Harry Potter and the Unanswered Question

Harry Potter and the Unanswered Question

Chapter Two: Sweet Sixteen

July thirty-first started out like any other day at Number Four, Privet Drive. To Harry it was different, though. Today was his sixteenth birthday, a very important day, indeed! Of course the Dursleys were completely ignoring his birthday, but he had gotten used to this. What Harry was really waiting for were letters from Ron and Hermione. Harry loved hearing from his best friends on his birthday. They always seemed to make his birthday a little more bearable.

Harry decided to have another go at his essay for Professor Snape. While he was digging around in his trunk for his essay, he came across the broken shards of the mirror Sirius had given him last year. Harry paused. Memories came flooding back to him. He sat down on his bed and held the pieces of the mirror, remembering Sirius and thinking about how he wouldn't receive any letters from him this summer. Harry felt a stinging behind his eyes and before he realized what he was doing, he was crying, his tears splattering on the broken pieces of mirror. Harry sniffled and dried his eyes with his shirttail. Just as he was putting the broken mirror back into his trunk, Hedwig came flying through the window, carrying a package. Two more owls followed her in, each carrying a package. Harry gave a small smile as he took the packages from the owls and offered them some water. Harry opened the first package. It was from Ron. It contained Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, fudge from Mrs. Weasley, and a package of Skiving Snack boxes from the twins. Harry smiled. He sat aside the first package and opened the second. It appeared to be some kind of journal. He opened it and a note fell out. He picked it up and read it.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday! I thought that this might come in handy. You see, while it appears to be only a journal, it is actually a way to communicate. Ron has one and I have one, too. All you have to do is write in the journal as if you were writing to Ron or me. Our name will appear in our journal and we will be able to read it and write back. No more worries about owls being intercepted.

Now, when Ron or I write to you, only your name will appear on the first page. It will stay there until you read the letter. To make the letter appear, you tap the page with your wand and say your password. That way only you can read your letters.

To pick a password, all you have to do is write a word, whatever word you want, in the journal, then say the word and tap the page with your wand. Now the word should disappear. Now you have your password.

After you write your letter, it will disappear and appear in the journal of whomever the letter was intended for. I got the idea from a mixture of the Marauders Map and Tom Riddle's diary. Professor Lupin did the magic for me, so don't worry, nothing Dark. Hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Love,

Hermione

Harry looked down at the journal. Now he could write to Ron and Hermione and ask them anything! He picked up the journal. First he needed to come up with a password. Harry thought for a few minutes, then wrote one word down on the first page: prongs. He then taped the page with his wand and quietly said, "Prongs." The writing disappeared. Now he was ready to write. His first letter was to Hermione.

Dear Hermione,

Thank you so much for the journal! It will really come in handy! So, are you staying with Ron yet? Do you know where they are? Have you heard anything else about Voldemort? I haven't seen anything in the Daily Prophet, but maybe you've heard something. This was really an ingenious idea! Thanks again!

~Harry

Harry watched the words sink into the page, like they did in Riddle's diary back in second year. Next he decided to write Ron.

Dear Ron,

Thanks for the candy! Please tell your mother and Fred and George thanks also! So, what do you think of Hermione's journals? She's a genius, isn't she? I guess that's what you get for reading all the time...so, what's going on with the Order? Where are you guys now? When will I be able to come stay? How am I supposed to get there? I can't wait to get away from the Dursleys! Well, I hope I see you soon!

~Harry

Harry watched as once again the words sank into the page. He sat the journal down on his desk and picked up the third package. It was from Ginny. This surprised Harry. He wondered why she hadn't just sent her present with the rest of the Weasleys. Harry pulled out something lumpy and wrapped in rags. He unwrapped it. Inside was another journal, but this one was older and full of writing. He opened it and froze at the name on the inside.

James Potter

Harry quickly pulled out Ginny's letter, looking for an explanation.

Dear Harry,

Happy sixteenth birthday! I found this while we were cleaning the Order stuff out of Grimmauld Place. Sirius must have been keeping it. I thought you might like to have it. I wasn't sure what Mum would say, so I didn't tell her I had it and sent it separately.

I hope you are doing well, Harry. You know, if you ever need to talk, I'm more than willing to listen. Don't forget, Voldemort (Hermione convinced me to use his name) used me to get at you, so I know, somewhat, the feeling of guilt.

Hope you enjoy reading your dad's journal. See you soon!

~Ginny

Harry put the note down and decided to write Ginny back before he started reading the journal.

Dear Ginny,

Thank you so much for the journal. I am excited to finally find out more about my parents. I hope to see you all soon!

~Harry

Harry handed the letter to the owl that had brought the package. He then turned to his father's journal. The first entry date meant that this journal was written during his father's seventh year. He started reading the first entry.

Monday, September 6

Sirius gave me this journal and told me that writing down my thoughts and feelings would do me good. Really I think he wanted me to write down embarrassing stuff so he could read it. I actually think this might be a good idea.

I'm excited about this year. Head Boy, me?? Who would have thought! And Head Girl? Why, beautiful Lily Evans. Don't worry; I've definitely given up on her. Three years and she still ignores me, that's not going to change. Besides, I have a wonderful girlfriend and Natalie would probably kill me if she knew I was writing about Lily.

Natalie Brookes is in Ravenclaw and always has her head in a book, when she's not watching wonderful me play Quidditch or trying to talk Sirius out of torturing slimy Snape.

Harry couldn't believe what he had just read. He knew his parents hadn't gotten together until seventh year, but he had no idea that his father had had another girlfriend. He sat the journal down. He thought for a minute about how much he didn't know about his parents. He decided he was glad that Ginny had sent him this journal, maybe now he would finally get some answers about his parents, and why they didn't get together until their seventh year. He also decided he would write Hermione tomorrow and ask her if she had ever heard of a Natalie Brookes.

Harry walked over to his bed and lay down. He wasn't really tired, but he knew he needed sleep. He just kept thinking about Sirius, his parents, everything. He knew he would have to stop thinking about Sirius, but at times it was hard. He finally drifted off to sleep, thinking of Ron and how he would soon be leaving Privet Drive.