'We're going home soon, Lightning, it's almost midnight and it's your birthday tomorrow!' Sirius called, walking over and sitting on the swing next to Harry.
The nickname Lightning had come from Harry's animagus forms. Harry had begun training when he was just two, to help channel his magic. After his parents died and Sirius and Remus had kidnapped him and they went into hiding, Harry had begun to have random and commonly violent and out of control bursts of accidental magic several times a day. When Harry turned five he finally fully transformed into an adorable baby phoenix. However, without transformation to tire his magic, the accidental magic became worse than ever, and it was commonly destroying anything within a mile and even injuring Harry or Sirius or Remus or the house elves.
Sirius done some research (most of which in Knockturn Alley, since what they were doing was likely prohibited by the ministry) on if it was possible to have more than one animagus form. Sirius eventually found a man who was a werewolf who went by Venomclaw who gave Sirius his notes on animagi.
Sirius found a way to achieve several animagus forms. By seven, Harry was a baby Hebridean Black dragon who was learning to fly, by nine and three quarters, he added a Nundu to his list of forms, a magical creature who took the form of a gigantic leopard who moved silently and whose breath was lethal enough to wipe out entire villages if it chose to. By ten and a half, he was running around with Sirius as a small wolf with black scorched-looking fur.
Right now, Harry was working on transforming into a deer, which he was looking forward to, since it was his dad's animagus form.
Animagus transformation weren't the only lessons Harry had, however. He started lessons when he was five. It started out fairly basic, Sirius had disguised him and Harry and taken him to get a wand (Harry was under an advanced aging potion that made him look about a decade older) and Harry started learning the sort of thing first years at Hogwarts would learn, along with lessons in things muggle children would learn in the first year of primary school.
Harry progressed quickly in practical magic and muggle things, but struggled with History of Magic, in which despite six years of study, was only on material that most children in their third year of study would be learning.
Harry liked Sirius and Remus, but he hated being on the run constantly. They moved to new houses and countries every few years. Their first three years was spent travelling around to different countries in the UK, the next five years was spent moving from state to state in America, not staying in one state for more than two months. The next year and a half of Harry's life was very confusing. The ministry was on their tail and they were close to getting caught.
They rented out properties ranging from a tiny one bedroom apartment where someone had to sleep on the couch and someone else on a mattress on the floor to cheap, run down hotel to a giant manor. They never stayed anywhere for long, their stays ranging from one or two days, to a fortnight, but never longer.
After the ministry's wild goose chase in which they had to move all across the globe, they moved back to England. They moved into number five, Privet Drive. They had been living there ever since. They altered their appearances and made up fake names.
Harry was a tall, skinny boy, thirteen-year-old boy by the name of Hadrian Fleamont. He had extremely light blonde hair that looked almost white, pale, ghostly skin that had a strong resemblance to snow, cold, icy blue eyes and thin, colourless lips.
Sirius, who was supposed to be Harry's father, went by Ryan Fleamont, and looked exactly like his 'son' except he had frosty, hazel eyes instead and he looked in his late twenties, early thirties.
Remus, looked the same as Harry but had golden blonde hair instead. They told anyone who asked that he was Harry's uncle and Sirius' twenty-two-year-old younger brother. They told anyone who asked that they came from a large family to explain the age difference.
They real reason who so the ministry didn't suspect anything.
Remus went out every day to the ministry to make sure they weren't getting anywhere with the search for them, then he'd go to Diagon Alley and get Harry a small present. They used the excuse that Remus was going to university to study medicine.
Harry, meanwhile, was happy to finally be allowed to leave the house whenever he wanted. Sirius and Remus weren't big on rules, in fact, there weren't any rules at all, Sirius and Remus trusted Harry to use his common sense and his own judgment.
So, common sense was the only real rule.
Well, that and pulling plenty of pranks.
So, technically, Harry could have left the house if he wanted, and stayed out for however long he wanted, but he didn't, because he knew he shouldn't.
But Harry knew he was allowed out here because Sirius told him when they first arrived.
Harry usually stayed out quite late, sometimes even into the early hours of the morning. He didn't have a curfew and if he hadn't had dinner or was still hungry he just had to ask Inky, a house elf that had been given clothes and was looking for a new owner so they took her in as their elf, to make him something to eat.
'Alright.' Harry shrugged. 'Hey, have you decided if I'm going to Hogwarts or not yet?'
'Yes, Lightning, if you get your letter you may go to Hogwarts.' Sirius sighed, giving in.
'Thank you, Padfoot!' Harry exclaimed, running over and hugging Sirius.
'You're welcome, Lightning.' Sirius laughed, patting Harry's back.
'At least if I go to Hogwarts you'll have plenty of fuel for the fire out of the letters home I'm bound to get telling you that I've got detention.' Harry grinned
'And what do you say when a teacher catches you pulling a prank and asks you what you're doing?' Sirius laughed
'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good!' Harry recited enthusiastically. 'Then fly away on my Nimbus 1700!'
'Oh, I wouldn't say you'd have to fly away on your Nimbus 1700 after your birthday tomorrow.' Sirius said slyly
'Wait, what'd'ya mean?' Harry demanded quickly and excitedly, wondering if his theory was right.
Sirius smiled annoying at him.
'What time is it now?' Sirius asked
'11:59. Thirty seconds to midnight – twelve!' Harry said
'Eleven,' They began to chant, counting down the seconds to Harry's birthday. 'Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!'
'Happy birthday, Lightning!' Sirius grinned widely. 'Eleven years old… Stop growing up! Your making me feel old!'
Harry laughed happily.
Suddenly loud, heavy footsteps split the silence of the dark, deserted park and a gigantic shadow approached them.
