Chapter 1: Homecoming
Dear Mr. Potter,
As I said before the end of the year, you may join Mr. Weasley and his family for summer vacation after a certain time is spent with your relatives for reasons unimportant for now. You will be joined by a protector whose name is Liana in mid July on your birthday. She will take you to the Weasley residence and stay with you as your personal protector throughout the summer and year. You are not to go anywhere outside the Weasley residence or the Castle without her. She will tell you whatever you need to know in due time. Please be ready to meet with her on your birthday. Thank you and have a wonderful remaining summer.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
That was the letter Harry received the day he got home from London with uncle Vernon. It was sent to him by a school owl with the Hogwarts emblem on the seal and was seized by uncle Vernon when the owl flew through the door and landed on the couch in front of Harry. Aunt Petunia screamed and Dudley tried to run out of the back door, but fell on his face instead.
"Finally, good news from that school of yours," said uncle Vernon "at least you'll be gone by mid July and we won't have to see your face till next summer." Ditto, Harry thought, won't have to see you as well and why do I need protecting. If Sirius were here, he would protect me.
That night, as Harry let Hedwig out for an evening hunt, another owl came through the window as fast as a bullet and hit Harry on the shoulder. As he finished massaging his shoulder, Pig settled down for a drink in Hedwig's cage.
" You came just at the right time," Harry said " if you came earlier, Hedwig might have broken one of your wings if she saw you do that." The letter said:
Harry,
We got a letter from Prof. Dumbledore saying that your coming to spend the rest of your summer with us after your birthday! Wish it were sooner, than we'd get to find out who your protector is. Still need a babysitter, huh? Just kidding. Well, hope we can trust her if she's gonna follow us around. I guess we can since Dumbledore assigned her to you. Well, see you in July!
Ron,
P.S. Hermione is going to stay with us a week before school starts. She's in America visiting some relatives.
Well, Harry thought, just have to wait a few more weeks and went to bed.
The next morning, Harry woke up to the house shaking. He wanted to scream earthquake than he remembered who he lived with. As he carefully came downstairs he heard Dudley screaming at his mother about his birthday. As it turns out, he wasn't going to go anywhere this year because he wasn't going on the diet he was still on from last summer.
"Please Dudley! Your father and I only want the best for you, love!" cried aunt Petunia. "Dudley, take it like a man!" yelled uncle Vernon through aunt Petunia's cries. Harry, trying not to make a sound, got some toast and went into the backyard.
There he thought of nothing but what he was going to do at the Weasley house. As he was going back inside the house to write a letter to Hermione, aunt Petunia saw him and pulled him into the kitchen.
"Your going to do a lot of work today," she barked at him " I have to deal with Dudley so your going to clean the kitchen, mow the lawn, and wash the car. After that, you are to stay out of Dudley's way, UNDERSTAND!" "Yes aunt Petunia," Harry replied. "Slave driver," he said after she was out of earshot thinking about how his few weeks with the Dursley's where probably going to be like this.
After finishing his chores, he went inside to shower and write a letter to Hermione, but found a letter on his desk and Hedwig with another owl resting on the windowsill.
Dear Harry,
Hope you are ok with the muggles! I am having a wonderful time in America. We just got off a plain in New York and are going shopping this afternoon. We will only be here a few days because of a layover and will be flying to Florida! I have grandparents there and I hope will be going to Disney World. I'll get you all something from there. New York is amazing. There are so many people and so many things to do and it's true that no one sleeps here. Well, I have to go now. Hope you have a good summer!
Love always,
Hermione
P.S. I'll be in Bulgaria visiting Victor for a few weeks in July. Just wanted you to know.
At least somebody gets to have a real vacation this year, Harry thought. Wish I could travel around; can't wait to get out of here. Just a few more weeks.
