Parts of this are word for word from the first book which I own a copy of but nothing more in case you thought I did.
It takes him about fifteen minutes to find his way back to the common room- more time than it takes him to reverse the size altering spell and package the sweets up along with the envelope.
Hedwig takes the package happily (or at least from what Harry can tell) and flies off with an affectionate nip of his fingers. He hopes his mom will treat her for the message because he knows how much she likes bacon.
Hedwig arrives on Thursday morning, swooping down amid the plates and perching on the top of Harry's chair. She holds out her leg expectantly and the boy unties the letters, giving her a thick slice of bacon for her efforts. The owl pecks at the food in his hand, carefully avoiding his skin. Harry opens the letter addressed to him with his other hand.
Dear Harry,
We're all glad you're happy- your friends sound like good people but be careful okay?
I'm not sure about this Godfather. Sometimes people who claim to be innocent and are still imprisoned still committed the crime. I want to be there just in case when you meet him.
It's great you're enjoying your lessons. I'll set up a meeting as soon as possible, that's why I've given you the other letter. Give that one to your teacher.
I'm sorry about your friend. I don't think there's anything you can do but be there for her and help her. Who cares that you're in different houses- you do what you think is best kid.
Love Mom, Claire and Alex.
Harry tucks both letters inside his bag and Hedwig flies off, certain that her mail has been received. His Transfiguration lesson is second so he can give Professor McGonagall her letter then.
A barn owl flies away from Neville who unwraps a small package curiously. A large marble filled with smoke lies nestled among the brown paper. The boy frowns.
"It's a Remembrall." He says, picking the glass ball up.
"If you hold it tightly like this and you've forgotten something it turns red." The Remembrall glows a deep red in his palm, the light shining through Neville's fingers.
"So that means I've forgotten something." Ron pats him on the back.
"Bad luck mate." Hermione leans over, eyes narrowing at the glass ball.
"That can't be very useful- you could have forgotten anything. I hope it wasn't important." The girl frowns. A hand reaches over and plucks the Remembrall from Neville's hand. Ron is standing before Harry even realises that it's the blonde kid.
"What's going on?" Professor McGonagall appears behind them. Neville blinks up at her confusedly.
"Oh- Malfoy's got my Remembrall." He says calmly. The Slytherin scowls, quickly dropping the ball back onto their table.
"Just looking." He snaps, retreating with his bodyguards.
The encounter is soon forgotten with both Hermione and Neville's panic about their flying lesson later that day and Ron's assumption that he'll be good at it.
Harry passes his transfiguration teacher the letter as soon as he reaches her office. She reads it and nods, pulling out a small piece of parchment and dipping her quill into an open ink pot.
"I hope that your mother will not mind me seeing her in three days." The boy can't help but smile.
"No. She won't." He pauses then and thinks, "But her job means she's on call a lot of the time so if she misses an appointment it's because she's helping someone." McGonagall frowns but says nothing.
She writes for a while longer, quill flicking through the air. Finally she finishes, folds the parchment in half and tucks it inside an envelope.
"Be sure that this gets to your mother as soon as possible, Mr. Potter." She says, putting a cork back in her ink pot and blotting her quill. She picks up a wand and mutters a quick spell. The remaining ink slides off, pooling on the blotting pad.
"Can you show me that spell again?" Harry asks, placing the envelope carefully between two books so he wouldn't crumple it. The Professor nods.
"Of course. Basic quill cleaning prevents blotting while you are writing so it makes it easier for professors to mark your work. I will make sure to teach everyone else next lesson because some of your peers penmanship is appalling." She casts the spell again and Harry watches closely how the magic loops around the quill. The amount of ink that comes off of his own quill when he tries it is quite surprising.
"Now we shall begin the lesson." She places a snail on the table and by the end of the lesson it has become a full sized, red and gold teapot twice.
"If you could practise this spell and research the avifors spell as I will cover this spell with you soon. I expect at least fifteen inches of parchment on your research by Monday. Next lesson you will learn the theory behind transfiguring an inanimate into an animate object so your research may not make much sense until after then." Harry nods and is shown out.
He quickly takes the letter to Hedwig along with some owl treats. The owl accepts both before flying off again. Harry wonders if magical owls are different to normal ones because he is sure there isn't any bird that could travel so far and as fast as Hedwig and not be tired.
The boy joins Ron, Neville and Hermione for lunch. Hermione is reading a volume of Flying for Beginners with no food in sight and Neville is pushing his food around worriedly.
"I think Hermione's forgot it's lunch." Says Ron as Harry sits down, "All she's been doing is reading that book." The girl looks up briefly at the mention of her name but obviously deems the situation less important them attempting to learn how to fly through reading.
"Are you okay?" Harry asks. Neville looks up from his food, face pale and Hermione mumbles out something dismissive under her breath.
"I think I'm going to throw up before I even get on a broom." Neville groans.
At three- thirty that afternoon all the first-year Gryffindors hurry down the first steps and into the ground for their first flying lesson. The sky is clear but breezy. In the distance the Forbidden Forest sways- Harry hopes the werewolf rumours aren't true. Mom would not be pleased with him staying so close to the monsters.
The Slytherins are already down there with a long line of broomsticks. Harry had heard from Fred and George that the school brooms were faulty. He hopes his isn't too bad.
Their teacher swoops down the field, scowling. Her short, grey hair sticks out oddly and with her yellow eyes Harry thinks she looks a lot like a hawk.
"Well, what are you all waiting for? Everyone stand by a broomstick," The Slytherins stand up and everyone starts for the brooms, "Come on, hurry up." Harry hurries to the closest broom. It looks old and worn. Some of the twigs stuck out at strange angles. Hermione stands several brooms down, frowning at hers. She quickly bends down and straightens the bristles out while everyone is gathering.