Dear Mr Potter,
Thank you for your swift reply to my previous letter. I have relayed your messages to the appropriate people, and yes, you may owl them as you wish. Should you not trust owl post for fear of unsavoury members of the public intercepting your post, I am sure the bird watching club would be happy to play postman for you. They will look after you in the absence of your parents – especially the ones who loved your recently departed dog. Without him there to guard you, you must be extra careful about strangers, in these dark times, no one can be too careful.
Whilst on the very broad subject of our bird club, I would like to inform you that regretfully, there have been no unusual sightings of yet. Some people have jested that they may be having gatherings of there own, and plotting to avoid us! Personally I believe them to be paranoid, however, we have one eye always on the look out – after-all, as a previous teacher said "Constant Vigilance" (though not many people would attribute that phrase to bird watching!). However, we have taken those words to heart – and now have watchers at the nest day and night. Some people believe bird watching to be very monotonous, but it can be quite invigorating when you finally catch that elusive one – I know the feeling well.
Do you remember your (unwanted) visit after the events last year, that tree is where the main nest has been placed! You found it for us! We have watchers there day and night, even though some people think we are wasting our time. We done – we may have to induct you if you keep up the good work – though you must remember that if you were to join, you would need to accept taking orders. We wouldn't want you to get lonely, so we were also thinking about the others who went on that field trip last month. The day may have been a sad one, but now we know that you can identify some of the elusive birds I was talking about earlier. You all might be inducted at the same time, and keep an eye on the chicks for us – they are more trusting of younger people and we believe they may 'lurk' in the grounds at school.
Well, see what you think of the idea, and if your guardians agree, I will take you out to dinner on Friday to discuss the idea more fully and with an old friend of mine, if you don't mind. Tell your family not to worry – you will be back on Saturday afternoon and can spend the night at a friend's house. We shall leave promptly at 10 pm, if that agrees with your family of course.
I have included the book you asked for, and it is an admirable idea – to a well-organised mind, death is the next adventure after all.
On that note, I shall leave this letter, and hope to see you in two days – if not, please owl me or pass a message through your aunt; she knows haw to contact me.
Albus Dumbledore.
Harry looked up, his head spinning. When the stars stopped their seemingly continuous orbit of his head, in was in possession of several facts.
Owl Post was not to be trusted.
The Order was watching him – specifically Remus and Tonks.
The Order was watching Riddle house.
He was going out on Friday night, and would be staying at the Burrow that night.
He and his friends could be inducted to watch the students.
There hasn't been much Death Eater activity
Moody thought they were planning something.
Dumbledore couldn't half waffle! Wait …
DUMBLEDORE!
It wasn't from the Ministry after all!
Harry was so happy, he did a little jig before going back to the letter. Re-reading its contents, he deduced all of the coded messages, and then went to his desk and wrote a reply. Deep in thought, Harry wandered downstairs, where he opened the front door and stood in the doorway for a while. Then he went back inside.
Had anyone been looking closely, they may have seen the dark haired boy drop some paper on the floor, but the non-existent stranger would have then shaken his (or her) head, and carried on doing whatever he (or she) was doing. After all, paper doesn't just disappear like that … does it?
Up in his room, Harry potter froze once more as another owl came swooping in.