The Dursley Manor

Friday evenings were often hell for Harry when living with the Dursleys. Dudley often had round a group of friends and Harry had to lock himself in his bedroom to make sure that no one saw Hedwig or his broom stick. Petunia often cooked a posh dinner and her and Uncle Vernon often made sure that they had some sort of guest to entertain.

Dudley was currently banging on Harry's door with his two large friends Samuel and Day. They were stupid names for stupid boys no where as near as stupid as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. At least at Hogwarts he could use magic against them. Here he was forbidden.

"Dudley darling, daddy wants to take the boys home now before Aunt Sarah gets here" Petunia explained and the banging on the door stopped. Dudley laughed.

"Okay mummy, get out" Dudley growled pushing his friends towards the stairs and watching as they skidded down them and to the front door.

"Go and smarten up pudding, she'll be here any minute" Petunia fussed and took Dudley to his bedroom to help his choose a smart enough outfit.

Harry never thought he would find anyone even more uptight than the Dursleys, but he was wrong. Aunt Sarah.

She wasn't related to Harry or Dudley in the slightest manor, but was Uncle Vernon's boss and she insisted that all children call her Auntie.

The door opened and Petunia looked at Harry.

"Get ready, she'll be here soon" She spat, glaring at Harry before slamming the door behind her.

Harry didn't get ready, he sat up, pulled on his socks and then sat staring at Hedwig who was impatiently biting at the lock on her cage.

"You can't go out now. You have to wait until it's dark" Harry explained, poking his finger through the cage only to have it bitten by a very restless Hedwig who hadn't been out of her cage for two weeks, Uncle Vernon's orders.

Once or twice before hand Harry had let Hedwig out at night time, against Vernon's orders but one time he'd managed to see her flying back home and insisted that he learn his punishment by locking her in.

Staring out the window he tried reasoning with himself that only one more week left with the Dursleys and he'd be back at Hogwarts with his friends and real family.

Hearing the door slam in the front yard he heard Uncle Vernon's voice chattering with another, evil cackling voice and at once he knew that it was Aunt Sarah.

The front door opened and Dudley was standing by the door, ready to take the coats from both Sarah and Vernon.

"That's my boy" He whispered, patting Dudley on the head as he led Sarah through to the living room where she saw Patricia adding the finishing touches to the cake she had made earlier.

"Petunia" Sarah spat. She was obviously in a bad mood, but Petunia continued to smile and walked her into the living room where she offered her a chair.

Sarah ignored Petunia completely and took the chair on the other side of the room, sitting on the pile of neatly ironed clothes.

Sarah obviously knew she had high authority in this house and treated the Dursleys like dirt on the bottom of her shoe.

"Where's Harry?" Sarah asked suddenly and Dudley frowned. Why was Sarah suddenly so interested in Harry and not him?

"Upstairs getting ready I suspect, I'll go and fetch him" Vernon said, grunting as he ran up the stairs and slammed his fist on the boys door, opening it at once.

"Come downstairs at once boy! Sarah is asking for you" He growled and Harry nodded, hiding his wand in his top drawer and walking to the door. "And make that ruddy bird shut up will you"

"She's bored. If you'd let her go out flying she'd be quiet. If not, she'll just make as much noise as possible" Harry smirked, sensing the fear on Vernon's face of upsetting Sarah.

"Fine! Let that stupid bird out. I hope it never comes back" He spat before turning and walking down the stairs, thumping back into the living room to entertain his guest.

"Come on girl" He whispered, pulling out his wand to unlock the padlock when a large squealing sounded from outside. He turned to the window and there he saw a bright green objects flashing in the sky. There were blasts of colour coming and he saw an owl flying straight to his window. It was Errol, Ron's bird. He opened the window and just as he shut it a blast of green sparks hit the window and he jumped back. Looking out he saw dark shadows flying round the sky. Death Eaters.

Errol was carrying a letter and Harry opened it and saw Ron's messy scribbled writing.

Harry,

I hope Errol made it okay. Don't let him fly again until broad daylight please, set him off in the morning.

The Death Eaters are out for all witches and wizards now Harry. They're killing all owls that are seen flying the skies, knowing that it's communication between us. I hope Errol's alright. When you get this wait until the morning to reply. If Errol doesn't return tomorrow, I'll go searching for him.

Keep Hedwig inside Harry, it's not safe. Hogwarts couldn't start soon enough. See you next week and be careful when you travel. Voldemort is setting Death Eaters on muggles who live with witches and wizards now. No one is safe here.

P.S. Hermione knows too so don't be sad if she doesn't send a letter or card for your birthday.

Ron.

Harry read the letter aloud and Hedwig's head turned towards Errol sitting on Harry's bed. He had barely made it to Harry's. Narrowly avoiding the blasts from the Death Eaters. He may be a dumb owl but he knows how to survive.

Taking his wand he opened the lock on the cage and let Hedwig out on the bed and Errol into the cage to have some water. He fluttered his wings as a thanks.

"You two stay here, I'll be back up soon." He whispered before opening the door and walking down the stairs to the living room.

"Finally he arrives" Sarah spat as Harry walked into the living room and smiled grimly at her.

"Hi Aunt Sarah" He mumbled and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Still look a mess I see. Honestly Vernon I'd think you'd take more pride in what the boy looks like. I mean I know Dudley's a fat child and could do with a face makeover but to not even dress the boy properly is a crime. Sit Harry" She ordered and he walked over to the sofa, sitting next to a stunned Dudley.

No one had ever commented on his weight before.

"What happened to your parents Harry?" She asked and he tensed, his hands twisting into balls. Vernon, knowing that Harry wouldn't lie about his parents, stepped in.

"Died in a terrible car crash, blown to pieces" He gasped. "More tea Sarah?" He asked, trying to change the subject quickly. She had obviously noticed how he had tensed up at the mention of his parents and instead of leaving it, she decided to press the subject.

"Why wern't you blown up with them then Harry?" She smirked, sensing the anger growing. Without an answer she decided to continue. "I think that if those scummy people could have been taken from the world they could have at least taken their pathetic little child with them. Although they always were cowards themselves weren't they Vernon? Scum I say, should have died ages ago and you should have gone with them" She spat.

Harry's face turned red with anger and Dudley got up and went over to Petunia where she sat trembling on the sofa.

"Harry, why don't you go and check on the food in the kitchen?" Vernon asked, standing in front of Harry, blocking his view of Sarah.

"No. He obviously has something to say, so let him" He smirked.

"Don't you dare talk about my parents like that. You didn't know them. None of you did" He growled, his face darkening. Seconds later and the lamp burst in the corner, the fire shot up larger than before in the fire place, thunder started sounding and the house started trembling.

Sarah, suddenly realising how angry the boy was looked at him, fear in her eyes as she noticed the effect he was having on the house.

Seconds later and the curtains blew up in flames. Screaming Dudley ran to the kitchen, followed by Sarah who grabbed Dudley and shoved him in front of her.

"What's happening?" She screamed as Aunt Petunia followed her into the kitchen. Harry turned towards her.

"Don't you dare talk about my parents ever again" He growled, storming out of the living room which had blown up in flames around him. He sprinted to the stairs, ignoring the plea's from the family to make it stop. As he continued walking the house caught flames and when he got to his room he slammed the door shut. Startling the two owls playing on his bed.

"Sorry" He whispered as he pulled out his trunk from under the bed. He grabbed his clothes, books, homework and wand and five minutes later he slammed the trunk shut, locking it magically using his wand and then he ushered Hedwig and Errol into the cage, locking it shut behind them.

Hearing the front door open and close he looked out the window to see the Dursleys and Sarah gathered around the front garden screaming as they watched their precious house burn.

Grabbing his firebolt from the bottom of the wardrobe he opened the window.

"Lets get out of here" He spat as he grabbed his trunk and magically tied to his brook stick, with the owl cage resting in front of him he jumped on his broom and, shutting the window behind him he took off.

"Lets go" He whispered as he slowly took off.

"What the-" Sarah screamed as she saw Harry flying out of the house on a broom stick. She pointed to the sky and the Vernon started screaming at Harry to come back but with one swift push and he was flying through the sky.

As he flew higher into the sky, struggling to balance Hedwig and Errol in the cage and made sure the magical tie holding his trunk to the broom stick didn't fall; or worse, snap the broomstick.

Having flown over a few rows of houses he found himself above the little park that he often spent his younger days when he tried to stay out of the house and away from the Dursleys. He knew he couldn't fly around forever, knowing that he could be seen and therefore risk expulsion from Hogwarts and having to stay with the Dursleys with no escape was enough to make him calm down and land in the park safely.

Once there he pulled out his wand and untied the trunk, almost like he was giving his broomstick a break.

Now he was sitting in the darkened park with nothing but two owls, who really shouldn't be outside at night time, as company and a bunch of magical supplies. If anyone came across him he would look like a crazy mad man, with two pet owls.

"Hate them" He muttered to himself as he pulled out a jumper from his trunk and slipped it on over the small creased t-shirt he had slipped on at the Dursleys for dinner. Shivering slightly he saw blasts coming from the sky and soon it came across him that him setting the house on fire, tonight of all nights, was one of the silliest mistakes he'd ever made.

As he moved everything to a near by bush it gave him just a little more protection from the death eaters up above. He could see the flashes in the distance and just hoped that really, they were only searching the sky. The good thing about Errol and Hedwig was that they knew when they needed to be quiet and quite frankly, after the ordeal Errol had had, it was any wonder to Harry why he was staying dead still - like he'd been petrified.

He pulled out his wand and layed it in his lap. It seemed to make him feel more comfortable. Easy access. Thinking of ways that he could get out of this mess. Walk to a shelter and hope the Ministry knows? Call a taxi? Catch a bus? Wait it out until daylight?

As he sat on the dirty park floor, hiding the owl cage from sight he heard fire engines in the distance and saw the flashing lights above the two rows of houses. He heard shouting and soon enough he saw figures shooting down from the sky to the Dursleys house.

Jumping Harry watched as more and more shadows appeared outside the house. His first thought springing to the death eaters in the sky. The Dursleys were going to get the Death Eaters Kiss and it was his fault!

As he moved even closer into the bush he pulled off the padlock and sellotape that had been tied on Hedwig's cage, made it safer for the birds in an emergency.

As he watched Hedwig and Errol biting each other playfully and ruffling there feathers, the thought struck him that he could send Hedwig; the stronger of the two birds, to Sirious, or Ron maybe? That way Ron would know that Errol was safe too.

But a loud bang and a shiver in the atmosphere told Harry that that could be a bad idea.

He came to his last option and stood, shaking off the mud from his trousers he walked up to the gate, checking around him and up in the sky to make sure there was no-one watching. He then opened the gate and stood on the side of the road, holding out his wand he whispered, "Lumos" and the end of his wand was engulfed in light.

Within seconds The Knight Bus that had looked after Harry before was in front of him.