Chapter 1

The Letter from Ron

Harry awoke to a loud rapping on his window.

"GO away I'm trying to sleep," he mumbled, pulling the covers over his head.

His friend Ron's owl, Pig, was at his window trying to get in at two o'clock in the morning.

"Oh well," Harry thought as he got out of bed, "there is no use ignoring him- he won't let me sleep."

Harry walked over to the window and threw it open. The little owl zoomed in and began flying around his head. Harry reached up and caught it. Pig always reminded him of a very fluffy snitch. Harry smiled. Thinking about quidditch always made him smile, and that was a rare thing- he had almost nothing to smile about with the Dursleys.

The summer had been a normal one, though Harry was far from normal. He was a wizard, and this was the main reason the Dursleys hated him so much. Now that Voldemort was back in power he had to stay with the Dursleys for at least part of the summer.

He began to open Ron's letter. It was written in green ink. It said:

Dear Harry,

It's me, Ron. Great news: Mum said she got permission from Dumbledor for you to come stay with us for the rest of the summer holidays! Can you come on Sunday round 8? Dads still got your house connected to the Floo Network and I've enclosed some powder. Send you answer back with Pig pronto!

RON

P.S. Hermione's coming tomorrow, also, so she'll be here.



Harry was beaming. He was going to Ron's house for the rest of the summer! There was no need to tell the Dursleys. Not only would they be fine with having him just disappear, but they would be asleep on Sunday until around 10 o'clock. He quickly scrawled a note back to Ron, tied it to Pig's leg, threw the owl out the window and went down to breakfast.

Breakfast was an orange for each person because Dudley was still on his diet. Harry ate it without complaint for fear of being locked up in his bedroom and not getting to go to Ron's. As he took his plate to the counter a horrible pain seared through his scar and he fell to the floor, clutching his forehead. The pain left, as quickly as it had come and he immediately went up to his bedroom to have a real meal of pumpkin that Sirius had sent him the previous week.



"Wormtail!" hissed a voice, "Get over here you blundering fool."

"M-Master, what is it?" Wormtail squeaked. He was trembling from head to toe-the Dark Lord showed no mercy in his anger.

"The Potter boy. He has some connection with us. I can feel him listening. You must kill him."

"I will Master, but perhaps you would rather I bring him to you to kill?"

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, "You, perhaps, have taken a liking to Potter? Or are you afraid to kill?"

"Neither my Lord, I merely thought since he has escaped you so many-"

"Silence! You will do as I say, Wormtail." At this Voldemort pointed his wand at Wormtail. "Crucio!" he shouted.

Wormtail screamed.

Harry woke with a start. He had had another bad dream. Wormtail had been in it and Voldemort, too. If he could just remember his dream- he always dreamed about what was really happening with Voldemort when he had nightmares.

He put it out of his head and looked at the clock. It was 7, only one hour until he went to Ron's. Excellent. As the time neared Harry got dressed, packed his things, and had a small snack. Hopefully Mrs. Weasly would have something to eat. Also, he couldn't wait to see Ron and Hermione; it had been almost a month.

It was 7:59 now. He took a match and lit a small fire, then threw in a pinch of floo powder. The fire roared and he stepped in.

"The Burrow!" Harry shouted.

He began to spin faster and faster. He could see fireplace grates whizzing by, but quickly closed his eyes so as not to get sick. Harry waited to fall out onto the Weasley's hearth and hoped it would be soon- he was ready to throw up.