Harry looked in horror as Hedwig fell out of the sky and into the
outstretched arms of a hooded stranger who removed the letters Harry had
tied around her leg and walked back into the dark alleyway, Hedwig's limp
body swinging at his side. It was at that moment that Harry realized that
something was very wrong.
The following day, Harry received letters that appeared to be from Ron and Hermione, though he could tell that they weren't. The letters stated that they basically didn't have the time to write, they were too busy performing day to day chores and not to write because they were too busy to reply. If Harry had not seen Hedwig get knocked out of the air he would have been furious because his friends had been neglecting him, even more so than last year. But Harry knew it was someone – probably a death eater, trying to impersonate them if his mail was being intercepted every time. Harry knew he had to attempt to make contact with Dumbledore right away and tell him what was happening.
Over the next couple of days, Harry struggled to think of a way to contact Dumbledore. He thought of maybe flagging the Knight Bus, but everyone would probably go out of their minds with worry if Harry disappeared from the Dursleys. What if he miraculously somehow obtained some floo powder? But that wouldn't work because he had no idea where to get some and the Dursleys fireplace wasn't connected to the floo network and after the fiasco when the Weasley's showed up in the living room, he wasn't brave enough to try again. Finally, he had an idea that would surely work.
The day before yesterday, Hedwig had appeared on Harry's front doorstep with a not attached to her leg. Harry unfolded it and read the note:
"If you try to contact anyone else we'll go after your friends... if you even have any."
Harry sent Hedwig to the Daily Prophet with a request. If the death eater or whoever it was could not possibly keep up with ever newspaper being delivered over the country. The next morning an owl arrived at his bedroom window with a copy of the newspaper. He scanned the front page which read: "AN URGENT MESSAGE FOR DUMBLEDORE!!" and started to feel much better about his plan. That night he wrote a letter to Dumbledore explaining everything and payed that owl who delivered his newspaper two extra sickles. The death eater didn't stun the owl as it took flight from Harry's window. A misstate that would prove fatal after Voldemort discovered it.
That night, there was a faint pop in Harry's bedroom and Dumbledore appeared to take him to number 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry turned around to see Dumbledore starring at him through his half moon spectacles.
"Hello, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly. "I need you to explain to me why you think there is a death eater on Privet Drive stealing your mail, after all, Ron and Hermione have said that they've received replies from you every time they send a letter."
"YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME!"
"Not at all," Dumbledore replied. "I see now that you have not been replying to those letters. At first, when I received your letter from the Daily Prophet owl, I though that you were just pulling a stunt trying to get out of here early. Please forgive me, for I see now that I was wrong. So someone has been stunning all of the owls sent by you, sent to you and replying for you. I imagine that this has made you very lonely over the past few weeks."
"Yes."
"Well, Harry. I think you've been in this house long enough. Let me get your things." With that Dumbledore whipped out his wand and waved it around in the similar manner as Tonks had done last year. All of Harry's things jumped into his trunk but this time the socks actually folded themselves.
I wonder how we are getting there, Harry wondered to himself. But before he could ask the question, Dumbledore answered. "We will travel by portkey, seeing as the Ministry will have no way of finding out. So, if you're ready, hold on to this pen and we'll be off."
Harry reached out and touched the pen. Dumbledore looked down at it and muttered, "transportus," and instantly Harry felt that familiar jerk at the back of his navel. He was going; he was going to see his friends for the first time this summer.
The following day, Harry received letters that appeared to be from Ron and Hermione, though he could tell that they weren't. The letters stated that they basically didn't have the time to write, they were too busy performing day to day chores and not to write because they were too busy to reply. If Harry had not seen Hedwig get knocked out of the air he would have been furious because his friends had been neglecting him, even more so than last year. But Harry knew it was someone – probably a death eater, trying to impersonate them if his mail was being intercepted every time. Harry knew he had to attempt to make contact with Dumbledore right away and tell him what was happening.
Over the next couple of days, Harry struggled to think of a way to contact Dumbledore. He thought of maybe flagging the Knight Bus, but everyone would probably go out of their minds with worry if Harry disappeared from the Dursleys. What if he miraculously somehow obtained some floo powder? But that wouldn't work because he had no idea where to get some and the Dursleys fireplace wasn't connected to the floo network and after the fiasco when the Weasley's showed up in the living room, he wasn't brave enough to try again. Finally, he had an idea that would surely work.
The day before yesterday, Hedwig had appeared on Harry's front doorstep with a not attached to her leg. Harry unfolded it and read the note:
"If you try to contact anyone else we'll go after your friends... if you even have any."
Harry sent Hedwig to the Daily Prophet with a request. If the death eater or whoever it was could not possibly keep up with ever newspaper being delivered over the country. The next morning an owl arrived at his bedroom window with a copy of the newspaper. He scanned the front page which read: "AN URGENT MESSAGE FOR DUMBLEDORE!!" and started to feel much better about his plan. That night he wrote a letter to Dumbledore explaining everything and payed that owl who delivered his newspaper two extra sickles. The death eater didn't stun the owl as it took flight from Harry's window. A misstate that would prove fatal after Voldemort discovered it.
That night, there was a faint pop in Harry's bedroom and Dumbledore appeared to take him to number 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry turned around to see Dumbledore starring at him through his half moon spectacles.
"Hello, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly. "I need you to explain to me why you think there is a death eater on Privet Drive stealing your mail, after all, Ron and Hermione have said that they've received replies from you every time they send a letter."
"YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME!"
"Not at all," Dumbledore replied. "I see now that you have not been replying to those letters. At first, when I received your letter from the Daily Prophet owl, I though that you were just pulling a stunt trying to get out of here early. Please forgive me, for I see now that I was wrong. So someone has been stunning all of the owls sent by you, sent to you and replying for you. I imagine that this has made you very lonely over the past few weeks."
"Yes."
"Well, Harry. I think you've been in this house long enough. Let me get your things." With that Dumbledore whipped out his wand and waved it around in the similar manner as Tonks had done last year. All of Harry's things jumped into his trunk but this time the socks actually folded themselves.
I wonder how we are getting there, Harry wondered to himself. But before he could ask the question, Dumbledore answered. "We will travel by portkey, seeing as the Ministry will have no way of finding out. So, if you're ready, hold on to this pen and we'll be off."
Harry reached out and touched the pen. Dumbledore looked down at it and muttered, "transportus," and instantly Harry felt that familiar jerk at the back of his navel. He was going; he was going to see his friends for the first time this summer.