While Harry Potter was sleeping, the alarm clock glowed a fluorescent green 12:00, indicating it was a new day. He had become of age without even realizing it. Next to the alarm clock layed a week-old open letter from his best friend Ron.

Harry,

Mum says someone will be coming to pick you up from the muggles on your birthday. Sorry that you cannot come sooner, but mum said that the longer you can stay with them, the better, though as soon as you turn seventeen, it would just be as dangerous there as anywhere else. Hermione will not be joining us at the Burrow until the end of August. She is vacationing with her parents in Germany. Ginny seems eager to see you.

See you soon

Ron

Harry had already read over the letter several times, realizing what it meant. He would be free from the Dursley's. He wold no longer see them again. What little he had in his room was already packed up in his trunk. He was ready to go, waiting and sleeping.

Groggily, Harry woke up from his sleep.Then he remebered what today was: his birthday. Getting dressed, Harry made his way down to the kitchen where he joined the Dursley's.

"Leaving today, are you?" inquired his Uncle Vernon, being as civil as possible to his nephew.

"Yes," replied Harry, not looking up from his cold toast.

"Not soon enough. When are they coming to get you?"

"I- I don't know." Ron had not specified the time, just the that it was today. Everything from the time to the person picking him up was being kept secret so as not to be found out by other people.

Just as the words had left his mouth, him and the Dursley's turned around when they heard a loud, startling pop. A man could suddenly be seen at the window through the lacy curtains, which caused his Aunt Petunia to shriek. It was a man with grey hair and patched robes. He walked out of sight immediatley and a second later the doorbell sounded.

The Dursley's, leaving their breakfast behind, followed Harry from the kitchen to the living room, taking a seat on the couch.

"Go ahead, open it and leave already," snapped his uncle.

Harry did open the door, to find Remus Lupin staring back at him.

"Hello Harry and Happpy Birthday."

"Hello, Professor. Let me get my things and we can leave."

Harry stepped aside, letting Lupin in. The Dursley's eyed nervously this shabbily dressed wizard, obviously not caring that he was called 'Professor', They had remembered that he was among the group of people that had threatend them two years ago at King's Cross station.

Harry led Lupin to his small room up the stairs. He started ushering Hedwig into her cage.

"How are we getting to the Burrow?" asked Harry.

"Side-along apparation. Fastest and safest."

"Are we going to be leaving immediatley?"

"Yes, but I need to tell you something first. I know of your intentions of not to go back to Hogwarts, and I must ask you to reconsider." Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Lupin finished first. "It was Dumbledore's wish for you to stay at Hogwarts for your final year to complete your education. He had considered the alternative of letting you leave in order to defeat Voldemort, but he thought it more important for you to learn everything you could and use the resouces at Hogwarts in order to help you. And I think that we should respect Dumbledore's wishes now that-" He broke off, looking at the floor.

Harry, too, looked at the floor, not saying anything, a dull sensation growing in his chest. He instead gathered everything near him, preparing to leave.

" I would levitate that, if I were your," said Lupin quietly, still looking as he was waiting for Harry to say something about what he had told him.

Harry had almost completly forgotten that he could use magic out of school now. He levitated his belongs with him downstairs wordlessly, Lupin coming after.

"Well, have a good life, boy," said Uncle Vernon, after Harry and Lupin approached the living room.

"You too," replied Harry, still very melancholy from his chat with Lupin.

And with that, Hary left the Dursley's for the last time, unceremoniously.