THE SUN WAS SHINING BRIGHTLY ONTO HARPER'S FACE as she was currently writing her essay for History of Magic. Sitting down at her desk, she tried not to fall asleep as she read the question again; Witch-Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless—discuss. It was safe to say a nap was very appealing. Only the soft wind that came from her open window made sure she wouldn't head for her bed.

A shadow fell over her and Harper looked up to see Hedwig landing in front of her bedroom window. She smiled as she saw a letter bound around her leg and gently stroke the snow-owl.

"Hello Hedwig," she softly said, as she untied the letter from her leg. "Would you like some water? I'm sure Dale will share with you."

Hedwig made her way to Dale's cage, greeted the owl and began drinking. Harper opened the letter and let her hazel eyes sweep over the content.

Dear Harper,

Summer is going slowly. Ron called once, he was yelling in the phone and mentioned he goes to Hogwarts. Uncle Vernon was not happy about it. Ron probably noticed that he got me in trouble because he didn't call again. Neither did Hermione, Ron must probably have warned her.

Anyway, I'm happy you're still writing letters to me. Certainly now that Ron's in Egypt. Have you gotten his owl yet?

Oh, and happy birthday! Wish I could buy you something but cannot get out of here. I promise to make it up to you as soon as I'm in Diagon Alley!

See you soon!

Harry

Harper took out a piece of parchment and quickly wrote a reply before tying it back around Hedwig's leg together with Harry's birthday present; some books about Quidditch that she thought he might be interested in.

She watched as Hedwig took off again, before focussing back on the essay. She was about halfway done when five more owls appeared before her.

The first owl quickly dropped off her Hogwarts letter before flying off again.

The second owl was Errol—the Weasleys family owl. Harper quickly took over the parcel and gave him a friendly stroke. Errol nibbled gently on her finger before flying off again.

The third and fourth owl each carried a parcel as well. They were unknown owls to her and when she untied the parcels from their legs, they were quick to fly away.

The last owl carried a letter and let it fall onto her desk before flying away.

Harper looked around at the parcels and letters, surprised at the amount of correspondence. She decided to start with Errol's parcel and opened it to discover a present wrapped in gold, and a birthday card. She opened the envolope and two pieces of paper fell out—a letter and a newspaper cutting.

The cutting had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black and white picture were moving. Harper picked up the cutting, smoothed it out and read it.

MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE

Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magis, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw.

A delighted Mr Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."

The Weasley family will spend a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.

Harper scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across her face as she saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at her, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Molly, tall, balding Arthur, six sons and one daughter, all (though the black and white picture didn't show it) with flaming red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat Scrabbers on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.

Harper couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor. she picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it.

Dear Harper,

Happy birthday!

It's brilliant here in Egypt. Bill's taken us round all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses their old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all there mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.

I couldn't believe it when dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this holiday, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.

Harper remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car she, Harry and Ron had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree in the school grounds.

We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there?

Ron
P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week.

Harper glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily in top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun.

Harper now turned to her present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it.

Harper—this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup.
Bye—Ron

Harper put the Pocket Sneakoscope on her bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of her clock. Then, she picked up the next parcel.

Inside this, too, there was a wrapped present, a card and a letter, this time from Hermione.

Dear Harper,

Happy birthday!

Did you see the picture of Ron and his family in the Daily Prophet a week ago? I bet he's learning loads, I'm really jealous—the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating.

I'm in France at the moment and there's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out.

"Of course you have," Harper whispered, smiling.

I hope it's not too long, it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for.

Ron said he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you come? If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September the first!

Love from

Hermione
P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleases. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it.

Harper laughed again as she put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Knowing Hermione, she was sure it would be a large book of very difficult spells—but it wasn't. Harper's heart gave a huge bound as she ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case with silver words stamped across it: Broomstick Servicing Kit.

Harper smiled and quietly thanked her before taking the last parcel. She recognized the untidily scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid. She tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before she could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly—as though it had jaws.

Harper froze. She knew Hagrid would never send her anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin.

She poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. She grabbed the closest thing she could use as weapon, which was a lamp.

Harper seized the rest of the wrapping paper and pulled. And out fell—a book. She had just time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title, The Monster Book of Monster, before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab.

"Uh oh," Harper muttered.

The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. She followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under her desk. She got down on her knees and reached towards it.

"Ouch!"

The book snapped shut on her hands and then flapper past her, still scuttling on its covers. Harper scrambled around, threw myself forward and managed to flatten it.

"Moony!" she yelled, as Remus was currently the only one in house since Dorcas was working. "Moony!"

It took him mere seconds to storm into her room, looking around bewildered and his wand raised. His grey eyes settled on Harper and the Monster Book of Monsters beneath her.

"What's happening?"

"I need a belt or something," Harper said. "Don't want it to bite my fingers off."

Remus quickly grabbed a belt from her wardrobe and together, they bound it around the book.

"How did it get in here?" he asked.

"Birthday present from Hagrid," Harper said, reachting for Hagrid's card and reading it out loud.

"Dear Harper,

Happy birthday!

Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you.

All the best,

Hagrid"

Harper frowned, no one would use this book except—another thought filled her head as she looked up at Remus. "Did you accept the job?"

Remus eyed her carefully. "Of course you had something to do with it."

Harper grinned. "Maybe, but did you?

Remus smiled. "Yes, munchkin, I did."

"Yes!" Harper exclaimed as she flew her arm around his neck. "You'll be an amazing professor!"

He hugged her back. "I cannot thank you enough, Harper."

Harper pulled back so she could look him in the eye. "You deserve this position and I know you'll be great at it."

Remus smiled. "Thanks, munchkin." His eyes darted towards her still unfinished essay. "I'll leave you to it. I'll be downstairs preparing my classes."

"Good luck!" Harper called after him, as she opened her Hogwarts letter.

Dear Miss Potter,

Please note that the school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.

Third-years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade at certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.

A list of books for next year is enclosed.

Yours sincerely,

Professor M. McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

A bigger grin spread over her face as Harper looked at the Hogsmeade permission form. She had heard all about it from Dorcas and Remus, and couldn't wait to visit it.

Harper's hazel eyes finally found the last letter that laid on her desk. She picked it up and opened it.

Dear Harper,

Happy birthday! I wish I could celebrate it with you but I'm currently on vacation. However, I'll be back in a couple of days. Care to meet up? They say that new ice-cream shop in Diagon Alley is great!

Hopefully I'll see you on Saturday?

Cedric

Harper's eyes stayed fixed on his name and she positively beamed. It warmed her heart that he'd liked to meet up and get to know her better. It seemed they had had a lot of encounters these past two years. She had to laugh when she recalled their first encounter.

Taking a piece of parchment, she quickly wrote down her reply before tying it into Dale's leg. The tawny owl flew off and Harper reached over to grab the permission slip before heading downstairs. She found Remus sitting at the table, his notes seemingly forgotten next to him, as he was staring at the headlines of the Daily Prophet. The look on his face told her it would be nothing good.

"What's the matter, Moony?" Harper quietly asked him, and it took a couple of minutes before he looked up at her.

"Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban."

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April 21st 2023
I hope you enjoy it & tell me what you think of it! :)