Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related, but I do own any new characters I release into this and the plot.
Harry Potter lay sprawled out on the driveway of Number Four Privet Drive, relaxing and enjoying his time away from the Dursleys. They had become more angry and irritable since the summer holidays began, ignoring him even more than before, which was fine for Harry. He did not enjoy having the Dursleys yell, shout, and be generally rude towards him. The sun was not too hot for a summer day, in fact, it was just right to be outside. Harry could hear some of the neighborhood children laughing and playing, carefree and enjoying themselves. Harry, however, had a lot on his mind.
Harry Potter's home was safe, thanks to a spell that Albus Dumbledore has cast. It would prevent Voldemort and any of his Death Eaters from finding it, even if they had their faces pressed against the window. But now, that Harry would come of age, the spell would vanish, leaving him and the Dursleys vulnerable. He had contacted Ron and Hermione twice so far during the summer, and they informed him that they would be arriving today to discuss plans about this, and the rest of their year. Harry had decided that he had to find the remaining Horcruxes, destroy them, and fight Voldemort in a fight to the death.
Harry slowly stood up and stretched, and began making his way to the front door. As he approached the door, he heard the swish of a cloak, and he turned. Everything was silent. Even they children had grown quiet. Something was not right, Harry sensed. He hurried into the house. They must know, he thought. They must have known that today that spell would lift, granting them the ability to enter the house. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were sitting in the living room, watching some odd Muggle game show. Harry wondered whether or not he should tell them, but decided to wait for Ron and Hermione to arrive.
The clock continued to tick, brining midnight close into focus. Once that clock struck midnight, the spell would lift, and Harry Potter would be in danger. Harry was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his two best friends. It was already late in the afternoon, and he was beginning to worry. I hope nothing has happened to them, he thought. Harry decided to read once of his Defense Against the Dark Arts books to pass the time. He read up on some interesting curses that would be useful later on. There was a loud pop, and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were standing in front of him.
"Ron, Hermione..." Harry said.
"Beginning to think we wouldn't show?" Ron said with a grin.
"Nah, I knew you would." Harry replied, returning the grin.
"Harry, sorry we were late, we got held up at the Burrow." Hermione said.
"It's ok Hermione, I'm just glad your here." Harry told her.
"So, whats first on the agenda to discuss?" Ron asked.
"Well, I'm guessing tonight. I can't do magic until that clock hits midnight, and right when it does, I have a feeling that Death Eaters will be here." Harry told them about the mysterious sound he heard earlier. Hermione looked shocked and scared, while Ron had a grim look on his face.
"Well, we can Apparate to the Burrow," Hermione said, "that would be the quickest and easiest."
"I suppose, better then trying to fight them off." Ron said. "So Harry," Ron started, "How's your summer been so far?"
"Ok I guess, except waiting around for my birthday. The Dursleys just ignored me as usual." Harry told him.
"Harry...what about the Dursleys?" Hermione said quickly, a look of panic on her face.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Well, once it's midnight, the Death Eaters will come in after you. We'll be gone, but they won't." Hermione said, saying the last part slowly.
It slowly registered to Harry what she had said. Once they discovered he was gone, they would kill the Dursleys. As much as he hated them, he did not want them to die.
"Your right. I may not like the Dursleys, but I can't let them die, especially because of me." Harry said calmly. "But we need a plan, how can we get out ourselves with the Dursleys?"
"It's simple isn't it? Side-Along Apparation." Hermione said, as if though the answer were simple.
"Yeah!" Ron said.
"Just one problem. How am I going to explain all this to them?" Harry asked them.
The Dursleys hated everything that dealt with magic. Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister, and had despised her sister with a passion. Uncle Vernon shared that passion. Dudley had hated wizards ever since Harry was eleven, when the giant Hagrid came and gave him a pig's tail. Harry would never forget the time Fred and George left their Ton-Tongue Toffees spill out of their pockets, and Dudley being as stupid and greedy as he was, ate one. His tongue inflated to over four feet before the Dursleys would allow Mr. Weasley to shrink it.
"Well...we can do it together I guess." Ron said, making a suggestion.
"I guess, we better start now though, this could take awhile." Harry said.
They walked out of Harry's room, and into the living room. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley turned their heads at them and their eyes opened wide and mouthes dropped open.
"How in blazes did they get in here? Who are they?" Uncle Vernon shouted.
"This is Ron, and this is Hermione." Harry said calmly, trying not to get his uncle's temper up.
"Well, how did Ron and Hermione GET here?" Uncle Vernon shouted again, his face going redder.
"They...er...Apparated." Harry said, knowing they did not have a clue what that was.
"What is that!" His uncle roared. This was not going well.
"It's when you disappear, and reappear where ever you want." Harry told the, putting it in as simple terms as possible.
"And what are they doing here?" Vernon said, his temper going down slightly.
"I'm about to explain. Now, please listen, as this is very important. Remember that man Albus Dumbledore?' By their expressions, apparently not. "Well, 16 years ago, when he left me on your doorstep, he cast a spell," at this, the Dursleys got very tense. Harry continued, "A spell that has protected this house ever since I have lived here. Now, since I come of age at seventeen, that spell lifts. What that means is we are all in danger," Harry could not continue after this, as Uncle Vernon had jumped up and had begun shouting.
"I KNEW IT! EVER SINCE WE BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS HOUSEHOLD YOU HAVE BEEN A NUISANCE. I KNEW I SHOUD HAVE CHUCKED YOU OUT TWO YEARS AGO! NOW YOU ARE PLACING MY FAMILY IN DANGER AGAIN, AND I WANT YOU OUT! NOW!" He roared.
"Uncle Vernon, listen to me. Once the clock strikes midnight, Dark wizards and witches are coming after me, meaning they will kill you if they see you. I'm leaving at midnight, with you or not, but believe this, you don't come, you all die!" Harry said angrily, making his final words dramatic.
"And what if we don't?" Aunt Petunia asked, her face full of fear.
"Either Voldemort or his supporters will be here, and I don't want to be here when they come." Harry said.
"So boy, how do you plan to get us all out?" Uncle Vernon asked, a temple still throbbing in his forehead.
"Well, it's called Side-Along Apparation. It's where we Apparate you, and you don't have to know how to do it." Hermione said, finally speaking up.
Uncle Vernon sat down again, and began talking with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After several long moments, Uncle Vernon stood up.
"All right, as long as were safe from Lord whatshisname." He said.
"You will be." Harry told him. He looked at the clock. It was already ten o'clock. Only two hours to go.
"You guys might want to pack your things." Harry told them, and pulled Ron and Hermione out of the living room with him.