DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter...if I did some of the events in HBP wouldn't have happened.

Summary: HBP SPOILERS...After HBP, starts during summer. Harry is confused about recent events. Finds an explanation for it all.

A/N: response to HBP…not beta'd since she hasn't finished it yet (that I know of), so please forgive my errors (feel free to correct them)

Where there's a will, there's a way

Chapter 1 Where there's a will, there's a way

Harry sat in the twin's old bedroom, watching the rain splatter on the window. It had rained most of the week, almost as if the heavens were crying. He wiped a solitary tear from his cheek as sat silently, with only his thoughts for company. He still found it hard to believe that Dumbledore was dead. And at the hand of Snape, no less. He always knew that Snape was capable of murder; Harry just never thought that Dumbledore would be the victim.

He knew Dumbledore made mistakes; after all, he might have been one of the greatest wizards of their day, but he was still human. Yes, he was human, Harry thought, but he wasn't stupid and he wasn't easy to fool. He had seen through Riddle when he was a student, why didn't he see through Snape? The more Harry thought about it, the more confused he got.

Why would Snape try to save him time and again if he was loyal to Voldemort? Why did Snape try to keep Quirrell from getting the stone for his master? So many questions and no answers, Harry thought. And with Dumbledore gone, he might never find out.

Harry continued to look out the window without really seeing anything. Only a few more weeks and he would be gone, he thought.

During the train ride home, Harry, Hermione, and Ron planned their escape. Technically, Harry shouldn't leave until he was seventeen. That left a month at the Dursley's. Ron tried to convince him to skip the Dursley's and head straight to the Burrow, but Harry wouldn't agree.

He knew, however, that Dumbledore had wanted him to return to the Dursley's one last time, to ensure that the protection would last until his seventeenth birthday. And the last thing Harry wanted to do was disappoint Dumbledore. He wasn't sure how long he had to stay, but had decided on a week.

However, after two days, Harry was packed and ready to leave. The moment he entered four Privet Drive, his uncle had been nice to him. However, questions about Sirius's estate that he inherited soon revealed his uncle's true motives. There was no way Harry was going to stay there and allow them to take control of Sirius's estate because he was underage. There was only one thing for Harry to do; he had to leave. He immediately contacted the Weasley's to see if he could arrive earlier than planned.

That was five days ago. Most of that time Harry spent in the twins old room, in Ron's room, or in the air flying. He knew that being at the Burrow would be uncomfortable, especially when Ginny was around, but unfortunately, it was the only place he had.

"Harry?" Ron asked, interrupting Harry's thoughts. "Professor McGonagall is here to see you."

"To see me? Why?"

Ron shrugged, "Don't know, she wouldn't say."

"Okay, then, can you tell her that I'll be down in a minute?"

"Sure," Ron said as he closed the door and headed downstairs.

Harry stood up and stretched before heading towards the mirror to inspect his appearance. Hair was messed up as usual, but otherwise, his appearance was fine, he thought, before leaving the room and heading downstairs.

"Professor McGonagall, is everything okay?" Harry asked looking at his professor. She reminded him a bit of Lupin last year after Sirius died, thin and pale as if she hadn't eaten in a few days.

"Fine, Harry, fine," she answered glancing around the room. "Is there some place we can talk?"

"Um, sure," Harry replied, "I'm using the twin's old room, would that work?"

"Certainly," McGonagall replied as she followed Harry upstairs.

Once in the room, the professor placed charms to prevent anyone from eavesdropping, even with extendable ears.

After a few minutes of silence, Harry asked, "Professor? Is there something I can for you?"

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath before speaking, "Albus's, Professor Dumbledore's will was read yesterday."

"Oh," Harry said softly.

"Since you are underage, you were not allowed to attend. However, there are some items that the headmaster wanted you to have."

"I…er," Harry said, not sure how to respond.

"It's okay, Mr. Potter, I understand," Minerva said, as she wiped a tear from here eye. Taking a box out of her pocket, she quickly enlarged it before handing Harry an envelope. "This is a letter he wrote to you, most likely about the items in the box."

"Thanks," Harry replied, taking the letter and placing it in his pocket, deciding that it might be best to read it when he was alone.

"You're welcome," Minerva said before standing and heading towards the door. After placing one hand on the doorknob, she turned to Harry and spoke again, "He really did care for you, and not just because you were the boy-who-lived."

Harry nodded but remained silent. He might have had trouble in the past believing that, but not anymore.

"If there is anything I can do for you this summer, Mr. Potter, please, don't hesitate to ask."

"What's going to happen to the Order?"

Minerva sighed, "I really don't know. Hopefully the Minister will lead in the war against You-know-who and the Order can take a step back. Truthfully, I'm not even sure what we can do. Albus was the only one who knew everything that was going on. And without anyone to let us know what he is planning, we wouldn't know how to prepare."

"Oh," Harry whispered, he hadn't thought about before. It seemed most of the Order's planned revolved around the information Snape had brought back from meetings. Without Snape acting as a spy, the order would be as useless as the ministry, Harry thought. But wait, that didn't make sense…If Snape had been loyal to Voldemort then he wouldn't have been giving us useful information. Merlin, did he have a headache trying to figure this all out.

"And Hogwart's?" He asked out of curiousity.

"Still undecided, we will have to wait and see what transpires this summer."

"Oh." At least he wouldn't have to tell her that he wouldn't be returning, he thought, well, not at this time.

"Remember, if you need anything, do not hesitate to contact me."

"Harry?" Ron asked, hesitantly opening the door. "What did McGonagall want?"

Harry sat on the bed, his gaze moving between the box on the desk and the letter he had withdrawn from his pocket.

"What's that?" Ron asked as he noticed the large box.

"From Dumbledore," Harry whispered. "Professor McGonagall said he wanted me to have it, left it for me in his will."

"Oh."

When Harry didn't utter another word, Ron took a step back, leaving the room and said, "I'll tell everyone you don't want to be disturbed. However, I will let you know that Hermione will be coming by tonight."

"Thanks," Harry said quietly, still staring at the letter from Dumbledore, as Ron closed the door.

Kind of short, I know, but had to get something out to explain the events of HBP

Chapter 2 Never Leave

7/17/05