-- Disclaimer: All characters and things you recognise belong to J.K. Rowling. The rest belongs to me. --
Please review if you like my story. Constructive reviews are fine, but please be nice. After all, I am only writing this because I enjoy writing fanfiction and you didn't have to pay to read this. That said.. enjoy!
--- Chapter 1: The Dursleys Vacation ---
Harry was gazing up at the ceiling from his bed at number 4 Privet Drive. Harry wasn't actually looking at the ceiling though, his eyes where actually quite unfocused. He was instead listening with amusement to the argument he could hear going on in the kitchen below.
Harry's cousin Dudley had arrived home today from his exclusive public boys school 'Smeltings'. Harry himself had only arrived home yesterday, so he hadn't had much time to think about Dudley - not that that was a particularly popular past time for Harry, who preferred not to think about the Dursleys at all if possible.
Harry had therefore been slightly surprised when Uncle Vernon had arrived home from the station with Dudley, and Dudley had looked.. how shall we say it? Thinner? Yes, Dudley's school had clearly been enforcing the diet that Dudley had been on last summer. Added to that was the fact that Dudley had since developed a strong fear of sweets since the 'slight' incident involving the Ton-Tongue Toffee last year.
Dudley had clearly thought that after being forced to 'starve' all year he could go back to his old habits at home. Aunt Petunia however, had received the diet sheet from the School nurse already and had clearly been instructed that he had to stick to his diet and was expected to continue losing weight as the same rate as he had at school.
"I want a sugar bun! I haven't had one all year! I will starve to death! They have been staving me! You don't understand what it's like there! Give me a sugar bun!"
Aunt Petunia however, stood her ground in front of the pantry and Harry could hear her yelling at Dudley that he would have to wait until dinner. Harry grinned thinking of the stretch marks on Dudley's chin from all the weight he had lost, and how much he must have had to have suffered to lose that weight.
Late that night, long after a sugarbunless dinner, Harry was sitting on his bed doing his History of Magic homework.
"Explain with examples, how the famous wizard Clairol Cloric came to found the International Wizarding Conference in the early 17th Century, and what came of it. (8 feet)
Harry sucked on the top of his orange quill and thought about how much harder these questions had become now that his O.W.L's where looming. Every teacher had piled on the homework over summer, including Hagrid. Hagrids homework wasn't exactly difficult though, it was only: "Write one paragraph describing a magical creature you would not find in the U.K". No doubt Hermione would write 6 foot. After all, he thought, she would have plenty of opportunity to find out about other magical creatures, since she was spending her holiday in Bulgaria with her new friend Victor Krum. He had decided to leave that piece of homework for last, he was going to Ron's place for the last two weeks of the summer holidays, and Rons family would surely have some books about foreign magical creatures on their kitchen bookshelf. Not to mention Charlie having a job in Egypt, if Charlie was home.
A beam of moonlight fell across Harry's bed and he was suddenly reminded of the time. Looking down at his wrist out of habit, he remembered he really would have to buy a new watch. He couldn't afford to be late for classes next year, Harry mused as he closed his textbook and rolled up his parchment. 3 feet written tonight and it was only the second day of the holidays! If he didn't watch it he would turn into Percy. Harry grinned again as he shoved his stuff under the loose floorboard - beside the pastries he had purchased on the Hogwarts Express home.
It was the day before his birthday, the week had rushed by. Harry had spent most of his time in his room. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had given up talking to him and that meant that they couldn't exactly tell him off for sitting in his room during the day to do his summer homework.
Harry walked into the kitchen and saw the Dursleys huddled around the kitchen table looking at a variety of phamplets spread over it. He tried to look around Dudley but Dudley moved around to further obscure his view.
"What's going on?", asked Harry politely to Uncle Vernon fully expecting to be just glared at.
"Petunia, Dudley and I are going on a vacation to New Zealand the day after you leave with those - people - you know", Uncle Vernon spat, shoving one of the phamplets on the table into Harrys hand. Harry looked down at the phamplet in his hand and read: 'The West Coast of New Zealand - Fox Glacier, Marlborough Sounds and the Pancake Rocks. (package tour deal for 3).' Underneath was a picture of a field of pretty purple flowers Harry didn't recognize behind a wire fence and lane with some majestic snow-capped mountains looming into view in the background. Harry felt a pang of longing looking at the picture and looked up at Uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon was standing glaring at him, as through willing him to ask why he hadn't been invited.
"Well, I hope you all enjoy yourselves", Harry said as he handed the phamplet back, and turned to take his grapefruit quarter.
It's not like I expected to be invited anyway, Harry thought, and even if I had been, simply having the Dursleys around would ruin things. As Harry ate his grapefruit he worked on convincing himself that being with the Weasleys would be as good as any holiday in beautiful New Zealand any-day. Dudley, he suspected, would only ruin the view.
"Well", said Uncle Vernon, clapping his pudgy hands together after breakfast. "I'm going to drive into town to see the travel agent. Fancy a drive Dudley?"
Dudley nodded his head and hurried out of the kitchen after Uncle Vernon.
Harry washed up the breakfast dishes, and then went up to his room with one of the phamplets. Aunt Petunia had gone outside to have a conversation with one of the next door neighbours. Probably to tell them about the holiday.
Harry lay on his bed and gazed at the pictures in the phamplets some more. Well if Uncle Vernon had wanted him to be jealous, he had certainly succeeded, Harry thought, turning the page. Harry had never been outside the U.K. and after what happened at school last year, Harry wished that he had living parents. Parents that could take him far away from his worries like Hermiones parents had taken her to France, and Rons had taken him to Egypt.
At ten to twelve that night Harry walked across his room and leant out the window, eyes scanning the sky for Hedwig. She had been gone 3 days now, and in 10 minutes time he would be 15. He had spent the day finishing up his potions homework of 12 Essays, each one more difficult than the last. Now he had finished all his homework except Hagrids, but he decided that he would still have to do some study, if he was to do really well in his O.W.L's at the end of next year. After all, alot of people would be closely watching how he did.
Suddenly his eyes caught sight of something moving in the night sky, and as it moved closer Harry saw that it was a medium brown owl carrying a small brown package. Harry moved aside from the window and let it swoop into the room where it landed on the bed. As Harry was untying the package from the brown owl, Hedwig and Pig arrived, each with packages, and awaited their turn to be untied. Harry put the small brown package with letter aside on the bedside table and turned to untie a medium sized package shaped suspiciously like a book from Pig. It had Ron's handwriting on the accompanying envelope. Harry placed the package beside the smaller one on the bedside table, then Harry turned to Hedwig and untied her large package last. Hedwig nipped Harry affectionately on the finger before she flew to her cage to take a drink of water. Harry turned the package over and read Hermiones handwriting on it. He picked at the spellotape with his fingernails, prying it off. He then tore the brown paper off and lifted the lid off the large brown box and peered inside.
Inside where two things, a large green leather bound book, and a selection of unusual Bulgarian sweets. Whatever had made Hermione think he would want to read this?! Harry laughed reading the cover aloud: "Durmstrang, A History". He unfolded the enclosed letter and read about how she had been enjoying herself. She said she would meet him if possible in Diagon alley on the last day of the holidays.
Next Harry picked up the letter from Ron and unfolded it. It said:
Hi Harry,
Happy Birthday! I hope you are enjoying your holidays despite being with those awful Muggles. Dad says we will come and pick you up at 5pm in a fortnight from now. Mum wrote to Dumbledore to try and convince him to let you come earlier, but he remained insistent that you stayed with them. I hope you enjoy your present, its from Fred and George as well.
- Ron
Harry took the medium book-shaped present off the table and ripped the brown paper off wondering whether it could be another Quidditch book. Apparently not. It was a glittery-silver colour, but definitely still leather. "1001 of the best Wizarding Limericks by Aurora Snidget" the title proclaimed. Harry opened the cover curiously and read the first limerick in the book:
There was once a wizard called Izard,
Who tried to turn into a lizard.
Instead he went green, and started to steam,
And that was the end of poor Izard!
Harry snorted. Underneath was a cartoonish depiction of a rather idiotic looking wizard trying to turn into a lizard. As Harry watched, the wizard turned green and steam started billowing from his ears.
Harry put the book aside for later and took the last (and smallest) package off the table. It was from Sirus. It definitely was not a book. Harry removed the card from it and unfolded it.
To Harry,
Happy Birthday! The big 15! I have enclosed a present worthy of such a notable occasion. I hope you enjoy the rest of your holidays,
-Snuffles
Beside his name was a smudged looking paw print. Harry grinned and turned to his present wondering what it could possibly be.
He untied the string carefully and lifted off the paper. Inside was a glass box with writing on it. Floating inside the box was the most extraordinary watch Harry had ever set eyes upon. "Precision Planetary Watch" the writing on the glass box said. Harry turned the box over looking for a way to open it, but there didn't seem to be a lid side. Everytime he turned the glass box the floating watch inside turned also, so that it was always floating face up. Harry placed the box on his bedside table and got down on the floor and pulled the floorboard up, reached into the gap, and pulled out his wand. He glanced towards the window nervously before tapping the glass box with the tip of his wand. "Alohomora!" Harry whispered, and the top facing side of the box swung open. Harry wasn't actually allowed to use magic outside school, but aside from smashing the box, which seemed a bit unreasonable, he didn't see any other way to open it. He didn't think it was likely the Ministry of Magic would be too concerned about a simple unlocking charm though, after getting away with what he did to Aunt Marge 2 years ago!
Next Harry reached into the box and grabbed the still floating watch out of it. He held it up to the light on his desk and stared at it. It was very strange. It had twelve hands and no numbers on it at all. There where also little planets moving around the edge. "How on earth am I meant to tell the time?", Harry thought to himself as he gazed at Jupiter overtaking Mars and then speeding anti-clockwise past the spot where he would have expected there to be a number 3. He put it onto his wrist - there was no buckle, the two ends just kind of fused together automatically when he touched them together, so the strap needed no adjusting in length. Harry picked up the glass box again and read the writing on the side of it. There seemed to be alot of very complicated instructions on how to read the watch, but Harry didn't care, he began to memorise the steps needed to read first (the easiest part) the century. After that, apparently, he could get more precise and read the year, then learn to read the day, hour, minute right down to the very moment time stops.. The instructions on the glass box claimed that the watch could tell you if you had walked into a magical field where time was bewitched to stand still.
It was nearly 3am by the time Harry had learnt to tell that it was nearly 3am. Harry yawned and decided to leave the rest of the instructions until tomorrow, after all, he had a whole fortnight to kill with the Dursleys.
Please review if you like my story. Constructive reviews are fine, but please be nice. After all, I am only writing this because I enjoy writing fanfiction and you didn't have to pay to read this. That said.. enjoy!
--- Chapter 1: The Dursleys Vacation ---
Harry was gazing up at the ceiling from his bed at number 4 Privet Drive. Harry wasn't actually looking at the ceiling though, his eyes where actually quite unfocused. He was instead listening with amusement to the argument he could hear going on in the kitchen below.
Harry's cousin Dudley had arrived home today from his exclusive public boys school 'Smeltings'. Harry himself had only arrived home yesterday, so he hadn't had much time to think about Dudley - not that that was a particularly popular past time for Harry, who preferred not to think about the Dursleys at all if possible.
Harry had therefore been slightly surprised when Uncle Vernon had arrived home from the station with Dudley, and Dudley had looked.. how shall we say it? Thinner? Yes, Dudley's school had clearly been enforcing the diet that Dudley had been on last summer. Added to that was the fact that Dudley had since developed a strong fear of sweets since the 'slight' incident involving the Ton-Tongue Toffee last year.
Dudley had clearly thought that after being forced to 'starve' all year he could go back to his old habits at home. Aunt Petunia however, had received the diet sheet from the School nurse already and had clearly been instructed that he had to stick to his diet and was expected to continue losing weight as the same rate as he had at school.
"I want a sugar bun! I haven't had one all year! I will starve to death! They have been staving me! You don't understand what it's like there! Give me a sugar bun!"
Aunt Petunia however, stood her ground in front of the pantry and Harry could hear her yelling at Dudley that he would have to wait until dinner. Harry grinned thinking of the stretch marks on Dudley's chin from all the weight he had lost, and how much he must have had to have suffered to lose that weight.
Late that night, long after a sugarbunless dinner, Harry was sitting on his bed doing his History of Magic homework.
"Explain with examples, how the famous wizard Clairol Cloric came to found the International Wizarding Conference in the early 17th Century, and what came of it. (8 feet)
Harry sucked on the top of his orange quill and thought about how much harder these questions had become now that his O.W.L's where looming. Every teacher had piled on the homework over summer, including Hagrid. Hagrids homework wasn't exactly difficult though, it was only: "Write one paragraph describing a magical creature you would not find in the U.K". No doubt Hermione would write 6 foot. After all, he thought, she would have plenty of opportunity to find out about other magical creatures, since she was spending her holiday in Bulgaria with her new friend Victor Krum. He had decided to leave that piece of homework for last, he was going to Ron's place for the last two weeks of the summer holidays, and Rons family would surely have some books about foreign magical creatures on their kitchen bookshelf. Not to mention Charlie having a job in Egypt, if Charlie was home.
A beam of moonlight fell across Harry's bed and he was suddenly reminded of the time. Looking down at his wrist out of habit, he remembered he really would have to buy a new watch. He couldn't afford to be late for classes next year, Harry mused as he closed his textbook and rolled up his parchment. 3 feet written tonight and it was only the second day of the holidays! If he didn't watch it he would turn into Percy. Harry grinned again as he shoved his stuff under the loose floorboard - beside the pastries he had purchased on the Hogwarts Express home.
It was the day before his birthday, the week had rushed by. Harry had spent most of his time in his room. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had given up talking to him and that meant that they couldn't exactly tell him off for sitting in his room during the day to do his summer homework.
Harry walked into the kitchen and saw the Dursleys huddled around the kitchen table looking at a variety of phamplets spread over it. He tried to look around Dudley but Dudley moved around to further obscure his view.
"What's going on?", asked Harry politely to Uncle Vernon fully expecting to be just glared at.
"Petunia, Dudley and I are going on a vacation to New Zealand the day after you leave with those - people - you know", Uncle Vernon spat, shoving one of the phamplets on the table into Harrys hand. Harry looked down at the phamplet in his hand and read: 'The West Coast of New Zealand - Fox Glacier, Marlborough Sounds and the Pancake Rocks. (package tour deal for 3).' Underneath was a picture of a field of pretty purple flowers Harry didn't recognize behind a wire fence and lane with some majestic snow-capped mountains looming into view in the background. Harry felt a pang of longing looking at the picture and looked up at Uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon was standing glaring at him, as through willing him to ask why he hadn't been invited.
"Well, I hope you all enjoy yourselves", Harry said as he handed the phamplet back, and turned to take his grapefruit quarter.
It's not like I expected to be invited anyway, Harry thought, and even if I had been, simply having the Dursleys around would ruin things. As Harry ate his grapefruit he worked on convincing himself that being with the Weasleys would be as good as any holiday in beautiful New Zealand any-day. Dudley, he suspected, would only ruin the view.
"Well", said Uncle Vernon, clapping his pudgy hands together after breakfast. "I'm going to drive into town to see the travel agent. Fancy a drive Dudley?"
Dudley nodded his head and hurried out of the kitchen after Uncle Vernon.
Harry washed up the breakfast dishes, and then went up to his room with one of the phamplets. Aunt Petunia had gone outside to have a conversation with one of the next door neighbours. Probably to tell them about the holiday.
Harry lay on his bed and gazed at the pictures in the phamplets some more. Well if Uncle Vernon had wanted him to be jealous, he had certainly succeeded, Harry thought, turning the page. Harry had never been outside the U.K. and after what happened at school last year, Harry wished that he had living parents. Parents that could take him far away from his worries like Hermiones parents had taken her to France, and Rons had taken him to Egypt.
At ten to twelve that night Harry walked across his room and leant out the window, eyes scanning the sky for Hedwig. She had been gone 3 days now, and in 10 minutes time he would be 15. He had spent the day finishing up his potions homework of 12 Essays, each one more difficult than the last. Now he had finished all his homework except Hagrids, but he decided that he would still have to do some study, if he was to do really well in his O.W.L's at the end of next year. After all, alot of people would be closely watching how he did.
Suddenly his eyes caught sight of something moving in the night sky, and as it moved closer Harry saw that it was a medium brown owl carrying a small brown package. Harry moved aside from the window and let it swoop into the room where it landed on the bed. As Harry was untying the package from the brown owl, Hedwig and Pig arrived, each with packages, and awaited their turn to be untied. Harry put the small brown package with letter aside on the bedside table and turned to untie a medium sized package shaped suspiciously like a book from Pig. It had Ron's handwriting on the accompanying envelope. Harry placed the package beside the smaller one on the bedside table, then Harry turned to Hedwig and untied her large package last. Hedwig nipped Harry affectionately on the finger before she flew to her cage to take a drink of water. Harry turned the package over and read Hermiones handwriting on it. He picked at the spellotape with his fingernails, prying it off. He then tore the brown paper off and lifted the lid off the large brown box and peered inside.
Inside where two things, a large green leather bound book, and a selection of unusual Bulgarian sweets. Whatever had made Hermione think he would want to read this?! Harry laughed reading the cover aloud: "Durmstrang, A History". He unfolded the enclosed letter and read about how she had been enjoying herself. She said she would meet him if possible in Diagon alley on the last day of the holidays.
Next Harry picked up the letter from Ron and unfolded it. It said:
Hi Harry,
Happy Birthday! I hope you are enjoying your holidays despite being with those awful Muggles. Dad says we will come and pick you up at 5pm in a fortnight from now. Mum wrote to Dumbledore to try and convince him to let you come earlier, but he remained insistent that you stayed with them. I hope you enjoy your present, its from Fred and George as well.
- Ron
Harry took the medium book-shaped present off the table and ripped the brown paper off wondering whether it could be another Quidditch book. Apparently not. It was a glittery-silver colour, but definitely still leather. "1001 of the best Wizarding Limericks by Aurora Snidget" the title proclaimed. Harry opened the cover curiously and read the first limerick in the book:
There was once a wizard called Izard,
Who tried to turn into a lizard.
Instead he went green, and started to steam,
And that was the end of poor Izard!
Harry snorted. Underneath was a cartoonish depiction of a rather idiotic looking wizard trying to turn into a lizard. As Harry watched, the wizard turned green and steam started billowing from his ears.
Harry put the book aside for later and took the last (and smallest) package off the table. It was from Sirus. It definitely was not a book. Harry removed the card from it and unfolded it.
To Harry,
Happy Birthday! The big 15! I have enclosed a present worthy of such a notable occasion. I hope you enjoy the rest of your holidays,
-Snuffles
Beside his name was a smudged looking paw print. Harry grinned and turned to his present wondering what it could possibly be.
He untied the string carefully and lifted off the paper. Inside was a glass box with writing on it. Floating inside the box was the most extraordinary watch Harry had ever set eyes upon. "Precision Planetary Watch" the writing on the glass box said. Harry turned the box over looking for a way to open it, but there didn't seem to be a lid side. Everytime he turned the glass box the floating watch inside turned also, so that it was always floating face up. Harry placed the box on his bedside table and got down on the floor and pulled the floorboard up, reached into the gap, and pulled out his wand. He glanced towards the window nervously before tapping the glass box with the tip of his wand. "Alohomora!" Harry whispered, and the top facing side of the box swung open. Harry wasn't actually allowed to use magic outside school, but aside from smashing the box, which seemed a bit unreasonable, he didn't see any other way to open it. He didn't think it was likely the Ministry of Magic would be too concerned about a simple unlocking charm though, after getting away with what he did to Aunt Marge 2 years ago!
Next Harry reached into the box and grabbed the still floating watch out of it. He held it up to the light on his desk and stared at it. It was very strange. It had twelve hands and no numbers on it at all. There where also little planets moving around the edge. "How on earth am I meant to tell the time?", Harry thought to himself as he gazed at Jupiter overtaking Mars and then speeding anti-clockwise past the spot where he would have expected there to be a number 3. He put it onto his wrist - there was no buckle, the two ends just kind of fused together automatically when he touched them together, so the strap needed no adjusting in length. Harry picked up the glass box again and read the writing on the side of it. There seemed to be alot of very complicated instructions on how to read the watch, but Harry didn't care, he began to memorise the steps needed to read first (the easiest part) the century. After that, apparently, he could get more precise and read the year, then learn to read the day, hour, minute right down to the very moment time stops.. The instructions on the glass box claimed that the watch could tell you if you had walked into a magical field where time was bewitched to stand still.
It was nearly 3am by the time Harry had learnt to tell that it was nearly 3am. Harry yawned and decided to leave the rest of the instructions until tomorrow, after all, he had a whole fortnight to kill with the Dursleys.