Chapter 1

A New Beginning


"Harry, why didn't you come and stay with me this summer?" asked a very upset Ron. "I sent you loads of owls asking you to come and stay, and you never did. What's wrong?"

I had just bumped into Ron ten minutes ago, and he was already asking me why I had stayed at the Dursleys' all summer. Truth be told, I really didn't want to stay at the Dursleys', so I didn't. Not even for a day. I went straight to Mrs. Figg's house, and spent the summer there. However, when I told Hermione and Ron this, they looked at me like I had grown an extra head.

"But Harry," Hermione said, in the tone of voice one reserves for the mentally unstable, "Why would you do a thing like that? She's an old muggle, Harry. Why would Dumbledore let you do a thing like that?"

And so it started. I found I'd have to do a lot of answering to explain away my absence that summer, but if anyone would believe me, it would be Hermione. And judging by the goo-goo eyes Ron was shooting at her, Hermione was in the position to make Ron believe whatever she said.

"Because she's not a muggle, guys, she's a squib. Not like Filch--she can do some magic, but only a few well chosen spells that Dumbeldore showed her. Turns out, he put a Fidelius charm on me when I was born, and Dumbledore himself was my secret keeper while I was at the Dursleys'. But Dumbeldore was worried that Voldemort..." Hermione and Ron cringed "...was powerful enough to break the spell. So he sent me to a witch, someone with magic to help protect me."

"Harry, my mum said you could come and visit. My whole family would have helped you!"

"Ron, don't you see? If he broke the spell, he would come after your family. I'm not having anyone else I know die because of me..." Harry's face went blank for a few moments. It was apparent that Cedric's death still haunted him. After a few sniffles, Harry pressed on. "Mrs. Figgs volunteered. No one knows she has any magic at all, except me, Dumbledore, and now you two."

It was a major blow, no matter how you put it. The trio sat quietly for most of the train journey. It was an eerie silence, the kind where you know everyone is thinking and wants to speak up, but no one wanted to speak up first. After a while, it was too much for me.

"YOU GUYS!!!!! I'm not about to die here, just let it go. Okay? You're all going to be fine, so long as Dumbeldore is alive to protect us. Okay?"

My response was a few "Muhums," said more out of habit than with any true meaning. What were you trying to say in this last sentence? I tried to correct it, but I might have gotten the meaning wrong. I slumped back into my chair. This was going to be a long year.

AN: Sorry for the wait you guys, I was on holiday at my weekend house, and it doesn't have a computer yet. Neway, please R and R. Thank a bunch!
AN2: Yes, I'm a H/H shipper, but I'm writing this according to the books, not my views.