The sky was grey and the window was peppered with raindrops by the time the train started to slow down, having arrived at King's Cross.

"Here we are…" Hermione said softly. Harry looked at them.

"Guys… I'm sorry, ok? I just… I don't mean to be such miserable company all the time." Harry said.

"Mate… you've been through a lot… it's ok." Ron said gently.

"Ron's right, Harry."

"Either way… I'm sorry. I'm going to miss you this summer." He really would. He doubted that the Dursleys would allow him to write to his friends. They never had before.

"I'm going to miss you too Harry." Hermione said and came to hug him tightly. Harry felt a familiar awkwardness and was slow to react, hugging her back. Ron joined into the hug too and the train gave a little jolt as it stopped. They had arrived.

They left the train last. Ron and Hermione promised to write to him. Harry did not promise that he would write back. He would not promise something he may not be able to keep.

"Have a good summer." Harry told them and grabbed his trunk, walking away from his friends and towards the already irate looking Vernon Dursley waiting at the end of platform ten.

"About bloody time. Stinkin' freaks, the lot of them." Vernon Dursley muttered under his breath for only Harry to hear. It was easy for him to ignore the man since he was just focused on getting the heavy trunk across the station at the same pace as Vernon was walking. He didn't want to show that it was tricky to do so without magic, considering that it would bring his darling uncle nothing but joy.

He managed to more or less drown out the other's voice all the way back. The man was rambling on about how things would be different this year and how he would be having no nonsense any more.

"Sirius was it?" Harry flinched hearing Sirius' name coming from Vernon's lips. "That stinking godfather you had? That crazy freak, Dumbledore, told us all about how he's died. Don't be expecting any sympathy this year. Not after the stunt you pulled last summer! No more. You'll be earning your keep from here on out."

Harry clenched his jaw and said nothing. He wished the Dursleys good luck getting him to lift a finger for them again. He was not doing a blasted thing for them no matter how much they kicked and screamed.

Dudley was gone. Apparently he was spending the July with his aunt Marge. Probably an attempt to protect that grease ball's precious life from the cruel and vicious freak known as Harry Potter.

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"And I'll tell you one more thing! No moping in your room. You work or you don't eat." Vernon said, turning his head each side as Harry lay the dishes before his aunt and uncle.

"You never feed me anyway." Harry said dropping the plates slightly and walking to the door.

"Hey! Be more careful. You ungrateful-"

"I have nothing to be grateful for!" Harry yelled. Both Vernon and Petunia paused eating and turned up to him, briefly shocked and then furious.

"Excuse me?" Petunia hissed.

"Nothing to be grateful for?! You're lucky we let you come back! I'm sure your pathetic lot have orphanages! Maybe you should get sent to one and leave us alone!" Vernon yelled.

"If I never see either one of you again it would be too soon! I hate you both! You ruined my life! Believe me that I'm not here by choice!" Harry yelled. He felt his heart racing, adrenaline making him keep going, keep telling what he truly felt.

Vernon slammed his hand on the table making everything on it jump slightly and make a clatter. "You ruined our family! Our home! Maybe you should have just died along with your freakish parents!"

That stung. It was one thing to know you're not wanted. It was another thing for a fifteen year old to have it thrown at him when he had nothing else to turn to.

"If I had died Voldemort would have enslaved all of you muggles and you would be cleaning the house of wizards right this moment." Harry said, glaring at Vernon who just seemed to get more irate.

"Get to your room you waste of space!" Because to Vernon Dursley it did not matter what the facts were. It didn't matter what the truth was. All that mattered was that Harry was different and as such he was a nasty stain on the family tree.

"I haven't eaten. Again." Harry pointed out.

"Get out!" Petunia snapped. Harry turned and slammed the door shut, leaving them to the meal he had cooked. He went to his room and shut the door. He snuck out a piece of raw meat he'd stuffed into his pocket and offered it to Hedwig who was nipping at the cage in frustration.

"It's ok girl, here. I snuck you something." He said gently. Hedwig seemed satisfied with the food and ate it whole. Harry wiped his hand on his trousers and went to sit by the window. His stomach twisted unpleasantly and he tried to ignore it.

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Severus was currently preparing some ingredients to bottle up for the next year. He liked to get it out of the way so he could go on holiday in peace. He didn't pause when Dumbledore came down to visit.

"To what do I owe the honour professor Dumbledore?" He asked.

"It has been a week, Severus. I know you're disappointed."

"Why would I be disappointed? It was obvious he was going to loathe me the moment he knew the truth." He said slipping the sliced flobberworms into the respective glass bottles.

"I know you wanted to offer Harry a home. A place where he would be wanted. It must be disappointing that he chose going back to the Dursleys over what you were offering." The headmaster was trying to cheer him up. It wasn't working.

"I didn't get to ask him. I didn't want him to feel forced to accept my proposal. Still… you could have found him someplace else." Severus said.

"We already discussed this extensively."

"Yes, yes. Three hours I believe we argued." Severus had gone to the headmaster, asking for an alternative but at the end of the day, the blood wards theory won out.

Severus paused what he was doing. What was it about the boy? Was it that his miserable family reminded Severus of his own? Was he trying to make up for what he missed by helping Potter out? It had to be something more. Something he didn't want to admit because he had no right to admit it. He wanted to think of the boy as his own son. And he had no right to do so.

"You should tell him how you feel Severus." Dumbledore said. The words surprised him but when he looked up the headmaster was gone.

He wondered how the boy was faring. Were they feeding him? Were they locking him up in his room again? Was he studying for his O.W.L.s? Were they pushing Potter to do something stupid?

Even with the Dark Lord gone the worry consumed him. Would he ever be at peace when it came to the boy?

He needed to see him again, make sure he was faring well. But first he had to ask someone, whom he thought he'd never ask for advice, a question.

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Harry swapped the heavy bags from hand to hand, the plastic digging into his hands as he helped Mrs. Smith carry her shopping home. Two houses down from the Dursleys was where Mrs. Smith lived. Recently widowed she'd asked him to help her with her shopping.

"Just leave it on the counter dear." Harry dropped the bags carefully on the lady's counter. The woman gave him a five pound note as a thank you.

"Thank you." Harry said, pocketing the money.

"You take care dear. Such a fine man you're becoming, do reconsider your path in life over the summer alright?" She said kindly.

"Yes, Mrs. Smith. Thank you." Apparently, the ruffian nephew that goes to St. Brutu's was being given a certain number of hours to help out in the community. As such, Harry was now doing chores for the neighbours that were curious enough to ask Harry for help. Some were at least nice enough to give him cash so Harry wasn't complaining too much.

Before returning home he went to the fish and chip shop and bought himself some chips. He added salt and vinegar and enjoyed the warmth that the hot starchy meal filled his stomach with.

He waited around for a bit before finally making his way back to the house. Vernon wasn't around yet. He was still at work. His aunt Petunia was talking to a man at the door. Harry felt his hands close into fists as he saw who it was.

Mr. Emwood was there, seemingly having a pleasant conversation with his aunt. Harry's feet felt like lead as he came closer, trying to act natural.

"About time you got home. Mr. Emwood, forgive my troublesome nephew. I'm so glad you wish to help with his reform program." Harry said nothing and kept his eyes on the ground. Help? What kind of help exactly?

"Ah, Harry. Nice to finally meet you. I heard you were helping out this summer. My livingroom needs another coat of paint if you're up for it."

No! No he wasn't!

"Of course he is. He'll be there first thing tomorrow." Petunia said. Harry wanted to argue. He wanted to shout out that there was no way he was going. But he was frozen. The words seemed so laced with the truth that he was scared of the way the Dursleys would treat him if they figured out what Harry was hiding.

"I'll see you tomorrow then Harry." The man patted him on the shoulder and Harry resisted the urge to cringe.

"Yeah…" Harry tried to say but he couldn't hear it, his voice got caught in his throat and all that came out was a hiss of air.