A/N: Ok well, it wasn't THAT long a while, but the next one might be! This
chapter took me only 1 hour to come up with. WOW!
CHAPTER 9
Later that evening, Harry had come back to The Leaky Cauldron, carrying his Green Velvet Book, his Tudthysu and the rest of his supplies. After dumping all the things in his room, he went back downstairs to feed his grumbling stomach some food. He settled down in front of the fire, for it was an unexpectedly cold night, to eat his roast potatoes, with chicken coated in gravy and a side of peas and corn. He washed it down with a few glasses of non-alcoholic cider.
It was nearly half past nine before he'd satisfied his hunger. Slowly moving towards the stairs he heard wisps of conversation....
"I heard Dumbledore's dead...."
"Someone said he was in Azkaban....."
"Uncle believes he's joined You-Know-Who!"
Harry jolted at this last exclamation, and was ready to defend Dumbledore but thought better of it. He was in no mood for being goggled upon. He continued his lazy shuffle towards his room. He opened his door and suddenly tired, slumped on the bed. Slowly his eyes drooped...lower...and lower..
All of a sudden a shimmer of silver caught his eye. At first he thought it was ghost, until he realised it wasn't moving. Reaching out his hand, he groped at it. He felt crisp paper under his hand. It was a letter. He couldn't recognise the writing on the front so he turned the envelope over to see if it held any clues to the identity of the sender. There was only a wax seal with a few bumpy letters he couldn't make out. Harry carefully opened the letter and read:
Dear Harry
I hope you're enjoying your holidays. I can't say I quite am, but I didn't write you
this letter to complain. Hogwarts is going to be hard this year, especially with
Professor McGonagall being Headmistress. I've heard that this year they are going to
make exceptions for you. You'll discover them when you get to school. I have also
heard that Sirius has given you a certain key. I suggest you keep it close to you at
Hogwarts, you'll never know when it comes it handy. By the way, yes, I do know
about the vault/room, James thought I didn't but I've known all along. Your parents
don't know it, but it was I who placed a loyalty charm on it. Only those loyal to the
Potters were able to enter. They never knew why Mr. Pettigrew wasn't able to enter
the room. They thought he was just too thick around the stomach. Besides this secret
at Hogwarts there is another. One day when you have a free afternoon, try and check
out the room in the 2nd highest tower in the north. No one believes it exists any more.
I assure you it does. There is something for you there, from me. Don't rush to it, you
can take you time, its not urgent. Please don't try and reply to this letter because I
won't receive it. Take care of Fawkes for me Harry.
Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
Yours Sincerely
Albus Dumbledore
Harry's mouth was wide open and he made no attempt to close it. He had just gotten a letter from a man who nobody knew the whereabouts of. Truthfully, he didn't know his whereabouts either, but at least he knew Dumbledore was alive. Harry layed down on the bed, well aware that he was going to have another sleepless night.
A/N: thank you to all the people who bother to review, you keep my sanity in place. :)
CHAPTER 9
Later that evening, Harry had come back to The Leaky Cauldron, carrying his Green Velvet Book, his Tudthysu and the rest of his supplies. After dumping all the things in his room, he went back downstairs to feed his grumbling stomach some food. He settled down in front of the fire, for it was an unexpectedly cold night, to eat his roast potatoes, with chicken coated in gravy and a side of peas and corn. He washed it down with a few glasses of non-alcoholic cider.
It was nearly half past nine before he'd satisfied his hunger. Slowly moving towards the stairs he heard wisps of conversation....
"I heard Dumbledore's dead...."
"Someone said he was in Azkaban....."
"Uncle believes he's joined You-Know-Who!"
Harry jolted at this last exclamation, and was ready to defend Dumbledore but thought better of it. He was in no mood for being goggled upon. He continued his lazy shuffle towards his room. He opened his door and suddenly tired, slumped on the bed. Slowly his eyes drooped...lower...and lower..
All of a sudden a shimmer of silver caught his eye. At first he thought it was ghost, until he realised it wasn't moving. Reaching out his hand, he groped at it. He felt crisp paper under his hand. It was a letter. He couldn't recognise the writing on the front so he turned the envelope over to see if it held any clues to the identity of the sender. There was only a wax seal with a few bumpy letters he couldn't make out. Harry carefully opened the letter and read:
Dear Harry
I hope you're enjoying your holidays. I can't say I quite am, but I didn't write you
this letter to complain. Hogwarts is going to be hard this year, especially with
Professor McGonagall being Headmistress. I've heard that this year they are going to
make exceptions for you. You'll discover them when you get to school. I have also
heard that Sirius has given you a certain key. I suggest you keep it close to you at
Hogwarts, you'll never know when it comes it handy. By the way, yes, I do know
about the vault/room, James thought I didn't but I've known all along. Your parents
don't know it, but it was I who placed a loyalty charm on it. Only those loyal to the
Potters were able to enter. They never knew why Mr. Pettigrew wasn't able to enter
the room. They thought he was just too thick around the stomach. Besides this secret
at Hogwarts there is another. One day when you have a free afternoon, try and check
out the room in the 2nd highest tower in the north. No one believes it exists any more.
I assure you it does. There is something for you there, from me. Don't rush to it, you
can take you time, its not urgent. Please don't try and reply to this letter because I
won't receive it. Take care of Fawkes for me Harry.
Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
Yours Sincerely
Albus Dumbledore
Harry's mouth was wide open and he made no attempt to close it. He had just gotten a letter from a man who nobody knew the whereabouts of. Truthfully, he didn't know his whereabouts either, but at least he knew Dumbledore was alive. Harry layed down on the bed, well aware that he was going to have another sleepless night.
A/N: thank you to all the people who bother to review, you keep my sanity in place. :)
