Harry Potter and the Gift of the Duende

-Chapter One-

Tragic reunions make for a really sad birthday

A young boy laid a rack back down into the soil, wiping his brow of sweat. The sun had reached the highest point in the sky but still he had much to do before he could even contemplate going inside for the day. The vastness of the weedy garden swirled around him. His aunt and uncle had neglected it the year he was in boarding school, they had neglected much. Grunnings, the company his uncle worked at, had suffered major setbacks that year and the household had felt the withdrawal of money. They fired their gardener which is the reason the boy was out there on this hot day. He scratched the earth again with the rack, lines forming under the slight pressure into the ground. Though toilsome as the work was, it was better than what his cousin had to do. His aunt had for the first time gotten a job and left the housework to his overweight cousin. Not all that overweight now actually, the constant diet and the strain the hosuework put on him made him lose quit a few pounds. He was now just a bulky 210, a vast improvment on the bordering 300 pounds he was this time last year. Sitting down to take a break the boy looked up to see a rather peculiar sight. A large tawny owl flew toward him with a letter addressed to Harry Potter. Landing on the grass it stuck out its leg, waiting for him to take the letter. He quickly untied it and went to a more secluded part of the garden to read.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

~~~~~

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order fo Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Harry Potter,

It is of deepest regrets that I write this letter. However, it cannot be helped and I apologise for upsetting your holiday. Mr. and Mrs. Granger met their untimely end on July 25 due to a Death Eater attack on their home. It appears that Hermione Granger were the target however she cast a proterctive charm around herself that allowed her enough time to escape. However, Hermione has become a ward of the state. She has no other relatives. Because she is muggle born she would have to attend a muggle orphange. However, Professor McGonagal has agreed to adopt her, but the transcation cannot go through until the new school semester. With no other place to put her now, I ask that she be able to stay with you until holiday is over. I have taken your new finacial status into account and am willing to pay your aunt and uncle for this burden. The protections over your home will be sufficient to keep her safe. The Weasleys have gone into hiding due to this event and are safe for the moment. However, they were also attacked. There were no casualties. They will owl you with news soon. I will be arriving on July 31 with Hermione and a sufficient payment. Becasue of this event, understandably you will not be spending the rest of the hoilday with the Weaslyes. My dearest appologies for having to give you this news. Please comfort Hermione when she arrives, she needs a friend right now.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

Harry sat shocked, descretly wiping tears from his eyes. This was far too much to bear. He sat thinking how this would effect his witty friend. She must be hurting. He shoke himself, no she must not be hurting. She must be in agony. He assumed that she must of seen them die or she wouldn't of ran, she would have died to protect them. Putting his head in his hands, he cried. For his friend and for himself.

"Harry, get in here!" called a scratchy feminine voice. Harry quickly wiped his eyes of any evidence of sadness and went inside to his aunt. She sat at the kitchen table tapping her foot back and forth. It seemed that she had gotten off from work early. She seemed extremely irritated, he could tell from the slight up twitch of her mouth when he looked at her face. Harry, however ignored this and presented himself as if nothing happened. She cocked a heavily make-uped eye at him and pursed her lips tightly together.

"Yes Aunt Petunia?" With one last tap of her feet she stood up and looked him in the eyes.

"I was fired from my job today." She said it simply, as if she expected it the whole time.

"I'm sorry." He said with false simpathy. He had expected her to lose this one, she had lost four before. It was usually that she gossiped too much and upset the other employees. However he had hoped that she would of kept this one. With the extra income she had put the family close to the usual income, close put not up to the usual standards. She looked at him intently as if she was fighting herself from saying something to him. She shook her head a little then finally said something.

"As you now understand we are back in the situation we were in before. As it is we hardly have enough money to pay the bills, let alone have all the luxuries we had before" Harry snorted at her mention of we. He had never had any of the luxuries the family had. He paid for his schooling and clothing. He went to Hogwarts, the best school for learning wizardy in all of Britain. He was a wizard, which is extrodinary by regular standard but in the wizarding world he is even more extrodinary. He when he was a year old defeated the Dark wizard Voldemort. For many years there was no evidence of Voldemort in the world and many supposed that he was killed once and for all. But the educated knew better than that. He truly was biding his time until a better circumstaces came to him. They did in Harry's first year when he tried to get the sorcerer's stone to make himself immoratal. However Harry with the help of his two best friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, he was able to help him stop the dark lord. All through his years he had confrontations with many Dark induviduals, some just incompetant or others just plain bad, but he survived. In his fourth year however Voldemort struck again and was able to resurect himself to his true form, something Harry took from him when he defeated him as a baby. Now he is able to build his army to its full strenghth again and be able to take control of the wizarding world again.

"As I was saying" Petunia said rather forcefully, "We are desperatly short on money and are unable to send Dudley to his boarding school this year. If he does not go then you will not go to that school of your either."

"What do you want me to do?" Harry said worried. If he was unable to go to Hogwarts then how can he protect and what will keep Voldemort from attacking Hogwarts.

"You for the past four years have been able to pay for your school tuition without our help. I know that my sister and her husband were rather wealthy and I imagin that they left an inheritance to you. I ask that you pay for Dudley's schooling this year. We can't and I couldnt let my little Dudleykins go to those horrible public schools. What would the neighbors say?"

Harry sat shocked and then smiled. This was his chance to talk about Hermione. He knew that his aunt would hate to be in debt to him and this was away to eliviate the burden.

"Aunt Petunia, a friend of mine has been lookung for a place to stay until school starts again. Her family died and she needs a place to stay. She is wiling to pay, probably a hefty sum to whoever will take her in. I think that that would be better than being in debt to me." She looked at him a moment and smiled.

"Is she a witch?"

"Of cousre."

"I suppose that its fine, as long as I get the money and you do not tell anyone in the house what she is. Your uncle would not stand for it. Neigher would I but I have no choice, I need the money. Fine, she will stay in your room and you are back into the cupboard. I will just tell Vernon that i am taking in boarders to pay for his tuition. No problem." She looked worried and then left the kitchen. Smiling Harry went back to the garden to finish the work. It didnt seem like a big job anymore.

***

After he finished the grueling work of the garden he went to his room to compile a letter to Dumbledore accepting Hermione to come to his room. Hedwig was preening herself on his desk, tucking any out of place feather that happened to catch her eye. Harry pulled out the seat next to his beautiful snowy white owl. He was given to her the day his life changed, more than four years ago on hsi birthday. His good friend Hagrid came to him and told him about his parents and that he was a wizard. Since then his life had taken a turn for the better, even if a dark wizard was chasing him now. Hagrid introduced him to the wizarding world and is very dear to him. He smiled and looked fondly at his only link to the wizarding world.

"I suppose with Hermione here it won't be so bad." he mused. Taking a quill in hand he began to write.

Dear Professor,

I understand that this is a bad situation and I have gotten my Aunt and Uncle to let her stay. She may come tommorow with no problem and I hope that I may be able to help her. But I dont know how much I could help her with, I dont remember how my parents died.

Harry sat thinking of his own parents. His mother and father were murdered by Voldemort, both dying to save him. For and unknown reason to him, Voldemort attacked his house and killed him mother and father but not before his mother cast a protective spell over him causing any harm done to him to reflect back on the person causing the harm. Voldemort tried to kill him but ended up hurting himself and becoming no more than a shade until Harry's fourth year when using the help of Wormtail and Barty Couch jr. he was able to resurrect his body. Barty Couch jr diguised himself as Mad-eye Moody and entered Harry's name in the goblet of fire. The goblet choose the repersentitives for a triwizard contest, one from three schools: Howgwarts, Beunxtunses, and Drumstrung. Harry and Cerdic Diggory were both choosen for Hogwarts and competed. Both came out on first by the last competition, a maze to the triwizard cup. Both ended up, with Harry's urging, taking the cup. It turned out to be a port key, something that transports you to some place if you touch it. They were transported to a grave yard. Wormtail seeing Cerdic killed him. He tied Harry up and using Harry's blood, the flesh of a servant and the bones of his father Voldemort was able to come to life. he regained his circle fo followers and dueled with Harry. However the dueling was unsusseful becasue their wands shared the same core, a pheniox feather from the same bird. The dueling wands could not battle properly and built a golden cage around them. Using his will, Harry was able to force the wand to regurgitate the spells the wand last cast and was able to escape. Harry came out of the situation alive but he was the lucky one, but dreams of Cerdic dying still haunted him.

An impatient hoot from Hedwig pulled Harry from his stuper. He continued to write.

But I will at least not say anything to upest her. Seeing as we cannot go to the Weasley's could you please arrange a way for Hermione and myself to get to Diagon alley and to the platform. As of now we are without ride.

Sincerely,

Harry Potter.

Sealing his letter he tied it to the leg of Hedwig and watched her fly out the window into the dark night.

***

The sun blinked in through the window and filled the room with light. Scratching his unruly hair, Harry got up and went to the bathroom before anyone else woke up and took it away from him. He studied his face in the mirror, taking in every crease and freckle. He thought he saw something on his chin and went in for a closer look. He almost yelled alound. His first facial hair, dark and coarse on his face. Maybe by school he could be shaving. Looking again, probably not. Shrugging he continued to go through his daily routine. Washing his face he looked at his body. He seemed dreadfully skinny. He took off his shrit and studied himself closer. He scrunched up his nose at his chest. Tiny ribs were visible through his partchment like skin. "That's disgusting." He mused. "Maybe its about time for a tan, and maybe some muscles. Bloody hell, I'm fifteen and have nothing to show for it." With that he jumped into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over his skin. He got out quickly, before his cousin could bother him. Before leaving though he wrote on the steamed over mirror, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY." He went to his room and started to pack all his things into his trunk. He doubted that Hermione would enjoy a room filled with boy things. He changed the bedding and did a little dusting, probably the only cleaning he had done in his room since he had come home. After being sure he got everything he put it all into the cupboard and went to make breakfast. He was just finished cutting the grapefriut when his uncle came in. His neck bulged an ugly purple color that clashed horribley with the orange sport jacket he wore. Today was Saturday so he was going to the club to smoke with the boys as he put it. He couldn't understand with all the problem the family was having how he could still afford to go every Saturday but he supposed it was not his place to ask. He placed a plate before his uncle before starting on his own. They sat in silence waitng for the rest of the family came down to eat. When finally his aunt graced them with her presence they began to eat. He wondered what Hermione would think to these meager proportions but even if she thought they were not sufficient she wouldnt say anything. When Uncle Vernon was finally finished with his food he cleared his throat to speak. Everyone at the table looked up, "I have found a solution to the finacial problems. As you know we were a little strapped for cash but now there is no problem. A roomer will be living here starting today until September the first. She will be paying a great sum to live with us so," looking at Harry," I want no funny business from you boy. And Dudley from what I here she's a looker so look nice when she comes. She is not very old but has a great deal of money so if you could woe her you might have it set for the future." Harry had to hide his head under the table to keep from laughing out. The thought of Hermioen and Dudley was hilarious. She would never. "And boy if anything happens here like it did last year you will be the one to play." With he picked up the keys and left for the day. His aunt too, did not seem to want to be here so she left too, saying that she had some errands to run. It was just Dudley in the house with him but he wasnt being so bad. Actually nice. Harry guessed that now that he was in the same boat with chore as Harry that he is at least being nice. Dudley helped him clean up the kitchen and they both sat in the family room waiting.

"So I gues that you know this girl."

"Why do you think that?"

"I'm not stupid. Yesterday Mum gets fired and she calls you into the kitchen and she leaves saying that there will no longer be any problems. Come on, its not that hard to figure out."

"Oh, " said Harry dumbly. "Yeah she goes to my school." Dudley leaned his chin onto his hand. He studied the distance before saying anything.

"What is it like there, I mean your school?"

"Why do you want to know."

"Well, you have been there for four years and always want to go back. I suppose you think it is better than here. Probably is, I like my school better than staying here." Harry was shocked at Dudley's revelation. He had always thought that he would like it better where he could control things. He had always liked to beat up on him, what has changed.

"Well, my school is the same as any other boarding school. I mean other than the magic, I suppose. We have classes and hosues and prefects. We have some nice professors and some not so nice."

"Yeah I understand that but what about the magic part, that has to make things different."

"Sure we have transfiquratiom, that is where we change the shape of things with our wands, and potion, that's kinda like chemistry. Why do you want to know these things?"

"Well," he said blushing," I met someone in school and we have been going out, for umm about five months and she told me that umm, her family are all wizards but she's a squib. She's always talking about her family is like but I have nothing to say."

Harry couldn't believe it. His cousin dating a squib of all the things but if she went to Dudley's school then her family to Hogwarts.

"What is the girl's name?"

"Oh, Veridian Brown." He said blushing again. Harry couldnt believe it, this was so funny.

"Oh well if you want something to talk to her about then you could borrow a book from me or get one from Diagon Alley when I go to pick up my school supplies. You coudl come with me, I guess."

"So how do you knw this girl that's coming? You're girlfriend?"

"No but my best girl friend. She is friends with your girlfriend's sister. You can use my owl to write to her if you want to."

"I can?!,"he said looking as if he was about to explode from happiness. "Thanks so much Harry." Harry heard a knock at the door and hoisted himself from the chair. He qickly reached the door and swung it open to see a crying Hermione and angry Snape.

"Oh Harry," she cried wrapping her arms around his neck. He took her into his arms and held her there until Snape coughed rudely. He relseaed her and faced his nemisis. Snape sneered at him and looked at his home distastefully.

"As much as I woud rather not come into your home I need to bring her things and pay you aunt and uncle." Snape stepped past Harry descreetly levitating a trunk behind him. Dudley looked at the man in fear and for once this was a wizard to fear. Snape dropped the trunk on the table and looked at Hermione with saddness.

"Hermione," he began," You of course are excussed from my summer work and I hope that you are okay here, I will escoprt you and Potter to Diagon Alley a week before school is to start. Please be ready at ten. Harry," he said looking at him" you however still need to do your work I summize. But anyways I suppose that you will be needing this." Snape took from him pocket a rather small box. He pointed his wand at it and said "Engorgio!" The box enlarged to ten times its size. He staggered slightly under its wieght and set it on the floor. On top he set a small sack of money. Pointing at it Snape said, "That is for your Aunt and Uncle. I will be leaving now as much as I love playing santa to you I must leave." His cloak billowing around him he went out the front door. Harry stepped in front of him.

"Thank you for bring her to me. I appriciate it." Snape looked at him bewildered.

"Your welcome." He said it without a trace of a sneer. Nodding to Hermione he pulled out his wand signalling the Knight bus and left. Harry and Hermione stood watching where the bus was a moment ago for a long time. Harry felt that just being in together was helping her. He took her hand and held it finding comfort in each other's presence.

"Hey arent you two coming in?" yelled Dudley from inside. Both teenagers went inside, realeasing hands. They saw Dudley arranging presents from the box that Snape brought. There were numerous, more than Harry ever remembered having in his life.

"That man left all these for you. I didnt think he liked you?"

"Actually he doesnt but I think that he brought these from my friends."

"Yeah he did," chimed in Hermione. "We stopped by the Weasley's on the way and Sirius is staying with Snape."

"That has got to be horrible."

"No, I spent the day at his house yesterday. It wasnt that bad. Though Sirius complained that the food was bland." Dudley hurrumped and looked pointingly at Hermione.

"Oh Hermione, this is my cousin Dudley." Dudley reached out his hand and shook her's in a overly friendly way.

"It's really nice to meet you. I didnt imagin you like this." Dudley blushed and withdrew his hand.

"Yeah, I never thought that I would look forward to meeting a witch. But I have learned alot about them the past year."

"Yeah, he's dating Lavender Brown's sister." blurted out Harry. He quickly looked at Dudley to see if he was mad but was surpirised at the pleased look on his face.

"Oh you are," said Hermione turning to Dudley. "That is so sweet. Why dont you, " turning back to Harry, "open your presents."

"Good. So shall I open the presents?" Harry reached over to the first present. It was blue and glittered when he put his hand on it. It didnt have the name of who it was from. He looked at the people around him. "This is the first ime I have ever opened birthday presents in front of people before." Dudley frowned and Hermione looked a little sad but was eager for him to continue. He opened teh blue package and found a blue and silver photoalbum. On the first page was a letter from Ginny. He read it aloud for the benefit of the people around him.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday. I'm really sorry that you can't see us this summer. It will be the first summer that you havent been with us. I just thought that I would give you something to remind you of us. I miss you and hope that your summer isnt really that bad. Maybe we can get to know each other a little better. With all that is happening we are better with all the strenghths we have. Together we are stronger than we are apart. Most of the pictures were taken by the Creevey brothers but I took some of them too. I hope you like them.

Love always,

Ginny

Harry coudl not believe that she was so brave in her letter, she could hardly talk to him but she opened herself in a letter. He wouldnt mind getting to know her better. She is nice and probably a formidable ally, anyone from here family would be.

Hermione came closer to Harry to look at the pictures. Laying her head on his shoulder, she flipped the pictures.

"I didnt know she sent you things, this is really nice."

"No she hasnt but I like it. Look," turning to a different page. "there's you." It was a picture of her on the day of the yule ball. The yule ball was held during the triwizard turnoment to try to get the students from different school to get to interact with each other. Hermione went with a contestant in the turnament, a professional seeker for the Bulgarian team, Victor Krum. Ron and him didnt get along very well because Ron thought that he was overstepping his bounds with Hermione. Harry thought it was because he was jealous.

"Why dont we go to your room and finish opening this stuff because if my aunt and uncle come and see this stuff I will be in a heap of trouble." With the help of Dudley they lugged all the stuff up to Hermione's new room. Hermione buised herself with inspecting every part of the room, while Harry looked through the photo album. Dudley was amazed at the moving pictures.

"How about another present." said Harry reaching for a orange one. The poor wrap job told him that it probably was from Ron. He read the letter first.

Dear Harry,

How's it going, I hope well for you. it has been a pretty stressful holiday for me. Dumbledore probably told you about the attack. Its a really good thing that Bill and Charlie were here or I dotn think that we would ahve been in a really good situation. I was playing chess and sunddenly there was a knock on the door. Three deathe eater raced in and tried to curse us but Charlie was faster, he was the captain of the dueling team at school. He knocked one of them but the other's got away. Guess who he caught, Crabbe's father. He's in a minisrty jail right now and had to pay our family two thousand galloens. Its great but I'm really sad for Hermione. Give her my best when she gets to your house. Charlie and Bill are moving down here to protect the family. Bill has a job at Gringotts and Charlie has a job at Hogwarts. I dont know what it is but he said that He's not the DADA teacher though. He said to just wait and see. But their is more good luck, the election for Minister is September 17th and Dad has decided to run. Dumbledore said that with a new person in the seat we might be able to do some good. I dont know if you knew this or not but the voting age is 15 not 18 like the bloody muggles have it. You and Hermione can vote this year. No one had run against the recent Minister for fifthteen years. I think that it is about time though. But Dad isnt the only one that is running against him. It seems that a women named Lucile Baliume is running too. She running for the Libertarian Magic party. Dad had me meet her before we went into hiding. Harry she's a knock out. So very beautiful. Anyway I hope that my dad gets it. Your present is soemthing that will help you keep in touch with the happenings of the wizarding world. Hope you like it.

Sincerely,

Ron

"Wow, that's great," said Hermione reading over his shoulder. "I'm going to vote for him. I didnt knwo that the age for Wizard was 15. that seems a little young doesnt it."

"Yeah but it allows us to vote doesnt it so I guess it cant be all that bad. Think his father's gonna win."

"I dont know, the deatheaters would benefit mor eif everything stayed the way it was. But maybe if we help. We could get the students at Hogwarts to vote for him. It would be a point for the good guys if we could get some power in the Ministry of magic."

"yeah your right," said Harry as he tore off the wrapping of the package that Ron sent. it was a wizarding wireless. Harry sat it on his desk and turned it on. A band started to play.

"This will definatley help us keep in touch."

"Why dont you just get the Daily Prophet, Harry. I'm suscribed so we can read that too." Harry looked at his friend. In any situation she always wanted to know everything. Sometimes he thought that it was a hadicap, her taking the time and keeping her knowledge to herself. He sometimes felt that it cut her off a bit from him and Ron. He looked at his brainy friend, looking at her for the first time. She wasn't just the brainy girl that he met in his first year, she had grown into... well to put it lamely... a woman. Her hair was cropped short taking away some of the bushiness and making light curls bounce around her head. She had a light tan that browned her skin. But the thing that was most striking about her was her eyes. They captured his mind making him feel like he was slipping away from his surroundings. It took up everything around him in its honey goldness.

"Harry are you okay, you zoned out there a minute ago." Harry looked up to see Hermione staring at him funny. 'That must because I spent the last five minutes staring at her.'

"I'm fine just thinking about... about.. Ron and the election. Dont you think that it would be great if his father won." She looked at him like she didnt believe that that was the thing that he ws thinking about but said nothing to object it.

"Yeah he would have exactly what he wants."

"What?"

"Fame."

"Oh. I never thought about that."

"Oh Harry," said Hermioen eyes starting to tear. "He was so mean to you last year. Thinking that it was your fault. I didnt say anything becasue I was just happy that you were taking to him again but he really hurt you... and me. Our relationship with each other was so stressed. I was worried that we wouldnt be friends like we were again." At this point the tears really started to flow. At first Harry didnt know what to do but then he wrapped his arms around her small frame. Seeing this Dudley desceretly exited quickly.

Harry held her to his chest but couldnt stop noticing how small she was. Not just her height, she was at least five inches shorter than he was but there seemed as if he was hugging a skeleton. 'It must be because of the deaths, she wont eat. I've got to make her before she wastes away." he inturnally worried. He raised her head so that they faced each other.

"Hermione, that wasnt anything that we could of provented and by having it at least we know that something like that will not happen again. We are stronger and closer by it."
"I know its just things like relationships break so easily before Voldemort," Harry was startled. Never before had he heard Hermione use that name. It was feared throughout the wizarding world. No one speaking his name but using names like the Dark lord or you know who to talk about.

"like my parents," she continued between sobs. "They didnt deserve that, they arent wizards and this wanst their war. it was mine. it was so easy for the death eaters to do it to. I couldnt even get a spell out. They tried to kill me Harry," she said clinging to him even closer. "But Mum, poor mum. She was just a dentist. She was so brave. She stepped in front of me and he did the killign curse as if it was standard presecure to just kill people. Dad tried to grap me and run but I couldnt more and they killed him to. Then I ran. I ran like a coward... they died trying to save from a war they could never understand. Its all... it all my fault."

"Hermione. You did nothing wrong. You couldn't of saved them anymore than I could of saved my parents."

"Yes I could of, if only I stayed a muggle and they would of never been mixed up in this mess. I wouldnt of known about the wizarding world and they would have never died."

"No.. that's not true. This war.." he said brushing a tear from her face. Touching her sent shivers up his spine. " This war affects everyone. even the muggles. Remember in Professor Binns class, how he talked about the muggle casualties in the goblin wars. Everyone is hurt in this type of war no matter who you."

She stood quiet in his arms for a long time and he felt her breathign become regular. He was presently surprised to find that she fell asleep. He laid her in his old bed. Bringing the blankets around her. Before leaving he gently kissed her on the forehead and walked down the stairs hoping that tommorow would bring a better day.