Chapter 2 – A Letter For Sirius

Harry looked hopelessly around his room as he massaged his forehead. For the first time in three years, he had woken up with his scar burning and searing with pain. The last time that had happened to him was when Voldemort was at Hogwarts – Harry's School. There was still a fortnight to go before he and his friends went back to Hogwarts, and his eyes paused over the birthday cards his friends had sent him at the end of July. What would they say if he wrote to them and told them his scar was hurting?

At once, Hermione Granger's voice filled in his head, shrill and panicky.

"You scar hurt? Harry, that's really serious! Write to Professor Dumbledore!"

Harry sighed and looked up; Wherever Dumbledore was, he was sure Hedwig would be able to find him. Harry's owl had never failed to deliver a letter before, even without and address.

Harry tried to think of something to write to Professor Dumbledore. He tried over and over again to think of something to not worry the man, or something that sounded stupid and childish.

He needed someone like a parent. Someone who would listen without broadcasting his problems to the world.

He almost slapped himself as it took him to long to remember that he did have someone like that.
Sirius.

Harry leapt up off his bed and hurried across his room to his desk, pulled a spare piece of parchment towards him and loaded up his quill with ink and began to write Dear Sirius, then paused, wondering how to best phrase his situation, still slightly cursing himself for only remembering Sirius now. But then again, it wasn't so surprising. He had only found out Sirius was his Godfather two months ago.

Harry suddenly felt his blood boil as to why he had only found Sirius till then. Wormtail – the traitor. He had framed Sirius for the murder of thirteen Muggles, and he had forced the man to flee for his life.

No one had believed Sirius was innocent due to his reckless actions and attempts to prove to everyone that Peter Pettigrew was alive. He had come into Harry's dormitory armed with a knife in attempt to murder him, also, transformed into his animagus form, tried to attack Pettigrew – the result in being his friend, Krystal, ankle being broken.

Only till two months ago did Sirius's story get out and prove he was innocent.

Nonetheless, even though Harry couldn't physically be with Sirius, he had helped him out. The Dursley's now let him keep all of his school things inside his bedroom, which had never happened before. Maybe it was because Harry had told them he had a dangerous murderer for a Godfather.

Though he had all his belongings safely with him, he had not trusted the Dursley's would allow him to keep his mail private, hence why he tucked away all of his letters from his friends in the highly useful floorboard under the bed. Sirius's letters seemed cheerful, and had always reminded him to call on Sirius if he needed him. Well, he needed to now, all right.

Harry's lamp was growing dimmer as the sun steadily rose, and he could also hear sounds of movement in his relative's bedrooms. Harry cleared his desk of old parchment and read out his letter to Sirius to himself to make sure it made sense, and also was not full of panic and anxiety.

Dear Sirius,
Thanks for your last letter, that bird was enormous! It could hardly get through my window.
Things are the same as usual here. Dudley's diet isn't going too well .My aunt found him smuggling more food into his room yesterday.
I'm alright, mainly because the Dursley's are terrified you might turn up and turn them into bats if I ask you to. Krystal's ok, though I don't think she's quite forgiven you for breaking her ankle! She's all healed now. I haven't heard much from her, though she says she's staying at some Muggle support place in London for children who have no families. I'd rather it there than here!
Though, a weird thing happened to me this morning. I woke up with my scar hurting. The last time it hurt was when Voldemort was at Hogwarts. You don't think he's getting stronger again, do you?
I'll send this with Hedwig when she gets back. She's off hunting at the moment. Say hello to Buckbeak for me.
Harry.

Yes, thought Harry, that looked perfectly fine. There was no point putting in the dream. He didn't want to look as though he was scared. He folded up the parchment and tied a thin piece of thread around it into a bow.

He laid the parchment on his desk and headed downstairs to breakfast.

It was just past nine o'clock until a small figure shuffled under the duvet in the tiny orphanage room, due to a constant tapping noise on her window.

The lump in the bed rose, and then suddenly the blankets fell off, revealing a blond girl rubbing her eyes and stretching.

The girl sleepily looked around her small room. She liked it here, in fact, it was better than living off different dodgy hotel rooms like she did the past two years.

Dumbledore had insisted she come here – not for protection or a home, but for research. She was told this was the same orphanage Voldemort went to when he was her age. Although the fact was scary to her, she felt like she could get some real information from being here. The feel of the orphanage was scary – But Krystal had always had a soft spot for scary things. She looked over at the jar on her window sill, which contained one large spider.

She grinned at it – it was really her only friend, and also really knew what she got up to while she was here.

Krystal was a witch, a witch who was currently in the middle of attending Hogwarts School. The girl was short, had aqua blue eyes and long, curly blond hair that now almost reached her waist. She was rather sneaky about studying in this little room at an orphanage full of Muggles, but luckily she had Dumbledore put a Muggle-repelling charm on all of her belongings, so she didn't have to worry about hiding anything in her room – well, it wasn't as if anyone came into her room due to the amount of things she had in there, making the charm stronger. At least the people that ran the orphanage didn't bother her. Nor did she have those annoying maids coming in to clean her room.

Krystal didn't socialise much in the orphanage, she kept to herself whilst doing her homework or setting off into Diagon Alley to buy new school things. She was rather free to do whatever she wanted. She was hoping to get a glimpse of Harry Potter, one of her best friends whom she went to School with. She had already spotted Hermione Granger, a Muggle-born witch whom was her first best friend she had made, leave Diagon Alley and was too late to catch up with her, even after she called her name.

Krystal was stuck in the orphanage for two months before she heard from anyone.

Krystal swung her feet out of the bed and went over to the window, where sure enough, an owl awaited her. Krystal immediately recognised the owl as Errol, Ron Weasley's owl, a friend whom was extremely nice but very poor.

Krystal,
I hope your holiday's going alright. I've sent a letter to Harry's Muggle family asking their permission to come over and collect Harry for the Quidditch world cup next week. Hermione's arriving this afternoon, and if you can get here on your own or if you need Dad to come get you, you're free to come over this Sunday, the same day as we've planned Harry to arrive.
Please reply as soon as you can – Mum's getting worried about the safety of all of us!
Best,
Ron

Krystal smiled and savoured the thought about spending the rest of the holidays with her friends!

And the Quidditch World Cup! Krystal had never been to it before. But by the sound of it, it seemed amazing.

The girl turned the parchment over to its blank side and wrote a quick reply.

Ron,
I'm staying close by to Diagon Alley, so I'll be able to Floo to your house using the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron.
See you Sunday, I can't wait!
Krystal.

Krystal folded the parchment and handed it back to Errol.