Title: Enter Stage Right
Author: Along Came the Spider
Summary: An AU tale of the trails of one Harry James Potter. Nope, still not coming up with anything better to explain this one...
Rating: PG

The wand raised itself steadily to point at the family. There was no sound as the husband and wife braced themselves for what they knew would be the end.

The door burst open as the dark robed wizard opened his mouth. "Avada Kedavra!"

The Auror's who were now streaming in from the door gasped as one of the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts had ever known leapt in front of the wand at the last minute.

"Tom," Dumbledore gasped as he collapsed into the arms of his former student.

The dark robed wizard snarled at the assembled group before disaperating away.

Dumbledore took one last breath and died.

"Boy!" A voice called from the ground floor. "You'd better come and clean up this mess now!"

Harry groaned as he rolled off his bed. "Coming," he muttered as he made his way down the stairs.

"Harry James Potter!" The voice called again as he reached the bottom. "You'd better be on your way here!"

"Coming!" He yelled as he yanked the kitchen door open.

"Don't yell when you know perfectly well I'm in the next room." Lily Potter glared at her eldest. "Now wash up your dishes quick like, before your father gets home."

Harry grumbled but moved to the sink anyway. Lily snorted and picked up her youngest, Sarah.

"Joseph!" She called to her middle child. There was a noise from the living room and Joseph stuck his head around the door. "Run and get the post." She smiled.

"Yes mum." The boy ducked back and could be heard banging through the hallway.

"Mum?" Harry called her attention back to him. "When are we going to go get my Smeltings uniform?"

"Vernon will be taking you and Dudley to get them later today," Lily sighed.

"Ugh!" Harry groaned. "But Mum! Dad's coming back today!"

"And he'll still be here tomorrow." Lily smiled. "So you're going to go with Vernon today."

"But Uncle Vernon never let's Dudley and me wander around." Harry protested.

"I should hope not!" Lily frowned. "Though I can guess who does. Your father never does know what is best for you."

Joseph returned with the post and dumped it on the kitchen table. "There is a letter for Harry. It looks official." He picked the envelope out of the pile and tossed it to his brother.

Harry caught it with soapy hands. "Thanks."

"Let me see that." Lily put Sarah down on one of the chairs and gave Harry an icy look.

"It's addressed to me," Harry waved the letter about. "See? Harry Potter, 18 Privet, Room at the top of the stairs, Little Whinging Surrey."

Headless of this argument Lily grabbed the letter and stuffed it in her pocket. "I'll need to talk to your father before you can get this back, if we decide to let you have it."

Harry stuck out his tongue and rinsed the soap off his hands. "When is Dad getting home?"

"Soon," Lily said firmly. "Since your done with the dishes you should go get ready for your trip."

"Yes Mum," Harry mumbled.

Lily nodded then scooped Sarah back up and moved into the living room.

Harry quickly dried the dishes and ran up to his room. He was just pulling on his jumper when he heard a car pull up in the drive way. Crossing to the window he confirmed that it was his father's car and rushed through tying his shoes so that he could greet him.

Once he finished clambering down the stairs he stopped and listened for voices. He heard a low murmur from the living room and decided to listen a while before announcing himself.

"There is no way we are sending him to that school." James said curtly.

"I know," Lily sighed. "But how do you think they found us? Are they watching the house?"

"It doesn't matter," Harry could hear his father pacing across the floor. "We'll send him away if we have too."

"I don't want to go away." Harry said to the door.

There was silence in the room, then footsteps approached the door, which was summarily opened. "Heya Sport." James Potter said. "No one is going to send you away."

"So can I have my mail?" Harry held out his hand.

"It was misaddressed." James said blandly.

"But it had my room on it." Harry protested.

"Some things are better left alone," Lily said reprovingly.

Harry wanted to protest, but thought better of it as another car pulled into the driveway.

"That will be Vernon and Dudley," Lily smiled. "Let me go get my purse."

Harry and James exchanged glances as they were left alone. "Dad?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Yes?" James regarded him warily.

"Did you go to Smeltings?"

"No," James picked up the paper and sat down in a chair.

"Then why do I have to go there?" Harry asked.

"Vernon equates it a rather good education." James smiled. "And all your friends from grade school will be there."

"Vernon," Lily's voice came from the Hall. "Thank you so much for agreeing to take Harry to get his uniform."

"You're very welcome," Vernon's voice boomed through the door. "Always glad to help a lad out like that."

"You'd better be going," James said with a small smile. "You wouldn't want Vernon to start in on that again."

Harry grinned at his father and walked over to the door. "Dad?" He stopped. "If I am really good today, and mind Uncle Vernon, do you think I can have my letter when I get home?"

"I already told you," James said stonily. "It was addressed to you by mistake."

Harry took his time turning the door knob. He wanted to ask again, but had heard that note of certainty and knew that now was not the time.

"Uncle Vernon," he smiled as he greeted the large man.

"Harry," the man nodded. "Why don't you run out to the car and sit with Dudley. I'm sure that the two of you will have things to discuss with out me. I want to have a word with your father so you'll have plenty of time."

Harry doubted very much that his father would want to talk to Uncle Vernon for very long, but that was for his father to sort out. Harry just nodded and went out to the car. It was a brand new car, Uncle Vernon worked in drills, and it was apparently a good time to be doing that. Dudley sat on the passenger's side which left only the back for Harry.

As soon as Harry had buckled his seat belt Vernon exited the house looking a little more red then he had going in. The door all but slammed into place when he got into the car. "Are you two ready to take your first step towards Smeltings?"

"Yes!" Dudley exclaimed excitedly.

"You too Harry?" Vernon looked at him in the rearview mirror.

"Of course I am," Harry said less enthusiastically.

"Ah," Vernon shook his head at his nephew's tone. "I know you'll miss your mum and dad, but you'll have Dudders, Piers, and the rest with you."

Harry forced himself to brighten. "Yeah, it'll be just like now."

"That's the spirit!" Vernon smiled.

Harry rolled his eyes. He didn't know why everyone insisted that he was friends with Dudley and his gang. The whole lot of them were so dumb and big that Harry had little use for them except as shields. He hoped that Smeltings would provide him with a larger base from which to make friends with a more intelligent set.

There was no more chatter as they sped their way toward London. When Vernon pulled into a parking space next to a simple Redstone buildings Harry was more than glad to get out and stretch his legs.

Inside the building two thin men sat at different tables flipping through separate copies of this mornings paper. Vernon cleared his throat and the nearer of the men peered over the top of the page.

"Mr. Dursley!" He exclaimed as he set his paper aside. He quickly moved to shake Vernon's hand. "And you've brought your son! What a delight!" Dudley beamed at the man and shook his hand heartily.

"What do we have here?" The man looked Harry over with a calculating eye.

"This is my wife's nephew Harry." Vernon explained. "He'll be starting at Smeltings this year with Dudley."

"Good! Good!" The second man said, slapping down his paper. "A fine school for fine boys. Now let's measure!"

Harry found himself being led over to a stool. Once he stepped on it the man began to measure him in all possible locations. "Jeremy!" The two men called out in unison.

"Yes?" A young man who looked quite a bit like the tailors appeared from behind a curtain.

"A number three Smeltings uniform for my client," the tailor attending Harry said quickly trying to beat out his partner's "Number six."

The young man disappeared and quickly returned with two uniforms. Harry winced at the colors but allowed one to be draped about him. Harry sighed as the uniform fell off of his waist, he was sure that if he moved he would trip on legs that seemed too long for him. He looked over at Dudley to find that his cousin's uniform was too small.

Jeremy, who hadn't left, took the uniforms back and appeared with two more. This time Harry's fit better and the tailor began marking it up for adjustment.

"They'll be ready in two days," The tailor who had attended Dudley told them.

"Thank you," Vernon smiled as he ushered the boys outside. "What would you two like to do now?"

"A picture?" Dudley asked perking up.

"I don't think that would be so appropriate." Vernon said slowly. "How about we go for ice cream?"

Dudley smiled and poked Harry's arm. "Did you hear that! Ice cream!"

"I did hear," Harry said dryly. "We're going to be having ice cream. Yippee!"

Vernon pulled into the street the moment Harry had finished buckling himself in. Harry always loved the streets of London. He always played a type of 'I Spy' game because the rest of his family, extended or otherwise, never seemed to see the same stuff he did. Today they drove quite a bit before he saw the first odd thing. It was a small group standing off to themselves wearing what looked like costumes. He looked at Vernon expecting the man to comment, but he didn't even blink an eye. Further on down the street he noticed a dingy pub that he would have sworn wasn't there a moment ago.

"The Leaky Cauldron," he murmured.

"Speak up boy!" Vernon grumped.

"It's nothing," Harry sighed. "I was just reading pub signs." He had learned early on that no one liked it when he pointed out things that they couldn't see. In one intense it had led to a nice long chat with the school counselor who had tried to convince his parents to send him to a professional. He felt lucky that they hadn't because when the boy down the street had gone to one of those he had come back very different.

"Pubs eh?" Vernon laughed. "You two are a bit young yet, but we'll get there eventually."

Harry nodded at this statement. Vernon was a firm believer in 'eventually'. He was always pointing out things that Harry and Dudley would be able to do in the future.

"How about this," Vernon continued. "When you boys get into University, I'll take you out for your first drinks."

Dudley caught Harry's eye in the mirror and rolled his own. "Sure dad."

Vernon humphed in a satisfied manner as he pulled into a parking lot next to the ice cream parlour. "Now, are you two up for sundaes?"

"Sure," Harry said with the first real burst of enthusiasm he had had all trip.

"Just don't tell either of your mothers," Vernon cautioned. "Neither of them would like you eating ice cream instead of lunch."

End Notes:

- So I am without an 'X' key at the moment thanks to my cat. Plus, brand new semester - as if you couldn't tell from the brand new story. As for Believing it will continue. Just give me some time to get over writer's block where it is concerned.

- Please Review