Chapter 2
"Wake up boy" Aunt Petunia yelled as she banged on his door the next morning.
"I'm up" Harry mumbled. He sat up and rubbed sleep out of his eyes. He got up and dressed then made his way downstairs.
"Make breakfast and don't burn anything," said his aunt as he entered the kitchen. Dudley and Vernon will be here soon.
"Yes, Aunt Petunia" Harry sighed. He went to the stove and started cooking. Harry was still half asleep and he grabbed the hot part of the skillet. "OUCH" he yelled as he dropped the skillet.
"What is it now boy" asked Aunt Petunia. "Can't you do anything right?" She turned and looked at Harry. "What did you do to your hair?" she screamed.
"Nothing" said Harry bewilderedly. "I just burned my hand."
The house shook as Vernon came running in. "What happened" he asked. He looked at Petunia and saw the disgusted look on her face. He then turned to Harry "What did you do boy" he asked.
Harry sighed again and said, "I just burned my hand."
"Look at him, his hair, he's been using magic again" Petunia shrieked.
Vernon looked at Harry and noticed he HAD changed. Harry had grown about 4 inches and his hair had a red streak on the side. "What did we tell you about using you freak stuff? You're in trouble now boy" Vernon said advancing on the confused wizard.
"What are you talking about, I haven't done anything" Harry yelled as he ducked the glass Petunia threw at him.
"You're taller," yelled Petunia. "Your hair..."
"Clean that mess up you freak and then go to your room and stay there! You'll not be eating today!" yelled Vernon.
Harry went upstairs and to the bathroom. "What are they going on about?" he asked himself. He looked in the mirror and gasped. His hair had a big red streak on the side. "How did that get there?" he asked. As he was looking he noticed that he was taller. "About time" he said. "I thought I'd never grow!" He surveyed himself in the mirror. "Cool, I'm turning into a Weasley! I think I like it." He went to his room. It's time to meditate and do my Occlumency since I'm stuck in here he thought to himself.
He was interrupted a few minutes later by an owl pecking at his window. As he let the owl in he wondered whom it belonged to. The owl dropped a letter and Harry gave him a bit of water as he read the letter. Harry looked at the letter and saw the seal of Gringotts, the wizarding bank. "What do they want with me?" he asked. He broke the seal and opened the letter.
Mr. Potter,
Your presence is required today at noon. The last will and testament of Sirius Black will be read and you must attend.
Griphook
"I must attend" Harry said. "I'm not sure I want to go." He was wondering how to get to London when he remembered Dumbledore's letter. He couldn't go to the bank, or could he? Surely this was important and the Goblin's said he had to be there.
Suddenly Fawkes arrived in a burst of flames. "What does His Highness want now?" he asked sarcastically.
Harry,
If you got a notice from Gringotts DO NOT GO. It is a trap! Death Eaters will be there and will take you hostage. Stay where you are and I will take care of it.
Albus Dumbledore
"What the hell" said Harry? "They don't know where I am. I know Griphook. I'll just write him back and see if it is a trap." Harry wrote a quick letter and sent it with the Gringotts owl. As he waited for a reply he thought about Dumbledore's letter. Wizards can't use goblin magic so if this were a trap then how did they replicate the seal. Something didn't feel right to Harry. There was too much security at the bank for the death eaters to even try to abduct him. Besides, why the hell should he listen to Dumbledore when the man obviously didn't want to listen to him?
The Gringotts' owl returned with a letter just then. Harry checked the seal and it was the same Gringotts seal as on the first letter.
Mr. Potter,
I understand your hesitance. I can assure you that this is not a trap. If you'll remember, I was the goblin who escorted you and Mr. Hagrid on your first trip to Gringotts. I do hope this will ease your mind. I will send 2 goblins to pick you up at 11 o'clock. Their names are Pike and Ripper. They are two of our best. I do understand the need for your security. Pike and Ripper will protect you. I will see you when you arrive.
Griphook
Harry ran downstairs to Petunia. "Aunt Petunia" he said, "I have to be in London at noon today. Someone will be here to pick me up in half an hour."
"Fine" said Petunia. "Make sure the neighbors don't notice." She looked at Harry. "Do something about that hair. I can't believe you made it that color. Why that color?"
"I didn't" said Harry. "I don't know how it happened. What's wrong with this color?"
"Your freak of a mother's hair was that color" said Petunia.
"My mum was not a freak," said Harry, "and if I'm starting to look more like her, then all the better for it."
Harry went back upstairs and put his invisibility cloak and his wand in a backpack. He took his school cloak with him back downstairs. About that time there was a knock on the door. Harry answered it to see two goblins.
"What are your names?" he asked.
"I'm Pike and he is Ripper," said the goblin. "Griphook sent us here to take you to Gringotts. We have a portkey that will take us to a secure room at the bank."
"Come in" said Harry. "We can't do that on the porch.'
Both goblins entered and Pike held out the portkey. Harry put on his cloak and pulled the hood up. He then grabbed the portkey and all three vanished.
