Chapter One

A Long Summer.

The bright hot sun shone through the smallest upstairs window at number 4 Privet Drive. A teenage boy with messy black hair, green eyes and a lightening bolt shaped scar on his forehead sat by the desk under the window. Harry Potter was a very unusual boy in many ways. His desk was covered in magic books, such as, Fantastic Magical Beasts and Where to find them, a large snowy owl sat on the edge of the desk in a cage and he hated the summer holidays. Even though he was away from school Harry still thought about it. Some aspects of school were boring or even plain dreadful. His homework for one He was writing an essay on vanishing potions for his least favourite teacher, Professor Snape. But most of school was fun and enjoyable. He played quiditch a sport played on broomsticks and he saw his friends. The simple reason for this was Harry Potter was a wizard who lived with non-magical people, more commonly called Muggles by those in the wizarding world.. He held a long feather quill in his hand and his nose was almost touching the parchment. The scar on Harry's forehead had been given to him when the darkest wizard in the world, Lord Voldemort, killed his parents and then tried to kill Harry at the age of a year old. The spell, however, that was designed to kill Harry had rebounded upon Lord Voldernort reducing him to no more than a spirit and so Harry had been sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle who detested everything to do with Harry and his world. Yet Voldemort had returned. Harry had witnessed his rebirth in his 4th year of school. Voldemort had killed already many people including fellow school pupil, Cedric Diggory and one of his Death Eaters had killed Harry's godfather, Sirius Black.

Harry's mind was off his essay and on Sirius. Sirius Black had been James Potter's best friend, who had died at the end of the summer term only a month ago. He died within the Ministry of Magic when protecting Harry against Voldemort's Death Eaters. The summer seemed even longer than usual because he wasn't receiving any letters from Sirius. In fact, Harry had been down all summer. He still dreamed about the archway that Sirius had fallen through after being hit in the chest by Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange who had escaped Azkaban to join her master. Recently, however, his dreams had been different. He had dreamt of a young girl with wild dark brown ringlets that fell about her lovely familiar face in which shone blue-green eyes. He saw her face in shock as someone, he could not see for shadows, told her something and then as she sunk down on the floor, Harry could see the tears escaping from her eyes as the rain poured down in torrents from the window. As she sobbed a woman rushed forward to comfort her. The woman had straight brown hair and the girl's eyes. She too was crying as she cuddled the girl in the middle of the floor. Harry knew the girl reminded him of someone. Only this morning after another of the same dream had he known who she reminded him of Sirius Black when he was younger.

He sighed. He didn't know who the girl was nor why he was dreaming about her but with this essay for Snape he didn't have time to think yet. Still it was unusual. Maybe it had been real maybe she had had really bad news and he had seen her just at that point and then afterwards dreamt of it over and over again. Anyway, he had to get on with this essay. He bent his head to the paper again after checking a large book that was propped up in front of him. 'WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?' stormed Uncle Vernon's voice from the hail making Harry jumped. He looked round thinking that Uncle Vernon was speaking to him but his door was still closed.

Harry knew he shouldn't go and see what was going on but his curiosity got the better of him. He got up and went over to the door making as little noise as possible. He opened it slowly so it wouldn't creak and stuck his head out. His Uncle Vernon was standing a little way down the hall with his back to him. Harry could see the large form of his cousin Dudley standing behind him. Probably wedged in the hallway, thought Harry sniggering. Dudley was wider than he was taller thanks to his obsessive eating habits. Harry had always thought that Dudley looked like a pig in blond haired wig.

'Nothing,' said Dudley defiantly looking slightly scared, his small eyes wide with innocence.

'DON'T YOU NOTHING ME,' Uncle Vernon bawled spitting furiously, 'MRS FIGG JUST TOLD ME THAT SUE SAW YOU IN THE TOWN HIGH STREET WHEN YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE AT PIERS HOUSE.'

Dudley was quiet. Harry could see he was scared. He was secretly pleased that Dudley was getting shouted at but it seemed strange that Uncle Vernon was shouting at Dudley at all. He never shouted at Dudley. It was Harry who got shouted at.

'BUT THAT WASN'T ALL, WAS IT?' screamed Uncle Vernon again, 'YOU WERE iN THE COMPANY OF SOMEONE DRESSED LIKE, LIKE - his people!.'

The last bit of this was said very quietly as though he had been afraid someone could hear him. Uncle Vernon threw a furious hand behind him indicating Harry's bedroom. As he did so he caught sight of Harry who didn't have time to withdraw his head. Finally, Harry understood.

'YOU BOY,' roared Uncle Vernon, 'I'LL BET YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS.'

'No. I had no idea that Dudley was meeting a wizard,' Harry told him truthfully emerging out of his room fully. Uncle Vernon slowly turned purple. 'Or was it a witch?' Added Harry turning to Dudley.

'It was a girl wearing a black cloak and robes if thats what you,' Dudley told him coldly.

'What was her name?' Asked Harry as Uncle Vernon looked furiously from one to the other unable to speak.

'Kerr.'

'No don't know her. She doesn't go to my school.'

'I DON'T CARE IF SHE GOES TO YOUR FREAK SCHOOL OR NOT,' bawled Uncle Vernon. 'WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHY DUDLEY WAS WITH HER.' He rounded on Dudley. Dudley remained silent. 'WELL?'

Dudley hesitated. His father gave him another furious look and he told him.

'Piers and I were up town to meet his mother from the hairdressers. Mrs Polkiss gave us money for our lunch because she was going to drop in on a friend. On our way to Mac Donald's I accidentally bumped into someone knocking them back. There was a 'hiss' and I saw the face of a snake looking out of the sleeves of purple robes. Piers and I jumped back. Suddenly the snake disappeared and I looked up to the face of a girl. Extremely pretty girl too.'

Uncle Vernon was still breathing heavily looking annoyed but Harry was actually quite interested.

'1 DON'T CARE ABOUT HER LOOKS! GET ON WITH THE STORY!' Yelled Uncle Vernon again. Dudley swallowed and glanced at Harry.

'Well she looked at us and said, 'Shhhhhh, sorry about that. Don't scream please.' So we didn't. Then she stared at me hard and looked me up and down and looked surprised. Then she goes, 'You're Dudley Dursley, aren't you?'

Uncle Vernon let out a hissing noise at this.

'I was rather taken back and said, 'Yes, how do you know?' She replied, 'I have connections.' With a hand gestures as if dismissing it. I was intrigued a bit and so when she asked if we would join us for lunch we agreed. I didn't know she was a ... a . -. thingy until when we were having lunch she said something about a guy called Voldemort, a Minister called Fudge and she mentioned you,' said Dudley nodding at Harry. 'So I said we had to go and I pulled Piers out of the chair and we left. When we looked back she was gone.'

'What did she say about me?' Asked Harry taking the opportunity since Uncle Vernon wasn't speaking.

'She said 'Minister Fudge was an idiot not believing Harry Potter when he told him Voldemort was back. I always believed him. I mean dad believed him. Always.' She seemed upset when she mentioned her dad. She was reading a newspaper at the time.'

Harry's eyes widened.

'Did you...'

He was cut off by Uncle Vernon.

'SHUT UP, BOY,' he yelled at Harry. 'Dudley, I accept you left as soon as you suspected her to be a ... a ... a ... you-know-what. Well done, son.'

He shook Dudley's hand pompously and then turned to Harry. Behind him Dudley looked relieved.

'NOW GET TO YOUR ROOM.'

Dudley grinned stupidly at Harry, glad he was out of trouble and he, Harry, was now in trouble. 'Do you remember what was said at King's Cross last month?' he asked dangerously.

Dudley stopped grinning and looked around him as if he suspected someone to jump out at them. Uncle Vernon swallowed. He had been extremely nice to Harry after Moody's threat. Well nicer than normal. He turned a sort of porridge colour before turning round and going down the stairs muttering to himself. Harry smiled and went back into his room leaving Dudley on his own in the hall.

Over the years Harry had taken enough of the Dursley's maltreatment. When Moody, Lupin, Arthur Weasley and Tonks had threatened them last year he had felt a great wave of gratitude towards them all. The Dursleys behaviour towards him had improved slightly. The Dursley's had been scared of Harry's godfather and Harry hadntt mentioned to him that Sirius was dead. He couldn't face them knowing that yet again he had lost someone he looked on as a father.

He settled himself down at his desk. This essay was taking ages and he needed to finish it before he was invited to stay by Ron because he wanted to have nothing to worry about. He hoped Hermione would check it over for him. He hated potions but he had to write the essay for his NEWTs course work. NEWTS were Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests which Harry would have to sit in his seventh year. Harry would have quite easily dropped Potions but he wanted to become an Auror as a career choice. Being a dark wizard catcher was the only job Harry had ever considered after Hogwarts. In his Career's Interview last year Professor McGonagall had told him he would need to take Transfiguration, Potions, Charms and his favourite subject Defence Against the Dark Arts but before choosing his subjects he would have to wait until he got his owls results which wouldn't be for another couple of weeks. He would need at least Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration or higher, Outstanding for Potions which we was almost sure he wouldn't get and he wasn't too sure what he would need for Charms or Defence Against the Dark Arts but he was almost certain that he had achieved Outstanding in the Defence Against the Dark Arts exams. Then once his marks were through he could choose his subjects and send them to Professor McGonagall. He needed to take five NEWTs so he was wondering what other subject he should take. Divination was boring and so was History of Magic. He would probably take Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures depending on how well he had done in the exams of course. He could take six NEWTs he supposed

Suddenly came the noise of shattering glass.

'OWLS,' came Uncle Vernon's furious voice loudly from the kitchen.

Hany jumped up and ran full throttle downstairs. A large screech owl, that he didn't know, was sitting on the back of the kitchen table chair hooting. Uncle Vernon was flapping his hands at it as Aunt Petunia stood close to the wall. Dudley was nowhere in sight. When the owl caught sight of Harry it hooted softly again and went flying over to him and landed on his shoulder. Harry ripped the letter off it's foot and it flew back out the shattered window.

He opened the letter to see it was from Neville. Neville Longbottom was a funny, very forgetful boy in Harry's year. Harry was slightly confused. Neville had never sent him mail before. He probably had always forgotten to. Ignoring his Aunt and Uncle talking in the background Harry read the letter.

Dear Harry, I am writing to you to tell you that my uncle and 1 will be

joining you, Ron and Hermione at the OPHs this summer. My uncle is determined to take over where my parents left off in the OP. This is my gran's owl andl know this won 't be intercepted because he has an Imperturbable charm on him so he can 't be touched.

See you then.

Neville

Harry frowned. What was the OPHs? The OPHs? What on ... Oh! The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters. Harry glanced at the letter again. 'Parents left off ...' Obviously meant that Neville's uncle was wanting to take the place of Auror Frank Longbottom and his wife, Alice, who had been in the Order of the Phoenix until they had been tortured to insanity by Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange. Well the more the merrier.

'Who is that from?' Asked Uncle Vernon furiously.

'A friend from school.'

Uncle Vernon was turning red again.

'Did you see what that owl did to the window?'

'Eh . . .Yeah,' replied Harry glancing at the window.

'Well?'

'Well what?'

'What are you going to do about it?'

'Oh nothing.'

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