Harry Potter and the Star of Adara

Harry Potter and the Star of Adara

Chapter 2- Carpet Travel

Late in the afternoon that very same day, Hedwig arrived back. Harry had been bored out of his wits, sat on his bed, sorting out his trunk for the journey back to Hogwarts, when she arrived. This time, she was carrying two pieces of parchment on her leg, and once Harry had removed them, she flew, quite exhausted, into her cage to rest. Harry tore open Ron's reply first:

Dear Harry,

Brilliant! We'll come and pick you up around 8 p.m. tonight. Hermione says hello and see you soon!

Don't let the Muggles get you down

Ron

Harry thought he might burst with excitement. He was going to the Burrow even sooner than he thought and he would be spending the rest of the summer with the people he loved. Harry contained his joy for a moment as he read his other letter, which happened to be from Hogwarts:

Dear Mr Potter,

This letter contains your equipment list for your fifth year at Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5) by Miranda Goshawk

The Dark Arts: What You Need to Know by Sophia Zephyr

Advanced Tranfiguration in Theory by Permula Mutatio

The Complete OWL Revision Guides to:

Transfiguration

Charms

Defence Against the Dark Arts

Herbology

Divination

History of Magic

Care of Magical Creatures

Please note that a special celebratory ball will be held after the Owl's, so please ensure that all dress robes are packed.

Yours Sincerely

Professor M. McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

All this mention of revision had started to make Harry's head spin. The Owl's had been the last thing on his mind, but now, he had to face up to the fact that he hadn't done any reading or homework since his return from Hogwarts-the thought made him slightly nauseous. Harry checked his clock once again- 5 p.m.- the Weasleys would be arriving in three hours. He stuffed the letters in the trunk, made sure everything was where it should be, locked Hedwig into her cage, and waited...

At 8 p.m. sharp, there came a loud knock on the front door. Harry opened his bedroom door slightly. He could see the balding top of Mr Dursley's head from his bed. Harry heard the door open, and then saw another head, this time, it was unmistakable, topped with flaming red Weasley hair. Harry heard the two voices mumbling to each other, then Mr Dursley turned and bellowed up the stairs,

"BOY...I, I mean, HARRY!" he yelled, in a rather shaky voice.

"Coming!" Harry shouted back. He grabbed the handle of his trunk with one hand, and Hedwig's cage with the other. He shuffled down the stairs to see the bright, beaming face of Mr Weasley.

"Hello Harry! How have you been?" he smiled .

"Fine thanks!" Harry returned his grin. This was partly because he was happy to see Mr Weasley, but also because of the imaginative combination of clothes he had decided to put on. In his attempt to blend in with the Muggles (non-magic people), he had gone a bit over the top. On his head was a rather squashed bowler hat, with a large peacock feather stuck on the side. He had donned a bright green checked shirt with a mustard-yellow tie, a pair of powder-blue beach shorts covered in pictures of little palm trees, and a huge pair of pink flip-flops. Harry struggled to hold in his laughter as he caught sight of Uncle Vernon's beetroot-red face.

"Well...I'll see you next year then?" Harry smiled, rather forcefully, at Vernon.

Uncle Vernon muttered something that sounded very much like "Next year my foot..." as he turned his back on them. Harry and Mr Weasley stood there for a moment, in the chilly, dark driveway. Then Mr Weasley spoke up,

"I'd better get your trunk away then?" he asked kindly.

"Yeah, thanks," murmured Harry, searching around for their mode of transport.

"Er, what did you get here in?" he asked,

"On Harry, on!" Mr Weasley replied.

Harry frowned quizzically at him. Mr Weasley ushered him over to one side.

"Boys! Get down here now!" Mr Weasley cried upwards into the night.

Harry felt a sudden, strong rush of air from above him. What he saw next made him do a double-take.

"Hey Harry!" yelled a familiar voice. The Weasley boys-twins Fred and George, and Harry's best friend, Ron- descended from the star littered sky-on a flying carpet. Harry had to pick his jaw up from the ground.

"Cool, isn't it?" grinned Ron, his smile reaching the top of his raging red hair.

Harry just nodded dumbly. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. The stitching and the colours were woven into the most intricate patterns you could imagine, and the tassels at either end shimmered gold and silver.

"Enough gawping," called Fred, "climb on!"

Harry did as he was told as Mr Weasley loaded his trunk and Hedwig onto the back. The carpet felt like silk to the touch.

"Right then," sighed Mr Weasley, as he clambered on himself, "the Burrow!"

Immediately, the carpet rose into the air, swirling up huge clouds of dust below it and then... it shot forward at what seemed like the speed of light. The carpet itself didn't even seem to be weighed down, but as light as a feather. Harry couldn't help thinking to himself whether this was another one of Mr Weasley's enchanted 'projects'. He worked for the Ministry of Magic in the Misuse of Muggle artefacts office, and Harry knew that Mr Weasley would be in a lot of trouble if they found out.

"So, had a good summer Harry?" asked George.

"Bearable!" smirked Harry, again thinking about Uncle Vernon's face.

"Ginny's been wondering when you'd get to come over. She talks about nothing else!" yelled Ron, over the loud whooshing of the carpet. Ginny was the youngest of the Weasleys, and had been a fan of Harry's since she met him at the beginning of his first year at Hogwarts.

Harry felt the carpet finally slow down about ten minutes later. The carpet lowered itself, covering everyone in a dusty haze.

"We're here!" said Mr Weasley.

The boys all hopped off, and Mr Weasley rolled up the carpet. Suddenly, the front door of the Burrow flew open, and out came Mrs Weasley, a plump woman, but one of the nicest witches that Harry had ever met.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, pulling him into a hug.

"Mum, you're smothering him!" muttered Fred,

"Nonsense!" Mrs Weasley smiled, stroking Harry's already messy black hair, "Now come inside all of you, before you catch a cold."

And with that, she bustled into the house, leaving Fred and George to bring in Harry's things.

The Weasley home was warm, bright, and full of wonderful smells. Just what a home should be, Harry thought to himself.

"Where's Hermione?" he blurted out suddenly,

"She's asleep," explained Ron, "Doesn't even know you're meant to be here already!"

Harry nodded, feeling slightly disappointed.

"Talking about sleep, hadn't you boys better go upstairs?" Mrs Weasley chimed in, "It's a big day for you tomorrow, Harry dear."

So the boys trundled upstairs to Ron's room. Percy wasn't at home, he was away on 'Ministry Business.'

Sleepy and content with the world, Harry settled down, feeling safe in the knowledge that tomorrow would probably one of the best birthdays he'd ever have.