The Bonding
Author's Notes: Things are going to get interesting, but not yet. This chapter has Ginny's intro in the story. Yes I know I sound a bit rough on Ron, but he gets redeemed; eventually... but til then, on with the story. Yes, this story and its sequel will contain an extremely meddlesome Dumbledore.
Also wanna thank my beta for his help. if he is reading this, he knows who I mean
Chapter 2: Meetings
Thursday Morning at number 4 Privet Drive,
Harry awoke and sat up; he looked around the room, and wondered to himself why he had awoken so early. Then the memory of the weird dream concerning Voldemort returned and he knew that it was important to write Dumbledore to tell him what he had seen.
Moving to his desk, he took a parchment, quill, and ink pot and dipping the quill, began to write:
Professor Dumbledore,
Normally I would not trouble you about this, but I was awakened this morning by a strange dream. In it, I saw an old Muggle walking through an even older house. He stopped outside a room, and overheard Voldemort and Pettigrew talking about some plan. And having killed some people. A giant snake saw him and told them he was there. He was invited into the room and after standing up to Voldemort, he was killed. I am unsure if any of this is real or simply a dream. I am asking Hedwig to wait for any reply you might have for me.
Thank you,
Harry Potter
P.S. could you please get the other letter to Sirius for me? I would send it with Hedwig, but she is to easily recognisable.
He looked over the letter deciding to add the postscript after he wrote a different letter to Sirius, keeping him up to date on what was happening:
Padfoot,
I hope everything is going well for you, and you are safe where ever you are hiding. Just a letter to let you know that I am still doing okay and that the Dursleys are not treating me too badly. If Uncle Vernon gets angry, I simply remind him that he would hate to have you drop by to check up on me. He doesn't know you are out of the country and would likely not be able to come here even if you weren't. I wouldn't want you to get caught just to scare my useless relatives.
Also, I had a strange dream last night, and I think Pettigrew found Voldemort, and they are back in England. Wait to see what Dumbledore says about it, I sent him a message along with this one asking him to please send it on to you.
That's all for now,
Your godson,
Harry
After reading over both letters again to make sure he forgot nothing, Harry turned his attention to his trusted owl and said, "Hedwig, I have a delivery for you." He stroked the feathers on her head as he said this. Then tying the letters to her leg, he said, "I need you to take these to Professor Dumbledore, and wait for a reply." She rubbed her head against his cheek and then took flight.
He watched until Hedwig was out of sight, and then decided to start his day. Gathering clean clothes, he made his way to the bath and took a quick shower. He then proceeded down the stairs and began preparing breakfast.
When the Dursleys awoke an hour later, Harry had already eaten his breakfast, and had prepared their usual fare. His aunt questioned him about why he had gotten up so early; he explained that he had a bad dream, and rather than try to go back to sleep, he had decided to get an early start preparing breakfast.
He got his list of chores and began work; I wonder what Dumbledore will say about the letter? Will he expect it, or will he be surprised? He thought to himself as he worked.
Harry finished his chore list around mid-afternoon, and after a late lunch, retreated to his room to ponder the other thought which kept coming to mind. He made the decision to go to Diagon Alley the next day, just before a grey fluff ball entered carrying a small letter. Reading the letter from Ron, Harry was excited to see that he would have the opportunity to go to the Burrow for the last week of summer holidays.
That evening, his uncle called him downstairs, and showed him the letter from Mrs. Weasley. After a brief discussion, it was decided that he could go, and since he needed to go to get some things for school, they would be best to meet Harry in London.
He returned to his room, and wrote a short message to Ron telling him that he would need to stay Friday and Saturday night as well. He would meet Mr. Weasley in Diagon Alley Friday afternoon, if they could. If not, he would stay at the Leaky Cauldron and meet them there Sunday.
Early that afternoon at a castle called Hogwarts, it was lunch time, and all of the teachers were in the Great Hall, because they had a staff meeting immediately afterwards. As they were eating and talking, Sybil Trelawney sat up rigidly, and began to talk in a gravelly voice which was clearly not her own.
THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO DEFEAT THE DARK LORD IS CURRENTLY UNBOUND...
HE MUST BE PROPERLY BOUND TO INSURE VICTORY...
FAILURE TO BIND HIM PROPERLY WILL RESULT IN THE DARK LORD'S VICTORY...
THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO DEFEAT THE DARK LORD IS CURRENTLY UNBOUND...
After a moment, she relaxed and, looking at her fellow professors, said, "I'm sorry, must have dozed off there for a second. Did I miss anything important?"
Every mouth hung agape, except for Dumbledore's. He had entered the Great Hall just as the prophecy began, and was already considering the possibilities. What could she have meant by properly bound, he wondered. And how will this affect my plans for Harry? He continued to ponder the prophecy as he held the letter he had just received from the afore mentioned youth. As the time approached for the meeting, he made the decision to consider all the options later.
Friday Morning at the Burrow,
Ginny Weasley awoke to the smell of her mother's usual breakfast preparation. She climbed out of bed, grabbed her clothes, and went to take a shower. The water was warm, just how she liked it, and soothed her mind. For some reason, she had dreamed about her first year at Hogwarts, and had remembered some of the more painful things Tom had made her do. Those memories were almost as painful as the actual events.
After her shower, she stood in front of the floor length mirror and examined her body. She studied the physical scars she still carried from the event, scars that only her mother and Madam Pomfrey knew about. She examined herself from head to foot, and was pleased to note that she otherwise appeared normal. She was dressing quickly, and hoping that there would still be some breakfast left; as she fastened her bra she felt a snap, and the old cloth the garment was made from broke.
"Oh, bugger." She moaned. "That was my last one that fit." She put her dress on, and ran back to her room. "I hope one of my old bras will fit well enough for me to wear it until I can get a few new ones." She was in luck, and although it was tight and a little uncomfortable, she would be able to use it until she could get to the store.
She pulled out all of her pocket money, and smiled when she counted three Galleons worth in Sickles and Knuts. That would be enough to get five new ones with simple sizing charms included. The only problem was she wouldn't have enough left to get any souvenirs at the World Cup next Monday.
Ginny sighed, and then spoke her thought out loud, "I was really looking forward to getting a few new posters, but I guess that will have to wait. I could still ask mum to buy them, but we will need all we have because of the boys needing dress robes this year." She made up her mind and started out the door to talk to her mother, when she was called to hurry or there would be no breakfast left.
There were all six of her brothers, her father, and mother. The conversation around the table was almost exclusively Quidditch World Cup. Ron had gotten a response from Harry, and told his father that Harry would need to be met at the Leaky Cauldron that evening.
Ginny took this opening to say, "Mum, You and I could meet him; I need to go buy some things." She conspicuously adjusted her bra hoping her mother would get the hint.
Molly Weasley, understanding her daughters need for a little privacy said, "Can it wait until next Monday when I am going anyway?" a quick shake of her head was Ginny's answer, and Molly sighed, "Oh very well, we can go this afternoon."
Predictably, Ron began whining, "Why does Ginny get to go and not me, Harry's my friend not hers."
Realizing that a simple direct answer was the quickest way to put a stop to it, Ginny responded before Molly could, "Oh, alright Ron. You can come help me shop for some new bras and knickers." Ron of course immediately turned redder than a human should be able to, and began to stutter excuses about why he should stay at the Burrow.
"Umm... m-m-maybe it would be b-b-best if I s-s-stayed here, I n-n-need to clean my r-r-room; rearrange again to make enough room Harry to have a camp bed also." He quickly left to the laughter of his older brothers.
Ginny smiled at Ron's reaction; then, after finishing her breakfast, excused herself to go straighten her room so Hermione would have a place to sleep when she arrived on Sunday.
