Carey Gsell
Harry woke up in a haze and looked around the familiar room he looked up at the ceiling and saw the familiar flag of Victor Krum's quiditch team, the Chudley Cannons, and knew exactly where he was. His clothes were still on and his summer reading was next to him on the bed. Harry had known he wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts but had still hoped to get all his homework done, for some reason he thought it would make Dumbledore happy.
Not having a father Harry had always strived for a father figure in his life, first Remus Lupin then Sirius black, but over time the one constant was Dumbledore. Harry thought, no Harry knew that Dumbledore didn't have to die and he wasn't about to sit back and let the man who killed him run the school that he had worked so hard at making beautiful.
"Harry! Time to wake up! Mum's made breakfast" Harry got up and put his book under the bed with all the others. He opened the door and walked down the stairs to the burrow kitchen. "There you are." Ron said getting up from the table and walking over to Harry. He handed him a letter with a grim look on his face. "This came for you this morning." Harry took the letter and opened it slowly. He read the thick cursive hand writing and realized that it was all real.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I regret to inform you that you are no longer welcome at Hogwarts School for Witch Craft and Wizardry due to your attack on current headmaster Severus Snape.
Sincerely, Delores Umbridge
Even with the knowledge that he would not be returning to Hogwarts the news was still quite a blow. He walked past Ron and took his seat at the table next to Hermione. "You alright then?" Hermione asked with a concerned look in her eyes. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a look she often sported in the mornings or when she just didn't want to deal with it.
"Yeah I'll be fine, don't worry." Harry said taking a bite of the eggs that Mrs. Weasley had magically fried up for him along with some sausage and a biscuit. He took sip of the pumpkin juice sitting on the table and sat quietly. Everyone tried not to look at him and he knew it. Harry hated being that kid, the one everyone feels uncomfortable around.
Harry finished his breakfast and excused himself from the awkward silence filling the kitchen. He walked all the way up to the room he shared with Ron and laid down on the bed. "Harry?" came a small voice along with a knock on the door, "are you alright?" Ginny Weasley entered the room and sat carefully at the foot of the bed. Harry sat up quickly and tried to wipe the remaining tears off his cheeks so they wouldn't be noticed.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine" Harry choked out. "I'm just still a little over whelmed." Ginny seemed to be moving closer and Harry noticed. He moved a bit closer as well and soon they were kissing. It wasn't the first time by any means, but since Dumbledore's death and they're slit, Harry had seemed to turn off completely and show no affection for her at all.
Ginny was quite pleased with herself. She had finally broken through the sadness that had been surrounding Harry for the past couple of months and was kissing him like she had never done before. Sadly for her the kiss was ended, not by an unexpected entrance into the room but rather by Harry's pulling away rather abruptly.
"Ginny, you know why we can't do this" Harry said not looking directly at the cute red head sitting beside him. "It's far too dangerous, besides, you have to go back to school."
"Harry, I wish you could come back as well."
"There are things I have to do, someone has to stop Voldemort, and I'm afraid it has to be me." Harry explained pleadingly. Ginny leaned forward and gave Harry another small kiss. This time Ron did walk in and shot both Harry and Ginny a disapproving glare.
"Listen, I don't care about the snogging, but come on mate in my room?" Harry didn't respond but instead just looked down at the rug next to the bed.
"Lay off 'im" Ginny said quietly as she walked past her brother and into the hallway.
"Come on then, it's almost time to get going. Hermione is gonna start shouting soon" Ron said a bit more sympathetically. Harry got up and walked past Ron into the hallway "Oy, I'm sorry about you and Ginny, but maybe after all this,"
"No, I think it's the end of that." Harry said interrupting Ron "a girlfriend is just not something I need right now." Harry walked down the stairs just in time for the previously mentioned shouting. Hermione was standing by the door wearing a purple top and jeans, and was shouting as loud as she could.
"Jeez Hermione, that just doesn't seem necessary." Ron said slowly uncovering his ears.
"well, Ronald, we were supposed to leave 5 minutes ago and here you are not even ready to go." Hermione said no longer shouting but her voice raised. With a flick of his wand Ron summoned his trunk and immediately shrunk it down to a manageable size.
"There, Happy?" Ron said angrily staring at Hermione. Fred giggled from the other side of the room and both Ron and Hermione turned furiously towards him.
"You two sound like an old married couple." Fred said to which george snickered under his breath. Ron and Hermione turned back on each other then turned away from each other. Hermione then turned on Harry, who immediately got concerned.
"Ready Harry?" Hermione snapped
"Yeah, I suppose." Harry answered sheepishly. Hermione headed toward the door without another word. She was closely followed by Harry and Ron trying not to upset her any further. Outside Arthur Weasley was waiting in the car with Molly. Hermione was the first to climb in followed by Ron and Harry. Harry looked out the back window seeing Ginny standing at the door looking grim and Fred and George waving vigorously.
The car stated with a bump and a rattle before taking off down the road and up into the sky. Mr. Weasley turned on the invisibility and sped up. Molly looked very nervous, and rightfully so. She had had too many close encounters with death-eaters recently she was becoming frayed along the edges. The sky became darker and Mr. Weasley slowed down a bit.
"Arthur now is not the time to be slowing down." Molly almost shouted at her husband
"It's not my doing Molly there seems to be a problem with the car." Arthur began pressing buttons and hitting surfaces of the car in a failed attempt to make it go a bit faster. Harry felt a twinge of pain on his forehead and closed his eyes. Suddenly he had a vision of Lord Voldemort flying on a broom through the sky. Harry snapped open his eyes. "It's him!' he shouted "It's Voldemort!"
"Wands out kids it's about to get bumpy." Mr. Weasley shouted back to the three sitting in the back seat. Suddenly he threw the steering wheel to the left and began soaring down through the clouds.
Ron began stuttering as he looked out the window to the right. Harry looked as well and saw a very large death eater riding his broom right next to the car. Harry rolled down the window and shouted "Stupefy!" the large man froze and began to fall towards the earth. Soon they were surrounded on all sides. Spells were flying at the car from every direction and the trio, joined by molly, were throwing spells right back.
"No sign of him yet!" Mr. Weasley shouted from the front seat as he began to pick up speed. The car was now making horrible noises, sputtering and choking through the clouds. And then Harry saw him.
Voldemort was standing on his broom flying up toward the car and Harry knew what was coming, he could hear the words before they were even said and could see the green flash before anyone else. Arthur swerved and the five inhabitants of the car were thrown to the side.
Kings cross could be seen in the distance and the sounds of Voldemort shouting could be heard from above. Harry had escaped again, and hopefully not for the last time.
