Harry awoke early, his head still feeling slightly foggy but still feeling relaxed. 'Whoa, last night was amazing.' He thought to himself, making a mental note to get more weed off Malcolm as soon as possible. However he had other things to think about now; it was time for the second part of his plan. If Dumbledore thought Harry wouldn't be going to Diagon Alley this year, he thought wrong. If Harry was going to continue his newfound habits whilst at Hogwarts, he was going to need a lot more money, and the more Dumbledore tried to protect him the more he wanted to disobey him. However Harry wasn't stupid enough to draw unwanted attention to himself, so he pulled an old cap of Dudley's over his infamous scar and pulled a large dark hoodie over his thin frame. Patting his pockets to check he had his cigarettes, lighter, wand and money, he walked briskly out of the house and to the end of Privet Drive, where he surreptitiously held his wand out in front of him, only having to wait a few seconds until the Knight bus was towering in front of him. He quickly boarded, breathing a sigh of relief when he realised the bus was practically empty. The conductor could clearly sense he wasn't in a talkative mood as he left Harry alone to his thoughts, most of which were working on fighting down the nausea as the bus sped through the rush hour.

They had arrived at Diagon Alley within a few minutes, Harry quickly paying before anyone could recognise him. However when he entered the Leaky Cauldron Harry found himself smirking when he realised he had been right about Dumbledore's over protectiveness. No one was paying any attention to him, too engrossed in their conversations or reading the Daily Prophet. He made his way out into the alley, subconsciously lighting a cigarette as he wandered towards Gringotts. He ignored the looks some people were throwing him; clearly cigarettes weren't very common in the wizarding world. Harry didn't let them faze him however, he hardly ever got to leave Little Whinging and he was enjoying his time away from his relatives.

After he had withdrawn enough muggle money from his vault to fund his rather expensive new habits for the next year, he stood outside the bank, considering what to buy. Dumbledore was buying his books and he didn't need new robes. He thought about buying sweets or a new broom for Quidditch, but both seemed childish and pointless now. Harry felt like there was no point being on the Quidditch team this year. He had other priorities now and he was fed up of always fitting into the stereotypes of the Gryffindor golden boy. He wanted to break away from the image, shock people, and have them know him for something other than the Boy-Who-Lived. With that thought in mind Harry made his way out of the Alley and into muggle London. If he was going to shock people he wouldn't find anything in the wizarding world, as he found in general wizards and witches were rather single minded and traditional. Harry found himself in an area of London that was clearly aimed for the younger population. Loud metal and rock sounding music drifted out of the shops and the teenagers milling around all looked stylish and edgy. He couldn't help envying them slightly as he stood there in his dull generic Dudley cast offs. He made his way into the first shop and wandered around the racks of clothing. He had never bought his own clothes before, and it was a slightly alien feeling that he was able to choose exactly what he liked. Harry grabbed some skinny black jeans and t-shirts and hoodies in dark colours. He felt the clothes were describing his mood currently, and he'd always felt he looked better in dark clothing anyway. He also grabbed some converse and vans trainers, which he'd recognised a lot of the teenagers outside the shop to be wearing. He quickly paid and left the store, making his way back outside into the sun. It wasn't that Harry was looking to draw attention to himself, but more that he was changing to become the person he wanted to be. And anyway, he secretly liked the idea of looking more dark and mysterious, it reminded him of Sirius in a way.

As he ambled down the busy and buzzing streets, enjoying his freedom, he noticed a shop that caught his eye. It was a tattoo and piercing parlour, and Harry couldn't but feel slightly drawn to the shop. A piercing would be the perfect way to piss off Dumbledore and be a 'fuck you' to his rule that Harry wasn't allowed out in the summer. He pushed open the door and walked up to the desk.

'Uh hi, would I be able to get a piercing?' harry found himself asking the heavily pierced and tattooed woman at the desk.

'Course you can, what do you want?' She smiled at him warmly, clearly sensing he was nervous

Harry found himself slightly stumped. 'What do you think would suit me best?'

She cocked her head back, almost as if she was surveying him. 'Follow me' She replied, flashing him a grin.

Harry found himself leaving the shop 20 minutes later with a piece of silver metal harnessing the left side of his lip. He was surprised by how much he liked it, it made him look tougher and suited his new image. When he imagined the look on his teachers and relatives faces he knew it was definitely worth the throbbing pain he was currently in. He'd had a good day, and he hadn't run into anyone who had tried to kill him. Fucking overprotective Dumbledore. However he needed to focus on the present issue, the Dursleys. Harry sighed, knowing that he'd have to go back there at some point, and he would be in huge trouble regardless; he may as well get it over with. He slipped into a quiet alley and quickly called the Knight bus, a sinking feeling settling into his stomach that his day was over. As the bus lurched through suburban Surrey Harry watched as the sun was sinking lower into the horizon, and he tried to enjoy the few moments of calm before he had to face his aunt and uncle's yelling. All too quickly he was outside his relative's house, and he could swear he could feel his relative's anger radiating out the house. As soon as he opened the door his aunt and uncle were in the hallway with him, fury on their faces.

'HOW DARE YOU RUN OFF AGAIN! I've had it with you boy, this has gone on too far! We let you back here year after year, yet you think it's acceptable to go gallivanting off with your freaky friends no doubt!' His uncle started to yell at him. Harry stood there, automatically blocking him out.

'Well what do you have to say to us you spoilt brat!' He heard his aunt screech cut in. Something inside harry snapped when they called him spoilt, they of all people knew he was the opposite.

'Go fuck yourselves.' Harry growled at them defiantly as he made a move to walk past them.

Unfortunately his uncle recovered far quicker from his comment then he had expected, and raised a large fist and slammed it into his jaw. Harry was almost knocked sideways from the force of the blow and the shock that his uncle had punched him. Vernon had threatened to many times, and had slapped him around before, but Harry had never pissed him off enough to have him punch him.

'DON'T EVER SPEAK TO US LIKE THAT AGAIN YOU DISRESPECTFUL FREAK! ONE MORE TOE OUT OF LINE AND YOU'LL BE OUT OF HERE PERMANENTLY, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR FREAK SCHOOL SAY.' By this point his uncle had turned bright red, and was shaking with anger.

Harry was sure that if this had happened even a year ago he would have been shit scared. However he felt like he just didn't have the time or energy to care anymore. His relatives' threats were useless, and he didn't care about being locked in his room or not having meals. Perhaps having no emotion apart from anger anymore was actually a positive, at least it meant he wasn't getting hurt anymore. Therefore he made his way up the stairs and into his room as casually as possible, trying to stop a smile breaking on to his face as his aunt attempted to calm Vernon down. Harry flopped on to his creaky bed, tired after his long day. He heard his aunt come up the stairs and lock his door, then stomp away. With all things considered, at least they'd been too angry to notice his piercing or ask where he'd gotten the money for all the shopping he'd been carrying. harry didn't have any intention of listening to them anyway, he would be sneaking out as soon as he ran out of weed and cigarettes, which would most likely be soon as he was locked in. Harry started folding away his new wardrobe; he hadn't realised how much he'd bought. He mentally thanked his parents for at least not giving him financial problems.

Meanwhile at Hogwarts, Severus Snape was giving a complicated new potion his full attention, Potter as far from his mind as possible. At the pivotal moment, there was a sharp knock at his laboratory door. Choosing to ignore it, Snape continued to stir the Dandelion root into the deep blue concoction. However the door was pushed open, and Dumbledore stepped into the lab. Snape grinded his teeth together and attempted to ignore the man, but Dumbledore chose to talk to him anyway.

'Ah Severus, always working hard I see. May I have a quick word?' Knowing the man would not leave until he agreed, he sighed and banished the potion.

''Certainly, what would you like to talk to me about?' Snape asked.

'Harry.' As Dumbledore replied, Severus instantly noticed his face become graver.

'What now?' Severus managed to ground out. How did that boy continue to be the bane of his life even when they were hundreds of miles apart?

'Mrs. Figg told me she saw him strolling around at 5am the other night, and apparently he seemed to be behaving slightly unusually. I've warned him previously of the dangers of walking around unaccompanied, particularly at night.'

Snape felt anger rise in him. 'I've also specifically told him not to leave his house Albus, the boy seems determined to get himself killed. There is nothing more that can be done.'

Dumbledore frowned slightly. 'This is most worrying indeed. I'm not sure why Harry is acting this way. Can you talk to him again Severus?'

'He does not listen Albus, as his behaviour over the last five years has repeatedly shown. He is selfish and arrogant, clearly thinking he's invincible.'

Dumbledore cut into his rant. 'Just ask the child why he's behaving in this way, please try and hold back your personal feelings for him Severus.'

'Yes fine, I'm seeing him tomorrow.' Snape replied, wanting to get back to his potion before his anger got out of control.

'Very well, I'll see you later Severus.' Dumbledore smiled at him warmly and left.

'Idiot boy! The whole order is running around to protect him and he goes out doing God knows what in the middle of the night! If Albus thinks I'm going to be nice he has another thing coming, the boy clearly needs discipline. Just like his foolish and arrogant father.' Severus thought to himself. Oh no, he certainly would not be nice to the boy tomorrow morning.

Harry awoke the next morning with an hour to spare before his miserable git of a teacher would be in his bedroom. He quickly set about straightening his room, which was mainly hiding anything incriminating. He had decided against smoking the rest of his weed last night in case he was still stoned when Snape came to teach him. After he finished tidying his room, he decided to pick out some of new clothes. He chose the blackest, skinniest jeans, a loose black t-shirt and a dark hoodie. Harry wasn't vain but he definitely felt like he looked good; minus the dark bruise on his jaw, and with his new lip piercing and unbrushed hair he finally felt like he was Harry, not just the Boy-Who-Lived anymore. He settled down by his window to wait for Snape, and he wasn't disappointed when he saw the man apparated at the bottom of the street.

'Oh shit, he looks pissed as hell.' Harry thought to himself. The man was storming up the street, a look of fury on his face. Fantastic. Harry couldn't even open the door to let him in, which would do nothing to improve his mood. However he needn't have worried, as the man was so angry he unlocked the door himself as he stomped up to the front door. Shit, this was not going to be a good day for Harry.

He heard his bedroom door being unlocked, then the man himself was looming in the doorway, a look of cold fury on his face. Harry held his breath as the man took a step closer to him.

'Mr. Potter, do you remember the little chat we had a few days ago about safety precautions?'

'Uh...Yes sir?' Harry replied, his heart feeling like it had stopped beating.

'Then what, in your idiotically small brain, thought it was acceptable to go walking around in the middle of the night?'

Harry stared at him for a second. How the fuck did he know he had sneaked out?

'Um, I couldn't sleep.' He mumbled, not quite meeting his eyes. Shit he was a bad liar.

'Do not lie to me Potter.' Snape said deliberately.

'Do you have no sense of self preservation Potter? People are risking their lives everyday in the order to keep you safe, yet you cannot even follow the most simple instructions to stay inside. You are without a doubt one of the most selfish people I've ever had the misfortune to meet.' Snape said, fury and bitterness seeping out through his words.

'So what, I went for a walk.' Harry snapped, standing up. 'Why is everyone treating me like a child, I'm old enough to do what I want and I'm mature and responsible.'

Snape sneered at him. 'You were clearly out getting that ridiculous piece of metal in your face, I'd hardly call that responsible behaviour Potter. Now again, please tell me how you plan to defend yourself if a group of death eaters find out your location.'

Harry saw red, and he didn't seem to be able to control what he was saying. 'I'm surprised you haven't told them I'm here already seeing as you spend so much time with Voldemort. Dumbledore's an idiot to trust you.'

The next thing Harry knew his feet were dangling a few inches of the ground, as his potions professor had pulled him up by his t-shirt, his hands shaking with barely controlled rage.

'Don't ever talk to me like that again Potter. Your lack of respect and gratitude will get you nowhere in life, and to think you are the 'The Chosen One.' Snape spat at him.

'The headmaster will be hearing about your appalling behaviour, and you've earnt yourself another month of detention.' Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes. When was Snape going to realise he didn't give a fuck about detentions anymore? Snape practically threw him back down on to his bedroom floor, looking at him with pure hatred. He then turned and left, slamming Harry's door behind him.

'And he thinks I'm disrespectful, he's the most unprofessional and shitty teacher at that fucking school and isn't even bothering to try and teach me occlumency anymore.' Harry thought angrily to himself. Not that he was too bothered, the lessons were useless anyway and he was fed up of seeing Snape all the time. He hoped Snape would refuse to teach him for the rest of the summer at least, although knowing Dumbledore he'd probably make Snape come and check up on him even more often now. Harry couldn't think of anything worse, and quickly grabbed a cigarette to calm his anger down. At least he would be back at Hogwarts in three weeks, where he could spend as much time as possible away from the man who probably wanted to kill him nearly as much as Voldemort did.

A/N: Sorry it's been a while since I updated! I broke my phone which had my whole plan for this story on, and after losing it I didn't really feel like writing for a while. Anyway I hope people like this chapter, I feel like the story is moving slightly too slowly so I might try and speed things up to have Harry back at Hogwarts in a few chapters time, what do you guys think?