CHAPTER 3: Dumbledore's Letter
Hermione handed the envelope to Harry. Harry read the letter aloud:
- Dear Hermione, I've got an urgent task for you. This will not be easy. Although this involves Harry, Ron, and yourself, I've only sent you this letter for I know you are most capable of fulfilling my orders. What I need you to do first is to fetch Harry from Privet Street as soon as you're done reading this. I've already sent a letter to Ron telling him to stay put at his house. It is most important of all that after you retrieve Harry, you are to go to the Weaslys residence to fetch Ron. After you have done that, you will have to head to platform 9¾. I know it's still a month till term starts but I need you three at Hogwarts as soon as possible. When you get to the Weaslys send me an owl. I'll meet you at the platform the very next day. I would be doing this myself, but with Voldemort returning I must not leave Hogwarts. Don't forget that being on time is crucial. Hermione, I trust in you.
Dumbledore-
Not as if Harry's wasn't confused enough, now he was curious about what Dumbledore wanted with Hermione, Ron, and himself. He read and reread the letter to make sure he had read what he read. He looked at Hermione in puzzlement. She shrugged and told Harry that they'll be leaving for the Weaslys first thing next morning. Harry seeing that there was no point in trying to figure it out decided to ask Hermione for a place to sleep. Hermione led him up the spiral staircase to the second floor. He saw four doors down the hall way, one which was Hermione's bedroom and a second which was a study and a third which was a guest bedroom and the fourth being a bathroom. Hermione led him down the hall into the third room. The room was pure white, and mostly empty. They both agreed to get his things from the foyer later. They were both too exhausted and sleepy to move another muscle.
"I'll wake you up when it's time for dinner, " Hermione said with a yawn.
Harry nodded and got into the bed. He looked at the clock. It was now almost 9:00am. Realizing he hadn't got any sleep the night before he dozed off in an instant.
Harry awoke at the sound of Hermione rushing back and forth down the hall with something large clattering about. He sat up and put on his glasses. He saw that all his things were now in the room. Hermione returned to set down the last of his things, Hedwig's cage. Harry forgot about Hedwig till then.
"Hermione, I sent a letter to Ron just before you came for me. You reckon Hedwig will know I'm here? "Harry asked, looking down.
"Oh don't worry, Mr. Weasly, being the muggle crazy man he is, told Ron to give me a call with the telephone when he got the letter earlier this afternoon. He told me that Hedwig arrived with a letter from you and that she was exhausted. Luckily she was still at Ron's when he called, so I told him to just keep her there and that we would arrive the very next morning to get him, "Hermione said, re-assuring Harry.
Harry managed to smile at the fact that Hedwig won't get eaten by Marge or Dudley. He peered at the clock; it was now 5:32 pm. He could smell something delicious cooking in the kitchen. Hermione told him to get up and wash up before supper. She led him into a bathroom which was just across from his guest room. He washed his face and put on some fresh clothes. He could hear Hermione talking to her parents when he arrived to the spiral staircase. He walked slowly down the stairs still examining every inch of the beautiful foyer. He saw a very curious picture. He saw a picture of Hermione's parents holding two babies, one which looked like a baby Hermione and one which gave him a bit of a shock. The second baby in the picture resembled himself. He examined the picture with his nose an inch from the picture.
"Harry, if I didn't know better I'd say your eyes have gotten worse," Hermione said with a playful tone in her voice.
"Who is that baby boy being held by your mother? - "
"Oh, I can't believe I never told you. That is you Harry. My parents never told me why you were in this picture. They just said when I'm old enough I'll know. Still very curious to me also. - "
"Strange, so we actually knew each other even before we could speak -"
"Looks like it," Hermione said with a bright smile. "Come now, it's time for supper"
Harry followed her still looking back at the picture. They went through the middle door of the foyer. They entered a long hallway. There were yet more pictures all around the walls of the hallway with book shelves on each side of him. He spotted a door at the end of the hallway that was made of glass. He walked examining every single picture. His stomach lurched as he spotted another picture of himself playing with Hermione. He noticed that he hasn't gotten the scar yet so this must be before Voldemort had killed his parents. He tapped Hermione on the shoulder and pointed to the picture as she turned around to see what Harry wanted. She shrugged and continued to walk. As he entered the kitchen he saw the most incredible kitchen he's ever seen in his life. To the left was a beautifully decorated dining table fit for 8 people. To the right was a marble counter toped kitchen that was large enough to fit 5 chefs at the same time. There was an island in the middle of the kitchen that had pots and pans hanging over head with two extra sinks and cupboards for spices and grains.
"Good evening Harry, "Said Mr. Granger with the warmest smile.
"Hello," Harry said nervously. He realized that he's never conversed with the Hermione's parents before.
"Please sit, don't be shy, "Mrs. Granger said pulling a chair out for him.
Harry thanked them and sat down at the table next to Hermione. He looked at the table which was full of wonderful dishes. There was corn, roasted chicken, steaks seasoned with black peppers, and a green bean casserole. He waited for the Grangers to have the first helping. But naturally Hermione started putting food on Harry's plate. She smiled at him as he thanked her. Harry started eating some of the chicken. He couldn't help thinking about the pictures of himself and Hermione. He wondered if this was a good time to ask Hermione's parents about them. He gathered his courage and spoke up.
"Mr. Granger, umm, I would like to ask you something if you don't mind," Harry asked nervously.
"Sure Harry -"
"Well, when I was walking down to the kitchen, I noticed a few pictures with me in them, when I was a baby, "Harry saw Hermione choke as she stared at Harry astonished. Mr. and Mrs. Granger exchanged a look that clearly said " oh no, he found out ". They whispered to each other for a few minutes. Harry looked over at Hermione, but she just gave a look that said "I have no idea."
"Harry, " Mrs. Granger started. "Your mother and I, we go a long way back a lot to explain really. But you have to know this, you both are now 15 and should know of something your mother and I agreed on 14 years ago. I trust you two to be mature enough to understand, " Mrs.Granger took a deep breath and looked over at her husband. He gave her hand a squeeze as she smiled nervously at Hermione and Harry.
Hermione handed the envelope to Harry. Harry read the letter aloud:
- Dear Hermione, I've got an urgent task for you. This will not be easy. Although this involves Harry, Ron, and yourself, I've only sent you this letter for I know you are most capable of fulfilling my orders. What I need you to do first is to fetch Harry from Privet Street as soon as you're done reading this. I've already sent a letter to Ron telling him to stay put at his house. It is most important of all that after you retrieve Harry, you are to go to the Weaslys residence to fetch Ron. After you have done that, you will have to head to platform 9¾. I know it's still a month till term starts but I need you three at Hogwarts as soon as possible. When you get to the Weaslys send me an owl. I'll meet you at the platform the very next day. I would be doing this myself, but with Voldemort returning I must not leave Hogwarts. Don't forget that being on time is crucial. Hermione, I trust in you.
Dumbledore-
Not as if Harry's wasn't confused enough, now he was curious about what Dumbledore wanted with Hermione, Ron, and himself. He read and reread the letter to make sure he had read what he read. He looked at Hermione in puzzlement. She shrugged and told Harry that they'll be leaving for the Weaslys first thing next morning. Harry seeing that there was no point in trying to figure it out decided to ask Hermione for a place to sleep. Hermione led him up the spiral staircase to the second floor. He saw four doors down the hall way, one which was Hermione's bedroom and a second which was a study and a third which was a guest bedroom and the fourth being a bathroom. Hermione led him down the hall into the third room. The room was pure white, and mostly empty. They both agreed to get his things from the foyer later. They were both too exhausted and sleepy to move another muscle.
"I'll wake you up when it's time for dinner, " Hermione said with a yawn.
Harry nodded and got into the bed. He looked at the clock. It was now almost 9:00am. Realizing he hadn't got any sleep the night before he dozed off in an instant.
Harry awoke at the sound of Hermione rushing back and forth down the hall with something large clattering about. He sat up and put on his glasses. He saw that all his things were now in the room. Hermione returned to set down the last of his things, Hedwig's cage. Harry forgot about Hedwig till then.
"Hermione, I sent a letter to Ron just before you came for me. You reckon Hedwig will know I'm here? "Harry asked, looking down.
"Oh don't worry, Mr. Weasly, being the muggle crazy man he is, told Ron to give me a call with the telephone when he got the letter earlier this afternoon. He told me that Hedwig arrived with a letter from you and that she was exhausted. Luckily she was still at Ron's when he called, so I told him to just keep her there and that we would arrive the very next morning to get him, "Hermione said, re-assuring Harry.
Harry managed to smile at the fact that Hedwig won't get eaten by Marge or Dudley. He peered at the clock; it was now 5:32 pm. He could smell something delicious cooking in the kitchen. Hermione told him to get up and wash up before supper. She led him into a bathroom which was just across from his guest room. He washed his face and put on some fresh clothes. He could hear Hermione talking to her parents when he arrived to the spiral staircase. He walked slowly down the stairs still examining every inch of the beautiful foyer. He saw a very curious picture. He saw a picture of Hermione's parents holding two babies, one which looked like a baby Hermione and one which gave him a bit of a shock. The second baby in the picture resembled himself. He examined the picture with his nose an inch from the picture.
"Harry, if I didn't know better I'd say your eyes have gotten worse," Hermione said with a playful tone in her voice.
"Who is that baby boy being held by your mother? - "
"Oh, I can't believe I never told you. That is you Harry. My parents never told me why you were in this picture. They just said when I'm old enough I'll know. Still very curious to me also. - "
"Strange, so we actually knew each other even before we could speak -"
"Looks like it," Hermione said with a bright smile. "Come now, it's time for supper"
Harry followed her still looking back at the picture. They went through the middle door of the foyer. They entered a long hallway. There were yet more pictures all around the walls of the hallway with book shelves on each side of him. He spotted a door at the end of the hallway that was made of glass. He walked examining every single picture. His stomach lurched as he spotted another picture of himself playing with Hermione. He noticed that he hasn't gotten the scar yet so this must be before Voldemort had killed his parents. He tapped Hermione on the shoulder and pointed to the picture as she turned around to see what Harry wanted. She shrugged and continued to walk. As he entered the kitchen he saw the most incredible kitchen he's ever seen in his life. To the left was a beautifully decorated dining table fit for 8 people. To the right was a marble counter toped kitchen that was large enough to fit 5 chefs at the same time. There was an island in the middle of the kitchen that had pots and pans hanging over head with two extra sinks and cupboards for spices and grains.
"Good evening Harry, "Said Mr. Granger with the warmest smile.
"Hello," Harry said nervously. He realized that he's never conversed with the Hermione's parents before.
"Please sit, don't be shy, "Mrs. Granger said pulling a chair out for him.
Harry thanked them and sat down at the table next to Hermione. He looked at the table which was full of wonderful dishes. There was corn, roasted chicken, steaks seasoned with black peppers, and a green bean casserole. He waited for the Grangers to have the first helping. But naturally Hermione started putting food on Harry's plate. She smiled at him as he thanked her. Harry started eating some of the chicken. He couldn't help thinking about the pictures of himself and Hermione. He wondered if this was a good time to ask Hermione's parents about them. He gathered his courage and spoke up.
"Mr. Granger, umm, I would like to ask you something if you don't mind," Harry asked nervously.
"Sure Harry -"
"Well, when I was walking down to the kitchen, I noticed a few pictures with me in them, when I was a baby, "Harry saw Hermione choke as she stared at Harry astonished. Mr. and Mrs. Granger exchanged a look that clearly said " oh no, he found out ". They whispered to each other for a few minutes. Harry looked over at Hermione, but she just gave a look that said "I have no idea."
"Harry, " Mrs. Granger started. "Your mother and I, we go a long way back a lot to explain really. But you have to know this, you both are now 15 and should know of something your mother and I agreed on 14 years ago. I trust you two to be mature enough to understand, " Mrs.Granger took a deep breath and looked over at her husband. He gave her hand a squeeze as she smiled nervously at Hermione and Harry.