Oddly Enough…

By Matt

Chapter 1: A Serpentine Warning

As I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door…

---from stanza 1 of The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe

            Harry awoke at dawn on 31 July, 1997, to a rapping on his window. He felt around on his bedside table for his glasses, put them on, and opened the window. Several owls flew in, each depositing a package before leaving. He grinned. His birthday presents had arrived.

            Harry grabbed the top package. The sloppy handwriting on the card told him that it was from Ron. He tore off the packaging to reveal an orange set of robes with "CHUDLEY CANNONS" emblazoned on the back. When Harry tried them on, he felt a not in one of the pockets. He took it out and perused it. It read:

Hey, Harry!

            Fantastic news! Mom's accountant cousin apparently just died, and we've each been given about 500 galleons… not sure how much Muggle money. Of course, a lot more went to his immediate family, but that's only proper. I've already spent mine on your present and you'll never guess what else. TWO FRONT-ROW TICKETS TO A CANNONS GAME! It's over Christmas break, so I made sure your robes are insulated. You better wear 'em!

            See ya soon!

                        Ron

            Harry was thrilled and extremely grateful. Ron had spent over 250 Galleons on his birthday present. He made a mental note to splurge on Christmas and Ron's birthday.

            The next present was large, heavy, and rectangular. It was also from Hermione. Harry removed the neat wrapping paper and found himself looking at a much-used copy of Hogwarts, a History. Harry found a note on the inside cover.

            Hi, Harry!

            I've memorized this at last, so I figured you might want it. It's much more interesting than it seems, and nowhere near as difficult a read of War and Peace in the original Russian… Trust me on that one.

            Love from,

                        Hermione

            Harry shook his head, smiling, and grabbed the next one. It was extremely heavy, and had a card attached written in a semi-neat handwriting he didn't recognize. He opened the card first. As it turned out, it was from Luna Lovegood. That's odd, he thought. She's never gotten me a birthday present. He blinked, then read the card.

            Hello, Harry Potter,

            How are you? I hope you're well. Daddy and I are in Germany right now, looking for melkors. No luck, but I could swear I caught a glimpse of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack once. But by the time I went to investigate, it was gone. It was odd that it was in Germany in the first place, because usually they're found in Scandinavia. Maybe it was a pet. Oh well.

            About your gift. I thought it may help your concentration, which would be helpful in your NEWT year, wouldn't it? I'm pretty sure I remembered to include the instruction manual.

            Anyway, I'll see you at school.

                        Luna

            Harry tore open the package. There, sitting on his bed, giving off a faint silver glow, was a Pensieve.

            He stared at it for a second, then whispered, "Thanks, Luna!"

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            A little later, he finished opening presents. He had gotten Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from Hagrid, a bottle of werewolf repellant from Remus Lupin ("Just in case," the card had read), and, oddly enough, a combination birthday card/death threat from Voldemort. Harry stared at that for a few more seconds before setting it up with the other cards.

            Suddenly, Harry heard faint screaming coming from the kitchen. Racing downstairs, he burst into the kitchen, where the Dursleys were standing on chairs, screaming at the top of their voices at an anaconda that had somehow gotten into the house. Harry strained his ears, but couldn't hear the snake over his relatives.

            Then Harry remembered: he could legally do magic now, couldn't he? He took out his wand and pointed it at the Dursleys, who, if possible, screamed louder. "Silencio!" The sound stopped coming out of their mouths, though from the looks of it, they kept screaming. Harry turned to the snake.

            "Why are you here?" Harry demanded of it.

            "I am here to warn you," it hissed in reply.

            "Warn me?" Harry asked. "Of what?"

            "The cobra king's coils are surrounding you here," the anaconda said gravely. "It would be best to escape before it is too late."

            "But how?" Harry asked. "I'm supposed to be safe here!"

            "Don't ask, I don't know," it replied. "But he will arrive within a week."

            "Thank you," Harry said. The snake reared up, inclined its head in a bow, and left through an open window.

            Harry glanced at the Dursleys. It appeared they had stopped screaming, so Harry pointed his want at them and said, "Finite incantatem."

            Then his uncle's inevitable rant began. "How DARE you use you-know-what in this house? That madhouse you go to with throw you out!"

            "Now anymore," Harry interrupted. He had no intention of sitting through a rant that would undoubtedly bore him to death. "I can legally use magic now. In our world, seventeen is the legal age."

            "And you're seventeen?"

            "My birthday's today."

            His uncle glared at him for a couple of seconds. "I hate you," he said at last.

            "Feeling's mutual," Harry said. "I'm off to make arrangements to stay at a friend's house for the rest of the summer." He left without waiting for a response.

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So, you like? Please review! Good reviews appreciated, flames laughed at and then used in my Crumple-Horned Snorkack's bedwarmer. Oh, and I forgot to add this at the beginning, so standard disclaimer applies. You know, JKR owns it, etc. etc.