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gangling； with his pet rat； Scabbers； on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister； Ginny。
Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys； who were very nice and extremely poor。 He picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it。
Dear Harry；
Happy birthday！
Look； I' really sorry about that telephone call。 I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time。 I asked Dad； and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted。
It's amazing here in Egypt。 Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them。 Mum wouldn't let Ginny e in the last one。 There were all these mutant skeletons in there； of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff。
I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw。 Seven hundred galleons！ Most of it's gone on this trip； but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year。
Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped。 It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds。
We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books。 Any chance of meeting you there？
Don't let the Muggles get you down！
Try and e to London；
Ron
P。S。 Percy's Head Boy。 He got the letter last week。
Harry glanced back at the photograph。 Percy； who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts； was looking particularly smug。 He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair； his horn…rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun。
Harry now turned to his present and unwrapped it。 Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top。 There was another note from Ron beneath it。
Harry this is a Pocket Sneakoscope。 If there's someone untrustworthy around； it's supposed to light up and spin。 Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable； because it kept lighting up at dinner last night。 But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup。
Bye
Ron
Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscope on his bedside table； where it stood quite still； balanced on its point； reflecting the luminous hands of his clock。 He looked at it happily for a few seconds； then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought。
Inside this； too； there was a wrapped present； a card； and a letter； this time from Hermione。
Dear Harry；
Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon。 I do hope you're all right。
I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you what if they'd opened it at customs？ but then Hedwig turned up！ I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change。 I bought your present by owl…order； there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet （I've been getting it delivered； it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world）； Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago？ I bet he's learning loads。 I'm really jealous the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating。
There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here； too。 I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out； I hope it's not too long it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for。
Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays。 Can you make it？ Will your aunt and uncle let you e？ I really hope you can。 If not； I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first！
Love from Hermione
P。S。 Ron says Percy's Head Boy。 I'll bet Percy's really pleased Ron doesn't seem too happy about it
Harry laughed as he put Herrmone's letter aside and picked up her present。 It was very heavy。 Knowing Hermione； he was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells but it wasn't。 His heart gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case； with silver words stamped across it； reading Broomstick Servicing Kit。
〃Wow； Hermione！〃 Harry whispered； unzipping the case to look inside。
There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High…Finish Handle Polish； a pair of gleaming silver Tall…Twig Clippers； a tiny brass pass to clip on your broom for long journeys； and a Handbook of Do…It…Yourself Broomcare。
Apart from his friends； the thing that Harry missed most about Hogwarts was Quidditch； the most popular sport in the magical world highly dangerous； very exciting； and played on broomsticks。 Harry happened to be a very good Quidditch player； he had been the youngest person in a century to be picked for one of the Hogwarts House teams。 One of Harry's most prized possessions was his Nimbus Two Thousand racing broom。
Harry put the leather case aside and picked up his last parcel。 He recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once： this was from Hagrid； the Hogwarts gamekeeper。 He tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery； but before he could unwrap it properly； the parcel gave a strange quiver； and whatever was inside it snapped loudly as though it had jaws。
Harry froze。 He knew that Hagrid would never send him anything dangerous on purpose； but then； Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous。 Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders； buy vicious； three…headed dogs from men in pubs； and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin。
Harry poked the parcel nervously。 It snapped loudly again。 Harry reached for the lamp on his bedside table； gripped it firmly in one hand； and raised it over his head； ready to strike。 Then he seized the rest of the wrapping paper in his other hand and pulled。
And out fell a book。 Harry just had time to register its handsome green cover； emblazoned with the golden title The Monster Book of Monsters； before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab。
〃Uh…oh；〃 Harry muttered。
The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room。 Harry