Let's just say, that Harry Potter wasn't a normal boy. It wasn't only the
fact that he was a wizard at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It
was more about who he was. He was the boy who lived. He, Harry Potter, had
survived the most deadly curse known to wizards. Avada Kedavra-the Killing
Curse.
It was the works of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Even Harry's parents hadn't survived the curse. Voldemort had attempted to kill baby Harry.and failed, leaving behind a small lightening shaped scare right on his forehead.
Now, fifteen years from the incident, Harry was living miserably with his Aunt and Uncle-the Dursleys-for the summer holidays. He was pretty much limited to sitting in his room looking at the wall all summer. This was when he missed his school and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, the most. And this summer was his worst ever. Ron would normally have Harry over for the holidays, saving him from his miseries. However, this year, Ron was on vacation with his family visiting his brother in Romania.
So, there Harry sat. Staring at the chipped white wall in front of him, waiting for the first of September when term started. He had one week left and he still hadn't gotten his new school supplies. The Dursley's hadn't let him leave and heaven forbid bring him to Diagon Alley.
"I'll have to leave tonight, Hedwig," Harry told his snowy owl who sat in her cage next to him.
Harry was planning to leave that night to go to Diagon Alley. He was going to catch the Knight Bus at the end of the street once everyone was sound asleep. It was now 9:30 exactly-Dudley's bedtime-and he was still downstairs watching WWF and eating pork rinds.
Three.two.one.Harry thought.
"Dudders!" A voice rang out.
It was Aunt Petunia calling him for bed.
Harry laughed under his breath.
"MUMPH! I vanna vatch vis!" Dudley cried, his voice obviously muffled by the pork rinds he had stuffed in his mouth.
The house shook as Dudley stomped up the stairs in mad rage yelling at his mother, "Honestly, Mum! I'm 15 years old! People my age don't have bedtimes!"
"Now, Dudley watch your tone young man. See, you're just tired, tomorrow you'll feel refreshed!"
There was a slam next door and the house rumbled once again.
An hour and a half later, Harry knew it was safe to leave-Dudley was snoring next door. After leaving a short note on his bed-like the Dursley's cared-Harry dragged his trunk and Hedwig through the door as quietly as he could.
The moon was hidden by the mass of clouds so all that lit Privet Drive was the lights posted here and there along the street. Harry attempted to flag the Knight Bus down by waving his wand. Then, all Harry had to do was wait and soon the bus would come and pick him up. Trying to be hidden, he sat on his trunk down at the corner of the street behind a tree.
Five minutes passed with no Knight Bus and Hedwig hooted nipping at his cage, for she had barely gotten any fresh air the whole summer. After another five minutes Harry started to worry.
Then out of nowhere the bus arrived, lighting up the whole street with a bang. Stan opened the bus door.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transporta-Why Harry!" Stan looked rather flustered. "You'll have to hurry, we're in rush to get to the Leaky Cauldron. We're meeting the Minister. But, enough 'bout that.it's quite urgent."
"Diagon Alley, please," Harry asked as he forced his trunk into the bus. "What's urgent?"
The bus started to shake and it was apparently moving as Harry handed Stan 11 sickles.
Ernie spoke sounding sure of himself, but looking uneasy, "Now don't you worry your lil' head! We here just havin' problems at the Ministry. Nothing to worry about."
Harry was too tired to think about it and lay on one of the many beds in the bus. He looked around at the other passengers. Most of them were groggily drooling on their pillows. Harry spotted an issue of The Daily Prophet that was sitting on the bed next to his and snatched it.
The headline read:
'Hogwarts Supports a Year of Foreign Exchange Students
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - As by the decision of Professor Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts will be holding a foreign exchange student program. Students from wizard schools all around the world will have the opportunity to spend a year at Hogwarts. Applications should be sent to the Ministry of Magic by August 31st. Anyone who sends in a form will be accepted years two to seven. Instructions will be sent to you before term starts.'
As excitement spread over Harry, he smiled. The past year had been very fun. Last year, the Tri Wizard Tournament had taken place and it had been thrilling, but also a year of sorrow. One of the students at Hogwarts had died. Again, the works of Voldemort. But this year was a new year and Hogwarts was supporting foreign exchange students. Harry couldn't help but be eager.
BANG! The bus pulled into Diagon Alley and Stan and Ernie rushed out into the Leaky Cauldron. Harry knew this whole Ministry incident wasn't just 'nothing', but he overlooked it once again and stepped out of the bus and into the parlor.
Sitting at the bar, Mr. Fudge, Stan, and Ernie sat in deep conversation. Mr. Fudge's frown kept getting bigger and droopier and he nodded vigorously about 10 times.
Harry stood a few feet away from them, hoping they would notice him standing there in the awkward moment swaying on his feet.
"Ah! Harry! Staying here tonight are you?" Cornelius Fudge asked, getting up to his feet. "Tom, I think I could fix a room up a room for Harry here!"
Tom was cleaning mugs and glasses, "Sure, three's open."
Harry smiled and thanked him as he followed Mr. Fudge through the hallway and up the stairs.
Mr. Fudge faced Harry as he unlocked room number 3, "I myself am staying here!"
He led Harry into the small room.
"The room's on me," he winked and shut the door, leaving Harry alone.
It was now late into the night. Plopping on the bed in the corner of the room, Harry lay down and fell strait asleep.
It was the works of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Even Harry's parents hadn't survived the curse. Voldemort had attempted to kill baby Harry.and failed, leaving behind a small lightening shaped scare right on his forehead.
Now, fifteen years from the incident, Harry was living miserably with his Aunt and Uncle-the Dursleys-for the summer holidays. He was pretty much limited to sitting in his room looking at the wall all summer. This was when he missed his school and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, the most. And this summer was his worst ever. Ron would normally have Harry over for the holidays, saving him from his miseries. However, this year, Ron was on vacation with his family visiting his brother in Romania.
So, there Harry sat. Staring at the chipped white wall in front of him, waiting for the first of September when term started. He had one week left and he still hadn't gotten his new school supplies. The Dursley's hadn't let him leave and heaven forbid bring him to Diagon Alley.
"I'll have to leave tonight, Hedwig," Harry told his snowy owl who sat in her cage next to him.
Harry was planning to leave that night to go to Diagon Alley. He was going to catch the Knight Bus at the end of the street once everyone was sound asleep. It was now 9:30 exactly-Dudley's bedtime-and he was still downstairs watching WWF and eating pork rinds.
Three.two.one.Harry thought.
"Dudders!" A voice rang out.
It was Aunt Petunia calling him for bed.
Harry laughed under his breath.
"MUMPH! I vanna vatch vis!" Dudley cried, his voice obviously muffled by the pork rinds he had stuffed in his mouth.
The house shook as Dudley stomped up the stairs in mad rage yelling at his mother, "Honestly, Mum! I'm 15 years old! People my age don't have bedtimes!"
"Now, Dudley watch your tone young man. See, you're just tired, tomorrow you'll feel refreshed!"
There was a slam next door and the house rumbled once again.
An hour and a half later, Harry knew it was safe to leave-Dudley was snoring next door. After leaving a short note on his bed-like the Dursley's cared-Harry dragged his trunk and Hedwig through the door as quietly as he could.
The moon was hidden by the mass of clouds so all that lit Privet Drive was the lights posted here and there along the street. Harry attempted to flag the Knight Bus down by waving his wand. Then, all Harry had to do was wait and soon the bus would come and pick him up. Trying to be hidden, he sat on his trunk down at the corner of the street behind a tree.
Five minutes passed with no Knight Bus and Hedwig hooted nipping at his cage, for she had barely gotten any fresh air the whole summer. After another five minutes Harry started to worry.
Then out of nowhere the bus arrived, lighting up the whole street with a bang. Stan opened the bus door.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transporta-Why Harry!" Stan looked rather flustered. "You'll have to hurry, we're in rush to get to the Leaky Cauldron. We're meeting the Minister. But, enough 'bout that.it's quite urgent."
"Diagon Alley, please," Harry asked as he forced his trunk into the bus. "What's urgent?"
The bus started to shake and it was apparently moving as Harry handed Stan 11 sickles.
Ernie spoke sounding sure of himself, but looking uneasy, "Now don't you worry your lil' head! We here just havin' problems at the Ministry. Nothing to worry about."
Harry was too tired to think about it and lay on one of the many beds in the bus. He looked around at the other passengers. Most of them were groggily drooling on their pillows. Harry spotted an issue of The Daily Prophet that was sitting on the bed next to his and snatched it.
The headline read:
'Hogwarts Supports a Year of Foreign Exchange Students
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - As by the decision of Professor Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts will be holding a foreign exchange student program. Students from wizard schools all around the world will have the opportunity to spend a year at Hogwarts. Applications should be sent to the Ministry of Magic by August 31st. Anyone who sends in a form will be accepted years two to seven. Instructions will be sent to you before term starts.'
As excitement spread over Harry, he smiled. The past year had been very fun. Last year, the Tri Wizard Tournament had taken place and it had been thrilling, but also a year of sorrow. One of the students at Hogwarts had died. Again, the works of Voldemort. But this year was a new year and Hogwarts was supporting foreign exchange students. Harry couldn't help but be eager.
BANG! The bus pulled into Diagon Alley and Stan and Ernie rushed out into the Leaky Cauldron. Harry knew this whole Ministry incident wasn't just 'nothing', but he overlooked it once again and stepped out of the bus and into the parlor.
Sitting at the bar, Mr. Fudge, Stan, and Ernie sat in deep conversation. Mr. Fudge's frown kept getting bigger and droopier and he nodded vigorously about 10 times.
Harry stood a few feet away from them, hoping they would notice him standing there in the awkward moment swaying on his feet.
"Ah! Harry! Staying here tonight are you?" Cornelius Fudge asked, getting up to his feet. "Tom, I think I could fix a room up a room for Harry here!"
Tom was cleaning mugs and glasses, "Sure, three's open."
Harry smiled and thanked him as he followed Mr. Fudge through the hallway and up the stairs.
Mr. Fudge faced Harry as he unlocked room number 3, "I myself am staying here!"
He led Harry into the small room.
"The room's on me," he winked and shut the door, leaving Harry alone.
It was now late into the night. Plopping on the bed in the corner of the room, Harry lay down and fell strait asleep.
