A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any character thereof. Only the story line is mine so please don't sue! I don't own anything!
A/N: Sorry for the format of the schedule. I had to get around the table issue that fanfiction has.
Chapter 37
August 3rd, 1992
The bruises are almost gone where Dudley pushed me down the stairs a few days ago but I'm still sore.
I'm also very hungry. Only being fed soup once a day is starting to take it's toll on me.
I wonder when I don't show up on the 1st, if anyone will come to find out why.
I wonder if I'll still even be alive then. Dobby, the house elf that set off the under age magic detector, may have saved me from whatever bad thing is going to happen at Hogwarts, but at this rate, I'm going to die here.
-Harry
Harry quickly shoved the muggle notebook and pencil in the hole he found under the floor board. As soon as he sat back down, his aunt unlocked the bedroom door to let him out to use the restroom.
Fred came up behind Ron. "Heard from Harry yet?"
Ron shook his head. "I'm worried about him. While he never came out and said anything bad about those muggles he lives with, I know he didn't want to go home."
George frowned.
"They didn't even send him any Christmas presents last year nor write to him once as far as I know."
Ron watched as the twins exchanged a look.
"How would you like to - "
"Go rescue Harry, little brother?"
Ron grimaced. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to end up grounded for a year?"
The twins just chuckled as Eroll came flying through the window with a letter in his beak.
August 5th, 1992
I'm at the Burrow. Ron, Fred, and George came and rescued me with a flying car last night. I was embarrassed that they had to see the bars on the window, but at least I'm out of there.
Hedwig is even here. She flew in through the window before I went to bed last night. I was extremely happy to see her. I reckon Dobby had prevented her from coming to me when I called before.
Looking around the Burrow, I'm amazed at how everything is. It all seems to be guided by magic. It does make me wonder if I had grown up with my parents, if my home would have looked like this. I guess I'll never know.
I realize now that being made to live in a cupboard all my life was not normal. I guess I've known that all along but being here really cements it. Now that I'm in Dudley's second bedroom though, there really isn't any need to tell anyone.
Ron's stirring so I need to go.
-Harry
Harry placed his journal inside his trunk and closed the lid just as Ron sat up.
"Morning Harry."
"Morning Ron."
"Boy's! Get up! Breakfast is ready!"
Later that morning, booklists were delivered along with a letter from Hermione.
"I'm gonna hafta get some slug repellant, professor," stated Hagrid as he offered his rock cakes to the Headmaster.
"Are they in the school's cabbages again?"
"Aye."
"You might see if Pomona needs anything. I know that she finally got some Mandrake seedlings in."
Hagrid nodded. The Herbology professor had been ecstatic when the seedlings arrived.
Harry was highly annoyed and in the few short minutes he met Gilderoy Lockhart, he realized the man was an idiot.
After he had handed Ginny his "free" books, he set off through the bookstore with Ron and Hermione to get his own books. Hagrid had deposited Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy outside for fighting, which Ron was still talking about in gleeful tones.
Having got all of the new texts, Harry then picked up a couple extra books on defense, charms, and potions - the latter of which made Ron gag - much to his and Hermione's amusement.
Harry just grinned and cuffed him lightly upside his head.
After they had finished in Diagon Alley gathering all of their school supplies, they flooed back to the Burrow.
Harry came to the conclusion as he was picking himself up off the floor that he hated traveling by floo (at least he had came out at the right place this time). So, he decided that once he got to Hogwarts, he would look up other means of travel.
A couple days later, Harry sat down to do his summer homework (decided by the fact that it was raining outside and Mrs. Weasley wouldn't let them play Quidditch in the storm). He knew Snape would give him detention for a month if he showed up with his summer homework not completed.
"Aren't you going to do yours Ron?"
Ron looked up from the latest issue of Quidditch Illustrated and mumbled something.
"What?"
"Mom made me do it the first week I was home. I was annoyed with her, but at least I don't have to worry about it now."
Harry nodded. Just then Mrs. Weasley came into the living room and frowned. "Haven't you done your homework yet Harry?"
Harry squirmed a little bit. "No ma'am. My aunt and uncle wouldn't ... er ... don't like magic so I couldn't do it there but I plan on getting it done now."
She narrowed her eyes at his mid-sentence change, clucked her tongue, and left the room.
About half way through his Herbology homework, he noticed that Ginny had come into the room. She was currently sitting in a corner, writing in a book. She looked up and saw that Harry was watching her and proceeded to knock about 3 things off of the nearby table as she turned beet red. Harry noticed that happened a lot when he was around her and it baffled him.
The night before they were scheduled to return to Hogwarts found the Weasley house in what Harry could only call organized chaos.
People were running up and down the stairs, random explosions were going off in the twin's room, people were hunting for odd socks, and the ghoul in the attic would bang on the pipes if it suddenly got too quiet. It was a tad bit overwhelming for Harry.
The next morning was just as hectic, which is why they were nearly late for the train.
With one minute left to board, Harry and Ron were perplexed when the barrier shut early.
"What are we going to do Ron?" asked Harry as he picked himself up off the ground.
"I don't know. Why can't we get through?" Ron was patting the wall where the gateway should be.
Harry looked at the clock. It was 11:01 am. The train had already left.
"Let's go wait by the car," suggested Harry. People were gawking at Hedwig and Scabbers.
Suddenly Ron's eyes went wide. "The car ..."
Albus was getting ready to head down to the usual pre-term staff meeting when his floo flared.
"Albus ..."
"Hello Molly. What's wrong?"
"It seems Harry and Ron missed the train to Hogwarts..."
"What?"
"We were running late but we got there with a couple minutes to spare - they were supposed to be right behind us - and the car's gone ..."
Albus looked baffled. "Car?"
Molly huffed. "You know Arthur and his need for tinkering with muggle things. He enchanted it to fly and we believe that the boys took it when they couldn't get through the barrier."
Albus sighed. "Alright Molly. We'll keep an eye out for them. Hopefully they thought to send some form of communication ahead. I'll let you know when they arrive."
"Thank you Albus."
This is not looking to be a good start to the school year.
"Have you guys seen Harry and Ron? I can't seem to find them." asked Hermione as she found the twins in a compartment with Lee Jordan and Alicia Spinnet.
Fred (at least she thought it was Fred) looked up. "Nope. They could be at the far end."
"I've already searched there," said Hermione as she pushed her hair out of her face.
George frowned. "Well they have to be on here somewhere. Maybe their in one of the bathrooms."
"Maybe," said Hermione but she looked uncertain.
"If we see them, we'll tell them you're looking for them," said Fred.
Hermione nodded and headed back towards the cabin she had put her stuff in.
"Of all the tree's we could have hit, we had to hit the one that hits back," muttered Harry as he stared at the car as it drove into the Forbidden Forest.
"My wand, Harry. Look at my wand."
Harry glanced over at Ron holding his nearly snapped wand. "Be glad it wasn't your neck. Let's go."
Severus was currently lurking in the shadows as he patrolled outside looking for Potter and Weasley. When the Headmaster had told him what Molly had said, he became worried, not that he would ever admit that of course.
However, by the time the evening prophet had arrived, Severus had become furious.
'No doubt this is just some stunt to boost his popularity - like he did with Lockhart.' When Severus had saw that photo in the paper he went on another tirade about him being just like his father. Albus had actually sent a silencing hex at him - not that it had hit him, but he had sent it none the less.
As he came back around to the castle's front doors, he spied Potter and Weasley looking through the window. Stalking closer, he saw that both of them looked relatively unhurt.
"Maybe he's ill," said Ron hopefully.
Harry scowled at the red head. He hoped not. The man did save his life last year. "Maybe he left when he missed out on the Defense Against the Dark Arts job again!"
Snape chuckled in his head.
"Maybe he was sacked," commented Ron even more hopefully.
Harry rolled his eyes then started.
"Or maybe," said a very cold voice right behind them, "he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train."
Harry spun around, wand in hand - mostly as a reflex - to see Severus Snape, black robes billowing behind him.
"Follow me," snarled Severus.
Harry and Ron exchanged a look that said they were in deep trouble.
The next morning at breakfast, Harry found out what a Howler was. Feeling ashamed that they were causing an inquiry for Mr. Weasley, Harry found that he couldn't finish his food.
Even Ron had shoved his plate away.
A few minutes later McGonagall walked up to the second years. Her lips were pressed in a thin line, letting Harry know she was still upset with them.
"At the bottom of your schedules is the reminder of your free periods and where to go during them. Later in the year, I will be calling on you to discuss preparations for the next year."
After she had moved onto the third years, Harry looked down at his schedule.
Time ... Monday ... Tuesday ... Wednesday ... Thursday ... Friday
6:00 - 7:45 am ... Breakfast ... - ...- ... - ...-
8:00 - 9:00 am ... Herbology ... Potions ... Herbology ... Potions ... Free Period
9:00 - 9:15 am ... Break ... - ... - ... - ... -
9:15 - 10:15 am ... Charms ... Potions ... Herbology ... Free Period ... Charms
10:15 - 10:30 am ...Break ... - ... - ... - ... -
10:30 - 11:30 am .. Free Period ... Free Period ... Transfiguration ... Free Period ... Free Period
11:30 - 12:45 pm ... Lunch ... - ... - ... - ... -
1:00 - 2:00 pm ... DADA ... Free Period ... DADA ... Charms ... DADA
2:00 - 2:15 pm ... Break ... - ... - ... - ... -
2:15 - 3:15 pm ... History of Magic ... Transfiguration ... History of Magic ... Transfiguration ... History of Magic
3:15 - 3:30 pm ... Break ...- ... - ... - ... -
3:30 - 4:30 pm ... Astronomy ... Free Period ... Free Period ... Free Period ... Astronomy
5:00 - 7:00 pm ... Dinner ... - ... - ...- ... -
*Free Periods: Students are not permitted to roam the corridor's. They may use the study hall, be in their common room's, or be in the library.
He sighed as he stood to go get his books. Since Ron wasn't hungry anymore, he followed.
Later that night, after classes, Harry unpacked (since he didn't get to it the night before) and remade his calendar. After he placed it on the wall, he threw himself down on his bed and fell into unconsciousness, therefore missing the wide-eyed look Neville gave him as he performed a few of the spells.