Chapter Two
"Disgruntled Dursleys"
Harry got up the next morning and got dressed. He had grown about three inches over the summer so far, but his Aunt and Uncle had given him some more hand-me-down clothes from Dudley, so even though he was bigger, his new clothes could still fit about three of him in them. After Harry tied his sneakers he went downstairs for breakfast. As he entered the kitchen, he received a great scowl from his Uncle Vernon and a mere second later he was being howled at to the delight of his cousin Dudley. Uncle Vernon's face was a brilliant shade of brick red, as he carried on, Aunt Petunia smirked the same kind of smirk as Draco Malfoy. "Why on earth I let you keep that ruddy owl in this house is quite beyond me! I swear, Harry Potter, if that great insufferable prat of an owl wakes me or anyone else in this family up in the middle of the night one more time, we will be having a snowy owl for dinner the next evening! How does that sound to you, Harry? Eh? Answer me, boy! You'd like to have a great snowy owl pudding for dinner wouldn't you? Or perhaps a golden roasted snowy owl, rotisserie style." At this, Uncle Vernon licked each of his pudgy fingers as if he'd just eaten a grand meal. Harry stared defiantly at Uncle Vernon as his Uncle's scowl turn into a maniacal grin. Harry sat down at the table and mumbled just loud enough for the Dursleys to hear, "Oh, dear, I don't think Sirius will be happy at all to hear that, nope, not at all." Uncle Vernon looked up at Harry and his face rushed from a brick red color to a bluish-purple as he choked out, "Now, now, Harry, no reason to go telling your Godfather anything like that," he forced a chuckle, "I was only joking with you, my boy." Then his face, still a strange purple color, hid itself behind a newspaper. Harry heard his Aunt make a disgruntled snorting noise as she turned back to the stove and Dudley- pale and wide- eyed- excused himself from the table and ran upstairs. Harry heard Dudley's door slam, and once again he had to stifle a laugh as he helped himself to some bacon and porridge. After breakfast, Harry went back upstairs to his room and took out the broomstick servicing kit that Hermione had given him on his thirteenth birthday. Then he went to his closet and pulled out his most prized possession. his Firebolt. Oh, how he wished he were out in the country, with Ron, Fred and George, so he could fly his Firebolt with no muggles to catch a glimpse of him. He snapped out of his day dream to realize that this would be the first Quidditch season at school that the Gryffindor team captain Oliver Wood wouldn't be there to coach the team. Then he remembered that Angelina had been in her last year at Hogwarts last year too. There would be two positions open on the team this year- one chaser and the keeper, not to mention a new captain would be named. Harry's head swirled, he definitely didn't want to be named captain, he just didn't feel like he had enough confidence in himself to coach the team, especially when there were kids on the team who had seniority on him. He thought Fred would make a good captain. Then he remembered the two positions open on the team, he really hoped that Ron would be able to make the team this year, it would be so cool to have his best friend on the team with him. When he goes to the Burrow this year before school, he'll have to play a lot of Quidditch with the Weasley boys to see what position would suit Ron best. After he polished the broomstick and snipped the out-of-place twigs on the end, he beamed down at the Firebolt and it took all the mental strength he could manage to not mount it and fly right out the window and soar around Privet Drive. He decided that to take his mind off of it, he would take the opportunity to write back to Ron. He pulled a spare piece of parchment out of his book bag and sat down at his desk to write. Dear Ron, Thank you so much for my Chudley Cannons ring, it's good practice to chase the little snitch. I got in trouble today because the owl that Sirius sent me screeched really loud in the middle of the night and woke up my Uncle, he thought it was Hedwig. I'm ready to come over anytime soon. Whenever Dumbledore and your mum says it's okay. I can't wait to play Quidditch with you guys again. Oh yeah! Hey Ron, do you think you will try out for the house team this year? I hope you do, you're pretty good. As for being a prefect and your O.W.L.s score, don't worry about it, just relax and enjoy the rest of the summer. Oh yeah, guess who sent me a birthday card? I'll tell you who, Malfoy! He didn't have anything nice to say as usual. See you Soon. Your friend, Harry
Harry strode over to Hedwig, and stroked her fluffy feathers and she nipped at his finger lovingly before he sent her off. He tied the note to Ron on her leg, gave her an owl treat and sent her on her way. He stood at the window and watched her fly away toward the Burrow, wishing he were already there. Harry remembered all too well the night that Dumbledore said that he couldn't go straight to the Weasleys' house. But as long as Sirius was around, living with the Dursleys wasn't nearly as bad as it used to be. Harry picked up some books out of his trunk, and laid them down on his desk, nothing better to do than study for the O.W.L.s and wait for Ron's response.
"Disgruntled Dursleys"
Harry got up the next morning and got dressed. He had grown about three inches over the summer so far, but his Aunt and Uncle had given him some more hand-me-down clothes from Dudley, so even though he was bigger, his new clothes could still fit about three of him in them. After Harry tied his sneakers he went downstairs for breakfast. As he entered the kitchen, he received a great scowl from his Uncle Vernon and a mere second later he was being howled at to the delight of his cousin Dudley. Uncle Vernon's face was a brilliant shade of brick red, as he carried on, Aunt Petunia smirked the same kind of smirk as Draco Malfoy. "Why on earth I let you keep that ruddy owl in this house is quite beyond me! I swear, Harry Potter, if that great insufferable prat of an owl wakes me or anyone else in this family up in the middle of the night one more time, we will be having a snowy owl for dinner the next evening! How does that sound to you, Harry? Eh? Answer me, boy! You'd like to have a great snowy owl pudding for dinner wouldn't you? Or perhaps a golden roasted snowy owl, rotisserie style." At this, Uncle Vernon licked each of his pudgy fingers as if he'd just eaten a grand meal. Harry stared defiantly at Uncle Vernon as his Uncle's scowl turn into a maniacal grin. Harry sat down at the table and mumbled just loud enough for the Dursleys to hear, "Oh, dear, I don't think Sirius will be happy at all to hear that, nope, not at all." Uncle Vernon looked up at Harry and his face rushed from a brick red color to a bluish-purple as he choked out, "Now, now, Harry, no reason to go telling your Godfather anything like that," he forced a chuckle, "I was only joking with you, my boy." Then his face, still a strange purple color, hid itself behind a newspaper. Harry heard his Aunt make a disgruntled snorting noise as she turned back to the stove and Dudley- pale and wide- eyed- excused himself from the table and ran upstairs. Harry heard Dudley's door slam, and once again he had to stifle a laugh as he helped himself to some bacon and porridge. After breakfast, Harry went back upstairs to his room and took out the broomstick servicing kit that Hermione had given him on his thirteenth birthday. Then he went to his closet and pulled out his most prized possession. his Firebolt. Oh, how he wished he were out in the country, with Ron, Fred and George, so he could fly his Firebolt with no muggles to catch a glimpse of him. He snapped out of his day dream to realize that this would be the first Quidditch season at school that the Gryffindor team captain Oliver Wood wouldn't be there to coach the team. Then he remembered that Angelina had been in her last year at Hogwarts last year too. There would be two positions open on the team this year- one chaser and the keeper, not to mention a new captain would be named. Harry's head swirled, he definitely didn't want to be named captain, he just didn't feel like he had enough confidence in himself to coach the team, especially when there were kids on the team who had seniority on him. He thought Fred would make a good captain. Then he remembered the two positions open on the team, he really hoped that Ron would be able to make the team this year, it would be so cool to have his best friend on the team with him. When he goes to the Burrow this year before school, he'll have to play a lot of Quidditch with the Weasley boys to see what position would suit Ron best. After he polished the broomstick and snipped the out-of-place twigs on the end, he beamed down at the Firebolt and it took all the mental strength he could manage to not mount it and fly right out the window and soar around Privet Drive. He decided that to take his mind off of it, he would take the opportunity to write back to Ron. He pulled a spare piece of parchment out of his book bag and sat down at his desk to write. Dear Ron, Thank you so much for my Chudley Cannons ring, it's good practice to chase the little snitch. I got in trouble today because the owl that Sirius sent me screeched really loud in the middle of the night and woke up my Uncle, he thought it was Hedwig. I'm ready to come over anytime soon. Whenever Dumbledore and your mum says it's okay. I can't wait to play Quidditch with you guys again. Oh yeah! Hey Ron, do you think you will try out for the house team this year? I hope you do, you're pretty good. As for being a prefect and your O.W.L.s score, don't worry about it, just relax and enjoy the rest of the summer. Oh yeah, guess who sent me a birthday card? I'll tell you who, Malfoy! He didn't have anything nice to say as usual. See you Soon. Your friend, Harry
Harry strode over to Hedwig, and stroked her fluffy feathers and she nipped at his finger lovingly before he sent her off. He tied the note to Ron on her leg, gave her an owl treat and sent her on her way. He stood at the window and watched her fly away toward the Burrow, wishing he were already there. Harry remembered all too well the night that Dumbledore said that he couldn't go straight to the Weasleys' house. But as long as Sirius was around, living with the Dursleys wasn't nearly as bad as it used to be. Harry picked up some books out of his trunk, and laid them down on his desk, nothing better to do than study for the O.W.L.s and wait for Ron's response.