Chapter 1

A Wink and a Surprise

Harry gazed up at the ceiling of his small bedroom on 4 Privet Drive. An ever-growing crack snaked it's way from the doorway to a spot right above his bed. The shape the crack took on seemed to form a pair of eyes the closer it got to him. Was he going crazy, or did the eyes just wink at him? The crack had not been there last summer, but had mysteriously appeared on his first day back at the Dursley's. He knew this because upon seeing the mysterious new crack, Dudley had run downstairs, whimpering about Harry performing "the M word" on his first day back from school.

Like Harry wanted to even think about magic his first day back to prison. Every time he thought of magic, he thought of school, and every time he thought of school he thought of the horrible events of the end of the year there.

Harry sighed and rolled over. In the past month of being at home, he had endlessly played over the events that happened at the Ministry of Magic in his mind. It had occurred to him early on in the summer that none of it would have happened if he would have used the mirror that Sirius had given him. He would have known that Sirius was home, none of them would have set out for the Ministry of Magic, and Sirius wouldn't have...the scene played over and over in his mind; Sirius falling backwards through the veil, as if in slow motion, a look of surprise frozen on his face, Remus grabbing his arms as he tried to run for the veil, convinced that Sirius was just behind it.

But that wasn't the only thing that could have been prevented. Harry knew from Ron's letters that Hermione still had fleeting pains in her chest every once and a while from the curse the Death Eater had used on her. He tried to imagine Hermione explaining to her parents why she would suddenly cry out in pain and grip her chest, almost fainting.

All of it. Every single occurrence. Because of him. All the people hurt because he had gotten close enough to them for Voldemort to reach out with his icy grip and take hold of them in one form or another. All because of him. Harry felt the guilt eat through him, felt his insides lurch with each further thought. He lie there, unmoving, unwilling to chance writing a letter to any of his friends.

The silence that had reigned in the house was suddenly broken as an astonished cry rang out from downstairs.

What was that? Harry wondered. He heard heavy footsteps trudging up the stairs and then his door burst open, flying off the hinges.

"Professor Snape?" Harry couldn't keep the astonishment from his voice.

Snape didn't reply, but glared at Harry menacingly and then grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt. A million thoughts raced through Harry's mind and not one of them was good.

Is he turning me over to Voldemort? He must have still been on the dark side all along. But how could he have fooled Dumbledore? No, that can't be right, something's happening...what if Ron or Hermione are hurt? Oh no...

"Come on, Potter."

He quickly waved his wand, causing all of Harry's school things to pack themselves into his trunk which then flew down the stairs ahead of them. Once they reached the landing, Aunt Petunia was in hysterics.

"Remove yourself immediately from my home or I will be forced to call the authorities!" Uncle Vernon spit at Snape. His face had turned quite purple, and Harry thought, looked curiously like an oversized grape.

"I would love nothing more than to do just that," Snape hissed back at Uncle Vernon without losing any of his composure. "However, whether I decide to leave without turning you into a sniveling snake, so that Harry is the only one you may talk to, is another story."

Uncle Vernon quieted down at this. Whether it was the idea of being harmless or of talking only to Harry that made him quit, Harry did not know. Whatever it was, it was quite amazing. Harry had never seen his uncle intimidated, not even by Hagrid, who was at least two times his size.

They left the house with Harry running along to keep up with Snape's quick strides. After a few minutes of this, Harry was relieved when Snape summoned the Knight's Bus and they climbed aboard, Harry not knowing if he was going back to 4 Privet Drive. The thought did not bother him.