Chapter 1

Hello! This starts soon after the graveyard. Hope you enjoy.

As 14 year old Harry lay in the hospital bed, his brain was singing a mantra 'Voldemort is back, Voldemort is back.'

He thought back to the events of the whole year that had began with his name coming out of the goblet of fire. He had been forcibly entered into a competition meant for adult 17 year students, he had been ridiculed and alienated by his peers , thought of as a cheat (as if he had wanted to battle dragons, sphinx and accromantulas!).

The teachers were no better. One thing Harry realized, the teachers at Hogwarts did not mind abuse. They turned a blind eye. None of them said anything when his name came out of the goblet, when Draco called people nasty names, none of them said anything when he came up with those badges that said 'Potter stinks'.

Even his best friend Ron, who he had known for 3 years had thought he had cheated. That had hurt him a lot. Ron should have known better. Even though he had eventually apologized after the first task, the damage was already done. Their friendship could never be the same anymore.

The only person who had remained on his side the whole time and never wavered in her support was Hermione. She was there to help him study for the tournament. She was the one who spent nights teaching him the summoning charm, being there for him. He wondered briefly why he hadn't asked her to go to the ball with him but he knew why. Hermione was the only constant in his life, the one who so far had stood for him and cared for him and he didn't want to stop that. instead he had gone with Parvati and she had gone with Krum.

The grave yard was his worst moment…. Ok not the worst but fell in the category… Cedric the other Hogwarts champion had been killed with not a thought by Wormtail only because he had been in the wrong place…

Harry felt guilty. It had been his fault Cedric was dead. If only he hadn't been so honorable and suggested they take the trophy together he would be alive. The trophy had been set up as a trap for him and as a result a good and honorable boy had been killed… Another person in his life lost because of Voldemort.

It seemed for some reason he didn't know, Voldemort was after him. In his first year, Voldemort had asked that he join him. He had been unable to kill him then and Dumbledore had said it was his mother's protection that saved him and made it unable for Voldemort to touch him.

Voldemort had made it clear to him yet again in his 2nd year when he had come out of the diary that he was interested in him and that he wanted to kill him. why?

In his 3rd year it became more certain. He had heard his mother begging for his life, begging for Voldemort to spare him. Voldemort had told her to stand aside. This meant Voldemort hadn't come for his parents but for him. Why?

Now, Voldemort had taken his blood in the ritual to restore his body and now he could touch him. That scared him a lot. There was no more protection from his mother. Voldemort had it too. in a way, they were now related since Voldemort had his blood in his veins.

The ministry was refusing that Voldemort was back and Dumbledore was just smiling and telling him to go to the Dusleys for the holidays.

He could not understand it. Dumbledore has to know what it meant that Voldemort now had his blood. what was the use of the blood wards when Voldemort was now related to him? He could walk into private drive wouldn't he? After all the wards were anchored on his mother's protection weren't they?

Also if Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard and if Moody was his close friend as he had said, how could he not have noticed that it was not the real Moody? Poly juice can only change appearance but not character . He knew that from experience when he had turned into Crabbe in his 2nd year to get into the Slytherin common room. He had to fight to use Crabbe's voice and mannerism in order to pull it off. He had been himself so then how could Dumbledore not know? He knows everything.

Several things didn't make sense to him. For instance, why did Dumbledore hide the philosopher's stone in a school full of children while knowing Voldemort was seeking it? Was that an innocent mistake or a ploy to lure Voldemort?

He had been left on a doorstep with death eaters still roaming around with only a letter of explanation. Couldn't he have knocked and explained everything to his aunt and uncle? Maybe if he had, his life with the Dusleys would have been different. and on that, no one had come to check up on him.

Then the basilisk. Surely if Hermione a mere 2nd year, a super intelligent one but still a 2nd year, could solve the mystery after only a few months, Dumbledore should have been able to too right?

The more he thought about it, the more he realized a lot of things that did not make any sense. That showed him it was time he took initiative and the only way he could think of was to leave Hogwarts. there was no way he was going to wait around fo Voldemort to find him and kill him. After all the encounters and dangers he had faced at Hogwarts, Voldemort could simply walk in Hogwarts and kill him.

He knew there were other schools of magic elsewhere given he had seen the other 2 for the tournament. He could go there and finish his education in peace. The place had to be far away where Voldemort or Dumbledore could not come for him. The question was where? He sighed.

xxx

The next few days, Hermione saw that her best friend was distracted. He seemed to be deep in thought about something. At first Hermione thought it was because of Cedric and what had happened at the graveyard but she realized it had to be something more.

When she asked him, Harry always said he was fine. Hermione didn't buy it one bit. She decided to take matters into her own hands. They were coming from the great hall when Hermione dragged a complaining Harry out by the hand. She only stopped at her special spot by the lake covered but enough to have privacy. She cast anti spying, anti listening charms, privacy charms and alert charms then sat Harry down. "Talk."

"What?" asked Harry perplexed. What was going on with Hermione?

"Talk. You are not leaving here until you tell me what is going on."

"Are you kidnapping me?"

"Come on Harry! I am serious."

Harry sighed and said, "Ok. Fine. A lot is going on that I cannot understand."

Hermione softened as she looked at her best friend. His green eyes had lost their sparkle and he looked lost. She felt the need to just take him in a hug. "What is it Harry? You know I am here for you and I can help you."

"You must promise me to never tell anyone what I am telling you."

"I promise."

Harry took out a parchment which he had written down all his questions from his bag and gave Hermione. "I listed some things I didn't understand that have happened in my life Hermione. For some reason that I do not know, Voldemort has always been after me yet no one has told me why or offered to at least train me. You helped me more than anyone has ever helped me Mione. Ever since I was young I was always ignored. I was bullied and belittled and no adult has stood by me. I saw Cedric die and I saw Voldemort come back but no one believes me. He will come for me Hermione. He took my blood. He can now touch me."

Hermione gasped her eyes wide. "He…he took your blood! That means you can no longer affect him? Oh no. that is bad and Dumbledore wants you to go to the Dusleys. You cant go back there. its no longer safe. What should we do?"

"We?" asked Harry looking at Hermione surprised.

"Yes. We, Harry. I am not going to let you go through this alone Harry. From all you have told me and all you have shown me, we can't trust anyone. We need a plan."

"I… I had planned on transferring."

"Changing schools?"

"Yah. I was looking to go to a school abroad away from any influences. I need to learn to fight and finish my school. I am in danger Hermione and I am not ready for Voldemort yet. He has years ahead of me and I won't stand a chance. So far I have been surviving on luck. It will run out one day."

"I know and I understand. Listen, let's start searching for schools elsewhere, view their curriculum and then we can decide."

"You want to go with me?"

"Of course. You are my best friend Harry and in truth, my only friend. Ron and I are always fighting and Ginny and I have nothing in common. She is more like Parvati and Lavender anyway."

"What about your parents? Will they agree?"

"Of course. I mean I am rarely home anyway."

"Ok. I understand. So let's find some schools and while we are there, we need to see if there are any laws that may prevent us from transferring and anything that Dumbledore may use to bring us back."

"On it."

Harry looked at Hermione and said, "Thank you Hermione. This means a lot to me."

"I will do anything for you Harry." said Hermione and both blushed. Harry held her close then they went about their tasks.

There it is. Harry wants to change schools. Will be be successful? What of Dumbledore? Will he try to stop Harry? review. Ideas are most welcome.