********* Chapter 2 - Back to the Burrow *********

The sun burst through Harry's window the next morning, waking him up at dawn. Sitting up and putting on his glasses, Harry realized that August 3 was finally here. His first real vacation, and with all the people he loved. He opened his dresser, and took out a brilliant sweater with a lion on it. Mrs. Weasley gave him this sweater one Christmas, and he was happy for it, because it was one of the few things Harry had that fit.

Throwing on some old jeans, he headed downstairs, where a showered and ready for work Uncle Vernon sat, eating his breakfast. Aunt Petunia was hovering around the stove, making French toast and eggs for Dudley, who was calling for his mommy from his bedroom. "Yes, Dud Dud, your food is almost ready! Ill bring it up to you on a nice plate, okay?" It always sickened Harry how Petunia waited on this fat pig all the time.

Right as he sat down, the doorbell rang. Not expecting that Mr. Weasley would ever let his boys come into the house again, Harry rushed to the door to see who had come. He opened the door, and to his surprise, was Hermione! "Harry! I've missed you so! Happy birthday!" And she embraced him in a hug. "Hermione, I didn't know you were already with the Weasley's. Hold on, let me get my trunk." And at that, Harry ran upstairs.

Thankful that Hermione was raised a muggle, she knew not to come in the house and talk to the Dursleys, since she understood their resentment for wizarding folk. Harry handed her Hedwig in his cage, as he dragged his heavy Hogwarts trunk out to the car, which blended in nicely to the surroundings. In the back seat, he saw Ron, who if possible, got even taller, and Mr. Weasley, both wearing their interpretations of muggle clothing; Ron in a giant t-shirt depicting a football team, and Mr. Weasley in a tweed jacket and sweat pants.

"Good to see ya, Harry! Here, lets get going. As a surprise, I got a broom this summer, so we can get home and play some quidditch!" As they loaded his belongings into the car, they chatted about the first half of their summer, and what they were going to do in Bulgaria. The car pulled away from Privet Drive, and for the first time all summer, Harry could exhale.

As they drove in the front of the Weasley's house, which was Harry's #2 favorite place in the world, Ron told him that his parents got him a used Nimbus 2001, still a very legitimate broom, but a tad old. Ron also told him that his dad got a raise at work, so each of the Weasley's got something special, capped off with their vacation. The whole family appeared to be in high spirits.

That evening, Mrs. Weasley with Hermione's help prepared a great dinner of roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and lime pie. In the yard, Harry and Ron, against Fred and George played a game of quidditch. Harry played chaser and Ron played keeper. They didn't play with the snitch because there weren't enough people. Fred and George ended up winning 80-60 when Ginny called them in for dinner. They ate and the whole family conversed together. It was very relaxing, and Harry caught up on all the wizarding news of the first half of the summer. Now that Fred and George were finished at Hogwarts, and Harry gave them the prize money from the Tri-Wizard tournament last year, they were planning their joke shop, which Mrs. Weasley was disappointed in, ("You two could do something good, like work for the ministry!") But Fred and George decided long ago this was their calling.

At ten o-clock that night, Ron, Harry, and Hermione headed upstairs to go to sleep. They unraveled sleeping bags on Ron's bedroom floor, and talked. After about 20 minutes they dozed off, only to wake up too soon.