HARRY POTTER and the CHEST OF PROMISES
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! With the chirping of his Aunt Petunia's hideous new cuckoo clock, Harry Potter awoke to his fifteenth birthday. Harry turned on the lamp on his nightstand and peered at his reflection in the mirror. He certainly didn't look any different than he had yesterday. His thick, black hair was the same unruly mess it always had been, and his bright green eyes hadn't changed a bit. And then, of course, was the thin, lightning-bolt shaped scar in the middle of his forehead, an ever-present reminder of Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard who had killed his parents. Harry turned off the lamp and sat in his bed, thinking. In a few short weeks he would be returning to his beloved school, Hogwarts, as a fifth-year student. He couldn't believe that he was a fifth-year already. It seemed like only yesterday when Hagrid, the groundskeeper and a teacher at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had explained to him that he was a wizard.
Until his eleventh birthday, Harry had not known anything about the wizarding world. After his parents died, his non-magic aunt and uncle, the Dursley's, had become his legal guardians. They decided not to tell Harry the truth about his parents, who were heroes in the wizarding world. But there was no way of stopping Harry from finding out the truth about everything, and here he was, about to enter his fifth year at Hogwarts. There was a sharp rapping at the window, and Harry recognized his snowy white owl, Hedwig. The means of communication in the wizarding world were owls, and Hedwig had come bearing several gifts. Hedwig flew into the corner of Harry's bedroom and began nibbling at some feed Harry had set out for her. Two large, neon-green and pink birds followed her. After the exotic-looking birds came Pig, the owl of one of Harry's best friends, Ron Weasley, along with another owl Harry had never seen before. Each bird carried a package, and Harry eagerly untied them from the birds' feet and began to open them. Hedwig carried a white envelope with a yellow note inside.
Harry,
Hope you're well. Me 'n Fang're doin' fine, and we've got a special surprise fer yeh, when yeh get back ter school, sumthin' exciting. Hope yer birthday's a good 'un!
Best wishes,
Rubeus Hagrid
Harry chuckled as he read Hagrid's letter. He was a bit nervous about the 'surprise', though-Hagrid's idea of fun was breeding new types of animals-each one more dangerous than the last. Harry shuddered as he remembered last year's Blast-Ended Skrewts in Hagrid's class, Care of Magical Creatures. In the brown-paper package was a birthday cake which weighed about as much as a bowling ball.
The brightly-colored birds held a letter from Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, who was currently evading the law for a crime he hadn't committed. Harry unfolded the letter anxiously.
Dear Harry,
It's hard to believe that you're fifteen already. It seems like just yesterday your parents were telling me that I was going to be your godfather...Harry, I know that if your parents were alive today, they would be so proud of you. I'm still in hiding, but maybe not for long. I've been working out a plan with a few wizards, who shall remain anonymous. If all goes well, I may be seeing you as soon as you return to Hogwarts. Remember, Harry, always be careful of situations that may be more than what they appear to be. Never go anywhere alone, and please don't do anything that isn't allowed at Hogwarts. I know how it is, Harry-remember, your father and I were quite the mischief-makers ourselves at your age-but with everything that's been going on lately, it's really best to stay out of trouble. Even what seems to be the most harmless of practical jokes could result in tragedy. I don't mean to scare you, but you understand. You were there last year after the Triwizard Tournament. You saw it all, Harry, and you know what the consequences could be if you aren't careful.
On a lighter note, I wish you luck in Quidditch matches, schoolwork, and everything else you choose to do at Hogwarts. If something should happen to prevent my arrival at Hogwarts, send Hedwig with a letter so we can keep in contact. And again, Harry, always act with utmost caution!
Sirius
Harry read Sirius' letter again, knowing that his godfather was completely right in telling him to always be on guard. After all, Lord Voldemort had returned to full power the year before, and Harry had been there to witness it... Voldemort had killed his friend and fellow Hogwarts student, Cedric Diggory, after the Triwizard Tournament, a prestigious championship between wizards from Hogwarts school as well as Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, two other European wizarding schools. Harry and Cedric had been about to win the final task of the tournament, finding the Triwizard Cup. As they both grasped the handles of it, they found that the cup was a Portkey and transported them into a place where Lord Voldemort and several of his supporters were gathered. Harry had managed to escape after watching Lord Voldemort kill Cedric just as he had killed Harry's parents. Harry told himself to snap out of it and forced the painful memories of last year out of his mind. He opened the present from Sirius and found a delicious-looking birthday cake, chocolate-chip cookies, and a book about Quidditch, his favorite sport.
Next, he untied the package from Pig and opened the envelope attached to it. A card was inside. The front featured exploding fireworks, brightly-costumed dancers, and balloons swirling around everything. As Harry opened the card, an earsplitting noise made his heart start pounding. Then he chuckled as he realized what he was hearing was the entire Weasley family-all nine of them-singing "Happy Birthday, dear Harry...". After a few notes, Harry closed the card, praying the Dursley's hadn't been woken up by the shrill sound. Harry opened the box eagerly and found a knitted robe of bright scarlet with a large 'H' on the front, a small, green tin, a rather plain-looking piece of toffee, and a small gold book entitled, "Snatching The Snitch: Stupendous Strategies for Superior Seekers". At the very bottom of the box were two pieces of parchment. The first was from Fred & George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers, who were two years older than Ron and Harry.
Harry,
Happy birthday! We made sure Mum didn't notice that we snuck a few extra presents in for you. You've probably noticed the toffee-our very last piece of Ton Tongue Toffee, which we found in our dress robes when we got home from Hogwarts. You can threaten Dudley with it. Inside the green tin are a few other little tricks that'll keep Dudley on his toes. We made them just for you...enjoy!
Sincerely Yours,
Fred & George
P.S. Thanks again for the galleons.
Last year, Harry had been awarded 1,000 Gold Galleons for winning the Triwizard Tournament. But he had given it to Fred and George, knowing that they needed it much more than he did. Besides, he knew that spending the money would just make him think of how Cedric deserved the money, too, and cause him to remember the whole terrible ordeal. The writing on the next piece of parchment covered the whole page, and Harry recognized Ron's handwriting.
Harry,
Mum sends her love. She says to tell you that she knitted the robe for you, and it's for practicing Quidditch in. The book is from all of us, but I picked it out. It's new, and it's supposed to be the best book on the market for Seekers. Hope you like it. Look, Harry, there's bad news, and I think you deserve to know. Mum & Dad said I shouldn't tell you, but sooner or later, you were bound to find out. Three people have been killed, Harry-three separate incidents in June and July-by You-Know-Who. No one we know, but all of them are from England. Mum's mad with worry about you, Harry, and Dad's working day and night at the Ministry. They're trying to keep things hush-hush-there are still some people who don't believe You-Know-Who's back. The articles in the Daily Prophet just said that the murderer was unknown, but Dad says they've got proof that You-Know-Who did it. Dad also says that things at Hogwarts are going to be really different this year-they've got to really protect us now that You-Know-Who's back. We won't be allowed to go to Hogsmeade and probably won't be allowed to roam around the school like we did before-going to see Hagrid and such. Anyhow, I didn't mean to scare you, I just thought you'd want to know. Don't worry too much, Harry-you'll be safe at Hogwarts. Please write me back, Harry-because of what's happened, Dad said it's best that we don't invite you to stay with us this summer.
Ron
Harry sank back onto his bed, not believing what Ron's letter had said. Three killings-Voldemort really had returned to power. Harry had been afraid something like this would happen, but now it was real. Sirius must've not wanted me to be afraid, Harry realized. That's why he didn't mention it. But I'm not afraid! I've faced Voldemort before and I'll face him again. Harry wanted to get this startling news out of his mind, so he opened the green tin from Fred and George. Inside were several labeled objects. Harry chuckled as he picked up a candy bar, of which the label read 'Will disappear whenever someone or something tries to eat it'. Then he picked up an ordinary-looking bag of marbles. The label claimed 'Will speak, dance, and sing-but only pudgy teenaged boys will be able to hear'. Next was the gum 'guaranteed to taste like spinach' and the 'insulting' peanut-butter & jelly sandwich, which would mutter insults with every bite. Finally was a piece of candy which would make anyone who ate it turn into a goose. Harry laughed as he pictured Dudley as a goose, but knew that if he ever used the candy Uncle Vernon would probably kill him. Harry put all of the objects back into the tin and hid them in his bureau, in case Dudley ever really got on his nerves. Finally, Harry turned to the last owl, the one he had never seen before.
Dear Harry,
Happy 15th birthday! This is the owl my parents gave me for my last birthday. I named him Viktor, after Viktor Krum. I was ever so pleased when Mother and Father allowed me to visit him for two weeks at his home. It's simply amazing, this enormous mansion built entirely UNDERGROUND. And his parents seemed very nice, a bit strict, but nice. Anyway, Viktor's going to be travelling all over once the Quidditch season starts up, and we've decided to write often, and to remain close friends-and just that, no matter what you and Ron think! Anyhow, I've finished my summer reading and all my assignments-I'm taking Advanced Potions and Advanced Charms as well as Advanced Transfiguration plus the regular classes. I wonder who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be...Ron hasn't heard anything. Ron and I have been keeping in touch by owl post, and Harry, everything's so terrible right now with You-Know-Who back...Well, I'll see you in a few weeks, on Platform 9 & ¾, hope you enjoy this little gift!
With love,
Hermione
Harry smiled as he read Hermione's letter. It was just like Hermione to finish all her summer work and take three advanced classes. Ron and Harry were only taking one-Advanced Charms. Harry eagerly opened his gift. A slip of parchment attached to a newspaper told him that Hermione had purchased him one month's subscription to the Daily Prophet, a wizarding newspaper, so he would get the news in the weeks before he left for Hogwarts. She had also gotten Harry a book called "Practical Charms & More: A Guide to Hundreds of Charms", which would surely prove useful in Advanced Charms. Finally, Harry lifted up a picture frame which showed a photo of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, all grinning after Harry had excelled in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, capturing a golden egg from a dangerous, fire-breathing dragon. As in all wizarding pictures, the people in the photograph were moving-Ron was waving and beaming, Hermione was squeezing Harry's shoulders proudly, and Harry was blushing and running his hand through his disheveled hair.
Harry checked the clock. It was now almost 1:00 a.m. Although he was tired, he decided to write out thank-you notes so he wouldn't have to do it later when the Dursley's were awake. He jotted off a few words to Hagrid and then composed a two-paged letter to Sirius, detailing his plans for the year, classes, and a promise to keep out of trouble. Then Harry wrote two separate notes for the Weasley's-one for the entire family, and one for Fred & George. His letters to Ron and Hermione were nearly identical-he told them that he wasn't afraid of Voldemort, thanked them for the gifts, and told them to meet him at 9:00 a.m. at Platform 9 & ¾, the secret platform that was only accessible by wizards. There, they would board the Hogwarts Express, the train which took students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
By the time Harry was done writing, it was almost 2:30 a.m. He sent the owls and tropical birds away with the thank-you notes, turned out the lights, and went to sleep.
* * *
Three and a half weeks later, Harry was standing in front of King's Crossing station, holding two trunks and Hedwig in her cage. The Dursley's sped away without so much as a good-bye, and Harry headed toward Platform 9. While other passengers either stayed on Platform 9 or moved toward Platform 10, Harry walked straight into the barrier between the two platforms. But instead of crashing into the wall, he passed through it into Platform 9 & ¾. There, he saw five redheads struggling with at least ten trunks. Harry rushed up to them.
"Why, hello, Harry!" cried Fred (or was it George?) Weasley.
"How's it going, Harry?" the other twin asked.
"Hey, Harry! You're here!" Ron said, grinning. Ginny Weasley, the youngest sibling and the only girl, blushed. She had had a crush on Harry ever since she'd met him.
"Look, Mummy, Harry!" she said, tugging on Mrs. Weasley's blouse. Mrs. Weasley, who had been fiddling with a lock on one of the trunks, looked up. Before Harry knew what was happening, she had engulfed him in a bear hug and was squeezing him so hard he could barely breathe.
"Oh, Harry!" she cried, her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm so glad you're all right! I've been so dreadfully worried...what with all these...well, never mind that. You're here, and that's all that matters," Mrs. Weasley rambled on.
"Hey, look, there's Hermione!" Ron said, waving to her. Mr. and Mrs. Granger accompanied their daughter.
"Hello," Mrs. Granger smiled. "So nice to see you all again." Mr. Granger looked a little overwhelmed at all the witches and wizards climbing aboard the train.
"Well, we'd best get going," he said, kissing Hermione on the top of her head. "Have a good, safe year." Mrs. Granger followed suit and soon they hurried out of the platform.
"They told me they feel a bit uncomfortable here," Hermione explained. Mrs. Weasley nodded understandingly, then went back to the lock on the trunk. Fred and George began to load the trunks onto the station, and Ginny spotted a fellow fourth-year, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone.
"I haven't told my parents about the articles in the Daily Prophet," Hermione confessed. "If they knew that You-Know-Who was back, they might've not let me come back to Hogwarts," she said, sighing.
"It's better they didn't know," Ron said. Harry nodded in agreement.
"Let's load our bags onto the train, and pick out seats," Hermione suggested. The boys followed her onto the Hogwarts Express, which was packed with witches and wizards. Suddenly, Ron gave Harry a swift kick in the shins.
"What's the idea?" Harry asked.
"Look at that girl we just passed, on the left. She's amazing..." Ron sighed, staring at the girl. Harry glanced at her, trying not to seem too obvious. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, with long, dark hair, and bright green eyes. She was tall and slender and very attractive, Harry thought. He didn't even realize that he and Ron had stopped, and were blocking the entrance to one of the compartments.
"Oh, will you two hurry up?" Hermione groaned impatiently. "We've got to find seats right away or we'll have to sit by Malfoy or someone!" she warned them, naming Harry's greatest enemy at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy. The boys hurried along, and soon they found three seats together, in a compartment with three students who were in the same house, Gryffindor, and were their friends: Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnigan.
As Harry laughed and joked with his friends, he forgot all about Lord Voldemort and the danger that surrounded him. Then the train pulled up at Hogwarts and Harry was jolted into reality. Harry, Ron, and Hermione dragged their luggage along the path to Hogwarts. Every time Harry came, there seemed to be a mist around the castle, which was fantastically enormous. There were dozens of turrets, balconies, and beautiful stained-glass windows. Once the students had arrived in the building, they entered the Great Hall, and first-year students were herded into a corner, where they would be sorted into houses by the Sorting Hat. The older students went to the common rooms of their houses. Besides Gryffindor, there was Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione got to the common room, there was a crowd of people lined up at the entrance.
"No one knows the password," explained Neville Longbottom as his pet toad, Trevor, jumped out of his shirt pocket. Neville, who was forever losing, forgetting, and dropping things, slipped as he chased after Trevor. Seamus Finnigan helped him up.
"We need to find a prefect-do you know who they are?" Seamus asked. Harry, Ron, and Hermione shook their heads "No" as Fred and George came running through the crowd.
"Kerfuffle! Kerfuffle!" one of them was chanting.
"We're prefects! We're prefects!" the other one kept saying.
The guardian of the Gryffindor House, a portrait of a fat lady, swung open and the students rushed into the common room, talking a million miles a minute. Harry and Ron headed to their room, which they shared with Dean, Seamus, and Neville, on the top floor. When they had unpacked, they went back to the common room, where Fred and George were celebrating.
"I don't know how it happened-" Fred was saying.
"Professor McGonigall must be soft for us deep down there somewhere-" George was saying.
"And we're prefects!" they both shouted together.
"Mum'll be so happy!" Fred cried.
"And Percy will never believe it!" George said with glee. Percy was their by-the-book brother who had been a prefect himself. He disapproved of his brothers' antics and often scolded them whenever they played a practical joke.
"Isn't it time for dinner yet?" Lavender Brown asked. She was a fifth-year like Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Yes, let's go!" Fred declared.
"Prefects lead the way!" George announced. Just as they opened the door, however, the head of the Gryffindor house, Minerva McGonigall, came flying in.
"Everyone is staying put!" she told the Gryffindors. "There has been...there has been an attack in this area of England. Professor Dumbledore has ordered us all to stay in our houses. There will be no feast, and we will have dinner in our common room. We held the sorting ceremony an hour ago, and these are the new Gryffindors," she said, gesturing to dozens of students who were huddling in the hallway, looking extremely frightened. No one paid much attention to them, though. Chaos had broken out amongst the Gryffindors.
"Where was the attack?"
"Was it a student?"
"How many were killed?"
"Who was attacked, Professor?"
"Was it You-Know-Who?"
"Is he here?"
People were screaming and crying and pushing and shoving. Neville ended up on the floor with a black eye and a very sore bottom.
"Silence!" Professor McGonigall cried, quieting the Gryffindors.
"We have not received details from the Ministry of Magic yet. When we do, we will be sure to tell you. Please settle down. You are safe as long as you stay in here and do as I tell you," she said sharply. She pulled her wand out of her robe and muttered something. A buffet table appeared with a stack of plates and a punchbowl.
"Now we are going to have a quiet meal. There will be no foolishness! First-years, you may get your food now. And for Pete's sake, Longbottom, get up off the floor!" Everyone listened to Professor McGonigall and did as she said. Hermione sat on Harry's right, a concerned expression on her face. Ron sat on Harry's left, looking as frightened as the first years. Fred and George sat on either side of Ginny, who had grown very pale and jittery. There was an eery silence in the Gryffindor common room when there was a knock at the door. Several students jumped up or hid behind furniture. Professor McGonigall went to the door as it swung open to reveal Professor Dumbledore.
"The danger has passed," Dumbledore announced solemnly. "The grounds have been searched thoroughly by Ministry of Magic officials. However, I regret to tell you that two people were killed tonight by Lord Voldemort." Several people gasped at hearing the name of Lord Voldemort. Most witches and wizards called him You-Know-Who out of their fear for him.
"Professor Dumbledore, please, who was it?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I cannot tell you that at this time, Miss Granger. The Ministry will not permit it as of yet. Good night." With that, Albus Dumbledore was gone.
"I'm going to send an owl to Dad," Fred said grimly. "Maybe he can tell us something." George, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry nodded in agreement as Fred pulled out a quill and some parchment. Then he went up to his room and sent Errol, the family owl, to deliver the letter.
Surprisingly, Professor McGonigall went into her room and did not emerge for the rest of the night, not even forcing the Gryffindors to go to bed before curfew. Most of the students stayed up into the wee hours of the morning. Some, like Ginny and Neville, fell asleep there. Harry, Ron, and Hermione talked throughout the whole night. Ron updated Harry and Hermione on what his father had told them about the previous attacks.
"The three people who You-Know-Who killed-two of them were Aurors, you know, people who fight the dark arts, and one of them was a former Ministry official. Dad said he knew him. He worked for the Defense Against the Dark Arts Department," Ron explained. "But it gets worse. Dad says that a lot of people think that You-Know-Who was gathering information from them before he killed them. And now he's going to try to find the Chest of Promises."
Hermione gasped, but Harry didn't understand.
"What's that?" he asked, confused.
"Harry, I can't believe you sometimes!" Hermione cried, astonished. "The chest is what makes Hogwarts so safe from dark wizards like You-Know-Who. When Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff founded Hogwarts, they decided to create something that would protect Hogwarts forever. So they created a spell of protection that would make it safe here, always. They put the protection in a chest. The chest was buried in a tomb somewhere, but no one knows exactly where. The idea was for no one to ever find it. There are traps and curses surrounding the chest that no one was ever expected to be able to get through. But recently, the ministry of magic has been trying to find it. Because if we don't know where it is, how can we protect it from someone who wants to use it for a bad purpose?" Hermione explained.
"And if You-Know-Who-or anyone else, for that matter-finds the chest, and destroys it, then Hogwarts isn't safe from anything. Anyone could just Apparate in here, including You-Know-Who!" added Ron.
"But I don't understand," said Harry. "What makes the chest so powerful?"
Even Ron looked puzzled at this question.
"No one knows for sure," Hermione said. "But it must be really powerful, if it's protected Hogwarts all these years."
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! With the chirping of his Aunt Petunia's hideous new cuckoo clock, Harry Potter awoke to his fifteenth birthday. Harry turned on the lamp on his nightstand and peered at his reflection in the mirror. He certainly didn't look any different than he had yesterday. His thick, black hair was the same unruly mess it always had been, and his bright green eyes hadn't changed a bit. And then, of course, was the thin, lightning-bolt shaped scar in the middle of his forehead, an ever-present reminder of Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard who had killed his parents. Harry turned off the lamp and sat in his bed, thinking. In a few short weeks he would be returning to his beloved school, Hogwarts, as a fifth-year student. He couldn't believe that he was a fifth-year already. It seemed like only yesterday when Hagrid, the groundskeeper and a teacher at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had explained to him that he was a wizard.
Until his eleventh birthday, Harry had not known anything about the wizarding world. After his parents died, his non-magic aunt and uncle, the Dursley's, had become his legal guardians. They decided not to tell Harry the truth about his parents, who were heroes in the wizarding world. But there was no way of stopping Harry from finding out the truth about everything, and here he was, about to enter his fifth year at Hogwarts. There was a sharp rapping at the window, and Harry recognized his snowy white owl, Hedwig. The means of communication in the wizarding world were owls, and Hedwig had come bearing several gifts. Hedwig flew into the corner of Harry's bedroom and began nibbling at some feed Harry had set out for her. Two large, neon-green and pink birds followed her. After the exotic-looking birds came Pig, the owl of one of Harry's best friends, Ron Weasley, along with another owl Harry had never seen before. Each bird carried a package, and Harry eagerly untied them from the birds' feet and began to open them. Hedwig carried a white envelope with a yellow note inside.
Harry,
Hope you're well. Me 'n Fang're doin' fine, and we've got a special surprise fer yeh, when yeh get back ter school, sumthin' exciting. Hope yer birthday's a good 'un!
Best wishes,
Rubeus Hagrid
Harry chuckled as he read Hagrid's letter. He was a bit nervous about the 'surprise', though-Hagrid's idea of fun was breeding new types of animals-each one more dangerous than the last. Harry shuddered as he remembered last year's Blast-Ended Skrewts in Hagrid's class, Care of Magical Creatures. In the brown-paper package was a birthday cake which weighed about as much as a bowling ball.
The brightly-colored birds held a letter from Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, who was currently evading the law for a crime he hadn't committed. Harry unfolded the letter anxiously.
Dear Harry,
It's hard to believe that you're fifteen already. It seems like just yesterday your parents were telling me that I was going to be your godfather...Harry, I know that if your parents were alive today, they would be so proud of you. I'm still in hiding, but maybe not for long. I've been working out a plan with a few wizards, who shall remain anonymous. If all goes well, I may be seeing you as soon as you return to Hogwarts. Remember, Harry, always be careful of situations that may be more than what they appear to be. Never go anywhere alone, and please don't do anything that isn't allowed at Hogwarts. I know how it is, Harry-remember, your father and I were quite the mischief-makers ourselves at your age-but with everything that's been going on lately, it's really best to stay out of trouble. Even what seems to be the most harmless of practical jokes could result in tragedy. I don't mean to scare you, but you understand. You were there last year after the Triwizard Tournament. You saw it all, Harry, and you know what the consequences could be if you aren't careful.
On a lighter note, I wish you luck in Quidditch matches, schoolwork, and everything else you choose to do at Hogwarts. If something should happen to prevent my arrival at Hogwarts, send Hedwig with a letter so we can keep in contact. And again, Harry, always act with utmost caution!
Sirius
Harry read Sirius' letter again, knowing that his godfather was completely right in telling him to always be on guard. After all, Lord Voldemort had returned to full power the year before, and Harry had been there to witness it... Voldemort had killed his friend and fellow Hogwarts student, Cedric Diggory, after the Triwizard Tournament, a prestigious championship between wizards from Hogwarts school as well as Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, two other European wizarding schools. Harry and Cedric had been about to win the final task of the tournament, finding the Triwizard Cup. As they both grasped the handles of it, they found that the cup was a Portkey and transported them into a place where Lord Voldemort and several of his supporters were gathered. Harry had managed to escape after watching Lord Voldemort kill Cedric just as he had killed Harry's parents. Harry told himself to snap out of it and forced the painful memories of last year out of his mind. He opened the present from Sirius and found a delicious-looking birthday cake, chocolate-chip cookies, and a book about Quidditch, his favorite sport.
Next, he untied the package from Pig and opened the envelope attached to it. A card was inside. The front featured exploding fireworks, brightly-costumed dancers, and balloons swirling around everything. As Harry opened the card, an earsplitting noise made his heart start pounding. Then he chuckled as he realized what he was hearing was the entire Weasley family-all nine of them-singing "Happy Birthday, dear Harry...". After a few notes, Harry closed the card, praying the Dursley's hadn't been woken up by the shrill sound. Harry opened the box eagerly and found a knitted robe of bright scarlet with a large 'H' on the front, a small, green tin, a rather plain-looking piece of toffee, and a small gold book entitled, "Snatching The Snitch: Stupendous Strategies for Superior Seekers". At the very bottom of the box were two pieces of parchment. The first was from Fred & George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers, who were two years older than Ron and Harry.
Harry,
Happy birthday! We made sure Mum didn't notice that we snuck a few extra presents in for you. You've probably noticed the toffee-our very last piece of Ton Tongue Toffee, which we found in our dress robes when we got home from Hogwarts. You can threaten Dudley with it. Inside the green tin are a few other little tricks that'll keep Dudley on his toes. We made them just for you...enjoy!
Sincerely Yours,
Fred & George
P.S. Thanks again for the galleons.
Last year, Harry had been awarded 1,000 Gold Galleons for winning the Triwizard Tournament. But he had given it to Fred and George, knowing that they needed it much more than he did. Besides, he knew that spending the money would just make him think of how Cedric deserved the money, too, and cause him to remember the whole terrible ordeal. The writing on the next piece of parchment covered the whole page, and Harry recognized Ron's handwriting.
Harry,
Mum sends her love. She says to tell you that she knitted the robe for you, and it's for practicing Quidditch in. The book is from all of us, but I picked it out. It's new, and it's supposed to be the best book on the market for Seekers. Hope you like it. Look, Harry, there's bad news, and I think you deserve to know. Mum & Dad said I shouldn't tell you, but sooner or later, you were bound to find out. Three people have been killed, Harry-three separate incidents in June and July-by You-Know-Who. No one we know, but all of them are from England. Mum's mad with worry about you, Harry, and Dad's working day and night at the Ministry. They're trying to keep things hush-hush-there are still some people who don't believe You-Know-Who's back. The articles in the Daily Prophet just said that the murderer was unknown, but Dad says they've got proof that You-Know-Who did it. Dad also says that things at Hogwarts are going to be really different this year-they've got to really protect us now that You-Know-Who's back. We won't be allowed to go to Hogsmeade and probably won't be allowed to roam around the school like we did before-going to see Hagrid and such. Anyhow, I didn't mean to scare you, I just thought you'd want to know. Don't worry too much, Harry-you'll be safe at Hogwarts. Please write me back, Harry-because of what's happened, Dad said it's best that we don't invite you to stay with us this summer.
Ron
Harry sank back onto his bed, not believing what Ron's letter had said. Three killings-Voldemort really had returned to power. Harry had been afraid something like this would happen, but now it was real. Sirius must've not wanted me to be afraid, Harry realized. That's why he didn't mention it. But I'm not afraid! I've faced Voldemort before and I'll face him again. Harry wanted to get this startling news out of his mind, so he opened the green tin from Fred and George. Inside were several labeled objects. Harry chuckled as he picked up a candy bar, of which the label read 'Will disappear whenever someone or something tries to eat it'. Then he picked up an ordinary-looking bag of marbles. The label claimed 'Will speak, dance, and sing-but only pudgy teenaged boys will be able to hear'. Next was the gum 'guaranteed to taste like spinach' and the 'insulting' peanut-butter & jelly sandwich, which would mutter insults with every bite. Finally was a piece of candy which would make anyone who ate it turn into a goose. Harry laughed as he pictured Dudley as a goose, but knew that if he ever used the candy Uncle Vernon would probably kill him. Harry put all of the objects back into the tin and hid them in his bureau, in case Dudley ever really got on his nerves. Finally, Harry turned to the last owl, the one he had never seen before.
Dear Harry,
Happy 15th birthday! This is the owl my parents gave me for my last birthday. I named him Viktor, after Viktor Krum. I was ever so pleased when Mother and Father allowed me to visit him for two weeks at his home. It's simply amazing, this enormous mansion built entirely UNDERGROUND. And his parents seemed very nice, a bit strict, but nice. Anyway, Viktor's going to be travelling all over once the Quidditch season starts up, and we've decided to write often, and to remain close friends-and just that, no matter what you and Ron think! Anyhow, I've finished my summer reading and all my assignments-I'm taking Advanced Potions and Advanced Charms as well as Advanced Transfiguration plus the regular classes. I wonder who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be...Ron hasn't heard anything. Ron and I have been keeping in touch by owl post, and Harry, everything's so terrible right now with You-Know-Who back...Well, I'll see you in a few weeks, on Platform 9 & ¾, hope you enjoy this little gift!
With love,
Hermione
Harry smiled as he read Hermione's letter. It was just like Hermione to finish all her summer work and take three advanced classes. Ron and Harry were only taking one-Advanced Charms. Harry eagerly opened his gift. A slip of parchment attached to a newspaper told him that Hermione had purchased him one month's subscription to the Daily Prophet, a wizarding newspaper, so he would get the news in the weeks before he left for Hogwarts. She had also gotten Harry a book called "Practical Charms & More: A Guide to Hundreds of Charms", which would surely prove useful in Advanced Charms. Finally, Harry lifted up a picture frame which showed a photo of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, all grinning after Harry had excelled in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, capturing a golden egg from a dangerous, fire-breathing dragon. As in all wizarding pictures, the people in the photograph were moving-Ron was waving and beaming, Hermione was squeezing Harry's shoulders proudly, and Harry was blushing and running his hand through his disheveled hair.
Harry checked the clock. It was now almost 1:00 a.m. Although he was tired, he decided to write out thank-you notes so he wouldn't have to do it later when the Dursley's were awake. He jotted off a few words to Hagrid and then composed a two-paged letter to Sirius, detailing his plans for the year, classes, and a promise to keep out of trouble. Then Harry wrote two separate notes for the Weasley's-one for the entire family, and one for Fred & George. His letters to Ron and Hermione were nearly identical-he told them that he wasn't afraid of Voldemort, thanked them for the gifts, and told them to meet him at 9:00 a.m. at Platform 9 & ¾, the secret platform that was only accessible by wizards. There, they would board the Hogwarts Express, the train which took students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
By the time Harry was done writing, it was almost 2:30 a.m. He sent the owls and tropical birds away with the thank-you notes, turned out the lights, and went to sleep.
* * *
Three and a half weeks later, Harry was standing in front of King's Crossing station, holding two trunks and Hedwig in her cage. The Dursley's sped away without so much as a good-bye, and Harry headed toward Platform 9. While other passengers either stayed on Platform 9 or moved toward Platform 10, Harry walked straight into the barrier between the two platforms. But instead of crashing into the wall, he passed through it into Platform 9 & ¾. There, he saw five redheads struggling with at least ten trunks. Harry rushed up to them.
"Why, hello, Harry!" cried Fred (or was it George?) Weasley.
"How's it going, Harry?" the other twin asked.
"Hey, Harry! You're here!" Ron said, grinning. Ginny Weasley, the youngest sibling and the only girl, blushed. She had had a crush on Harry ever since she'd met him.
"Look, Mummy, Harry!" she said, tugging on Mrs. Weasley's blouse. Mrs. Weasley, who had been fiddling with a lock on one of the trunks, looked up. Before Harry knew what was happening, she had engulfed him in a bear hug and was squeezing him so hard he could barely breathe.
"Oh, Harry!" she cried, her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm so glad you're all right! I've been so dreadfully worried...what with all these...well, never mind that. You're here, and that's all that matters," Mrs. Weasley rambled on.
"Hey, look, there's Hermione!" Ron said, waving to her. Mr. and Mrs. Granger accompanied their daughter.
"Hello," Mrs. Granger smiled. "So nice to see you all again." Mr. Granger looked a little overwhelmed at all the witches and wizards climbing aboard the train.
"Well, we'd best get going," he said, kissing Hermione on the top of her head. "Have a good, safe year." Mrs. Granger followed suit and soon they hurried out of the platform.
"They told me they feel a bit uncomfortable here," Hermione explained. Mrs. Weasley nodded understandingly, then went back to the lock on the trunk. Fred and George began to load the trunks onto the station, and Ginny spotted a fellow fourth-year, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone.
"I haven't told my parents about the articles in the Daily Prophet," Hermione confessed. "If they knew that You-Know-Who was back, they might've not let me come back to Hogwarts," she said, sighing.
"It's better they didn't know," Ron said. Harry nodded in agreement.
"Let's load our bags onto the train, and pick out seats," Hermione suggested. The boys followed her onto the Hogwarts Express, which was packed with witches and wizards. Suddenly, Ron gave Harry a swift kick in the shins.
"What's the idea?" Harry asked.
"Look at that girl we just passed, on the left. She's amazing..." Ron sighed, staring at the girl. Harry glanced at her, trying not to seem too obvious. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, with long, dark hair, and bright green eyes. She was tall and slender and very attractive, Harry thought. He didn't even realize that he and Ron had stopped, and were blocking the entrance to one of the compartments.
"Oh, will you two hurry up?" Hermione groaned impatiently. "We've got to find seats right away or we'll have to sit by Malfoy or someone!" she warned them, naming Harry's greatest enemy at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy. The boys hurried along, and soon they found three seats together, in a compartment with three students who were in the same house, Gryffindor, and were their friends: Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnigan.
As Harry laughed and joked with his friends, he forgot all about Lord Voldemort and the danger that surrounded him. Then the train pulled up at Hogwarts and Harry was jolted into reality. Harry, Ron, and Hermione dragged their luggage along the path to Hogwarts. Every time Harry came, there seemed to be a mist around the castle, which was fantastically enormous. There were dozens of turrets, balconies, and beautiful stained-glass windows. Once the students had arrived in the building, they entered the Great Hall, and first-year students were herded into a corner, where they would be sorted into houses by the Sorting Hat. The older students went to the common rooms of their houses. Besides Gryffindor, there was Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione got to the common room, there was a crowd of people lined up at the entrance.
"No one knows the password," explained Neville Longbottom as his pet toad, Trevor, jumped out of his shirt pocket. Neville, who was forever losing, forgetting, and dropping things, slipped as he chased after Trevor. Seamus Finnigan helped him up.
"We need to find a prefect-do you know who they are?" Seamus asked. Harry, Ron, and Hermione shook their heads "No" as Fred and George came running through the crowd.
"Kerfuffle! Kerfuffle!" one of them was chanting.
"We're prefects! We're prefects!" the other one kept saying.
The guardian of the Gryffindor House, a portrait of a fat lady, swung open and the students rushed into the common room, talking a million miles a minute. Harry and Ron headed to their room, which they shared with Dean, Seamus, and Neville, on the top floor. When they had unpacked, they went back to the common room, where Fred and George were celebrating.
"I don't know how it happened-" Fred was saying.
"Professor McGonigall must be soft for us deep down there somewhere-" George was saying.
"And we're prefects!" they both shouted together.
"Mum'll be so happy!" Fred cried.
"And Percy will never believe it!" George said with glee. Percy was their by-the-book brother who had been a prefect himself. He disapproved of his brothers' antics and often scolded them whenever they played a practical joke.
"Isn't it time for dinner yet?" Lavender Brown asked. She was a fifth-year like Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Yes, let's go!" Fred declared.
"Prefects lead the way!" George announced. Just as they opened the door, however, the head of the Gryffindor house, Minerva McGonigall, came flying in.
"Everyone is staying put!" she told the Gryffindors. "There has been...there has been an attack in this area of England. Professor Dumbledore has ordered us all to stay in our houses. There will be no feast, and we will have dinner in our common room. We held the sorting ceremony an hour ago, and these are the new Gryffindors," she said, gesturing to dozens of students who were huddling in the hallway, looking extremely frightened. No one paid much attention to them, though. Chaos had broken out amongst the Gryffindors.
"Where was the attack?"
"Was it a student?"
"How many were killed?"
"Who was attacked, Professor?"
"Was it You-Know-Who?"
"Is he here?"
People were screaming and crying and pushing and shoving. Neville ended up on the floor with a black eye and a very sore bottom.
"Silence!" Professor McGonigall cried, quieting the Gryffindors.
"We have not received details from the Ministry of Magic yet. When we do, we will be sure to tell you. Please settle down. You are safe as long as you stay in here and do as I tell you," she said sharply. She pulled her wand out of her robe and muttered something. A buffet table appeared with a stack of plates and a punchbowl.
"Now we are going to have a quiet meal. There will be no foolishness! First-years, you may get your food now. And for Pete's sake, Longbottom, get up off the floor!" Everyone listened to Professor McGonigall and did as she said. Hermione sat on Harry's right, a concerned expression on her face. Ron sat on Harry's left, looking as frightened as the first years. Fred and George sat on either side of Ginny, who had grown very pale and jittery. There was an eery silence in the Gryffindor common room when there was a knock at the door. Several students jumped up or hid behind furniture. Professor McGonigall went to the door as it swung open to reveal Professor Dumbledore.
"The danger has passed," Dumbledore announced solemnly. "The grounds have been searched thoroughly by Ministry of Magic officials. However, I regret to tell you that two people were killed tonight by Lord Voldemort." Several people gasped at hearing the name of Lord Voldemort. Most witches and wizards called him You-Know-Who out of their fear for him.
"Professor Dumbledore, please, who was it?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I cannot tell you that at this time, Miss Granger. The Ministry will not permit it as of yet. Good night." With that, Albus Dumbledore was gone.
"I'm going to send an owl to Dad," Fred said grimly. "Maybe he can tell us something." George, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry nodded in agreement as Fred pulled out a quill and some parchment. Then he went up to his room and sent Errol, the family owl, to deliver the letter.
Surprisingly, Professor McGonigall went into her room and did not emerge for the rest of the night, not even forcing the Gryffindors to go to bed before curfew. Most of the students stayed up into the wee hours of the morning. Some, like Ginny and Neville, fell asleep there. Harry, Ron, and Hermione talked throughout the whole night. Ron updated Harry and Hermione on what his father had told them about the previous attacks.
"The three people who You-Know-Who killed-two of them were Aurors, you know, people who fight the dark arts, and one of them was a former Ministry official. Dad said he knew him. He worked for the Defense Against the Dark Arts Department," Ron explained. "But it gets worse. Dad says that a lot of people think that You-Know-Who was gathering information from them before he killed them. And now he's going to try to find the Chest of Promises."
Hermione gasped, but Harry didn't understand.
"What's that?" he asked, confused.
"Harry, I can't believe you sometimes!" Hermione cried, astonished. "The chest is what makes Hogwarts so safe from dark wizards like You-Know-Who. When Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff founded Hogwarts, they decided to create something that would protect Hogwarts forever. So they created a spell of protection that would make it safe here, always. They put the protection in a chest. The chest was buried in a tomb somewhere, but no one knows exactly where. The idea was for no one to ever find it. There are traps and curses surrounding the chest that no one was ever expected to be able to get through. But recently, the ministry of magic has been trying to find it. Because if we don't know where it is, how can we protect it from someone who wants to use it for a bad purpose?" Hermione explained.
"And if You-Know-Who-or anyone else, for that matter-finds the chest, and destroys it, then Hogwarts isn't safe from anything. Anyone could just Apparate in here, including You-Know-Who!" added Ron.
"But I don't understand," said Harry. "What makes the chest so powerful?"
Even Ron looked puzzled at this question.
"No one knows for sure," Hermione said. "But it must be really powerful, if it's protected Hogwarts all these years."