Chapter 2

Harry woke up the following morning with a pit in his gut and was sure to get up and be out of his bedroom before his aunt could bang on the door. Despite his stoic face his insides were writhing and twisting nauseatingly. The prospect of not being able to go was already ringing in his head, but if he could go to the World Cup Tournament last year with the less than civilized Weaselys—in the Dursleys' view—then surely the "normal" Grangers would be okay.

Then there was the prospect that Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would be without the pesky presence of their delinquent nephew for five weeks. Five weeks closer than they'd previously hoped. That had to be the best incentive anyone could have. Combing his hair more than usual in hopes that it might stay down and pocketing Hermione's letter Harry went downstairs.

Uncle Vernon was already immersed in the newspaper with a glass of orange juice off to the side. He didn't even twitch as Harry entered the kitchen as though there was an aurora around Harry, which would distinguish him from the rest of the family. Harry opened the refrigerator and took out the white milk to pour himself a cup then filled his plate up with an English muffin, ham and eggs.

"Good morning, Uncle Vernon," Harry said before he began stuffing eggs into his mouth. His Uncle only grunted.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

The heavy footsteps of his cousin coming down the stairs seemed to shake the house as he finally alighted at the bottom then stepped into the kitchen a moment later, bleary-eyed and red faced. Dudley looked like he'd been drinking. Harry hid a smirk while drinking his milk as Dudley massaged his head and reached for aspirin in the cabinet. Yes, drinking no doubt.

Dudly seated himself at the table with twice the food that Harry had and immediately began digging in, his three chins wobbling as he chewed. Aunt Petunia swept into the kitchen next, shooting Harry a pointed look when she obviously hadn't needed to bang on his door. "G'morning, my little dudders. You look so tired, dear. Why don't you take a nap after breakfast?" Aunt Petunia simpered to her massive son, apparently ignoring or not seeing the obvious signs of a hangover. Dudley nodded auspiciously and continued to shove food into his mouth. Harry now speculated if he'd gotten drunk several times at Smeltings and vomited all the food up, which had caused him to lose those twenty pounds.

Focus, Harry. Don't worry about your stupid cousin drinking! Worry about whether talking to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon after breakfast is a good idea, Harry's mind shouted at him and he immediately cleared any suspicions he had about Dudley with a mental shake. Aunt Petunia had already swept over into the kitchen to cut up pieces of fruit for herself and Dudley, whom, she was still convinced, needed to lose more weight.

Breakfast passed in mediocre silence. When Vernon started getting up, Harry looked up and said, "Uncle Vernon, may I speak to you in the living room? There's something I have to ask you. And you Aunt Petunia? I need to speak to you, too."

Uncle Vernon narrowed his beady eyes at him as Harry stared back with a fearless, yet respectful face. He nodded then said gruffly, "Alright, but make it quick, boy. I need to get to work!"

Harry nodded and then got up to wash his plate off and stick it in the dishwasher as Vernon went through the door to wait in the living room. Harry followed him not a few minutes later, but Aunt Petunia was taking her time with her breakfast, and didn't arrive until five minutes later. When the two sat down Harry stood up from his chair and pulled the sleeves back on his oversized shirt to gesture during his speech.

"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, I have something very important to ask you. Yesterday I received a letter in the post from one of my friends Hermione Granger." Here Harry dug out the letter and unfolded before continuing, "She asked me if I could spend the rest of the summer with her and her family in Germany and Bulgaria. I would be going to the Leaky Cauldron to spend the rest of my vacation there, and then be gone for the school year." Harry finished with a steady voice, but his heart was pounding.

For a long time Mr. Dursley just glowered at Harry from where he was sitting on the sofa, the cogs in his head grinding away and against each other as he tried to figure things out. Make Harry happy or make Harry miserable. It was basically the same exact fight as last year when Harry had gone with the Weasely's to the Quidditch World Cup. But it was with someone else this time.

"Who are these people?" Uncle Vernon snapped at Harry as his eyes stared hard at his nephew from beneath his bushy eyebrows. Aunt Petunia sat quietly watching as her husband bared his teeth at the boy and thought on this proposition.

"Hermione is a friend from my Ho—school," Harry said, correcting himself barely in time. It panged his heart not being able to say Hogwarts in front of his Aunt and Uncle, but if it allowed him another trip of a lifetime with Hermione then he would do it. "She was raised 'normally,' Harry continued, "And she knows about all the normal things and will probably pick me up by car." He added the last bit about transportation as an afterthought when he thought back to the ruined living room last year when the Weasely's tried to use floo powder. Allowing his eyes to roam it, Harry noted that his Aunt had taken the opportunity to get the room redone.

Though Uncle Vernon's expression hadn't changed a gleam seemed to kindle in his eyes at the thought of rather normal people having a daughter and actually picking their nephew up in the most normal way possible.

Another argument for Harry seemed to resurface as Vernon also seemed to think back on that incident: the matter of his godfather. "Will…can you contact your godfather and tell him if you don't go or not?" Vernon asked quite innocently, his face unchanged. But Harry caught the slight note of fear under his otherwise calm voice.

Harry nodded and said, "Yes, Hedwig can find anyone."

"Alright, alright you can go," his Uncle shouted, obviously disinclined to tangle with a full grown wizard who, as far as he knew, was accused of mass murder. Getting up from the couch he stalked out of the room.

Harry did his best to suppress a wide grin and an excited jump when Aunt Petunia got up and said, "Will those…will those two delinquents be coming with them?" She asked with a voice gone shrill as she also thought on that last visit. Her face had paled. A frightened squeak sounded from the hall and suddenly heavy footsteps stumbled away; Dudley had been eavesdropping on the entire conversation, probably hoping Harry would get the punishment of a life time.

Despite the immense amusement Dudley's plight had caused, Harry shook his head and said, "Oh no, those two won't be coming here. They haven't been invited to stay with the Grangers."

"Fine," Petunia snapped in a haughty manner and swept out of the room, but not before saying, "And you better tell them they'll be on time, mark me! We've got plenty of other things to do!"

"I bet you do," Harry muttered to himself, but shouted back, "Alright, Aunt Petunia, I'll tell them!" Grinning madly he took the stairs three at a time and charged into his room, grabbing a piece of parchment to write hastily to Hermione:

Hi, Hermione

Good luck, I can go! I talked with my Aunt and Uncle and they said I could go, but they also said to me that you have to be on time. And they expect me to be picked up by car, which I do hope you will be doing. So when are you going to come?

Best wishes,

Harry

Harry walked over to Hedwig, who, against her wish, was sharing her perch with Pigwidgeon. The little owl was still asleep still earning more disapproving glares from the much bigger owl. When Harry waved the envelope in front of her she clicked her tongue then obediently held out her leg, waiting so obediently it seemed she was trying to make an impression on the other owl. Pigwidgeon nearly hooted and flapped his wings as he stared wide-eyed at Harry. Having tied it to her leg he stroked her breast silently for a moment then stepped to the window and held her out where she took off with a few flaps of her wings to silently fly away.

Next, Harry grabbed another piece of parchment.

Hey, Ron!

The Dursleys' are letting me go with you and Ginny and Hermione. I think bringing my godfather into the conversation convinced them to let me go.

See you soon,
Harry

Harry approached Pigwidgeon who, unlike Hedwig, was practically dancing with eagerness. With some effort, the young wizard fastened the envelope to the owl's leg. "Take this to Ron," he said.

The ball of energy practically bounced out of Harry's hand as he let the owl out of his window, flying off to deliver his message to Ron. A satisfied smile rose on Harry's face, and when Pigwidgeon had faded out of sight he turned to leave his room and go downstairs. But before he could exit, Harry thought better of leaving his sanctuary too quickly. After about ten minutes, Harry had packed his bags -- his textbooks, clothing, his quill and parchment. He left his wand out, in case of emergencies, and several books to read for his entertainment. Finally, when he was satisfied, Harry curled up in bed with one of the books he had left out. There was no way he was going to risk disturbing the Dursleys by going downstairs–no sense at all in spoiling a good thing. Several days came and went. Harry received responses to his letters—Ron congratulated him on being able to accompany them, and Hermione notified Harry that they would arrive to pick Harry up on his birthday. Harry counted down the days to his birthday more enthusiastically than he usually did, anticipating the time he would be able to spend with his two best friends.

Moreso than he had before, Harry did his best to avoid getting on the Dursleys' nerves. He kept mostly to his room, reading and doing homework. When Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia assigned him chores, Harry worked without complaint. Harry admitted to himself that it was somewhat degrading, but he found that a life in which he and the Dursleys pointedly ignored each other was almost bearable—especially hen the specter of his birthday and salvation from the clutches of his relatives loomed before Harry.

Harry woke on the morning of his birthday not to Aunt Petunia's insistent pounding, but to the sound of thumping at the window. A bushy brown owl bearing a large package was beating upon it, seeking entry. Harry was confused—Ron and Hermione had mentioned in their letters that they would be delivering their gifts in person.

After Harry put on his glasses, he grinned. Hagrid, he realized. Ron and Hermione would deliver their gifts in person, but Hagrid would not be going on the trip with them. Harry remembered as he removed the package and the attached letter from the owl that he had not mentioned his trip to Hagrid—there would be no way for him to know that Harry would be spending vacation traveling rather than in Privet Drive with the Dursleys.

Hastily paying the waiting delivery owl, Harry ripped opened the envelope and read the letter inside.

Happee Birthday, Harry!

Sorry I couldn't send you a cake—with the time I've spent preparing your present, I didn't have time to bake one. I do hope you enjoy what I gave you though. Take good care of it, Harry!

Hagrid

A resigned smile crossed Harry's face as he turned his attention the package. He couldn't see anything moving within it...but it would be best to remain safe, Harry thought, grabbing his wand from where it lay on his bed stand next to where his glasses had been. Raising his wand in front of his face, Harry held a spell on his lips as he reached down and ripped the wrapping off the package.

As part of the wrapping fell away, Harry took a quick step back, prepared to use his magic on whatever lay within the package. When nothing within the wrappings stirred, Harry took a cautious step forward. It was a book, he saw, with a leather cover.

Still cautious, Harry used his wand to remove the rest of the wrapping. Then, he flipped open the cover with his wand tip and saw writing inside. Squinting, Harry bent down to read it.

Happee Birthday again. I put this book together from pictures of animals I've met throughout my life—page 8 is dedicated to Norbert. Here, the ink Hagrid had wrote with was splotched, as if by a tear. I know it probably isn't my best gift, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

- Hagrid

Harry's smile widened to a grin as he sat down and opened the book, sifting through its pages. Animals of all sorts, magical and Muggle, moved in the pictures Hagrid had given him. Pixies...centaurs... Norbert... and some other dragon which Harry did not recognize and caused him a faint pang of worry. He even recognized a picture of a younger, yet still disturbing Aragog, although that particular picture was not colored.

Harry finished skimming the book of pictures, closing it after staring in fascination at a picture of a lynx staring back at him unflinchingly.

Suddenly he heard the Dursleys waking up around him...it would only be a matter of time before Aunt Petunia came up to wake him. Hurriedly, he got up from his bed and stashed the book with the rest of his others, where they would be ready for transportation. Pocketing his wand, he then moved toward the door to go downstairs.

Breakfast passed in a flash, and Harry took his first opportunity to get away from the Dursleys and wait on the road in front of the house. He knew logically that it would be hours before the Grangers arrived, yet he could not tear himself away from his spot. Several times he felt his heart quicken as a car moved down the road, but he was always disappointed as it either passed the Dursleys' house or pulled off the road before reaching it.

Finally, when Harry had almost stopped expecting them, the Grangers arrived. The luminous, silver mini-van pulled to an unexpected stop in front of the curb, and while Harry was still trying to collect his wits Hermione jumped out of the car and dashed and flung herself at Harry, hugging him with enough force that his breathing became impeded.

"Oh, Harry, it's so good to see you! How have you been?" She asked in a shrill voice as he finally hugged her back. Hermione hardly looked any different, if only a little more glowing. She'd pulled her hair back up into a bun—a first as far as Harry could remember—and beamed at him. By the time they'd separated Ginny, Ron, and Mr. and Mrs. Granger were already out of the car.

"I'm pretty good, Hermione. How 'bout you?" Harry replied and shook firm hands with Ron before he and Ginny hugged. Ginny seemed close to catching her own brother in height as they both towered over him grinning broadly with red and considerably freckled faces. Mr. Granger was tall, skinny, and balding with near black hair adorning the sides of his head, while Mrs. Granger appeared much like her daughter—somewhat tall, with bushy, brown hair down a little past her shoulders. And he noticed that both had dazzling smiles.

Hermione then turned to her parents and said eagerly, "Mum, dad, this is Harry Potter, one of my best friends from school! Harry, this is my dad Adam and my mother Laura."

Harry nodded and said, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Adam said as he scrutinized Harry, and then continued, "We've heard so much about you. Our daughter will hardly keep quiet."

"Daaaad," Hermione admonished with a patronizing tone then swatted him lightly.

Harry laughed and replied, "Yeah, you don't have to tell me. Come along and let me introduce you to my aunt and uncle and cousin." He then turned to step into the house followed by all five.

As he stepped in he noticed that the Dursleys were practically barring the door to investigate when they heard the happy commotion outside. They stepped back when they saw Harry coming in. Hermione was first and Harry gestured at his relatives, "Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley, this is one of my best friends, Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is Vernon Dursley, Petunia Dursley, and Dudley Dursley." Though Harry knew he needn't tack the last names on, he figured he would to show respect to his only family left and hopefully entice them to keep on their good side.

Dudley seemed to gape more than was healthy for him as Hermione reached out to shake all their hands. Obviously he was rather impressed with Hermione's attributes. Though Vernon and Petunia seemed wary to shake hands, Petunia backhanded her son when she caught him staring and muttered tersely, "Don't be rude." At this Harry wondered if Petunia hit him so that he wouldn't get any ideas approaching a witch or if she really was looking out for his manners.

Ron was introduced next, though from the way Uncle Vernon narrowed his eyes, how his aunt shrunk, and the way Dudley squeaked and sidled behind the pair of them to hide his mass, Harry knew they hadn't forgotten who he was. Ron blushed furiously and grinned sheepishly before side-stepping away to stand next to Hermione, acting as though he were ashamed of the incident the year before.

"This is Ginny," Harry said when Ginny stepped forward and nodded courteously at the Dursleys, obviously taking note that they refused to shake hands with anything associated to magic. She also didn't get very approving looks, but this didn't seem to cow her and she stepped aside after a few seconds in the spotlight to join her brother.

And finally he introduced Hermione's parents and hoped that the Durleys would set aside their haughty attitude long enough to at least shake the Granger's hands, since they weren't guilty of using magic themselves. "And this is Hermione's parents, Adam and Laura Granger."

Both Grangers smiled as brightly as they had on the sidewalk, their teeth almost blinding everyone within the vicinity, but Harry nearly sighed with relief when every member of his own family shook hands. After introductions Ron asked, "Hey, Harry, is your trunk upstairs?"

"Yeah, why don't we go and get it?" Harry offered then started upstairs to his room with Ron following behind, though he didn't need instructions as to where it was. When he glanced back once Harry grimaced and wondered if it was right to leave the Grangers with the stiff Dursley's. Even Hermione was faltering in her smile as he saw a light blush creep up her neck.

Suddenly Harry realized he needed another person and he called down the stairs, "Hey, Hermione, would you come up and grab Hedwig's things?"

"Sure, Harry," Hermione said easily enough and ran up the stairs, though she still seemed unnerved by her first encounter with the Dursleys.

Harry stepped into the room and, upon noticing Hedwig, hit his head with the palm of his hand. "Oh, I forgot! I obviously can't take Hedwig with me on a plane or to any of those countries. Hey, Ron, would it be okay if I sent her to stay at your house?"

"Yeah, no problem," Ron said as he went around the side of the truck read to pick it up. Harry went to it and kicked it open then pawed through his belongings for quill, ink, and some parchment. He wrote a hasty note to Mrs. Weasely, explaining everything and apologizing for the last minute item. Finally he tied it to Hedwig's talon and stroked her head quietly.

"Sorry, Hedwig, but I can't actually take you with me. I'm going to places you wouldn't like," he explained to her in a morose voice, but that didn't keep her from gazing pleadingly at him until he'd taken her to the window. She gave his arm an extra squeeze as she lifted off and none too gently. Sighing, he quickly put everything back into its place and locked the trunk shut before hoisting it up with Ron.

Hermione grabbed Hedwig's perch and cage and said, "Harry, when we leave from the airport we can just go ahead and leave this stuff in the car. Alright?"

"Sounds great, Hermione," Harry said distractedly though he still managed to grin enthusiastically at her. The grin vanished as a realization poked at him and he asked, "Did you leave Crookshanks? He can't be coming with us, can he?"

"Of course not," Hermione replied, appearing slightly affronted at the idea as though she couldn't believe he suggested something so illogical. "I left him with the Weaselys. He'll be dropped off at the Leaky Cauldron when the Weasely's come to see us off."

"Ah, I see," Harry said, and admitted to himself that the idea of a cat being touted with the luggage, even if it was in a cage, sounded like a ridiculous and rather torturous experience to put an animal through. Especially since this wouldn't be a short trip.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione appeared on the scene to an entente as the Dursleys hardly seemed to have made a move, and made only monosyllabic responses to Mr. and Mrs. Granger's half-hearted attempts at conversation. Harry sighed exasperatedly to himself and couldn't contain an eyeroll. Couldn't his relatives be friendly to non-magical beings for five minutes?

Mr. Granger broke off his failed attempts when he saw Harry and Ron arrive with the heavy trunk and instead said, "Well, good bye Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. And you too, Dudley." He nodded at them then started out the door just ahead of Harry and Ron so that he might open the trunk of their van for him. Mrs. Granger and Ginny followed Hermione out the door, also after saying their good byes and began piling into the van.

Hermione's father looked around and then said to Harry, "When we stopped at the—What do you call it? The Burrow?—Mr. Weasely was kind enough to put some kind of charm on our trunk to expand it so that we might haul all of you and your luggage safely." Indeed, it was as Mr. Granger said. There had to be two feet added on just to fit several suitcases and three other trunks in there. Harry's slid in next to the others quite easily as it expanded once more.

Harry also found the same true for the seats as he and Ron piled it so that he found himself in the middle next to Hermione and Ginny was on the other side of Hermione. Hermione turned to him and then said, "Buckle up, Harry. My parents refuse to go if you don't have your seatbelt on. And there is in fact a fourth seat belt in there. Mr. Weasely added that also, but only if we need it."

He shook his head as he pulled another seatbelt out from under him and clicked it into place. Grinning at his two best friends, Harry sat back and waited to arrive at the airport.