Authur's Note: Hello, Emiline Vance here. As you may be able to tell, this is my first fanfic, so be nice. It's basically my version of what should have happened in book five. This is my first time trying to write for these characters, so...if you see something that you think is wrong, feel free to tell me.

A/N 2: Also, this story is rated M solely because I have no idea where this story is going at this point, so if you have any suggestions for that, feel free to tell me those suggestions as well. Just a warning though, there may very well be some yaoi pairings in this story later (Harry with either Draco or Snape, just cause I like those pairings), so if you're offended by anthing sexual or by homosexuality in particular, don't get too attached to this story.

A/N 3: One last thing...there may be more to this chapter, so if you see Chapter 1b or something like that, don't be surprised. I just don't want to put too much into this if no one is going to read it...so please read and review. Thanks~

Harry James Potter of number four Privet drive was not exactly what you would call a normal boy. To begin with, while all the other inhabitants of his neighborhood (well, the whole of Britain, it seemed) were inside their cool, air-conditioned houses, Harry was outside in the sweltering heat, sitting amongst his aunt's begonias. After he had finished the chore of picking out weeds from the hot earth, rather than going back inside like any normal person would have, he had chosen to stay outside, content for now just to be away from his so-called family. Another thing that set him apart from normal teenaged boys was the fact that Harry Potter had been trying unsuccessfully for weeks to watch the news, as the teen had been, as of yet, cut off from anything that was happening with his rival, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. In addition to this, Harry just didn't look like any normal boy; the clothes he wore were four sizes too big, the shoes her wore were near to decomposing, and his messy black hair did little to hide a rather peculiarly-shaped scar on his forehead.

As the strains of the opening theme of the news drifted towards him through the conveniently open widow, Harry slowly sat up and propped his head and shoulders against the wall. He could hear a conversation between his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon coming through the window as well, but he chose to ignore it - they were saying something about the fact that he wasn't there to watch the news this after noon. Or so they think...

"Where's Dudders today?" Harry heard his Uncle Vernon's voice say.

"He's over at his little friend's for tea. He's so popular!" was Aunt Petunia's simpering reply. Harry reigned in a laugh at the naivety of his relatives. Harry knew for a fact that the boy in question was out vandalizing something or beating someone at this very moment. At least it's not me tonight...yet...

Harry continued to listen to the news as the conversation fell silent, hoping for anything that might be a clue to the wizarding world, but as the stories turned from accidents to celebrity gossip, he knew that he would have no such luck today. Harry slowly rose from his seated position but his ascent was suddenly halted as her heard a loud crack which had him deftly pulling a thin wand from the pocket of his baggy jeans. As he struggled upright through the crowding branches of the flowering bushes, he felt two hands swiftly pull him to his feet.

"Why the hell did you do that, boy?" his uncle screamed in his face. As flecks of spit hit his face, Harry tried not to lose his temper while attempting to prise his Uncle Vernon's hands off of his neck. He struggled to turn towards the source of the noise, all the while fumbling with the wand that was rapidly slipping from his grip. His uncle's hands quickly recoiled into the window as he heard a voice from next door asking: "...what's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing...lovely evening, isn't it?" Vernon shouted a little to cheerfully. "Get the hell out of here!" he hissed at Harry through the corner of his mouth, and the young man was only too happy to oblige.

Harry took long strides across the lawn towards the street, his eyes all the while scanning every hiding place he could think of. Though his uncle clearly thought the noise had been made by Harry, the young wizard had recognized at once the sound of someone Apparating or Disapparating. He continued walking onto the the sidewalk and from there, down the street, always keeping an eye out for the person he just knew was there. As his feet carried him along a well know path, Harry's mind began to wander, from the fact that his "friends" hadn't sent him a single helpful letter ("We'll see you soon..." "We have so much to tell you when we see you next...") to the fact that he felt just so isolated from everyone. I hate how everyone is trying to protect me, I'm mature, I can handle this. Why can't they see that...? Even his godfather Sirius had nearly stopped talking to him recently, as if someone were forcing him to keep quiet about anything important...and Harry knew exactly who that someone was: Albus Dumbledore. The meddling old man always kept everything from everyone, and lately it seemed that this trait of his had extended to all of the people that Harry cared for, and Harry had quickly grown to resent this.

When he had come to his destination, Harry quickly vaulted over the rusted chain link fence and entered the dark and abandoned playground. He had never been able to play here as a child and now, in a weird way, it gave him some pleasure to just sit on the swing and stare over the abandoned yard. He was doing just that as he heard voices drifting toward him, which he quickly determined to be those of Dudley and his gang.

"You got that kid good Big D!"

"Yeah, I doubt he'll be around here again any time soon. " As the sounds of their laughter filled the air, Harry resisted the urge to curse the lot of them. The people who, as young boys, had made his life a living hell, had grown up to extend their range to others as well and Harry hated the fact that he could do nothing about it. A simple, well-placed Cruciatis... But no, that was against the rules. A simple spell at his age, not to mention one of the unforgivable curses, would get him instantly expelled from Hogwarts. Then where would he go? Harry didn't want to even imagine living with the Dursleys full time, not to mention going back to Muggle school with these assholes...Hogwarts had become a sort of second home to Harry over the four years he had been there. No, not a second home..., he thought, a real home...

The sounds of jeering and hooting brought Harry out of his thoughts; the gang had caught sight of a young man passing on the street, and by the curses they were throwing his way, they knew him to be gay.

"Hey, bitch, whacha doin' on our street?" From the slur in his voice and the stumble in his walk, Harry could tell that he and a few other gang members had been drinking.

"I was just walking home from the store...", the brown haired youth replied, shrugging to indicate the bags he was holding.

"Well you should have taken a different way home, you fuckin' fairy. This is our turf!" Harry heard his cousin bellow. This is getting out of hand...but what can I do? "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I just needed some groceries and", he trailed off as the group circled him, slowly edging closer. Harry's pulse quickened at the sight. The slim brunette had no chance against seven larger and older boys, but neither did he. He suddenly turned at a voice near his ear, one he knew well but hadn't even hoped to hear any time soon.

"Well, should I stop them?"

"Sirius! I knew I heard someone Apparate!" As the dark-haired wizard threw his arms around his godfather, he let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, please do...gods, they deserve it.", he grumbled and pulled away as the older man took out his wand.

"Well, let's teach them a little something then. Hm...Confundo!" The whispered spell shot towards one boy, who stumbled and looked around, as if alarmed at being there. "Densaugeo!" Now another boy ran away shrieking as his teeth started growing towards his chin. "And for the rest of you...Avis Oppugno!" As all the boys ran away shouting at the birds which now attacked them, Sirius and Harry shared a laugh at their expense.

"Thank you for helping him...and giving me a laugh!" Harry said as he once again hugged the man that he liked to think of as a father.

"You're very welcome. I haven't been able to do anything like that in ages. It's been so boring in that house of mine. Boy, have I missed you..." He embraced his godson in return, heartily patting his back. "So what are you doing out here anyway"

"I could ask you the same! I had to run away after your Apparating scared the crap out of my uncle and the neighbors. Now, what are you doing here?"

"I've come to rescue you!" Sirius said in his most heroic voice. "I know you've been rotting away in that horrible Muggle house and I've been doing the same in mine, so...I said 'Screw you' to Dumbledore and came out here to get you." The dark-haired man shrugged and laughed sharply before wrapping his arm around Harry's shoulders, pulling out a rather old-looking purple sock. "Now let's go home. Curried apples."

And before Harry could utter a word about the Dursleys or even wonder where Sirius' home was, he felt an all-too-familiar hook at his navel and they were gone.

Spells in this chapter:

Confundo - confusion spell

Densaugeo - a spell to grow the teeth

Avis Oppugno - a spell which sends out a flock of angry birds

If you can tell me where these spells come from in the books, I'll give you a gold star. lol