Prologue
The Sorting Hat was bored. It was often left in boredom within the Headmaster's office. After a thousand years where you only conversed with usually barmy Headmasters or eleven year olds, boredom became a constant companion. However, the Sorting Hat knew that his boredom would soon be vanquished. He had been counting the years, watching the advancements of Wizarding Britain as he waited. A thousand years had passed. The curse had been broken. Now all he had to wait for was the coming of age for the final Heir.
Hermione Jean Granger was born on September 19, 1979 to two normal parents. Eleven years later she was told she was a muggleborn witch, born from two muggles (non-magical humans) who was graced with the power of magic. She began Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was Sorted into Gryffindor House after a strong dispute with the Sorting Hat over whether she should be there or in Ravenclaw. The House of Lions prevailed, though barely. For five years she was taught within Hogwarts Castle, going through dangerous adventures with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, her first and only friends.
Susan Amelia Bones was born on November 7, 1979 to a pureblood wizard of the Bones family and a muggleborn mother. During the first war against Lord Voldemort, many members of the Bones family were killed including her parents. This left Susan to be raised by Amelia Bones, her aunt and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Sorted into Hufflepuff, Susan is a relatively friendly girl who doesn't hold much House discrimination, though she is understandably wary of the Slytherins. Her best friend is Hannah Abbot and the two girls can usually be seen together.
Neville Frank Longbottom was born on July 30, 1980 and lost his parents to insanity after they were tortured by Death Eaters during the first war against the Dark Lord. This left Neville in the care of his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. Neville was isolated as a child, leaving him as a shy boy who was generally nervous, having become wary of people after the various ways his family tried to bring out his accidental magic. Thinking himself a squib until he gained his Hogwarts letter, Neville had been pressured by Augusta to be as great as his Auror parents. Despite this he has a quiet confidence which led to him being Sorted into Gryffindor, despite his beliefs that he would end up in Hufflepuff.
Harry James Potter was born on July 31, 1980 to James and Lily Potter. Due to the prophecy predicted, Harry lost his parents and managed to defeat Lord Voldemort at the tender age of one. This left him with the moniker of the Boy-Who-Lived and gave him untold fame within the Wizarding World. Despite this, he was raised by his muggle aunt within a small town in Surrey. Treated no better than a House-elf, Harry was unprepared for the rush of attention he gained when he reentered the Wizarding World. Over the past five years he experienced many trials while the public went back and forth with their faith of him. From respected to hated, Harry has been witness to public slander of the worst kind while the muggle-raised Savior tried to go through schooling. With Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry survived through various murder attempts and even managed to confront Lord Voldemort on various occasions and come out alive. During his latest year of schooling he was forced into a tournament he was too young for, all because of an ex-Death Eater that had managed to sneak into the school in the guise of their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. At the end of the tournament he saw a fellow classmate murdered, participated against his will in a revival ritual for the Dark Lord, and escaped back to Hogwarts. Afterwards he was sent back to his home in Little Whinging without so much as a mental examination or any therapy for the latest trial he was forced to overcome.
This is why Harry Potter now resided within the smallest room of Number 4, Privet Drive. He was lying on his bed, the room dark with the only light coming from his barred window. Vernon had replaced it after the Weasley twins wrenched it from the house second year when they came to save him.
Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Harry turned and stared at his alarm clock, staring at the flashing numbers: 11:58 P.M.
It was one of Dudley's broken presents, only useable after Harry had managed to fix it. It was still dented from where Dudley had smashed it with his fist, but that was ignorable.
Harry would soon be turning fifteen, his birthday arriving as soon as the clock turned to midnight. He had been forced into his room without dinner after snapping at Uncle Vernon, though Harry regretted nothing. Even if he was left with a blackened eye and cracked glasses. He knew the injury would heal overnight, just as any punishment did, though his half-cracked glasses would have to stay as they were until he got onto the Hogwarts Express.
Turning onto his side, Harry pulled his flimsy blanket closer around himself, staring at the red numbers: 11:59 P.M.
Clucking his tongue, Harry glanced over at the empty cage where Hedwig would usually be resting. He had convinced his relatives to allow her out of the house. He promised that he could have her stay at the Weasleys for the rest of the summer. This seemed to please them so they had allowed him to let her out the night that he had arrived back to the muggle house. A quick letter had been tied to the snowy owl's leg, pleading with Ron to take care of her.
Turning his attention back to the clock, Harry watched as the numbers changed: 12:00 A.M.
That was when the pain hit.
