Harry Potter woke up in his horrible little bed on horrible little
Privett Drive. He seemed to be more and more angry at the terrible lack of
communications. The wizarding world had apparently shut him off. He was
supposed to send letters every three days to Remus Lupin, and he had done
so, but had not received any letters back. So, Harry had simply stopped
sending letters. He looked over at the clock; it was 11:59. In one minute
he would be sixteen, and the three-day count would be over. With two
important things happening in one day, owls were guaranteed.
"Come on, change!" Harry whispered to the clock. Almost as if he commanded it, it did. Harry held his breath, nothing happened. Then, he heard a tapping at the window. It sounded like an owl's beak. Hedwig started to screech.
"Potter, shut that damn bird up! The whole neighborhood can here it!" his Uncle Vernon howled from the room next door. Harry rolled his eyes and let the bird in. It dropped off three letters, then went to Hedwig's cage for a hooting. Harry opened the first one carefully. Inside was a letter from Dumbledore himself.
Harry,
Now I know your not being so foolish that you refuse to write simply because Remus and I have not written back.
"Figures he'd know." Muttered Harry. Hedwig was now happily hooting with the black owl that had delivered the letter. Harry read on.
Remember, we do not write for your safety. Now, in this letter is a list of your things for next year. And Harry, I would like to meet with you directly after the feast on your first day back. I'm sure you would like to spend time with your friends, but there has been an occurrence of great importance. I can't mention it in this letter. I shall see you at school.
Albus
"Albus?" Harry wondered out loud. "Since when were we on a first name basis?" Hedwig let out a particularly loud screech.
"Boy, I'm telling you, if that bird-" Vernon started.
"Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry called back. Harry then turned to Hedwig and the Black Owl. "Shut up." Harry placed the letter on his desk. What did Dumbledore want to see him for? He shrugged it off and opened the next letter. He could tell by the writing it was from Hagrid.
Dear Harry,
How are ye? Happy birthday! Grawp's been asking for ye. 'Fraid he's takin' a likin' to ye. And by the way, what's a Hagger?
Harry laughed. Hagger was Grawp's name for Hagrid.
Well, I wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about ye. Grawp and me are waiting for you to come back. By the way, there's somebody here Dumbledore wants you to meet. He's this Mage who.wait, I shouldn't have told you that.
Harry smiled. He really missed Hagrid.
Well Dumbledore will explain it to you when you are ready. So, Happy Birthday, can't wait to see ye.
Hagrid
Harry smiled as he placed the letter down. He thought the last letter would be from Ron, but it was from Hermione. "Why didn't Ron write me?" he thought. He opened Hermione's letter and read.
Dear Harry,
How are you? It's been so long since I've seen you. Ron and I aren't supposed to write you, but I figured you have to break a few rules. Thanks for teaching me that. It's one thing McGonnagal never would've taught.
Harry showed a slight grin. Hermione had been so proper until Ron and he had influenced her.
Anyway, meet me and Ron at Diagon Alley in two days at 5:00. We're going to take our Apparating Tests! Don't worry, there's a book on it with your birthday present. Study before you get there! Also there's a bit of Floo Powder that I'm using to get there. Ron sent me some. Happy Birthday, see you soon. By the way, sorry I didn't write until now, I hope you're not upset.
Love,
Hermione
Harry opened the package and found the book and Floo powder. Under it was a small book entitled "The Auror's Guide to Dark Wizards." Harry looked inside the cover and saw a message written in. "Your first step to becoming an Auror, Harry." He smiled and placed the book on the desk with the letters. He gave the black owl some food and sent it on its way. He scratched Hedwig, then got into his bed. Ron hadn't sent him anything. It bothered him. He'd talk to him about it when they went to the Apparating Test.
Harry strolled through Diagon Alley confidently. He had all his belongings with him. He had studied the book thoroughly, and felt sure he could've Apparated in his own house had it been permitted. Harry had grown over the summer. He was now 6 foot. His jet-black hair was unruly as ever. He still wore glasses, and behind them were the same green eyes. His frame was a bit more muscular due to the fact he had worked out over the summer, preparing for his inevitable confrontation with Voldemort.
"Harry!' He heard from behind him. As he turned, Hermione nearly tackled him in a hug.
"Good to see you to Hermione." She pulled away and looked at him sternly.
"Did you read the Apparition book I gave you?" she asked.
"Of course. This test is gonna be no problem. By the way, thank you for the present." She smiled at Harry and he smiled back.
"Hey, Harry!' Ron walked over and patted him on the back. "How's it going?"
"You wouldn't know, would you? You didn't write me the entire summer!" Harry snapped.
"Sorry mate, we weren't supposed to." Ron shrugged.
"Hermione did." Harry stated.
"You did?" Ron asked, genuinely surprised.
"Well.it was his birthday." She replied meekly.
"I'm sorry mate. I just didn't want to get into trouble." He replied unconvincingly.
"Sure." Harry said sarcastically.
"Oh come on, I apologized Harry! Don't make me beg here!" Ron pulled a parcel out of his bag. "I got you a gift!" He handed it to Harry. Harry tried to hold back a smile, but eventually grinned and held out his hand for Ron to shake.
"I swear that one of these days I'm gonna stay mad at you." Ron shook his hand and smiled. They all walked inside to take their tests. Three hours later, they all walked out with Apparition licenses. Ron had taken the test twice, but had gotten it. Harry had passed by one question. Hermione, naturally, passed with full marks. They bought their school supplies, and left Diagon Alley for London's train station. The sixth year of Hogwarts had begun.
"Come on, change!" Harry whispered to the clock. Almost as if he commanded it, it did. Harry held his breath, nothing happened. Then, he heard a tapping at the window. It sounded like an owl's beak. Hedwig started to screech.
"Potter, shut that damn bird up! The whole neighborhood can here it!" his Uncle Vernon howled from the room next door. Harry rolled his eyes and let the bird in. It dropped off three letters, then went to Hedwig's cage for a hooting. Harry opened the first one carefully. Inside was a letter from Dumbledore himself.
Harry,
Now I know your not being so foolish that you refuse to write simply because Remus and I have not written back.
"Figures he'd know." Muttered Harry. Hedwig was now happily hooting with the black owl that had delivered the letter. Harry read on.
Remember, we do not write for your safety. Now, in this letter is a list of your things for next year. And Harry, I would like to meet with you directly after the feast on your first day back. I'm sure you would like to spend time with your friends, but there has been an occurrence of great importance. I can't mention it in this letter. I shall see you at school.
Albus
"Albus?" Harry wondered out loud. "Since when were we on a first name basis?" Hedwig let out a particularly loud screech.
"Boy, I'm telling you, if that bird-" Vernon started.
"Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry called back. Harry then turned to Hedwig and the Black Owl. "Shut up." Harry placed the letter on his desk. What did Dumbledore want to see him for? He shrugged it off and opened the next letter. He could tell by the writing it was from Hagrid.
Dear Harry,
How are ye? Happy birthday! Grawp's been asking for ye. 'Fraid he's takin' a likin' to ye. And by the way, what's a Hagger?
Harry laughed. Hagger was Grawp's name for Hagrid.
Well, I wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about ye. Grawp and me are waiting for you to come back. By the way, there's somebody here Dumbledore wants you to meet. He's this Mage who.wait, I shouldn't have told you that.
Harry smiled. He really missed Hagrid.
Well Dumbledore will explain it to you when you are ready. So, Happy Birthday, can't wait to see ye.
Hagrid
Harry smiled as he placed the letter down. He thought the last letter would be from Ron, but it was from Hermione. "Why didn't Ron write me?" he thought. He opened Hermione's letter and read.
Dear Harry,
How are you? It's been so long since I've seen you. Ron and I aren't supposed to write you, but I figured you have to break a few rules. Thanks for teaching me that. It's one thing McGonnagal never would've taught.
Harry showed a slight grin. Hermione had been so proper until Ron and he had influenced her.
Anyway, meet me and Ron at Diagon Alley in two days at 5:00. We're going to take our Apparating Tests! Don't worry, there's a book on it with your birthday present. Study before you get there! Also there's a bit of Floo Powder that I'm using to get there. Ron sent me some. Happy Birthday, see you soon. By the way, sorry I didn't write until now, I hope you're not upset.
Love,
Hermione
Harry opened the package and found the book and Floo powder. Under it was a small book entitled "The Auror's Guide to Dark Wizards." Harry looked inside the cover and saw a message written in. "Your first step to becoming an Auror, Harry." He smiled and placed the book on the desk with the letters. He gave the black owl some food and sent it on its way. He scratched Hedwig, then got into his bed. Ron hadn't sent him anything. It bothered him. He'd talk to him about it when they went to the Apparating Test.
Harry strolled through Diagon Alley confidently. He had all his belongings with him. He had studied the book thoroughly, and felt sure he could've Apparated in his own house had it been permitted. Harry had grown over the summer. He was now 6 foot. His jet-black hair was unruly as ever. He still wore glasses, and behind them were the same green eyes. His frame was a bit more muscular due to the fact he had worked out over the summer, preparing for his inevitable confrontation with Voldemort.
"Harry!' He heard from behind him. As he turned, Hermione nearly tackled him in a hug.
"Good to see you to Hermione." She pulled away and looked at him sternly.
"Did you read the Apparition book I gave you?" she asked.
"Of course. This test is gonna be no problem. By the way, thank you for the present." She smiled at Harry and he smiled back.
"Hey, Harry!' Ron walked over and patted him on the back. "How's it going?"
"You wouldn't know, would you? You didn't write me the entire summer!" Harry snapped.
"Sorry mate, we weren't supposed to." Ron shrugged.
"Hermione did." Harry stated.
"You did?" Ron asked, genuinely surprised.
"Well.it was his birthday." She replied meekly.
"I'm sorry mate. I just didn't want to get into trouble." He replied unconvincingly.
"Sure." Harry said sarcastically.
"Oh come on, I apologized Harry! Don't make me beg here!" Ron pulled a parcel out of his bag. "I got you a gift!" He handed it to Harry. Harry tried to hold back a smile, but eventually grinned and held out his hand for Ron to shake.
"I swear that one of these days I'm gonna stay mad at you." Ron shook his hand and smiled. They all walked inside to take their tests. Three hours later, they all walked out with Apparition licenses. Ron had taken the test twice, but had gotten it. Harry had passed by one question. Hermione, naturally, passed with full marks. They bought their school supplies, and left Diagon Alley for London's train station. The sixth year of Hogwarts had begun.