Harry folded up the letter and put it back into the envelope. He reached
for another. The name was unfamiliar.
Dear Harry,
I would like to apologize for not believing your story last year. I was so convinced that you were crazy, but it turns out everyone else was. The truth is very difficult to accept, and I thank you for being the sole voice of truth. I will never doubt you again.
Sincerely, Alanda Zambonii
Harry began to rip open other letters. There were hundreds just like the one he had just read. He stacked them all up on his dresser. Although most of his mail was from complete strangers, he felt better knowing he was no longer considered a delusional joke. His letters from Hermione and Hagrid told him no new information, but he felt recovered nonetheless.
He lay back on his bed and his eyes began to droop, and this time he did not fight it . . . He was standing in the phone booth outside the ministry of magic. He picked up the receiver and dialed six, six, four, four, two. Sirius's voice filled the booth "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic, please state your business."
"SIRIUS! You're alive?" Harry yelled into the receiver.
There was no response. Harry slid to the ground. In the distance he saw Dumbledore approach.
"Harry! What do you think you are doing?" Said Dumbledore. "The last time you slept, your godfather died!"
"I don't . . . he was . . . Sirius." Harry's voice broke.
"Wake up! Harry, wake up!" Said Dumbledore.
"I can't!" Harry began to shake violently.
"Wake up, you wart!" This time it was Uncle Vernon speaking. Harry was back in his room, and he jumped out of bed.
"I've got to talk to Dumbledore!" He said.
"Oh no, you don't!" Growled Uncle Vernon, "You go outside and get your kind off our lawn!"
"My kind . . .?" Harry ran to the window. What he saw terrified him. The dark mark was high in the sky, and muggles were running and screaming down the street. Harry grabbed his wand and ran downstairs. His aunt was with Dudley in the kitchen hiding under the table.
"Death eaters, Harry." She said. "You're the only one . . . with magic, to stop this."
He ran to the door and managed to perform the full body bind on three death eaters. Just like at the quidditch cup two years earlier, they were suspending muggles in the air. Harry began to yell random curses at the death eaters. Just as he went to attack another one, he felt a hand grab his shoulder.
"Well, if it isn't Harry Potter, undefended, surrounded by the Dark Lord's most faithful servants." The cold drawling voice whispered in his ear. "You're going to die, Potter."
"Not today, he isn't!" said the voice of Arthur Weasley, who stood with the most of the Order of the Phoenix."
"You think I am afraid of some useless moron, and his group of filthy blood traitors?" Lucius aimed his wand at Mr Weasley and the rest of the order. Just then a loud scream pierced the air.
"VERNON!"
Harry looked to his left. Uncle Vernon was chasing a death eater with the rifle he kept on his bedroom wall. Aunt Petunia sobbed in the doorway. There was a green flash, and then Vernon's broad body lay on the ground. He was dead.
Dear Harry,
I would like to apologize for not believing your story last year. I was so convinced that you were crazy, but it turns out everyone else was. The truth is very difficult to accept, and I thank you for being the sole voice of truth. I will never doubt you again.
Sincerely, Alanda Zambonii
Harry began to rip open other letters. There were hundreds just like the one he had just read. He stacked them all up on his dresser. Although most of his mail was from complete strangers, he felt better knowing he was no longer considered a delusional joke. His letters from Hermione and Hagrid told him no new information, but he felt recovered nonetheless.
He lay back on his bed and his eyes began to droop, and this time he did not fight it . . . He was standing in the phone booth outside the ministry of magic. He picked up the receiver and dialed six, six, four, four, two. Sirius's voice filled the booth "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic, please state your business."
"SIRIUS! You're alive?" Harry yelled into the receiver.
There was no response. Harry slid to the ground. In the distance he saw Dumbledore approach.
"Harry! What do you think you are doing?" Said Dumbledore. "The last time you slept, your godfather died!"
"I don't . . . he was . . . Sirius." Harry's voice broke.
"Wake up! Harry, wake up!" Said Dumbledore.
"I can't!" Harry began to shake violently.
"Wake up, you wart!" This time it was Uncle Vernon speaking. Harry was back in his room, and he jumped out of bed.
"I've got to talk to Dumbledore!" He said.
"Oh no, you don't!" Growled Uncle Vernon, "You go outside and get your kind off our lawn!"
"My kind . . .?" Harry ran to the window. What he saw terrified him. The dark mark was high in the sky, and muggles were running and screaming down the street. Harry grabbed his wand and ran downstairs. His aunt was with Dudley in the kitchen hiding under the table.
"Death eaters, Harry." She said. "You're the only one . . . with magic, to stop this."
He ran to the door and managed to perform the full body bind on three death eaters. Just like at the quidditch cup two years earlier, they were suspending muggles in the air. Harry began to yell random curses at the death eaters. Just as he went to attack another one, he felt a hand grab his shoulder.
"Well, if it isn't Harry Potter, undefended, surrounded by the Dark Lord's most faithful servants." The cold drawling voice whispered in his ear. "You're going to die, Potter."
"Not today, he isn't!" said the voice of Arthur Weasley, who stood with the most of the Order of the Phoenix."
"You think I am afraid of some useless moron, and his group of filthy blood traitors?" Lucius aimed his wand at Mr Weasley and the rest of the order. Just then a loud scream pierced the air.
"VERNON!"
Harry looked to his left. Uncle Vernon was chasing a death eater with the rifle he kept on his bedroom wall. Aunt Petunia sobbed in the doorway. There was a green flash, and then Vernon's broad body lay on the ground. He was dead.
