Intro/ Hello – well, I'm new at this and this is my first fic so no flames please! But constructive criticism is very helpful.

Disclaimer/Everything belongs to J.K.Rowling and Warner Bros. I don't own anything. Just having fun. :)

A/N/ The one sheep, two sheep thing is originally 'one fish, two fish' by Dr. Seuss.

A/N 2/ This is the 6th year in my story. So just pretend that the 6th books hasn't come out yet. I'm just continuing on from the 5th book. Well enjoy!

NOTE/ If you don't like the Harry Potter/ Draco Malfoy pairing, I suggest you don't read this fic.

1/ Just like always

One sheep…two sheep…red sheep…blue sheep…

Harry James Potter was lying on his back on his rumpled bedcovers, trying (and failing) to fall asleep. The extremely weary 16-year-old heaved a sigh and started up the stained ceiling of his bedroom.

One stain…two stains…red stains…blue stains…

Harry turned his head and glanced at the glaring red digits of his alarm clock -- 6:03 A.M. He sighed again and ran a hand through his unruly, raven hair. He could hear the muffled roaring of his Uncle Vernon snoring away in the next room. He shifted his position and tried to block the noise out. Escape from the noise was impossible. He groaned and smothered his ear with a pillow.

Tick, tock, tick, tock….Harry opened one eye and glared in the direction of the hallway. The constant ticking of the antique clock seemed to ring inside his head, rattling his brain and slowly infuriating him.

Hedwig, Harry's beautiful snow owl hooted from her cage, her bright yellow eyes screaming 'I-know-you-can-hear-me-buster-so-why-don't-you-let-me-out-huh?' Harry shifted his gaze from his door to his owl. He stared at her for a moment, watching her impatient eyes glare back at him.. Hedwig sqwaked softly and Harry pulled himself out of bed and treaded softly over to her cage. Hedwig hooted crossly again and Harry could hear his uncle grunt and go back to sleep.

He knew if Hedwig weren't let out, she would start making a racket, and then Harry would have to deal with his annoyed, sleep-deprived uncle.

What a joy that would be, he thought sarcastically. He snapped open Hedwig's cage and watched her soar gracefully out the window. Harry leaned on his windowsill, hand cupped under his chin, watching the dark outline of Hedwig grow fainter and fainter.

The dark sky that hung low over Privet Drive, slowly gave way to the dusky pink-blue glow of morning. The treetops turned a brighter green and rooftops glowed in the morning light.

Harry peered out his window and watched the familiar morning routines of his neighbors. Mr. Terry kissed his wife goodbye and started his car – as always; Ms. Puttyhouse's cat yeowled – as always, and Mrs. McGee jogged around the block – as always.

A strange sense of comfort and calm washed over Harry as he witnessed these everyday routines. They were constant, safe. Nothing ever….changed. The car always started, the cat always shrieked and Mrs. McGee jogged around – just like she had done everyday for the past 25 years. Everyone expected it to happen, and it did. You could count on it always being there. You knew it would never…change. …Not like….

Harry clenched his teeth and brought his fist down hard upon the windowsill. God – would everything remind him of Sirius? And as always, his thoughts managed to drift back to his godfather.

Harry felt his chest tighten and he gripped the windowsill, his knuckles turning white. Just…let it go Harry. Let it go…, he repeated, drilling the mantra into his numb brain.

He took a deep breath and willed himself not to think about Sirius. His godfather. His dead godfather. He was gone -- and he wasn't coming back. He died – hadn't Harry witnessed that? God dammit he was dead! Harry laughed, and the harsh sound reverberated around the room and stung his ears painfully.

The scene blurred as the old white walls of his bedroom slowly formed grim faces and a sea of red hair. Harry remembered the small reception for Sirius. He remembered the clouds of drawn faces, coming up to him and murmuring comforting words. "I'm sorry, Harry," "We feel your pain," had been repeated so many times, it felt like if someone had pressed paused, it would have paused. Just like a record player, over and over again, until the tape becomes a part of you, and you can't tear away from it. One phrase was repeated over and over again… 'I'm sorry you lost him…' Harry had felt like punching them in frustration. 'He wasn't lost god dammit! – LOST! If you're lost you can be found. He's not coming back! NO! He's gone! Not lost! Just—just---GONE! Just gone!'

A dog barked and shook Harry out of his swirling memories – only to be pulled back into another cloud of them. An image of a huge, bear-like dog transforming into the handsome face of his godfather engulfed Harry, squeezing him. He closed his eyes and pushed the image away, tear prickling his eyes, uncomfortably.

BRING BRING!

The high-pitched noise of his Aunt and Uncle's alarm clock startled Harry, who sprang back and hit his toe on the dresser. Harry swore colorfully under his breath and rubbed his toe angrily. He looked over at the dresser and glared at it. Stupid lump of wood, he thought. Suddenly he froze and held his breath. On top of the dresser was an old plastic hand mirror – you know the really cheap kind with red plastic around it. It had been there when Harry had moved into the room – but he had never really noticed it before.

Harry walked towards the dresser, treading slowly and heavily – as if he were sifting through clouds. Harry picked the mirror up and gripped it in his shaking fingers. Hope swelled like a wave inside him. Maybe?

Maybe…the mirror would change….and Sirius' face would appear….and….they'd laugh and talk. And…and then they would grump about Kreacher, or tease Hermione or…or…anything. Anything that would bring him back to…before. Just when things were the same.

But then, after a moment – all Harry could see was a pair of wire-rimmed glasses reflected in the grimy, smudged mirror.

Disappointment and fury raged inside of him, and he hurled the mirror at the wall with a choked cry.

What were you hoping for Potter? For Sirius to appear in the mirror and ask you how you were as if nothing had happened? Did you truly believe he would come back? Get a grip, Harry. Sirius isn't coming back – and you know that. Stop kidding yourself.

Harry stared at the broken mirror; shards of glass and red plastic sprinkling the floor. He was breathing hard, his whole body shaking. The familiar, dull ache in his stomach twisted and churned, eating his insides out. He replayed, in his mind, the mirror hurtling towards the floor, light glinting off it's glassy circle, shimmering, before the inevitable crash would break it. And…it'd be gone. Just like that.

CRASH! BOOM!

Harry whipped his head around towards the sound and instinctively drew his wand. Only – his wand was still residing in the cupboard downstairs with his textbooks. His breathing hard, he stepped back instinctively, as if to protect himself from whatever was coming.

Harry suddenly saw his enraged uncle storm into the door, sending locks and bolts flying. His pajama shirt was still on, but crisp black trousers fitted his bulging legs. His hair was still damp and one sock flopped crazily on his foot.

"What the hell is going on in here, boy?" Vernon snarled, small blue eyes glaring accusingly at Harry. "Making a terrific noise you are! You'll wake up half the county!"

Harry stood still, the sharp words of his Uncle washing over him, as water does to the sand. Even this – shouting and yelling – was familiar. It was like a pair of worn pajamas you had. You could slip into it easily and feel comfortable – confident even in what was going to happen.

Suddenly, Vernon Dursley turned white and brandished a trembling finger at his nephew. "You better hope it's none of that m-m-m…that-that RUDDY NONSENSE of yours, hear me? I want NONE of that ridiculous rubbish in my household, YOU HEAR!"

By now, Aunt Petunia had joined him, shooting daggers at Harry, still dressed in her bathrobe and curlers. Dudley snored on, undisturbed by the shouting going on down the hall.

Vernon continued with the enthusiasm of a rampaging elephant. "Now listen here you little--" he stopped and started at the remains of the mirror on the floor.

Vernon stopped and stared. "What are you doing in here? Breaking and ruining things!" he yelled hoarsely, his shaking finger still pointing at his nephew. "Oh, and I suppose you're practicing your silly tricks, eh? Trying to see if you can float things, huh?" Uncle Vernon's sneering voice accompanied his twisted form of a smirk.

"EXPLAIN YOURSELF!" he shouted.

Harry quivered with anger, hands clenched at his sides. "It was an accident!" he said loudly, not backing down. "That IT ALRIGHT! I'M NOT DOING ANY MAGIC!"

The second he said it, he knew he was in for it.

"WHAT have we told you!" Uncle Vernon said in a dangerously quiet voice. "I want NONE of that in my house! And one more word about it, and you'll be locked up."

Vernon and his wife glared at Harry nastily.

"Look!" Harry said as evenly as possible. "Your alarm startled me, I bumped into the dresser and the mirror fell of, okay? That's it."

It wasn't exactly a lie, but wasn't the truth either. Harry brushed those feelings away carelessly and focused his flashing eyes on his pudgy uncle.

Vernon narrowed his eyes at his nephew. "If you're ly--"

"I'm NOT lying," Harry interrupted coldly.

His uncle stared at him for a moment. "Fine," he said briskly. "Clean up the mess and stay in the room. Now you remember, boy, -- DON'T SAY THE 'M' WORD!" Harry didn't respond. "And next time, boy, try and suppress your extreme clumsiness – these are all things I've paid for. Better start showing some respect." He curled his lip at Harry and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Harry collapsed back onto his bed, his hands over his face. Tears slid down his cheeks, and his entire body shook.

"Sirius…" he whispered.

Like it? I wanted the first chapter to really show the toll of Sirius' death on Harry. And I think it showed….well….you know what to do….REVIEW PLEASE! Thank you. :)