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Aurora Areli
I TAPPED MY QUILL on my desk impatiently as I skimmed through a book about Potions, trying to find more information about Shrinking Solutions to write my essay for Professor Snape. Potions was not my favourite class in the slightest — I much preferred Defense Against the Dark Arts or Charms (though I hadn't got the chance to learn much about the former subject, due to incompetent teachers during my first two years at Hogwarts).
Writing essays was about the most exciting thing to happen that summer, aside from Ron telling me he and his family had won seven hundred galleons from the Daily Prophet and went to Egypt to visit Bill, or Hermione writing to me about her vacation in France.
As for me, my parents were working especially hard at the Ministry of Magic's headquarters in London most of the time, because of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban.
With a sigh, I looked over towards my window, which, in my opinion, had the best view of the sunset in the whole house. At that moment, the sky was glowing amber and magenta, and the light was reflecting majestically over the clouds.
The clouds weren't the only thing in the sky, however. There was also a fuzzy sort of shape flying right towards my house. Once I realized what it was, I quickly got up from my chair to unlatch the window and pull it open. A second later, the familiar snowy owl flew in with a letter and a small parcel attached to her leg.
"Hello, Hedwig," I cooed, removing the letter and stroking her soft feathers. She hooted appreciatively when I fed her a few of Jupiter's treats, and settled on top of his cage to rest.
I opened the envelope to read the letter in the familiar, boyish handwriting:
Rory, How are you? Listen, I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the holidays. My Aunt Marge came to visit, and she wouldn't stop insulting me and my parents, so I accidentally blew her up. She's fine now, in case you were wondering, and Fudge said I'm not in trouble at all. Ron and Hermione said you would be in London on the last week of the summer holidays to visit Diagon Alley, so I'll see you then. By the way, thanks for the birthday present. My old Quidditch gloves were getting really worn out, so the new ones are great. I know your birthday isn't until October, but I decided to give you your present early. I hope you like it. Harry
I smiled at the piece of parchment, feeling silly because of how giddy it made me feel. Yes, I was concerned that Harry had blown up his aunt, but he wasn't expelled or anything, and she was fine, so in a way, the whole situation was sort of funny.
Shaking my head, I opened the small parcel to reveal a pretty gold necklace with a Firebolt charm. Atticus had been raving nonstop about the new racing broom ever since it came out recently. I had to admit, it was a very nice broom. I had never heard of one being able to get up to a hundred fifty miles per hour in ten seconds.
