Harry Potter and the Fifth Year of Mysteries

Chapter 1.

It was a cool evening in the middle of summer at number four, Private Drive. Harry Potter sat by his desk, writing his History of Magic essay (Describe how the Muggle-Wizard Separation deepened due to the 1147 Goblin Rebellion, with comparisons to the 20^th century). He didn't have to worry about any of the Dursleys barging in; since he came back from Hogwarts they had almost completely ignored him. This was good and bad; good because he didn't have to worry about doing homework, but bad since the Dursleys several times "forgot" to set the table for him.

Harry yawned and glanced at the clock. It was 22:00. He would finish the essay another time. Harry tidied away his books, quill and parchment before turning off the light and jumping into bed.

Tap, tap...tap, tap... Harry opened his eyes and looked out into the fuzzy semi-darkness of his room. It took a moment before he realized that Pig, Ron's small over-excitable owl was tapping at the window. Yawning, Harry put his glasses on before opening the window to let Pig in. He then looked at the clock. 06:00, his birthday had already been going on for six hours.

"Couldn't you have chosen another time," he half kidded, half grumbled at Pig as he flew into the room, dropping a parcel and two letters on the bed, before starting to fly madly around the room.

Harry quickly ripped the package open, revealing a book (Quidditch moves from A to Z) and a S.P.E.W. badge.

"Spew?!," Harry exclaimed. "Don't say Hermione brainwashed him."

The first letter, which Harry, by the handwriting, recognized to be Ron's read as follows:

Happy Birthday Harry!

Hope the muggles are treating you alright. My birthday present is really a two-part one. The spew badge is actually a port-key that will set of in two weeks from now (in other words the 14^th of August) at 13:00. Get that? THE 14^th OF AUGUST AT ONE O'CLOCK.

If you're worrying about Dumbledore - don't. We've got permission. The Burrow has been connected directly to Hogwarts, so if anything happens we'll just go there.

Have a great birthday.

Ron

P.S. Fred and George asked me to send you the other letter. They wouldn't tell me why, though.

Harry grinned as he put down the letter. Half a month at The Burrow! He then turned to the other letter, which obviously was from Fred and George.

Hiya Harry!

In honour of your donation to 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' we send a note that will ensure that no new products will be tested on you. On the other hand, we will give you free samples of any new products that we care to invent.

Faithfully, your noble inventors,

Gred and Forge.

As Harry read the last sentences of the letter, another tapping was heard from the window, before a barn owl Harry never had seen before flew in through the window, also dropping a package and a letter on Harry's bed. Harry quickly opened the letter.

Happy Birthday Harry!

What do you think of my new owl? Mum and dad thought I should have one, starting my new year and all. Her name's Aphrodite (the Greek goddess of love).

I heard from Ron that you're going to The Burrow in half a month. I'm going there too! See you there.

I know what your next question is and, no I didn't go to Bulgaria. With the whole you-know-who thing going on and all, my parents felt that it was safer for me to stay here and I must say that I agree with them.

Harry, your scar hasn't hurt again, has it? If it does, write directly to Dumbledore.

Love, Hermione

Harry quickly tore up the present from Hermione. It turned out to be - a book.

"Surprise, surprise," he whispered to himself. But it was the book's title that was interesting. Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and much, much more). The same book Harry had laid eyes on in Diagon Alley exactly four years ago!

The time was now around 06:30 and Harry decided to use his birthday morning for reading his new books before breakfast started.

When Harry went down to breakfast the Dursleys didn't even look at him as he sat down by the table. Still, Harry was determined to try.

"Um, Uncle Vernon?" Uncle Vernon gave no sign to that he heard Harry. "Well, my friend Ron has invited me over to his house. Not for two weeks, yet, though. I can go, can't I?" Uncle Vernon didn't seem to have noticed Harry; he just kept ladling more bacon and eggs into his mouth. Just as Harry was about to ask his question again, Uncle Vernon reacted.

"Are they coming here again? I am not allowing riff-raff like that to cross my threshold again," Uncle Vernon said, face turning red. "Last time was a big mistake... a huge mistake..."

"Oh, no Uncle Vernon, they won't be coming to pick me up."

"Well, you're not expecting me to drive, are you? I'm a busy enough man as it is, without having to drive some... some freak to a bunch of weirdos on the other side of the country."

"Quite right, Vernon," Aunt Petunia said, nodding her head empathetically. "The things we have done for you." Harry, who could sense another you-should-be-so-grateful lecture coming up, quickly intervened.

"Don't worry. I'll be getting there on my own."

"Well then... well then, it should be all right."

"Thank you so much," Harry said, grinning, as he excused himself from the table and ran up to his room.

When he came upstairs, he grabbed a quill and quickly scribbled to quick notes to Ron and Hermione, telling them he could come and sent them off with their owls who had all stayed waiting in his room while he went down to breakfast.

As he sent them off, Hedwig, Harry's own snowy owl came gliding in through the window. She landed on Harry's shoulder with a small hoot and softly nibbled his ear.

"Hi Hedwig," Harry said quietly, stroking her soft feathers. She gave another small hoot before she too dropped a parcel and a letter on the bed. Harry recognised the handwriting as Sirius' and ripped the envelope open, he hadn't got a letter from Sirius since school ended weeks ago.

Happy Birthday Harry!!

Hope the letter reaches you on your birthday. Sorry I haven't been able to write, but I've been fairly busy, contacting different people for Dumbledore. I'm at Moony's right now, which is why I have some time of.

About Cedric Harry, don't blame yourself for him. You did what you could and a lot more than practically the whole wizard population would have done in your situation.

Hope you'll like the present. I was up in the attic with Remus when I found it, so it's really from both of us. Remus sends his congratulations too, Harry (he just told me as I was writing this).

Your loving god-father

Sirius/Snuffles/Padfoot.

Harry sighed. He wished Sirius hadn't brought up Cedric. Sure he's had a couple of (Ok, several) nightmares, but that was something he wished to forget. He quickly turned to Sirius' (and Professor Lupin's, Harry reminded himself) present. Inside was a crude wooden box. Harry gently pried the cover open. Inside was a note that said:

Harry, school memories of your parents. Sirius.

Under the note were pictures. Harry lifted up the first one. It featured four people, three boys and a girl leaning against a tree, all laughing their heads off and waving at him. His stomach gave a jolt when he realized that the people were his parents, Professor Lupin and Sirius. Harry continued ploughing through the box. Under the pictures were letters, obviously from his parents to each other.

The day went by as Harry looked through the box, looked at the pictures and read the letters. Late in the afternoon an impressive-looking Hogwarts owl flew in, dropped its load on the bed and immediately flew away. Its load contained a present from Hagrid (chocolate frogs) and the usual Hogwarts letter which Harry opened.

Dear Mr. Potter

The new school year will begin on September the 1^st. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.

Please note that you, along with Miss Hermione Granger, have been made Gryffindor Prefect. Prefects' duties involve taking care of new students, seeing that rules are being held (you can both give and deduct points from other pupils), going to prefect meetings once a week as well as setting an example for the rest of the school. The front two compartments have been booked for the comfort of the prefects even though you are allowed to sit elsewhere.

A list of books for next year is enclosed.

Yours sincerely,

Professor M. McGonnagall

Deputy Headmistress

Harry shook the envelope slightly and a gleaming prefect's badge came tumbling out. Him, a prefect? He had always known that Hermione would be one; he and Ron had teased her about it on countless occasions, but him? Oh no, Ron. Yet another time when the famous Boy Who Lived would stand in the way of Ron Weasley. He would have to write to Ron about immediately. Better Ron found it out from him than from Hermione or on the train.

"Hedwig, could you take this letter to Ron? When you get there, stay until I come," he said, holding out a small piece of parchment. Hedwig hooted and took it before flying of into the night.

The two weeks flew by quickly. He explained to his uncle about the portkey - that is that he would leave in his room. This proved to be a difficult task as Uncle Vernon wouldn't listen to conversations containing the words "magic", "wizards" or anything similar.

*

A dark maze loomed before him. In the distance a cup glittered. Cedric reached out to take hold of it, his face set into determined pride.

"No Cedric, no don't take it. It's a portkey Cedric, don't take it! NO!!" Harry started running towards Cedric, still shouting at the top of his voice. He had to warn him, he had to...

"NO, DON'T TAKE IT CEDRIC!!" But it was too late. Cedric touched the cup and everything disappeared in a whirlwind of colour.

Harry got shakily to his feet. He looked over the grounds of what looked like was a large mansion. Suddenly he gasped. At his feet Cedric lay dead. As Harry stared at his body, the ghost of Cedric rose from it.

"You killed me Harry," it said softly, reproaching.

"No, I - I didn't mean to. It wasn't my fault. Please, Cedric, I'm sorry." Cedric's ghost laughed.

"Sorry? You think sorry will repay this? It's all your fault, Harry." As he spoke, several other white ghostly shapes came drifting towards Harry. Harry recognised his mother and his father.

"Yes, Harry," his mother whispered. "It's all your fault." The other ghosts fell into the chant.

"All your fault... all your fault."

"NO!! I didn't do it."

"All your fault..."

"You killed us..."

Harry sat up in bed with a half-restrained scream. Another nightmare.... And on the day he was going to the Burrow. He paused, collecting his thoughts. It was just a nightmare, he told himself firmly. Nothing to be afraid of, it wasn't real. He would definitely not tell the Weasleys. They would fuss - too much. Harry appreciated the concern, but sometimes enough was enough.

Finally the time came. He had double-checked his packing several times, to make sure nothing was forgotten. After that he clutched his trunk, broomstick and empty cage while touching the S.P.E.W. badge with a finger. 12:55... 12:56... 12:57... 12:58... 12:59... 13:00. Everything started spinning as Harry travelled towards The Burrow.