Monday arrived swiftly. After sending the letter to Ginny on Saturday night, Harry headed straight to his dormitory. He enjoyed a restful sleep on Sunday, his dreams filled with Lumos and their intriguing encounter. With no homework or assignments given by the teachers the previous week, Harry spent his time experimenting with his wand, Elythral. To his satisfaction, the wand responded precisely to his intentions, a delightful experience of magical control.
On Sunday afternoon, Harry penned some letters home and to Sirius. However, he couldn't send them yet, as Hedwig had not returned from delivering the letter and gift to Ginny.
Seated for breakfast on Monday, Harry was greeted by Ron and Hermione, who seemed to be entering the Great Hall together. Harry couldn't help but smirk internally; despite not having initiated his chess plan yet, things seemed to be progressing smoothly.
"So I see that you two came here together," Harry said with a smirk. "Anything happening that I should be aware of?"
Hermione blushed, and Ron's ears turned a shade of red.
"Nothing's happening, mate. I just overslept. When I woke up, I searched for you but couldn't find you anywhere. You could have at least woke me up, couldn't you? So, I decided to head to the Great Hall and bumped into Hermione in the common room. We ended up coming here together."
Harry smiled sheepishly. He couldn't bring himself to reveal that he had woken up early and ventured into the Forbidden Forest to spend time with Lumos, bringing along some treats for their meeting. The tale of his adventure with Lumos was something he intended to share with Ron and Hermione, but not just yet. The Forbidden Forest held its secrets, and Harry was savoring the anticipation of revealing the intriguing details to his friends at the right moment.
"Ah, I see," Harry responded to Ron's explanation. "Well, I woke up early and went for a walk. I didn't want to disturb your sleep since we don't have classes until later, so I decided to come here instead. I was quite hungry after my walk."
He turned to Hermione, "What classes do we have today, Hermione?"
Hermione took out her timetable and checked. "We have our first flying lessons after breakfast. Then we have charms after lunch, followed by History."
Harry smiled; flying lessons were something he was looking forward to. Not that he didn't know how to fly. Ron had taught him during his visit to the Burrow and he had found out that it was almost natural to him. He didn't know why but flying was almost like it was second nature to him. Pulling the bacon and egg sandwiches towards him, Harry was just about to take a bite when hundreds of owls flew into the Hall.
"It seems like the mail has arrived," Ron observed, looking up at the incoming owls. Harry squinted through the crowd of owls to see if Hedwig had returned, and indeed, she had. Hedwig flew straight to Harry, dropping on his shoulder. Harry scratched her head and received an affectionate nip on his finger. He noticed he had two letters.
He took the letters attached to Hedwig's leg. It seemed that Ginny and Mrs. Weasley both had written to him. As he opened the letter, Hedwig swept down to the table to grab a sausage. Harry opened Ginny's letter first.
"Dear Harry,
Your letter made my day, and receiving it was like getting a ray of sunshine in the middle of boring day. I can imagine how annoying it must be to deal with all those stares; fame can be a bit of a dragon sometimes, huh? But I bet you're handling it with your usual grace.
Glad to hear you're in Gryffindor, just like Ron. Hermione sounds fascinating, and I can't wait to meet her. Ron might not admit it, but I trust his instincts on interesting people. And as you said, he didn't mention anything about Hermione in his letters. Hogwarts sounds so enchanting; I wish I could be there with you all. I can't wait to start next year. Thanks for keeping me in the loop.
Oh, and about the gift – I'm dying with curiosity now! Mum says she knows, but she's sworn to secrecy. You really know how to build anticipation, don't you? But it is the most beautiful flower that I have seem so far.
Thank you for thinking of me and taking the time to write. It means a lot, Harry. Stay safe and keep enjoying the magical world around you.
Best,
Ginny.
P.S. Your charm skills must be rubbing off on me; Arnold, the garden gnome, actually let me pet him today. Mum nearly fainted! Also my birthday is on 11 August so your present is late!"
Harry smiled. At least she was doing good. He kept Ginny's letter on the table and it was picked up by Ron. He then turned to check Mrs. Weasley's letter.
"Dear Harry,
Oh, it was such a joy to receive your letter! I can't tell you how much it brightened my day, especially with all the chaos happening here. Your updates about Hogwarts brought a smile to everyone's faces, and we're all living vicariously through your adventures.
Now, about that gift of yours! Ginny is absolutely thrilled, and she's been trying to get me to spill the beans, but you know me – tight-lipped as a Galleon purse. She's dying with curiosity, and I must admit, I'm rather intrigued myself. You really know how to keep everyone on their toes!
However, dear, you mustn't spend money on extravagant gifts. Your presence and well-being mean more to us than any magical trinket. Speaking of which, where on earth did you find that Luminaflora Diurna? It's such a rare and beautiful plant! You better not be spending money on buying gifts young man.
But really, Harry, I hope you're taking care of yourself. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask. You're like another son to me, and I worry. Write soon and keep safe amidst all the wonders of Hogwarts.
Fondly, Mrs. Weasley."
Harry chuckled at Mrs. Weasley's letter, envisioning her firm warnings against spending any money on gifts. Ron glanced at Harry and inquired, "What did you send Ginny? She seems pretty thrilled!"
Harry smirked, "I'll fill you two in later."
He retrieved a small parchment and quill from his magical pouch and began writing.
"Dear Mrs. Weasley,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. Rest assured, both Ron and I are taking good care of ourselves. I wanted to assure you that I didn't spend any money on the magical plant; it's a unique find from one of my walks this past Saturday. Please share the details of the plant with Ginny; I'm sure she'd find it fascinating. Additionally, I've been missing your homemade fudge lately—it feels like ages since I've had a taste.
Sending my best wishes,
Harry"
He turned to Hedwig and handed her the letter.
"Take this to Mrs. Weasley, okay? And come back quickly; I have to send a few more letters. Okay, girl?"
Hedwig nipped him affectionately and gracefully flew out of the hall. Harry then turned to Ron and Hermione, who were eyeing him suspiciously.
"I'll fill you guys in later. Better yet, I'll show you guys later."
Both Ron and Hermione nodded, and the trio resumed their breakfast. As they continued eating, various other people were getting their post, writing back their answers. The hall was filled with owls for quite some time.
Seamus, who was sitting next to the trio, said out loud,
"Hey, look everyone! Neville got a Remembrall."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up and noticed Neville holding a small glass ball which was filled with white smoke.
"My grandmother knows I tend to forget things. This little device indicates if there's something you've overlooked. See, you grip it firmly like this, and if it turns red — oh..." His expression saddened as the Remembrall instantly glowed scarlet. "...you've forgotten something..."
Neville attempted to recall what slipped his mind when Draco Malfoy, strolling by the Gryffindor table, seized the Remembrall from his grasp. Harry got to his feet.
"Draco...give it back to him."
Frowning, Malfoy promptly returned the Remembrall to the table.
"Just checking," he remarked, and he sauntered away with Crabbe and Goyle trailing behind him. As much as Draco would like to take the Remembrall, he wasn't too keen on facing Harry after what happened on the train.
Neville thanked him as Harry sat down. Neville was still trying to figure out what he had forgotten. The trio finished their breakfast and headed back to their dormitory to change for flying lessons.