Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter or any of the characters or places or anything associated with it I would be perched atop a pile of money with a sparkly tiara on my head singing the "I own the Harry Potter empire" song, but I don't, so I'm not. Oh well.

Warning: Will contain slash ie male/male relationship, so if you don't like, don't read. I will not include anything explicit (will employ the "fade out" technique) but there will most probably be kissing and lots of it.

Chapter 1

Harry was sat in his uncle's car on the way back to the Dursleys. Sirius' death of a few weeks ago still weighed heavily on his mind and he was not looking forward to a summer with his muggle "family". If they could even be called that. "Boy!" Harry started; his rotund uncle had obviously been trying to get his attention for a while. His face was red and was gradually deepening in colour every second Harry did not respond. "Stop day dreaming and get that case into the house now. We don't need the neighbours to be reminded of your abnormality and to start asking questions."

Harry scrambled from the car, eyes lowered to stop his uncle from seeing the poorly disguised hatred that flashed in their emerald depths. He retrieved his trunk and Hedwigs empty cage from the boot of the car. His uncle had refused to have "that ruddy bird" near his car and so Hedwig had travelled to The Burrow with Ron. He had been a wizard for 5 years now and yet he still had to obey this man. He dragged his trunk up to his room angrily and dumped it unceremoniously on the floor by his bed. Vernon's voice came from below him "Boy!" Keep it quiet or there'll be trouble!" Harry growled his frustration and threw himself face down on his small bed.

Strangely Draco Malfoy was doing exactly the same thing miles away in his family's manor house. Though the action was the same that was the extent of the similarity. Draco had a large, sumptuous, king-sized bed. As he threw himself down the soft mattress moulded itself to his lithe body and held him comfortable in its embrace.

He had been disappointed that his mother had not come to meet him from the train but he had understood. She was still very upset about Lucius. What he didn't understand was why she had just sent a servant to apparate him back to the manor. She knew how much he hated apparating and had never made him do it from the platform before. It had left him uncertain about things. Had he underestimated how miserable she was? How serious the situation really was?

He had returned to the manor, expecting to see her then, but again he had been let down. The butler had informed him that his mother bid him welcome and hoped the trip had been enjoyable but she would not be joining him for dinner tonight and would prefer to be left to her own counsel for the foreseeable future. Draco had swallowed his emotions and had retired to his rooms.

He lay staring at the canopy of his bed. Silent tears trickled down his cheeks and he wiped them away angrily. He was a Malfoy and he would not show weakness like this. All week he had only had contact with the servants of the manor. He had yet to see his mother and he had to admit, if only to himself, that it was tearing him up. He had never been close to Lucius, of course he had admired him, feared him but he had never called him father and they had never embraced. Lucius had never shown him any affection and he had never shown any back. His mother was the one who showed him love, who comforted him when he was scared, held him while he cried and listened to him when he had a problem. She was his real parent. He knew Lucius and her had argued about the different approaches they had to parenting. He had heard them arguing at night. There was a passage behind the tapestry in his room that led directly to his mother's room that he used to go see her when Lucius was trying to stop her from seeing Draco. As far as he knew, no one else even knew about the passage. Strangely, it was then, as he was thinking about it, that there sounded a knock from said passage.

Harry stared out at the night. Stars dotted the sky, millions of them vying for attention but Harry was only looking at one. He smiled sadly. The brightest star in the sky, that fitted Sirius perfectly. He gazed up at the star thinking of all the times he had spent with his godfather. There were hardly any. Harry's most fervent wish was that he could have spent more time with his godfather. Listened to stories about his parents late at night, sat with Lupin and Sirius as they recalled old escapades as the marauders and just talked with Sirius about everyday life, normal things. Harry sighed and was about to close the window before he noticed something moving in the night sky. An owl. He beamed, it was Hedwig. He stepped back from the window to allow her to swoop into the room. She circled it twice before landing on his shoulder hooting softly. He petted her head and she nipped his finger affectionately. He filled her water bowl and she perched in her cage with the door open. He sat on his bed to open the letter she had brought him. He frowned, it was not from Ron as he had expected. His name on the front was written in cursive lettering and in green ink. He tore it open. As he began reading the short note he frowned harder, why would Dumbledore be writing to him hardly two weeks into the school holidays?

Harry,

While I stand by what I said at the end of last term I fear that things have changed and so I must request your presence at Hogwarts as soon as possible. I will give you time to pack your things, and will send someone to collect you within the day. Please explain to your relatives, although I am sending them a letter separately by muggle post that explains everything. Be sure to take all your belongings, as I doubt that you will be returning to your relatives any time soon, if at all.

Yours sincerely

Albus Dumbledore

Harry's heart was pounding. Never return to the Dursleys? He felt a smile spread across his face. Spending the summer at Hogwarts would be perfect, sure Ron and Hermione wouldn't be around but neither would anyone else. He could explore the castle properly. Find some of the passages on the map that he had never used before. Find which were blocked and which could still be used. Suddenly his smile faltered. Why was Dumbledore asking him to come to Hogwarts when he had said he had to go back to the Dursleys every year? Something serious must have happened. His frown deepened. He couldn't stay at Hogwarts for the rest of his life, where would he live? Grimmauld Place. Sirius would have left it to either him or the Order possibly. He was sure he would be able to stay there but he didn't know if he could. It would be filled with thoughts of Sirius. He glanced out of the window at the bright star. Sirius would want him to live there. He was sure. Hedwig hooted, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He read the letter again quickly. Someone was coming at some point tonight or tomorrow. He began to pack his things, all the questions he would need to ask Dumbledore flickered through his mind but he pushed them away till he could come face to face with the man himself.

With his things packed and letter clutched in his hand he started downstairs to inform the Dursleys. He entered the lounge and waited for either his aunt or uncle to notice him. He coughed and both turned to him, eyes narrowed. It was his uncle who spoke, "What do you want?"

Harry ignored him and handed the letter to his aunt. Dumbledore had said it was her blood that was keeping him safe and she appeared to have spoken with Dumbledore so he decided that she should be the one he told. Petunia looked started at being the one engaged by Harry, his uncle Vernon just turned red at being ignored. Petunia's pale eyes read the letter and a fierce little smile spread across her thin lips. She passed it to Vernon and as he read the letter she studied Harry. He was confused she had never paid him any attention before. Suddenly Harry grasped her reason. As much as she may hate him and "his kind" he was the only link to her late sister. She had proclaimed to hate her sister but still deep down she must have had some kind of affection for her. Now, with Harry leaving, most probably forever, she was recognising her sister in him. She gave him a barely perceptible nod that Harry took as the closest he was going to get to a goodbye from any of the Dursleys.

Vernon was beaming as he looked up. He had not noticed the small exchange of understanding that passed between his wife and nephew. "So boy! We're finally getting rid of you! Well I can't say it's come too soon, eh Petunia?" He laughed as his wife smiled at him. Harry privately agreed with the statement but didn't say anything out loud. "My things are packed. I just have to wait for someone to arrive to get me."

He turned to leave, not intending to leave his room till someone arrived. "Just you wait there, boy!" Harry turned and waited for his uncle to continue. An evil smile graced his uncle's face, "Aren't you going to thank your aunt and I for graciously allowing you into our home? Fifteen years is a long time to have to put up with you." Defiance and hatred flashed in Harry's eyes but he turned to his Aunt, ignoring his uncle for the second time in as many minutes. He felt he owed nothing to either of them really, but for appearance sake he would thank his aunt. Not his uncle though. Never him. "Thanks." With that he picked up his letter turned and walked out of the room without looking back.

Harry had been sat on his bed for two hours when he heard a sharp knock on the front door. He ran to open it but the Dursleys got there first. Nymphadora Tonks stood on the front doorstep; she was looking uncertainly at the Dursleys. Harry suppressed a smile at his Aunt who was staring horrified at Tonks' hair, which was a vivid purple. His uncle was trying to decide whether it would be worse to have the purple haired witch in the house or outside where the neighbours could see, Harry could practically see the war that was going on in his uncles head. He laughed out loud and all three adults looked up at him. Tonks smiled and made the decision for Vernon, she stepped inside with a bright "Wotcha Harry!" Uncle Vernon closed the door behind her hurriedly. Harry smiled back and bounded down the stairs to greet the young witch as she manoeuvred her way past the silent Dursleys. "Heya Tonks." She pulled him into a quick hug and then slung her arm over his shoulders. "Where's you trunk then?" Harry led Tonks upstairs while Petunia stared and Vernon became the same shade of purple as Tonks' hair. Glancing back the witch noticed this and her hair quickly bled to a bright bubblegum pink. At the strangled sound from behind, Harry glanced over at Tonks and grinned.

He picked up Hedwig and walked to the window, flinging it wide open. He turned to Tonks who was gazing around his room, "Are we going straight to Hogwarts?" She nodded and produced a lime green Frisbee from somewhere with a grin "Hogwarts via portkey. One way."

Harry nodded with a smile and turned back to the window. "Go on to Hogwarts, Ok?" He stroked the owl's head as she hooted her understanding before taking flight and disappearing into the night. He turned back to Tonks who had grabbed hold of his trunk. "I hadn't expected anyone so soon." She shrugged a shoulder, "We guessed you'd want to get away as soon as possible and I had nothing else to do…" She shrugged again and smiled, "You should tell them," she jerked her head at the door, "that you're going now."

Harry nodded and went to the top of the stairs. "I'm going. Bye." There was a muffled " About time." From his Uncle but nothing from his aunt. He hadn't expected much and he walked back to Tonks. He grabbed Hedwig's cage as Tonks muttered portus over the Frisbee. "Grab hold Harry." She said. He did and took a last cursory glance around his room before he felt the familiar tug behind his navel and he left Privet Drive forever.

Tonks walked him to the Gryffindor common room before leaving him with a smile and a "See ya, Harry!" He waved as she walked away and entered the common room.