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Aurora Areli
THE SUMMER FOLLOWING MY first year at Hogwarts was one of the best holidays I ever had. Now that I actually had friends to write to and visit, I didn't find myself feeling nearly as lonely as I had in the previous years.
I had written to Harry, Ron and Hermione countless times in the few months we had been on holiday, but only Ron and Hermione actually responded. Harry, for some reason, had been ignoring my letters, and when I asked our other two friends, they told me he hadn't been responding to them either.
At first I was upset that Harry hadn't replied to any of my letters, but that hurt and anger turned to worry when I realized who he was living with, and that they probably had something to do with it.
During one of the few times I had visited the Weasley residence that summer, Ron and I had joked that we should take his Dad's enchanted car and kidnap Harry from his terrible aunt, uncle and cousin.
One night, however, when Mr Weasley came home from work, he told us that Harry had gotten an official warning for using magic outside of school and in front of Muggles.
It was that same night that Ron, Fred, George and I decided to actually take our joke seriously, and fly to Surrey to get him.
Since I was spending so much time at the Burrow, I had also become friends with Ginny, who wanted to know all about the adventures I had at Hogwarts with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Whenever I would stay there, I shared a room with her, since it would be strange to share with Ron.
That night, I was lying awake on the extra mattress Mrs Weasley had put in Ginny's room for me, watching the time until I was supposed to meet with Ron and the twins.
When I checked my watch and noticed it was time to head downstairs, I looked over to make sure Ginny was still asleep before silently getting up. I pulled a jumper over my pyjamas and grabbed my slippers and wand before tiptoeing down to the living room.
When Ron saw me approach, he asked, "Ready?"
I nodded, and the four of us slipped outside to the garage as quietly as possible. When Fred and George hoisted the creaky door open, we all cringed at the racket it made. After waiting a few moments to make sure Mrs Weasley wasn't about to come out and tell us off, Fred and George got into the front seats while Ron and I sat in the back.
It took a few minutes to get into the air, and then we were off to Harry's house.
The drive — flight? — took a few hours, but I didn't remember much since I had fallen asleep half way through.
I was woken up by Ron shaking me.
"We're almost there," he told me, and I nodded groggily, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
