Harry Potter and the Ruby of the Phoenix Author- SayinShinigami Rating-PG-13 Setting: Fifth Year Genre- Acton/Adventure Disclaimer- I do not claim the rights to Harry Potter or any of the Characters in the series. I'm borrowing them purely for entertainment.

A.N.: This is my first (and hopefully not last!) Harry Potter fanfiction! Please go easy on me, and the best review you could give would have a little constructive criticism as well. I live off the stuff. Thanks, peace, and may the Schwartz be with you! ************** Life at Number Four Privet Drive was, to say the least, dull. At least, it was for a certain individual named Harry Potter. After all, when one is discouraged from doing one's summer homework and made to do the most tedious tasks all day there is no other way to describe it. Of course, it could be described differently for the other occupants of this common little house.

Those other occupants, Vernon, Petunia, and their son Dudley Dursely were terrified of Harry. The reason is because Harry was a wizard. The only wizard to survive being attacked by Voldemort and became known as The-Boy- Who-Lived. Not that the Durselys care, as far as they're concerned Harry's just a freak that happens to be related to them. Although it did have its advantages to be scared of. One example was the fact that they didn't force him to do much housework like other families because they were afraid he'd bewitch something, even though they knew he wasn't allowed. So Harry spent most of his time in his small room, thinking. Which is what he was doing at this moment.

I wish Hedwig was here, he thought glumly, at least then I'd have someone to talk to. He sat up on his bed and walked over to the middle of his floor and pried up the loose floorboard where he kept his secret supply of food. The diet was still imposed on Dudley, but Aunt Petunia still made sure Harry got the least amount of food. After grabbing a few Pumpkin Cakes and a bottle of Butterbeer he replaced the floorboard and moved over to his trunk. Grabbing a few pieces of parchment and his quill and ink bottle he sat down on his bed and began to write out letters to his friends,

Ron,

How's your summer going? Mine's been absolutely boring. The Durselys are completely ignoring me and I have nothing to do! I even did all of my essays. Has Dumbledore said if I can come over yet or not? I can't stand it here anymore. Please owl me a letter soon.

Your Friend, Harry

Setting the letter aside to dry he re-inked his quill and started another letter,

Hermione,

How's Bulgaria with Krum? Ron's not too happy that you went there, but at least he's stopped calling him, "Hermione's little Vicky." In the last letter I got from him he said that at least five times. And before you start worrying about my homework I'll tell you now that I've already finished it. Have a good time and write back soon.

Your Friend, Harry

Putting away his quill and ink he set his letters aside while he hid the evidence of eating more than Dudley. He then grabbed his Omnioculars to search the skies for Hedwig. Failing to see her he lowered the Omnioculars and looked around Privet Drive. There wasn't much to see, except maybe that tabby cat sitting on the fence.

Letting his gaze wander it eventually came back to the tabby. There was something peculiar about it, but what? Raising his Omnioculars to his eyes he looked at it a little closer. It sitting completely still on the fence, not even it's tail was moving. Zooming in a bit he saw an odd marking around its eyes.

A small smirk came to his lips, "It's McGonagall. I wonder how long she's been watching me." Opening his window he looked around to make sure no one was around he called out to her, "Professor! Why don't you come in a bit? I'm sure you know that the Dursleys are out."

The cat continued to stare at him, but then quickly ran across the lawn and jumped into open kitchen window. Harry walked over to his door and opened to find the Transfiguration professor outside his door.

"Hello Harry. How's your summer been?"

"Absolutely boring! The Dursleys act as if I don't even exist. I'm so bored I did all of my summer essays. Do you have any idea when Professor Dumbledore will let me go to the Weasly's? I can't stand it here any more."

"Actually that's why I let you see me. Albus asked me to come over here and tell you that you may go there tomorrow at eight o'clock in the morning."

"But how? They would've owled me by now if they were going to pick me up tomorrow."

She smiled a bit and reached into her robes, "That's why I came to tell you. Auther and Molly wanted to surprise their kids so they asked Albus to make a Portkey to take you there." As she said this she pulled out an envelope, "This will activate at eight a.m. on the dot. Make sure you're holding on to your school supplies."

"Wow. Thanks professor. I can't wait to see Ron's face when I show up!" There was a bang from outside Harry's door and his uncle's voice announcing that Harry was going to help carry in the new television.

McGonagall gave Harry a questioning look, "Television?"

"A muggle thing. Kinda like wizarding photographs. Dudley broke his last one when he fell on it."

"Oh. Well I have to go now, and try to behave yourself at the Weasley's."

Harry gave his most innocent look, "Oh I will professor."

"That didn't work on me when your father did it and it won't work on me now," with that she turned back into a cat and carefully leapt out the window. After closing the window Harry opened his door and walked out to carry in Dudley's latest television.

After carrying it upstairs he went to inform his uncle about his travel arrangement for tomorrow. He cautiously knocked on the doorframe of his uncle's study, "Uncle Vernon?"

His uncle looked up in annoyance, "What do you want boy? I'm busy." Harry glanced at the comic section of the newspaper in his uncle's meaty fist.

"I wanted to tell you I'm leaving tomorrow morning at eight."

Vernon's resounding shout rattled the windows in his study, "WHAT? Those.those.FREAKS will be coming to MY house tomorrow! I forbid it! Every time they're over my house is destroyed or something happens to Dudley! I forbid them to come over!" His face was so red Harry thought he looked like he had drunk some Pepper-Up Potion.

"Like you could stop them," he muttered under his breath. To his uncle he said, "They're not coming to get me. I'm leaving with a Portkey. It's a wiza-"

"You will not mention that abnormality in my house! Fine! You may leave tomorrow! But if anything happens to Dudley or my house you will face the consequences next summer!" With that he huffed and went back to the "important" business of reading the comics.

With a smile, Harry said thanks, and went back to his room. He then packed up his few possessions into his trunk and placed Hedwig's cage on top of it. Just as he set it down, the cage's owner flew in the window and landed on his bed. With a hoot in greeting she held her leg out, and attached to it was a piece of parchment. Brow furrowing with curiosity Harry took the letter and unrolled it. A grin came to his face when he saw it was a letter from Sirius!

Dear Harry,

How's your summer been? I hope what happened last year hasn't bothered you too much. I was just thinking of writing this letter when Hedwig flew in the window. I just wanted to tell you that I'm okay and Buckbeak is okay as well. Also there's been sightings of Wormtail! Enough of them that the Ministry is considering my innocence. I'm actually allowed out in public! But I have to have a Ministry official by me at all times. Don't worry though, they assigned me Percy Weasely. I think his dad had something to do with that, though. So I'll see you at the Burrow later this summer and have a real celebration for your birthday! Moony said he'd try to make it as well. All I have left to say is DON'T behave at the Dursely's. You are the son of a Marauder after all.

Love, Sirius

Harry's grin grew even wider. Now he got to spend his summer with Sirius too! This was going to be his best summer ever! With that last though he climbed into bed and slept a dreamless sleep.