Chapter 2
Friday the 13th
Privet Drive was totally silent on the night of Friday, June 13. No lights shone in the darkness except for three lamps, points of day in the sea of night. The normally luminous and busy street was all but dead. Then, at exactly 3:00 in the morning, a light flickered on in the upstairs window of Number 4. A dark figure came to the window, and a pair of dazzling green eyes surveyed the street. A sudden movement at the end of the street drew the two emeralds towards it. The shadow came into the lamplight, and the green eyes widened. It was a man, swathed in black, with a black hood. Suddenly, the man put his hand to his forehead, and cringed as if in pain. The man stumbled, and fell forward. As he stood up, he looked daunting in the half-light of Privet Drive.
The watchfulness of the boy in the window of Number Four seemed to sharpen as another figure appeared at the edge of the darkness. The first man didn't seem to notice the other shadow, and kept walking down the street. The second shadow followed the first man, gliding down the street. The shadow walked with an inhuman grace, as though he was floating. As the shadow came into the lamplight, the light in the window of Number 4 flickered out. The eyes of the boy were now the only two pinpricks of light. The shadow slowly took form in the light; it slowly became evident that it was a black cloaked something without a face or eyes. Slowly, the thing protruded a hand out of the robe and grabbed the first man by the cloak. Just as they Disapperated, the boy got one good look at the first man's face. Just then, a silhouette passed over the moon. Looking up, the emerald eyes recognized an owl, and the boy opened the window. The snowy- white feathered wings brushed the top of the windowsill as the owl entered.
Harry James Potter gazed at his owl, Hedwig, his one friend in the dreadful house he was living in for the summer. Not surprisingly, Hedwig had a piece of parchment held on one of her talons. Mail in the wizarding world was not normal; but then again, nothing in the wizarding world was really normal. One thing was different about this letter, however, and Harry noticed it immediately. Instead of being tied up, like a normal letter, it was unraveled and looked as if it had been through many different types of weather. Harry leaned over and took the letter from off of one of Hedwig's talons. It had no address on it, but as Harry opened it, he recognized the messy scrawl of Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts. Harry instantly saw that Hagrid hadn't finished it.
"Hedwig," said Harry, "did you pick this up?"
Hedwig hooted in agreement, and Harry realized that Hagrid had not necessarily wanted Harry to read this particular letter. However, Harry's curiosity got the better of him, and he read it anyway.
Dear Dumbledore, Meetings with the giants going well. They seem pretty keen to help us. After they realized that me and Olympe were part-giant, they was more willing to talk to us than before. I'm not sure about Olympe now. She seems rather shifty, like she knows somethings about to happen. I dunno Dumbledore, but I kinda wish Harry was here. I dunno why you dinna let me bring him Dumbledore. I Wait No
The rest of the letter was a huge scribble that faded off into nothing. Harry's brow wrinkled as he thought hard. Why would Hagrid stop writing in the middle of a letter? That just wasn't like him. And what was all that about Madame Maxime? While pondering this, Harry went downstairs to breakfast.
The Durselys were Harry's relatives, but he preferred to think of them as his "unprefered guardians". Uncle Vernon had very little neck, while Aunt Petunia seemed to make up for his lack of one. Their son, Dudley, was so fat that his bottom drooped over the chair almost onto the floor. Dudley's diet was still in order, but Harry was beginning to notice that Dudley, if anything, was getting fatter. He could barely walk now, he just waddled. No one looked up as he entered the room, but Uncle Vernon grunted, and Aunt Petunia sighed loudly. Harry saw that everyone had a single tangerine slice on their plates. Harry looked down at his plate, which had half of a tangerine slice on it. He looked around for the other half, and noticed that Dudley was wearing a very innocent expression and chewing loudly. Harry had to control himself from bursting out laughing because of Dudley's "innocent" expression.
"So, you haven't had homework, have you?" said Uncle Vernon dangerously, looking at Harry. A bit of tangerine was stuck in his mustache, which made him look distinctly less frightening, and rather silly. Harry decided not to comment.
"Er.yes, actually, I have," admitted Harry airily. He looked sideways at Aunt Petunia, who was looking rather strange. Harry blinked, and the look was gone.
Uncle Vernon snorted, and went back to his newspaper. He was obviously smart enough not to bring it up, as Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, happened to be a murderer. Only Harry had "forgotten" to tell them that Sirius was innocent. Harry's mind wandered as he finished his half a tangerine slice. Suddenly, he remembered the two men that morning. He gave an involuntary shudder when his thoughts turned to the dementor. Harry had had enough to do with dementors to last him a lifetime.
Then, Harry remembered something that gave him a start. Just when the man had pulled back his cloak hood, Harry had had a good glimpse of his face. The man had white blonde hair, and a distinctly familiar expression.
Harry dropped his fork. Lucius Malfoy.
Friday the 13th
Privet Drive was totally silent on the night of Friday, June 13. No lights shone in the darkness except for three lamps, points of day in the sea of night. The normally luminous and busy street was all but dead. Then, at exactly 3:00 in the morning, a light flickered on in the upstairs window of Number 4. A dark figure came to the window, and a pair of dazzling green eyes surveyed the street. A sudden movement at the end of the street drew the two emeralds towards it. The shadow came into the lamplight, and the green eyes widened. It was a man, swathed in black, with a black hood. Suddenly, the man put his hand to his forehead, and cringed as if in pain. The man stumbled, and fell forward. As he stood up, he looked daunting in the half-light of Privet Drive.
The watchfulness of the boy in the window of Number Four seemed to sharpen as another figure appeared at the edge of the darkness. The first man didn't seem to notice the other shadow, and kept walking down the street. The second shadow followed the first man, gliding down the street. The shadow walked with an inhuman grace, as though he was floating. As the shadow came into the lamplight, the light in the window of Number 4 flickered out. The eyes of the boy were now the only two pinpricks of light. The shadow slowly took form in the light; it slowly became evident that it was a black cloaked something without a face or eyes. Slowly, the thing protruded a hand out of the robe and grabbed the first man by the cloak. Just as they Disapperated, the boy got one good look at the first man's face. Just then, a silhouette passed over the moon. Looking up, the emerald eyes recognized an owl, and the boy opened the window. The snowy- white feathered wings brushed the top of the windowsill as the owl entered.
Harry James Potter gazed at his owl, Hedwig, his one friend in the dreadful house he was living in for the summer. Not surprisingly, Hedwig had a piece of parchment held on one of her talons. Mail in the wizarding world was not normal; but then again, nothing in the wizarding world was really normal. One thing was different about this letter, however, and Harry noticed it immediately. Instead of being tied up, like a normal letter, it was unraveled and looked as if it had been through many different types of weather. Harry leaned over and took the letter from off of one of Hedwig's talons. It had no address on it, but as Harry opened it, he recognized the messy scrawl of Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts. Harry instantly saw that Hagrid hadn't finished it.
"Hedwig," said Harry, "did you pick this up?"
Hedwig hooted in agreement, and Harry realized that Hagrid had not necessarily wanted Harry to read this particular letter. However, Harry's curiosity got the better of him, and he read it anyway.
Dear Dumbledore, Meetings with the giants going well. They seem pretty keen to help us. After they realized that me and Olympe were part-giant, they was more willing to talk to us than before. I'm not sure about Olympe now. She seems rather shifty, like she knows somethings about to happen. I dunno Dumbledore, but I kinda wish Harry was here. I dunno why you dinna let me bring him Dumbledore. I Wait No
The rest of the letter was a huge scribble that faded off into nothing. Harry's brow wrinkled as he thought hard. Why would Hagrid stop writing in the middle of a letter? That just wasn't like him. And what was all that about Madame Maxime? While pondering this, Harry went downstairs to breakfast.
The Durselys were Harry's relatives, but he preferred to think of them as his "unprefered guardians". Uncle Vernon had very little neck, while Aunt Petunia seemed to make up for his lack of one. Their son, Dudley, was so fat that his bottom drooped over the chair almost onto the floor. Dudley's diet was still in order, but Harry was beginning to notice that Dudley, if anything, was getting fatter. He could barely walk now, he just waddled. No one looked up as he entered the room, but Uncle Vernon grunted, and Aunt Petunia sighed loudly. Harry saw that everyone had a single tangerine slice on their plates. Harry looked down at his plate, which had half of a tangerine slice on it. He looked around for the other half, and noticed that Dudley was wearing a very innocent expression and chewing loudly. Harry had to control himself from bursting out laughing because of Dudley's "innocent" expression.
"So, you haven't had homework, have you?" said Uncle Vernon dangerously, looking at Harry. A bit of tangerine was stuck in his mustache, which made him look distinctly less frightening, and rather silly. Harry decided not to comment.
"Er.yes, actually, I have," admitted Harry airily. He looked sideways at Aunt Petunia, who was looking rather strange. Harry blinked, and the look was gone.
Uncle Vernon snorted, and went back to his newspaper. He was obviously smart enough not to bring it up, as Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, happened to be a murderer. Only Harry had "forgotten" to tell them that Sirius was innocent. Harry's mind wandered as he finished his half a tangerine slice. Suddenly, he remembered the two men that morning. He gave an involuntary shudder when his thoughts turned to the dementor. Harry had had enough to do with dementors to last him a lifetime.
Then, Harry remembered something that gave him a start. Just when the man had pulled back his cloak hood, Harry had had a good glimpse of his face. The man had white blonde hair, and a distinctly familiar expression.
Harry dropped his fork. Lucius Malfoy.