CHAPTER ONE
Dursleys this ; he knew it was only their terror that he might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them from locking him in the cupboard under the stairs with his wand and broomstick . For the first couple of weeks back , Harry had enjoyed muttering nonsense words under his breath and watching Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs would carry him . But the long silence from Ron and Hermione had made Harry feel so cut off from the magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its appeal — and now Ron and Hermione had forgotten his birthday .
What wouldn ’ t he give now for a message from Hogwarts ? From any witch or wizard ? He ’ d almost be glad of a sight of his archenemy , Draco Malfoy , just to be sure it hadn ’ t all been a dream . . . .
Not that his whole year at Hogwarts had been fun . At the very end of last term , Harry had come face-to-face with none other than Lord Voldemort himself . Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self , but he was still terrifying , still cunning , still determined to regain power . Harry had slipped through Voldemort ’ s clutches for a second time , but it had been a narrow escape , and even now , weeks later , Harry kept waking in the night , drenched in cold sweat , wondering where Voldemort was now , remembering his livid face , his wide , mad eyes —
Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench . He had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge — and the hedge was staring back . Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves .
Harry jumped to his feet just as a jeering voice floated across the lawn .
“ I know what day it is ,” sang Dudley , waddling toward him .
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