onto his lap and flew off. Harry picked up the letter, wondering who it could be from. He turned the envelope over - it was unmarked.
He ripped the envelope open. The letter inside read:
Potter-
the Leaky Cauldron, 5pm sharp on 15 August.
The letter bore no signature, nor anything else that could provide a clue as to who the sender could be, save the letterhead - it was the embossed symbol of a single serpent, curled around a dagger.
Harry shuddered - the eyes of the snake seemed to glint evilly in the moonlight. If, indeed, he should go to the Burrow, this letter deserved a special mention to Hermione.
Harry duly replied to the rest of his correspondence, and, upon completion of the task, stretched back, satisfied. In the periphery of his vision, he caught sight of the letter again. He perused it at length, and decided that he would give the matter no more thought until he received the replies to the letters he had just sent out.
Harry-
I've consulted with Dumbledore, and he agrees that it would not be inappropriate for you to visit the Burrow. But do take extra precautions and refrain from jumping headfirst into trouble. Keep us informed.
Snuffles
"Suit yourself, go if you wish to, but I must make it clear that you are to expect no assistance from me whatsoever. If you choose to spend the remainder of your holidays with a family of lunatics, that is none of my concern. And good riddance too, I'll say!"
11:00, 5th August
"Harry! Hermione! Over here!!!" Ron yelled at the top of his voice to catch his best friends' attention.
Harry and Hermione turned and stared, their faces breaking into brilliant smiles as they walked towards the Weasleys, who had turned up in all their eight-party entirety to escort the two to the Burrow. All thoughts of Voldemort and his Death Eaters' return were forgotten for the moment as everyone exchanged greetings and hugs, and snippets of the conversation could momentarily be heard until they were drowned out by the cacophony they created . At last, they quieted down to a degree, and it was possible to hear Mrs. Weasley saying, "...unpack, you can catch up on the news, we'll be having a picnic on the 14th, and on the 15th, we'll be going to Diagon Alley to get your school stuff. It'd still be rather crowded, but at least we won't have to deal with the last-minute rush."
The date arranged for the visit to Diagon Alley rung a bell in Harry's head - he remembered with a start that it was the day arranged by the mysterious writer for them to meet at the Leaky Cauldron. Should they meet? Would it be prudent? Suddenly, he couldn't wait for the day to end, for he desperately needed Hermione's counsel.
A/N: What do you think? Better? or odd? comments on plot, characterization and diction please. Does it sound childish? shallow? fangirlish? oh, and *huggles beta*. VyingQuill made some of those really stupid-sounding sentences actually sound right. yay!