"Although hexes are considered by many to be a useful form of self-defense, if used incorrectly there can be disastrous effects...." Harry nudged the rim of his round glasses up higher on his nose as he tapped the edge of his quill on the desk. He cleared his throat, retied his shoe, and watered down his ink before returning to his essay. "...Some of these effects include..." he sighed. With one final slam of his textbook, The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4 he decided once again to leave his schoolwork for tomorrow.
Harry's eyes wandered around the room as he wondered what his best friends, Ron and Hermione, were doing for the holidays. His eyes paused on a brand new stereo system with the antenna hanging loosely and a speaker kicked through that his obnoxious and highly overweight cousin Dudley had received for a birthday not too long ago. When Harry's Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had questioned Dudley's ability to take care of such an expensive item, Dudley had thrown a tantrum right in the middle of a crowded department store, thus the gift was bought and wrapped within twenty minutes. Only three days later, the stereo was added to the vast collection of broken items littering Harry's room, the "extra room."
To his remaining family, Harry had always been an outsider. The Dursley house was covered in innumerable pictures of Dudley's fat face, and if one had not been told that another boy had lived under the staircase for eleven years before moving to an extra room upstairs, then one would never have known.
Harry's stomach suddenly grumbled as he looked at his watched. 5:30, almost time for supper. Slowly, he headed towards the stairs.
Aunt Petunia was waiting for him, as she always did this time of day, with a stack of dishes and silverware. Harry grabbed them and headed for the kitchen table.
"No! Dining Room," said Aunt Petunia. Harry looked down at the dished he was carrying.
"China?"
"Your Uncle Vernon just called, he has an important dinner guest coming tonight rather suddenly. Get the dishes and glasses from the china cabinet and here are the napkins, there's supper for you on the table." Aunt Petunia stalked back into the kitchen with her head a bit higher than usually. She abruptly turned back to him, "And by the way, if I ever catch you nicking food from the kitchen again you will be in for it. Those sticky buns were not for you, and you know it. Vernon will be hearing about this, I assure you of that! And if this table is not perfect, you'll be spending the night in the cupboard under the stairs, do you hear me? God knows you'd be less trouble in there anyway. Now get going!" She turned and continued her course to the kitchen as Dudley suddenly appeared in the Dining Room.
"Better watch yourself, Dad's already got it out for you," he said with a little grin on his face.
"So how were those sticky buns, Dudleykins?" Harry vaguely replied. With a little smirk on his face, he waddled through the doorway and into the kitchen behind his mother. Harry continued laying down plates as he wondered whom the guest could possibly be. Vernon's only sister, Marge, wasn't due for another visit as she had come for the Christmas holidays while Harry was still at school.
School.... Harry thought longingly for the old stone castle. Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had accepted him several years ago, when he had first learned of his wizard heritage. It was the only place where Harry had really been happy. In his first year, Harry had met Ron and Hermione, his two best friends when they had been sorted into the same House- the Gryffindors.
After completing the table, Harry returned to the kitchen where he ate his cold soup and toast in peace. As he was cleaning his dishes, he could hear Dudley's loud voice upstairs followed closely by Aunt Petunia's squeaky one.
"I'm not wearing that!"
"But it makes you look so handsome, and we do want to look nice for our guest, don't we?"
"No!"
"Dudley, it's not that bad! You can bring your Smeltings Stick to dinner with you if you wear the tie!"
"I-AM-NOT-WEARING..." Dudley suddenly paused as he heard the garage door begin to open.
"Now put that on and get downstairs," Aunt Petunia said as she rushed to meet her guest. As she passed, she saw Harry sitting next to the sink. "Harry! Get moving!" With that, Harry shuffled up the stairs. As he entered his room, he saw a gray tawny owl he did not recognize sitting on his desk. On its leg was attached a small piece of parchment. He ripped it off and read the contents.
Harry,
Hope you are having a nice summer. I've been really busy. Hope to hear from you soon
Hermione
Harry gave a deep sigh, another lousy letter from Hermione. For the previous three weeks he had gotten only short and non-descriptive letters from her. At this he glanced at a letter from Ron he had gotten the day before. One particular sentence caught his eye.
...haven't heard much from Hermione. She must be on vacation somewhere. Though I wonder why she hasn't told us about it...
As he pondered on this, he heard the door below him slam. His curiosity got the most of him again, so he lay down on his bed and listened to the conversations below him to figure out who the guest could be.
"Petunia, dear, I'm home!" A little pitter-patter followed by a deep shuffle told Harry that Aunt Petunia had gone to the entrance hall followed closely by Dudley.
"Hello, dear, how was your day? And who is this nice- uh- woman you've brought home to meet us?"
"This is Rose Ethernet, our new customer. She came by the office today to make an incredible purchase, and I felt it only appropriate to invite this fine lady home for supper."
"Well hello, nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Harry jumped up as he heard this familiar voice. Could it be? Not now, in the middle of the summer holidays. He put his head back down on the bed. It couldn't possibly be, he had to be imagining it.
"Would you care for a drink, Rose my dear."
"Why yes that would be lovely." He heard the voice again. This time he was certain who the voice belonged to. He tiptoed over to the staircase to see if he could catch a glance of the mystery guest. Slowly he crept down the stairs, but as he reached the second step his foot slipped on water that he had dripped from his hands after washing the dishes earlier. He fell down the stairs, making a loud slam as he hit each one.
Aunt Petunia's loud scream told him that this was not going to be hidden from the people in the next room, and soon enough Uncle Vernon was towering over him.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"
"I...I...."
"What is it what's going on?" The mystery guest came running into the room behind Uncle Vernon. With one glance, Harry knew that his suspicions were correct. Even though she was clad in regular Muggle attire, he recognized her immediately.
"Nothing, nothing at all, Petunia why don't you bring our guest back into the parlor why I clear this up." Uncle Vernon turned back to Harry, his face red. "You are going to pay for this, boy."
"Harry?" The guest said, peeking from behind Uncle Vernon.
"H-h-hello Professor McGonagall." Uncle Vernon's looked stunned, glancing back and forth between the two of them.
"What is this? Boy, you must have hit your head harder than you thought. Now get back upstairs.... NOW!"
"No, no, it's alright. Actually, I've come to ask a favor of Harry. I am Professor McGonagall, a teacher at Harry's school."
"THEN GET OUT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" He turned back to Harry. "YOU WOULD DARE INVITE PEOPLE LIKE- PEOPLE LIKE YOU INTO OUR HOUSE?"
"I'm sorry, this is my fault. Harry here had nothing to do with it. I've come to take Harry with me." Harry was stunned at this.
"What? What's happened?" Harry said.
"Nothing- well, nothing bad. Professor Dumbledore has asked me to come and get you; he needs your help back at Hogwarts. I have instructions to take you back with me tonight." Thoughts raced through Harry's head. Could Voldemort have come back for him, and he needed extra protection? Or was it something else? Either way, Harry was ecstatic at the thought of returning to Hogwarts. "You'll need all of your school things for the year, so pack your trunk. I'm sorry to surprise you like this, but really there was no other way." She turned back to Uncle Vernon. "Now how about that drink, I'm parched."
"Take the boy and leave. I don't want you in my house any longer than you have to be." At this, Harry left the crowd standing at the foot of the stairs and ran to pack his things. Within ten minutes, he had stuffed everything into his trunk and was ready to go.
"Well, Hedwig, we're going home."
Harry's eyes wandered around the room as he wondered what his best friends, Ron and Hermione, were doing for the holidays. His eyes paused on a brand new stereo system with the antenna hanging loosely and a speaker kicked through that his obnoxious and highly overweight cousin Dudley had received for a birthday not too long ago. When Harry's Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had questioned Dudley's ability to take care of such an expensive item, Dudley had thrown a tantrum right in the middle of a crowded department store, thus the gift was bought and wrapped within twenty minutes. Only three days later, the stereo was added to the vast collection of broken items littering Harry's room, the "extra room."
To his remaining family, Harry had always been an outsider. The Dursley house was covered in innumerable pictures of Dudley's fat face, and if one had not been told that another boy had lived under the staircase for eleven years before moving to an extra room upstairs, then one would never have known.
Harry's stomach suddenly grumbled as he looked at his watched. 5:30, almost time for supper. Slowly, he headed towards the stairs.
Aunt Petunia was waiting for him, as she always did this time of day, with a stack of dishes and silverware. Harry grabbed them and headed for the kitchen table.
"No! Dining Room," said Aunt Petunia. Harry looked down at the dished he was carrying.
"China?"
"Your Uncle Vernon just called, he has an important dinner guest coming tonight rather suddenly. Get the dishes and glasses from the china cabinet and here are the napkins, there's supper for you on the table." Aunt Petunia stalked back into the kitchen with her head a bit higher than usually. She abruptly turned back to him, "And by the way, if I ever catch you nicking food from the kitchen again you will be in for it. Those sticky buns were not for you, and you know it. Vernon will be hearing about this, I assure you of that! And if this table is not perfect, you'll be spending the night in the cupboard under the stairs, do you hear me? God knows you'd be less trouble in there anyway. Now get going!" She turned and continued her course to the kitchen as Dudley suddenly appeared in the Dining Room.
"Better watch yourself, Dad's already got it out for you," he said with a little grin on his face.
"So how were those sticky buns, Dudleykins?" Harry vaguely replied. With a little smirk on his face, he waddled through the doorway and into the kitchen behind his mother. Harry continued laying down plates as he wondered whom the guest could possibly be. Vernon's only sister, Marge, wasn't due for another visit as she had come for the Christmas holidays while Harry was still at school.
School.... Harry thought longingly for the old stone castle. Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had accepted him several years ago, when he had first learned of his wizard heritage. It was the only place where Harry had really been happy. In his first year, Harry had met Ron and Hermione, his two best friends when they had been sorted into the same House- the Gryffindors.
After completing the table, Harry returned to the kitchen where he ate his cold soup and toast in peace. As he was cleaning his dishes, he could hear Dudley's loud voice upstairs followed closely by Aunt Petunia's squeaky one.
"I'm not wearing that!"
"But it makes you look so handsome, and we do want to look nice for our guest, don't we?"
"No!"
"Dudley, it's not that bad! You can bring your Smeltings Stick to dinner with you if you wear the tie!"
"I-AM-NOT-WEARING..." Dudley suddenly paused as he heard the garage door begin to open.
"Now put that on and get downstairs," Aunt Petunia said as she rushed to meet her guest. As she passed, she saw Harry sitting next to the sink. "Harry! Get moving!" With that, Harry shuffled up the stairs. As he entered his room, he saw a gray tawny owl he did not recognize sitting on his desk. On its leg was attached a small piece of parchment. He ripped it off and read the contents.
Harry,
Hope you are having a nice summer. I've been really busy. Hope to hear from you soon
Hermione
Harry gave a deep sigh, another lousy letter from Hermione. For the previous three weeks he had gotten only short and non-descriptive letters from her. At this he glanced at a letter from Ron he had gotten the day before. One particular sentence caught his eye.
...haven't heard much from Hermione. She must be on vacation somewhere. Though I wonder why she hasn't told us about it...
As he pondered on this, he heard the door below him slam. His curiosity got the most of him again, so he lay down on his bed and listened to the conversations below him to figure out who the guest could be.
"Petunia, dear, I'm home!" A little pitter-patter followed by a deep shuffle told Harry that Aunt Petunia had gone to the entrance hall followed closely by Dudley.
"Hello, dear, how was your day? And who is this nice- uh- woman you've brought home to meet us?"
"This is Rose Ethernet, our new customer. She came by the office today to make an incredible purchase, and I felt it only appropriate to invite this fine lady home for supper."
"Well hello, nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Harry jumped up as he heard this familiar voice. Could it be? Not now, in the middle of the summer holidays. He put his head back down on the bed. It couldn't possibly be, he had to be imagining it.
"Would you care for a drink, Rose my dear."
"Why yes that would be lovely." He heard the voice again. This time he was certain who the voice belonged to. He tiptoed over to the staircase to see if he could catch a glance of the mystery guest. Slowly he crept down the stairs, but as he reached the second step his foot slipped on water that he had dripped from his hands after washing the dishes earlier. He fell down the stairs, making a loud slam as he hit each one.
Aunt Petunia's loud scream told him that this was not going to be hidden from the people in the next room, and soon enough Uncle Vernon was towering over him.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"
"I...I...."
"What is it what's going on?" The mystery guest came running into the room behind Uncle Vernon. With one glance, Harry knew that his suspicions were correct. Even though she was clad in regular Muggle attire, he recognized her immediately.
"Nothing, nothing at all, Petunia why don't you bring our guest back into the parlor why I clear this up." Uncle Vernon turned back to Harry, his face red. "You are going to pay for this, boy."
"Harry?" The guest said, peeking from behind Uncle Vernon.
"H-h-hello Professor McGonagall." Uncle Vernon's looked stunned, glancing back and forth between the two of them.
"What is this? Boy, you must have hit your head harder than you thought. Now get back upstairs.... NOW!"
"No, no, it's alright. Actually, I've come to ask a favor of Harry. I am Professor McGonagall, a teacher at Harry's school."
"THEN GET OUT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" He turned back to Harry. "YOU WOULD DARE INVITE PEOPLE LIKE- PEOPLE LIKE YOU INTO OUR HOUSE?"
"I'm sorry, this is my fault. Harry here had nothing to do with it. I've come to take Harry with me." Harry was stunned at this.
"What? What's happened?" Harry said.
"Nothing- well, nothing bad. Professor Dumbledore has asked me to come and get you; he needs your help back at Hogwarts. I have instructions to take you back with me tonight." Thoughts raced through Harry's head. Could Voldemort have come back for him, and he needed extra protection? Or was it something else? Either way, Harry was ecstatic at the thought of returning to Hogwarts. "You'll need all of your school things for the year, so pack your trunk. I'm sorry to surprise you like this, but really there was no other way." She turned back to Uncle Vernon. "Now how about that drink, I'm parched."
"Take the boy and leave. I don't want you in my house any longer than you have to be." At this, Harry left the crowd standing at the foot of the stairs and ran to pack his things. Within ten minutes, he had stuffed everything into his trunk and was ready to go.
"Well, Hedwig, we're going home."