Chapter Two: The Crystal Ball
Harry read the letter over and over. The parchment smelled like peppermint. It was a few minutes before he remembered that the letter came with a package. He took out a small, plain box. Inside was a lightweight crystal ball about half the size of his fist. At first he thought it was a remembrall, but it was completely solid throughout, except for the bubbles inside the stone. He searched for an additional note that might explain what it was, but nothing else was in the package. After two years of divination, he did what made the most sense and gazed into the ball. Nothing happened.
It was late, and Harry was extremely tired. He decided to look up miniature crystal balls in his school books later. After reading and smelling the letter one last time, he placed it on his bedside table and balanced the ball on top of it.
The divination textbook had no information on small crystals, only regular ones. Harry assumed it wasn't a divination tool then. 'Maybe Ron will know what it is,' thought Harry. He didn't have long to wait. He got an additional letter from Ron saying that Dumbledore gave the Weasleys the okay to have Harry over two weeks before school started. Uncle Vernon had no choice in the matter, and from past experience he decided not to interfere. Mr. Weasley and Ron came to get Harry by floo powder. The twins did not accompany them; after what happened last year, Mr. Weasley was afraid to let them near another muggle.
"I have no idea what it is," said Ron, looking carefully at it. "Looks like an ordinary ball. Maybe she just thought it looked nice."
They were in Ron's room after breakfast one day. The house had been extremely quiet. Harry suspected that Fred and George were secretly working on more edible jokes. Percy and Mr. Weasley were constantly at work. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny kept themselves occupied trying not to torment Harry with worry.
"I don't know why she would send me something that just looked nice," said Harry. "She didn't know it was my birthday."
"Of course she did. Everyone knows about you. You think they don't know when your birthday is?"
'Good grief,' thought Harry. "I want to ask her about it," he said, taking the ball back, "but I don't want to insult her or anything."
"Well, if it does something, which I highly doubt, Hermione can figure it out. She's back from Bulgaria. We'll be meeting her at Diagon Alley on the twenty-fourth."
Harry looked up with a start. "Oh. Do you mind going on the twenty-first? Cho will be there that day."
Ron looked at the hopeful look on Harry's face. "I guess so. I'll send Pig with a note to Hermione."
Harry smiled and looked down at the crystal propped up on his fingers.
Harry read the letter over and over. The parchment smelled like peppermint. It was a few minutes before he remembered that the letter came with a package. He took out a small, plain box. Inside was a lightweight crystal ball about half the size of his fist. At first he thought it was a remembrall, but it was completely solid throughout, except for the bubbles inside the stone. He searched for an additional note that might explain what it was, but nothing else was in the package. After two years of divination, he did what made the most sense and gazed into the ball. Nothing happened.
It was late, and Harry was extremely tired. He decided to look up miniature crystal balls in his school books later. After reading and smelling the letter one last time, he placed it on his bedside table and balanced the ball on top of it.
The divination textbook had no information on small crystals, only regular ones. Harry assumed it wasn't a divination tool then. 'Maybe Ron will know what it is,' thought Harry. He didn't have long to wait. He got an additional letter from Ron saying that Dumbledore gave the Weasleys the okay to have Harry over two weeks before school started. Uncle Vernon had no choice in the matter, and from past experience he decided not to interfere. Mr. Weasley and Ron came to get Harry by floo powder. The twins did not accompany them; after what happened last year, Mr. Weasley was afraid to let them near another muggle.
"I have no idea what it is," said Ron, looking carefully at it. "Looks like an ordinary ball. Maybe she just thought it looked nice."
They were in Ron's room after breakfast one day. The house had been extremely quiet. Harry suspected that Fred and George were secretly working on more edible jokes. Percy and Mr. Weasley were constantly at work. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny kept themselves occupied trying not to torment Harry with worry.
"I don't know why she would send me something that just looked nice," said Harry. "She didn't know it was my birthday."
"Of course she did. Everyone knows about you. You think they don't know when your birthday is?"
'Good grief,' thought Harry. "I want to ask her about it," he said, taking the ball back, "but I don't want to insult her or anything."
"Well, if it does something, which I highly doubt, Hermione can figure it out. She's back from Bulgaria. We'll be meeting her at Diagon Alley on the twenty-fourth."
Harry looked up with a start. "Oh. Do you mind going on the twenty-first? Cho will be there that day."
Ron looked at the hopeful look on Harry's face. "I guess so. I'll send Pig with a note to Hermione."
Harry smiled and looked down at the crystal propped up on his fingers.