Fawkes' Message

Vernon's mouth dropped open as he saw Fawkes, he couldn't believe his own eyes. Harry smiled as he saw Fawkes land on the back of the sofa. Harry couldn't understand why Professor Dumbledore would send Fawkes and not an owl, but was glad to see that Dumbledore wasn't ignoring him this summer.

"What is that, that, that thing? Uncle Vernon stammered, "Get it out of my house!" /p p "This thing is a Phoenix named Fawkes, he has saved my life and he can stay as long as he likes," Harry replied very rudely. Then turning to Fawkes, "What brings you here today Fawkes? Is everything ok at Hogwarts?" Fawkes began to sing to Harry as he talked, then Harry noticed the envelope attached to his leg. Harry walked over and began to stroke Fawkes as he removed the letter. "Thanks Fawkes, here have an owl treat," Harry said as he pulled an owl treat out of his pocket and fed it to Fawkes. When Fawkes was finished with the owl treat he took off from the sofa and flew around the Dursley's living room and once even swooped down on Dudley, making Dudley hide under the dining room table. With one last burst of song from Fawkes he burst into another brilliant ball of fire and was gone.

Harry tore open the envelope he received from Fawkes and removed the contents. There were three letters in the envelope. He opened the first one and began to read.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I am happy to inform you that your lifelong ban from Quidditch has been lifted and you are reinstated back onto the Gryffindor House Team. As such you have been appointed as Captain of the team. I trust you will keep the Quidditch Cup in my office as I have grown quite fond of it.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts

Harry's face lit up as he read the letter two more times and found the gold captains "C" that would be attached to his Quidditch robes. His day had just improved significantly. Now he couldn't wait to read the next two letters. Harry's hands were shaking with excitement as he began to open the second letter. He noticed Uncle Vernon being helped up by Dudley and Aunt Petunia. He looked at the second letter, it was shorter than the last but it was from Professor Dumbledore.

Dear Harry,

Your guard will be arriving very shortly to bring you home for the remainder of the summer.

Albus Dumbledore

Harry couldn't believe it, was he really only going to have to endure one day at the Dursley's? Now Harry was afraid to open the last letter, his mind was telling him it was going to be bad news. With trembling hands he opened the third letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I am pleased to inform you that you have received

CRACK!

Harry heard it before he felt it, it was the loudest crack he had ever heard. The noise scared the Dursley's out of their wits and all three fell to the floor, Harry too was startled by the noise so much that he dropped his letters, the one he hadn't finished reading yet fell behind the large china hutch in the dining room while Harry was looking for the source of the noise. He knew it meant someone had apparated, he looked into the living room and smiled from ear to ear. Standing in the living room was his guard. Remus Lupin, Tonks, Mad Eye Moody, Arthur Weasley and the Weasley twins Fred and George were all standing in the living room smiling right back at Harry.

"Hey everyone," Harry said while he picked up his letters, still not noticing the third one missing.

"OUT! OUT! OUT! ALL OF YOU!" Uncle Vernon screamed at the top of his lungs causing all of the wizards to jump.

"Harry why don't you and I go pack your things," Tonks suggested as Moody stepped towards Uncle Vernon. Harry wanted to stay downstairs and hear what Moody said to his Uncle but nodded his head and followed Tonks up to his room. Fred and George had walked over to help the Dursley's too their feet, as Harry reached the top stair he heard Aunt Petunia scream for them to get their freakish hands off of her.

"Thanks for helping me Tonks," Harry said as he threw his book, Quidditch Through The Ages into his trunk.

"No problem Harry," Tonks replied as she closed the trunk and levitated it off the ground. "Congratulations by the way Harry."

"For what" Harry asked, "you are the second person to say that and I have no idea why!"

Tonks jumped as Harry snapped at her, "Well for what you are receiving, didn't you read your letter Harry?" Tonks asked.

"I didn't get the chance to finish it," Harry replied quickly, "you all showed up while I was reading it.

"Oh I'm sorry Harry but we aren't allowed to tell you what it is," Tonks began as she noticed Harry turning red, "Dumbledore swore us to secrecy not to tell you anything until after you read the letter or attended the ceremony."

"Fine! Don't tell me," Harry yelled as they were heading down the stairs, "it won't be much different than last year will it?"

As Harry finished his sentence he heard the twins talking to Aunt Petunia who had collapsed into a large overstuffed chair in the corner.

"Well honestly now," George was saying, "are we really the freaks here?"

"Yeah it seems your son is a bit more freakish than us," Fred added, "with those ears, and that nose."

"It is a shame really that his tail is gone," George finished, "it would have completed the look."

"Oh my poor, poor Dudlykinns," Aunt Petunia cried through her hands, "Vernon do something!"

Uncle Vernon was currently in no position to do anything as Mad-Eye had his own face a mere three inches from Uncle Vernon's. Uncle Vernon had a mixed look of terror on his face from whatever Mad-Eye was saying, and disgust as Mad-Eyes magical eye spun wildly in its socket.

Remus was in the process of following Dudley around casting Reparo on everything Dudley knocked over as he ran about the house squealing.

"Arthur," Remus yelled from the kitchen, "can you please do something? Dudley is going to destroy the house!"

"Yes, yes," Arthur said with a grin on his face, "Ok boys you have had your fun, un-hex him so his Mum can quit crying and Remus can catch his breath."

"Ok dad," George said, "but it is a rather fitting look."

Dudley came running back through the living room and Harry finally saw him. He still looked like the enormous Dudley that he had grown up with, but now he had large pink pig ears, and a huge snout where his nose was.

Fred flicked his wand at Dudley and said the counter-curse and immediately Dudley returned to normal. By now Mad-Eye had finished with Uncle Vernon and everyone was gathered in the living room together.

Mad Eye was now holding a mirror that Harry saw him take off of the mantle piece above the fireplace.

"Come on Harry, we are traveling by Portkey today," Moody said while raising up the mirror and placing the Portus charm on it.

Harry had hoped they would fly back to where they were going, but he nodded his head and stood in a circle with the rest of them. Before he took hold of the mirror he said goodbye to the Dursley's then grabbed the mirror. Instantly Harry felt the familiar pull from behind his navel as everything began to spin around him. Then just as quickly he felt his feet land firmly on the ground and he noticed he hadn't fallen over this time.

"Welcome home, Harry, to Grimmauld Place," Professor Dumbledore said to him as Harry held on to the mirror.