Harry Potter woke up finding the bright sunlight streaming his bedroom's windows. He
knows that he has woken early, which was impossible for he had been staying up late at
night trying to get some of the Hogwarts assignments done. As he got up, he walked over to
the window, half expecting an owl carrying a birthday package for him. However all he saw
was the clear blue sky. Even though it was a beautiful day, Harry couldn't seem to raise
his spirits. He had some very frightening nightmares with Voldemort as the main character.
Trying hard to remember the dreams, he had spent a long time to try to get some
recollections of it. However, his string of thoughts were broken by Aunt Petunia's terrible
wake-up call:

" Harry!!! Wake up! The house needs cleaning!!!"

Harry sighed heavily. He dreaded the thought of going downstairs to those terrible Muggles. He forced himself though. When he reached the kitchen, he found the Dursleys' in the normal places. They ignored him as usual. Harry sat down in his chair and ate the breakfast served especially for him, a piece of stale bread and a small bit of cottage cheese. Harry glanced over to Dudley's breakfast, which included grapefruit and skim milk.

While eating their breakfasts, an owl suddenly burst through the open window and dropped a package complete with a letter on Harry's lap. Uncle Vernon (and the rest of the Dursleys) was obviously surprised. He turned purple with plain anger.

"Get that bloody bird out of here!! Harry!! What did I say about owl posts? Are you listening to me boy?!!"

However, Harry wasn't. Ignoring the noise and chaos of the Dursleys, He opened the letter. His face lit up.

" This is from Sirius Black!!"

Immediately, the family stopped in their tracks, their face stricken with terror.

"What does he want?" Uncle Vernon asked, trying to keep his voice level. (He wasn't doing a good job though)

" Well, I suppose he wanted to give me a birthday present. Wonder could it be? Magical Fireworks?"

Harry peeked out under his eyes, looking to see if he would get a laugh out of them. Indeed he had. The Dursleys were freaking out.

" Well whatever it is, open it in your room!!!! And stay there for the rest of the day!!!!!!!!!!!"

Harry, suppressing his laughter, took his package and the owl to his room. Once inside, he doubled over with laughter. The Dursleys' looks were priceless! After the laughter died out, Harry took the letter and read it:

" ' Dear Harry:
Happy Birthday!!! Hope it's a good day for you. Harry I just want you do to a favor for me. Ever since the Voldemort incident last year, I want you to promise me that you won't go anywhere without somebody with you. I assure you that you will be under the double protection of Dumbledore.
Also don't worry about me. I am in a discreet location so I am safe.
Well I have to go. Buckbeak is getting restless. Tell Ron and Herminoe I said Hi. Bye!
Love,Snuffles" '

Harry closed the letter and set out to open the package. It was a rich pair of gloves for Quiddict.

"Wow! Thanks Sirius!" Harry thought.

After observing them and trying them on, he quickly jotted down a Thank you note to Sirius. Harry hooked it to Sirius' owl and watched her glide through the sky.
After an hour has passed by, a stream of owls has flown into Harry's room each carrying a birthday package for Harry. Herminoe's was a kit that healed any injuries on Harry's broom. Ron's was a basket full of Harry's favorite sweets, most which were homemade by Mrs. Weasley. Hagrid's was a pack of rock cakes. Although Harry was thankful for them, he avoided it. After he went though everything admiring them, he wrote thank you notes to everybody and sent them off attached to the right owls. Then almost simultaneously two other owls came swooping into Harry's room. One was from the Weasley twins and the other Hogwart's. He opened twins' first.

' " Harry:
How are you? We are assuming you doing pretty good with those Muggles huh? So anyway let me get to the point. Since last year, we couldn't have Quiddict, the school has allowed that all the players come on September 1sth while the others come the next day. We trust you will be there. Owl us as soon as you get this with your answer.
Fred and George Weasley

Harry face lighted with joy. He looked at the Hogwart's letter, which was basically the same thing only more official. Then immediately, Harry's face fell. How was he going to get there? The option of asking Uncle Vernon was absurd. He supposed that he could always run away before they wake up the night before. Harry, thinking for so long, finally noticed the twins' restless owl, even if the Hogwart's owl was waiting patiently. He returned with his reply saying that he will give his final answer in a few days and sent the owl flapping through the sky.
Hmmm. Now back to the situation. What was he going to do? Just then someone came up to Harry's door and knocked. He was surprised not to hear any yelling. Harry opened the door and gaped in surprise.

" Hi Harry!! Surprised? Then I did a pretty good job!"

There standing was Hermione, who has changed dramatically over the summer. She had on normal Muggle clothes, but she also had on a bit of natural makeup. Not only that but she also had her hair in jaunty little curls. She looked absolutely stunning.

" Hermione! What are doing here? "

" My family and I have come to take you home with us. We figured that we should rescue you from them. Don't worry, we asked Dumbledore. Well now c'mon now and pack up, we have to reach my home quickly, Ron will be arriving by Floo Powder."

"Wow! Thanks Hermione! I was wondering how was I going to get to Hogwarts station? Now I have my problem solved."

Harry quickly packed up his trunks, grabbed Hedwig, and lugged the trunk downstairs with him. Hermione was following him behind.

" Hello. You must be Harry. I am Hermione's mother and this is Dr. Granger"

Harry shook hands with both of them. Then looked at Uncle Vernon, who was furious, and said

" Good-bye"

He grunted.

Finally, Harry went out to the open air, happy to get out of the house.
He got into the handsome car (which was a blue BMW convertible)
Harry and Hermione chatted along the rest of the way. Soon they reached to Hermione's home.
As soon as they stepped inside, they heard a thump coming from the fireplace. They rushed to greet Ron. Ron, who has grown a few inches over the summer, was covered in soot. It was indeed a funny sight. Harry and Hermione couldn't stop laughing.

" Oh! Reckon it's funny huh?" Ron asked grinning idiotically.

It was a crazy yet nice reunion. The trio had lots of fun in the following days. They talked, played Quiddict (actually only Ron and Harry played, Hermione just watched them with sheer terror plastered on her face), and owled jokes to other people. During the stay, however, Harry noticed that Ron was reacting differently towards Hermione. He was insulted her less and seemed to listen to her attentively when she was conversing. Harry who never really experiencing this before, categorized it as a weird situation and brushed it aside. Soon it was time for Harry to part them and leave for Hogwarts. When Hermione's parents dropped him off at the station, he said a cheerful yet good-bye to his best friends. He boarded the train, his heart thumping quickly.
As he walked on to find the Gryffindor compartment, he heard the voice of his arch-nemesis.

" So Potter. Back from killing Cedric? I got to admit, I thought you would never show your face in Hogwarts anymore. Good way of surprising me. Of course that is the only way to impress me."

" Sodd off Malfoy!!" Harry growled

" Or what? You'll send Voldemort to kill me? As if!"

Malfoy and his partners laughed and strode off.
As much as Harry tried not to think about it, he felt pangs of guilt struck at him. Even is everybody had been telling him it wasn't his fault, he knew that he was the one that suggested Cedric to take the cup along with them. Then Cedric died, murdered by Voldemort. He entered the train with a heavy heart.
How ever, his guilty feelings began to subside as soon as he reached the Gryffindor compartment. There was a cheerful gathering amongst his fellow team members. They looked up and welcomed him warmly. Harry sat down to join the party. He looked around and felt right at home.