It was the 27th of July, four days before Harry Potter was to turn 17. In four days he would be free of the trace, he could use magic whenever he willed. Only 96 hours to go. The anticipation was eating away at him… not because he would be of age, but because in a few short hours he would be at the Burrow.
Harry looked at the clock by his bedside; it read 6:30 pm. Members of the Order would be arriving soon and he would be leaving number 4 privet drive for the last time. He stood up and leaned against the window of his cousin Dudley's second bedroom, which the Dursleys had so "graciously" given him. As he looked out the window, events of the past 16 years played before his eyes. He thought of Dudley pushing him down the stairs, and of Uncle Vernon bolting him into his room, and Aunt Petunia yelling at him for burning the bacon. Harry laughed when he thought of how Dobby dropped Aunt Petunia's pudding on Mrs. Mason. Admittedly, Harry was a bit sad that he was never going to see this suburban hellhole again.
He opened the window, letting a cool breeze fill the room. He turned to Hedwig and unlatched her cage. Staring into her magnificent yellow eyes, he sighed as she perched on his arm. He gave her an approving nod and she flew out the window. He watched her as her white wings flapped against the dark sky; this was goodbye. Harry closed the window and finished packing his few belongings, but there was one thing he could not put away; a shard of Sirius's broken mirror. He stared into it often, swearing he could see Professor Dumbledore.
He carefully placed the shard in his sock and began to lug his belongings down the stairs and into the sitting room. When he placed his trunk on the floor, he walked over to the cupboard under the stairs. Harry opened the door to the place where he once slept, he was no longer "just Harry" as he told Hagrid six years ago. Taking one last look at his old bedroom, Harry closed the cupboard and waited.
It was 7:00 pm when the purr of an engine interrupted sleepy Little Whinging. Harry bolted upright and ran to the door, he swung it wide open and gave Rubeus Hagrid the biggest hug he could possibly manage. After Hagrid entered number four privet drive, so did the rest of the order; Mad-eye, Kingsley, Remus, Tonks, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Bill and Fluer, Mr. Weasley, and of course sleazy Mundungus Fletcher.
Everyone came over and began to greet Harry, filling him in on their plans. He had not been expecting so many of the order to come, especially Kingsley who was supposed to be looking after the Muggle Prime Minister. As every one huddled into number 4 Privet drive. Through the chaos, Nymphadora pulled harry over and showed him her finger, Remus smiled a little when Harry realized. He hugged the two and congratulated them on their recent marriage. Moody however wasn't very keen on catching up and began briefing everyone on the night's mission.
All of Mad-eye's talk of Pius Thickness and the death eaters was making Harry slightly nervous, especially since he couldn't use magic to protect himself. If there was one thing that Harry Potter hated it was not being able to fend for himself. Mad-eye's voice carried through the house as he spoke of how they couldn't use a portkey , or apperate, or use the floo network, they had to go by other means; thestrals, motor bikes, and broomsticks.
Harry felt increasingly uncomfortable as Moody continued- different safe houses, false dates, more people involved than Harry would prefer and polyjuice potion. A lump rose in Harry's throat, he spoke faster than he could think.
"No, no bloody way! I will not let any of you take that. I don't want anyone else to die because of me." Harry shouted.
Everyone was taken aback by his sheer volume, but they knew he cared too much about their safety. Fred cracked a joke to diffuse the rising tension, but Harry wouldn't have it. It was already settled though, Everyone had agreed despite the risks. Everyone accept Mundungus.
Moody took a few hairs and dropped it in the flask. He began to pass it around. Six people began to morph into the chosen one. Right before Harry's eyes their skin bubbled as it took on his appearance and by the end it was like looking in a six-way mirror. They all changed into the same clothes and went with their "guardian". Harry looked up and saw a tear fall from Hagrid's face.
"Harry, Its only fittin' that I be the one to- er, you know take you fer the last time… seein' as I brought you here 16 years ago." Hagrid blew his nose between words.
They all boarded their respective modes of transport and began the journey to the Burrow. As they rose into the dark sky Harry looked back at the Dursley House one last time until it was out of sight. The air was colder the higher they got. Harry noticed a faint rumbling in the distance, looking over his shoulder he saw Hedwig get shot down by death eaters. Hagrid sped up, and they somehow managed a narrow escape. They had reached the Tonks house. They had one more leg of the journey. Harry and Hagrid grabbed a hairbrush and were transported to the Burrow.
Harry ran into the arms of Mrs. Weasley who looked tremendously worried. He looked at the faces of the terrified Weasley women and knew he was the only one back. He had to tell Molly about the Death Eaters. He looked at Ginny whose face grew paler with every word when Lupin and George appeared in the distance. George was bleeding profusely from where his ear used to be. They carried him inside and then Lupin cornered Harry pointing his wand uncomfortably close.
"What creature was in the corner the first time Harry Potter visited my office at Hogwarts?" he yelled shaking Harry by the shoulders.
"A grindylow!" Harry shouted back.
The rest of the order trickled in little by little, all but Mundungus and Mad-eye. They learned that Mad-eye had perished, and they had been betrayed. Harry was beside himself with grief, too many people had died to protect him.
It was a sleepless, drunken night for the boy who lived. He sat up in Ron's room staring out the window drinking fire whiskey to mourn his friends. He didn't know what else to do. The whole night seemed like a nightmare, it was hazy and dramatic and Harry was in emotional agony. He took the mirror out of his sock and sliced the skin of an old scar he wore on his forearm. He prayed that Ron wouldn't notice the next morning, but for now it was the last thing on his mind.