Chapter Two-The Daily Prophet.

When he awoke, the room was considerably darker than before, and a smell of boiled cabbage was wafting upstairs. Looking at the alarm clock next to his bed he noticed that it was just gone six. He sat up slowly, rubbing his dry eyes. When his glasses were back on his nose he saw there was a bundle on the bottom of his bed. He recognised Hermiones neat writing on a card tied to it. Yawning and stretching, he moved towards it. The card had a plant on it with huge umbrella like flowers (Mortis maximum varigata it said in italics).

Harry,
Happy Birthday. I hope you are Ok. I'm going to canada for two weeks with my parents, so I've got to do my Home work before hand because I won't have time when I get back. You know that subscription I got with the Daily Profit last year? Well I thought that because you live with muggles you might like the old ones? I've sent them all anyway. I leave on the 7th and get back on the 21st, so maybe we can meet in Diagon Ally on the 24th? Write back with your answer before I go.
Hermione.

Harry looked at the large pile of newspapers with their moving pictures and flashing headlines. One in particular caught his eye. It was made of lilac parchment, and, as Harry pulled it free from the pile, he noticed that it was a special edition for July 19th. The sparkling Headline read,

Giant's; Friend or foe?

Harry read on.

"It's never wrong to make friends," Cornelius Fudge told reporters yesterday after allegations that he was negotiating with the creatures that were once our sworn enemies. After being asked why he was doing so, the Minister of Magic turned a shade of white and refused to answer. However, an interview with Fudge's adviser Professor Albus Dumbledore, proved more rewarding. Our reporters managed to find out from the Headmaster of Hogwarts, that owing to circumstances beyond our control, the Giant's assistance is required. We can only hope that there will not be a repetition of July 17th 1976.

Harry looked away, not wanting to read on, because reading about giants reminded Harry of something that had been niggling the back of his mind since the beginning of the holidays. Voldemort, the most feared of all wizards, had returned and was probably hunting him down at that very moment. During his time at Hogwarts, Harry had seen the weakened form of Voldemort, the memory of his childhood self and duelled with the real terrifying thing (some said that there wasn't enough human left in him). Harry remembered bitterly the end of his last year, when his friend Cedric Diggory was murdered by his most loathed enemy, even more so than Draco Malfoy. Harry shook himself. Getting up, he thought that it was no good to dwell on the past, and that Hagrid was right, what would come would come.....and he would meet it when it did.
Harry went down-stairs with the idea that, he would feel better with some food inside of him. It was not a good sight. Huge mounds of vegetables, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, were piled high on enormous plates.
"You must eat it all, there's plenty more if you want it." Aunt Petunia said, her face dripping because of the steam. Harry sat down glumly. This wasn't his ideal meal, still at least he got a lot of it. Dudley sidled into the room. Remembering what he had seen Harry smiled at him. Dudley's face sagged.
"What's this mush doing here", he said disappointedly "the food is meant to go on the plates not the stuff from the bin"
"It's very healthy Dudums" Aunt Petunia said knowledgeably. "It burns more calories than it gives". Dudley sat down. He seemed to take up more room than usual.
After putting on at least a gallon of tomato ketchup, Dudley seemed happier. Harry who was too hungry to complain, just kept munching his way through the mass of vegetables. Vernon, didn't turn up for dinner. His meal turned into soggy lumps, and sagged miserably.
"Where can he be?" Aunt Petunia said exasperated, burying her face in her hands.
"Maybe he's got himself a girlfriend" Dudley said sarcastically.
"Who said that?" Petunia snapped, her eyes on Harry.
"How could you?" Dudley squealed leaving the room and half of his dinner on the plate. Mrs. Dursley's eyes narrowed.
"Get to your room!" she yelled
"But I-"
"No excuses, go NOW".
Harry left the kitchen and dragged himself back to his dingy bedroom. He was sick of seeing the same four walls. Reminding himself to reply to Ron and Hermione, Harry slumped into the chair at his desk, pulled some parchment out of one of the desk drawers and dipped his eagle feather quill into some magenta ink.

Ron

He started.

I hope that you are well. I'd love to come to your house- i'm sick of it here. What did Dumbledore say exactly? Why has your dad been working over-time? How are Fred, George, Percy and Ginny? Thanks very much for the present. Did it come from where I think it did? You'll never guess what I saw Dudley do- I'll tell you when I see you.

Harry.

Harry reread it, thinking that there were too many questions, but, there was no other way to phrase it. He looked around his room for Pig because Errol had collapsed on the floor. Pig had perched on Harry's wardrobe and seemed to be asleep. Harry moved his desk chair nearer to the wardrobe and stood on it stretching out his arm to reach the small, snoring owl. Once the letter was secured to Pig's leg, he took off into the night. Harry moved his chair back to his desk and started to write the letter to Hermione.

Hermione,
I wish the Dursley's took me somewhere like Canada!! Remember to bring me back something!! Thanks for the newspapers, it's always nice to know what's going on. I would love to go to Diagon Ally on the 24th, I should be at Ron's by then. How are your parents and Crookshanks? Hope to see you soon.

Harry.

"Hedwig, do you mind taking this to Hermione for me?" Harry asked her. She nibbled his finger fondly and stuck out her leg so that Harry could tie the note onto it. She hooted quietly and set off. Looking at his clock he saw it was quarter past nine. Feeling incredibly sleepy his changed into his pyjamas and crawled into bed.
He dreamt he was flying on his firebolt, faster and faster in his Hogwarts uniform. He was being chased under and over by a large fearsome dragon. As he turned, he saw that the dragon had opened its mouth and issued shocking green flames. He heard a high pitched scream, a cold, cruel laugh and the words, Avada Kedavra. He was spinning round and round the dragon became a blur. The next thing that Harry remembered was that he was sat bolt upright in his bed drenched in cold sweat shaking, his scar throbbing and head pounding.
This did not bring back happy memories. The last time that his scar hurt like this was when he had dreamt (or pre-empted) that Voldemort was rising once again, and he had had to write to Sirius. But Hedwig was out delivering Hermione's letter. He put his glasses on, still shaking. As the room slowly came back into focus Harry saw that it was three o'clock exactly. Harry was sure that he could not get back to sleep, so he resided in reading another newspaper. He chose the most resent one (30th of July) and read,

Has the world gone crazy, or Just Mad?

Mad-Eye Moody -the famous Auror- was interviewed today by reporters after he announced that he had been held captive by one of 'The Dark Lords' 'Death eaters'. This was waved aside as he accused Mr. Crouch's son(a former Death eater). As we know he died in a cell in Azkaban many years ago. The only explanation for for these allegations is that Mr. Moody is actually mad!

Harry laughed. These people were so blind that they couldn't even see the truth (or didn't want to). Harry managed to control himself. Then he caught a glimpse of something that made him shudder. Lucius Malfoy was glowering at him from the front page of June the 29th. Harry picked up the paper and, still shaking read the article.

Missing.

Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a respected member of the wizarding community, has today been reported missing. His wife, Narcissa Malfoy, told reporters that he has been gone for five days, and that he hasn't been at work. "Our clock told us that he was missing" she said almost crying. "It's not like him at all, he is always home for his dinner". His son told us not to worry too much, "he's probably just come up with something important" he said. However we feel that inquiries should be made.

Harry knew where he was. Lucius Malfoy had gone to join Lord Voldemort's ranks. Harry had witnessed this on June the 24th of the same year, after completing the tournament that landed him within screaming distance of Voldemort. Harry had always suspected that the Malfoy's were up to no good, and now it had been proved.
He got up, with the idea of getting a hot chocolate. Not caring if the Dursley's woke he went down-stairs (which creaked a bit). When he got to the kitchen he got himself a mug out of the cupboard, put a couple of teaspoons of chocolate powder into it, poured milk in, stirred it and shoved it in the microwave for 60 seconds. There wasn't much to do after that but watch the cup go round and round. Foot steps nearing him told him that someone was up. He was right. Dudley crept into the kitchen. Harry turned to face him. Dudley's greedy eyes widened.
"What are you doing down here" he whispered.
"I could ask you the same question" Harry whispered back.
Dudley didn't answer. He eyed Harry.
"I won't say anything if you don't" he said after an awkward silence.
"But I don't care if your parents know I'm down here"he said
Dudley turned white "But if they know I'm d-down here they'll ...they'll kill me" he said whimpering like a wounded dog.
"I know something else that I can tell them" Harry said quietly. Dudley looked blank. "I can say that you have been smoking" Dudley turned, if possible, more white than before. In a shaky voice he said,
"What are you t-talking about?" he said trying not to cry. But Harry couldn't answer. At that moment the microwave gave three loud beeps. There was a thud from upstairs, and Harry, who was far more quick-whited than Dudley, dived into a cupboard containing cans of food. Mr. Dursley entered the room and, from what Harry could hear, wasn't happy at all.
"DUDLEY"he roared. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING. GET AWAY FROM THAT MICROWAVE". Dudley didn't say anything, but just whimpered. By the sounds of things Vernon had discovered the hot chocolate and assumed that Dudley had made it for himself.
"Come with me" he snapped. Harry opened his cupboard and dashed up the stairs. He heard Petunia's gasps, and what sounded like "do you know how many calories that is?" from the master bedroom as he approached it. Safely inside his room Harry felt now, more thirsty than he had been before. He crossed the landing moving towards the voices of his Aunt, Uncle and Cousin. When he entered the room silence fell on the house.
"Sorry to disturb you" Harry said (even though he wasn't). "But I was wondering, if I could possibly have a hot chocolate?" Vernon glowered at him. "Only I can't sleep with all this noise, so I thought I'd write to Sirius, only-"
"You're G-godfather?" Vernon stammered.
"Yes, but I'm really thir-"
"Of course you can, but be quick."Vernon said with nods from both Petunia and Dudley (hands clenched on his bottom).
Harry, once again went down-stairs. Spotting the hall clock he saw that it was now half-past five. Yawning Harry went into the cold kitchen and made yet another beverage.
Once he was back in bed and full of hot chocolate, Harry had forgotten all about his nightmare. He turned off his bed side lamp, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.