Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Chapter Two

Arguments

The shouting had begun early this morning. The Burrow used to be such a quiet place. Now, it was like World War Three had broken out in the small kitchen.

"He broke her heart!" Arthur yelled.

"He's doing what he thinks is best!" Ron shouted in return, defending his friend.

"The guy's a rat!" Fred called from the doorway.

"You weren't saying that last time when he gave you the money to get the shop started." Ron said slyly.

It was what Hermione would have done. She must be rubbing off on him.

"Can we all please stop shouting?" Molly asked, though she was quietly on Arthur's side.

He had no business breaking her only daughter's heart. The nerve!

"Do you think it's any easier for him? She's the only one he's let close to him since me and Hermione!" Ron shouted.

"Of course! His darling Hermione! Why doesn't he be with her then?" Bill asked.

Ron rolled his eyes. His brother had always been protective of his little sister.

"He never felt like that about Hermione! He never has and never will!"

"And how do you know he isn't seeing her right now?" George asked, pressing the fury from his face.

"Because for one thing, he's too bloody miserable to think about any girl, and Hermione's with her family anyway!"

The other Weasleys all started shouting at each other again. Ron slammed his head into the table. True, Harry had broken up with Ginny. True, he had broken her heart. But he was doing what he thought was best. He didn't want her getting hurt, and he didn't want the Weasleys getting hurt either. He cared for them too much. They however, didn't want it. They had always got on so well with Harry. But, they all hated him for breaking their youngest member's heart. He did what was right, and they were throwing it back in his face. Bloody charming. They were all still shouting about 'abuses of trust', and 'preying on young girls' and 'turning their own son/brother, against them'. They went on, saying things like that 'damn nerve of him', 'we take him in, and this is how he repays us', and the thing that made Ron sick, 'we should never have let him near us, the ungrateful whelp'. That was too far.

"ENOUGH!"

The others all turned to face him. He was quivering with rage. This was his best friend. So, he had broken her heart. But he had done the same thing to himself. How dare they talk about him like this!

"You utter gits. How dare you? He did it to protect us. He just wants us to be safe and happy and this is how you repay him?"

First, he turned to his balding father.

"You weren't complaining when he saved your daughter from Riddle! You weren't complaining when he saved you from Nagini! You weren't complaining when he saved me from poisoning! It's disgusting!"

He rounded on his mother.

"Same goes for you! He's saved half your family, and that's how you feel about him! I've lost count of the times he's stuck up for you against people like Malfoy!"

He then turned to Bill.

"If it wasn't for him, you probably would never have met Fleur! He made our sister's life worth living!"

He turned to Charlie, and thought of something.

"And you! It was through him you met your girlfriend! If it wasn't through him being in the Triwizard, you never would have met her!"

He glared at the twins.

"And as for you two, where to begin! He gave you the money you needed to get started! He gave you ideas! He let you test your products where Hermione would have certainly stopped you! He's the one who protected your family!"

Quivering, he glared at them all.

"If that's how you feel about him, maybe he's better off without us!"

He then summoned his things downstairs, dragged them outside, summoned the Knight Bus, and departed for Privet Drive, leaving his family trembling in his wake.

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Harry shook his head as his uncle let loose another barrage of abuse at him. The stupid fat sod thought he was so great. Not for much longer.

"How dare you invite more people like you to my house!?" he bellowed in rage.

"They invited themselves! I had nothing to do with it!" Harry shouted for the hundredth time.

This had been the argument since Harry had told them the previous night that Ron and Hermione were coming until the end of his stay. Dudley had hit him, and Vernon had gone for him, but Harry, who had lost control by that time, had shattered a glass, and he was quickly cowed. Only his aunt seemed to accept it was going to happen and was not getting involved.

"I am not having them in my house! I'm not having you either! If the old git's dead, he deserved what he got!"

Harry's eyes flashed. How dare he? Then, a vase smashed. Petunia swept down with a sweeping pan. She must have known it was coming.

"How dare you!" Vernon raged.

Harry roared in frustration. Vernon leapt back.

"I'm getting out of here! I've had enough!"

He stormed out of the house, slamming the door so hard it smashed the window panes. He stormed down Privet Drive fuming. The Dursleys, especially his uncle, where becoming unbearable. He sat down on a swing in the play park, cursing. He was irked from lack of sleep as well. Last night, he had had dreams of his parents, Cedric, Sirius and Dumbledore being killed by a hooded figure, who turned out to be Voldemort, who turned into Snape, then into Bella and then into Ginny. It wasn't right! The Weasleys had rejected him for doing what was best for them. Why couldn't they understand what he was doing? He screamed in rage, pain and sorrow, and wept. The Weasleys had been his family. Now, they were as distant as the Dursleys. Probably more so. Then, a chorus of singing met his ears. Great. Just what he needed. Dudley and his gang of hanger's on. Harry now considered him the muggle version of his school enemy, Draco Malfoy. Dudley was the typical bully. He was wide, stupid and tough. Unlike his mother, who was thin, bony and nosy, he was a duplicate of his father, as large as they were mean. Dudely's gang turned off, and formed a protective cordon around Dudley as he went straight for Harry. He knew he would get into trouble for blasting Dudley with a curse, but so what? Who cared anymore? He had already said he wasn't going back to Hogwarts. Dudley stopped in front of him and shoved him off the swing. Harry fell to the ground with a thud. Harry glared up at Dudley and his laughing gang. Harry slowly picked himself up.

"You'll pay for that Dudley."

Dudley laughed, and smacked Harry in the head. Harry staggered. Maybe he deserved this for breaking Ginny's heart. But he wasn't going to make his job easier.

"Stop it Dudley." Harry warned.

"You can't frighten me. I can do whatever I want to you."

Harry rolled his eyes up at the setting sun. This was so boring. Dudley was drunk again. Since yesterday, Harry had learnt a lot about his cousin. He was now the most feared boy around, and was no longer a coward, and all he was interested in was girls, drugs and drink. Dudley swung at him again, and missed when Harry ducked. Harry went for his wand, but so it wasn't there. Dudley was holding it in his hand. Harry knew he would get beaten to a pulp if Dudley and co attacked now. He needed his wand. He didn't particularly fancy going to his aunt and trying to get her to give him medical attention. Her affection for him was only that she didn't ask him questions, and was just leaving him alone. She could probably tell he was lovesick. Dudley swung again, knocking Harry to the ground. He swore loudly. Dudley went for him, raising his fist. Then, Dudley disappeared. So did the gang. Harry, wiping his heavily bleeding nose, sat up to see a group of mice exactly where Dudley and his gang where a second before. Had he done that? Then, the mice were thrown into the air, and slammed back into the ground. Three times it happened. Then, there was a white flash, revealing several screaming boys. Then, a white spell his all but Dudley. They all went away, and Dudley went screaming back to his house. Harry lifted his wand, and looked around. Had it been someone from the Order? His heart leapt at a thought: could it have been Ginny? Then, his heart deflated when he thought of how much the Weasleys hated Harry. He gave in and let the tears come. His only family, his replacement family, the ones he would go to any lengths to protect, had abandoned him. Then, he felt a hand on his back. Harry turned around to see Professor McGonagall looking down at him.

"Professor?" he asked, not quite believing it.

"Yes me. Thought you could use some help."

Harry nodded silently, while his teacher lowered herself onto the swing next to him, and using a charm, started them swinging. She then fixed his streaming nose, and looked expectantly at him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Making sure that thug didn't beat you up. I knew, or rather Mrs Figg knew, that he was slipping into alcohol, so she asked me to keep an eye on you."

"But why are you here?"

"Because I know how miserable you feel and I know you want to see a friendly face."

Harry smiled tearfully at his teacher. She smiled back.

"Why did you do it?"

"Because the little sod deserved it. So, when I saw him make a go at you, I thought I would take a leaf out of Barty Crouch's book and do some teaching."

"Thank you."

"No problem. Anyway, that was nothing compared to what will happen when he gets home. Mrs Figg had just been round to say to your family what the boys been up to. And that's if he survives to the door."

He looked at her, alarmed.

"Don't worry. All the same Harry, it was rather careless letting him take your wand. Should have just cursed the bugger and been done with it."

Harry laughed, and she cracked a smile.

"What's been going on?"

"Not much. It's the calm before the storm. He's gathering his strength at the moment. Before he launches his full scale attack."

"Damn."

"I agree."

"And what are the beloved bureaucrats up to?"

"The usual. Running round like headless chickens, trying to keep the peace and fight You-Know-Who. It isn't working."

Harry grinned feebly.

"Now, we best get you home before your blasted relatives lock you out for the night."

Transforming into a tabby cat, she led the way back to the house. He entered, waved to the cat, and then shut the door as the cat disappeared round the hedge. So he was being watched. And he was glad for it. Otherwise he would have been in real trouble. Abruptly, he heard shouting from the living room. Vernon, Petunia, and Mrs Figg were all yelling, and Dudley was screaming back. Suppressing a grin, he headed upstairs.

He entered his room, and turned to flop down onto his bed, still thoroughly miserable. Then, he leapt back up, seeing the two people sitting on his bed. They both smiled at him.

"Hello Harry." Hermione said in concern.

"How are you?" Ron asked with worry.

Harry smiled, his first true smile since Dumbledore had died. He always felt better around friends.

How did they get there? I.m writing this as though I've just uploaded the chapter, so please forgive me if I'm a bit patronising.

Hermione and Ron have arrived, Harry's being watched and Dudley's in trouble. Serves him right. Please read and review!