It was maybe three weeks before Headwig came back. Harry felt awful when he
woke up the next morning, remembering how cruel he had been to her. He
spent those three weeks hoping she would come back- after all, his birthday
was coming up, he would want to send letters to Ron and Hermione, but more
than anything, he felt sorry. After all, she was a bird, it wasn't her
fault if she couldn't understand.
Harry came into his bedroom after another stroll, despite Aunt Petunia's
refusal for him to leave his room, and was surprised to find the Snowy-
white Owl sitting on his window sill. She kept her eyes down, as though
unsure of whether she was even allowed in the room. Harry, who was still
feeling miserable, but to some extent a little better forgot everything and
ran to the bird and tried to hug her. Bad move. Owls are not at all
sociable outside the Wizarding world- and even inside it- you never EVER
hug them. The bird fluttered to the bed knob of the poster around Harry's
bed and hooted at him and he nursed the little chunk missing from his left
ear and the several new scratches upon his cheeks and hands. As far as he
was concerned- they were even now.
Several band-aids later, Harry returned to the bed and sat next to the bird, and chanced a move to stroke her back- which she did not refuse. It was at this moment that Harry noticed the red enveloped tied to her ankle, and removed it quickly. Tearing it open he was surprised to see a full letter, from which fell five or six small scraps of paper, which fluttered to the floor.
Deciding to take on the letter first, Harry left the pieces of paper on the floor forgotten, as he felt a warm feeling close over his shoulders upon noticing Dumbledore's familiar handwriting.
Dear Harry
There's a spell on this parchment so that you can't read it in advance- your birthday isn't for two more days- maybe one by the time this gets to you. You'll just have to be patient. Enclosed are a few more messages from the Weasley's and Remus-also enchanted. I hope the Dursley's are treating you well, and happy birthday. -Albus Dumbledore
p.s. Your Owl seems to be very.discombobulated, perhaps she needs some extra attention.
Harry smiled for the first time in months, and truly meant it. He was surprised at himself. It didn't change anything- Sirius was still gone. But for the moment at least, he felt less alone.
In two days' time, it was Harry's birthday. To his relief, the Dursley's didn't give him a present this year. They had a habit of giving him things that even the Salvation Army couldn't find a use for. At about ten o'clock, he crept back up to his room, and found a strange glowing light coming from under his bed, where he had left the letter. He pulled them out and the parchment glowed more fiercely in his hands. It was warm and began to spurt little colored sparks from the corners of the page. Looking closely at the letter, he noticed that the message had changed, and now said:
Happy birthday Harry. Your real present is here, at headquarters. You'll forgive a selfish old man, but I wanted to see you when you opened it. I've never really given a student a birthday gift before, so it's become something of a novelty for me. Ron and Hermione however, suggested that we throw you a little party. Therefore - if you're up to seeing some people, the envelope in which this letter came in will become a portkey at midnight. It's up to you- and I'll fully understand if you'd rather be alone. I must suggest however that you read the pieces from Remus and the Weasley's promptly however, I remember hearing them say something about sending you a howler. I'll send someone to your room at midnight to take the portkey with you, if you decide to go. If not, they will bring you your gifts. Happy Birthday Harry. -Albus Dumbledore.
Harry was not up to seeing people. He could imagine it now, a room full of pity, with everyone hugging him, and throwing in comments and questions at odd moments throughout the night, like, "So..Harry..are you- how are you doing..since..?"
He suddenly realized though, that he shouldn't blame is friends for wanting to be nice, for wanting to make sure he was ok. He still wasn't ready. He felt like a large piece of him were missing, and though he searched every day, he would never, ever find that piece again, and every morning he would wake up from a round of terrible dreams, and in waking suddenly remember that something was lost. That someone was lost, and they were never coming back. Trying not to think about this, Harry then turned to the small scraps of parchment and read them each in turn as they glowed in is hands.
Dear Harry HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Mom wanted to send you a howler that would sing 'happy birthday' to you- but I told her it might wake your cousins, and she finally forgot the idea. That didn't convince Fred and George though. Well, I'm sure Dumbledore's told you everything- hope to see you soon! -Ron
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY! I hope you're enjoying your holidays. I mean- I know it's hard to-to- yeah I'm not really sure what it is I'm trying to say, but I think you understand. Harry, I'd love to see you, but please do not come if you're not ready. You need time to deal with this I'm sure. Anyways, I'm sure we'll be seeing you soon. Dumbledore's acting very strange. We'll tell you all about it when you get here. -Hermione
And there it was, exactly what he was afraid of, there, in writing, in his hands- from Hermione. With a new sickness in his stomach, he slowly turned to the last two pieces, not really wanting to read them any more at all.
Dear Harry,
Hope your holidays are going well. Remember to let us know if your cousins need any persuasion. If we don't see you for your birthday, at least check in, so we know they haven't locked you up in some dungeon. You never know with Muggles, do you? Happy Birthday! -Tonks, Moody, and Lupin.
Dear Harry, Hope your Holidays are going well. We'd just love to see you of course, so do try and visit if you're feeling up to it. I'm afraid there isn't very much new news here. If you know what I mean. Bill, Charlie, and Arthur send their best wishes. Happy Birthday! -Molly
p.s. How close is your room to your cousins'? That is to say, how heavily do they sleep, and how well does sound carry from your room? Hope to see you soon!
Out of the lot, Harry though that Mrs. Weasley's was the strangest. But then he remembered what Ron said about the Howler, and laughed a little. He looked over to a more than once broken clock on his bedside table, which read 10:47 in the soft moonlight through his window. Just a little bit longer, and then he'd have to decide.
As the time rolled around, Harry decided that even if he were uncomfortable, he could always trot off to bed unnoticed and sleep it off.
Several band-aids later, Harry returned to the bed and sat next to the bird, and chanced a move to stroke her back- which she did not refuse. It was at this moment that Harry noticed the red enveloped tied to her ankle, and removed it quickly. Tearing it open he was surprised to see a full letter, from which fell five or six small scraps of paper, which fluttered to the floor.
Deciding to take on the letter first, Harry left the pieces of paper on the floor forgotten, as he felt a warm feeling close over his shoulders upon noticing Dumbledore's familiar handwriting.
Dear Harry
There's a spell on this parchment so that you can't read it in advance- your birthday isn't for two more days- maybe one by the time this gets to you. You'll just have to be patient. Enclosed are a few more messages from the Weasley's and Remus-also enchanted. I hope the Dursley's are treating you well, and happy birthday. -Albus Dumbledore
p.s. Your Owl seems to be very.discombobulated, perhaps she needs some extra attention.
Harry smiled for the first time in months, and truly meant it. He was surprised at himself. It didn't change anything- Sirius was still gone. But for the moment at least, he felt less alone.
In two days' time, it was Harry's birthday. To his relief, the Dursley's didn't give him a present this year. They had a habit of giving him things that even the Salvation Army couldn't find a use for. At about ten o'clock, he crept back up to his room, and found a strange glowing light coming from under his bed, where he had left the letter. He pulled them out and the parchment glowed more fiercely in his hands. It was warm and began to spurt little colored sparks from the corners of the page. Looking closely at the letter, he noticed that the message had changed, and now said:
Happy birthday Harry. Your real present is here, at headquarters. You'll forgive a selfish old man, but I wanted to see you when you opened it. I've never really given a student a birthday gift before, so it's become something of a novelty for me. Ron and Hermione however, suggested that we throw you a little party. Therefore - if you're up to seeing some people, the envelope in which this letter came in will become a portkey at midnight. It's up to you- and I'll fully understand if you'd rather be alone. I must suggest however that you read the pieces from Remus and the Weasley's promptly however, I remember hearing them say something about sending you a howler. I'll send someone to your room at midnight to take the portkey with you, if you decide to go. If not, they will bring you your gifts. Happy Birthday Harry. -Albus Dumbledore.
Harry was not up to seeing people. He could imagine it now, a room full of pity, with everyone hugging him, and throwing in comments and questions at odd moments throughout the night, like, "So..Harry..are you- how are you doing..since..?"
He suddenly realized though, that he shouldn't blame is friends for wanting to be nice, for wanting to make sure he was ok. He still wasn't ready. He felt like a large piece of him were missing, and though he searched every day, he would never, ever find that piece again, and every morning he would wake up from a round of terrible dreams, and in waking suddenly remember that something was lost. That someone was lost, and they were never coming back. Trying not to think about this, Harry then turned to the small scraps of parchment and read them each in turn as they glowed in is hands.
Dear Harry HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Mom wanted to send you a howler that would sing 'happy birthday' to you- but I told her it might wake your cousins, and she finally forgot the idea. That didn't convince Fred and George though. Well, I'm sure Dumbledore's told you everything- hope to see you soon! -Ron
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY! I hope you're enjoying your holidays. I mean- I know it's hard to-to- yeah I'm not really sure what it is I'm trying to say, but I think you understand. Harry, I'd love to see you, but please do not come if you're not ready. You need time to deal with this I'm sure. Anyways, I'm sure we'll be seeing you soon. Dumbledore's acting very strange. We'll tell you all about it when you get here. -Hermione
And there it was, exactly what he was afraid of, there, in writing, in his hands- from Hermione. With a new sickness in his stomach, he slowly turned to the last two pieces, not really wanting to read them any more at all.
Dear Harry,
Hope your holidays are going well. Remember to let us know if your cousins need any persuasion. If we don't see you for your birthday, at least check in, so we know they haven't locked you up in some dungeon. You never know with Muggles, do you? Happy Birthday! -Tonks, Moody, and Lupin.
Dear Harry, Hope your Holidays are going well. We'd just love to see you of course, so do try and visit if you're feeling up to it. I'm afraid there isn't very much new news here. If you know what I mean. Bill, Charlie, and Arthur send their best wishes. Happy Birthday! -Molly
p.s. How close is your room to your cousins'? That is to say, how heavily do they sleep, and how well does sound carry from your room? Hope to see you soon!
Out of the lot, Harry though that Mrs. Weasley's was the strangest. But then he remembered what Ron said about the Howler, and laughed a little. He looked over to a more than once broken clock on his bedside table, which read 10:47 in the soft moonlight through his window. Just a little bit longer, and then he'd have to decide.
As the time rolled around, Harry decided that even if he were uncomfortable, he could always trot off to bed unnoticed and sleep it off.
