Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter... but i wish i did;)
Somewhere in America:
A boy tossed and turned in his sleep from a horrible nightmare. He fell to the floor and woke up immediately.
"I wish this would stop. I don't ever get any sleep anymore." He whispered angrily. He got up and flipped on his desk light and turned on the radio.
"Well, no use in trying to sleep now...I'm too wide awake for that... those nightmares are getting a little ridiculous." He thought, throwing himself into his desk chair. The song that was on the radio fit his life perfectly, Simple Plan- I'm just a kid. Hal Anderson's life really was a nightmare... he had to live with his psycho uncle in Alabama, U.S.A., who wouldn't let him do anything. He just wished something exciting would happen to him, some crazy adventure, but he had already given up hope on that. The only place he ever was allowed to go to was school, The American Academy of Magic. Even during the summer, His uncle and aunt kept him at home at all times. The only cool thing he did was practice spells with his Intermediate Guide to Wizardry. He had gotten pretty good at everything in that book, and he was ready to move on.
Hal was so deep in thought deep about how wrong his life was that when he heard a tapping on the window, he jumped up and nearly knocked his chair over. There was an owl outside the window, holding an envelope on some sort. Hal quietly opened the window and took the letter from the owl carefully. The envelope was made of old-looking parchment, and so was the letter itself. Hall read the letter in haste, seeing as this was the most exciting that had ever happened to him.
Dear Mr. Anderson
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Normally we send these letters to young witches and wizards who are around the age of 11, but circumstances, which will be explained to you when you arrive here, have delayed our decisions. You will be starting school at Hogwarts on the fifth level of training, and we have enclosed a book list with this letter. We will be sending Professor Albus Dumbledore to retrieve you from you home in the United States, and then you will be coming to our location in Great Britain. Have your possessions packed and ready to go by 11:00 p.m. on August 16th. Also, we have some information that we would like to share with you and a student of ours, so you and this student will be arriving a day earlier than the other students. Do not worry about buying anything for your trip or school. Professor Dumbledore will take care of that when you arrive in London. Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall P.S: Do not tell you uncle of aunt about this letter. Professor Dumbledore will take care of that before your departure as well.
Deputy Headmistress of
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hal had to read the letter over about 5 or six times to actually let it sink in. Hadn't he just wished for an adventure? Well, he hoped this letter was for real, because if it was then he got what he wished for. He only had two days to pack all his stuff and be gone, and he would be out of there, at least fore a little while...
Little did he know that a similar happening was occurring at the same time miles away...
Somewhere in England:
A boy sat up at midnight, and pondered on his usual nightmare. It was always the same, a bloody battle and him on the losing side. But this time, it was a little different. He was not on the losing side because someone was helping him fight. The person looked an awful lot like himself, but this were always a little blurry in his dreams. He thought it might be his father, who had died 14 years earlier, but who knows with a mind like his.
Harry looked down at the foot of his bed and saw a letter with a familiar crest on it. The crest of his home. He opened it up and read its contents with tired eyes.
"Harry, what are you doing up?" Harry's roommate whispered tiredly. "Another nightmare?"
"Yeah, but this time it was different. I was actually winning. Someone was helping me, someone who looked like me. I guess it was my dad or something." Harry answered.
"Well, at least you had some help this time." Ron said with a slight laugh. Ron had gotten used to hearing about Harry's dreams, and something new was just what his nightmare stories needed.
"Yeah, and I've got to start packing, because of that letter I got while I was asleep. It said that Dumbledore had some information that he needed to tell me before everyone arrived at Hogwarts. So, I have like two days to pack... I'm not going back to sleep anyway, so I might as well just start. Too wide awake to go back to sleep." Harry sighed as he put his glasses on. He was about to say something else to Ron, but he had already gone back to sleep. He had already even started drooling out the side of his mouth and he was snoring. Harry laughed, then started packing stuff in his school trunk.
Harry wondered what information Dumbledore could possibly give him. The Order of the Phoenix had not been very helpful in disclosing any news about Voldemort anyways, so why have me arrive early to school? Not that he minded getting out of Grimmauld Place a day earlier. He couldn't stand the place any longer." Just two more days" Harry thought to himself as he packed his school books in the bottom of his trunk. He did so slowly, thinking that the slower he went the more that it would keep him busy. His thoughts of his meeting with Dumbledore were still in the back of his mind, though. He pondered on it the whole time he was packing. Even though Harry went as slow as possible, it only took him about 2 hours to pack his trunk. Harry laid back down on his cot, and pretty much thought himself to sleep around 4 a.m., off into another nightmare
Two days passed like waiting for Christmas for Hal. He had some of his stuff packed, but he still wasn't sure if this Professor Whats-his-face was really going to come. He did not know how his uncle and aunt were going to react, but no matter what, he was going to this school. They were not holding him back from one more opportunity, like all the others he missed.
Hal walked downstairs and dragged all this stuff with him. If this guy came to the front door, he wanted to be able to hear it first. He went ahead and packed the rest of his stuff. Just in case an argument broke out and he did not have time to pack it.
Hal watched the time wither away until it was 10:59 p.m. A nervous, sick, but hopeful feeling fell into the pit of his stomach. He might just be one minute from his long awaited adventure. He hoped more now than ever that that letter was a real letter, not just a prank.
Hal turned around and looked out the window. He saw street lights popping off and zooming toward his front door. Just as he went to go for the door, He heard the sound that would change his life forever.
Knock, Knock, Knock
Hal looked through the small window on the door. A thin, tall man in some sort of silver dress thing was standing outside the door. He had never seen someone like this, but he had heard of them from things he had read in the books his family had given him. Hal slowly opened the door. His mouth open to talk but nothing would come out.
"Might I come in?" said the man, whose smile somehow warmed Hal's heart.
"S-s-sure. Are you--" Hal stuttered, but was politely interrupted.
"Albus Dumbledore, yes, that's me. And you must be Hal. So sorry to be so quick, but we are really in a hurry. Could you point me in the direction of your uncle's bedroom? I must explain to them where you will be going. It would be very odd to wake up and you not be here, wouldn't it? That is if you want to go, but I must advise you, it would be wise if you would come." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Well, of course I will be going. Their room is down that hall, 2nd door to the right." Hal said quickly. He ran up to his room to make one last scan.
Hal expected to hear a lot of yelling and something break or something like that, but strangely nothing like that happened at all. Dumbledore walked out of the room just as calmly as he had entered, smiling as he headed for the door.
"Sir, how did you do that? I would get yelled at just for even thinking about walking in there at 11 o'clock at night." Hal asked, astonished.
"Oh, I just put a simple memory charm on them. All they think is that they let you go to school in a peaceful, rational way, like it should be. You do have all your belongings together, correct?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, sir. It's in the living room." Hal said.
"Very well, then. Make sure you hold everything tight. We will be apparating to London, then we will gather your supplies for school. Brace yourself, because the first time apparating will be an experience." Dumbledore explained
Sure enough, it was an experience. Hal felt as if all his surroundings were closing in on him. Sickness began to well in his stomach. Just as Hal was sure he was going to pass out, everything came back into focus. He stumbled as he tried to get his balance, but caught himself before he fell. Hal instantly hated apparating, but, he did think it was a very quick method of travel. Just something he would have to get used to.
They gathered all that Hal would need for school, in very good time. Hal wanted to stay longer, he loved the homey feeling that the place called Diagon Alley possessed, but Professor Dumbledore seemed anxious to get back to the school. Hal did manage to stay in the quidditch shop for a while, though. In Alabama, Hal had managed to put a type of shield over his back yard that looked just like the plants and shrubs that his aunt had planted. Under that shield, Hal spent a lot of time practicing his quidditch skills. He had gotten pretty good in his opinion. He might have a chance to put his skills to the test at Hogwarts.
Professor Dumbledore and Hal arrived in front of an immaculate castle around 2 o'clock a.m. As soon as Hal got sorted into a house, which Hal didn't know what that was for, and was shown to a dormitory, he went straight to bed. Hal was so delighted to be out of his crazy home in Alabama, that no nightmares haunted him that night, just peaceful dreams of his new surroundings and quidditch.
Harry Potter woke up on August 16th, and smiled for what seemed like the first time in weeks. He was finally getting to go back to Hogwarts, getting to go back home after what seem like the longest, hardest summer of his life. Even though he felt bad leaving the others behind, he was still happy to get out of the dreadful Grimmauld Place. Harry made sure he had all of his clothes and his school supplies packed. He also made sure he tucked his invisibility cloak and the marauders map deep in the bottom of his trunk to insure their safety.
Downstairs, Mrs. Weasley had a special breakfast cooked for all the tenants of Grimmauld Place. All of Harry's favorites were set on the table just as Harry walked in the dining room.
"Morning, Harry." murmured the crowd of people already sitting at the table. They all seemed tired, but who wasn't tired after sleeping on the lumpy cots that everyone had to sleep on?
Harry thoroughly enjoyed his breakfast, taking seconds on almost everything in front of him. He felt as if he couldn't move after eating so much, but he wanted to make sure to enjoy the last breakfast of Mrs. Weasley's that he would have for a while.
Harry began to pull all of his school stuff downstairs around 9:30 a.m. His letter specified that he was to arrive in the Gryffindor common room at 10:00 o'clock sharp, but he might as well just start to leave know, because saying goodbye to everyone would take a long time.
"Did you make sure you had everything, dear? all your supplies? your clothes?" Mrs. Weasley said frantically, examining Harry's pile of thins, neatly arranged to fit in the fireplace. He would be traveling by floo powder, seeing as he didn't want to apparate. He detested apparating.
After saying his goodbyes to everyone, and checked his luggage over for what seem like the hundredth time, Harry stepped into the fireplace and took a handful of the grayish powder. Harry firmly said Hogwarts and dropped the powder. Green flames surrounded his body, and he spun out of sight.
Harry landed on the familiar carpet of the cozy Gryffindor common room. He got up and dusted himself off and set his luggage off to the side. A piece of parchment was sitting on one of the tables beside the comfy armchairs. Harry took a seat as he read what it stated.
Mr. Potter,
Welcome back to Hogwarts. After you have read this, report to Professor Dumbledore's office. Just leave you things in the common room. A house elf will take them up to you room while you are in the meeting. The password for the gargoyle is licorice wand.
Professor McGonagall
Harry wondered the whole walk to Dumbledore's office. Something really important must have happened, but what……
Meanwhile…….
Hal got up around 8 o'clock. He went down for breakfast, but couldn't eat much. He was too nervous about the meeting that he was about to experience. Whatever the meeting was about had to be very important, why else would he have to go half-way around the world to go to a wizarding school. Hal was to report to Dumbledore's office at 9:45, and with each minute leading up to that time was more nerve-racking than the last.
Hal arrived right on time. Dumbledore pointed to the oversized chair in front of his desk, and Hal quickly took his seat.
"Did you sleep well, Mr. Anderson?" Dumbledore asked, smiling slightly.
"Yes, sir. Better than I ever have" Hal said.
"Splendid. The other student will be here momentarily. I should warn you that what I am about to reveal to you might be quite a shock. But I ask you to please keep as calm as possible, but I do understand if you don't. If you are anything like the other student, though, you will probably be very surprised." Dumbledore said with a slight laugh.
"Who is this other person, sir?" Hal asked in wonder.
"Oh, you will find out soon enough………"