Harry woke up later that afternoon and heard a peck on his window. He walked over to his window and saw a tawny owl on the perch outside. Harry opened the window and the owl flew in, landed on Harry's bed and Harry took the letter from it.
"Thanks" Harry said, petting the owl's head and opening the letter. It was scribbled out and blotched.
Harry,
I got your letter. Sorry for not responding sooner. You know the reason.
Do not get your hopes up on Sirius. I hate to say it but he fell and he's dead. Just concentrate on school because it starts again soon.
Take care,
Remus.
Harry closed the letter and put it in a drawer where he kept all of his letters. He figured Remus was in werewolf form when Harry had first sent the letter. He felt bad for him. He could only imagine how bad it was for Remus. He couldn't get a job because most places didn't allow werewolves to work. Harry didn't know how Remus got by. He didn't really want to think about it. He just hoped he was alright.
The next morning was un-eventful and Harry was waiting impatiently at the breakfast table. He kept rocking in his chair.
"What's wrong with you, boy?" Vernon asked, staring at Harry suspiciously.
"Nothing" Harry lied, stopping his chair from falling over.
Once afternoon was close, Harry went upstairs and got his trunk packed with his clothes and the old school supplies that he'd be needing. Then he grabbed Hedwig's cage which had the owl in it and walked quietly downstairs and out of the house to the sidewalk.
He looked around and heard a loud BANG! 'Not again...' Harry thought, taking out his wand. Last year he had heard a bang before the dementors attacked Dudley and him. But this time there were no dementors. Instead, an old pink car came zooming around the corner. Harry looked curious as the car pulled up in front of him.
"Hurry up!" The woman on the inside said.
Harry wasted no time as the woman popped the back trunk. He put in his school trunk and closed the back quickly. The Dursley's opened their front door to see what was going on and saw Harry and Mrs. Figg.
"Potter!" Vernon yelled.
Harry opened the back door and climbed in with Hedwig quickly and Mrs. Figg stepped on the pedal. The car sped ahead as the Dursley's ran toward the car. It was to late though and Harry was off to London with Mrs. Figg.
"I'm going to get into so much trouble" Harry said, climbing to the front seat and leaving a scared looking Hedwig in the back.
"No, you won't" Mrs. Figg said, still driving madly and making the tightest turn imaginable. "You should be at school. It's your right."
"I should have told them" Harry said, wondering why he had listened to his neighbor in the first place.
"Stop worrying" Mrs. Figg said.
About an hour later they arrived in London. Harry and Mrs. Figg got out, Harry took his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Then they walked into the Leaky Cauldron; a grubby looking pub.
"Harry!" The man at the counter said. Harry knew this man. It was Tom, the in-keeper. Harry met Tom before his first year at Hogwarts. The game-keeper at Hogwarts, Hagrid, had brought Harry to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Hello, Tom" Harry said, walking towards the counter.
"Can I help you?" Tom asked, kindly.
"No, thanks" Harry said. "We're just passing through"
"I'll take those, dear" A familiar voice said. It was Mrs. Weasley. She was the mother of one of Harry's best friends; Ron. She had the same red hair as the rest of her family and the same friendly smile.
"Thanks" Harry said, handing her the luggage. He knew they would be in the same room. "I'm going to meet Ron and Hermione. Thanks again."
Harry led Mrs. Figg to the back of the pub and tapped on a brick wall and entered into Diagon Alley.
"What's this?" Mrs. Figg asked, pointing at a spinning object in a store window. Harry knew exactly what it was. He had one himself.
"It's a Sneak-a-Scope" Harry answered. "It spins around when someone un-trustworthy is around." Harry saw why it was spinning. Two teenage boys were scattering other items in the store to make the employees re-order.
Harry had to pull Mrs. Figg away from the window and towards the book store; Florish and Blotts. They walked inside and were quickly greeted by a brown haired girl with freckles and bright brown eyes that shone with happiness. It was one of Harry's friends; Hermione Granger.
"Harry! It's so good to see you again" Hermione said, smiling.
"Good to see you too" Said Harry, smiling back.
"Who's this?" Hermione asked, curiously, noticing Mrs. Figg standing by Harry and looking around very interested in the moving pictures.
"This is–" Harry started but was interrupted by Mrs. Figg.
"Just call me Mrs. Figg" She said, putting her attention to Hermione. "One of Harry's neighbors."
"I'll explain on later." Harry said, noticing the confused look on Hermione's face. "Where's Ron?"
Hermione laughed. "He had to go into the Leaky Cauldron because he got in a fight with Malfoy."
"Over what?" Harry asked.
"He called me Ron's 'mud-blood girlfriend' and then Ron punched him and told him not to call me a mud-blood" Hermione replied, looking towards the floor as she said 'girlfriend.'
Harry laughed a little. He knew Ron and Hermione secretly liked each other and wouldn't admit it to one another.
As they gathered all of their supplies, they talked about their summers. Hermione and her parents had visited Rome. Hermione was happy about it because she had seen the museums and old buildings. Ron and his family got a visit from Ron's older brothers Bill and Charlie. And two of Ron's other brothers, Fred and George, who happened to be twins, were opening a joke shop in Diagon Alley. Ron had another brother, Percy, but didn't like to talk about him. He works at the Ministry of Magic and was a Prefect when he was at Hogwarts. Ron also had a little sister, Ginny. She was a year younger than Ron and in her 5th year at Hogwarts now. Mrs. Figg was interested in their conversation. She was especially interested when Ron started telling her about his house. How it was kept up by magic.
"Let's go and see if Fred and George are setting up." Hermione suggested after they finished their shopping and dropped their stuff off at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry and Ron agreed.
Ron, Harry, Hermione and Mrs. Figg walked back into Diagon Alley and down a long stretch before stopping at a building with a sign up saying "Weasley Wizard Wheezes." They walked in and saw Fred and George putting some boxes on a shelf.
George noticed them and stopped what he was doing. "Look, Fred. Visitors."
"What do you know?!" Fred said, looking at his friends, brother and Mrs. Figg. "Hiya, Harry."
"Hi" Harry responded. "How's the store coming along?"
"Alright" Fred and George said together.
"We just wanted to stop by to say 'hi'" Hermione said.
"Hi" Fred and George said, taking turns.
They, Fred and George, looked at Mrs. Figg suspiciously. "Who's she?" Fred asked.
"Mrs. Figg" Harry responded. "My neighbor."
Fred and George looked at each other and shrugged.
"Well, we should be going." Hermione said. "I told Mrs. Weasley that we'd be back by 6. It's already 50 past 5."
"Alright." George said.
"Thanks for stopping by." Fred said, continuing to stock shelves.
"Good luck." Harry said as they walked out.
Ron, Hermione, Harry and Mrs. Figg walked back to the Leaky Cauldron.
"You should go now, Mrs. Figg." Harry said once they walked inside. "Thanks for bringing me."
"Don't mention it." Mrs. Figg replied. "Be careful this year, Harry." With all of that said, Mrs. Figg left the Leaky Cauldron and went back to her car.
Harry went upstairs with Ron and Hermione and sat on a bed in their room.
"So, who was she?" Ron asked, putting ice on his black eye.
"Mrs. Figg is a squib." said Harry, wincing as he watched Ron. "She explained a lot last year when the dementors attacked Dudley and I. She gave me a ride here. She would only do it if I brought her into Diagon Alley."
Ron and Hermione nodded their heads and understood what Harry was saying.
"So are you excited about the new school year?" Hermione asked.
"Of course." Harry responded as Ron said "Yeah."
Hermione shook her head and picked up her Gilderoy Lockhart book and started to read. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at this. They knew Gilderoy's secret. He wrote about wizards who accomplished things and claimed that he did them. He had put memory charms on all of those wizards so that they wouldn't tell. They found this all out when they were in their 2nd year at Hogwarts.
"Thanks" Harry said, petting the owl's head and opening the letter. It was scribbled out and blotched.
Harry,
I got your letter. Sorry for not responding sooner. You know the reason.
Do not get your hopes up on Sirius. I hate to say it but he fell and he's dead. Just concentrate on school because it starts again soon.
Take care,
Remus.
Harry closed the letter and put it in a drawer where he kept all of his letters. He figured Remus was in werewolf form when Harry had first sent the letter. He felt bad for him. He could only imagine how bad it was for Remus. He couldn't get a job because most places didn't allow werewolves to work. Harry didn't know how Remus got by. He didn't really want to think about it. He just hoped he was alright.
The next morning was un-eventful and Harry was waiting impatiently at the breakfast table. He kept rocking in his chair.
"What's wrong with you, boy?" Vernon asked, staring at Harry suspiciously.
"Nothing" Harry lied, stopping his chair from falling over.
Once afternoon was close, Harry went upstairs and got his trunk packed with his clothes and the old school supplies that he'd be needing. Then he grabbed Hedwig's cage which had the owl in it and walked quietly downstairs and out of the house to the sidewalk.
He looked around and heard a loud BANG! 'Not again...' Harry thought, taking out his wand. Last year he had heard a bang before the dementors attacked Dudley and him. But this time there were no dementors. Instead, an old pink car came zooming around the corner. Harry looked curious as the car pulled up in front of him.
"Hurry up!" The woman on the inside said.
Harry wasted no time as the woman popped the back trunk. He put in his school trunk and closed the back quickly. The Dursley's opened their front door to see what was going on and saw Harry and Mrs. Figg.
"Potter!" Vernon yelled.
Harry opened the back door and climbed in with Hedwig quickly and Mrs. Figg stepped on the pedal. The car sped ahead as the Dursley's ran toward the car. It was to late though and Harry was off to London with Mrs. Figg.
"I'm going to get into so much trouble" Harry said, climbing to the front seat and leaving a scared looking Hedwig in the back.
"No, you won't" Mrs. Figg said, still driving madly and making the tightest turn imaginable. "You should be at school. It's your right."
"I should have told them" Harry said, wondering why he had listened to his neighbor in the first place.
"Stop worrying" Mrs. Figg said.
About an hour later they arrived in London. Harry and Mrs. Figg got out, Harry took his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Then they walked into the Leaky Cauldron; a grubby looking pub.
"Harry!" The man at the counter said. Harry knew this man. It was Tom, the in-keeper. Harry met Tom before his first year at Hogwarts. The game-keeper at Hogwarts, Hagrid, had brought Harry to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Hello, Tom" Harry said, walking towards the counter.
"Can I help you?" Tom asked, kindly.
"No, thanks" Harry said. "We're just passing through"
"I'll take those, dear" A familiar voice said. It was Mrs. Weasley. She was the mother of one of Harry's best friends; Ron. She had the same red hair as the rest of her family and the same friendly smile.
"Thanks" Harry said, handing her the luggage. He knew they would be in the same room. "I'm going to meet Ron and Hermione. Thanks again."
Harry led Mrs. Figg to the back of the pub and tapped on a brick wall and entered into Diagon Alley.
"What's this?" Mrs. Figg asked, pointing at a spinning object in a store window. Harry knew exactly what it was. He had one himself.
"It's a Sneak-a-Scope" Harry answered. "It spins around when someone un-trustworthy is around." Harry saw why it was spinning. Two teenage boys were scattering other items in the store to make the employees re-order.
Harry had to pull Mrs. Figg away from the window and towards the book store; Florish and Blotts. They walked inside and were quickly greeted by a brown haired girl with freckles and bright brown eyes that shone with happiness. It was one of Harry's friends; Hermione Granger.
"Harry! It's so good to see you again" Hermione said, smiling.
"Good to see you too" Said Harry, smiling back.
"Who's this?" Hermione asked, curiously, noticing Mrs. Figg standing by Harry and looking around very interested in the moving pictures.
"This is–" Harry started but was interrupted by Mrs. Figg.
"Just call me Mrs. Figg" She said, putting her attention to Hermione. "One of Harry's neighbors."
"I'll explain on later." Harry said, noticing the confused look on Hermione's face. "Where's Ron?"
Hermione laughed. "He had to go into the Leaky Cauldron because he got in a fight with Malfoy."
"Over what?" Harry asked.
"He called me Ron's 'mud-blood girlfriend' and then Ron punched him and told him not to call me a mud-blood" Hermione replied, looking towards the floor as she said 'girlfriend.'
Harry laughed a little. He knew Ron and Hermione secretly liked each other and wouldn't admit it to one another.
As they gathered all of their supplies, they talked about their summers. Hermione and her parents had visited Rome. Hermione was happy about it because she had seen the museums and old buildings. Ron and his family got a visit from Ron's older brothers Bill and Charlie. And two of Ron's other brothers, Fred and George, who happened to be twins, were opening a joke shop in Diagon Alley. Ron had another brother, Percy, but didn't like to talk about him. He works at the Ministry of Magic and was a Prefect when he was at Hogwarts. Ron also had a little sister, Ginny. She was a year younger than Ron and in her 5th year at Hogwarts now. Mrs. Figg was interested in their conversation. She was especially interested when Ron started telling her about his house. How it was kept up by magic.
"Let's go and see if Fred and George are setting up." Hermione suggested after they finished their shopping and dropped their stuff off at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry and Ron agreed.
Ron, Harry, Hermione and Mrs. Figg walked back into Diagon Alley and down a long stretch before stopping at a building with a sign up saying "Weasley Wizard Wheezes." They walked in and saw Fred and George putting some boxes on a shelf.
George noticed them and stopped what he was doing. "Look, Fred. Visitors."
"What do you know?!" Fred said, looking at his friends, brother and Mrs. Figg. "Hiya, Harry."
"Hi" Harry responded. "How's the store coming along?"
"Alright" Fred and George said together.
"We just wanted to stop by to say 'hi'" Hermione said.
"Hi" Fred and George said, taking turns.
They, Fred and George, looked at Mrs. Figg suspiciously. "Who's she?" Fred asked.
"Mrs. Figg" Harry responded. "My neighbor."
Fred and George looked at each other and shrugged.
"Well, we should be going." Hermione said. "I told Mrs. Weasley that we'd be back by 6. It's already 50 past 5."
"Alright." George said.
"Thanks for stopping by." Fred said, continuing to stock shelves.
"Good luck." Harry said as they walked out.
Ron, Hermione, Harry and Mrs. Figg walked back to the Leaky Cauldron.
"You should go now, Mrs. Figg." Harry said once they walked inside. "Thanks for bringing me."
"Don't mention it." Mrs. Figg replied. "Be careful this year, Harry." With all of that said, Mrs. Figg left the Leaky Cauldron and went back to her car.
Harry went upstairs with Ron and Hermione and sat on a bed in their room.
"So, who was she?" Ron asked, putting ice on his black eye.
"Mrs. Figg is a squib." said Harry, wincing as he watched Ron. "She explained a lot last year when the dementors attacked Dudley and I. She gave me a ride here. She would only do it if I brought her into Diagon Alley."
Ron and Hermione nodded their heads and understood what Harry was saying.
"So are you excited about the new school year?" Hermione asked.
"Of course." Harry responded as Ron said "Yeah."
Hermione shook her head and picked up her Gilderoy Lockhart book and started to read. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at this. They knew Gilderoy's secret. He wrote about wizards who accomplished things and claimed that he did them. He had put memory charms on all of those wizards so that they wouldn't tell. They found this all out when they were in their 2nd year at Hogwarts.
