Chapter 2: The familiar visitor.

Harry gulped. He didn't know what to do. He knew that if Uncle Vernon saw this, he would blame Harry right away. But what could it mean? Dudley was way too old to be getting a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts... and HE couldn't be a wizard could he?!

Harry let a big smile across his face.

'Imagin the look on Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's face!" he said out loud.

Perhaps it was addressed wrong, he thought. But no, this looked like an acceptance letter.

Then a sudden image came in his head, the sight of the Dursley's bursting in the door saying they forgot something and seeing him holding that letter. They would throw him in his old cupboard for sure! So he got the letter and the rest of the mail and threw it back on the mat and slammed the door shut.

Harry wished he were at Mrs. Figg's after all. He didn't know what to do now, he was beginning to worry. After an hour, curiosity overcame him. He figured if he just had a look at what the letter said, than he would know what to do with himself.

'Well, when I didn't get my letters at first, they kept coming until I got one. They should send another one if he doesn't get this one.'

With that, he walked to the door, opened it, and took the mail back in. He slowly opened the seal in the back, and unfolded the letter and read,

Dear Mr. Dursley,

We hereby inform you that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be sending a representative from the Department of Overage Wizards/Witches Association.

He will be arriving at your address tonight (19/6/01) to address you and your family on what to do with you.

Yours sincerely,

M. McGonagall

Professor M. Mcgonagall

Deputy Headmistress.

Harry folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. This made no sense at all to him. He had never heard of the Department of Overage Wizards/Witches Association.

He felt it best to destroy the letter and just have the Dursleys find out when this person comes tonight. So he ripped it up and threw it in the trash.

Harry spent the rest of the day trying to stay calm and just wait. Finally at five that evening, the Dursleys pulled in to Privet Drive. Dudley was first in, running over to his table of presents, waiting to open them at last. In came Vernon Dursley, looking exhausted. Followed close behind, his wife, Petunia Dursley. Dudley was allowed to open his presents after Vernon made a quick pass around the house to make sure nothing was out of place.

After a few video games, a big screen TV, a remote control airplane, a soccer ball, a brand new gold watch and a few smaller less enjoyable things, Harry noticed it was five minutes to six.

'If it be alright with you all, I'd like to be excused,' said Harry at the table watching with the rest. Uncle Vernon gave a wave of his hand and he was off. He made his way to the living room and sat on the couch.

Behind him, he heard a pop, which he regarded as Dudley popping a balloon from far away. Harry was waiting for the doorbell to ring, when he felt two hands touch his shoulders. He jumped and turned around to see a man in a cloak with a hood on. He couldn't see the man's face, but he didn't have to, to know who he was.

'Harry Potter! A long time no see, that's why I took this job." The man let down his hood, to reveal shinny teeth and a dumb smile. It was Gilderoy Lockhart.

Harry jumped off the couch and yelled 'YOU!'

'Yes Harry, it is me. This is my new job. Don't worry, I do not blame you for this, it was for the best. Everyone knows that I am a fake, but the Ministry had it in their hearts to forgive and give me this job. When I heard that you lived here, I wanted to personally come.'

Harry couldn't believe this, he thought Lockhart would be gone forever, or at least be unable to get a job with a branch of the Ministry of Magic.

'How could you have gotten this job?' said Harry with a bit of resentment in his voice.

'Thanks to a good referral from Albus Dumbledore. He is a very forgiving man.'

Harry was still angry with what Lockhart tried to do to him in the Chamber of Secrets, but he had a question come out of him instead of anything else.

'Just what are you, and why are you after my cousin?'

There was a smash from behind the kitchen door of glass. Lockhart sat and explained:

'Well, do you know what a squib is?'

Harry did, he shook his head yes.

'Well, a squib is when you don't show your magic at first and what. Anyway, your cousin is a squib. We just found out really, I can't tell you how we find this out, it would take too long.'

Harry felt Lockhart probably just didn't know himself how it was done.

'We waited until his birthday to give him the message. I simply explain this to his parents and we set up a course for him. Hogwarts gives overage wizards a quick two-month course and test before we let them even come to Hogwarts. Harry, it is a very rare thing what your cousin is. A lot of times Hogwarts won't let them in. Anyway, if he fails the test he won't be allowed in Hogwarts, we would just simply refer him to another school, depending on his test results.'

Harry couldn't believe this.

'But why would Hogwarts even want him? How would he even be on the list?'

'Ah, Harry, you'll hear all about it while I explain it to the Dursleys, so where-'

There was a scream coming from the door. Aunt Petunia saw him and just screamed bloody murder.

Uncle Vernon came running in to see what was going on, and nearly doubled over when he saw the cloaked wizard stranger.

'Who are you! And how dare you come into my house without asking! Harry! How dare you let him in!'

'But I didn't let him in-'

'Nonsense!'

Lockhart put up his finger and spoke, 'Mr. Dursley,' he walked over to Uncle Vernon and grabbed and shook his hand.

'I am Gilderoy Lockhart, and I have come to speak with you about your new Wizard in the family,' he said with his trademark grin.

Uncle Vernon said, 'excuse me?'

Dudley came from behind Aunt Petunia to have a hear.

'That's right! Your son Dudley is a Wizard!'

Aunt Petunia let out a scream and fainted.

Uncle Vernon made an odd noise like a squirrel.

After much convincing and waking Aunt Petunia, Gilderoy Lockhart got his story in.

'You see, Harry here is a wizard, so why wouldn't his cousin Dudley be one?'

'Because we are normal! We raised him right!'

'Yes, but that doesn't matter. Listen, Jonathan Evans was a wizard. He was your wife's great grandfather, and the reason why Harry's mother and even Harry is a wizard. It comes from your wife's side of the family. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Petunia herself wasn't a squib.'

She gave him a fowl look.

'You did know your great grandfather was a magic folk, didn't you Petunia?' said Lockhart.

'Yes! I remember the tricks he would do to us when we were little,' she said with a small scared voice.

'Well, you would want to talk about Dudley's test and which school he will be going to.'

Uncle Vernon leaped up and pointed at Lockhart, saying, 'he goes to Smeltings! Not some stupid school at teaches you to pull a rabbit out of your hat! Now gets out of here this instant!'

'Mr. Dursley, your son could be accepted to Hogwarts if you are lucky, like Harry here.'

'He will not be a part of that no good society!'

'Well, I think I'm going to need reinforcements. I will return tomorrow with a few more of my people to help guide you through this period of denial. You seem to be full of yourself Mr. Dursley, and I would never act like I was full of myself. So, I will be seeing you at noon tomorrow, and if you try to run and hide we will find you. Good day.'

With that, he popped out of thin air.

Uncle Vernon gave Harry a grave look, but turned to Petunia.

'What are we going to do! Nobody ever told us that Dudley could possibly have any thing with that! Damn your great grandfather!'

'Vernon, what are we going to do!' she repeated for him.

'Maybe, it won't be so bad,' said Dudley.

'This is all his fault!' yelled Uncle Vernon pointing to Harry.

'Dad, let's just do what the men say, maybe it would be cool to have magic powers.'

For the first time, Uncle Vernon gave Dudley the same look he would often give Harry when he used the Magic word.

'I said never use that word in this house! You will not get involved with people like that Dudley! Over my dead body!'

and with that, he stormed out of the room, with Dudley and Petunia at his side to think about what to do.

(Well, thats the end of chapter 2)