Another year in Hogwarts!

This summer seemed as though it was going to be bleak and extraordinarily boring, and also extraordinarily deadly. Having been barred from all parts of the house at all times, Harry could only lie in bed and stare at the ceiling nearly every day. The Dursleys made him eat one grapefruit quarter everyday. There really wasn't anything else he could do, except cross his fingers and wait to be rescued.

In his first year, he was rescued by Hagrid. In his second year, he was rescued by Ron in his Ford Anglia. In his third year, he was rescued by the Knight Bus (and somewhat) and Aunt Marge. In his fourth year, it was Ron again.

Now who was going to rescue him this year?

Harry hated to think that he was actually quite dependent, in one way or another, on his friends. It technically made him feel quite lousy and helpless. Not a very enjoyable feeling.

It was also his birthday, actually. Traditionally every year Hermione and Ron would send him something for his birthday, but already fourteen hours into his fifteenth year, no presents, not even LETTERS had arrived.

Harry began feeling extremely dismal.

What would happen, though, he thought, if they all thought that I was all right, and made no effort to come? How come there has been no owls?

As if in answer to this, right on cue, a brown tawny owl arrived on his windowsill. It rapped on the window smartly, looking extremely dignified. It had a parcel tied to its foot.

"Finally!" Harry couldn't help saying aloud. He opened his window and patted the owl on its head. It was a new one, one he had never seen before. The parcel looked rather heavy too. Harry untied the parcel from its foot. Free from its burden, the owl hooted gratefully and soared back into the sky.

Harry brought the parcel in and shut the window. He glanced for a moment at Hedwig. She was looking rather jealous.

"Oh, don't worry," Harry said quickly. "You're better than him."

Hedwig stopped looking jealous.

Harry untied the parcel as fast as he could, and emptied its contents onto his bed.

They were rather curious things. There was a glass bottle with a single maroon left sock in it, a tiny bag of harmless looking mints and....a rolled up letter.

Harry seized the letter and opened it.

Dear Harry, the letter read,

Happy birthday! I know your uncle and aunt are definitely giving you problems and I'm absolutely sure that you don't want to continue staying with them.~ Ron Yes, I definitely agree. We were trying to think of a way to save you, and the first thing we thought of was having your fireplace joined to the Floo network again. But that isn't too possible because it's electric. ~ Hermione So we've come up with the most BRILLIANT idea ever! ~ Ron No, actually, I thought of it. It's simple. With a spell I learnt recently, I made you a portkey out of Ron's left sock. I put it into a vial, it's been sealed with a Spell Stopper, so touching the vial is all right. Touching the sock, however, will take you to Ron's house. ~ Hermione

So anytime you actually feel like coming over, just hold the sock! I trust you will want to come over immediately, naturally, so by all means, hold the Left Sock! Be careful Dudley doesn't get hold of it though. It will transport him here instead. Then I'm not responsible for whatever Fred and George will do to him. ~ Ron We trust this is an excellent Birthday Present. We have more waiting for you down here, so hurry~ ~ Hermione

Love from Ron and Hermione

P.S. Like that owl? It's mine. ~ Hermione

P.P.S. DON'T EAT THE MINTS! THEY WILL MAKE YOU TURN GREEN! Fred and George put it in there. ~ Ron

P.P.P.S. So it's not my fault anymore. ~ Ron

Harry quickly put down the mint that he was about to put into his mouth. He studied it carefully. It looked innocent enough.

So the sock was a Portkey to Ron's house! Finally, he was being rescued! Of course, he would leave immediately. Harry couldn't stand one more second with the Durleys.

Harry quickly fumbled under the floorboards for his books and things, and his broomstick. He grabbed Hedwig's cage from her stand.

"Hedwig! We're going away!"

He bundled all his things into his arms, and with his free hands, pulled out the stopper cork from the vial and emptied the sock into his hands.

He felt that familiar feeling from under his navel, and sighed with relief as his room in No. 4, Privet Drive swirled out of sight.

* * * * *

He landed in the garden of The Burrow at the nick of time. There seemed to be some celebration going on in the kitchen. Banners were up, and magical confetti was falling and flying around it.

Harry picked up his fallen luggage and walked up to the doorstep. He knocked.

Almost immediately the door burst open, and facing him was Hermione and Ron.

"Harry! You're here! I knew you'd come as soon as we sent the parcel!" Hermione was beaming. Her teeth really did look much better.

"I hope you didn't eat the mint..." Ron said rather apologetically, blushing maroon. "I had no idea that Fred and George put it in - "

"Actually, it was for Dudley," said George, who appeared behind Ron, grinning. "I hope you didn't bring it along with you! It would defeat the purpose."

Harry laughed. "No, of course not! I left it behind for him to find."

Everyone laughed and showed him in. Harry struggled in with all his many luggage. As soon as he entered the house, they tumbled beside him in a heap.

Mrs Weasley came out of the kitchen.

"Harry! How nice to see you!" She gave him a big hug. "You've grown taller! Have your uncle and aunt treated you well? Are you hungry?"

Harry's stomach rumbled.

"Well excellent!" smiled Mrs Weasley. "We have a spread laid out for you in the kitchen, to celebrate your birthday dear! We shall have that for tea. Now Ron, if you would just show Harry his room - "

Hermione, Ron, and the twins grabbed a piece each of Harry's luggage. Together, they struggled up the stairs.

"I wish I could just SEE him turning green..." said Ron longingly, as they moved up the stairs.

"Don't worry," grinned Fred, who was struggling next to Ron. "I installed a Wizardcam onto the cover of the mints. It's based on a Muggle invention. It's fantastic, you can watch whatever it captured on the Wizardviewer in Ron's room."

(A/N: Sorry. Another lame invention with a lame name.)

"That's excellent! I wonder if he's found it yet ..." thought Ron aloud.

They reached Ron's orange room, and piled everything onto Harry's mattress, panting and heaving.

"Shall we see if he picked them up yet?" said Ron, moving towards the WizardViewer. It was like a palm-sized television, and it rested on the table.

"No Ron, we've got to help Harry unpack," said Hermione.

"WHAT do you put in there, Harry?" groaned Fred. "Your cases are so heavy!"

"Everything I am allowed to own," said Harry without thinking.

That, they soon found out as they helped Harry unpack, basically comprised of all his text books since Year One, two robes, some disgustingly large and baggy XXXXXXXXXXXL clothes, a huge XXXXXXXXXXXL sized (it was custom made) Smelting's hat which Dudley (amazingly) had outgrown.

"The clothes you have!" exclaimed Hermione. She quickly fixed all of them (including the hat) with a Shrinking Charm. They fit Harry quite nicely after that.

"Shall we see if he picked them up yet?" said Roh again impatiently.

"No Ron..." Hermione said exasperatedly. "We still have to put his clothes into the closet!"

They hung up all his clothing with the wave of a wand and put all the clothes into the closet.

"Shall we see if he picked them up yet?" moaned Ron, now practically hopping.

"YES!" they yelled, rolling their eyes, and were about to switch on the WizardViewer when -

"CHILDREN! TEA TIME!" Mrs Weasley yelled.

"Oh yes!" yelled everyone.

"Oh nooooooooooo...." moaned Ron.

Everyone ran towards the stairs except Ron, who was standing transfixed next to the WizardViewer on the table, gazing at it longingly.

"Aw, Ron," yelled Fred as he was halfway down the stairs, "Just bring the darn thing down. Everyone wants to see the pig turn green."

* * * * *