Chapter 3 "Time To Go"

Morning came. The ray of warm sunshine passes through his bedroom. Harry was awakened by several knocks on his door.

"Harry! Harry! What time are you planning to wake up!" yelled Uncle Vernon while knocking hardly on the door.

Harry was wondering, yesterday and the other day, the treatment for him by the Dursleys was considerably good. Were those events just a dream? Then he saw the black creature inside the cage, "Gobbledream! No, I'm not dreaming. But how come…"

"Harry! It's almost noon and you haven't prepared our breakfast yet!" Uncle Vernon cried angrily.

"I'll just fix myself. It will be very soon," he said to Uncle Vernon. "And I have to hide you." Harry placed Gobbledream under his bed and headed downstairs. He saw Dudley in front of the television, eating a bowl of chips, which seems like it is his breakfast.

"It's very late! Do you know what time it is? It's already ten o'clock! And we're starving! Go on prepare our breakfast! And move quickly!" Aunt Petunia boomed at Harry.

Harry patiently prepared the Dursley's breakfast. Then ate all together, eyeing each other. After eating, Uncle Vernon dressed himself and kissed Aunt Petunia and Dudley, "I'm leaving." Uncle Vernon then turned to Harry, "You better behave or else..."

"I've been behaving well," Harry muttered then went upstairs and locked himself in his room. What's wrong with them? He said on his mind.

He took Gobbledream from under his bed and placed it on his bedside table. Then he put Hedwig (who's in separate coop) beside Gobbledream. "Hedwig, this is our new friend, Gobbledream. I found him in my godfather's house. Now, I want you to befriend him."

Hedwig's wings flapped as if he was very happy.

"Good."

The day was very long and the silence made Harry feel nostalgia for his parents, godfather and friends. He confessed all of his melancholy to Gobbledream.

Then night came… he slept… morning came…

Days had gone very fast.

One night, while Harry was gazing at the picture of his friends, numerous taps on his window caught his attention. An owl? Inquisitive, Harry immediately opened the window and let the owl in.

When the owl landed on Harry's bed, another owl was heading towards Harry's window. Instead of entering the widely opened window, it clouted on the edge of the window and fell on the floor. Harry took the still conscious owl and put it on his bed. He recognized it. It was Errol, the owl from the Weasley's. But the other owl was new to his sight. It was a brown owl with shades of white on its head and gray on its wings. He noticed that the two was carrying a parcel on one of their legs and a letter on the other. Harry untied the two parcels and the letters, while the brown owl flew through the tranquil night, leaving Errol beside Harry.

"Wow! I've got presents! I forgot that it was my birthday." Harry asserted while opening the two letters. The first one was from Hermione and the other one was from Ron. He read first the letter from Ron.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday! I do hope that this present reaches you in

time. How are you? What are your plans to escape from the Dursleys?

I bet they still won't consider you to go back to Hogwarts. Hermione and

I can fetch you using our apparition. We've been good at it now since

Lupin and Moody taught us to. How's that to you? We'll pick you up

there a week before the start of term. Only I heard Dumbledore's

talking about it to the members of the Order that we have to learn to

apparate for our own safety all throughout sixth year to seventh

year. Are you prepared?

I heard that we'd be having a new subject. Oh, before I forget, along

with this letter is a parcel containing my present for you. It's a fraudulent

scope. It's a watch-like instrument that vibrates when an animagus is near

you. Dad gave that to me, but I don't have any pet since Scabbers was gone

so I don't need that anymore. Take good care of it. So longing to see you,

mate!

P.S. We'll fetch you there at night.

Ron

Harry immediately opened the parcel wrapped in green. It really looked like a watch. To his astonishment, it vibrated. He took the fraudulent scope near Hedwig, it's still vibrating but much slower. He took it near Gobbledream, it vibrated more, much harder. Is Gobbledream an animagus? Does that mean he's after us? Or is it just a coincidence? But that's impossible… Harry disregarded it.

He opened the letter dispatched by Hermione. It's quite shorter than Hermione usually write.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday! Hey Harry! How are you? I sent a present

that I know will be useful to you. It's a prevarication discloser. It can

tell you if the one whom you're talking to is lying. Its ball releases a

green light when someone is lying. By the way, Ron's planning that

we'll take you using apparition. You don't have to worry, Harry. It's

quite easy to learn. Bye for now! See you!

P.S. We'll be having a new subject! It's conversing with animals

and other creatures.

Hermione

Harry opened the package from Hermione. It's a clear ball placed on a golden plate decorated with diamonds.

"My friends are really good to me! I can't wait to see them. If I could only pull the time to make days run very fast," Harry sadly stated and thinking about apparating without any practices at all could be dangerous. I don't like half of my body to be stuck in two places… Harry shrugged. He decided to send a letter back to them instead.

Dear Ron,

Thanks to your fraudulent scope, I quite find it useful. Only

Hedwig didn't turn up to be an animagus. But thanks! Anyway, I don't

think it's possible for me to apparate with my condition right now. It

makes me feel worried about your idea and I haven't had a chance to

practice it. Maybe Lupin can fetch me here instead, can't he? I'll be

sending a letter to Hermione too.

P.S. Errol crashed on my window, but he's doing fine. I'll just bring

him up on the day when I'll be leaving the Dursley's. I think he needs

some rest.

Harry

After about ten minutes, with Ron and Hermione's letter clutched in his arm, Harry placed it in Hedwig's leg without saying a word then patted her wings softly before she take off.

Errol was nipping his fingers after Hedwig's wings disappeared in the night sky. He placed him inside Hedwig's cage and threw some owl treats.

Harry placed his presents on the bedside table. Then, he sat on the edge of his bed and began talking to Gobbledream. While he was speaking, he noticed that one of his legs was bleeding. "Maybe it was scratched at the edge of the cage's door." Harry took a bandage inside the drawer and slowly he wrapped it on the rabbit's leg. "I know you'll be fine now. We better sleep. It's getting late."

He packed all his things the next day when he woke up, then just performed his usual routine after that. Waking up early because of Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's knocks, cooking their meals and always locking himself upstairs. He did all of this patiently but he really can't wait to see Ron and Hermione. When he is in his room, he does nothing but to read books, stare at the heaven or talk to his pets.

Then, the night he has been waiting for the arrival came. He didn't receive any letters from Hermione and Ron on how to get him. He thought for a moment, maybe by floo powder? Harry did not sleep and just sat on the chair facing his window, observing the stars on a cloudless sky. The night is very quiet. A look of inquisitiveness is locked on his face because of excitement and the thought of how they're going to fetch him. Then suddenly,

BLAG

Harry looked backward. It was his friends, Ron and Hermione, and then followed by Lupin.

"I've been waiting for this night to come. Good thing that you made it here. I thought you wouldn't be able to arrive. You worried me," Harry said, looking both to Ron and Hermione.

"Well, of course. We can't let you stay here and not go to Hogwarts," Hermione replied, holding out what look like a deformed shoe with a black hole in the middle, it's a portkey. "By the way, I'm very sorry about the gift, that's all I can give. I'm quite shy to send you a book because I'm afraid you'll be irritated and get exasperated with me. So I sent a new one. However, I still consider the fact that it should be useful. So I have chosen that and immediately send it to you."

"It's alright, Hermione. You don't have to explain. I appreciated whatever things you had given me and I won't ask for more. Thanks for your gift, anyway."

"Thanks, Harry! You're very much welcome!" Hermione smiled sweetly to Harry while placing down the portkey on the bedside table.

"How are you, Harry?" said Lupin from behind Ron and Hermione. "These two persuaded me to come and fetch you."

"I'm fine," said Harry, smiling. "Thanks for being here. It's just that, I don't know how to apparate, maybe you can teach me how?" he continued, pleading.

"Ron told me you can't apparate but I'm not trying to be an expert here, Harry. It may take a few days," said Lupin.

"Hey Harry! This black rabbit, where did it come from?" Ron interrupted.

"I've acquired that from Grimmauld's place when Professor Dumbledore ordered to see me there. I've decided to take care of him because no one was claiming him," Harry said to Ron.

"Really? It's very lovely. What's his name?" asked Ron.

"Gobbledream," replied Harry.

"Hmm… Gobbledream," Ron then took Gobbledream out of his cage and carried it.

"We better leave, Harry. The Dursley's might be awakened and discover that we are here." Hermione said.

"Wait, I'll just write and leave it here so that they'll know I have gone to Hogwarts and not thought I was abducted or lost. It will be soon." Harry said to Hermione.

Upon finishing the letter, Harry headed near Hermione and told her it's done. He put the letter on the table.

"Ron, what are you doing? Come on now!" Hermione said.

"Wait. I'll just put Gobbledream back to his cage." Ron said. But before he did that, Gobbledream fell on the floor.

"Oh no!" Harry said.

"I'm sorry, but he's a bit uneasy you know." Ron quickly put Gobbledream inside his cage.

"HARRY!" Uncle Vernon yelled. "What are you doing, you delinquent child!" Then it seemed as if Uncle Vernon was walking upstairs.

"Quick! My things and pets, please take them." Harry took his presents, wands and his trunk. Ron held Gobbledream.

"Let's go," Hermione said.

"Harry, just hold on with me," said Lupin while gesturing beside Ron and Hermione. They all touched the deformed shoe and in a flash of light, they all vanished.