A/N I got fantastic feedback on that last one! You guys are wicked! Anyway, I've decided to update just because of your absolutely MARVELOUS behavior. I'm sorry, I completely forgot to thank my reviewers from chapter three, so they'll be at the bottom along with the thanks to chapter 4 reviewers. I saw Prisoner of Azkaban last week. It was okay, but Alfonso Cuaron didn't read the books, and you can tell. I dunno, maybe it's my nitpicking. Anyway, I got to see the cast, which included a lot of my favorite actors. Especially blush Rupert. I love those guys. Except Emma, but I think that might just be jealousy. Anyway, on with the fic.
The Dursley Reaction
"Boy! Get down here! You have to, I mean, I'd like you to trim the hedge," Vernon Dursley yelled as pleasantly as was possible for him. The image of that crazy man with the creepy eye was still imprinted firmly in his brain. He was still bossing Harry around, but was being much more careful of his demands these days. After all, the memory of the bill from when Dudley had his tail removed was still fresh in his mind.
"Whatever you say Uncle Vernon," Harry said softly. His reply from Ginny hadn't come back yet, and he had sent it a week ago! He should have left for the Burrow six days ago! In the distance, Harry saw a black speck just as he began to go out the door sullenly. "Probably just an airplane," Harry thought in a rather depressed manner. After a moment, the black speck began getting larger and turning whiter. "HEDWIG!" Harry cried. As she grew nearer, Hedwig turned a somersault in the air and fell directly into the chimney of a house two streets away. Harry, as he sprinted down the stairs, reflected on how draggled her feathers looked, and how thin and weak her appearance was. He burst into the front yard, but only then did he stop to consider his options. After deciding to just go with the flow, Harry crept up to the window of the house. He recognized it as Pierce Polkiss's house, but all the lights were out.
"I wish Sirius's knife hadn't melted in the Department of Mysteries," Harry thought miserably as a pang of grief surfaced at the memory.
"Got to get past that now, Hedwig could be dying!" he thought urgently. "If I could just…Oh!" Harry realized that there was small hole in the side of the window. "Termites!" Harry exclaimed as he remembered the muggle circus-like tent covering Pierce's house. Pierce and his family had stayed at a hotel nearby, and his parents loved to remind the Dursleys that their house was the only perfectly insect-free house on the block. In fact, Harry had seen Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon discussing plans to have their house exterminated too; it was only a matter of making sure the Polkisses were not on holiday at the time…
"If I could just reach the latch with my wand…" Harry said aloud, as he stuck his wand in the tiny hole and jostled it around. "Who says you can't use your wand during summer holiday?" he thought, chuckling a bit to himself. After the small matter of turning the wand to the left instead of facing forward, the latch was lifted and Harry slid open the window. He hoisted himself inside and ran around like a lunatic, searching for the fireplace. He found Hedwig lying in the soot, her beautiful white feathers mottled with black.
"Oh no, Hedwig!" Harry thought as he gingerly lifted her up. "I'll take care of you!" Speaking in a low, reassuring voice, he carried his beloved owl to the window. After making a crude sling out of his jacket, Harry was able to climb out of the window with Hedwig hanging in the equivalent to a hammock by his side. As he ran back to the Dursleys', he cradled Hedwig in his arms and made a plan. He would have to use the Knight Bus to get to Hogwarts. Hedwig needed Hagrid's attention. As he threw his clothes into his trunk, Harry noticed the letter.
"An envelope?" he thought to himself. Opening the letter, his distress was lightened somewhat when he saw that it was from Ginny. And there was floo powder too! "This is a miracle! Ginny sounds interested, I get to go to the Weasley's, and if Charlie is there, he'll be able to help Hedwig!" Racing down the stairs, Harry scraped the floo powder from around the edges of the envelope and threw it into the fireplace. "The Burrow!" he yelled as clearly as he could. Clutching Hedwig to him as tightly as possible without injuring her, Harry felt the familiar strange spinning sensation…
A/N Oooh, wonder why Hedwig was so late, eh? And injured? Cackle
Here are the thanks to my lovely lovely reviewers!
Jamiebell Hon, Ron isn't going to notice anything out of the ordinary; he's Ron. Lol. Thanks for the great advice. I don't know when I'll use it, but you can be sure I will.
Pollywag93 Oh, this won't be the last you see of the gnomes. You can be sure of that. Evil Laughter
Riotgirl2718 Thanks! I read some of your stories too, and they're brilliant!
danschickie That was SO flattering, I almost cried. I truly did. And of course they're the "awesomest" couples. They're the ONLY couples. At least, I like to think so. Tee-hee.
'Mione Weasley Aaaaw, shucks.
Mary-V Thanks! I'm glad you guys like it.
Fairypixie03 LOL! That was so cute, that little "OH!!!" It made me laugh so hard. Anyway, thanks for being so nice!
Thanks guys for reviewing so positively! It's good for my self esteem. giggle blush Ciao for now
The Dursley Reaction
"Boy! Get down here! You have to, I mean, I'd like you to trim the hedge," Vernon Dursley yelled as pleasantly as was possible for him. The image of that crazy man with the creepy eye was still imprinted firmly in his brain. He was still bossing Harry around, but was being much more careful of his demands these days. After all, the memory of the bill from when Dudley had his tail removed was still fresh in his mind.
"Whatever you say Uncle Vernon," Harry said softly. His reply from Ginny hadn't come back yet, and he had sent it a week ago! He should have left for the Burrow six days ago! In the distance, Harry saw a black speck just as he began to go out the door sullenly. "Probably just an airplane," Harry thought in a rather depressed manner. After a moment, the black speck began getting larger and turning whiter. "HEDWIG!" Harry cried. As she grew nearer, Hedwig turned a somersault in the air and fell directly into the chimney of a house two streets away. Harry, as he sprinted down the stairs, reflected on how draggled her feathers looked, and how thin and weak her appearance was. He burst into the front yard, but only then did he stop to consider his options. After deciding to just go with the flow, Harry crept up to the window of the house. He recognized it as Pierce Polkiss's house, but all the lights were out.
"I wish Sirius's knife hadn't melted in the Department of Mysteries," Harry thought miserably as a pang of grief surfaced at the memory.
"Got to get past that now, Hedwig could be dying!" he thought urgently. "If I could just…Oh!" Harry realized that there was small hole in the side of the window. "Termites!" Harry exclaimed as he remembered the muggle circus-like tent covering Pierce's house. Pierce and his family had stayed at a hotel nearby, and his parents loved to remind the Dursleys that their house was the only perfectly insect-free house on the block. In fact, Harry had seen Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon discussing plans to have their house exterminated too; it was only a matter of making sure the Polkisses were not on holiday at the time…
"If I could just reach the latch with my wand…" Harry said aloud, as he stuck his wand in the tiny hole and jostled it around. "Who says you can't use your wand during summer holiday?" he thought, chuckling a bit to himself. After the small matter of turning the wand to the left instead of facing forward, the latch was lifted and Harry slid open the window. He hoisted himself inside and ran around like a lunatic, searching for the fireplace. He found Hedwig lying in the soot, her beautiful white feathers mottled with black.
"Oh no, Hedwig!" Harry thought as he gingerly lifted her up. "I'll take care of you!" Speaking in a low, reassuring voice, he carried his beloved owl to the window. After making a crude sling out of his jacket, Harry was able to climb out of the window with Hedwig hanging in the equivalent to a hammock by his side. As he ran back to the Dursleys', he cradled Hedwig in his arms and made a plan. He would have to use the Knight Bus to get to Hogwarts. Hedwig needed Hagrid's attention. As he threw his clothes into his trunk, Harry noticed the letter.
"An envelope?" he thought to himself. Opening the letter, his distress was lightened somewhat when he saw that it was from Ginny. And there was floo powder too! "This is a miracle! Ginny sounds interested, I get to go to the Weasley's, and if Charlie is there, he'll be able to help Hedwig!" Racing down the stairs, Harry scraped the floo powder from around the edges of the envelope and threw it into the fireplace. "The Burrow!" he yelled as clearly as he could. Clutching Hedwig to him as tightly as possible without injuring her, Harry felt the familiar strange spinning sensation…
A/N Oooh, wonder why Hedwig was so late, eh? And injured? Cackle
Here are the thanks to my lovely lovely reviewers!
Jamiebell Hon, Ron isn't going to notice anything out of the ordinary; he's Ron. Lol. Thanks for the great advice. I don't know when I'll use it, but you can be sure I will.
Pollywag93 Oh, this won't be the last you see of the gnomes. You can be sure of that. Evil Laughter
Riotgirl2718 Thanks! I read some of your stories too, and they're brilliant!
danschickie That was SO flattering, I almost cried. I truly did. And of course they're the "awesomest" couples. They're the ONLY couples. At least, I like to think so. Tee-hee.
'Mione Weasley Aaaaw, shucks.
Mary-V Thanks! I'm glad you guys like it.
Fairypixie03 LOL! That was so cute, that little "OH!!!" It made me laugh so hard. Anyway, thanks for being so nice!
Thanks guys for reviewing so positively! It's good for my self esteem. giggle blush Ciao for now