Someday, I will own something of great value. This will not be Harry Potter, as J K Rowling already owns that.
To School At Last
There was a loud hoot. Harry woke with a start to see an extremely average looking pair of owls, carrying no identifying bands hovering outside is window, Hedwig having announced their presence. Harry opened the window, and they swept in, depositing a large sack on his bed. Apparently, they were very used to this, as they matter-of-factly took a drink of Hedwig's water and soared silently out, without even hooting a greeting at her. She ruffled her feathers, looking rather insulted. Harry could see why, she was a beautiful owl in the prime of her life... wow, he had to get back to school. He was starting to develop a romantic interest in his owl. Sad.
He turned his attention to the package on his bed. It was quite heavy, wrapped in plain muggle wrapping paper and tied with twine. Harry untied the knot and quietly opened the paper, not wanting to wake his cousin next door. He may have been of age, but Dumbledore had forbidden him to use magic unless death or capture threatened in case the Death Eaters could track it. After tedious unfolding, untying, and more unfolding, Harry saw the package contained all of his school books, even a few refills for his potion kit. A small piece of paper had fallen out, and Hedwig had just picked it up to see if it was any good to eat. "No, Hedwig, give me that." She glared at him and fluttered of to ignore him in a corner. As soon as his fingers touched the paper, words flowed across it like an invisible quill.
"Mr. Potter, here are your school things. The cost has been wired to your account in Diagon Alley, as it is now too late to go shopping on your own." This was true. After the incident with Shacklebolt, no one had come to collect him. The only news was a note from Mrs. Weasley saying to stay put, and tomorrow morning was when he was supposed to board the Hogwarts Express. The Dursleys had refused to take him, probably terrified they'd be attacked. They were probably right too, Harry couldn't really blame them. He kept reading. "In case this is intercepted by the wrong hands, and the fingerprint charm is broken, no further details will be given. We will see you at school, Mr. Potter." It was signed Professor McGonnagal. Harry looked up confused, then dropped the note and stifled a yelp as it burst into flames. "Just a little paranoid, are we?" he asked the pile of ash now sitting on his floor.
How was he supposed to get to school with no instructions, no way to get himself to Platform 9 ¾, and only one day left to figure it out? He shrugged, and put the books into his trunk. It was already packed, although he couldn't really figure out how he'd get it to school. He was just about to climb back into bed when he heard a ping against his window. With a groan, because he was now getting kind of sleepy again, he walked back to his window. Standing on the lawn were Professors Dumbledore, McGonnagal, and Lupin (he'd taken back over DADA when Mr. Weasley was elected Minister of Education) accompanied by four aurors, and a handful of rather cold, scared looking students in their pajamas.
"Get down here, Potter, you're the last one!" Harry stared stupidly for a minute, when a girl he suddenly recognized as Hermionie stamped her foot and whispered loudly,
"Come on, Harry, do you want to go to school or not? Toss down your trunk and Hedwig. Quick, before someone sees us!" He snapped out of it, and went to pull his trunk over to the window. The Creevy brothers (this year's new beaters. They'd muscled out quite a bit) were waiting to catch it, and he passed down Hedwig's empty cage, shooing her out the window and telling her to be quiet. She looked disdainfully at him, soaring out quieter than a cloud. Harry followed suit, gliding down on his Firebolt rather that risk a jump to the ground.
"Good, that's everyone now. Please grab hold of your trunks, and touch this portkey, that's the way." McGonnagal was still as upright and normal sounding as ever, despite the fact they were all standing in the dark in their pajamas. Harry felt the usual pull in his navel, and found himself facing the Hogwarts Express. "Please board, the other students will be arriving at the normal time. You may finish your sleep on the train if you wish."
"What's going on?" Harry asked Hermionie.
"Don't you get it? It's too dangerous for the students to get here without full-grown wizards guarding them. All the muggle-born wizards are being picked up in small groups. See? There's Dean Thomas over there, with all those first years. Those with magical families will be arriving same as always, or maybe with Ministry guards."
"Oh." Harry was starting to feel stupid from lack of sleep.
Hermionie must have noticed, because she said, "Oh, come on, let's get some seats. You can come into the prefect car if you want, it's much bigger, and I'm the only one here yet."
"Okay..." Harry followed Hermionie through the train, excited about school, but right now too tired to care much, and sank down onto a nice, big, comfortable chair. Maybe I should have been a prefect, he thought, before he sank into complete oblivion.