Chapter Two: The Dursley's Farewell
It was a quiet evening on Number Four, Privet Drive. The family who lived there went by the name Dursley and they were very well respected. Neighbors always spoke highly of them and greatly admired their beautiful, if not a tad overdone, lawn and garden.
However, not many people could deny that every now and then strange things happened around them. It seemed that things got particularly odd during the summer months. One of their neighbors once swore he saw a guest in their house blow up like a balloon and sail away. People were never sure what went on with the Dursley's.
But this summer something had changed in the Dursley's. Even though many people had to admit that they were a bit unfriendly at times, this summer they seemed like some of the most cheerful people you could meet. Mr. Dursley always left and came back from work with a big, fat smile on his face. Mrs. Dursley was always humming a pretty tune while doing her usual gardening. Even their obnoxious son Dudley seemed a lot more cheerful and friendly (although this could have been because his parents recently bought him a used, but still nice car because of his new job.)
But nobody would ever know that all the Dursley's giddy happiness was because of a lonely sixteen year old boy. This boy had actually lived with the Dursley's for almost sixteen years but none of the neighbors ever paid him much attention. Some didn't even know he existed. But this boy was Harry Potter and little did these people know, that he had done things that would change the course of history.
Harry Potter was sitting in his room which was normally messy but today it was clean. This was because in a few days he would be seventeen and off to the Burrow to see Bill and Fleur's wedding. He would never see the Dursley's again and Harry didn't hate the idea.
He smiled as he stared out of his window at a glorious sunset. Only a few more days, he thought. Only a few more and then I can leave for good.
But Harry wasn't just staring out his window to look at the sunset. He had written letters to his friends a few days ago and he was expecting Hedwig to return any time now. He had already received a few letters from Ron, Hermione, and Ginny over the summer and they helped to make his life at the Dursley's more bearable.
It wasn't that Harry didn't like that the Dursley's were treating him a little nicer, offering him two slices of pizza if they ordered it(even though Dudley was still quite content with his five), giving him a couple hours of TV time, and many other countless little things. But Harry thought that these new, nicer Dursley's were a bit obnoxious and at times, rather creepy.
Besides, he knew they weren't being nice to him because they liked him. No, it was because in a few days he would turn seventeen and never see them again. But Harry wasn't annoyed that they were so happy. He was quite happy as well. But nevertheless, it had been a long month.
Harry sighed. It was hard to believe it had only been a month since that night on the Astronomy Tower. Just a month since he had seen both Draco Malfoy and Fenrir Greyback fall from the top of it. Harry often thought about this.
It seemed that every year at Hogwarts for him ended in a horrible death. First Cedric, then his godfather Sirius, now Draco Malfoy, his ex-nemesis. Normally Harry wouldn't have felt sad if he had heard Malfoy had died. But knowing that Malfoy gave his life to save another was troubling and confusing.
Harry then focused his gaze back on the window and saw a snowy white owl swooping out of the sky and Harry immediately opened the window to let her in. Hedwig had a few letters tied to her foot and Harry quickly undid them. Then as Hedwig flew to eat some food in her cage, Harry looked at the letters. There were three of them and Harry expected them to be from their usual senders, Ron Hermione, and Ginny.
Harry opened one of them and read:
Dear Harry,
Hey mate, it's me Ron. How are things going at the Dursley's? You said that they were treating you a little better this summer so I hope it isn't going too bad. Hey, guess what I just found out? A wizard by the name of Oswald McGitty is going to be testing a bunch of students like us for our F.U.M.A.s. You know, our Free Use of Magic Applications. So we can apparate and do magic outside of school. Hermione already got hers last spring and it's really getting on my nerves. I mean honestly, who needs to use magic to fold a page in a book to remember it for later? Wish you were here at the Burrow with us Harry, and hopefully you will be soon.
Your best mate,
Ron Weasley.
Harry smiled. He had almost forgotten about getting tested to use magic outside of school. It actually made him feel a little nervous. Then Harry turned his attention to the second letter and read:
Dear Harry,
Hi, it's me Ginny. Hope you aren't getting tired of reading my letters yet are you? Things are fine here, as I'm sure Ron has told you. I really can't wait to have you here with us, Fleur is driving me crazy. But then again, when isn't she driving me crazy? I just can't wait till after the wedding because then her and Bill are moving into their own house. Anyways, how are you doing? I miss you a lot and I hope the Dursley's are treating you nice. Or whatever 'nice' is in their book. Oh, I've got to end this letter now. Hermione just set Ron's hair on fire for laughing at her present for you. We haven't forgotten about your birthday you know.
Love,
Ginny.
Ron and Hermione fighting, Harry thought. 'Some things never change'.
But it also made him happy to know that they hadn't forgotten about his birthday. Feeling much better, Harry turned his attention to the final letter.
Harry,
I hope this letter finds you well. This is your headmaster and friend, Albus Dumbledore. It has been a busy month for me Harry. Especially because of the fake Horcrux. I feel I must explain this situation to you now. The Horcrux we found in the cave isn't really a Horcrux. There was a message in this locket that said that the real Horcrux was found and taken by someone with the initials R. A. B. Now I have scanned the library and asked any wizard I know about this mysterious R. A. B. but I have found no luck.
Now read this part carefully Harry. Once you turn seventeen you are free to leave the Dursley's for good. I expect that you will go to the Burrow and this is good. You are safe at the Burrow. But I have one request Harry. Please take the Knight Bus to the Burrow. It will make me sleep easier knowing that you have followed my orders and done this. Thank you Harry.
With best wishes,
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Harry looked at Dumbledore's letter with odd confusion. He was glad that Dumbledore was going to let him go to the Burrow, but why take the Knight Bus? Harry shrugged and thought 'Dumbledore always has his reasons.'
But what bothered him more was the Horcrux mystery. Who could have taken Voldemort's real Horcrux from the cave? All that is seemed both Harry and Dumbledore knew was that the person had the initials R.A.B.
The last few days at the Dursley's went by smoothly enough. Harry had sent an owl to make arrangements that the Knight Bus come pick him up the night of his birthday. Then finally, July 31st came and Harry turned seventeen.
Harry was up in his room getting all his loose things together and packing them away in his trunk. Hedwig was hooting softly in her cage and watched him with interest. Harry then grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage and left his room for the last time.
Harry began his slow descent down the stairs. He had already told the Dursley's he was leaving and taking a bus to his friend's house. Harry expected that the Knight Bus would be arriving in only a few minutes.
He stepped downstairs and made his way past the living room where he saw all three of the Dursley's sitting in chairs.
"Boy!" Uncle Vernon shouted. "Get in here!"
Harry reluctantly stepped into the living room and looked at Uncle Vernon. "Yeah?" he asked.
Uncle Vernon had a small smile on his face and said "Now I want to make sure that we're all on the same page here? You're really leaving here for good? No funny business?"
Harry nodded and happily said "Don't worry, you'll never hear from me again. You can go back to your normal, muggle lives."
Uncle Vernon then did something unexpected. He stood up and hugged Harry. Harry stood rooted to the spot. His uncle had never hugged him before.
Uncle Vernon then looked at him and said "Well boy, good-bye then. It's a hard, cold world out there. I don't know if it's the same for your sort but…good luck Potter."
Harry stared at his uncle. These were very nice words to be coming from his uncle. Harry looked at the others. Aunt Petunia was just sitting on the couch and looking at her feet. Dudley was still in his pizza boy delivery outfit from work and looked at Harry with a dumb expression on his face.
Harry nodded and said "Thanks Uncle. I'll…err…miss you guys as well."
Uncle Vernon then said with force "All right then boy. Get out of our house and be on your way!"
Harry was shocked to see Uncle Vernon's expression change so quickly but did what he said. He ran over to his trunk and Hedwig's cage and took them. Then he opened the front door and stepped outside into the cool, night air. He shut the door and sat down on the porch waiting for the Knight Bus to come.
It didn't take long. Harry had only been waiting for about a minute when the Knight Bus came zooming out of thin air. Harry immediately jumped up and got his things together. He waited for the doors to open and hoped that it would be Stan Shunpike.
It wasn't. The doors opened and out stepped a grisly old man with huge glasses that made his eyes look huge. Harry also noticed that when he opened his mouth to speak, he was missing about half his teeth.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus sonny," said the old man cheerfully. "My name's Ben Goldstein. Hop aboard!"
The old man named Ben then helped Harry get his trunk onboard and clutching Hedwig's cage found a nice bed and sat down. He remembered about four years back when he first rode the bus for the first time. It was when he had just blown up his Aunt Marge and was on the run from the Ministry.
Ben shouted "All righ' start it up Ern!"
Sure enough the driver whom Harry recognized as Ern, started up the Knight Bus and in a few seconds Harry would be away from Privet Drive forever. Harry took his last look at the house which he had come to know as his home up until the time he was eleven years old. But then a second later, he was zooming away towards his new life and destiny.