A Spy in Privet Drive

her room, found Hedwig, and asked if she would be able to carry a book back.

Hedwig looked offended that she even asked.

She held out her leg, and Anya found herself struggling to figure out how to properly safely prepare the book for delivery, wrapping it in Christmas Paper she had lying around.

”Wish Harry a Merry Christmas for me. ” She whispered, as she sent Hedwig off.

The following week she received a jubilant response from Harry, praising Anyas diligence.

”My friend Hermione thinks your dad is a genius! ”

”Well, shes not wrong about that. ” Anya said, chuckling, as she stroked.Hedwigs head.

She couldn wait for Harry to return that summer.

When Harry finally did return, he seemed almost like a completely different person.

He was taller, happier, and looked all around healthier than Anya had ever seen him.

She was glad.

The very first day he returned they sat up all night in her room, talking.

When she asked him about Nicholas Flamel, he went very red and started stuttering about how it was all a great secret.

”Harry, I know you
e a wizard. ” She said dryly. ”You can tell me anything. ”

Relief flooded across his face and soon she found herself lost in his vivid descriptions of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

How he, Ron, and Hermione had realized that the Philosophers Stone was being kept under the school.

How they had felt that one of their teachers had stolen it.

And the many twists and turns that they had undergone to try and protect it.

She had never felt herself so taken aback in awe and surprise by a story in her life.

When Harry began to tell her what was under Professor Quirrels turban an image of Lord Voldemort appeared in his mind, and she had to stop herself from throwing up.

”Thats incredible. ” She whispered. ”So the stone is destroyed? ”

”According to Dumbledore, yeah. ”

”And Voldemort. ”

”Hasn come back. ” Harry finished.

They fell silent.

The candles that Anya had lit flickered vibrantly in the dark, casting the room in a cozy, warm glow.

”But he will try again, won he? ” Anya asked, her voice nervous. ”And…. do you in? ”

She had seen her parents do other people in all the time, and had traditionally thought nothing of it.

But the thought of Harry being done in by someone else was an oddly terrifying thought.

”Yeah. ” Harry said. ”I think so. ”

They fell silent again in the dark.

”Harry. ” Anya said. ”We
e here for you. The whole family. You can rely on us for anything. ”

She took his hand and squeezed it.

”And Im sure Ron and Hermione feel the same way. ” She said. ”You
e not alone. You will never be alone. ”

□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■

Harry spent a lot of that summer locked in his room.

Anya found herself often dropping by requesting to see him.

Petunia Dursley got into the habit of turning her away at the door, before she started bringing her own mother as support.

Yor, who could be very forceful when she wanted to be, was very successful at getting Harry out of Number Four, and as a result Harry and Anya spent a lot of that summer playing out in the street and going on trips with Anyas parents.

One day, however, Petunia surprised them both by asking that Harry spend the evening over at their house.

”We
e having an important dinner party, and would like him to spend the evening with you. ” She asked stiffly, as if it was a very uncomfortable thing for her to ask.

A thrilled Harry Potter found himself having his own private dinner party at the Forgers as the Dursley entertained their guests, Mr. and Mrs. Mason.

Harry and Anya were taking a walk through the garden, gossiping idly about the chances of Uncle Vernon getting his deal, when Anya suddenly picked up an unusual train of thought.

I must speak to Harry Potter alone.

She stopped in her tracks as she looked around, puzzled.

Harry stopped as well, frowning.

”What is it? ”

I must warn him about the Chamber of Secrets! He must not go back to Hogwarts this year!

The wheels in her head were already turning.

Someone, or something, wanted to speak to Harry alone.

”I forgot something. ” She told Harry, idly. ”Ill be back in a mo. ”

She turned and dashed back into the house.

Rather than head on up to her room, however, she closed the door and pressed herself against it.

She couldn hear from this distance, and with a barrier in the way… but her telepathy had a greater range than her ears.

Dobby mustn tell Harry Potter about Master Malfoys plot! He will be punished!

Malfoy? She thought to herself.

Harrys school bully?

Was this creature a servant of his?

Puzzled, she strained her powers as she tried to make out the conversation between them.

Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts!

She could tell that Harry was getting increasingly annoyed with the creature, and thinking it was time to step in, she opened the door and walked back out.

There was a loud CRACK, and Harry was suddenly alone.

”Hiya Harry. ” She said brightly. ”Who were you talking to? ”

He whirled on her, seemingly at a complete loss for words.

”There was a…. thing here just now. ” He said. ”But now its… gone. ”

”Yeah, I saw it. ” Anya said, thinking it best to reassure him that he wasn insane. ”What did it want? ”

”It wanted… me not to go back to school this year. ”

”Why? ”

”It didn say! ”

Anya bit her tongue, wondering how best to tell Harry about what she had picked up from the creature about Malfoy.

She would either have to blurt it out now, as an out of nowhere suggestion, or sit on the knowledge until she better understood the situation.

”Are you going to? ”

”No. ” Harry said. ”Of course not. Hogwarts is… one of the only places I can call home. ”

She smiled at him.

”Well that settles it. ” She said. ”You
e going back no matter what. ”