Strange Dreams
As Harry stepped off the Hogwarts Express and waved his good-byes to Herimone and the Weasleys the Dursleys rushed up to meet him.
"Oh, Harry. Our favorite nephew and greatest wizard! We want to let you know that this summer's going to be different....."
But suddenly Harry woke up. He had been having a dream about the Dursleys! How could he dream something so stupid? He didn't care about the Dursleys and they'd never care about him. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Hedwig sitting on him until she nipped his finger a little bit. She had a note and a package tied to her leg.
Dear Harry,
How's life with the Muggles? I know it's horrible, so how about you stay with us this summer? Like last summer. We could send you some floo powder and you could get here on your own whenever you wanted to. Oh, and here's your birthday present. I know it's a little early but I wanted you to have it now. You'll see why when you get here.
Harry couldn't believe his luck. He ripped open the package to find a moving poster of the seven Chudley Cannons (Ron's favorite Quidditch team). Their Seeker was currently diving toward the Golden Snitch. Harry watched in amazement for a few seconds then found some parchment, his quill, and told Ron to expect him soon if it was alright with the Muggles. He also added to send the floo powder soon. If they said no he would sneak out anyway. Harry looked down and noticed something else in the package.
Harry,
Since we're back in business (thanks to the money you gave us) we decided to send some samples of the stuff we have right now. It's nothing new but we thought you could put good use to it.
Harry laughed. He could just imagine what Mrs. Weasley would do to them if she found out they were making joke stuff again. They sent him more of their famous fake wands, ton tongue toffees, and canary cremes.
Harry knew what all of these were because they had used them all last year. The wands on various people including Ludo Bagman, who was the head of Magical Games and Sports at the Ministry and retired Beater for the England Qudditch team, the ton tongue toffees on Dudley, and the canary cremes on Neville Longbottom and some other Gryffindors. The wands turned into little toys when you were about to use it, the ton tongue toffees made your tongue grow huge and purple, and the canary cremes turned you into a canary. You instantly lost all you feathers and turned back into yourself, though.
Harry sent Hedwig off and thought about his very peculiar dream. He didn't ponder it long though because he shortly fell asleep glasses and all.
That wasn't the last dream he had that night, though. He saw a woman with beautiful red hair and dazzling green eyes that he couldn't stop staring at. Then he saw a young man next to her with glasses and untidy black hair. He saw the man but he was still staring into the woman's eyes. Those eyes were so strangely familiar. He knew he had seen them before. The woman spoke to Harry first. Her voice seemed very misty an faraway. It was as though they were in a huge empty room.
"Keep those you trust close to you and treasure that trust," she said and then smiled at him. It was a very motherly smile but it couldn't be. Could it?
"Think before you act. And always remember these two things. In times like these don't trust anyone you haven't known and been close to, and never let anger take you over. Goodbye, Harry," said the man. Harry didn't want him to go strangely. "We will talk again, my........son..........," he drifted out of sight and all went black. Harry jerked himself awake. He felt tears on his face. He wiped them away. What just happened? He thought he remember people. People talking to him. People talking to him about trust and anger. He knew the people but he didn't know them. He was starting to forget everything about it. But then he remembered something. Red hair. He thought of Ron. No, it was a female. He thought of Ginny. No, a young woman. A sort of ghost as she looked. But then the image of her hair faded away. He closed his eyes and saw something growing brighter and brighter. Green. Glowing a magnificent green. For a second he thought he was seeing the flash that had killed his..........parents. Then he remembered everything as though a light had suddenly been turned on. They were eyes. But not just anybody's eyes. They belonged to him. Harry. But he got them from her. His mother Lily Potter. She and his father James, telling him things.....
But suddenly he was snapped out of his trance by Dudley screaming at his mother. Then he remembered something else. The package! He took everything and tucked it safely in his school trunk. He all of a sudden realized he was staving and went downstairs.
"So nice of you to grace us with your presence," said Aunt Petunia very sarcastically and sourly. Then she turned into her normal irritated self. "Do you have any idea what time it is?!" she snapped at him. Harry totally ignored her and reached for some bacon. "Oh no you don't!" she yelled slapping his out stretched hand. "You think your too good to get up with the rest of us, huh?" she said. "Well you can just skip breakfast and start cleaning. Here," she threw a list at Harry and continued. "Do all of these chores, and then you can spend the rest of the day in our room until supper."
Harry dared not gape but he really wanted to. The Dursleys had pretty much ignored Harry since he had returned from school. "You will not eat supper with us, though. You will be called down to eat the leftovers." Harry didn't say anything. He went straight to his room. He was going to tell Ron that if he did come to stay with them he would need to eat with them and if he didn't he'd need some food. But he had no Hedwig. He wasn't going to starve though. He decided to go ask Uncle Vernon about staying with Ron right now.
As he approached he could hear the newscaster talking. "For almost two years now police have been trying to track down the murderer Sirius Black," Harry slowed and listened. "Well, they finally think they're on the right track of finding his hiding place." Harry felt very light-headed, as though he could faint any moment. Just two years ago Harry and Hermione helped Sirius escape from Hogwarts after finding out that he was innocent. Harry had learned that he was his parent's best friend and his godfather. He knew Sirius could hide himself well. No Muggle police officers could catch him. Hopefully. Harry put that thought out of his mind and went into the living room.
"Er, Uncle Vernon?" asked Harry. He often dreaded these terrible conversations.
"What?!" he snapped.
"Well, you see, my friend Ron asked me to stay at his house for the rest of the summer again, and I was wondering if it was okay." At first Harry thought he hadn't heard him. Uncle Vernon seemed to be pondering this question very hard the way he had last year. "You wouldn't have to take me to London or anything and you wouldn't see me again until next summer," Harry added. He knew that Uncle Vernon loved it when Harry wasn't there.
"Well only on one condition. Those people have to come and pick you up in a car wearing regular clothes. And they can't bring all those kids," he finished. Harry thought about adding that they wouldn't be picking him up but then decided he could sneak out while they were eating dinner so he just said, "Done."
Harry ran back upstairs and to his surprise and great relief Hedwig was sitting on his desk. She was holding a letter and a packet which he assumed contained the floo powder. Her rushed over and opened the letter.
Harry,
If the Muggles say you can come then use the floo powder. If they say you can't come then tell us and we'll come and pick you up tonight at 12:00. Please send your answer back immediately. I can't wait we've got a big surprise!
P.S. I hope you can use the floo powder alright.
Harry had used floo powder twice and one of those times was just last year when went to the Quidditch World Cup.
He scribbled on the back of the parchment that he'd be there around 5:30 today. He gave the letter to Hedwig along with and owl pellet to show his thanks. He was so happy he was going back to the Burrow again! The Burrow was Harry's favorite house and the Weasleys were his favorite family. He was so excited that he didn't mind doing Aunt Petunia's dumb old chores.
He worked happily but hungrily until 5:00. He got his trunk and everything for school ready. He was starting to get worried about Hedwig. What if she didn't come back before he left? But he didn't have to worry long. She flew into his window about 5:15. The Dursleys were getting ready to eat supper now. He drug his trunk and Hedwig's cage down the stairs to the fireplace.
Last year Mr. Weasley had blown the boards off the fireplace and the Dursleys had never re-boarded it so he wouldn't have to worry about that. He walked past the kitchen and saw the Dursleys eating. "This is going to be so easy!" he thought excitedly. He pressed the button on the electric fireplace and a large fire sat ablaze. He threw the floo powder in. He had to hurry. He thought he heard the Dursleys stop talking and get up. Just as he stepped into the fire with everything Uncle Vernon's shocked face came into view.
"Stop!" he yelled. "I will not have this nonsense in my........"
But Harry had already yelled, "The Burrow!" and he was speeding away from 4 Privet Drive. The next thing he knew he was standing inside his best friend Ron Weasley's kitchen fireplace.