Disclamer: I don't own anything!!!

A/N This is my first story so it may not be too good. I am sure that the beginning is not very original but it should get better later on (hopefully). I'll shut up now and let you decide for yourself.

Changes

Harry Potter was never the same. True, Hogwards (sp?) changed his life, but his fourth year completely turned it around. Harry Potter changed. Even the Dursleys, who never paid any attention to him before, noticed that something was not right. Harry did grow a little over the year that he had been away from his "loving" family. He still had his messy dark hair and his usually bright green eyes looked almost the same. Almost. The look in those eyes was completely different. His eyes did not have their usual sparkle nor was there much emotion left in them. The only thing that could be seen in Harry's eyes now was just icy calm and if anybody looked close enough - alertness. Young Potter's manner was different now. His old shy and maybe a little scared self was replaced by kind of confidence and calm that comes after seeing the other side of the "coin" called life. He looked like nothing could make him lose his cool now. After he went through dragon- fire, water and crusification curse not many things could faze him. The Boy- Who-Lived was also unusually alert, as if he was ready for sudden attack to come at him from any possible direction. Not that his family realized this. They did notice the change in their, "deeply loved and cared for", charge and became even more mindful of him than they were already. Dudley stopped bothering Harry so much. Nothing, short of death, would probably make him leave Harry alone, but that solution to the problem, with Potter's present state of mind, would come in to the picture later.
Harry himself realized that he was different. He could not figure out if it was for better or for worse. After his encounter with Voldemort life did seem easy. What could hurt more that Crusification curse? What could do more damage that Avada Kedavra? What could be scarier than seeing somebody die right in front of your eyes and it was probably your fault? Or watching your long dead parents almost come back to life just to disappear again?

***

It had been two days since Harry came back "home" from Hogwarts. It was two in the morning but, he felt restless. He could not sleep, partly because of the nightmares and partly because of all the conflicting thoughts that were going through his head all the time. Opening a window and making himself comfortable on its side Harry tried to sort everything out. Breathing in the night air, that helped ease the anxiety that Harry was feeling last days, he started to think. "The fight with Voldemort is not over. There is more to come." was running through Harry's head. "I will have to fight him." The thought of fighting Voldemort did nothing in calming Harry's fears. All it did was remind him of the crusification curse, all the hexes that he still did not know about and therefore could not block, all the Death Eaters whose numbers are growing and the nearly invincible lord himself. After laying everything out like this in his mind Harry pondered the possibility of just forgetting about all of it, just staying away, about just staying safe. He thought about it. But only for a couple of minutes. Then he remembered his parents and Cedric. After that all the other memories came, some of them great and happy others not so happy. He remembered his friends, his teachers all the people whom he new and liked and who liked him right back. He owed them. And most important of all he need to avenge his parents' murder. He just could not stay away. Even if he did, Death Eaters would find him.
Harry's mind was set. He will not run and he will not hide. He will fight Voldemort and his dogs until his last breath and he will make sure that every one of them was punished for what they have done. Lord Voldemort will die by the hand of Harry Potter, whose parents he killed. Harry was finally at piece after giving this mental promise. He was finally happy. for total of one minute and twenty-five seconds. "How am I going to do it?. Death Eaters will make sure that I am destroyed before I can do some actual damage to anybody other that myself and my friends". That brought him down from the heights of his bloody fantasies to the troublesome real life. Harry's experience in Twizard tournament taught him that when something goes wrong there is no one to rely on but himself. No one will be able to save him the next time Voldemort makes his move except for Harry himself. That brought on an obvious question "How?" And then the none the less obvious answer came. "Train! Become stronger than the Dark Lord." Again the annoying "How?" question popped out, but now after deciding on the course of action Harry did not let minor details get in the way of greater cause. "Sirus will help."

The rest was easy. Wright a letter, explaining his way of reasoning and hoping that the godfather will understand, then sending this letter with Hedwig. Harry was confident in Hedwig's ability. "She will find Sirus no matter where he is or how long it takes. Now, the only thing that is left to do is wait and be ignored by Durseleys." Now with nothing better to do Potter junior closed the window and went to sleep.
After the big decision was made nightmares were successfully defeated, guilt over Cedrik's death was settling, dreams and hopes of revenge made the night one of the best Harry had in month.

A/N Ok, so how was it? Did it suck? I already have the next chapter written so you people tell me should I stick it up my. hmm. or should I continue with this story? Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated (key word is *any*).