Harry Potter was in a quite good mood on Saturday, he had his plan nearly finished (there was the very slight matter of having to actually get the lad to agree, which meant obviously meeting him without Ron around), and he came down to breakfast famished, having spent the morning practicing his "wand waving" - he had to get the subtle nuances of swish right if he ever wanted to cast some of the more... flexible spells.

Ron accompanied him, babbling on about some Quiddich nonsense that Harry probably ought to be listening to. After all, he was going to be playing on the House Team. But, as of this particular moment, he couldn't actually be bothered. He had used a school owl, and he wanted to know the answer he was going to get. And that was what all of his attention was focused on, as he sat down at the table to break his fast.

When breakfast was nearly done, two owls swooped down onto his place, delivering their messages. Harry Potter sat blinking at them, for a moment pondering the ramifications. Had the other boy gotten caught? Was one of the notes (or, both of them) about something else entirely?

Unfortunately, a moment was all it took for Ron Weasley to grab Harry's closest letter. Harry Potter closed his eyes, trying to tamp down the sudden swell of rage that wanted to leave Ron's face a swollen mess as red as his hair. That was his letter, not Weasley's! How DARE he steal it! Deep breaths, Harry thought, as he sucked in air as if it was life itself, letting it seep out of him slowly.

By the time Harry Potter had opened his eyes (praying that his face hadn't gotten all red and blotchy like Uncle Vernon's did when he was angry), Ron was saying, "Its an invitation to tea, from Hagrid! D' y' wanna go? I bet he's got biscuits big as platters!"

"I'm... not ... sure... I've got detention" Harry said, smiling pleasantly when all he wanted to do was grit his teeth. Or bash Ron's fucking teeth in.

"Come before, the invite's for two, anyways!" Ron said with a smile.

Harry quickly grabbed the other message (stowing it in an inner pocket) and stood up, "Meet me at the front gates at 1:30, and we'll walk down." If, that is, he wouldn't be missing another appointment.

Outside the Great Hall, Harry slipped into an alcove and opened the letter, only really breathing once he read the answer. Yes

[a/n: Uncle Vernon stealing Harry's mail has made an impression upon him, it seems.]