Chapter Two- Harry awoke the next day feeling both tired and nettled. He was uncomfortable, miserable, and on top of it all he'd just realized upon waking and seeing his calendar that he had another month to wait until he was happily back at Hogwarts. His summer with the Dursleys had been anything but fun; they'd obviously forgotten about the end of the previous summer, and now he was just as downtrodden as he had been before. Stifling a yawn, he headed downstairs, prepared for his usual morning greeting. As he shuffled lazily into the kitchen, his Uncle's forehead wrinkled, and from behind his newspaper Harry knew he was scowling. Aunt Petunia bustled to and fro whilst cooking and clearly did not notice him come in. Dudley, however, smirked at him from his seat at the table, his small eyes darting back and forth from first Harry to the television that was on the counter nearby. Harry sighed, sitting next to his uncle and watching the TV with Dudley. Aunt Petunia hurried in moment later, their breakfasts on a tray. She handed Uncle Vernon his first, then Dudley (with a fond kiss to his forehead, at which Dudley gagged silently behind her back) and finally to Harry, whom she did not even look at. He frowned, looking down at his breakfast. As Dudley was still on his diet, Harry still had to endure this awful food. This morning it was a grapefruit, as he had had before, and a small bowl of grain cereal to go along. Harry didn't think he could last much longer on such meals. He noticed, too, that his meal was substantially smaller than Dudley's, whom Harry noticed was wolfing down his grapefruit with almost indecent voracity. Uncle Vernon's scowl deepened and Harry didn't dare argue. He dug into his own grapefruit, moodily thinking about the fabulous feasts at Hogwarts that he could've been enjoying instead. But alas, it was still summertime and he was still to be stuck here for the rest of the stupid summer. He sighed. He had mailed his three best friends, hoping to be able to find a way away from the Dursleys, but they had had other engagements; Ron Weasley and his family had taken a vacation to visit Charlie in Romania, and Hermione Granger had gone off with her parents on a family reunion in another part of Britain. But his other friend, Sara Brooks, she he had contacted, and it was only she that had remained firmly at home to give him moral support. She said he had not been allowed to come over (when he had undoubtedly asked) as she had been in trouble. But now her punishment had ended and he was planning on receiving a response any day now, as that was why Hedwig was away. He sighed, finally finishing his meal and once more traipsing up the stairs to shrink away into his room and the misery that was his present life. He flopped down on his bed again, face-down into the covers. He laid like this for quite a time before he heard a faint rapping on his bedroom window. He jumped up as though someone had fired a gun and dashed to the window, flinging it open and watching a snowy white owl glide gracefully in, with a letter clamped firmly in her beak. She landed on the back of a chair and hooted by way of greeting, dropping the note in his outstretched hand. He patted her back quickly and hastily opened the letter, his eyes roving back and forth as he read.

Dear Harry,

My parents finally laid off on my punishment. They were being so horrible, and Blake was having a right fit while I was in trouble, but they've cooled down now and I actually asked them about you coming over for the summer. They said they wouldn't mind if you came. But if the Muggles ask, tell them we'll be arriving in a thoroughly non-magical fashion.
But anyway, just ask the Muggles and tell them that if they don't let you we'll show up anyway, and on the first of August to expect us at five o'clock!
When you come, make sure you're prepared for a rough ride. Blake's made buddies with our worst nightmare. Yeah, Draco Malfoy will be joining us in my humble abode this summer. I'm almost tempted to ask to stay with you instead, though from what you've told Ron, Hermione and me about those Muggles I'm sure they wouldn't allow it. Malfoy's going to be horrible this summer. You already know what he's like at Hogwarts... well at least when he's at my house there'll be no teachers to stop us from beating him to a pulp! I'd like to see him try to provoke us this summer... my parents aren't always around, so he'll have a tough time outrunning us. And my brother Blake isn't going to stand up for him either (if he does I'll be sure to take care of him).
But really Harry, I hope you can come soon! I've had such a boring summer, and since Ron and Hermione have been such a long ways off I didn't want to send Sri so far away. Send Hedwig back with a reply soon, I need to know sometime in the near future so I can double-check with my parents. Give her a rest though, you know we live quite a ways apart. See you sometime this summer I guess!

Love From,
Sara

Harry re-read the part about Malfoy, frowning at the letter. He knew Sara had a brother but the fact that he'd made friends with Malfoy wasn't a good sign. He'd never met Blake personally, but he was certain he was no good. Sara had said he was one of those rare 'ok' Slytherins, but Harry seriously doubted it, though he didn't tell her. He yawned, looking over at Hedwig. She did look rather tired, so he decided to wait a day before sending her off again. He stroked her speckled chest absent-mindedly, thinking about how his summer might very well turn out. Sara had always been his favorite out of the trio of Gryffindors he called his best friends. Ron and Hermione had always been there and he was glad to have them as well. But Sara... she seemed to understand him a bit better than they. He wasn't sure why he felt this way, but he knew it was true. He flipped over and laid on his back staring at the ceiling, at a loss for what to think about. He had been so bored at the Dursleys, and with no one to talk to (despite sending a letter) things had been quite miserable for him. He yawned, listening as Hedwig hopped into her cage to have a nice long drink before she drifted off to sleep. What was to become of him in these next few days? Perhaps Sara's parents would change their minds and he'd be stuck here for the remainder of August? But that was unlikely - Harry had met Sara's father on one other occasion, and he had seemed quite friendly then. Harry again closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep.