Needless to say, James was not very happy when Harry turned up at seven the next morning, covered in bits of food and his hair even more ruffled than it usually was. He was unhappy when Harry wore the same smirk all day. Harry felt James watching him all day, so he was most relieved when Hermione and Ron turned up at noon.
BING BANG BONG BONG! BONG BING BANG BONG!
"I've got it!" Harry yelled. He pulled open the door and found Ron and Hermione standing there.
The two of them had just arrived back from France, and both of them were looking very tan.
"Amazing," Ron gasped, pretending to be amazed. "Simply amazing!"
"What?" Harry asked.
"I think that this is the first time that you've answered the door properly dressed," Ron said. Harry punched him in the shoulder and invited Ron and Hermione inside.
"So, how was your trip?" Harry asked, waving his wand and a platter of sandwiches appeared in front of them.
"It was wonderful," Hermione said. "We went walking along some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! And we saw the Eiffel Tower and a bunch of other things."
"How were you without us?" Ron asked, his mouth full of ham and cheese sandwich.
"I was great," Harry said, smirking again.
"Really, so you didn't miss us that much?" Hermione said, sounding a little hurt.
"I missed you loads," Harry said. "But I did have a lot of company."
"Oh, right," Ron said. "Jersey."
"Jersey? So, you have gone out with her more?" Hermione said, leaning forward, toward Harry.
"Yep. We went to a party last night."
"Oh, so that's why you have a carrot peel stuck in your hair?" Harry impatiently brushed his fingers through his hair and dislodged the carrot peel.
"So, how was the party?"
"The party was okay."
"Only okay?"
"Yeah," Harry said, and his smirk grew wider.
"What aren't you telling us?" Hermione said suspiciously.
"Nothing."
"Oh c'mon, Harry." Ron whined. "What happened. Were you snogging with Jersey or something?"
"Shut up."
"Oh come on Ron," Hermione said. "Leave Harry alone." They chatted for a few more minutes before an Eagle Owl flew through the air and landed on Harry's armrest.
"It's from Puddlemere," Harry said, ripping open the envelope. Out fell ten tickets.
"Oh yeah," Harry said. "I forgot, we get complementary tickets for our family and friends. Here." Harry handed two tickets to Ron and Hermione.
"Wow, your first game is on Thursday," Ron said, reading off the ticket. "Nervous."
"Yeah," Harry said. "But I'll do fine."
"You just keep telling yourself that," Ron said. Another owl flew into the room. It landed where the other owl had perched and dropped a letter on Harry's head. It was from the DM.
"Uh, guys, I gotta go." Harry said, hurriedly reading the letter.
"Why?" Ron asked, trying to lean over to read the letter.
"It's private," Harry said, putting the letter in his pocket and standing up. "It was really nice of you to come visit me."
"Yeah, sure." Ron said, looking at Harry. "Listen, you gotta come eat dinner with us sometime, I'll talk to mom about it."
"Sure." Harry said hurriedly.
"Well, bye Harry," Hermione said. Ron and Hermione disappeared. Harry yelled. "DAD! I'M GOING TO WORK!"
"All right," James yelled back. Harry ran up to his room and reread his letter.
Potter,
You are to go to the Leaky Cauldron. There is a man there with a black bag. You are to get the bag somehow, for it is a powerful magical object that the man is planning to kill the Minister with. Be on your guard, he must not know that you have taken it, or he will be after you. Go in disguise.
Croaker
There was a small packet inside. It said Just Add Water. Harry made a glass appear and put the powder from the packet into it. He poured some water into it, pinched his nose, and drank the liquid. It tasted surprisingly good, like cherries. All of a sudden, Harry felt a very odd sensation spread all over his body. He glanced at the mirror and almost yelled in surprise. He was looking at a man in his late twenties or early thirties with blond hair and dark brown eyes. He was dressed in the same clothes that Harry had been wearing earlier, but the man was taller than Harry had been and Harry could see his tanned ankles underneath the robes. Harry changed into longer robes and then Disapparated.
The Leaky Cauldron was very crowded, and Tom, the bartender, was working extra hard to keep order. He didn't even notice when Harry slipped into the bar and looked around the room.
Flourish and Blotts bag… that bag is purple… aha! There it is, Harry thought. A black leather bag was sitting next to a man who was wearing a black cloak and was sipping his drink slowly, pretending to read the newspaper.
"Pardon me," Harry said, pushing past a witch on her way to the ladies' room. He sat down at a table next to the man. He picked up a menu and pretended to read it, while starting at the man out of the corner of his eyes. The man looked about 28 years old and his eyes were darting around the room.
"Would you like anything else to drink Mr. Quandal?" Asked one of the waitresses.
"No thanks," said the man. He put down the newspaper as the waitress walked away. He pulled out a piece of parchment and started to jot out a letter. Harry couldn't read the letter, but he was able to read the signature before he folded the letter. Robert Quandal was his name. It was time to take action.
"Robert? Robert Quandal?" Harry said, pretending to be amazed as he stood up and walked over to Quandal's table. "Is that really you?"
"Yes," said Quandal, sounding suspicious. "Who're you?"
"Don't tell me that you don't recognize me," Harry said. "It's Montgomery Beland. I went to your old school!"
"Oh! Right!" said Quandal, faking a look of realization. "Monty! How are you old boy?"
"I'm doing good!" Harry said. "May I sit down?"
"Uh… actually-"
"Great!" Harry interrupted, sitting down in the chair. "So, what do you do for a living?"
"I er… I work for the Ministry?"
"Really? I haven't seen you."
"Well, I've been on vacation."
"Oh, well that's great! We really have to get together sometime." Harry said, eyeing the bag.
"Yes… we must," Quandal said, glancing at his watch. "Well, I have to go soon…"
"Let me buy you a drink first," Harry said. "Oh waitress!"
Harry and Quandal talked for a few more minutes. Harry found it harder and harder to keep Quandal there. Finally, as Quandal stood up to leave, Harry took his wand out from under his robes and pointed them at a large pile of plates that a waiter was carrying.
He muttered a spell under his breath, so Quandal wouldn't notice, and the plates fell to the floor with an almighty CRASH! Quandal spun around, and while his back was turned, Harry grabbed the black bag and Disapparated.
He Apparated to the DM, where Croaker was waiting.
"Good job Mr. Potter," Croaker said as Harry handed the bag to him. "Now, you know what you have to do." Harry got a report form and started to fill it out. He turned it in and then Apparated home.
"How was work?" James asked later that night when they were eating dinner.
"Good." Harry said shortly.
"What did you do?"
"I'm not allowed to talk about it." James raised his eyebrows.
"Oh. Right."
They were silent for a few minutes, chewing their food.
"We've got a Quidditch match on Thursday," Harry said, remembering and pulling the tickets out of his pocket. "Here's two tickets for you and Sirius."
"Thanks." James said. Harry took his plate into the kitchen and then went upstairs to his room. Hedwig was waiting for him on the bed. She flew up into the air and dropped a letter onto Harry's head before flying to her cage for a drink of water. The letter was from Ginny.
Dear Harry,
Congratulations on playing for Puddlemere. By the way, Colin says thanks for the directions on how to work the Marauder's Map. Anyway, yes, Jersey did write me. She says that she's missed me and stuff like that. Okay, I'm going to cut the chit chat, are you two a couple? The last sentence had looked like it was written in a hurry. It's okay if you are, I mean, we are broken up and all. About the Quidditch try-outs, the boy that I thought was going to be chosen for Seeker was. We have our first game on the seventeenth. Tonight we have a dance, so I've got to go get ready now. Anyway, say hi to Jersey for me.
Ginny
Harry put down the letter and then started to write a reply.
Dear Gin,
Yes, Jersey and I are seeing each other. I hope you do well at your Quidditch match! Our first Quidditch match is on Thursday. What is the new Seeker's name?
I hope you had a happy Halloween! Tell Colin I said, "You're welcome". I gotta go now.
From,
Harry
Harry folded up the letter and looked over at Hedwig, who was asleep, with her head under her wing. Harry put the letter down on his bedside table, pulled on a pair of plaid pajama pants and a white tee shirt, took off his glasses and climbed into bed.