Chapter 2 – Harry's birthday

It was the evening of July 30th and Harry and the Dursleys were having dinner. Dudley was still on his diet from last summer. On Smeltings - Dudley's school -, he also had a very strict diet, and he didn't really like that.

Because he spent so much time at sneaking into the school kitchen, he didn't have enough time to do his homework. So he didn't pass, he had to do his 4th year again. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were furious. Uncle Vernon always says he didn't want a son who was always busy with school, but he also didn't want a son that didn't make the 4th year in one try. Dudley's parents where so mad at him, they decided that only Dudley had to continue the diet they had last years. Even Harry was allowed to eat as much as he wanted. When Dudley became 15, he only got 6 presents (none of them from his parents); only a few friends sent him birthday presents.

Dudley didn't like this at all, he ravaged the whole house, except Harry's room, because he was afraid of it, not only Dudley was, but also Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were.

So at dinner, Harry, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon ate pancakes, because they knew it was almost Harry's birthday, and they were still angry with Dudley. Dudley however, ate one single potato and a chicken wing.

Harry liked the idea that for once in his life, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon liked him more then Dudley. But also wasn't used to it, and it was hard for Harry, not to be woken up by a screaming aunt, or Ron, but just wake up when ever he wants to. The last time he got to sleep in as long, as he could do now, was... ehh... he couldn't remember.

After Dinner he went to his bedroom, because he expected some presents from his friends Hermione and Ron, from his godfather, Sirius Black, from the Keeper of the Keys of Hogwarts, Hagrid and maybe from Fred and George, because Harry gave them a thousand galleons last summer.

When he got to his room, he saw something strange on his bed. It was a little ball of feathers, then he realized what it was. It was the Weasley's family owl, Errol; he was unconscious. Errol was very old, and after every flight, he had to be put back to live, before he could return.

Harry took the parcel and the letter from Mrs. Weasley from Errol's leg, and placed him gently in Hedwig's cage.

Hedwig herself was out, probably catching mousses.

Then he saw Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl, coming towards his house. He caught him, and took his present and Ron's letter from Pig's leg. Ron called him Pig, because he hated the name Pigwidgeon.

He opened the letter and read:

Hello there Harry!

Happy birthday! I've got you a present, and I hope you like it.

Do you know what happened to Fred and George? They just gave me brand new dress robes!

Anyway, I would like to invite you to come over to our house, as soon as possible! Hermione is coming tomorrow, and I hope you can come to.

Speaking of Hermione, Hermione sent me an owl, and she told me that she had a big surprise for us, but she wouldn't tell me yet. What do you think it is? She got a new subject on school?

Anyway, just send me an owl back and say you will come to my house. My father says he can arrange something to get you here.

Ron.

Harry unwrapped his present, it was a piece of parchment.

Ron had attached a little note to it.

This is a repaphturt; don't ask me how it got its name!

If you write a question on it, it will answer with the truth. It can also translate anything that is written in Latin, Greek and other languages into English.

This piece of paper is really rare, and the ministry has strict rules for the use of this paper. I got it from Fred and George; they stole it from Filch, when they stole the Marauder's Map. Don't tell anybody except Hermione about it.

Ron.

Wow! A piece of parchment that always tells the truth and it can translate almost all the languages ever written!

He took his quill and wrote: 'What's my name?' For a moment nothing happened but suddenly Harry's letters disappeared and other letters came instead, it said, "Harry James Potter."

Wow! Harry was deeply impressed by it; he never knew something like that existed.

He put the present and the letter from Ron on his desk and turned towards the things Errol had brought.

First he opened the letter, which came from Mrs. Weasley, Ron's mother.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday.

I hope you get this present in time, because I don't think Errol will hold any longer.

Arthur says he can arrange something to take you to our house, if you want to.

I hope you enjoy your present.

Love, Molly Weasley.

Harry opened the present and it was a large box full of self-made chocolate and other delicious things.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," said Harry quietly to himself, "now I can really make Dudley jealous!"

There were no other presents yet, but Harry was sure they would come. While he waited, he tried the repaphturt again, and again, and again. If only I had some Latin or Greek or whatever in here, he thought, then I could test if the translate function also works.

Then something came on his mind, something Mr. Weasley once said. "Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brains!" It was the same thing that came on his mind when Fred and George gave him the Marauder's Map. It must be all right, because Fred and George probably used it for years, just as the Map, and nothing happened to them.

Harry was tired, and he lay down on his bed to rest, and as soon as he touched his pillow, he fell asleep.

The next morning he woke up because Hedwig was loudly snoring in her cage. She probably got back very late, because the parcel (probably Sirius' present) was still tied to her leg. She was sleeping next to Errol, who was still unconscious.

There was also a large black owl, sleeping on the ground, because Hedwig's cage was full. That owl probably came from Hogwarts, so that must be Hadrid's present.

The third owl just came in, carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet. A Daily Prophet? I don't remember that I was subscribed to that.

When he took the paper from it's leg he went to get some money, but the owl just left. Funny, Harry thought. When he first met Hagrid, he had to pay for the paper, but strangely, he didn't have to pay now.

There was a note that came with the paper, and there also was a parcel attached to it. It was from Hermione.

Dear Harry,

Happy 15th birthday! I give you two presents, one: a year free copies of the Daily Prophet, on my cost. I thought you might need it, especially when you are with your aunt and uncle. So far there has nothing been reported about You-Know-Who's return.

The second thing is the parcel that is brought together with the paper.

I hope you'll enjoy it, I did.

I'm going to Ron's house soon I Hope that will you come too?

Love,

Hermione.

Harry opened his present and it was a book, but it wasn't just a book.

It was a book called "Quidditch through the ages, At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." By Raven Hooch, Quidditch official at Hogwarts.

Harry opened it and looked at the index. Every team since 1547 was in it, including Harry's team.

He opened the book at the page of his team and read:

Gryffindor team, school years 1997/1998 – 1999-2000.

Captain/ Keeper: Oliver Wood

Seeker: Harry Potter

Chasers: Angelina Johnson

Katie Bell

Alicia Spinnet

Beaters: Fred Weasley

George Weasley

This team was formed under very special circumstances, the Seeker (Harry Potter), entered the team in his first year at Hogwarts, which made him the youngster player in the last hundred years.

Wood is the oldest, and has now (summer 2001) left Hogwarts. He entered the team because he used to be keeper in soccer team (a Muggle sport). During a fight between Slytherins and Gryffindors in the corridors of the school, someone threw a ball towards somebody, the ball went really fast, and Oliver Wood, who just happened to be there, stopped the ball. Charlie Weasley (captain of the Gryffindor team) saw that, end he's been keeper ever since.

Alicia Spinnet entered the team in her second year, as a reserve player. In her fourth year, she got a real position.

Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell both entered in their third year.

Fred and George Weasley entered in their second year. They wanted to enter their first year, but were not allowed, so the first thing they did their second year was entering the Quidditch team as Beaters. Some people say that they are born to be beaters.

In the first 2 years of that team, they lost the cup. But in their third year, they won the cup after a very hard match against Slytherin.

There was also a team picture with all the players on it.

Harry was really glad with the book.

He turned to Hedwig, but she was still asleep. So he woke up the Hogwarts owl, and took his parcel. It was from Hagrid.

Harry,

Happy birthday!

Are the Muggles treating you good? If not, tell me, and I will make sure they won't treat you at all, if you know what I mean. Here is your present. I hope you enjoy it. There's something really special in it. Something that has never existed before. One tip, I've heard how your cousin is, keep the present away from him, because he would like it too.

Hagrid

He opened the parcel and it was a large box of candy from Honeydukes. He opened a Chocolate frog and ate it.

When he looked at the card that was in it, he saw it was Godric Gryffindor. One he didn't have yet. He wondered what the very special thing was, because he only saw candies, and there was nothing special about that.

Because Hedwig was still asleep, he went downstairs to have breakfast.

After breakfast, he got back. Hedwig was awake, but was looking very strange to Errol, as if there was something wrong with him. Harry checked him and he was still breathing.

Harry took Sirius' parcel from Hedwig's leg and opened the letter:

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday!

Are you al right? I've got a big surprise for you when you get back to Hogwarts, but you will see it then.

Here's your birthday present, it was mine, when I was at Hogwarts. Your dad and I used it very often. And I'm sure you're dad would have wanted me to give this to you.

Sirius.

Harry opened it.

It was some sort of a key, but not a normal key. He read the note that was attached to it.

This is the key to the room your dad and I created back when we were at Hogwarts, Moony and Wormtail don't know about it.

This is how to use it.

You know the picture of Gryffindor in the common room? Well, if you beat him in the nose, it will open and you will get in a little room with nothing special about it, believe me. Your Dad and I found it and spent 2 years in trying to find out what is was for, but we found nothing and we gave up. To make that room worth being there, we build a magical room next to it; we made the key that I just gave you.

On the east wall, you will find a brick in another color; you can hardly notice it, because it's almost the same color. Anyway, if you put your wand against it, and hold the key in your other hand, and you say 'reduaram', it will make a door opening, large enough for two people. You find out what is in it yourself! Have fun with it.

Sirius

Another secret chamber? Build by his dad and Sirius? Cool! I wonder what is in it.

He took the Daily Prophet to see if there was something special in it, and it was.

Lots of dead people in New York and Washington!

Written by Rita Skeeter (her first text after her return from being mysteriously gone)

Two Airplanes (things Muggle use to fly, like very large brooms) crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. Another one crashed into the Pentagon in Washington.

The two skyscrapers (very high Muggle buildings) of the WTC crashed into the ground; there are thousands of wounded people, and probably also a lot of deaths. The damage must be over 1000 billion Galleons, and the Wizard community will help them to rebuild.

The last time something like this happened, was back when You-Know-Who was at full power.

Earlier rumors of He-who-must-not-be-named coming back only grew stronger, because people think he did this.

These rumors seem to be spread by Hogwarts students. Hogwarts were someone died last year, seems to know something we don't know about all this.

If it's true that He is back, we must be prepared that there will be a lot more things like this.

Harry starred at the paper for a few minutes. He was speechless.

Harry knew for sure that it was Voldemort who was behind this. He must have put the Imperius curse on the plane pilots.

When he came down again, the Dursleys were watching television. There was breaking news on CNN, and they were watching it.

"Two hijacked planes crashed in the WTC, just after 9 am. Exactly when everybody started to work. A little later, there was another hijacked plane, and it crashed into the Pentagon.

President Bush said: "evil, despicable acts of terror."

There are probably thousands of deaths. The whole world is shocked and in Holland was a television inquiry, 25% of the people think it will be a World War 3, 50% of the people think more attacks will be made, also in Europe, but it will not result in a WW3. The last 25% has no words for it, which is totally understandable."

'So the Muggles think the planes were hijacked?' Harry thought to himself. He decided not to talk about it with the Dursleys, and he went back to his room to write a letter to Ron.

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the present; I really love it.

Anyway, did you hear what happened in the US? Terrible, isn't it?

I would love to come to your house, but how do your parents think I will get to your house? Not by Floo powder, because the Dursleys closed the fireplace with brick, and I don't think it's a good idea to destroy it again. Your father, can he arrange cars from the ministry again?

Harry.

Harry gave the letter to Pig, who flew away immediately. The Hogwarts owl also left so only Hedwig and Errol where still here.

Hedwig was acting very strange, she was sort of crying over Errol. Harry went over to check him. And then he realized that Errol wasn't breathing anymore. Errol was dead!

"O no!!!" screamed Harry.

He didn't know what to do. What will the Weasleys says? Will they be angry, will they be sad, or will they be happy because now they have an excuse to buy another owl, if they can afford it. No, thought Harry, I will buy them a new owl. They've helped me so many times, they let me stay over at their place in the summer, and they always gave me presents at my birthday and with Christmas. Harry had to do something in return, and this was the perfect opportunity to do it.

Harry remembered there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet where you could buy owl.

He filled in the form, he gave the address of the Burrow, said they had to take money from his safe at Gringotts, and he wrote a note to the Weasleys about how Errol had died, and that he bought them a new owl. He gave the form and the note to Hedwig, who flew off to London.