Chapter One: The Purchase

Harry was good at sneaking around at night. He had to be. Getting sent away without eating a single meal during the day would make someone very hungry, and Harry liked to raid the fridge for all the treats that 'Dudders' bought. Nothing was as good as biting down onto a struggling, squirming, practically living, chocolate frog, but Twizzlers made his mouth happy.

Fortunately for Harry, he had eaten almost every meal that day—he had other business that night. (But he still took some Twizzlers, just to spite Dudley) It was almost midnight, and he had to Uncle Vernon's computer. Luckily for Harry, Uncle Vernon didn't know bullocks about ruddy computers so his iBook was completely unsecured and open. Harry turned it on, watched it slowly boot up and opened up a browser window.

"W-w-w dot e-b-o, I mean, a-y dot c-o-m."

The past seven nights, he had watched a particular auction with great interest. Seventeen more minutes and they would be his.

"Still the high bidder it looks like," Harry muttered to himself as the page opened up declaring its important declaration.

Refresh browser. No change. Refresh browser. No change. Harry secretly loved Muggle technology and knew that most young magic folk did too. Old Wizards always said that they didn't need things like Computers and the Internet and Gigabytes, but Harry knew that if they only knew how useful technology could be to a wizard, it would start a revolution. Refresh browser—You have been outbid.

"What's this?" Harry asked his own magical brain. "Bloody hell. How did that happen?"

Luckily, with less than three minutes left, Harry still had time to pump up his bid.

"1-7" Harry said out loud, as he put in his bid of seventeen pounds. He knew he would get the strap for spending Uncle Vernon's money, but for these, Harry would do just about anything.

"That should do the trick. Who else would even want these things, except for someone like me, to whom they hold a unique and sentimental significance?" Harry was talking to himself again. But before he could say anything more to himself, his scar began to surge with a pain that seemed to come from another world.

"My scar!" He exclaimed. Harry had found that even though the Dark Lord had been vanquished, his scar still hurt from time to time. Maybe it had to do with Harry's sacrifice to end the life of Voldemort, or it could be that it was just a painful scar.

Thirty-three seconds left. Refresh browser. "This is almost over," Harry thought to himself.

The screen announced Harry's victory to an empty room.

"A winner is you!" thought Harry. The bright computer screen seemed to congratulate Harry somehow.

Not more than a few seconds later, Harry mysteriously received an email from the seller. "Well that was fast, wasn't it, computer screen." Harry had started talking to his computer screen. (The two became fast friends.) The message read:

Dear Satisfied Customer,

Thank you for purchasing the item which you have just purchased. I hope you find great enjoyment with said purchase. Remember however, that in time, all things must come to an end.

Sincerely,

DMalfoy

Harry pondered the cryptic message and wondered what things were going to come to an end.

"My life almost came to an end, didn't it, computer screen. My godfather's life has ended too. And so has Dumbledore's life. But I don't think I'm going to dwell on that right now."

"Computer screen, I need to reply to the seller, don't I?" Harry said.

The computer screen stared blankly back at Harry and reciprocated Harry's own blank stare into the computer screen.

He opened the email and began his reply.

Dear DMalfoy:

Thank you for your kind words and your prompt shipping. I'm glad you accept PayFriend. It's such a convenient way to purchase goods over the internet. Please see my profile on Ebay for shipping information. I have to ask though, what did you mean when you said all things come to end? Is that another prophecy?

Warmest regards,

Harry Potter

Harry crept back into his cupboard and imagined his goods being shipped overnight from wherever they might be. He was rife with anticipation. As he was lying down, he started thinking about his friends. He wondered what they were doing now. Would they ever come back?