Harry Potter's Worries

~~~~~~~~~Chapter 7~~~~~~~~~

And so Harry waited.

Meanwhile, in Hogwarts castle...

"Albus, why did you call me?" Minerva McGonagall's sharp voice cut the air in Dumbledore's office.

"Sit down my dear professor. This is a matter we must discuss immediately."

Professor McGonagall sat down and looked intently at the piece of Parchment the headmaster held. They remained silent for a while, and remained so until---

"Albus if there IS something to discuss, would you kindly start now?" Her impatience was clearly audible.

"To tell you the truth Minerva, I do not know where to begin, much more what to say."

Dumbledore said softly. He sighed and made Professor McGonagall read the letter. Minerva McGonagall was quite a woman, she was not one to be swayed nor offended. She always maintained a calm sort of strictness, and students felt this in her presence. She rarely showed emotion, and as she read the letter, well, if only the students could see her NOW.

Her expression flowed from calm to irresolute to horrified.

"What is this Albus? What does it mean? Where---" she stopped when Dumbledore gave her a photo to look at.

She took it and gasped with the horrified expression still on her face.

"What is THIS?" she repeated.

"I am not sure, and I do not know what to tell him."

"Well, we can't just ignore it." She was starting to calm down.

"Yes, yes, I know. But right now help me. Let us find what this photograph means."

"Alright, I will look into the matter."

And she moved out of the office, the image of the photograph still imprinted in her mind.

~~*****~~

Friday morning found a very upset and excited Harry. Upset because Dumbledore had not yet replied and excited because of the party.

"Hey Harry! What're you waiting for? Get up and help us here."

It was Dudley, pounding at his door.

"Yeah, OK, I'm up."

Harry put on a nice shirt that fit him well and a pair of trousers which he had bought at Diagon Alley. He fixed his hair as much as he could and went out. No one was at the second floor landing, no one was downstairs. Harry frowned and went into the kitchen. No one was there either. Where the heck were they?

Somebody cuffed him lightly and he looked up. It was Uncle Vernon.

"Well, Harry, happy birthday!"

"The party may be tonight but I want to give this to you," It was Dudley, who gave him a well wrapped package.

"This is from me. Now, now, don't drop it." Aunt Petunia handed him her present.

Harry looked at them in disbelief. He had surprises before, but none like this! It gave him more than happiness, and it gave him contentment.

"Don't forget mine," Uncle Vernon said as he gave Harry a small box wrapped in blue paper.

"I-I don't know what to say..." Harry said.

"Well, you can thank us," Dudley offered.

"Jolly good Dudley! Well, let's eat breakfast."

Harry stood there with the three presents.

"Thank you everyone. Thanks Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia. Thanks Dudley. I-I'm just speechless, I guess,"

"It's not everyday when we give you a party, right? You could say tonight we'll make up for the past, eh..."

"Fifteen years," Dudley said while chomping on some ham.

"Oh, right. Come now, let's eat."

And they ate together in silence. Not a stony, stiff and forbidding silence, but a silence of peace. All of them felt nothing could go wrong that day. All of them had finally tossed away their differences and Harry finally felt that there's nothing to worry about.

~~*****~~

The Burrow, home to the Weasleys, one of the most prominent pureblood Clans, (though not respected) rests below a hill. Its crooked beauty glittered in the sunlight, and out of nowhere a bang issued. Oh, it could only mean one thing. The twins were home.

"Fred! George! Will you stop that racket?!" Molly Weasley's voice echoed through the house.

"Don't worry Mum! We're just testing our latest product!" Came George's reply.

"It's really harmless, but messy--" Fred said.

"Augh! Geez! Keep away from me!!" Ron's strangled voice carried down the stairs.

Mrs. Weasley couldn't take it. She went upstairs and kicked Ron's door open. She was about to say something about people preparing when a totally awful smell greeted her. She blinked and looked at Ron's room. The boys where nowhere to be seen. At least at first, because they were covered in acid-green slime, and so was Ron's room.

"SCOURGIFY!!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed and the whole room became spotless.

"Mum! You didn't leave any samples to be analyzed!"

"ENOUGH! GO DOWN STAIRS AND DE-GNOME THE GARDEN! NOW!"

The three redheads slumped their shoulders and proceeded to the stairs. Mrs. Weasley stopped Ron.

"What is it, Mum?" he asked.

"Have you prepared for today?" she asked, gently.

"For what--oh! Yeah, yeah I'm ready!" he said.

"What about those two?" She jerked her head towards the twins.

"Well, actually...They were preparing a surprise and--"

"Don't tell me that THIS MESS is their surprise!"

"Err, yeah but--"

"Harry's aunt and uncle have become very nice to him! We cannot make them blame Harry and hate him because of your silly jokes!"

She pulled out her wand and waved it behind her, which sent the twins on the floor beside her.

"Did you hear me? No silly jokes! And don't you DARE make fun of his cousin!"

She marched downstairs and collapsed on the sofa.

And when she heard another bang from up those crooked stairs, she was too scared to get up and look.