Chapter 1: Free At Last
It was a gorgeous summer day in the town of Surrey; the sun was shining and the mist from the sprinklers was in the air. The flowers were in bloom, smiling at the bright, warm sun that cast shadows on the trees. The neighborhood was happy and people seemed more cheerful now that summer vacation was actually taking place. Everyone was cheerful, especially Harry Potter. Harry was a tall and slender sixteen year old with pale white cheeks, and a stunning smile. His black untidy hair ruffled in the midday breeze and his green eyes hid behind the black-tinted sunglasses worn on his nose. The scar on Harry's forehead could be seen under the midnight locks telling his whole history.
Lily and James Potter were proud parents the day that Harry was born. He was their pride and joy, until the horrifying night when the most evil villain, the darkest wizard, the hellish devil, Lord Voldemort, entered the Potter home. Voldemort's greatest hope was to become the greatest sorcerer in the world. He came to kill Harry that night, and while doing so, Lily and James stepped in front of their son to protect him and were murdered by the great lord. Harry, being only a baby had no magical talent, or any power in him, and yet he survived the evil curse on which Voldemort had lain upon him that same night. Voldemort lost all power and strength and fled, while Harry remained alive, safe, and untouched, all except for the scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead.
"-So, I will hopefully hear from you soon and, well, enjoy your summer...Harry" Harry said aloud finishing his letters to his friends, Ron and Hermione. Harry rolled up the parchment and tied them with string. "Here, Hedwig, take these to Ron and Hermione." Harry said gently as he stroked his owl's soft, white feathers and looked in to her golden eyes. "Thanks, girl." Hedwig pecked Harry's finger with affection and took flight. Harry watched as the speck of white faded into the clouds.
"This is going to be a great summer," Harry said excitedly. "No more listening to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. This is the last summer I stay with them, I'm not going to let it go to waste." Harry got up and walked across the lawn of number four Privet Drive and began walking down the sidewalk. He was just enjoying the summer day, watching people working in their gardens, washing their cars, and watching the children run around playing tag. Harry walked to the park and sat on the swings. He began rocking back and forth when all of a sudden he heard a type of screeching noise. Harry looked around for a bird, but there wasn't one in site. The sound kept getting closer and Harry was wondering what in the world it was. Where is that sound coming from? Harry wondered in amazement. Then, he heard a flapping of wings; the sound was coming right for him. Harry's grip on the metal swings tightened. Harry felt a huge gust of wind come from behind him, so he turned around abruptly and saw a huge grayish-white hippogriff.
"BUCKBEAK!" Harry screamed and began running for him. The hippogriff flared its nostrils and made a grunting noise. "Oh, whoops, sorry. I forgot." Harry slowly bent over and bowed low. The hippogriff bowed back, and allowed Harry to touch him. "BUCKBEAK! What are you doing here?" Harry asked the creature as if it could talk. "I haven't seen you since the last time I saw Sirius. What are you doing here? Where have you been?" Harry put his arms around Buckbeak's neck and gave it a squeeze. "How did you know where to find me?" Harry asked. The hippogriff just grunted and nudged Harry's shoulder affectionately. He motioned for Harry to get on him. "I can't, Bucky, I haven't anything with me." The hippogriff still grunted and began pounding his hooves on the ground. "Buckbeak, listen, just stay here. I'm going to go get my things." The hippogriff lay down in the grass as if understanding Harry's words.
Harry ran as fast as he could to number four Privet Drive and burst through the door and ran up the steps.
"Potter! What are you doing, boy?" Came the voice of Uncle Vernon, but Harry didn't care. He was so eager to leave, that all he was thinking was that he'd never have to look at Vernon, Petunia, or Dudley Dursley again in his life. He was quick to pack his things, clothes, books, all his school stuff, money, and Hedwig's cage all into his trunk. He was about to run back downstairs when a small gray owl came flying in with a letter.
"What's this?" Harry asked dropping his trunk onto the floor. He opened the letter and began reading aloud.
"Harry, it's Hermione. Buckbeak came to me a week ago, he's been staying at my parent's house with me. I've been taking care of him, watch for his sprained ankle. I don't know how he found me, or how he's even still alive. But anyway, never mind that, I sent him to you so that you can get out of the Dursley house and you won't have to stay there and put up with them all summer. My mum and dad said they'd love to have you. Just gather your things and tie them to his harness in the back. It should hold your trunk and anything else you have. Hope to see you soon, your friend, Hermione Granger." Harry smiled and folded the letter and put it into his jeans pocket and scrambled down the stairs dragging his trunk with him. He popped his head into the living room where Uncle Vernon was sitting reading the newspaper.
"Goodbye, Vernon, thanks for everything. Tell Aunt Petunia that I hope she stays well and tell Dudley that I hope he makes some friends in his lifetime and that he finds someone that will have him no matter what he looks like. Goodbye." He said and walked straight out the door and began running on the sidewalk with his trunk rattling behind him on the pavement. He could hear Vernon yelling from inside the house, but Harry acted as if he couldn't hear him. When he reached the park, Buckbeak was still lying in the grass.
"Ok, Buckbeak, I'm ready. Let's go." Harry said fastening his trunk to the harness. He hopped up on Buckbeak and held the reins in his hands, he gave his sides a kick, and then before he knew it he was lifting up into the summer air and then soon speeding away up and beyond the clouds. Harry gripped Buckbeak's neck and held on looking ahead, his hair flying back in the wind. Harry never had to look back, now that he was on his way to making a life of his own. Harry held on tight to the hippogriff that was flying carelessly into the summer breeze, and looked straight into the summer sky excitement running through his veins. He was so happy that he was leaving the Dursley's, that he was with Buckbeak, that he was on his way to his best friends house, but more than anything, he was happy to be free at last.
It was a gorgeous summer day in the town of Surrey; the sun was shining and the mist from the sprinklers was in the air. The flowers were in bloom, smiling at the bright, warm sun that cast shadows on the trees. The neighborhood was happy and people seemed more cheerful now that summer vacation was actually taking place. Everyone was cheerful, especially Harry Potter. Harry was a tall and slender sixteen year old with pale white cheeks, and a stunning smile. His black untidy hair ruffled in the midday breeze and his green eyes hid behind the black-tinted sunglasses worn on his nose. The scar on Harry's forehead could be seen under the midnight locks telling his whole history.
Lily and James Potter were proud parents the day that Harry was born. He was their pride and joy, until the horrifying night when the most evil villain, the darkest wizard, the hellish devil, Lord Voldemort, entered the Potter home. Voldemort's greatest hope was to become the greatest sorcerer in the world. He came to kill Harry that night, and while doing so, Lily and James stepped in front of their son to protect him and were murdered by the great lord. Harry, being only a baby had no magical talent, or any power in him, and yet he survived the evil curse on which Voldemort had lain upon him that same night. Voldemort lost all power and strength and fled, while Harry remained alive, safe, and untouched, all except for the scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead.
"-So, I will hopefully hear from you soon and, well, enjoy your summer...Harry" Harry said aloud finishing his letters to his friends, Ron and Hermione. Harry rolled up the parchment and tied them with string. "Here, Hedwig, take these to Ron and Hermione." Harry said gently as he stroked his owl's soft, white feathers and looked in to her golden eyes. "Thanks, girl." Hedwig pecked Harry's finger with affection and took flight. Harry watched as the speck of white faded into the clouds.
"This is going to be a great summer," Harry said excitedly. "No more listening to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. This is the last summer I stay with them, I'm not going to let it go to waste." Harry got up and walked across the lawn of number four Privet Drive and began walking down the sidewalk. He was just enjoying the summer day, watching people working in their gardens, washing their cars, and watching the children run around playing tag. Harry walked to the park and sat on the swings. He began rocking back and forth when all of a sudden he heard a type of screeching noise. Harry looked around for a bird, but there wasn't one in site. The sound kept getting closer and Harry was wondering what in the world it was. Where is that sound coming from? Harry wondered in amazement. Then, he heard a flapping of wings; the sound was coming right for him. Harry's grip on the metal swings tightened. Harry felt a huge gust of wind come from behind him, so he turned around abruptly and saw a huge grayish-white hippogriff.
"BUCKBEAK!" Harry screamed and began running for him. The hippogriff flared its nostrils and made a grunting noise. "Oh, whoops, sorry. I forgot." Harry slowly bent over and bowed low. The hippogriff bowed back, and allowed Harry to touch him. "BUCKBEAK! What are you doing here?" Harry asked the creature as if it could talk. "I haven't seen you since the last time I saw Sirius. What are you doing here? Where have you been?" Harry put his arms around Buckbeak's neck and gave it a squeeze. "How did you know where to find me?" Harry asked. The hippogriff just grunted and nudged Harry's shoulder affectionately. He motioned for Harry to get on him. "I can't, Bucky, I haven't anything with me." The hippogriff still grunted and began pounding his hooves on the ground. "Buckbeak, listen, just stay here. I'm going to go get my things." The hippogriff lay down in the grass as if understanding Harry's words.
Harry ran as fast as he could to number four Privet Drive and burst through the door and ran up the steps.
"Potter! What are you doing, boy?" Came the voice of Uncle Vernon, but Harry didn't care. He was so eager to leave, that all he was thinking was that he'd never have to look at Vernon, Petunia, or Dudley Dursley again in his life. He was quick to pack his things, clothes, books, all his school stuff, money, and Hedwig's cage all into his trunk. He was about to run back downstairs when a small gray owl came flying in with a letter.
"What's this?" Harry asked dropping his trunk onto the floor. He opened the letter and began reading aloud.
"Harry, it's Hermione. Buckbeak came to me a week ago, he's been staying at my parent's house with me. I've been taking care of him, watch for his sprained ankle. I don't know how he found me, or how he's even still alive. But anyway, never mind that, I sent him to you so that you can get out of the Dursley house and you won't have to stay there and put up with them all summer. My mum and dad said they'd love to have you. Just gather your things and tie them to his harness in the back. It should hold your trunk and anything else you have. Hope to see you soon, your friend, Hermione Granger." Harry smiled and folded the letter and put it into his jeans pocket and scrambled down the stairs dragging his trunk with him. He popped his head into the living room where Uncle Vernon was sitting reading the newspaper.
"Goodbye, Vernon, thanks for everything. Tell Aunt Petunia that I hope she stays well and tell Dudley that I hope he makes some friends in his lifetime and that he finds someone that will have him no matter what he looks like. Goodbye." He said and walked straight out the door and began running on the sidewalk with his trunk rattling behind him on the pavement. He could hear Vernon yelling from inside the house, but Harry acted as if he couldn't hear him. When he reached the park, Buckbeak was still lying in the grass.
"Ok, Buckbeak, I'm ready. Let's go." Harry said fastening his trunk to the harness. He hopped up on Buckbeak and held the reins in his hands, he gave his sides a kick, and then before he knew it he was lifting up into the summer air and then soon speeding away up and beyond the clouds. Harry gripped Buckbeak's neck and held on looking ahead, his hair flying back in the wind. Harry never had to look back, now that he was on his way to making a life of his own. Harry held on tight to the hippogriff that was flying carelessly into the summer breeze, and looked straight into the summer sky excitement running through his veins. He was so happy that he was leaving the Dursley's, that he was with Buckbeak, that he was on his way to his best friends house, but more than anything, he was happy to be free at last.