s were zooming in and out of sight on broomsticks； throwing a red ball to one another。
Harry walked over to the book； picked it up； and watched on of the wizards score a spectacular goal by putting the ball through a fifty…foot…high hoop。 Then he snapped the book shut。 Even Quidditch in Harry's opinion； the best sport in the world couldn't distract him at the moment。 He placed Flying with the Cannons on his bedside table； crossed to the window； and drew back the curtains to survey the street below。
Privet Drive looked exactly as a respectable suburban street would be expected to look inthe early hours of Saturday morning。 All the curtains were closed。 As far as Harry could see through the darkness； there wasn't a living creature in sight； not even a cat。
And yet。。。and yet。。。Harry went restlessly back to the bed and sat down on it； running a finger over his scar again。 It wasn't the pain that bothered him； Harry was no stranger to pain and injury。 He had lost all the bones from his right arm once and had them painfully regrown in a night。 The same arm had been pierced by a venemous foot…long fang not long afterward。 Only last year Harry had fallen fifty feet from an airborn broomstick。 He was used to bizarre accidents and injuries； they were unavoidable if you attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and had a knack for attracting a lot of trouble。
No； the thing that was bothering Harry was the last time his scar had hurt him； it had been because Voldemort had been close by。。。But Voldemort couldn't be here； now。。。The idea of Voldemort lurking in Privet Drive was absurd； impossible。。。
Harry listened closely to the silence around him。 Was he half expecting to hear the creak of a stair or the swish of a cloak？ And then he jumped slightly as he heard his cousin Dudley give a tremendous grunting snore from the next room。
Harry shook himself mentally； he was being stupid。 There was no one in the house with him except Uncle Vernon； Aunt Petunia； and Dudley； and they were plainly still asleep； their dreams untroubled and painless。
Asleep was the way Harry liked the Dursleys best； it wasn't as though they were ever any help to him awake。 Uncle Vernon； Aunt Petunia； and Dudley were Harry's only living relatives。 They were Muggles who hated and despised magic in any form； which meant that Harry was about as wele in their house as dry rot。 They had explained away Harry's long absences at Hogwarts over the last three years by telling everyone that he went to St。 Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys。 They knew perfectly well that； as an underage wizard； Harry wasn't allowed to use magic outside Hogwarts； but they were still apt to blame him for anything that went wrong about the house。 Harry had never been able to confide in them or tell them anything about his life in the wizarding world。 The very idea of going to them when they awoke； and telling them about his scar hurting him； and about his worries about Voldemort； was laughable。
And yet it was because of Voldemort that Harry had e to live with the Dursleys in the first place。 If it hadn't been for Voldemort； Harry would not have had the lightning scar on his forehead。 If it hadn't been for Voldemort； Harry would still have had parents。。。
Harry had been a year old the night that Voldemort the most powerful Dark wizard for a century； a wizard who had been gaining power steadily for eleven years arrived at his house and killed his father and mother。 Voldemort had then turned his
wand on Harry； he had performed the curse that had disposed of many full…grown witches and wizards in his steady rise to power and； incredibly； it had not worked。 Instead of killing the small boy； the curse had rebounded upon Voldemort。 Harry had survived with nothing but a lightning…shaped cut on his forehead； and Voldemort had been reduced to something barely alive。 His powers gone； his life almost extinguished； Voldemort had fled； the terror in which the secret munity of witches and wizards had lived for so long had lifted； Voldemort's followers had disbanded； and Harry Potter had bee famous。
It had been enough of a shock for Harry to discover； on his eleventh birthday； that he was a wizard； it had been even more disconcerting to find out that everyone in the hidden wizarding world knew his name。 Harry had arrived at Hogwarts to find that heads turned and whispers followed him wherever he went。 But he was used to it now： At the end of this summer； he would be starting his fourth year at Hogwarts； and Harry was already counting the days until he would be back at the castle again。
But there was still a fortnight to go before he went back to school。 He looked hopelessly around his room again； and his eye paused on the birthday cards his two best friends had sent him at the end of July。 What would they say if Harry wrote to them and told them about his scar hurting？
At once； Hermione Granger's voice seemed to fill his head； shrill and panicky。
〃Your scar hurt？ Harry； that's really serious。。。。 Write to Professor Dumbledore！
And I'll go and check mon Magical Ailments and Afflictions。。。。 Maybe there's something in there about curse scars。 。 。 。〃
Yes； that would be Hermione's advice： Go straight to the headmaster of Hogwarts； and in the meantime； consult a book。 Harry stared out of the window at the inky blue…black sky。 He doubted very much whether a book could help him now。 As far as he knew； he was the only living person to have survived a curse like Voldemort's； it was highly unlikely； therefore； that he would find his symptoms listed in mon Magical Ailments and Afflictions。 As for informing the headmaster； Harry had no idea where Dumbledore went during the summer holidays。 He amused himself for a moment； picturing Dumbledore； with his long silver beard； full length wizard's robes； and pointed hat； stretched out on a beach somewhere； rubbing suntan lotion onto his long crooked nose。
Wherever Dumbledore was； though； Harry was sure that Hedwig would be able to find him； Harry's owl had never yet failed to deliver a letter to anyone； even without an address。
But what would he write？
Dear Professor Dumbledore； Sorry to bother you； but my scar hurt this morning。
Yours sincerely； Harry Potter。
Even inside his head the words sounded stupid。
And so he tried to imagine his other best friend； Ron Weasley's； reaction； and in a moment； Ron's red hair and long…nosed； freckled face seemed to swim before Harry； wearing a bemused expression。
〃Your scar hurt？ But 。。。 but You…Know…Who can't be near you now； can he？ I mean 。。。 you'd know； wouldn't you？ He'd be trying to do you in again； wouldn't be？ I dunno； Harry； maybe curse scars always twinge a bit。。。 I'll ask Dad。 。 。 。〃
Mr。 Weasley was a fully qualified wizard who worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic； but he didn't have any particular expertise in the matter of curses； as far as Harry knew。 In any case； Harry didn't like the idea of the whole Weasley family knowing that he； Harry； was getting jumpy about a few moments' pain。 Mrs。 Weasley would fuss worse than Hermione； and Fred and George； Ron's sixte