Chapter 3: Surprise

Harry was lying on his bed, trying to sleep when he heard a knock on the door.

"Enter," he said curtly.

Dudley Dursley, his mean cousin entered his room. He looked at Harry unfriendly. Dudley has gained some weight over the last school, and was on diet again. The only thing that made Dudley survive the diet used to be the fact, that the rest of his family, including Harry, were eating the same food as him. But now, with a warning Remus Lupin gave his aunt and uncle, it would be unwise to starve Harry.

"What do you want, Dud?" Harry asked him coldly.

"Mum and dad want me to tell you that it's about time you send another letter to your freaky friends," he said to Harry The letters to Lupin were the only thing Dursleys cared about Harry.

"Well, look into my cage, stupid. It does not look I am sending a letter, when my owl is gone, does it. Or are there any other owls in this house that I don't know about?" Harry asked.

"Don't provoke me or...," Dudley said threateningly, raising his fist.

"Or what? You are going to beat me out?" asked Harry. He reached for his wand and started playing with it, making sure that Dudley could see it all the time.

"One day, I will catch you unprepared. And I shall enjoy that moment very much." Dudley yelled at Harry, slamming the door.

Harry let himself to slid down on his bed again. He sighed. Teasing Dudley wasn't any more. In fact everything had changed since he found out about his prophecy. He closed his eyes. Why I can't live just another ordinary life, he thought for himself. What have I done to deserve this. Everybody told him that he was meant for great things. But he didn't care. He would give all his possession for another life.

As he was deeply in thoughts, something knocked on the window.

Harry raised his head and saw Hedwig waiting behind the closed window, a letter tied to her leg. He got up, opened the window and let Hedwig inside. She landed on his shoulder and extended her leg, so Harry could get the letter. He untied the knot, stroking Hedwig semiconsciously, unrolled it and began to read.

Dear Harry,

I'm sorry, but I can't do nothing about your problem right know,

while you are still with your relatives. Just try to free your mind

of any thoughts before you go sleeping, when your mind is most

vulnerable. But don't worry, you are perfectly safe at Privet Drive.

Once we will be able to pick you up, I will assign someone to

give you Occlumency lessons again. It will be soon.

Dumbledore

Harry crumpled the letter in rage and tossed it into a bin. Even though he now knew the reason why he had to be here, it did nor make it more bearable. He was really looking forward to next year, when he would leave the Dursleys forever.

To ease some of his anger, he sat up at his desk and started writing a letter to Ron.

Hey Ron,

I'm sorry I haven't been in touch for such a long time, but I'm

trying to sort my thoughts out. Don't worry about me I'll

be fine.

Harry

He hated to be so cold to his best friend, but he wasn't in friendly mood. After finishing this letter he took another piece of parchment and wrote another letter to Lupin.

Dear Remus

I'm OK, the Dursleys are civil with me.

Harry

He took the letters and walked over to Hedwigs cage.

"Hedwig, I'm sorry I have to send you away so soon, but I need these letters delivered. This one is for Ron and this one is for Remus Lupin," he said as he was tying the letters to her leg.

She hooted reassuringly, as he opened the window and took of from his outstretched hand. Harry was watching her, until she was out of sight.

**********

Harry was lying on a field in the country, unaware where he was. He got up and looked around him. The surroundings were comforting. Green grass grew up to his waist. He let his hand ran across it, enjoying it´s smoothnes. Everything looked so peaceful. He could see a form of Hogwarts in distance, bathed in the orange light of sunset. The sky was perfectly cloudless, the weather was warm. He inhaled the pleasant scent of the air, relaxing his mind at last.

Somebody has slipped hands around his waist and pulled him into tight hug. Harry felt as the person eased her head on his shoulder.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" said a soft girl voice, which was familiar to Harry.

He was just about to turn his head to the girl, when his scar erupted with pain without warning. He collapsed to his knees, reaching for his forehead.

"No, please, not again," he muttered.

He raised his head. The surroundings were no longer pleasant. The high grass was burned. There were bodies, lying all over the field. Bodies, that lay still, their eyes wide open and unfocused. The Hogwarts castle was in flames, smoke was rising thickly from it, covering whole sky.

Something grasped his shoulder viciously. He looked upwards, firstly at the skeletal hand, that was crushing his shoulder, then raising his head, he saw who to hand belonged to. The rotten face of Sirius was staring at him with lifeless eyes.

"This is all your fault, Harry. Only your," he hissed.

Harry awoke with a start, sat quickly and looked on his shoulder. There was no hand there. Easing himself on the bed again, he let out a sigh of relief. He checked his warch: 1:3O a.m. 7.31. Hey, I've been sixteen for and hour and half. I wonder whether the Dursleys would ignore my birthday as usual, he asked himself before finally drifting to peaceful and dreamless sleep.

He awoke at 10 a.m., feeling totally relaxed. He tried to remember, if he had any dreams but couldn't think of any. He got up and put on his glasses and went downstairs to have some breakfast, snatching today's copy of the Daily Prophet from the table. The Dursleys were gone. As he was expecting there were no presents waiting for him, no surprise party. He took some food out of the fridge, sat to the table and started to read the Daily Prophet. Nothing fishy happened lately, the newspaper were full of vague reports of latest events and theories, what might be the Voldemort´s plans.

He was on his way back to his room, when he heard a door bell.

Curious, he went to the door and opened them.

"Surprise, Harry!" yelled Ron, Fred, George, Ginny and Mr. Weaslys in union, as squealing Hermione jumped on him and embraced him in a rib- breaking hug.

"Why... What are you doing here?" he stuttered, as Hermione let him go.

"Well, I hope you are ready to go. We are here to pick you up." Said Mr. Weasly, beaming.

Harry couldn't believe his ears. He was leaving! Finally.

"Hurry up, Harry, I don't think you would like to be here when your uncle returns," Mr. Weasly said.

"Why? Not another imaginary lawn competition.?" he asked Mr. Weasly with a grin.

"Sort of.. Fred, George take care of Harry's luggage. We don't want to be late for Harry's birthday party."

"A birthday party?" Harry asked unbelievably.

"What, did you think, that we forgot about it?" said Ginny with a wink.

Harry couldn't believe this. A birthday party!

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"To Grimwald place," said Ron. Harry gulped. He would appreciate more if they would go to Burrow, not to place, where everything would remind him of Sirius. "We are going to use a Portkey. We could use Floo now, when the Order and Ministry are on the same boat again, but dad doesn't want to ruin muggle´s living room again."

Mr. Weasly left a note to Dursleys on the dining room, and joined them again. Meantime Fred and George brought down Harry's suitcase-he was always packed and ready to go, as if he was expecting something like this might happen.

"Ok, are we ready to go? Wait, I need to Desillusion us, we don't want to make a commotion, do we?" He cast the spell on each person in the group. "Shame we couldn´t have stayed longer, I would like to see this house more through fully."

Ron rolled his eyes, and catching Harry's eyes he grinned. As they stepped out, Mr. Weasly stopped abruptly.

"Just a moment, we don't want to get your relatives robbed, do we?" asked Mr. Weasly as he pointed his wand at the door.

"Colloportus!"

"But Mr. Weasly, would be the Dursleys able to open the door with an ordinary key?" Harry asked him curiously.

"Honestly, Harry, I don't care." Mr. Weasly said with a wink. "Now gather around, everybody..."