After a grizzly welcome home at the end of 5th year, Harry is forced into hiding and finds sanctuary in a city previously thought to be a myth.

Disclaimer: Let's all admit that yes, I do own everything in this story. And then you can slap yourself around the face with a wet trout. Of course I don't.

AN: This story will follow Harry through the summer before his 6th year and possibly into the school year, or maybe not. Completely undecided! Isn't it just far more exciting this way?!

Chapt. One – Welcome home.

The tension in the Dursleys' spacious and overly flashy new car could almost be tasted in the air. The large round man in the drivers seat cast almost continuous squinted glares into the rear-view mirror at his nephew. The man's wife in the front passenger seat was staring dead ahead as though afraid to miss some exciting development on the road ahead whilst their pudding of a son was managing to only take up one and a half seat in the back by seemingly trying to squeeze as much of himself against the car door as possible. Meanwhile the sad figure of Harry Potter sat oblivious to all of this as he sat with his hands and eyes in his lap.

After half of the hour-long journey from Kings Cross Station to their house in Surrey the driver finally broke the silence that had plagued the car since it left on its return trip.

"I suppose you think those people will help you this summer, don't you boy?" the man snarled whilst watching the boy in the mirror. After a few seconds of yet more silence the man continued.

"You're wrong in assuming that, boy." He spat. "This summer we won't just be burdened with you in our house leeching our hard-earned money. Oh no. I'll have no more of it from you. From now on you earn your keep. You'll work like the rest of us or go without!" the man's moustache quivered with contempt before a low voice devoid of emotion replied with a simple "Yes Uncle Vernon."

The car settled back into the uneasy silence with the passing sounds of traffic and the quiet drone of the engine being the only sounds present.

As the group starting to approach their destination of Little Whinging the mood of two of the occupant started to change. The young black-haired boy started to feel an encroaching sense of dread and despair. Meanwhile in the drivers seat Vernon Dursley appeared to be growing apprehensive and was now glancing left and right almost constantly as though expecting someone or something to jump on the moving vehicle at any moment.

As the car took a right turn Harry Potter finally resigned himself to the fact that he was now stuck in Privet Drive for the foreseeable future until either he was rescued and taken to the house of the Weasley family, or to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix at some point during the summer. Harry tried not to think of the worst case scenario, if he was really unlucky, he'd have to wait the whole two and a half months until September 1st when he could leave to start his 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

As the car reversed into the drive way Harry watched as Mrs Figg slowly made her way down the road from the alleyway leading to her house. Just as she drew level with the Dursleys front lawn she turned her head slightly to glance at the newly parked car and caught Harry's eye and offered him a small, barely noticeable smile and nod to which Harry returned. To anyone else who saw the exchange it would seem perfectly normal, but Harry was aware that the reason for Mrs Figg's conveniently timed stroll was more than likely ordered by Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Harry's school and Leader of the Order of the Phoenix just to name a few of the old man's many titles. Harry was brought back from his thoughts by the sound of his Aunt's whispered voice.

"Hurry up! Get your things and get inside before we lock you out for the night." hissed the long-necked woman.

Harry begrudgingly made his way to the boot of the car which had been left unceremoniously open for him to lift and drag his heavy trunk out of and then into the house. He carefully closed the boot of the car and then the front door before heaving his trunk quietly up the stairs and into his room at the top of the landing.

After leaving his trunk unopened at the end of his bed, Harry sat back against the headboard of his rather uncomfortable bed lost in thoughts of the past few weeks, but more specifically the death of his Godfather Sirius Black. No matter how many times he was told otherwise Harry couldn't shake off the fact that his Godfathers fault had been his fault. Granted, he didn't cast the curse that cause Sirius to fall through the Veil in the Death room, but it was his impulsive and reckless actions which led to his Godfather being there in the first place.

A short time later Harry became distantly aware of a tapping noise and slowly lifted his head from its resting place and looked towards the source of the noise.

"Hedwig!" Harry cried with the slight sound of a smile in his voice. "I forgot you'd be arriving tonight. Not going off hunting tonight girl?" he said cheerfully as he carefully slid open his window to let the Snowy Owl into the room.

The owl hooted softly as though to say thank you before hopping onto the desk under the window and then fluttering up into the open cage which was sat onto of the set of draws opposite the bed.

As Hedwig settled down and rested her head under her wing Harry turned back to the window to close it. As he reached across the desk he caught sight of movement in the row of bushes a few doors down. After a few seconds straining his eyes to try to see what caused the movement Harry passed off the movement as either one of the local cats, more than likely owned by Mrs Figg, or possibly as the hidden guard that was undoubtedly positioned in the area by the Order.

Harry turned away from the window shaking his head whilst muttering about Dumbledore's band of merry men and how cats have become the best protection they force on him. The dark-haired boy's musings were cut short by a yell from the bottom of the stairs by his Uncle.

"BOY! GET DOWN HERE NOW."

Wondering what he had done wrong whilst being sat in his room Harry sighed and made his way downstairs and into the kitchen where the sound of multiple voices alerted Harry to the visitor who must have arrived while he was lost in thought.

Upon slowly entering the kitchen Harry glanced at the occupants and noticed his Aunt and Uncle sat opposite each other at the centre of the table and Dudley sat almost on top of his Aunt. He then noticed the two other occupants, one of whom was sat in Vernon's seat at the head of the table. Harry vaguely recognised the man and tried to cast his mind back to where he might have known the tall well build man from. After giving up trying to remember Harry turned his eyes to look at the final person in the room who was the only one standing. The woman was stood leaning against the work surface while glancing around the room and through the glass doors into the living room. Her long walnut hair swaying as she turned her head to look around the ground floor of the house.

After Harry looked back at his family and seeing no recognition that they noticed him enter he decided that he should make his presence known.

"Uncle Vernon? You wanted to see me?" Harry spoke quietly as though not to startle the short-tempered man.

Vernon sharply turned his head towards the boy and hissed in a low voice "I don't want to see your face, boy. It's these people who want to see you! God only knows why anyone would want to see you though." At this the woman standing raised an eyebrow and steadied her gaze at Vernon but stayed silent.

It was the man seated at the head of the table who spoke first in a low, almost rumbling voice. "Yes Harry, we needed to come and speak with you. We-"

At this point Harry interrupted what he thought was going to be a long-winded talk by asking simply, "Who are you?" To which the man, who seemed shocked to have been interrupted simply laughed a laugh which didn't quite reach his dark blue eyes.

"I apologise Potter. I am Hadrian Diggle. And I believe you have already met Nymphadora Tonks" With this Tonks glanced at Harry for the first time and nodded once before she started looked out through the living room and into the front garden.

Before Harry got a chance to think about the less the warm way that Tonks treated him with, he realised that the name the man had said was not the name of the Diggle he knew.

The man had obviously spotted Harry's apprehension and chuckled slightly before saying "Before you say anything, yes I am related to Dedalus. He is my cousin on my father's side." This seemed to quell Harry's doubts as he didn't interrupt when Hadrian continued talking.

"Dumbledore sent us. He wants us to take you over to where you stayed last summer." He said whilst giving Harry a knowing look. "I need you to quickly collect the things you will need for one night and then come with me while Tonks finishes packing the rest of your things and follows us."

After listening to this Harry couldn't help but swell a big with both dread and anticipation. He was going to be leaving the Dursleys after just a few hours! But the realisation of where he was going to be goings dampened his spirits considerably. By going to number 12 he would finally have to face the rest of the Order who would all no doubt want to hear his story of the night at the Ministry. But if that wasn't bad enough, he was going to have to do it in Sirius' house.

Hadrian turned to Tonks and nodded at her and then asked Harry to show her up to his room. Harry frowned at this as Tonks already knew where his room was, but Harry just put this down to the pair being polite and not wanting to presume things whilst in someone else's property.

Harry agreed and moved back into the hall towards the stairs with Tonks following behind. As Harry moved up the stairs careful to avoid the creaking step out of habit, he began to think about the odd behaviour of the young Auror behind him. Where had the fun, full of life young woman that he had met the previous year and why was she so cold towards him now? It was then that Harry's realisation hit him full force in the face.

Sirius.

Tonks and Sirius were cousins! She must blame him for getting Sirius killed.

As they approached the door to his room he opened it slowly and stood beside the door to let the woman in first he turned towards her and said in a low voice "I'm so sorry about Sirius. I know you must blame me, and I know it's entirely my fault, but please don't hate me." His voice took on an almost pleading sound to it as he spoke.

In response to this, the pretty face Tonks was wearing today formed into a scowl and her grey eyes glared deep into Harry as she uncaringly pushed passed Harry to get into the room.

Harry exhaled slowly and deeply before entering into the room. Once inside he opened the window and called the now alert Hedwig over to him before talking softly to her and telling her to fly to Ron whether he was at the Burrow or at Grimmauld Place.

As Harry watched Hedwig's steady rise into the now darkened skies he once again saw movement in the bushes further down the street. Once again Harry strained his eyes trying to see the cause of the movement, although this time to Harry's shock, the source of the movement emerged from the bushes. The small, yet unmistakable form of a Goblin pushed passed the bush and walked purposefully along the pavement. The Goblin was soon followed by two cloaked people. As they approached the driveway of the Dursley house the light from the street light illuminated the group.

Harry stared in realisation as he saw the face of the only Goblin he knew by name and the faces of two of the people he hated the most; Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange.

As Harry spun in a panic as he reached for his wand, he came face to face with Tonks who looked over his shoulder at the approaching group before saying in a voice that definitely did not belong to Nymphadora Tonks.

"Shit."