Chapter 3 - Potter's Perfect Summer...Almost

"BOY! GET UP AND MAKE BREAKFAST!" bellowed Vernon Dursley from the bottom of the stairs.

Harry Potter wrinkled his nose and rubbed his face with both hands. He had been having the nicest dream of mundane life in Hogwarts. Only three weeks so far at the Dursley's. September seemed like such an awfully long way away.

Harry sat up in bed and reached for his glasses on the bedside table. He yawned as he put them on, slumped out of bed, and padded over to Hedwig's cage. She opened an eye as he replaced her owl pellets, and hooted a good morning before turning her head under her wing and going back to sleep. Harry smiled, closed the cage and covered it with a cloth to keep the light out for her.

He grabbed a shirt three sizes too big, donned it, and slumped down the stairs to the kitchen to make breakfast.

As he was turning bacon, Harry thought about his summer so far. He had already painted the garage, cleaned the gutters, pulled all the weeds from Aunt Petunia's flower garden, mowed the lawn every week, and replaced a window Dudley intentionally broke and subsequently blamed on Harry, along with his normal household chores. He didn't understand why he couldn't just spend the summer at 12 Grimmauld. Sure, Mrs. Black's screeching was annoying, but Sirius had willed it to him. Technically he owned it, and Dumbledore just took it over the Order headquarters. It was unplottable, he'd be safe.

He sighed and took the bacon off the heat, dumped it on a plate and then cleaned the pan. He put the plates of eggs, pancakes and bacon on the table. Shuffling back up the stairs, he yelled, "Breakfast's done" and went to his room, shutting the door behind him.

It was in mid-July that the Weaslys' owled Harry inviting him to the Cannons game in Ireland. They had gotten clearance from Dumbledore for a little over a week. Harry thought of it…a 11 days away from the hell called 4 Private Drive. They would be picking him up in the flying car, which, after a couple years in the Forbidden Forest, decided to come back home for a nice oil change and come tender loving care.

Heck Yeah!

Ron et. all,

I think love is too insignificant a word to describe how ecstatic I'd be to go to Ireland with you guys for the Cannons game. I'll have everything ready by the time you're ready to pick me up on July 25th. I wouldn't recommend using the flying car, unless you just drive up like a muggle. We'll use the front door, the Dursley's will be prepared.

Can't wait to see you guys! I miss you all so much.

-HP

Harry sent the letter with Hedwig, along with one to Hermione letting her know he'd be with them in Ireland. She was taking a vacation with her parents there, and they would also be at the game. Her parents were excited to see what all this quidditch stuff was about. She would then join them at the Burrow for Harry's birthday.

Harry ticked off the days on his calendar. Only 3 days away, and he'd be gone for a whole 11 days. The summer was looking a little brighter.

When Harry told the Dursley's that he would be leaving for a while, they hardly blinked an eye. Once the 25th rolled in, Harry anxiously waited downstairs for the Weasleys to arrive.

And arrive they did, almost the whole clan was there to welcome Harry. Ron and Ginny helped Harry with his trunk as Fred and George shot glances at Dudley while snickering. The enormous boy became panic stricken and ran into the kitchen. Molly chatted at Petunia, at not to, since the latter woman looked as though she'd rather die than acknowledge the woman's existence, as Arthur became extremely excited by the message machine next to the telephone. Harry had to literally pry the man off the machine and push him out the door, slamming it as he left.

Ireland was wonderful. They spent a lot of time in the wizarding districts in Dublin, and Harry was able to replenish some of his supplies for the summer homework teachers inevitably assigned.

They met up with Hermione and the Grangers on the third day there. She scolded both Ron and Harry for not already having their homework done.

The next day, the Chudley Cannons lost to the Ballycastle Bats. Ron was heartbroken, but to cheer him up, Harry got the lead chaser to sign a quaffel for him, which Ron raved about for the rest of the day. Hermione and her parents left the next day to continue on with their tour, but she promised to send an owl later, and she would be at the Burrow on the 31st anyway, and stay past the 3rd for Bill and Flur's wedding.

Ron was the only one truly saddened by her departure.

"God Ron, just ask her out already," Ginny huffed as they had ice cream while Molly chased after the twins.

"What would you know, Ginevra. Were I you, I'd keep my mouth shut about the things you have no knowledge about knowing."

"That wasn't even a sentence, Ronald. I'm tired of looking at your stupid long face. You'll see her in just a couple days, stop pining or I'll owl her with the more lurid entries about her in your diary."

"It's not a diary, it's a journal, you little twit!" Ron lobbed a spoonful of ice cream at his sister, which missed. Harry watched as he spooned great mouthfuls of ice cream.

"MOM! RON CALLED ME A TWIT!"

"SHE THREATENED TO SHOW HERMIONE MY JOURNAL!"

Mrs. Weasley responded dismissively, "Ronald, don't call your sister names. Ginevra, stop teasing Ronald about his crush."

"MOM!!!" Ron burrowed his now red face in his arms and Ginny snickered. Harry laughed and choked on some ice cream. Ginny furiously pounded Harry on the back while he waited for the cold mass to melt.

"Thanks," Harry said a little sheepishly. Ginny just shook her head, smirking, and went back to her ice cream.


There was quite a turnout for Harry's birthday. Not only were all the Weasleys there for Bill's wedding, but Lupin showed up as well. He wasn't expected until the 2nd, but arrived early to surprise Harry. Dumbledore and Hagrid sent cards with owls; their Hogwarts letters arrived at the same time, much to Hermione's delight. There was even an added class, much to Ron's and Harry's chagrin, Life After Hogwarts. Immediately she started to plan her budget for all her supplies for each N.E.W.T. class on the curriculum.

"But Hermione, you don't have the…thing you did last time. You CAN'T take all the classes."

"Well, Harry, I can sure try my hardest." Harry only smiled and opened the letter from Hagrid, which included some Rock Cakes.

When everyone had arrived, Molly had made a delicious cake, and then it was presents. Harry looked at the huge pile on the table as everyone watched expectantly. But he didn't move, just stared.

Ron leaned over to his best friend, "Harry, mate, something wrong?" he whispered.

"I've just never had this many before. I…" and he couldn't continue.

Ron smacked him on the back, "It's cuz we care. Now, you better start ripping things open, or I will, I wanna know what's in them."

Harry smiled, and picked up the first one, opening one after another, but taking the time to appreciate each. From Fred and George he got an arrangement of the newest products, as well as a small card pointing out the ones he DIDN'T want to use on Hogwarts grounds.

"You know, we've never been expelled…"

"But, we've also never come up with something so brilliant."

"Wouldn't want you to get kicked out…"

"It being last year and all."

"Sure, we did fine, but…"

"You have insane ideas of being an Auror, so…"

"Mum would kill us if we were the reason for expulsion."

From Ron and Ginny he got his very own training snitch. It was spelled to anticipate your movement to provide more of a challenge. From Mr. Weasley he got a new pair of Quidditch gloves. Hermione had given him a book, "I know you're going to be taking N.E.W.T. classes for potions, and in case I'm not, this book should be what you need." Unraveling Potions the title read, and when Harry opened the book, it had several potion recipes as well as the theory behind why you add things in different order.

Molly had knit Harry a new pair of gloved, a few scarves and a hat. "It gets so cold there, you keep warm or you'll catch something!"

The most surprising was the gift from Lupin. It was a wand. 15 inches, ebony and willow. Harry looked confused.

It took a moment for Lupin to speak. "It was Sirius' wand. Dumbledore had it in his possession when Sirius was sent to Azkaban, and was willed to me when he passed. I'd… I'd feel better if you had it. For some reason I think it belongs with you."

Harry stared, speechless, at the wand. This had been his godfather's. The only relative that he could remember loving him. He ran his finger over the wood lightly, and the room, dimmed from the dusk moving to night, lit up like the middle of the day. Harry quickly drew his hand back. Everyone seemed a little startled, except for Lupin. Lupin instead had a knowing smile, which reminded Harry very much of Dumbledore, and he wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. He thanked his surrogate godfather, and very carefully put the lid back on the box.

Charlie had given him some dragon hide gloves, which were fire proof and as tough as steel, "because you never know what type of beast Hagrid will have next," he exclaimed.

Flur and Bill gave a rare potion developed by veela in Flur's hometown in France. "Et is to know zee true thoughts of anozer. Usually et is used when trying to find the intentions of a mate, but et can be used on friends, on enemies. When used you will know what zay think for one day."

After presents was cake, which was delicious. Everyone then retired to the living room with big glasses of sun tea that Ginny had made. As Hermione and Ron played wizards chess, Harry sat by a window looking out on the countryside in the night, a little melancholy but otherwise content. His mind kept drifting back to the wand.

On the third of August, Flur and Bill were married. They had chosen to get married in the Weasley's backyard in a small ceremony. Everything was beautiful, especially the bride. Flur's family had come for the occasion, which distracted the boys more than a little. As the reception started to die down, they made their goodbyes before apparating off to Greece. Harry went to go back inside the house to get the gloves he received from Charlie to show Dumbledore when he passed Hermione and Ron in an alcove.

"Ron, I don't see why you need to be so…" Hermione was promptly cut off by Ron's lips which had attached to her own. Harry smiled. It was about time that boy took some action instead of just sit around and mope, Harry thought. For the rest of the stay at the Burrow, neither said anything about a new relationship, so Harry didn't ask, but he caught them chancing glances at each other, and every once and a while Hermione would blush. Even though he had to go back to the Dursleys before going to Hogwarts, this had been a very nice summer.


It was dark on the little street of Private Drive. The only light was from the lamp posts that lined the sides of the street. In the shadows a cloaked figure appeared. A few moments later, another appeared, and another. Silently they made their way to Number 4.

In his room, Harry was reading about the Draught of Living Death in the book Hermione had given him for his birthday. It was a week before school, and he was eating up the book. Potions, while not his favorite subject, he now found moderately interesting. The book explained that if you did not powder the asphodel the wormwood would activate before it had a proper chance to seep through the whole root, thus powdering was necessary for proper diffusion.

He was just about to read about why you must gather the wormwood at noon on a Sunday when he heard a crash from downstairs.

"BOY! WHAT COMMOTION ARE YOU CAUSING NOW?" Vernon yelled, as he got up from his bed and made his way out the bedroom door towards Harry's room. Petunia and Dudley looked out from their doors to see what was going on. Vernon stopped halfway, however, when he passed the stair landing and saw a group of ten hooded figures downstairs in his foyer. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, WHOEVER YOU ARE! I'M CALLING THE POLICE!"

Harry leapt from his bed, and cracked open his door enough to see one of the figures make it up the stairs. It wore a black hooded cloak, but from beneath the hood Harry could see the white mask of the Death Eater. He ran to his bedside table, and just as he grabbed his wand, he heard the horrible sound of Vernon's screams. As he rushed out of his room to the landing, he saw his uncle twist and wither on the ground as the Death Eater held the Cruciatus Curse pointed at Vernon.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at the Death Eater. The wand flew out of the Death Eater's hand, canceling the curse, and he flew backwards down the stairs. Before Harry could take a breath, three other Death Eaters had made their way up the stair and were headed his way. He ran to Dudley's room shoved his cousin inside and with a quickly whispered Colloportus locked him inside.

The only choice Harry had left was to run head first through the Death Eaters to get to Petunia, who was on the ground trying to crawl her way to her husband without getting noticed. One of the Death Eaters was making their way towards Petunia and Vernon, wand raised ready to strike. Harry raised his wand quickly, shouting a Silencio spell so the Death Eater couldn't get his words out, and he dove with all his might through the Death Eater crowd. As he grabbed Petunia by her shoulders and pushed her back, his uncle was hit with another Cruciatus Curse, which barely missed Harry himself.

"CLOSE THE DOOR!" he shouted as he rounded on the Death Eater that threw the curse. Before he could disarm him, the third Death Eater had Accioed his wand from him. He watched with a sickening feeling as the Death Eater snapped his wand in two. The painful screams of his uncle tore through Harry, and the only choice he had he took. He dove at the Death Eater, who, not expecting a physical attack, broke his concentration and the curse. Vernon was out cold.

The Death Eater, regaining their feet, threw Harry towards his bedroom. Harry rolled and hit his head hard on the wall beside his room, and reaching a hand up he could tell it had started to bleed. He crawled into his room, slammed the door behind him. Harry crawled over to his bed and wedged himself between his bed and his bedside cupboard. He had just enough time to open the cupboard door to shield himself when the Death Eaters blew through his door and shot a Stunning Spell at him, which was deflected by the door.

Just then, a box fell on Harry's head. It was the box that held Sirius' wand. As he opened the box, and his fingers just grasped the wand, the middle Death Eater shouted "NO Bellatrix!" and a Death Eater to his left shot out a Cruciatus Curse at Harry. As the spell came at Harry, it cast a blue radial glow when it hit a shield Harry had never put up. Bellatrix screamed, ripping off her mask and dove to attack the boy physically.

She was intercepted by Lupin halfway, who had just dived in through the window. The other two Death Eaters in the room Apparated from the room as Lupin and Bellatrix rolled on the ground, trying to gain control. Harry held out the wand, and before he could even utter a word Bellatrix slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT THAT OLD CODGER SAID, YOU ARE OUT OF MY HOUSE THIS INSTANT." Petunia stormed into the small room, and disregarding the two bodies still lying on the floor started to open Harry's dresser drawers and empty the contents out onto the bed. Harry could see through the door Moody and Tonks righting up Vernon and reviving him. Dudley pounded on his door, shouting to be let out, now that he knew the coast was clear. "I never signed up for my family getting attacked…"

"I apologize Mrs. Dursley, we were keeping watch but…" Lupin said hastily as he bound Lestrange.

"But it wasn't good enough. My family will not suffer because of this little FREAK."

"HE IS YOUR FAMILY, MADAM!" Lupin shouted back.

Petunia rounded until her beaked nose was in Lupin's face, and shouted "NOT ANYMORE! I DISOWN HARRY POTTER FROM THE EVANS NAME!" A purple glow surrounded her for a moment and then disappeared. Lupin sat on Lestrage, staring at Petunia in horror.

Petunia herself looked surprised for a moment, and then satisfied with herself, she pointed at Harry and said, "YOU have 10 minutes to get out of my house before I call the police." With that declaration, she turned on her heel, waved Tonks and Moody from her now conscious husband, and took the three of them into Vernon and her bedroom, soundly closing the door behind.

"Pr… Remus, what happened?" Harry asked, confused by the purple light. He looked at the wand he was holding and Lupin saw it had a bloody hand print on it, as well as Harry's hand covered with blood.

"I'm not sure Harry, but we better leave quickly if it's what I think it is." Lupin sat up as Tonks and Moody came into the bedroom and carried out Bellatrix. He walked over to Harry and took a look at his head, which was bleeding freely. A whispered spell stopped the bleeding and Harry cast Scougafy to clean the blood from his head, hand and wand.

Lupin waved his wand in a dramatic manner, and everything of Harry's floated and circled the room once, before shrinking and organizing itself in Harry's school trunk. They took the trunk down to the living room where Dobby was waiting for them.

"Am I going to Hogwarts now?" Harry asked.

"Not quite yet, we have Dobby on loan, we will be going to the Blacks Home." Dobby, looking as serious as a house elf can, put his hand on the trunk and popped out. "You've passed your Apparation test, right Harry?"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, well, ten minutes is up, let's get going."

"I'll stay behind just to make sure Harry makes it OK and make sure everything is cleared up," Tonks said, coming down the stairs, repairing a little bit of the banister with a spell on her way down.

"Will Dumbledore be there?" Harry asked.

"No, you won't be able to see him until start of term, called away on business. We'll talk about what happened when we get there."

Harry nodded, watched Lupin Apparate, and then Apparated himself.


Pinkey, a house elf employed at 12 Grimmauld Place was beating the tapestry which held the family tree, trying to clear it of dust. Once she was done she banished away the fallen dust, and moved onto the ballroom.

The tapestry hung there in the empty room, so familiar its presence, so easily passed by without a glance. But, for one moment, the tapestry glowed purple. Once the glow disappeared, the tapestry hung just has it did, looked just as it did since it was last updated with the birth of Narcissa's son.

It looked just the same, except for one name now added, off Sirius Black's branch: Harry James Black Potter.


A/N: Thank you all for all the lovely reviews!