Hi guys! So when it says "The Next Week" that was originally going to be the start of chapter 6 but i decided to make it part of chapter five instead.

Thanks for the awesome reviews, though there are a couple I need to clear up. Yes, Miranda is supposed to be Minerva McGonagall's daughter, sister, cousin, whatever. Yes, I realize Harry didn't get glasses till the last minute, but I'm not going completely by canon. Also, Melanie didn't realize Harry was being abused when she saw his room because she's five years old. She wouldn't understand that.

Last but not least: if you want to criticize the story you don't have to do it anonymously. I'm not going to get mad and hunt you down and killyou or anything. I seriously might take your advice and want to thank you.

Now, read on:

Chapter Five

One day a couple of weeks later, Dudley had some of his bulky friends over. Harry, hiding in the cupboard to avoid getting beaten up again, had an idea. Maybe if he promised they wouldn't bother anybody, Aunt Petunia would let Melanie come over for a play date. He knew it was a long-shot, but he would try, later tonight after dinner. They always seemed to be nicer after a couple of drinks.

Later that Night

"Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Yes?" His aunt replied rather sharply.

"Would it be okay if maybe I had a friend over after school tomorrow?"
"What sort of friend?" Petunia seemed a little suspicious.

"A friend from school named Melanie," he replied.

At this moment, Dudley skipped into the room singing, "Harry's got a girlfriend! Harry's got a girlfriend!"

"That's enough Dudders." Both Harry and his cousin were shocked because this was the first time either of them had heard Petunia even coming close to reprimanding Dudley. Then, turning to Harry, Petunia said, "Harry, why would you want to have a friend over? You have my Duddey-kins to play with."

Ignoring the terrified half-snort half-scream from his pig-headed cousin, Little Harry said, "Dudley has his friends over a lot of times and I thought it looked like fun." It didn't look like Aunt Petunia was convinced, so Harry added a "Please Aunt Petunia? I promise we won't be noisy and bother you."

He gave his hard-hearted aunt the sweetest expression he could muster, and she had to give in. "Okay. Her mother can drop her off at our house after school and her mother can pick her back up before dinner. That gives you two hours to play."

"Thank you!" he said, taking the risk and giving her a big hug. "I'll go call her now!"

Melanie's mom picked up the phone on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hi," began little Harry, "is this Melanie's mommy?"

"Yes," she replied, laughing. "And who might I be talking to?"

"This is Harry Potter. Can I please talk to Melanie?" at this, Harry heard the sound of the phone dropping on the other end.

Recovering the phone, Melanie's mom said, "I'm sorry dear, you shocked me. Did you say Harry Potter?"

"Yes ma'am," he replied, confused. "Is Melanie there?"

"Oh, yes of course, please forgive me, I've forgotten my manners. I'll go get her."

"Hi Harry!" said Melanie excitedly, coming to the phone a minute later.

"Hi. My aunt said you could come over tomorrow after school if you wanted." Harry was a little nervous. He had never talked to anybody on the phone before, much less invited someone to his house.

"I would love to!" Let me ask my mommy. Hold on a second

"My mommy said I can come! Where's your house?"

Harry was delighted. Melanie was his first friend ever. "Yay!" he squealed. "It's number Four Privet Drive."

"Okay," replied Mel. "I'll see you at school tomorrow then."

"Okay bye," Harry said, and he hung up the phone.

"So," Uncle Vernon had come up behind Harry, making him jump. "You've got a friend coming tomorrow huh?"

"Yeah" Harry answered.

"Well, there'll be none of that 'funny business' while she's here. Got it?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied, opting not to let his uncle know that he had no clue what funny business was.

The Next Day

Harry had gotten home from school and he'd been worrying constantly since then. What if she forgot? What if her mommy decided not to let her come? He was positively sure that she wasn't going to show up. Then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" he shouted. And it wasn't hard for him to beat Dudley or his aunt to the door as he'd been sitting anxiously right in front of it. He pulled the door open to see Melanie and her mom standing there expectantly. "Hello Melanie, Melanie' mommy. Come on in!"

"Why thank you! You must be Harry," said Mel's mom. When Harry nodded she continued in a whisper, "May I please see your scar?" Harry obliged, wondering why the scar was so interesting. People stopped on the street to stare at it frequently and he never could understand. "Well," she said, standing back up, "it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Harry Potter."

Aunt Petunia walked into the room just then, her graceful hostess face on. "Hello," she said pleasantly, "You must be Melanie, and you must be her mother."

"Yes," replied Mel's mom graciously, "It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs…"

"Dursley, but call me Petunia" Petunia replied with a smile. Though the hostess face came out every time there was company, it never ceased to amaze Harry how polite and sweet she could be.

"Well, nice to meet you Petunia," she said, offering a hand, "I'm Miranda McGonagall." Petunia blanched slightly at the name, but quickly regained her composure.

"May I offer you something to drink?" she said.

"No thank you, I'd better get going," Mrs. McGonagall declined the offer politely. "What time should I come back for Melanie?"

"Around six o'clock would be fine. Is that alright with you?"

"That sounds perfect. See you then! By Melanie, be on your best behavior."
"Yes mommy," said little Melanie, giving her mom a kiss on the cheek before she left. Then, turning to Harry, "What should we play?"

"Do you wanna see my room?" Harry was beside himself with excitement.

"Okay!" and Harry grabbed her by the hand and led her to his cupboard, which he had cleaned up just for this occasion.

"It's really small," said Melanie when they got there.

"But it's safe," replied Harry.

Melanie gave him a funny look before changing the subject. "Let's play with these blocks!"

"Okay," agreed Harry, pulling them off the shelf.

The two built elaborate castles and cities until Petunia knocked on the door. "Melanie dear? Your mother's here."

"Already?" Mel asked, opening the door.

"Yes," Petunia replied with a smile. "Time flies doesn't it?"

"Okay Harry, I guess I'd better go," Melanie walked out of the cupboard.

"Okay," Harry followed her to the door and, before she left she gave him a big hug. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, closing the door behind her.

Next Week

Petunia Dursley, intent on spying on her neighbor's fight with her husband, jumped when the phone rang. "Hello?" she barked.

"Petunia? This is Miranda McGonagall, Melanie's mom. How are you doing?"

"Oh yes, Miranda. Good to hear from you," replied Petunia with very little enthusiasm.

"Well, I won't keep you long but I wanted to thank you for having my little Melanie come over the other day. She's so happy to have finally made a good friend. The fact that it's the famous Harry Potter just amazes me. You must be so proud of your nephew."

Petunia was confused. "Famous? Proud? What are you talking about?"

"Why, how he defeated You-Know-Who when he was only one year old of course! Nobody else has ever survived that curse!"

"Are you one of them then?" asked Petunia.

"Why, of course," replied Miranda, "but don't worry, we're not one of those families who hates muggles."

"You don't hate what?" cried Aunt Petunia, not understanding why this woman was calling her a muggle.

"Non-magic folk," she replied patiently, then, "oh! Dear me, look at the time! I won't keep you any longer, but maybe we'll see each other around school sometime."

"Oh, Harry won't be attending your daughter's school anymore," Petunia said, and hung up the phone, her heart beating fast at the prospect of Harry finding out what he really was.

"Vernon!" she yelled and he came wandering in.

"What Petunia?" he grumbled.

"Harry's friend is one of them."
"What!" Vernon roared.

"We can't let him go to school with her anymore."

"Do you think he knows what he is?" Vernon whispered.

"I don't think so, but we should keep him at home for a few weeks before we decide what to do."