*NOTE* I was having writer's block and decided to re-read my story to get an idea of where to go to next. In doing so I found that some of the subject matter did not match and would not match the story line. Therefore some slight changes have been made to Chapters 1-7. Thanks for reading! And PLEASE help me out if you see something wrong or not matching the story line. Thanks Again!


Chapter 1: Unexpected Disappointment

The shadows disappeared from the house of Number Four Privet Drive as the sun slowly crept up from the east. Harry Potter woke with a start. Hedwig, his snowy owl, was dragging her beak back and forth against the bars of her cage. Harry grabbed his glasses and put them on. He stood up and stretched with a loud yawn. He could hear his aunt in the kitchen clanking plates as she prepared breakfast. Harry had been sixteen for one whole day and was ready to start his second without any problems. He was about to let Hedwig out of her cage when there was a knock at his door.

"Come in," Harry said with a hint of curiosity in his voice. No one had ever knocked before entering his room before.

"Good morning, Harry," Dudley said with a slight smile. He was a skinny boy who had lost a lot of weight after a vigorous diet that his school, Smeltings Academy, made him do because he was overweight. "Just thought I'd come and tell you that breakfast is almost ready."

Dudley had been nice to Harry ever since an incident with a few ravenous dogs. Dudley was playing in the back yard when three large German shepherds jumped over the bushes with bared teeth. Harry, even though underage, was outside with his wand at his side, reading one of his school books. When Harry had heard the dogs, he picked up his wand and ran in front of Dudley. He yelled Flipendo and orange sparks flew from his wand and sent the dogs flying over the bushes from which they came. Harry had been warned by the Ministry of Magic, again, that he had broken two laws: underage magic and magic in the presence of a muggle. Mr. Weasley, Harry's best friend's father, smoothed things over with the Ministry and had the report disposed of; he had told the Ministry that it was a life threatening situation and they had agreed.

Because of this act of heroism, the Dursleys gave Harry permission to speak of his kind but only to them; he was still never to mention it to the neighbors. Even Dudley began to befriend Harry and treat him more like a brother.

"Thanks," Harry said returning the smile. "I'll be down in a minute, I just have to let Hedwig out."

"Can I do it?" Dudley had asked. "I think it's time I started helping you with her. That way my dad wouldn't yell at you all the time about the noise she makes."

"Sure," Harry said with a shocked look. "You can just let her out and then I'll meet you down stairs." He left as Dudley let Hedwig out of her cage.

Harry ran into his uncle in the hallway. Uncle Vernon was a large man with barely any neck and a large mustache that practically covered his mouth.

"Get out of my way, boy," Uncle Vernon said in his usual tone towards Harry. Harry stepped aside as Dudley came out of Harry's room.

"Shall we go down to breakfast?" Dudley asked. Harry nodded and they walked quietly down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Aunt Petunia, a tall, skinny woman with a lot of neck and beady eyes, was placing plates of food on the dining room table. Uncle Vernon took his place at the table and picked up his newspaper and began to read. Dudley and Harry sat at the table beside each other; it used to be that Dudley took up one whole side of the table.

The sound of the post entering the house through the slot could be heard from the kitchen.

"Go get the post, boy," Uncle Vernon said from behind the paper. Harry knew he was talking about him.

"I'll go and get it, dad," Dudley said as he got up from the table and left the kitchen.

Dudley returned moments later and placed the post on the edge of the table by Uncle Vernon and sat back down. He passed a letter to Harry under the table. Harry saw that it was his letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, his school. Harry was excited to be entering his sixth year at Hogwarts.

"Marge is coming down in a week, Petunia," Uncle Vernon said putting down his paper and picking up a postcard. "Says she'll only come if the boy is out of the house." Harry and Dudley chuckled as the recalled the last time Aunt Marge had visited.

It was right before Harry's third year of Hogwarts. Aunt Marge had had a few too many drinks and began insulting Harry's dead parents. Not meaning to, Harry had blown Aunt Marge up like a big balloon.

"I can go stay with Ron and his family," Harry suggested, but thought it was a bad idea to say this once he saw his uncle flinch.

"And how shall they get you this time?" he asked with fury. "Using the fireplace again I suppose. What's wrong with their lot? Can't they afford cars, or are they too good for them?"

He had done it. Harry's face went red with anger. "They don't need cars when they have many other ways of transportation." Harry said a bit louder than he intended. "They don't even like the muggle ways like you!" Harry knew he had told a bit of a lie; Mr. Weasley was fascinated with the muggle lifestyle. Harry noticed that he had struck a vein with Uncle Vernon.

"I don't care what you are," Uncle Vernon shouted. "Abnormal or not, you shall not speak to me with such disrespect."

"I want to go too," Dudley said calmly. Uncle Vernon stopped shouting and glared at Dudley. "You, go write to these people and tell them you are coming, but not by the fireplace. There's got to be another way to send you. As for you," he pointed a fat finger at Dudley, "you will not be going. What is this rubbish of wanting to mix with their kind? If I hear one more word of any abnormalities come out of your mouth–"

Harry did not stay to listen to Uncle Vernon finish his statement; he was too excited about leaving for the Burrow. He ran up to his room, grabbed his eagle quill and some parchment, and began to write. He asked, rather than told, if he could come and stay at the Burrow until the start of term; he felt it rude to say he was coming without their permission. Conveniently, Hedwig had flown in at the same time he had finished writing the letter.

"Would you mind taking a letter to Ron for me?" Harry asked her as she began to drink some water from inside her cage. Hedwig hooted cheerfully, so Harry took that as a sign for yes. He tied the letter to Hedwig's leg and watched her soar out of the window. He already knew that Mrs. Weasley would let him come no matter what.

"Harry, want to come and play my Playstation with me?" Dudley asked as he peered into Harry's room. Harry nodded and they both ran to get the first player controller. Harry spent most of the rest of the day with Dudley playing video games, until it was time for dinner. The conversation was light until Uncle Vernon rounded on Harry.

"So, have you heard from those people?" he snarled through gritted teeth.

"Not yet," said Harry who wish he had. "It's not like Hedwig can get there that fast. Even if she did, it would take her time to get back because she must rest first."

"Can I have an owl dad?" Dudley asked. "You know, so I can write to Harry while he's away at his school."

Uncle Vernon looked very angry and Aunt Petunia looked as though she could have fainted. "I will not have another annoying pest like that bloody bird under my roof!" he shouted. "How dare you ask for such a thing! Have you been using you-know-what on him?" He turned his angry face around to Harry. "Boy, I promise if you have, you will regret it!"

"I haven't done anything!" Harry spat in his defense. "You know I'm not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts." Uncle Vernon flinched. Even though he had given Harry permission to speak like that, he still hated it. "Have you seen any owls come in to deliver a letter to me about it?"

"Vernon, please," Aunt Petunia pleaded. "If my little Duddy wants an owl, why can't we get him one?"

"Go to your room!" Uncle Vernon finally snapped. "Both of you! Your aunt and I must discuss important matters.

Harry and Dudley ran up to Harry's room and quickly shut the door. They both leaned against the door in hopes of hearing Uncle Vernon's shouts, but they could not. Harry looked at the window and wished that Hedwig was back from Ron's.

"I wish they would lighten up about you and magic," said Dudley grumpily. "After the way you saved me, you'd think they would lighten up. That's all I'm saying." Harry could not help but give a chuckle.

"You don't have to stick up for me all the time, Dudley," Harry said.

"I know," Dudley replied as he stared out the window into the starry night sky. "But it's not fair. You don't get pressured into being perfect the way I do. You get to go off for a year and have fun. Smeltings isn't that fun anymore. Hey! Isn't that Hedwig?"

Harry looked out into the night sky. A silhouette was flying closer towards Harry's window. It did not look like Hedwig, but he thought it must be because it was dark outside. Dudley happened to be right. Hedwig came flying into Harry's room and landed on his bed.

"Thanks, Hedwig," Harry said untying the letter from her leg. He opened it and read it aloud so that Dudley could hear.

Dear Harry,

I'm really sorry but you can't come stay with us! We're not at the Burrow. Charlie invited us to come visit him in Romania, so we decided to go. I'm really sorry and hope that the muggles are treating you fairly. Well, Charlie's about to show us where he let Norbert loose! Maybe I can find him! Wouldn't that just make Hagrid's day if I told him Norbert was doing fine? Maybe we can arrange a day to meet at Diagon Alley? Owl me back later!

Ron

"I don't believe it," Harry said with a sigh. "Ron's not at home!"

"What are you going to do?" Dudley asked. "Aunt Marge won't like you staying here with her. Maybe if I talk dad into letting you stay..."

"I guess," said Harry with sadness in his eyes. "Or maybe I can take the Knight Bus to the Leaky Cauldron and just stay there until school. Besides," he glanced at his trunk, "I need some more money to buy my new supplies. These books all sound thick and expensive." He looked down at his school supply list.

"Don't worry about it, Harry," Dudley told him. "Dad wouldn't really kick you out of the house, at least I don't think he would." He gave a weak smile before he said goodnight to Harry and went to his own room.

"Oh, Hedwig," Harry sighed, "what are we going to do? Aunt Marge doesn't like me. Uncle Vernon said every time she sees a balloon she freaks out. I guess the Ministry didn't modify her memory too well." Hedwig hooted softly.

Harry stood up and went to change into his pajamas. When he had changed, he sat on his bed and stared out the window.

"If only I could live with Sirius and not have to stay here with these muggles," he said yawning as he laid down and fell fast asleep.