Things never to be told

Chapter 10

I lay on my bed in the little cottage that I lived in with Elna. Just as I was about to drift of to sleep, when I heard a crash just outside my window. I leapt out of bed, and ran to see what it was. I opened the window, and a very dazed looking owl fell inside. I recognised it immediately as Errol, the Weasley family owl. I picked him up carefully and carried him over to my desk, where my new owl, Arias, sat on her perch. She greeted Errol and shuffled up on her perch. I untied the letter and Errol gratefully flew up to join Arias.

Dear Shadow

How are your holidays going? Mine are going alright. Do you want to come round for the rest of the holidays? Harry might come but I haven't heard back from him. I'm getting worried, and so is Mum. I don't think that the muggles that he lives with like him and judging by what he told me last year, he isn't very well treated. Has he written to you at all?

Fred and George are driving Mum nuts with pranks and I think that she'll enjoy the company of another girl. And also, you might be able to come up with some even better pranks!

If you want to come, just tell us where you live and we'll come and get you. Hope to hear or see you soon,

Ron

I smiled. I liked getting post, and this one was no exception. He was inviting me round? Then I frowned, Harry hadn't written to me either, and I felt that something was wrong. I wrote back quickly.

Dear Ron

Thanks for the letter. I'd like to come round. As for telling m you where I live, I can just teleport, and save you the trouble.

I haven't heard anything from Harry either. I'll go and check up on him. I'm also starting to get worried. If the muggles are treating him badly, then I can always ask Brave to 'talk' to them… Don't worry, that was a joke, kind of.

I'm not surprised that your Mum would be getting annoyed with Fred and George. It sounds like they are a pair of seriously good pranksters. I have a few in mind, but not for your Mum, for Fred and George.

I'm sending this with my owl, Arias. Errol managed to crash into my window, so I thought that it would not be wise to send him back straight away. I'll send him in a few days.

Hope to see you soon,

Shadow Mercian

I tied the letter onto Arias' leg and watched her fly out of the window. I changed out of my leotard into a long-sleeved black t-shirt tight fitting black trousers, grabbed my cloak and ran down to see Elna.

"Elna! I have to go out for a bit!"

"Where?"

"I have to go and see Harry. No one's heard from him for the whole holidays!"

"Perhaps he's trying to isolate himself, you do that often enough."

"Harry isn't like me, he's a true Gryffindor. He's loyal to his friends. Please Elna, I have to go and see if he's alright."

"Ok, but, no teleporting right into the house, and remember your manners."

"I will!" I ran out of the house to the garden where I teleported to Privet Drive.

My cloak billowing out behind me, I headed for the house Harry lived in. It was the cleanest of the lot. Walking up the path, I rehearsed what I was going to say in my mind. I took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell.