CHAPTER I
"DEAR HARRY,
So how are you mate? I really do hope you're holding up pretty
well, inspite of.what happened last June.
Anyway, here's something that I hope might cheer you up. We'll
pick you up on your birthday there at the Muggles' house to
spend the rest of the summer with us. Sounds okay?
That's it then. See you on the 31st!
Ron
P.S.
By the way, a distant relative of ours will be arriving too, and
it's very intriguing actually. Mum and Dad won't give us any
clue, but we think this relative will be in the Order too! The
suspense is driving us crazy!"
Harry gave out a rare smile (at least nowadays) as he folded Ron's letter and reached for his own parchment to write his reply. Behind him, Pig, Ron's trusty minute owl and Hedwig, Harry's own, hooted amicably to each other.
ON HARRY'S sixteenth birthday, he woke early and started to pack his belongings. Any minute now, Ron Weasley, one of his best friends in the wizarding world (well, in both the wizarding and the Muggle world) will be dropping by (or flying by, he didn't know how Ron will travel) to pick him up. Harry was looking forward to this invitation, as being with his "kind" will certainly make the holidays better. They may not ease the burden of Sirius' death, but their effort is enough to help him get through with the grief and misery.
Harry was also intrigued with Ron's relative who, as his friend's letter say, will be playing a role in the brewing war in the wizarding world.
"You, boy!" Harry's reverie was interrupted by Uncle Vernon's violent knocks on the door. "Your carrot-top friend is here, along with that bushy- haired girlfriend of his!" Harry opened the door immediately.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, Uncle Vernon, Ron and his family invited me over to their house for the rest of the summer. So I'll see you soon next year then."
He hurried past the huge figure of neckless Uncle Vernon, heaving his trunk (which seemed to weigh heavier each year) and Hedwig's empty cage (he let Hedwig out this morning) under his arm.
"Harry!" the voices of his two best friends are like sweet music to his ears. "How have you been? Oh I hope you're alright!" Hermione Granger hugged him tightly until Harry was fit to burst.
"How are you Harry? So far so good?" Ronald Weasley's firm handshake somehow conveyed a message of support and concern.
"I'm fine, especially now that I know we''ll be spending the rest of the holiday together at The Burrow."
"Er, actually we are going to the headquarters of the Order." Ron's last four words were whispered conspiratorially.
"How shall we travel there? Not by Floo powder I hope." Said Harry somewhat anxiously. Floo travel was his least favorite mode of magical transportation.
"Oh, don't worry Harry. Ron's dad managed to borrow a car from the Ministry. Now that the Ministry realized the error of their ways, they started treating Mr. Weasley a lot better knowing that he has been supporting and vouching Dumbledore's statements regarding Voldemort," said Hermione.
They picked up Harry's things and started towards the car and they were met by an older man whose face could inspire terror among lookers. His face is badly weathered, and almost half of his nose is missing. One of his eye is missing, and perched in its socket instead is a rolling eye ball much like an over-sized marble. But this eye is very magical, as it sees through any solid barrier, including his own head.
"Mad-eye Moody!" Harry greeted. Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody was supposed to have taught at Hogwarts, but the Moody that has been teaching the students including Harry, Ron and Hermione turned out to be an impostor, a dark wizard posing as a Hogwarts teacher to get to Harry. It was only last year when they met the real Moody, one of the greatest Aurors of contemporary wizard history.
Knowing that Moody, along with two more Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix, Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, were there to protect them from possible attacks from Voldemort's supporters who already did, made Harry relax a little. After all, he will back with the people he like the most, and who likes him back. At Number 12 Grimmauld Place, he will be reunited with the people he considers not only as friends, but family.
"DEAR HARRY,
So how are you mate? I really do hope you're holding up pretty
well, inspite of.what happened last June.
Anyway, here's something that I hope might cheer you up. We'll
pick you up on your birthday there at the Muggles' house to
spend the rest of the summer with us. Sounds okay?
That's it then. See you on the 31st!
Ron
P.S.
By the way, a distant relative of ours will be arriving too, and
it's very intriguing actually. Mum and Dad won't give us any
clue, but we think this relative will be in the Order too! The
suspense is driving us crazy!"
Harry gave out a rare smile (at least nowadays) as he folded Ron's letter and reached for his own parchment to write his reply. Behind him, Pig, Ron's trusty minute owl and Hedwig, Harry's own, hooted amicably to each other.
ON HARRY'S sixteenth birthday, he woke early and started to pack his belongings. Any minute now, Ron Weasley, one of his best friends in the wizarding world (well, in both the wizarding and the Muggle world) will be dropping by (or flying by, he didn't know how Ron will travel) to pick him up. Harry was looking forward to this invitation, as being with his "kind" will certainly make the holidays better. They may not ease the burden of Sirius' death, but their effort is enough to help him get through with the grief and misery.
Harry was also intrigued with Ron's relative who, as his friend's letter say, will be playing a role in the brewing war in the wizarding world.
"You, boy!" Harry's reverie was interrupted by Uncle Vernon's violent knocks on the door. "Your carrot-top friend is here, along with that bushy- haired girlfriend of his!" Harry opened the door immediately.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, Uncle Vernon, Ron and his family invited me over to their house for the rest of the summer. So I'll see you soon next year then."
He hurried past the huge figure of neckless Uncle Vernon, heaving his trunk (which seemed to weigh heavier each year) and Hedwig's empty cage (he let Hedwig out this morning) under his arm.
"Harry!" the voices of his two best friends are like sweet music to his ears. "How have you been? Oh I hope you're alright!" Hermione Granger hugged him tightly until Harry was fit to burst.
"How are you Harry? So far so good?" Ronald Weasley's firm handshake somehow conveyed a message of support and concern.
"I'm fine, especially now that I know we''ll be spending the rest of the holiday together at The Burrow."
"Er, actually we are going to the headquarters of the Order." Ron's last four words were whispered conspiratorially.
"How shall we travel there? Not by Floo powder I hope." Said Harry somewhat anxiously. Floo travel was his least favorite mode of magical transportation.
"Oh, don't worry Harry. Ron's dad managed to borrow a car from the Ministry. Now that the Ministry realized the error of their ways, they started treating Mr. Weasley a lot better knowing that he has been supporting and vouching Dumbledore's statements regarding Voldemort," said Hermione.
They picked up Harry's things and started towards the car and they were met by an older man whose face could inspire terror among lookers. His face is badly weathered, and almost half of his nose is missing. One of his eye is missing, and perched in its socket instead is a rolling eye ball much like an over-sized marble. But this eye is very magical, as it sees through any solid barrier, including his own head.
"Mad-eye Moody!" Harry greeted. Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody was supposed to have taught at Hogwarts, but the Moody that has been teaching the students including Harry, Ron and Hermione turned out to be an impostor, a dark wizard posing as a Hogwarts teacher to get to Harry. It was only last year when they met the real Moody, one of the greatest Aurors of contemporary wizard history.
Knowing that Moody, along with two more Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix, Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, were there to protect them from possible attacks from Voldemort's supporters who already did, made Harry relax a little. After all, he will back with the people he like the most, and who likes him back. At Number 12 Grimmauld Place, he will be reunited with the people he considers not only as friends, but family.