Hey all. First, if you read this when I first uploaded it, note that this chapter is now different. Originally I was kinda disappointed when nobody reviewed the old first chapter but then I figured that if no one was reviewing it then it probably wasn't very good. Slept on it, went back and reread it and, honestly - it was rather boring, wasn't it? So I went and ranted at a friend and kinda worked out what I needed to do and now there's a new first chapter! Or two... Yeah. So if you read this when I first published the story, note that what you read is now the third chapter or something and is being majorly edited.

This has also now been beta'd by the amazing SomeLover (whose fic people should go read. :D).

From the original A/N: I probably shouldn't be starting yet another story, but this is one that's been in my head for something like a year so I figured I should probably write it one of these days. The plot is sorta similar to a few fanfics I've read but I'm trying to twist things to make them new. No idea how long this will be though - I haven't planned that far ahead. The first few chapters are all planned out in my head though, so we'll see what happens.

Whether you like it or not, please review! I'd love to hear what people have to say. I hope you enjoy!

"Boy! Get down here, now!"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon!"

Harry Potter sighed. It was the first day of the summer holidays and already he was sick of the Dursleys. Vernon had barely let him say goodbye to his friends (Ginny had sobbed one last, "Thank you," into his shoulder) then had ranted and yelled at him the whole trip home. It had been an absolute nightmare, the atmosphere in the car tense and hostile in a way that had reminded Harry of how he had been treated earlier that year after his Parseltongue ability was revealed. On top of that, none of them had slept very much last night. It was barely eight o'clock now! Though, thankfully, this summer was going to be a lot better than the last. Mainly because-

"BOY!"

Groaning, Harry pushed himself up from his bed and quietly trudged downstairs, despite wanting to stomp petulantly. That would only get him in trouble, and he didn't want to stress Vernon any more than necessary. The man was a ticking time bomb.

The Dursleys were standing at the foot of the stairs. Petunia, ever resplendent in her horsey, housewifely beauty, was fussing over Dudley. Unfortunately her attempts at straightening his collar and getting his shirt to sit nicely over his bulging stomach were failing miserably. Vernon was on the phone, face already purpling as he raved at the poor soul on the other end of the line. It was something about being double booked and demanding an upgrade.

Not needing any directions, Harry wove his way through the piles of luggage, snagged the two bags closest to the door and lugged them out to the car, ignoring Petunia's screech as he tapped the door wider with his foot. Hefting the bags into the boot was difficult, but one concession of the Dursleys having so many bags was that each was lighter than it might otherwise have been. The fact that Vernon would bring out the heaviest cases himself also helped enormously. Supposedly he only did it because he didn't want the cases or their contents damaged if Harry dropped them.

Back to the house, grab two more, ignore Petunia's indignant cry as he tracked dirt in, back to the car, load cases into the boot and repeat. By the time he had finished his third and final trek the boot was almost overflowing, yet there was still the two largest suitcases to go. Thankfully they weren't Harry's problem.

Harry had to hide a grin when he returned to the house just as Petunia started scrubbing Dudley's face in a vain attempt to remove a food stain. Dudley tried to squirm away as soon as he spotted Harry in the doorway, but Petunia quickly offered him a lolly and he sulkily submitted to the cleaning. Harry was oddly reminded of one of the mangy cats he'd seen at Mrs Figg's last summer, a skinny thing whose litter had not wanted to cooperate with her at all.

"Now, boy." Vernon appeared at the top of the stairs, briefcase in one hand, lumbering his way down as he spoke. "There's food in the fridge and some money in the fruit bowl. That money's strictly for necessities mind you. Keep every docket and I'll add them up when we get home. So don't you dare swindle me, boy, or you'll regret every cent of it!"

"Yes Uncle Vernon." Harry carefully maintained his obedient mask as he laughed inside. Him, steal money? When he had a whole vault of gold only a bus ride away? Vernon had nothing to worry about there.

Vernon's beady little eyes narrowed at Harry's easy answer before he caught sight of the clock on the other side of the hall and scowled. "Alright, time to go. Have we got everything?" He reached down to pick up one suitcase then extended the handle on the other so he could roll it out to the car. Harry smiled inwardly. He could easily have taken those two cases out as well, but he wasn't going to complain when Vernon insisted on doing it himself. It was nice to see his Uncle doing some of the heavy lifting for once.

"Don't forget to call Mrs Figg," Vernon half-shouted over one shoulder as he hefted the suitcases into the car. One went into the back seat with Dudley who immediately began to complain over his new lack of space, despite the fact that he still had over half the seat to himself. Petunia climbed in the front passenger seat, leaning around to talk Dudley out of his tantrum, and Vernon finally turned his full attention back to Harry, glaring at the boy framed in the doorway. "You're to ring her as soon as we leave, next Saturday and Saturday week, remember. We'll be back the day after that. Don't make a mess, don't annoy the neighbours, do your chores and especially no freaky stuff!" Vernon's voice had risen during his rant but dropped at the last point, his eyes darting around to check for nosy neighbours. "You understand me, boy?"

Hiding a smile, Harry nodded his head. "Yes sir."

Vernon gave him one last look but then Petunia called his name from where she was sitting primly in the passenger seat, Dudley excitedly nattering on behind her, and Vernon squeezed himself into the driver's seat. The car coughed and groaned in what Harry imagined was a complaint against the weight of the Dursleys and their luggage and then they were gone.

Harry stood on the door step watching them leave until the car turned the corner four blocks up and disappeared from view. He waited a couple more minutes in case the Dursleys realised they'd forgotten something and came back but when five minutes passed and there was no sign of them Harry felt a smile grow on his face.

With a bounce in his step and a wide grin on his lips, Harry slowly turned, stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He glanced around the entrance hall, taking in the nice quiet, peaceful atmosphere, and couldn't help but let out a cheer.

It was the holidays, the Dursleys were gone and he had the house to himself for two weeks.

This was going to be great.