Chapter 3

The Burrow

I don't own any HP characters

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A week later Harry was packing his school trunk, while desperately searching for his red and yellow striped tie. He was finally going to spend the rest of his Summer holidays with the Weasley's at the Burrow, and as tomorrow was his birthday he was really excited.

Ron had sent an owl the day before informing him of the time that they would be arriving; Mr. Weasley had decided that around dawn would be better, less muggles around.

Finally Harry had found his tie; it had been tied in a knot around the top of his Firebolt. Ron and himself had placed them around the brooms after the exams were over, as a sign of freedom from school for another year.

"What was I thinking?" Harry thought, "I'm only safe and free in Hogwarts". Trying very hard not to dampen his own spirits he checked his watch, released Hedwig from her cage and told her to fly on ahead and that he would see her soon at the Burrow.

He grabbed his trunk, broom and Hedwig's cage, took one last look of his bedroom, closed the door gently and headed down the stairs. He wasn't surprised that the Dursleys hadn't got up to say goodbye and wish him well but he went into the kitchen grabbed a piece of paper from a notepad by the telephone and a pen and he wrote a note to his Aunt and Uncle.

"Dear Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon,

I'm off

See you next Summer

Thank you

Your nephew Harry"

Just as Harry finished his note there was a gentle knocking on the door, Ron and his dad were outside. Harry smiled and greeted his best mate,

"Ron, it's so good to see you, Mr. Weasley thank you for collecting me" he said offering Arthur Weasley his hand.

"Morning Harry" Arthur replied, "All packed? I've got a portkey already to go around the corner". Harry took one last look at the gate to the Dursley's house and smiled. He knew that he would not see them for another eleven months. The three headed off and came to a dustbin, and Arthur told Harry and Ron to grab the lid. As soon as Harry touched the lid he got the pulling sensation around his navel and he was whisked away from Privet Drive.

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Harry, Ron and Mr. Weasley arrived in the back garden of the Burrow. Fred and George were innocently sitting on a brick wall reading a book. This seemed odd to Harry as he had never seen the twins so quiet, but then he remembered the twinswere grounded.

"Harry, welcome, welcome to our home, how's the Summer been so far?" Fred called "Our's has been ghastly, ever since we were grounded, you'd think our mother would appreciate our humour."

"Fred, George, there are gnomes everywhere, you were meant to have the place degnomed before your father returned" Mrs Weasley shouted from the kitchen, she then appeared at the back door smiling with a tea-towel in her hand, "Harry dear, so good to see you"

"It's great to see you too Mrs. Weasley" Harry said as he hugged Ron's mother. Harry always felt odd hugging people but for some reason he always enjoyed Mrs. Weasley's hugs. Molly Weasley held Harry for a very long time and squeezed every breath out of him; he could feel his glasses pressing in on his face.

"Don't kill him mum, he's just got here" he heard Ron calling and finally Molly released Harry, as she turned away Harry saw sadness in her eyes and again he remembered Ron's first letter regarding the Daily Prophet the articles about Harry and how Mrs. Weasley had thrown it out straight away. He made a mental note to ask Ron about the articles later that evening when the two of them would be able to chat properly.

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As soon as Harry entered the kitchen a smile appeared and a warm feeling spread through his entire body. There were times when Harry envied Ron and his family and this was definitely one of those times. In the small cramped kitchen Percy (Ron's older brother) was sitting at the table polishing his nameplate for his desk at the Department of International Magical Co-operation. Ginny, Ron's only and younger sister was playing with the cat by the fireplace and as soon as Harry came into the kitchen her big brown eyes lit up,

"Harry, it's so good to see you" she said jumping up and grabbing him into a hug.

"Hi…Ginny" Harry stuttered knowing his cheeks were getting redder and hotter. It wasn't that he fancied Ginny but he knew Ginny had a crush on him, but since the episode in the Chamber of Secrets the two of them had a special bonding now, they understood each other and that made Harry's heart swell.

Ron walked into the kitchen as the two broke apart, he gave Harry a look to say "Don't even think about it mate" but Harry raised his eyebrows innocently as if to say "Me, would I?" and then a cheeky grin appeared on his face. Ron hated when Harry did this look because he could never tell what Harry really meant by it.

"Don't worry Ron" he whispered "I don't fancy your sister." Harry knew that if he ever did Ron would jinx him and never speak to him again. Ron was very fond of Ginny, all the Weasley boys were, but because Ron was the nearest age to Ginny he felt the closest to her and he loved being a big brother to someone because he had fiver older brothers himself.

"Fancy a game of wizarding chess?" he suggested, "You could do with the practice Harry".

Harry nodded in agreement and agreed to play with Ron after he had moved his trunk and school supplies up into Ron's bedroom. Harry wished he could levitate his supplies into the room, he wasn't allowed use magic outside of school he definitely didn't want to get into trouble with the ministry again as he was given one or two warnings already which weren't even his fault. He wasn't going to be expelled from Hogwarts over it, so Harry grabbed one end of his trunk and started to drag it up the stairs. Ron followed carrying Hedwig's cage choosing not to notice that Harry could have done with the help with his trunk instead.

Ron's room was small but Ron was very proud of it. There were two small beds, a small window, a wardrobe and a chair in the corner where Ron had clothes thrown all over it. His walls were covered with posters, stickers and a calendar of his favourite Quidditch team the Chudley Cannons. Like all wizarding photos the pictures were moving about. Every so often the keeper would appear and wave, this was Ron's favourite player and Ron hoped that someday he would get to play on the school team. Harry continued to watch the poster and see each team mate fly to the front and wave, he noticed that they didn't look too happy.

"Ron, what's wrong with the team? They look so down"

"They are having such a bad season" Ron relied, "They are last on the league table, hopefully next season they'll be better."

This lead on to Harry and Ron discussing their own Quidditch team back at school.

"We'll need a new Captain and Keeper" Harry said "now that Wood has left. We'll have to have tryouts, Ron, Ron are you listening to me?"

Ron had a glazed look and a silly grin on his face and all he was, "Keeper…yeah…Wood gone….Tryouts"

Harry clicked his fingers in front of Ron to snap him out of his little trance.

"Huh! Oh yeah! Yeah tryouts definitely"

"Come on it's nearly lunch time and I'm starving" Harry said laughing.

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Lunch consisted of sandwiches of all types, bowls of fresh salad and pastries of every kind, with pumpkin juice to drink. The table was alive with chat with everyone adding their own piece to the conversations. Harry, Ron, Fred and George were discussing who would be good enough to take over as Captain of the Quidditch team and also making sure that Ron was going to try out for Keeper. Ginny had tried to suggest that she might try out but Ron had quickly told her that she was too young and to wait another year and to try for Chaser because she was better at that position. This pleased both Ron and Ginny thankfully because Harry felt that otherwise a row could have started between the two of them.

Percy and his parents were discussing work. Percy and his father were in a debate over which department was better and why. Unfortunately, it ended quite abruptly with Percy pushing back his chair and raising his voice,

"You just don't like my boss and refuse to accept anything he says or does" and with that Percy stormed up the stairs leaving Arthur sighing into his apple tart.

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The afternoon was spent playing wizarding chess and exploding snap. By the fifth game of chess Harry's pieces had refused to play anymore because he was so bad. All the pieces had proclaimed they were on strike by order of the King and until further notice they were not going to play.

"Sorry mate" frowned Ron "Ginny do you want to play?"

"Finally someone who's able to play" the king mumbled as Ginny started to place the pieces into their correct squares.

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Earlier that evening Erol the Weasley's Owl had arrived with a letter from Hermione, informing them that she would be delighted to come to the Burrow the following day and celebrate Harry's birthday.

As Ron and Harry dressed for bed that night they sat up talking until Harry's watch turned midnight. Ron yawned a "Happy Birthday mate" and Harry fell asleep happier than he had felt in a long time.