Harry Potter's Worries

~~~~~~~~Chapter 5~~~~~~~~

[ So how about it Hermione?]

[ Look Ron, I'm not sure.]

[ But you just said, I mean, wrote earlier...]

[ I'm not sure if I'm the right person for you to ask. I'm quite flattered, actually.]

This was what Harry saw. Though he didn't see what Ron and Hermione were discussing he had a very clear idea of it already. He grabbed his quill and jabbed it on the ink bottle. Harry smiled as he watched the parchment clear itself. Time to give them REALLY shocking news...

{ Hello? Anyone out there?}

An ink spill indicated a very startled Ron somewhere in the depths of the Burrow.

[ Oh, hey mate!]

It was a very hurried reply.

[ Harry! What's up?]

Hermione's answer was written in eternal calm.

{ Just wanted to invite you guys.}

[ Invite? Where? What occasion?]

[ No way Harry!!]

He smiled again. Good thing Hermione could pick up fast.

{ Yes WAY, Hermione}

[ Gee mate what's up?]

[ Ron, the Dursleys are throwing him a PARTY!]

[ Are you kidding?? Is she kidding?]

{ No kiddies in the party Ron.}

[ That's great!! Who'll come?]

{ I want all of you to come.}

[ Well, we could just floo over right?]

{ I'd better ask my aunt and uncle about that.}

[ Ron, will you ask Mr. Weasley if he could come by to pick me up?]

[ Oh sure, no prob.]

{ Great you guys. I'll try to invite some people in the Order.}

[ Well, I'm off to tell them then.]

[ When is it?]

{ Friday, six O'clock.}

[ Got it. Bye then.]

[ Ok, thanks.]

Harry stretched on his chair. He still couldn't believe his luck. Life on Number Four wasn't that bad after all.

He opened Hedwig's cage as he wrote an invitation to the Order's members. Hedwig ruffled her feathers and looked at him sternly. Maybe she didn't approve of the House Messenger. Harry tied the letters to Hedwig and set her out on the window. She took off with a slight screech.

He went down stairs and located his uncle, who was just about to leave for work.

"Uncle Vernon, can I ask you something?" Harry began.

"Yes, what is it?" He answered in an overly bright tone.

"Can the guests, you know, arrive here by, uh,err, magic?"

"Where will they be popping then?" Uncle Vernon seemed to take this all in stride.

"The fireplace. Like the other year when---"

"Alright, I'll unboard it later when I come back."

Uncle Vernon added, "Help your aunt and make sure Dud isn't into trouble," almost in a fatherly way.

"Got it Uncle Vernon, have a nice day at the office."

Whew, that was very unusual, Harry thought as he went to the kitchen. Looks like the 'Don't ask questions' rule has finally been broken. Aunt Petunia was looking in a moldy old recipie book. So moldy in fact, that Harry couldn't believe his aunt would be holding it. He peered a bit closer to the cover...

"Lily's Recipies"

Aunt Petunia finally noticed Harry, whose face was an inch away from the cover.

"Harry! What are you doing?"

"Is that, that book, really..." He stammered.

"What do you mean? Oh, this? Yes, yes it's your mother's. Now hurry along and get Dudley. We'll plan the menu for your party."

Harry frowned as he went looking for Dudley. He wondered what other things his aunt was hiding. If she WAS hiding more stuff of my mum, then maybe, just maybe, his aunt really didn't hate his mum. Dudley was nowhere to be found; not in the living room, not in the bedroom, not in the garden, not in the bathroom, just plainly nowhere.

Harry's last stop was the attic. He wasn't sure if he should go there, but he had to find Dudley. There were no ghosts or ghouls in the attic. The Dursleys did not believe in the paranormal, but long ago, they were strictly forbidden by Uncle Vernon to enter the attic. Now Harry wondered, what could be hidden here? His heart pounded as his hand clasped the door handle. Could this be where they hid memories of his parents?

The door creaked, it must have not been used in a long time. The attic itself was dark, musty and dusty. Harry let his eyes adjust to the darkness for a bit when he felt movement in the room. Someone or something was there. His ears pricked as he waited for whatever it was to move. He gulped as he realized he had left his wand in his room.

"Dud is that you?"

No answer.

"C'mon Dud, your mum wants us in the kitchen."

Silence hung thick in the air.

By this time Harry was halfway into the attic, he decided to go back and tell Aunt Petunia that he can't find Dudley. As he turned around, the door slammed shut.