From the top to the bottom
Bottom to top I stop
At the core I've forgotten
In the middle of my thoughts
Taken far from my safety
The picture is there
The memory won't escape me
But why should I care?
Harry was walking around as he always did, just to be out of the house. He knew perfectly well that it wasn't safe to be away from the protective magic, but frankly, he didn't really care. He was lost in his thoughts, and caught up in his memories.
Not even a week ago, he had finally defeated Lord Voldemort at the end of his seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Most thought he was done for, it was a brutal battle, and many lives were lost, but somehow Harry managed to survive. Thinking back to when he got sent back to Surrey, Harry bitterly kicked a stone and wished that he had been killed. If he was, then he wouldn't have wound back up on the Dursley's doorstep.
There's a place so dark you can't see the end
Skies cock back
And shock that which can't defend
The rain sends dripping
Acidic questions
Forcefully, the power of suggestion
He looked down the alleyway where nearly 5 or 6 years ago, he saw his Godfather, Sirius Black, for the first time. Harry sighed. He missed him terribly.
It started to sprinkle, and then eventually the sky broke out to a pouring rain. Harry shook his wet bangs out of his eyes and sighed again. What was he going to do with his life now? The question forced itself into his head, and he thought on it so hard it made his head pound. Harry sat down on a ledge, not caring that it was wet. He only hoped that the cold would eventually numb him. He just sat there, water dripping off his nose, thinking. He needed a way to get out, to leave this all behind…but how?
Then with the eyes shut
Looking through the rust and rot and dust
A small spot of light floods the floor
And pours over the rusted world of pretend
And the eyes ease open
And it's dark again
He shut his eyes, trying to think back to the time when life was easier. Then he paused. Was life ever easy? No, it never had. He opened his eyes, sadly to the realization that he was still stuck with a bunch of Muggles.
In the memory you'll find me
Eyes burning up
The darkness holding me tightly
Until the sun, rises up
Harry got up and slowly trudged his way back to the Dursley's, kicking things as he went and shaking his wet bangs. By the time he got there, it was nearly 9 o'clock.
"When are you going to be out of my house, boy? Don't your people have jobs?" Uncle Vernon grunted at Harry when he walked past him.
"Well, it's not like I want to stay here!" Harry said, steadily losing control.
"Don't you yell at me, boy!" Uncle Vernon said, purpling in the face like he always did when he got angry. Harry faced him, pulling out his wand.
"Don't YOU yell at ME! It's perfectly legal now for me to curse you into oblivion, so I would watch what I say if I was you." Harry said, pointing his wand directly at his uncle.
"Don't point that-that-that…thing at me!"
"I'll do whatever I want! I hate living here!" Harry shouted. Uncle Vernon was looking warily at Harry's wand, which was smoking slightly.
Moving all around
Screaming of the ups and downs
Pollution manifested in perpetual sound
The wheels go 'round
And the sunset creeps behind street lamps, chain-link and concrete
"You think I really want to stay here? Well think again! I have no choice!" Harry said, getting angrier by the second. He and his uncle seemed to argue whenever they saw each other.
"Well it's not like I want you here! Oh, by the way, this came for you." Uncle Vernon said, shoving a letter into Harry's chest and huffing away.
The envelope was black, with no writing on it. It had a very ominous look to it, and Harry had a foreboding feeling, so he brought it up to his room. He sort of had an idea who it might be from.
Hedwig wasn't back from hunting yet, so Harry went over to the window and opened it so that she could come back in. He cautiously placed the letter on the ground and took a few paces back. With his wand he opened the envelope, to find a piece of white paper. Harry picked it up, and instead of finding writing, he found the horrific picture of the Dark Mark. He crumpled it, and walked to the window. He knew that there would still be some Death Eaters after him; after all, he did take down their master. He uncrumpled it and threw it out the window just then.
A little piece of paper with the picture drawn
Floats on down the street 'till the wind is gone
The memory now is like the picture was then
When the paper's crumpled up it can't be perfect again
Harry sighed as he watched it float away, carried by the wind. He got to his hands and knees and got his knife from under the loose floorboard, which was located under his bed. He walked back to the windowsill, and breathed in the night air before he pulled up his sleeve. He applied a deep, angry gash on his wrist, making him bleed profusely.
There was a sudden knock on his door, and Harry hastily threw the knife under his bed and fixed his arm. Aunt Petunia walked in timidly.
Now you got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that I see right through you
"Harry? May I come in and talk to you for a moment?" She asked.
"Um, okay," Harry said, sitting down on his bed.
"Harry, I know that things have been tough for you—"
"You have no idea how I feel, or what I've been through." Harry said angrily, interrupting her. She blinked.
"I know, let me finish. Now, you know that your uncle is sick, and because of that he has very little patience. Here, just take this…" She said, placing a handful of money on his bed. "Take it and be gone. I will give you a few days to move out. You needn't pay me back. No arguments. Good-night," Aunt Petunia said, getting up and leaving. Harry blinked and stared at the money, then got up and slowly started to pack what little he had.
The following morning, Harry got up and finished packing, then went downstairs for breakfast. Uncle Vernon was reading the paper, and Aunt Petunia was cooking breakfast.
"Thanks, Aunt Petunia," Harry said, catching her eye as she handed him his plate.
"You're welcome," She replied. Harry ate silently, and then washed his dishes. He spent the whole day looking for a flat, then went to go to the Auror's Training informational meeting at the Ministry of Magic. He would be taking lessons with his best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Harry could've played Quidditch for England, but decided that it was too much stress for him right now. Maybe later. He thought an Auror would be easy, since he already had plenty of experience with Dark Wizards.
"Hey, scar-head, looking for a job?" A voice said behind Harry as he was making his way across the Atrium.
"Yeah, so, what's it to you, Ferret-boy?" Harry said, spinning around and facing his forever enemy, Draco Malfoy. (A/N: drool) Malfoy did go on to play Quidditch as a profession, which was another reason that Harry didn't want to play; He didn't want to have to deal with him. He also hoped that Malfoy would get his perfect nose broken by a bludger someday.
"Nothing, just wondering if they elected you Minister of Magic yet. I presume you have a home?" Malfoy sneered.
"Yes, now if you excuse me, I must be leaving." Harry said, spinning around once more and leaving.
What do I do to ignore them behind me?
Do I follow my instincts blindly?
Do I hide my pride from these bad dreams?
And give into sad thoughts that are maddening?
Harry was glad that he didn't have to deal with Malfoy so much anymore. He walked out and ran into and old schoolmate who was coming in, Neville Longbottom.
"Oh, hi, Harry. How are you?" Neville asked.
"I'm…okay…I guess…and you?" Harry asked.
"Gran told me to go find a roommate to share a flat with. I'm also applying for Auror training. You as well, I suppose?" Neville said. He still looked the same.
"Yeah, well, see you on training day 1, Neville." Harry said, saying good bye.
"See you!" Neville said. Harry apparated back to Surrey and walked into Number 4, Privet Drive.
"Did you find a flat and a job?" Aunt Petunia asked Harry when he walked in.
"Yes, Aunt Petunia, and thank-you again," Harry said, sitting down to eat dinner.
