Chapter One: The Dreamless Sleep

Author's Note: I'm quite impatient for the sixth book, so I decided to just write it myself for now. I'll try to keep chapters pretty regular, as I have an outline and such. Disclaimer: Harry doesn't belong to me and all that jazz.

Harry drowsily opened his eyes as he heard Hedwig tap at his window on Privet Drive. He looked at the time: nearly 6:00 in the evening. He yawned and got up; trying to remember what time he'd gone to bed. Was he still asleep from the night before, or had he just taken a nap? It was hard to tell the days apart. Hermione had helped to brew a potion to give him sleep without dreaming – without nightmares. Harry found himself taking it a few times a day. Hermione would be upset her help was being misused, but it was the closest to oblivion he could manage.

Harry stretched and got out of bed, reaching his window. Hedwig had two letters for him: one a letter from Ron, the other an official document containing Harry's O.W.L test results. Harry forced himself to read Ron's letter first.

Harry,

I hope you're doing okay back with the Dursleys. Hermione isn't around, and I sure miss having you guys here. Straumstrang has a summer session, and Victor got Hermione invited to take a couple classes. Of course, she couldn't turn that down. I hope she figures out how boring that school – and Victor – are and comes back soon. Anyways, the family says you can come anytime, if you can get out of that racket. Hope you'll keep me company soon,

Ron

Harry didn't know what to feel after reading the letter. There had been an obvious omission about Sirius, about all that had happened at the end of the year. On top of that, thinking of Ron and Hermione brought back all of those unwanted memories.

Opening the second envelope, Harry looked over the results with more hope than he'd expected to feel. He had done much better than he'd expected to on everything – even potions. More than good enough to take the classes needed to be an Auror. Harry tried to smile, tried to feel some more happiness that he'd succeeded. Instead his enthusiasm evaporated and he just sat down on his bed, stared at the wall.

His emotions failed him. He tried to remember how long he'd felt so numb. When he had come back 'home' to Privet Drive, the pain of Sirius's death was still with him, and guilt for having been a part of its cause. If he had just listened to Hermione, it never would have happened. But after a couple of weeks of the incessant pain, it had left him cold and numb. He didn't feel the pain anymore, but he found he couldn't feel much of anything else either. He was just reaching for another vial of the sleeping potion when he heard the call from downstairs.

"Harry! Dinner!" Harry sighed and slowly, mechanically, got up and walked down the stairs. He sat down at the table, barely noticed that it was a couple minutes before Petunia joined them and dished out food. He watched as the meal was placed before him, but felt no urge to eat. He pushed his food around his plate, trying to shut out the noises of Dudley shoving food at his face. Dudley had changed dramatically in the last year. He had lost mcuh of the fat that had once distorted his features and ballooned his body. Now, thanks in large part to steroids and in lesser amounts to his boxing trainer, he was a generous percentage muscle. Whenever he saw Harry he flexed his biceps threateningly and laughed. Uncle Vernon told Dudley several times a day how amazing and strong he was, and how no one would stand a chance against him. He often looked at Harry when he said this.

"Harry, stop wasting food." Uncle Vernon barked. "Either eat it or give it someone who matters. Your cousin needs all the energy he can get to stay in shape."

Harry shrugged and pushed his plate at Dudley, who smiled and grabbed at it. To everyone's surprise, Petunia took it back and placed it before Harry. "Now, now Dudley. Harry didn't have lunch, he needs to eat." She smiled at him encouragingly. "Go on Harry, I'm not really that horrible of a cook."

Everyone stared at her. She had been doing that periodically since Harry had returned. She had given him an extra serving of desert once, and invited him with the family on an outing to the cinema (which Harry politely declined), and had offered to get him some new clothes (which Harry also politely declined). Harry was surprised that the threats of Dumbledore had actually stuck this time.

"Petunia, darling, what has gotten into you?" Vernon croaked. "Look at him, he's a string, he probably doesn't need to eat more than once a week! Dudley on the other hand –"

"It's all right, really. " Harry interjected. "I'm not hungry."

Harry didn't wait for a response; instead he jumped out of his seat, went back up the stairs. He heard shouts of his rudeness from Vernon below, but ignored it. He opened the door to his room and stopped dead in his tracks.

Something was very wrong.

Harry raced back down, pointed an accusatory finger at his uncle. "Where is my trunk? My things – from Hogwarts. What did you do with it?"

Petunia opened her mouth, but Vernon spoke right over her. "How dare you! First you rudely rush off, and now you dare question me? There's still a lovely place beneath the stairs, if you'd like to return to something more suitable to a little brat like you!"

Anger covering up everything else, Harry walked straight up to his uncle, until he was a just few inches away and staring up into the man's beady little eyes. Harry had to speak slowly to keep from shouting. "Don't threaten me. You are nothing. And if you don't give me back my property –"

The next second Harry found himself flat on the ground. Confused, he felt a throbbing in the back of his head. Moaning, he looked up and saw Duldley standing proudly over him, his fist still outstretched. Harry clenched his own fists and was about to rise when suddenly he felt his anger leave him, replaced with despair. What did this matter? He took in a deep breath, sighed. This was a tired battle, and he was sick of fighting it. As he started to get up, Dudley pushed him back down. He and Vernon laughed boorishly, but Petunia managed to shoo Dudley away from Harry long enough for him to get up.

His room seemed empty without his trunk, he felt helpless not knowing where his things were. These were what connected him to Hogwarts, to his real world. Remembering everything , Harry suddenly realized he didn't want so much to be part of that world anymore. Harry swallowed another vial of sleeping potion.

For the next couple of weeks Harry kept to himself. He ate little, slept a lot, and spent the rest of the time replaying everything his mind. Again, however, Harry woke from his sleep to the sound of tapping on his window.

Instead of Hedwig, Harry was surprised to see Ron hovering on his broom just outside the window. Harry quickly threw on his glasses, feeling a pang of guilt for not responding to Ron's letter. He opened the window, and Ron flew in.

"What are you doing here Ron? I'm surprised they let you-"

Ron grabbed Harry's arms, his eyes intense. "They have her, Harry! They've got her!" Harry looked at Ron more closely, saw what a wreck he was. His hair was as messy as Harry's; his eyes were frantic and still red from crying. Ron's hands gripping Harry's shirt were knuckle white and trembling.

"Calm down Ron. Who has who?"

Ron shuddered for a second, then took in a deep breath. "The Death Eater's Harry. They took over Durmstrang. They're holding all the students hostage. Harry, they've got Hermione!"