Author: The Animals' Keeper
Rating: T for use of language and mild violence, **note** if certain chapters exceed this rating there will be a note before the start of the chapter.
Full Summary: Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, Savior of the Wizarding World, once again has his world come crashing down. After a tragic 5 years of schooling, one summer brings about a whole new silver lining. Gaining family, independence, and a certain inheritance only the Evans' family has kept secret for years what will the boy turned man do? Stick to the Light, join the Darkness, or stay in the Shadows...
An owl rustles quietly in the corner of the room, trying to keep silent as she watches her friend and master gasp for breath on the floor. New blood is seen on the floorboards underneath the small form and poor Hedwig worries it's gone too far this time. With a stretch of large snow white wings Hedwig is on the floor next to the struggling boy, a hoot escapes her beak as she nuzzles his cheek. Harry relaxes at his beloved friend's affections before reaching a hand to her and petting the offered head. A determined glint in her eye Hedwig lifts from the floor and heads for the slightly open window, with a struggle she's out giving a loud shriek to the night sky vowing to bring protection to her young owlet.
Harry Potter, the wizarding world's hero, shudders under his thread-bare blanket upon hearing the thumping of his uncle's feet on the stairs. Moving quickly, well as quickly as his injured body will allow, he is standing at the door.
"Boy! You better be up when I open this door, we need breakfast you ungrateful freak!"
Multiple locks are heard and Harry reaches forward, pulling the door open and bolting down the stairs, reaching the kitchen before Vernon does. With a practiced ease there is soon bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, and more sizzling away on the stove. Plates are placed in quick succession on the table, followed by the polished silverware on top of napkins. Glasses of orange juice are positioned to the side and mugs of coffee are readily made to the liking of the owners. Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley are soon walking in, dressed to perfection for whatever it is their day's plans are. Harry is quick in serving out the food to each members wants before stepping back, waiting for the dishes. Conversation is non-existent except for the occasional murmur from his aunt. Unnaturally quick the large amount of food is gone, barely leaving a single crumb. Vernon kisses his wife's cheek before walking to the front door, calling out that he will be back after work. Dudley rises and thunders out the door for his day's work of bullying, no similar call given. Only Petunia remains, still eating her dainty amount of food. Silently, Petunia rises after pushing her plate away. Giving her nephew a look over as he starts dishes, his back away from her so he doesn't notice. She sighs, not liking what she sees before walking away, quietly making her way upstairs and to her little desk wedged into a corner of her large master bedroom. Taking out a paper and pen she makes quick work of a short letter, enclosing it in an envelope before going back to Harry and placing it beside him. If Petunia notices the startled look shot at her as she exits the kitchen, she doesn't comment.
With shaky hands, Harry takes the letter and puts it in his jeans back pocket. 'Why would Aunt Petunia write a letter…to me?' Harry swiftly finishes off the dishes and scrubs down the kitchen before moving onto the sitting room where he dusts and vacuums the non-existent dirt away. His mind continually wondering to the envelope and thoughts of what it could contain. Just as he finishes the last of his chores of the day, mowing the lawn, a car pulls up in the driveway. Vernon steps out, face a beetish red color, signaling a bad day at work. The door slams shut as the whale of a man goes into his house, more then likely locking his tired nephew out. And sure enough, Harry finds himself going around the house to go through the back door in order to get into the cool house. Without pause, he moves to the fridge, carefully extracting what ingredients will be needed for the supper planned earlier that week.
Even as the locks are replaced on his door Harry is pulling out the cause of the thoughts that plagued his mind all day. Practically letting his exhausted body fall onto his mattress, the-Boy-Who-Lived already has the letter out. Raising it so it's directly in front of his face, he reads Petunia's neat scrawl:
Dear Harry,
My nephew, there are many things that I must tell you. I have tried to keep you from the fate I knew you would eventually fall to, the same as my dearest sister. I know that I have been horrible to you in all the years of your life. Just know that it was to try and protect you. Tomorrow is your 16th birthday, there is much that you must learn of before then. Tonight at midnight I will let you out of your room, go to the sitting room, in there you will find a stack of leather-bound books. Take them into your room and read them all tonight. You will not understand much of what is contained in some of them but keep your questions silent until after you uncle and cousin leave, then you may approach me and I will answer as best I can.
With long suppressed Love,
Petunia
In shock and disbelief, Harry drops the note and sits up with speed. He rests his head between his knees taking ragged breaths, trying to make sense of what has happened. Quickly coming to the realization that perhaps…just maybe, he isn't completely hated. With that thought firmly in mind, Harry lets himself fall asleep until his aunt comes to let him out that night.
Author's Note: Hopefully you don't find my writing horrible or a bore. I'm trying for something new and not cliche, though that is almost quite impossible with all the great stories out there. Stick around for the story and see if you like, after all it's not much of your time and who knows, maybe it'll be worth it. Review if you wish, the criticism or praise is always welcomed.
Sneak Peak: The door opens and the hall light floods onto his bed, effectively waking him from a fitful slumber. Harry waits a few seconds, holding his breath before bolting to the door and peering out. His aunt looks back with a finger to her mouth as she closes the bathroom door. Tiptoeing out, slipping down the hallway, and avoiding those few god-awful creaky stairs Harry finds himself treading towards the sitting room. Even in the dim light coming through the curtains, a pile of five books is clearly visible. With shaking hands, Harry lifts one up, flips to the inside cover once finding no title on the front, and has a shock of his life...
And so the chaos begins. A secret worth finding out and a freedom fast coming his way, Harry Potter is in for a spin.