Chapter 1 - A Summer Visit
Harry Potter stood on Platform 9 ¾ starring hopefully at the group of wizards who were in deep conversation with his aunt and uncle. As his relatives joined him, he glanced once more at the Weasley family before leaving the station.
"Summer's going to be hell," he thought to himself as Uncle Vernon's car left London Station.
Harry spent the first two weeks of his summer with Mrs. Figg and his guardians. Sometimes he talked to them, not about Sirius, or his friends, but about Voldemort, and his upcoming. The guardians were a good source of information, so he was slightly content with his situation. He started to walk home from Mrs. Figg's one night, when he heard a cry coming from the park. Harry, instinctively headed over, hiding in the bushes as to not be seen.
"No! Please, not again!" someone was shouting. Harry lifted his head from the bushes to see Mark Evans riding his bike at top speed away from Dudley's gang on their Vespas. Outraged, Harry quickly rose and strolled over to the sidewalk nearest the action. Piers and Malcolm had reached Mark by then, lifting him off the bike and holding him as an offering to Dudley.
"Right then, Big D, what should we do to this runt?" Piers asked, grinning evilly. Harry noticed Mark was sniffling and on the verge of tears.
"I'd say you should let him go." Harry stated from behind Piers and Malcolm. Dudley's face went from vile smirk to slightly worried, wanting to make a good impression but not make Harry mad. He knew those, weird people were still watching his cousin, and he wasn't about to set them off.
"Eh, just take his cash and let's split." Dudley covered, pleasing both his friends and Harry. Piers followed Dudley's orders, throwing a punch at Mark's nose as he dropped the young boy. They jumped back onto their Vespas and headed towards the local liquor store, leaving a dazed Mark and a ruffled Harry.
"You alright kid?" Harry asked, offering his hand to the fallen boy.
Spitting, Mark got up without Harry's help. "Look, I don't need anybody's help. Especially yours, you criminal. Just you wait, Dudley and his stupid gang won't mess me when I come back from boarding school."
"Calm down. I'll make sure Dudley lays off you, just don't throw a fit." Harry tried to say, but Mark cut him off.
"You don't get it, do you? I said go away, before I blow you up or something." Mark said, taking a wand out of his pocket. Harry's eyes got large as they settled on the wand, which was shooting tiny sparks out of its end.
"Where... where did you get that?" he stuttered.
"Just stay back, you insane criminal. Don't make me use this." Mark held the wand out threatening.
Harry looked around, his eyes settling on a bush that had just rustled. "Lupin. You didn't tell me he was a wizard." Mark gave him a questioning look as Harry's current watcher emerged from the brush.
"Honestly Harry, nobody told me. I was under the impression you were the only one in this neighborhood. I don't understand who this kid is." Lupin gave him a confused look, and returned to the bushes. Mark's jaw had dropped, and he was glancing from Harry to the bush and back again.
"You... you're a wizard, too?" Mark asked softly, almost to the point Harry couldn't hear him speak. Harry nodded in return, flashing the younger boy a grin.
"So, Mark, you can't speak to anybody about this." Harry said, wishing it were otherwise. "Nobody can know that you are living here, and a wizard at that. It could jeopardize everything. So, please, for the sake of your family, do not mutter my name, ever," he said, glaring at the boy until Mark nodded and scampered down the street.
"Well, you handled that well. Why didn't you just let me erase the memory?" Lupin asked from his cover.
"I wanted him to have some power, to be able to defend himself against Dudley. He now knows Dudley's worse fear, although he might not realize that yet. I guess I wanted him to have something I never did, you know?" Harry choked, thinking about his first eleven years.
"James and Sirius would have done the same." Lupin said quietly. Harry choked felt tears welling up in his throat. He walked back quickly to the Dursley's so Lupin wouldn't see his tears.
Harry waited until the changing of the guard to go to Mrs. Figg's the following day. He figured his current guard was Tonks, because she tripped over two lawn gnomes and a sprinkler. Once at Mrs. Figg's, Harry stomped on the mat once, then knocked on the door twice, which made the door open. He and Tonks entered 'Harry Headquarters' with matching smiles. Dumbledore had outdone himself with precautions.
"Hello Harry," a familiar voice said from the kitchen. Harry looked up at the empty barstool with a bewildered look on his face. "What? Can't recognize me without seeing me? I'm ashamed." Ron Weasley said, pulling off the invisibility cloak.
"Ron!" Harry shouted, hugging his friend. Ron laughed and pulled Harry off of himself.
"There's more, you know. You don't think we'd leave you alone, did you?" Hermione said, coming out from behind the counter.
"She's right you know." Ginny laughed, emerging as well.
"Tonks, why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked, hugging them all. It was the best day of his summer. He hadn't seen them all for weeks, and letters just weren't enough for him, he felt like he'd never see them again.
"Harry, I can't breathe," Ginny said, after a minute of Harry. He blushed, and let go of her, leaving his hand on the small of her back protectively. She blushed as Ron, Hermione and Harry caught up.
"How have you been?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow for Harry's placement on Ginny's side.
"As good as I can be, I guess. I learned that little Mark Evans is a wizard."
"What?!" Ron bellowed in shock. "But you're the only one here!"
"Yeah, well Lupin didn't know about him either." Harry replied, leaving Ginny to get something for them to eat. "You guys want something?"
"Milk, thanks." Ginny replied. Getting back on subject, she said, "So Harry, besides the Mark thing, what else have you been doing? You barely wrote two sentences when you replied to my letter."
"Yeah, Harry, we're worried mate. That's why we've come down here for the week." Ron inputted.
"Week? You all are going to be here for a whole week and nobody told me?" Harry exclaimed.
"Sorry Harry, they made me promise." Tonks said, munching on a cookie.
"And anyway, our first task as friends, is to get you some clothes that fit you." Hermione said, hiding a grin.
"No, please not shopping," Ron pleaded.
"Ron, you could always make him wear a dress." Ginny laughed, as Ron's faced changed from pained to pleased.
"Oh no, we are not going shopping. Dudley's old clothes are fine on me. I can almost fit the one's I got when I was eleven!" Harry protested. "Tonks! Help!"
"I think it's a good idea, Harry. Two reasons. First, you have three women to help you, and we all know that women have the best style." Harry gave her a once over look and snorted. "Secondly," she continued, "you have Ron, and he'll help you the best way he can."
"Yeah mate, I won't let them force you into anything pink. Besides, I've taken a fancy to these muggle trousers." Ron replied, tugging at his slightly saggy jeans.
"Don't worry, Harry, I picked out the clothes that Ron's wearing, and you don't see him complaining." Hermione put in.
"Not that he would," Ginny whispered to Harry, winking quickly.
"Fine, but I have some rules, got it? There is no pink or purple or any other girlie color. Tonks is not allowed to pick out anything I might wear as boxers, no offense to you Tonks. And lastly, there will be no dresses, or feminine garments of any kind." Harry said, looking at each of his friends.
"We accept." Ginny said, laughing.
Several hours, and a hundred muggle pounds later, Harry and his friends gathered once again in Mrs. Figg's kitchen. Tonks had to trade posts with Lupin, who demanded that they get Harry back to his aunt and uncle's house.
"See you tomorrow mate!" Ron yawned, as he bid Harry farewell.
"Night guys." Harry replied to them all. He gave a wave and walked back to the Dursley's, feeling lighter then he had in years.
For the next few days, Harry spent his entire day with his three friends, going to the cinema, the muggle music shops, the skate park, and more. He used these moments to push all thoughts of Sirius and his future struggle out of his mind. Unfortunately, Ginny had other plans.
"Harry, hey Harry, snap out of it." Ron said, waving his hand in front of Harry's face. Harry shook his head with a start. "Like I said, Hermione is going to take me shopping later, and we're going to see a film at the cimena."
"Cinema, Ron." Hermione smiled.
"Right, the cinema. So it's just you and Ginny tonight, and don't go getting any ideas. My sister is off limits," warned Ron.
"Hey, I'm standing right here," Ginny said. "And who are you, my mother?"
"Just looking out for you, sis." Ron smiled, as Hermione led him out the door. "Au revior!" he called.
"So, what do we do now?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know, but can I ask what is up with those two?"
"Oh, you didn't figure it out? They are going on a muggle date. Ron told Hermione last night that he wanted to show her a muggle date and a magic date, so she could pick her favorite." She explained.
"He finally asked her out?"
"I know! About time, don't you think?"
"Yeah, but bummer leaving us without anything to do. You got any ideas?" Harry asked.
"We could just talk, you know. I'm a pretty good listener."
"Why don't we talk about you, then." Harry quickly stated, evading her proposition. He held his breath and asked her, "What was this about you and Dean?"
"There is nothing going on between me and Dean. I just said that to Ron so he'd worry." Harry let out the breath and smiled. "I certainly got him riled up, didn't I?" she laughed.
"You really did. He sent me two long, nasty letters about that evil Dean." Harry laughed with her. "You want to read them?" he said without thinking.
"Could I? I need a good laugh right about now." He winced, remembering their situation, but he led the way to his aunt's house, with Ginny on his arm. When they got to number 4, Harry entered it quickly, and ran instinctively for the stairs, to avoid Aunt Petunia's wandering eyes. He was, although, unsuccessful.
"Is that you, boy?" his aunt called from the kitchen. "I need you to trim the hedge and mow the lawn. Oh, and don't forget to water the roses."
"Can't right now, Aunt Petunia. I've got company." He called, motioning for Ginny to go on up the stairs. She went up halfway, but stopped to hear what Petunia replied.
"What sorry louse would want to spend their time on you?" Petunia wretched, turning her eyes to Harry's form by the stairs.
"Just a friend from school." Harry smiled, taking pleasure in his aunt's facial expression.
"School? Another freak like you in my house, I won't stand for it." Petunia screeched.
"Don't worry, she isn't staying long. I wouldn't want to subject her to that kind of torture." He calmly retorted.
"She? A girl? You brought a freak like my sister here? She'll get us all killed. You leave this instant." Petunia demanded.
"No, we're staying, and there isn't a thing you can do about it. Did I mention that all except one of her six older brothers are allowed to use magic, and none of them would think twice about taking revenge on someone who has pained their little sister?" Harry walked up the stairs at that point, leaving his aunt to faint on the kitchen floor. He'd pay for that comment later, he knew, but he was going to enjoy the moment that made it worth it. When he got to the top of the stairs, he grabbed Ginny's hand, grinned, and led her into the small bedroom.
"Wow, your aunt really doesn't like our world, does she?" she asked, sitting on the bed and observing the mess around her. Harry was bustling around the room picking up the loose clothes
"Yeah, I think she's convinced that mum being a wizard killed their parents. She's a nutter, that aunt of mine." He shoved his clothes in an open drawer, and grinned. "Sorry about the mess."
Ginny laid down on the bed, letting her strawberry hair go every which way. "Harry, come over here and sit by me. I want to see those letters, you know?" she called. She looked up at the ceiling, taking special notice to the navy area above his bed. He had obviously painted it recently.
"Oh, yeah. They're right here." Harry pulled two letters out of his nightstand and held them out to Ginny.
"While I read these, will you tell me about your ceiling?" she asked, taking the parchment from his hand.
"My, my ceiling? What do you mean?" Harry stuttered, his eyes getting wide with fright.
"That dark place where you painted it. How long has it been since you painted it, and why is it there?" Ginny asked, giggling at the content of the letter she was reading.
"Oh, yeah, that. There's nothing to tell. I was just testing colors for my room, you see?" he countered, his breathe quickening.
"Harry," Ginny said, turning on her side and placing the letters on Harry's nightstand. "I don't believe you. Why are you lying to me?"
"Because I can't tell you the truth, you would think I am crazy." He replied, not facing her.
"I live with Ron, and you think I'll think your crazy?" she placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, reassuringly.
"I thought it would bring me closer to Sirius, if I put his star on my ceiling, alright. Go ahead and laugh, I don't care." He hiccuped his tears back, cupping his face in his hands. Ginny's mouth dropped at the sight of him crying. Her heart ached for him, for all he's seen and done.
"Oh, Harry..." she started, but she couldn't find anything that would make him feel better. She walked over to his chair and held his head against her stomach, hoping to ease his pain slightly.
"Ginny, it was all my fault. Sirius, my parents, Neville's parents, everything. If I hadn't been born, none of this would have happened." He sobbed.
"Your parents? I don't understand." She said, stroking his hair.
"Dumbledore finally told me. The person who is going to either kill or be killed by Voldemort, is me. My parents were killed because Voldemort was looking for me. Neville's parents, were tortured, because Neville was born in July, and they thought he was the boy in the prophecy. It's all my fault."
"No, Harry. None of this is your fault. Do you hear me? You can't take the blame for something you had no control over. Sirius, would have gone to the Ministry despite you, your parents were on Voldemort's list because of Dumbledore, as were Neville's. You have to stop taking everyone's responsibility."
Harry looked up at her, blinking the droplets out of his eyes. "Ginny, thanks." He whispered. She smiled at him and continued to hold him until he had fully stopped crying. "We should, er, go back to Mrs. Figg's." he said, standing up.
"Yeah, I can't wait to hear about Ron and Hermione's night." She smiled.
"Ginny, could you not tell them about this? They have enough to worry about without adding me to the list."
"Sure," she replied. She took his hand and they walked back to Mrs. Figg's hand in hand.
A/N: Sorry to have Harry so sobby, but the boy's in pain! He watched his last hope fade and was told the fate of the world was on his shoulders. I'd cry too! (Oh, and very sorry for not going into details about Ron and Hermione's... date)