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Chapter 2


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Harry Potter sat quickly and grabbed his glasses off of the table beside his bed. It took him a moment to remember why he had woken up. He had heard something…like some one tapping on glass. He jumped as the sound rang through the room again, and turned his attention to the window. He smiled when he seen what had woke him up. It was a large snowy owl, accompanied by two other owls; a small one that appeared to hooting happily as it zoomed around the large snowy one, and a large gray. Harry recognized two of the owls. The large snowy was his own Hedwig, and the smallest of the three was Pigwedigen, or more commonly known as 'Pig', who belonged to his friend Ron. He assumed the large gray one was an owl from his school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry pushed back his blankets and turned on his lamp as he walked to the window and pushed it open as all three owls soared in and one by one dropped their loads on his bed. Hedwig then flew over to her cage that sat on his desk and began drinking water, Pig flew around the room hooting happily, and the gray owl stretched its wings before soaring out the open window again. Harry smiled widely and settled himself down on his bed and picking up one of the letters that Hedwig had dropped, he instantly recognized the handwriting as belonging to his godfather Sirius Black. This was the first letter he had gotten from Sirius since his second week back on Privet Drive, and back with the Dursleys. Harry unfolded the letter quickly and began to read:

'Harry--

Happy Birthday! Sorry I can't be there, but I'm sure you understand. I was going to get you a gift, in fact I did. But it was too big to send with Hedwig, so you'll just have to wait.
Everything is fine here, I'm still laying low at Moony's place. (he says hello and happy birthday) Everything's going well there, I'm sure. Those Muggles better be treating you well, or I'll turn them all into dingbats. Of course I doubt they would do anything, considering how you conveniently forgot to mention my innocence. I'm glad my years in Azkaban could come of use to someone.

(Harry laughed, remembering the look on Uncle Vernon's face when he had mentioned that his godfather was convicted of murdering 12 people, including a wizard. But he had seen no reason to tell them that Sirius had been innocent. He returned to the letter.)


' Again, I'm sorry I couldn't send you're present to you. You should get it around the time you reach Hogwarts, seeing as Dumbledore will have it to give you. By that time it will be a late birthday present, but it's all the same right?
If you need me, or if anything odd happens, I want to hear about it. I'll write again soon'

-Sirius

Harry folded the letter up and smiled, wondering all the while what Sirius had got him. Next he turned to the letter that Pig had dropped, and recognized the untidy scrawl as his friends Ron's writing. He opened his letter, shooting Pig an annoyed look as unfolded it and began reading it.


' Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday!
Everything here is okay. Percy came home for part of the summer, Dad had to drag him out his office. It didn't make a difference though. Percy keeps himself locked in his room almost all the time. Fred and George want to thank you about giving them your prize money you got from the Triwizard Tournament, they've been putting it to good use. They re-made everything. All their fake wands, Canary Creams ,and Ton-Tongue toffees.'

(Harry laughed at this, remembering what had happened when hid cousin Dudley had ate a Ton-Tongue Toffee, and his tongue grew to four feet.)

'They've even made new stuff, Frog Fudge, and booger bars, and some other stuff. Mom isn't as upset this time around about Weasley Wizard Wheezes, I think it has something to do with the fact that they got better marks this year. Bill and Charlie took time off work and are staying here right now, Mom insisted on it.
Mom says she wants you to come and stay with us for the rest of the summer. Hermione is coming to stay with us too. Do you think the Muggles would let you? Not that it matters, you're still staying whether they like it or not.
Let us know what the Muggles say, Mom says it'd just be nicer if we pretended that we cared about what they think. If you come send Pig back and we'll see you around five o'clock on Saturday. If they say no, send Pig back and we'll see you at five o'clock on Saturday anyways.

-Ron

Harry smiled as he put the letter down and turned to a small package that Pig had just dropped in his lap. He picked it up and opened it. Inside there was an assortment of different colored toffees, some frog shaped chocolate pieces, three wands, and some chocolate bars, along with some other stuff. There was another letter.

Harry,

Here are some of Fred and George's new jokes, and few of the old ones. They insisted that you got some for you're birthday to pull one over on that great bully git of a cousin you have. All of them do something different, but you'll find out when you use them.

-Ron

Harry laughed and put the bag of jokes down beside Ron and Sirius's letters and turned to pick up one of the three left on his bed. (not counting to the two packages) This one was from Hermione, he could tell by the neat handwriting. He picked up the package it was on top of and put it in his lap and opened the letter and began reading it.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday Harry!
I'm glad Hedwig came by when she did. I'm leaving for my grandparent's house tomorrow and they aren't used to owl post.
I'll be leaving for Ron's soon, and I should be there by the time you get there. Ron says that you're coming whether the Dursleys like it or not. Have you seen the booklist for this year? What does the Defense Against the Dark Arts books remind you of? I wonder if it has anything to do with what I think it does…oh well.
I'm sorry I have to make this so short. I have to get everything packed for my grandparent's house. Hope you like you're present!

Love-
-Hermione


What had Hermione meant 'What does the Defense Against the Dark Arts book remind you of?'? He just frowned and shook his head, shrugging it off. Harry turned his attention to the package on his lap and examined it. In sighed, it looked a lot like a book. "Probably full of a bunch difficult spells that I'll never been able to do." Harry thought with a frown. He opened it and felt a smile come across his face. It was a book, but not a spell book. It was a book on Quidditch moves and tactics used by famous seekers. He smiled as he watched two seekers dive down the cover and disappear at the bottom. He put the book down with Hermione's letter and picked up a another letter, this one had sloppy handwriting that could belong to none other than the Hogwarts gamekeeper Hagrid.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday!
I think you'll find this useful for next year.
You'll see why when you get here.
Hope the Muggles are treating you right.
All the best,
Hagrid


Harry turned his attention to the package that had come with Hagrid's letter. He suddenly remembered what had happened when Hagrid had sent him a birthday present two years ago. He got a biting book. He gulped and opened it very slowly and was relived to see there was no sign of anything that would bite. Instead there was a tin of homemade fudge and thick, black gloves made what looked like Blast-Ended Skerwt hide. Harry frowned and prayed that they weren't attempting another chance at raising Blast-Ended Skerwts. But all the same, he thought to himself, it's the thought that counts. He turned to the last of the letters and noted that this one was from Hogwarts. He opened the letter and read it.


Dear Mr. Potter,

Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three quarters, at eleven o'clock.
A list of books for next year is enclosed. Hope to see you next year.
Yours sincerely,

Professor M. McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress


Harry pulled out the list of books and began reading it.

Fifth year students will require:

The Standard Book of Spells Grade 5 by Miranda Goshawk
Basic Guide to Transfiguration Level 5 by Cassandra Webel
1001 Potions for All Occasions Class 5 by Demitree Lifeltone
Dark Creatures and Dark Curses by Celeste Hartington


After going over the book list he stopped on the book for the Defense Against the Dark Arts, but it didn't remind him of anything, except to wonder who their new teacher would be and to pray that it wasn't Snape. Every year they had gotten a new teacher for that class, no one seemed to be able to hold that job down. Harry picked up all of his things and placed the letters and presents on the table beside his bed, and got up and pet Hedwig as she gave him an affectionate nip on his hand and he grabbed pig and put him in the cage so he could get a drink. Harry then wondered over to the window sighed.

It was a nice cool night. Harry looked back at his clock and smiled lightly. He had been 15 for an hour now. He turned his attention back to endless skies, and just as he looked out the window, something caught his eye. It was a figure standing across the street looking up at his window…looking right at him. Harry focused on the figure, but it was to far away to make out anything…he squinted and blinked to clear his eyes to get a better look. But after he blinked, the figure was gone. There was nothing, or no one standing on the street below him. An odd feeling pricked the back of his neck. Maybe he had just been seeing things.

Harry shook his head and tried to shake off the odd feeling that had settled in his stomach, but it persisted. Maybe he was just tired, he was just sleepy, that's all. With this in his mind, he closed the window, casting one more look down across the street and then walked back over to his bed, turned off his lamp, and lay down, taking off his glasses and rolling over on his stomach. He closed his eyes and was determined to get to sleep, but it didn't come to him until the sun began to rise.


~End Chapter 2

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Author's Note: This one came quick, partly cause I already had this one ready. The next chapt. Might take a few days, maybe less considering that this one only took a few hours. Anyways, r/r, and let me now what you think!