(A/N) hi, question, what do you get if you combine the forces of two crazy people? Answer, a joint fanfic with two times the madness. This is our first joint story so be nice and don't make us hurt you!

Not all is what it seems

By Amy2k & Shona 3000 (Amy and Shona vampire sisters)

*** "He cannot find out Albus!"

"You know too well that he has to be told. After all the hardship this boy has been through already, he deserves to know the truth!"

"But-

"No Severus! Nothing can be changed! You cannot change the past, in a matter of days he will be at his most vulnerable; it is best for him to be prepared and that is the end of it! There is no more to discuss about the matter. Good day, Severus."

***

Harry lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. Life at the Dursley's had turned an all time low and that was a definite understatement. The Dursleys had taken to not feeding him. A living nightmare although you wouldn't think so as Harry lay there half starved, wondering what his best friends, Ron and Hermione were doing. He had received no letters at all, but Harry supposed that was because there was nowhere for a letter to get in. Since the Dursleys had seen fit to brick up his window with breezeblocks while he was at Hogwarts.

The last few months at the Dursley's had been the worst ever. Harry had developed Muggle depression and with no contact with the wizarding world there was no way to get rid of it. Harry had made a habit of talking to himself at first. Every time any of the Dursleys walked past Harry's door they would catch parts of conversation like; "I'm sorry Simon but I haven't got any food either,". Or "I'm not talking to you any more Simon, you've hurt my feelings," This sort of thing carried on for about a month. Stage two of Harry's depression ment abandoning Simon but taking up self-harm. At first, it was little things. Like trying to cut himself with a spoon, that Aunt Petunia had accidentally left in his room. Then it moved on to more serious stuff. He ripped up parts of the floorboards and used the sharp pieces of wood to cut himself. However, every time Harry tried to cut himself, although he didn't notice at the time, it healed itself magically, leaving only a few scars on his wrists. After a week of trying to kill himself Harry realised that it wasn't working and gave up. Now he spent his time either sleeping, staring up at the ceiling or talking to Simon, who had come back after Harry realised that he couldn't kill himself.

Being Locked up in his room with no sense of time or day Harry didn't even know how long it was untill his return to Hogwarts. He didn't even know that he would be 16 in two minutes. Harry got up off his bed and started pacing around his room.

"Come on Simon! You've got to think of a way out of this mess!"

"Me? You're the one with the ideas!"

"Yeah, but maybe I haven't got any ideas at the moment!"

"I know, we could ask Hermione! She's a good thinker,"

"Yes great idea! And you could fly there yourself!"

"Yeah that's a great idea!" Harry jumped on to his bed and started to bounce on it.

"Ready one. two. three!" Harry jumped off his bed and crashed straight into the floor.

"Okay, maybe that wasn't such a great idea,"

*~*~*~*~*~*

Meanwhile outside in the Dursley's front garden, a dark figure was watching the house. A noise sounded from the bushes near the dark figure and a black dog protruded from between the bushes and darted towards the Dursley's house. A normal dog you would think before it suddenly changed into a tall man with dirty matted hair. The dark figure sank further into its hiding place as the tall man barged his way into the Dursley's home.

"What are you doing! Who are you?" bellowed Vernon Dursley as the tall man entered the house. "Get out of here at once or, or. I'll call the police, I will!" the man ignored the raving of Mr Dursley and headed straight for the stairs. He legged up the stairs two at a time and headed for Harry's room. The man pulled out his wand with a flick and blasted away the door.

"Harry! Harry! Come on Harry we're leaving! Now!" Shouted the man as he waded through the debris.

"Oh, hello Sirius! It's a good job you're here, we were about to give up," Harry said with a bland smile.

"We? Who's we? Oh never mind that now, lets get you out of here, now!" Sirius yelled. He reached over to Harry, who was still sitting on the floor, and lifted him up, over his shoulders. As Sirius turned to leave, Harry started to shout.

"Wait a minute! What about Simon? We've left Simon!"

"Who's Simon? Look Harry we've no time for games we've got to go!"

"It's okay Simon's here now," said Harry. Sirius decided now to ignore Harry and just to get out. He turned around with Harry still on his shoulders and headed for the stairs. Sirius knew from Harry's previous letters that the Dursleys kept all of his magic equipment in the cupboard under the stairs, so he got out his wand again and unlocked the cupboard and charmed Harry's things to follow him. The Dursleys just stood back frozen against the wall while Sirius past them with a smiling Harry on his shoulders.

***

(A/N) did you like it please review! BTW, this chapter being our first is dedicated to our friend Alex360.

Anyway, life is too important to be taken seriously!

BTW please read our separate stories as well, Shona 3000 & Amy2k