Chapter 1: Owl Post

Harry Potter was lying in his bedroom at the Dursleys’ house. It was a warm summer night, but Harry couldn’t sleep. He was under his blanket, holding a light and reading a big book called “The Monster Book of Monsters”.

Harry (whispering): “Calm down, will you?”

The book was growling and biting at his fingers. Harry had to grab it tightly to keep it from snapping shut. It was his new textbook for his Care of Magical Creatures class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry put the book down carefully and looked at the clock. It was midnight.

Harry (thinking): “I’m thirteen now!”

It was his birthday, but there was no party, no cake, and no presents—at least not yet.

Harry wasn’t allowed to use magic outside school because of the Ministry of Magic’s rules. The Dursleys didn’t know much about magic, and they didn’t want to know. They treated Harry badly and made him sleep in the smallest bedroom in the house.

But Harry didn’t mind too much because he had a secret—he was a wizard. And soon, he would leave the Dursleys to go back to Hogwarts.

Harry (thinking): “Just a few more weeks, and I’ll be back with Ron and Hermione.”

Harry’s best friends were both writing letters to him over the summer, but he still felt lonely. He missed Hogwarts, where he was famous for surviving an attack by the dark wizard Voldemort when he was just a baby.

Suddenly, Harry heard a tap, tap, tap on his window. He looked up and saw three owls sitting outside.

Harry: “Hedwig!”

Hedwig was Harry’s white snowy owl, and she had brought him a package. Harry opened the window, and Hedwig flew inside, followed by two other owls—a big brown owl and a little screech owl.

Harry: “What’s this?”

Harry untied the parcels from the owls’ legs.

The first package was from Hermione Granger. It was a birthday card and a large box. Inside was a Broomstick Servicing Kit to help clean his Nimbus 2000 broom.

Harry (smiling): “Thanks, Hermione!”

The second package was from Ron Weasley. Ron sent a card and a Sneakoscope—a magical device that spins when someone untrustworthy is nearby.

Harry (reading Ron’s note): “Be careful with this! Fred and George said it goes off all the time, but it’s fun!”

The third owl brought a letter from Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts. He sent Harry a birthday cake and promised to see him soon.

Harry (laughing): “Hagrid never forgets!”

Harry felt happy for the first time that day. Even though he was stuck at the Dursleys’ house, he knew his friends cared about him.

Harry quickly hid the gifts under his bed. He couldn’t let the Dursleys find them.

Harry (thinking): “Uncle Vernon would lock them away if he saw them.”

Harry looked at the Sneakoscope and thought about Ron’s note.

Harry (thinking): “Maybe I should take this to school. It might be useful.”

Then Harry went back to his book, still smiling.

Harry (whispering): “Only a few more weeks, and I’ll be home at Hogwarts.”