Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet happily:
"We're going to use the money to spend the summer holiday in Egypt. Our eldest son, Bill, works there as a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."
The Weasley family would be staying in Egypt for a month and returning in time for the new school year at Hogwarts. Five of the Weasley children were currently studying there.
Sean glanced at the moving photograph and saw all nine members of the Weasley family standing in front of a gigantic pyramid, waving wildly.
A smile spread across his face.
Short, plump Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons and one daughter, all with blazing red hair.
Tall, lanky, awkward Ron stood in the middle, with his pet rat Scabbers perched on his shoulder and one arm around his sister Ginny.
Sean knew the time had come.
He did not immediately go back to researching magic. Instead, he turned and headed for the dungeons.
He wasn't stopped. Professor Snape had approved his leave request.
"Though it's all pointless activity, you're preparing…"
Professor Snape said coldly from the shadows.
"You mean?"
Sean asked, puzzled.
"Hmph…"
Snape's robes swept through the air, and the dungeon door closed.
Sean was completely baffled until Professor McGonagall came hurrying down the stairs.
"Preparing what? It's getting late, child. Marcus and the others want to hold it at the McGonagall villa. Their letter should be arriving any moment."
Professor McGonagall looked at Sean, then quickly looked away.
"Preparing what, Professor?"
Sean still couldn't understand.
"Of course, preparing—oh, are you leaving now?"
Professor McGonagall noticed the leave slip in his hand and smiled gently.
"Come on, I'll go with you."
…
Even after leaving Hogwarts Castle, Sean still had no idea what was going on.
Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, seemed to be in an unusually good mood. She was carrying a long checklist— the last time Sean had seen a list that long was when Hogwarts was preparing for Christmas— and she kept checking it nervously, as if Christmas were just around the corner.
Since she kept adding to the list, Sean didn't interrupt her.
So he quietly set his confusion aside. He had plenty of time to solve it later.
What mattered more now was getting to Privet Drive.
Soon, Harry would be leaving Privet Drive. Or maybe not.
As far as Sean knew, Harry's relationship with his uncle and aunt had improved quite a bit.
But there was one thing Sean was especially certain of: around this time, Sirius—whom he had been waiting for—would arrive there.
Harry would at least run into Sirius once, shortly after his birthday.
As for when exactly Sirius had escaped—what day in July it had been—Sean didn't know.
So he needed to make some preparations at Privet Drive in advance, so that the moment Sirius showed up, he would know.
July was gradually nearing its end, and Harry, back on Privet Drive, had recently been given a very unusual task.
With help from his friends, he no longer had to endure living in the cupboard under the stairs.
Now he slept in a large bedroom. Uncle Vernon no longer snapped at him all the time, and Dudley always looked at him with a mixture of disbelief and nervous fear.
Aunt Petunia had become far more silent than before. At this point, Harry suddenly realized that of all the adults in the house, her attitude toward him had changed the least.
She still hated magic, but now there was something more complicated mixed into it.
The look she gave Harry was one he couldn't understand.
Before, he had thought those eyes held nothing but disgust. But now there was something else in them too—something strange he couldn't make sense of.
That afternoon, Harry held the envelope in his hand, thinking about his task, and looked over the letters again.
Dear Harry,
You wouldn't believe how amazing Egypt is. Bill showed us all the tombs, and the magic the ancient Egyptian wizards put on them—you wouldn't believe it even if I told you.
Mum wouldn't let Ginny into the last tomb. It was full of weird skeletons—all Muggles who'd wandered in—and some of them had grown extra heads and things.
I still can't believe Dad won the Daily Prophet prize. Seven hundred Galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me some new clothes for school.
Harry clearly remembered Ron's old clothes.
We'll be back a week before school starts, then we're going to London to get my new robes and our new schoolbooks. Any chance we'll see you there? I've heard those Muggles aren't giving you such a hard time anymore.
P.S. Percy's become Head Boy. He got the letter last week.
Harry glanced at the photograph again. Percy, now in his final year at Hogwarts, looked intensely self-important. His perfectly tidy hair was topped with a rather splendid Turkish hat, with his Head Boy badge pinned to it, and his horn-rimmed glasses gleamed in the Egyptian sunlight.
Harry smiled slowly, then opened the second letter:
Dear Mr. Potter,
Please note that the new term begins on September 1st.
The Hogwarts Express will depart from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station at eleven o'clock.
Third-year students will be permitted to visit Hogsmeade Village on certain weekends.
Please have the enclosed permission form signed by your parent or guardian. The book list for next term is also enclosed.
Yours faithfully,
Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress
He stared at the letter and carefully tucked it away.
That was his task.
He had to get to Hogsmeade.
But first, he had to meet Aunt Petunia's condition.
"Harry, your birthday's coming up."
That was what Aunt Petunia had said yesterday, her face stiff and unnatural.
Harry had been stunned. He hadn't thought she even remembered.
"Do you want to celebrate it? Invite your friends."
Harry immediately understood—they wanted to meet Mr. Finley and Mr. Green.
It wasn't hard to see why. They had gotten a major project through his friends.
They had earned enough money to replace the whole house.
What Harry hadn't expected, though, was that after making money, they would actually be willing to give him a proper bedroom.
At moments like that, he always had the sense that there was something he had overlooked—something buried beneath years of resentment—starting to rise to the surface.
"I… can?"
Harry asked cautiously.
"Of course."
Aunt Petunia lowered her head.
Lately, that had become her usual expression.
"That Hogsmeade thing you mentioned before…"
Aunt Petunia said.
"You mean you agree?"
Harry grew instantly tense.
"I only have one condition. Vernon's sister is coming to visit. You're not to show any of your magic, and you must be respectful to her."
Aunt Petunia had always cared more about appearances than anything else. She and Uncle Vernon valued appearances above all.
Harry nodded.
"Of course… and we'll make sure she's polite to you too."
Aunt Petunia suddenly added.
That was the last thing Harry had expected.
As she left the room, she lingered at the doorway for quite a while, then her voice came through the crack in the door:
"That Hogsmeade… those people… those places… you… you must be careful."
By the time Harry looked toward the door, Aunt Petunia was already stomping downstairs.
~~~
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