The first few chapters are a little slow…but stay with me…it gets much better I promise!!
Thanks for reading and enjoy!
He couldn't sleep. In one more hour he would turn seventeen and leave the Dursleys forever, return to the Burrow to see Bill and Fleur's wedding, then leave on a dangerous journey with Ron and Hermione in which they would hunt down and destroy pieces of Voldemort's soul, called Horcruxes. He checked his clock once more and saw he still had plenty of time until he should leave, so he sat back down on his bed and began to think about what will happen in the week he spends at the Burrow…Shit! Ginny! Oh god, I haven't seen, talked to, or sent / received any letters from her. How will she act? How will I act? How will I feel? Oh I am soo not ready for this.
BEEP BEEP BEEP rang his alarm clock signifying three minutes till take off. He jumped; could it really already be time!?! He grabbed his bags and crept down the stairs. He still had some time so he opened the almost empty fridge, got a grapefruit, and began to cut it.
"Harry?" said a nervous male voice right behind him. Harry spun around and raised his wand.
"Shit! Dudley, what are you doing up at this time of the night?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Well, er, just go back to bed."
He didn't move.
"You're leaving, aren't you?' he said nodding at the two bags "For good?"
"Yes."
"Er, goodbye."
"Bye."
A Silence fell between them...
"Good luck."
"Er, thanks"
"Thanks for stopping those demented-thingers," Dudley said determined to say what he needed to before it was too late.
"Er, no probl-"
"No problem?!? It would've killed me! You risked expulsion from your school – your home to save," he paused dramatically "…me."
"You're welcome," Harry said slightly awkwardly.
Harry and Dudley sat down at the table in silence; the grapefruit lay forgotten on the counter, half cut. A loud CRACK was heard from out in the yard. The two young men jumped. Harry spun around and raised his wand "Dudley," he said "I want you to go back up to your room. And stay there." He nodded and ran up the stairs, opened a door and slammed it shut. Taking that as his signal, Harry began to creep closer and closer to the door. He was almost there. Just a couple more steps now…WHAM! The door flew open and a man in a tarnished traveler's cloak and graying hair ran into the room. Harry and the unknown man looked at each other for only a moment then Harry thought the first incantation that came to mind.
"Levicorpus!"
The intruder yelped in surprise as his feet were dragged from underneath him, hanging him upside down, then he smiled at Harry.
"Nice spell isn't it?" asked the intruder "Nice way to disarm and get in control of the situation, without actually hurting anybody. But come on, let me down now, Harry. It's me, Remus Lupin."
Harry didn't lower his wand.
"Prove it" he said – no, he ordered.
The man named Remus paused, thinking, then said "In your third year I taught you how to repel Dementors. Your Patronus is a stag."
"Everyone knows that!"
"The Head Quarters," he continued louder, "for the Order of Phoenix was at Number 12 Grimmauld Place until early this summer."
Harry paused, thinking hard, then let the man named Remus fall.
He got to his feet "You are late. Molly is really very worried, I however, was sure you were fine, perhaps lost track of time? Either way, thought I should come and check."
"I was saying goodbye." Harry said.
Remus nodded then hugged him.
"How's your summer been?"
"I've had worse," replied Harry, "yours?"
"Actually, it's been pretty good. As you know me and Tonks starting dating at the, er, beginning of the summer and I honestly haven't been this happy in a," He paused, "a long time" he added solemnly.
"That's great!" Harry said disregarding the sad finishing note.
CRACK!
The two men turned to face the door, wands raised once more. Remus stepped in front of Harry and said "Show yourself! Keep your hands where we can see them." A moment or two later a woman stepped though the door with short bubblegum pink hair, hands over her head and a smile on her face.
"Tonks!" said Harry looking over Remus' shoulder.
"Wotcher Harry!" she said with a smile, then turning to Remus "Molly's in a state, she is, worried sick."
"Sorry, lost track of time," said Remus and Harry.
"Yeah, you should be, she's been driving me Crazy!!" said Tonks smiling. "We'd better go before she comes down and starts hexing us all!"
She grabbed a bag, while Remus grabbed the other and with three loud cracks, they were gone.