Chapter 3
OWL´s and the Letters from Hogwarts
It was nearly a week later, and Harry found he had finally gotten used to living with the Grangers. He and Hermione came down to breakfast, and Mrs. Granger was there to meet them with a smile.
"Good morning, you two. You've both received a few letters in the post," she said, pointing over to the nearby buffet table. They looked up in surprise to find the Weasley's ancient and decrepit owl, Errol, drinking water from a bowl Mrs. Granger had set out for him. There also was some unknown brown owl sitting quite dignified upon a perch. Must be one of the school owls, Harry thought to himself. Harry took the letter from the Hogwarts owl who took off out the window once his job had been completed.
"Hermione, it´s our Hogwarts letters," Harry announced, then braced himself, adding, "and our OWL results too."
Hermione's small hand snapped out and nabbed her exam results letter. After a quick, nervous perusal of her results, she informed Harry, "I passed everything with perfect scores," she said with a combination of relief and pride.
Didn't do nearly as well as all that, Harry thought to himself, as he lokked upon his own marks. He had passed---though only barely--- Potions, Defense against the Dark Arts, Transfigurations, Charms, and Magical history, as well as Care for Magical Creatures. "I passed everything too, Hermione. I guess that meens I may start Auror training this year," Harry declared. He then looked down in his hand at his school letter, passing over Hermione's letter to her, before opening his own.
The letter was the usual one, which said that the school train would depart from Platform 9 and ¾ on the 1st of September. It went on to state that only three new books would be required this year. "Well, here's the new books we need this year," Harry said aloud, reading from the letter.
"Transfigurations for Grade Six by Rutt Mose," Harry intoned.
"Intermediary Charms by Lucy Dogface," Hermione then added.
"The Dark Arts in its Many Shapes by Lee Kino," Harry finished.
"Well, that title surely means that we'll most likely have gotten ourselves new Defense Agaisnt the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione reasoned.
It was then that Harry saw an additional note within the envelope that had contained his Hogwarts letter. It read:
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are most pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the new Gryffindor House Quidditch Captain.
Professor Minerva McGonnagal, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts
Meanwhile, Hermione looked upon her letter she'd just gotten from Ron. "Oh, Ron says hello to you, Harry" she informed him. She then turned to her mother. "May Harry and I go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, Mother?"
"Of course you may, honey," Mrs. Granger replied with a smile.
"That's good...because Ron and his family will be going there tomorrow as well," Hermione stated with a barely suppressed smile. She turned toward Harry again. "I forgot to mention to you, Harry, that Ron had sent me an owl a few days before you arrived, saying that Fred and George have moved into a house down by Hogsmeade. They told Ron that they have better luck selling things there than they did in Diagon Alley."
Nicely done, Fred and George, Harry thought with a mental grin.
Harry and Hermione ate their breakfast, being sure they gave thanks for their food. Harry, after finishing his meal, went out and lied down in the hammock in the Granger's garden. He gasped as he felt his scar burn, something he had finally become used to, since Lord Voldemort had returned some two years ago. He remembered everything that had happened in the Ministry of Magic that gloomy last year. He remembered the triumphant look on Bellatrix Lestrange's face when she had indirectly killed Sirius Black, Harry's former godfather. Harry was glad that he was now alone, as he could not stop a tear of sadness from splashing upon his cheek. It was then that it occurred to him that he no longer had any magical family of his own... only the Muggles, the Dursleys. With those gloomy thoughts whirling in his head, he felt oddly depressed, and tired. He closed his eyes, and much to his surprise, fell sound asleep...
"Harry? Harry, you got to wake up," a voice pleaded with him.
"Huh?" Harry murmured, looking blearily up at the owner of the voice. All he saw was a blurred figure, and his hope's rose unexpectantly. "I-I-Is that you, Cho?" he asked in a muzzy voice.
"Oh, Harry...I've missed you so much," the voice, definitely female said...though, come to think of it, it really didn't sound much like Cho Chang to him. The figure finally came into focus, and Harry glared up at the smugly smiling Hermione Granger. "Geez! Hermione...don't do that!" Harry growled at her.
"Sorry, Harry...I just couldn't resist," she teased. "Besides that's just a payback for your teasing me about Ron yesterday."
"All right, all right," Harry groused, and straigthened his round spectacles upon his nose.
"Come on now. You have to get up, as we must get ready for tomorrow, silly."
"Hermione, we're only going to buy three books and some supplies," Harry reminded her. "It's not like it's some big deal, you know..."
Hermione looked back at him with a sad expression.
"Sorry, I forgot," Harry said apologetically. It´s a rather big day for you, isn't it? You get to see Ron again."
"Splendid! That's much better, Harry," Hermione replied, and then together they went back up to the house.
OWL´s and the Letters from Hogwarts
It was nearly a week later, and Harry found he had finally gotten used to living with the Grangers. He and Hermione came down to breakfast, and Mrs. Granger was there to meet them with a smile.
"Good morning, you two. You've both received a few letters in the post," she said, pointing over to the nearby buffet table. They looked up in surprise to find the Weasley's ancient and decrepit owl, Errol, drinking water from a bowl Mrs. Granger had set out for him. There also was some unknown brown owl sitting quite dignified upon a perch. Must be one of the school owls, Harry thought to himself. Harry took the letter from the Hogwarts owl who took off out the window once his job had been completed.
"Hermione, it´s our Hogwarts letters," Harry announced, then braced himself, adding, "and our OWL results too."
Hermione's small hand snapped out and nabbed her exam results letter. After a quick, nervous perusal of her results, she informed Harry, "I passed everything with perfect scores," she said with a combination of relief and pride.
Didn't do nearly as well as all that, Harry thought to himself, as he lokked upon his own marks. He had passed---though only barely--- Potions, Defense against the Dark Arts, Transfigurations, Charms, and Magical history, as well as Care for Magical Creatures. "I passed everything too, Hermione. I guess that meens I may start Auror training this year," Harry declared. He then looked down in his hand at his school letter, passing over Hermione's letter to her, before opening his own.
The letter was the usual one, which said that the school train would depart from Platform 9 and ¾ on the 1st of September. It went on to state that only three new books would be required this year. "Well, here's the new books we need this year," Harry said aloud, reading from the letter.
"Transfigurations for Grade Six by Rutt Mose," Harry intoned.
"Intermediary Charms by Lucy Dogface," Hermione then added.
"The Dark Arts in its Many Shapes by Lee Kino," Harry finished.
"Well, that title surely means that we'll most likely have gotten ourselves new Defense Agaisnt the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione reasoned.
It was then that Harry saw an additional note within the envelope that had contained his Hogwarts letter. It read:
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are most pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the new Gryffindor House Quidditch Captain.
Professor Minerva McGonnagal, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts
Meanwhile, Hermione looked upon her letter she'd just gotten from Ron. "Oh, Ron says hello to you, Harry" she informed him. She then turned to her mother. "May Harry and I go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, Mother?"
"Of course you may, honey," Mrs. Granger replied with a smile.
"That's good...because Ron and his family will be going there tomorrow as well," Hermione stated with a barely suppressed smile. She turned toward Harry again. "I forgot to mention to you, Harry, that Ron had sent me an owl a few days before you arrived, saying that Fred and George have moved into a house down by Hogsmeade. They told Ron that they have better luck selling things there than they did in Diagon Alley."
Nicely done, Fred and George, Harry thought with a mental grin.
Harry and Hermione ate their breakfast, being sure they gave thanks for their food. Harry, after finishing his meal, went out and lied down in the hammock in the Granger's garden. He gasped as he felt his scar burn, something he had finally become used to, since Lord Voldemort had returned some two years ago. He remembered everything that had happened in the Ministry of Magic that gloomy last year. He remembered the triumphant look on Bellatrix Lestrange's face when she had indirectly killed Sirius Black, Harry's former godfather. Harry was glad that he was now alone, as he could not stop a tear of sadness from splashing upon his cheek. It was then that it occurred to him that he no longer had any magical family of his own... only the Muggles, the Dursleys. With those gloomy thoughts whirling in his head, he felt oddly depressed, and tired. He closed his eyes, and much to his surprise, fell sound asleep...
"Harry? Harry, you got to wake up," a voice pleaded with him.
"Huh?" Harry murmured, looking blearily up at the owner of the voice. All he saw was a blurred figure, and his hope's rose unexpectantly. "I-I-Is that you, Cho?" he asked in a muzzy voice.
"Oh, Harry...I've missed you so much," the voice, definitely female said...though, come to think of it, it really didn't sound much like Cho Chang to him. The figure finally came into focus, and Harry glared up at the smugly smiling Hermione Granger. "Geez! Hermione...don't do that!" Harry growled at her.
"Sorry, Harry...I just couldn't resist," she teased. "Besides that's just a payback for your teasing me about Ron yesterday."
"All right, all right," Harry groused, and straigthened his round spectacles upon his nose.
"Come on now. You have to get up, as we must get ready for tomorrow, silly."
"Hermione, we're only going to buy three books and some supplies," Harry reminded her. "It's not like it's some big deal, you know..."
Hermione looked back at him with a sad expression.
"Sorry, I forgot," Harry said apologetically. It´s a rather big day for you, isn't it? You get to see Ron again."
"Splendid! That's much better, Harry," Hermione replied, and then together they went back up to the house.