It was a hot afternoon in Little Winging, Surrey and all of the inhabitants
of Privet Drive had used the weather to spend time outside. Retreating to
pools, shady trees, having barbeques or having gossiping sessions with the
neighbours. The family of number four were, despite the anguish and
objection of Mr. Vernon Dursley and his son Dudley out at the farewell
party for Mrs Dickson ("good riddens, if you asks me!" Vernon had said) on
which Mrs. Petunia Dursley had insisted ("anyone who is anyone will be
there," she had said).
So, not being ones to argue with Petunia, she, Vernon and Dudley had left for number seven.
But there was one member of the family who had been left at home, locked away in his bedroom.
Harry Potter was no ordinary boy; in fact he was no ordinary wizard either, he who had faced Lord Voldemort on numerous occasions.
The now sixteen-year-old Harry lay hot and bothered on his bed just as four owls flew in through his window and landed on his bed.
Pig, Ron's small, annoying owl zoomed around Harry's head twittering like a made thing. "Come here!" Harry grabbed the bird and took the letter from its leg.
He opened the letter and read:
Harry,
Happy birthday mate, I hope you like my present it's the newest book at least you won't have to borrow it from the library. Oh mum and dad said you could come over for the rest of the summer. We had lunch with the entire Order yesterday (including Snape) it was so funny. You know my mum she force-fed them three servings each. You should've seen Snape's face! Well we'll pick you up soon, with or without the muggles' permission. Oh, Hermione's coming too, bye.
Ron
Harry smiled, put the letter aside and opened the present: Quidditch: A complete guide.
He smiled wider, wrote a quick OK on the back of Ron's letter and sent Pig on his way.
The next package was from Hermione, five expensive-looking quills with his name engraved in gold on all of them and two bottles of ink. Harry sighed, trust Hermione to give him something to help with schoolwork (last year was a homework organizer). He opened the letter and read the neat print:
Dear Harry,
Happy sixteenth birthday Harry are those muggles have been treating you right. I think you will like my gift, the ink changes colour when you write with it (so I advise you not to use it in Snape's classes, he might confiscate them.) Now, have you heard from Ron? Has he asked you to the Burrow? If not I'm sure he will. I hope those muggles will allow you to go. How are you feeling? Are you all right? Anymore dreams lately? I'm very worried about you. Anyway, picturing Snape being force-fed by Mrs. Weasley is very funny; I can just imagine the look on his face. I wonder who our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is this year; I hope they're better than Umbridge. She was so cruel! Well, see you soon Harry stay well.
Hermione
Harry laughed putting Hermione's letter aside. The other letters were his Hogwarts letter and one from Hagrid: The gamekeeper.
Harry wrote Hagrid a thank you and with a smile upon his lips fell asleep.
"Wake up boy! There is some of your kind here!" Uncle Vernon's voice awoke Harry later that night and Harry ran down stairs. There at the doorway stood Tonks, Lupin, Mr and Mrs Weasley, their swarm of redhead children and Hermione.
"Harry! It's wonderful to see you again!" Mrs Weasley said pulling Harry into a vice-gripping hug.
"Hello Harry! We thought it would be safer to come at night, less chance of being seen" Mr. Weasley smiled.
"You all right Harry?" Hermione said flinging her arms around his neck.
"Yeah, yeah Hermione I'm fine" Harry answered, releasing himself from her and smiling at the others.
"Great to see ya mate" Ron beamed.
"You too" Harry grinned.
"Come on boy, hurry up and go!" Vernon spat, he, Aunt Petunia and Dudley were cowering in a corner.
"Where's ya truck Harry? We'll get it" Ron asked.
"Upstairs" he answered.
With that Ron and Ginny headed upstairs.
"We'll be flying Harry" Tonks said her hair an aqua colour and her nose very small.
"Which I don't really like, especially when I'm doubling with Tonks" Hermione mumbled and Harry smiled at her.
"Here we are" Ginny said as she and Ron reappeared carrying Harry's trunk.
"OK let's go!" Lupin said.
"Bye" Harry grumbled as he exited the Dursley's house.
"All right. We'll have to double. Ron you take Ginny, Fred you go with George, Arthur and Molly, Harry, you and Hermione. Tonks you and I will ride on separate brooms and keep watch. OK let's go!" Lupin said breathlessly.
Harry pulled out his Firebolt, gave Ron a weak smile and mounted.
"I really don't like this" Hermione said nervously, biting her lower lip.
"You'll be fine, trust me" Harry said and Hermione smiled nervously and joined his mount.
"OK up and away!" Lupin called and all five brooms rose into the starry sky.
"Oh!" Hermione's arms suddenly gripped tightly around Harry's waist as they flew higher.
"Arh thanks for the ink and quills Hermione" Harry said trying to distract her from the hight.
"It was nothing," she said shakily.
"They looked expensive" Harry added.
"Well, yeah they were but it's fine" Hermione said, "the question is are you?"
Harry shifted his weight so he could get a better look at her "I told you I'm fine Hermione."
"Whatever you say Harry, but whenever you need to talk Ron and I are here for you" she said.
"Yeah I know," he answered.
"Good" she smiled.
"Here we are!" Mr Weasley called and they all lowered their brooms before landing with a thud on the dewy grass in front of the Weasley's house.
"OK well, we'll head back now" Lupin said "nice to see you Harry, stay safe OK."
"Sure" Harry answered dismounting, Hermione following.
"You two keep him out of trouble" Lupin added to Ron and Hermione who were standing on either side of Harry.
"We will" Hermione smiled patting Harry on shoulder and he smiled at her.
"Yeah" Ron nodded.
"Great!" Lupin said and he and Tonks flew off.
"Come on children, bedtime!" Mrs Weasley called.
"OK mum we're coming!" Ron answered.
"Night Hermione" Harry called as he followed Ron upstairs.
"Goodnight Harry. Ron" she called.
"Night" Ron answered.
Harry and Ron had just settled into bed when Mrs Weasley walked in.
"Give me your school lists dears I'll get your things tomorrow" she said taking the pieces of parchment from the boys' hands and exiting the room.
"Harry, Ron! Wake up boys! Dumbledore is here to see you!" Mrs Weasley called waking the boys. They dressed and ran downstairs.
Hermione greeted them with a worried glimmer in her eyes.
"Hello Harry" Dumbledore smiled his blue eyes sparkling through his half- moon spectacles.
"Hello sir" Harry answered.
"Well, I am here to speak to you three" Dumbledore acknowledged.
Taking the hint, all the adults and other children left the room leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione completely alone with the headmaster of Hogwarts.
"As you all know Voldemort has risen and you are all in danger."
The three nodded.
"Well, I have designed four mirrors, much like the two you and Sirius shared Harry" Dumbledore said softly.
Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it that of which Harry was grateful for.
"Except in these mirrors you can ask to see anyone. You three will each carry one and I will keep one."
"So we can see if Voldemort. oh stop it Ron" Hermione scoffed as Ron made a whimpering sound, "has done anything to anyone."
"Exactly Miss Granger" Dumbledore smiled and Hermione's fingernails began digging into Harry's palm.
"Here you are" Dumbledore handed them each a silver mirror with small emeralds around the outside.
"Thank you sir" Harry said.
"Well, I must be off I shall see you at school, use them wisely" and with that he left leaving the three staring after him.
"I'll make some breakfast" Mrs Weasley smiled as she re-entered the room.
"Wow!" Ron gasped.
"Yeah" Harry said in part agreement part relief as Hermione released his hand and he began rubbing it.
"Sorry" she whispered.
"That's OK" Harry said.
"He must really want to protect us," Ron said.
"Yes I guess so," Hermione nodded.
"Breakfast!" came Mrs Weasley's voice.
The whole household sat around the dining table all with ruffled hair and tired expression.
As Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down MrsWeasley pilled their plates full of food.
The conversation was about Hogwarts and Quidditch; it was obvious that Mrs Weasley had told her children not to ask any questions about Dumbledore's visit.
Later that day Mrs Weasley and Ginny headed off to Diagon Alley, Harry and the Weasley boys played Quidditch and Hermione sat and read Hogwarts: A History for the hundredth time.
So, not being ones to argue with Petunia, she, Vernon and Dudley had left for number seven.
But there was one member of the family who had been left at home, locked away in his bedroom.
Harry Potter was no ordinary boy; in fact he was no ordinary wizard either, he who had faced Lord Voldemort on numerous occasions.
The now sixteen-year-old Harry lay hot and bothered on his bed just as four owls flew in through his window and landed on his bed.
Pig, Ron's small, annoying owl zoomed around Harry's head twittering like a made thing. "Come here!" Harry grabbed the bird and took the letter from its leg.
He opened the letter and read:
Harry,
Happy birthday mate, I hope you like my present it's the newest book at least you won't have to borrow it from the library. Oh mum and dad said you could come over for the rest of the summer. We had lunch with the entire Order yesterday (including Snape) it was so funny. You know my mum she force-fed them three servings each. You should've seen Snape's face! Well we'll pick you up soon, with or without the muggles' permission. Oh, Hermione's coming too, bye.
Ron
Harry smiled, put the letter aside and opened the present: Quidditch: A complete guide.
He smiled wider, wrote a quick OK on the back of Ron's letter and sent Pig on his way.
The next package was from Hermione, five expensive-looking quills with his name engraved in gold on all of them and two bottles of ink. Harry sighed, trust Hermione to give him something to help with schoolwork (last year was a homework organizer). He opened the letter and read the neat print:
Dear Harry,
Happy sixteenth birthday Harry are those muggles have been treating you right. I think you will like my gift, the ink changes colour when you write with it (so I advise you not to use it in Snape's classes, he might confiscate them.) Now, have you heard from Ron? Has he asked you to the Burrow? If not I'm sure he will. I hope those muggles will allow you to go. How are you feeling? Are you all right? Anymore dreams lately? I'm very worried about you. Anyway, picturing Snape being force-fed by Mrs. Weasley is very funny; I can just imagine the look on his face. I wonder who our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is this year; I hope they're better than Umbridge. She was so cruel! Well, see you soon Harry stay well.
Hermione
Harry laughed putting Hermione's letter aside. The other letters were his Hogwarts letter and one from Hagrid: The gamekeeper.
Harry wrote Hagrid a thank you and with a smile upon his lips fell asleep.
"Wake up boy! There is some of your kind here!" Uncle Vernon's voice awoke Harry later that night and Harry ran down stairs. There at the doorway stood Tonks, Lupin, Mr and Mrs Weasley, their swarm of redhead children and Hermione.
"Harry! It's wonderful to see you again!" Mrs Weasley said pulling Harry into a vice-gripping hug.
"Hello Harry! We thought it would be safer to come at night, less chance of being seen" Mr. Weasley smiled.
"You all right Harry?" Hermione said flinging her arms around his neck.
"Yeah, yeah Hermione I'm fine" Harry answered, releasing himself from her and smiling at the others.
"Great to see ya mate" Ron beamed.
"You too" Harry grinned.
"Come on boy, hurry up and go!" Vernon spat, he, Aunt Petunia and Dudley were cowering in a corner.
"Where's ya truck Harry? We'll get it" Ron asked.
"Upstairs" he answered.
With that Ron and Ginny headed upstairs.
"We'll be flying Harry" Tonks said her hair an aqua colour and her nose very small.
"Which I don't really like, especially when I'm doubling with Tonks" Hermione mumbled and Harry smiled at her.
"Here we are" Ginny said as she and Ron reappeared carrying Harry's trunk.
"OK let's go!" Lupin said.
"Bye" Harry grumbled as he exited the Dursley's house.
"All right. We'll have to double. Ron you take Ginny, Fred you go with George, Arthur and Molly, Harry, you and Hermione. Tonks you and I will ride on separate brooms and keep watch. OK let's go!" Lupin said breathlessly.
Harry pulled out his Firebolt, gave Ron a weak smile and mounted.
"I really don't like this" Hermione said nervously, biting her lower lip.
"You'll be fine, trust me" Harry said and Hermione smiled nervously and joined his mount.
"OK up and away!" Lupin called and all five brooms rose into the starry sky.
"Oh!" Hermione's arms suddenly gripped tightly around Harry's waist as they flew higher.
"Arh thanks for the ink and quills Hermione" Harry said trying to distract her from the hight.
"It was nothing," she said shakily.
"They looked expensive" Harry added.
"Well, yeah they were but it's fine" Hermione said, "the question is are you?"
Harry shifted his weight so he could get a better look at her "I told you I'm fine Hermione."
"Whatever you say Harry, but whenever you need to talk Ron and I are here for you" she said.
"Yeah I know," he answered.
"Good" she smiled.
"Here we are!" Mr Weasley called and they all lowered their brooms before landing with a thud on the dewy grass in front of the Weasley's house.
"OK well, we'll head back now" Lupin said "nice to see you Harry, stay safe OK."
"Sure" Harry answered dismounting, Hermione following.
"You two keep him out of trouble" Lupin added to Ron and Hermione who were standing on either side of Harry.
"We will" Hermione smiled patting Harry on shoulder and he smiled at her.
"Yeah" Ron nodded.
"Great!" Lupin said and he and Tonks flew off.
"Come on children, bedtime!" Mrs Weasley called.
"OK mum we're coming!" Ron answered.
"Night Hermione" Harry called as he followed Ron upstairs.
"Goodnight Harry. Ron" she called.
"Night" Ron answered.
Harry and Ron had just settled into bed when Mrs Weasley walked in.
"Give me your school lists dears I'll get your things tomorrow" she said taking the pieces of parchment from the boys' hands and exiting the room.
"Harry, Ron! Wake up boys! Dumbledore is here to see you!" Mrs Weasley called waking the boys. They dressed and ran downstairs.
Hermione greeted them with a worried glimmer in her eyes.
"Hello Harry" Dumbledore smiled his blue eyes sparkling through his half- moon spectacles.
"Hello sir" Harry answered.
"Well, I am here to speak to you three" Dumbledore acknowledged.
Taking the hint, all the adults and other children left the room leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione completely alone with the headmaster of Hogwarts.
"As you all know Voldemort has risen and you are all in danger."
The three nodded.
"Well, I have designed four mirrors, much like the two you and Sirius shared Harry" Dumbledore said softly.
Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it that of which Harry was grateful for.
"Except in these mirrors you can ask to see anyone. You three will each carry one and I will keep one."
"So we can see if Voldemort. oh stop it Ron" Hermione scoffed as Ron made a whimpering sound, "has done anything to anyone."
"Exactly Miss Granger" Dumbledore smiled and Hermione's fingernails began digging into Harry's palm.
"Here you are" Dumbledore handed them each a silver mirror with small emeralds around the outside.
"Thank you sir" Harry said.
"Well, I must be off I shall see you at school, use them wisely" and with that he left leaving the three staring after him.
"I'll make some breakfast" Mrs Weasley smiled as she re-entered the room.
"Wow!" Ron gasped.
"Yeah" Harry said in part agreement part relief as Hermione released his hand and he began rubbing it.
"Sorry" she whispered.
"That's OK" Harry said.
"He must really want to protect us," Ron said.
"Yes I guess so," Hermione nodded.
"Breakfast!" came Mrs Weasley's voice.
The whole household sat around the dining table all with ruffled hair and tired expression.
As Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down MrsWeasley pilled their plates full of food.
The conversation was about Hogwarts and Quidditch; it was obvious that Mrs Weasley had told her children not to ask any questions about Dumbledore's visit.
Later that day Mrs Weasley and Ginny headed off to Diagon Alley, Harry and the Weasley boys played Quidditch and Hermione sat and read Hogwarts: A History for the hundredth time.