************** Unexpected guest

Harry Potter sat slumped over his desk, his head resting on, a now abandoned book. The early sun creeping in from the window was now shining in his face and casting morning sunlight over a strange scar on his forehead visible through his messy chocolate brown hair. His back heaved up and down as he breathed softly in his sleep.

His bed hadn't been touched at all since the holidays had started, he preferred to keep his mind from wandering back to what had happened last year. He seemed to be turning into an imitation of Hermione as he'd almost finished the mounds of homework he'd been given only4 weeks into the holidays, he'd soon have to resort to completely Re-reading his textbooks desperate to do anything else but think on last years events.

But he could never escape the nightmares that plagued him when sleep claimed his exhausted body. Harry had never thought life at Privet Drive could get any worse with the Dursley's, his only living relatives making his life misery each of the 4 past summer holidays that he'd been stuck with them.

But these holidays the Dursley's had nothing to do with Harry's misery, perhaps in light of the latest threat from Mad Eye Moody they had felt it necessary to be more polite in Harry's presence, although this just meant they could ignore Harry more than usual.

Which didn't bother Harry in the least, but didn't improve his holidays either, instead his holidays had become worse than ever. Harry had lost so many people in his life, but none compared to the loss of his godfather, Sirius. The only one Harry ever felt he could confide in and he was gone. Forever.

Harry shifted a little, muttering something in his sleep, then settled back down with a frown across his features.

The Dursley's were already awake and bustling around downstairs, Aunt Petunia hummed a soft tune as she rushed around the kitchen cooking a roast lunch as she always did on Sundays while her husband sat in the lounge reading the Sunday paper. Dudley was round at the Polkisses for morning tea. The morning was turning out to be very pleasant indeed, but Vernon was rudely interrupted from his paper by a sharp tapping noise at the window. Petunia peeked her nose into the living room, eyes wide when she saw two owls fluttering at the window.

Vernon and Petunia exchanged looks of deep annoyance as Vernon hoisted himself out of his comfy armchair to open the window. The two owls soared through the window scuffing Vernon over the head with their wings as they raced up the stairs, what he wouldn't give to go up their and clout his scoundrel of a nephew over the head. However he sat back down looking very purple, remembering vividly the encounter at the train station with Harry's friends.

Up at Harry's room the owls swooped in through the bedroom door almost colliding with Harry as they both fought to deliver their letter first, Harry woke abruptly in a confused mess of fluttering feathers and owl screeches.

"Get off" He said sleepily trying to push the owls off of him, Harry blinked his eyes looking around the room and taking in the bright sunlight.

"Ouch!!" one of the owls, his own snowy female Hedwig pecked his hand impatiently.

"Alright, alright!!" The other was a beige and brown screech owl holding a letter sealed with the familiar Hogwarts crest, Harry felt a jolt of happiness when he saw this. The screech owl stuck its foot out pushing Harry to take the note, eager to get it's job done. Hedwig screeched loudly, obviously annoyed that Harry might have left her letter till last.

"Your in a right mood, aren't you' Harry said, scratching her absent mindedly as he removed the letter she held, then nipped Harry's hand, a little to sharply, then flew up onto a wooden wardrobe folding her wings over her head in a huff

By now the screech owl was positively hopping madly on its one foot with the other still stretched out holding the Hogwarts letter as soon as Harry removed it's bundle it soared through Harry's open window and out of sight in a blink.

Harry took Hedwig's letter first hoping she wouldn't get any more huffy, it was a letter from Hermione. Harry scanned over the letter not bothering to read it properly, she'd written the same stuff in at least three other letters. That he mustn't blame himself for what had happened and that if he needed to talk to just send a letter or call as she had repeatedly given her phone number. But he hadn't written back and he hadn't bothered to call her.

((There's nothing to say so why bother))

He pulled forward the second letter now, which he was surprised to feel was quite thicker than usual. Inside was notice of when school started and the books set for the sixth year. Harry cringed as he saw the title.

"A beginners study of Occlumency"

((Snape can't be teaching that))

Being taught Occlumency by Snape in his fifth year was hard enough, and Harry didn't think Snape would be any more lenient this year, if anything he would be worse and Occlumency would be torture if Snape had an audience to entertain at Harry's expense.

He pushed the terrible thought out of his mind as he found yet another piece of parchment out of the envelope, it was quiet long too. Harry's emerald eyes flashed to the bottom of the page, eyes going wide, seeing that it was sent from Dumbledore in person.

((What's so important for him to send a personal letter)) Harry felt a little twang of anger, Dumbledore wasn't very informative last year Harry had been left in the dark as far as knowing what was going on.

Harry pushed his glasses up his nose and began to read the 2 foot long letter, his mouth beginning to twist in an expression between a snarl and shock.

"What!" He whispered, too shocked to speak clearly. Dumbstruck he Re-read the same paragraph ten times over but the words would no faster disappear than Dudley could lose weight. Harry stared at the letter in a shocked stupor but still the paragraph quiet clearly said ..

Due to unforseen events I must ask

A deep favour of you Harry, but first understand that I had no choice other
than to decide on this. Mr Malfoy has had a rather vicious dispute with his parents, he has proven to me that he is against Voldemort. Unfortunately I cannot permit him to
stay at Hogwarts for the remaining holidays. He is therefore being sent to you and your Aunt and Uncles house where he
can be protected with you in the extra surveillance that surrounds you
yourself. Mr and Mrs Dursley are being sent a letter explaining the situation, I know
you must feel this arrangement will be a burden but try to keep an open
mind. look forward to seeing you at school again and hope you are doing well, all
things considered

Thankyou sincerely
Albus Dumbledore

Just at the moment he'd finished reading the letter, Uncle Vernon's loud voice boomed from downstairs, apparently he'd just received his letter from the sound of things.

"I'LL NOT HAVE ANOTHER FREAK FORCED ONMY FAMILY!!" Harry heard the stairs groan under his uncles weight as he bounded up the staircase, undoubtedly there was about to be another row.

His bedroom door crashed open as uncle Vernon burst into the room, he clutched a yellow slip of parchment in his hand which he waved furiously in Harry's face, his own face had turned a dark shade of purple as he yelled at Harry.

"IF YOUR CRACKPOT HEADMASTER THINKS I'M OPENING AN ORPHANAGE HE'S GOT ANOTHER THING COMING!!!" He finished with his beady eyes bulging and gasping as if he'd run up and down the stairs three times

"I don't have a choice!!" Harry yelled, feeling 4 weeks of suppressed anger boil up in his veins, he shot up from his seat sending it clattering backwards.

"I'D RATHER LIVE HERE PERMANANTLY WITH YOU THAN HAVE HIM COME HERE!!!" Vernon shrunk back a little seeming to lose his nerve, his eyes narrowed

"YOU, YOUR COMING DOWNSTAIRS -." And Vernon began pulling Harry out of his room and downstairs

"- SO YOU CAN TELL YOUR FREAK OF A FRIEND TO GET STUFFED" They were now standing in the hallway near the front door, Aunt Petunia was peering out from the kitchen again.

"TELL HIM TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!" Vernon continued, Harry's blood started to pound in his ears

"-HE'S NOT WELCOME"

"FINE!!!" Harry yelled, a reckless rage rising in him, the hall light above popped as yellow sparks and shattered glass fell to the floor. Aunt Petunia screeched in terror ducking back into the kitchen, while uncle Vernon gave out a roar and scrambled to the floor hands over his head.

Harry's breathing slowed as he walked into the chair, leaving Vernon cowering in the now dark hallway. Harry felt exhausted, the time in between his losing control of his magic powers was becoming shorter and shorter.

Back in the hallway Aunt Petunia had come twittering back from the kitchen holding a breadboard over herself as a shield and Vernon lifted his face to check that he was unharmed, he stumbled to his feet with Petunia's help and then both edged carefully into the living room with Harry

"Boy, you'd better learn to control your temper a bit" Vernon said cautiously.

"ME!!" Harry scoffed, his heart starting to pound again and ready to start shouting his point. But suddenly there was a sharp knocking from the hallway. Vernon's face went pale and Petunia gasped before disappearing behind Vernon again.

"You answer it" He hissed, now a sense of panic in his voice. Harry got up with a sigh and walked into the hallway. "And you tell em' he's not wanted, he's not allowed" Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia rushed after him, stopping to peek into the hallway, there came another sharp rap on the door, Harry shook his head and grabbed the door handle

((Here we go)) He swung the door open.

"Moody!" Harry said surprised, Mad Eye Moody's tattered face grimaced back at him. "Just come by to drop off young Malfoy" He pointed over his shoulder. Harry glanced in the direction spotting a sour faced Draco Malfoy, he clearly wasn't overly pleased with the arrangements either.

"Right" Harry replied stiffly. "Uncle Vernon says he can't stay" He added smiling, he knew Malfoy would be staying whether his uncle liked it or not, but this was bound to make Vernon squirm a little. Moody raised an eyebrow as did Draco behind him.

"Oh he's got a problem has he" Moody growled, he fixed both eyes on Vernon, behind Harry who's face had turned a nasty shade of green, he obviously recognised Moody from the encounter he'd had last time he'd collected Harry from Kingscross. "Well I can fix that if you like" He pulled out his wand from under his travelling cloak, Vernon's face changed as quickly as a chameleons, from green to purple, and finally settling as red as a tomato.

"Point that somewhere else!" Vernon's eyes where bulging at the sight of a wand, Malfoy looked on in interest.

"Well then I spose there's no problem with the arrangements" He said, waving his wand in a threatening gesture.

"NO!!" Uncle Vernon barked, still eyeing the wand with terror.

"Good, here's Mr Malfoy thing" He heaved two trunks towards Vernon. "I'll be going now then, treat the boys good" He gave one last glare toward Uncle Vernon, then with a sharp whip like crack, apparated, vanishing out of thin air, leaving Draco Malfoy standing on the doorstep.

Harry chose to ignore him, and spoke to his uncle instead. "Where's he staying?" Hoping he would say the stair cupboard, but after much spluttering.

"The. Um. well, um, I, He'll have to stay in your room" He finally answered. Harry felt his stomach sink.

"Right" He said, Draco remained silent behind Harry, amused at the muggles display. Harry glanced at the two silver lined black trunks at his uncles feet.

((There no way I'm carting his garbage around for him))

So he walked past the pile and up the stairs. "My rooms upstairs" Harry said, not bothering to turn around until he reached the top, Malfoy was now standing in front of the Dursley's, Harry's stomach sank lower when he spotted the mischievous smirk on his rivals pale face.

((What's he planning))

"Well where's your hospitality" He heard Draco snap at his Aunt and Uncle, he was pointing at his luggage with his now revealed wand and the Dursley's noticing this too, jumped to snatch up his bags without needing any more encouragement. Harry continued into his bedroom struggling to suppress a grin

((Poor uncle Vernon))

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia scrambled up the stairs with the luggage while Draco straggled along behind them with a horrible smirk across his face

"Watch that there, your carrying some expensive stuff"

When Vernon and Petunia finally dragged the luggage into his room, Harry distinctly heard him muttering under his breathe.

"Bloody treated like slaves"

"What's he going to sleep on?" Harry asked, interrupting his uncles furious muttering

"How should I bloody know" Uncle Vernon snapped.

"Don't worry about that" Draco now stood at the entrance to Harry's bedroom, leaning slightly on the doorframe. "I've got my own bed , though I'm not sure it'll fit in here" He glanced around the room with distaste. "And where is it" Vernon asked, Harry himself couldn't tell if Draco was telling the truth, but it was probably packed in one of his suitcases with the help of a little magic.

"Got it packed snug in your pocket huh?" Vernon scoffed at what he thought was a clever joke, then eye Draco's pockets hoping he hadn't been exactly right. Draco continued to smirk at Vernon as he bent over one of his suitcases fiddling with the locks then flipped it open, Vernon and Petunia jumped back defensively.

inside was a miniature bed small enough for a dollhouse. "Bit small" Vernon said, smiling madly. Draco ignored him and tapped his wand on it. For a moment it seemed nothing was going to happen. until with a loud crack it expanded to the size of a dogs bed, Vernon and Petunia jumped and scrambled to get out of the room, only the door was blocked by the now cot sized bed, instead they were squeezed against the wall as Harry jumped onto his own bed to avoid being squashed. Draco was doubled over with laughter.

"Cut it out Malfoy" Harry demanded, his wand now grasped tightly and pointed directly at Malfoy.

"What you actually care for these fools" Malfoy scoffed "Oh that's right you're a muggle loving fool yourself"

"Help them out now" Harry said dangerously "Or you'll have to be sent home in a match box"

"Well my parents would love that" Malfoy snapped with sarcasm.

"I'm warning you Malfoy" The bed shifted slightly to the side and the Dursley's raced out of the room as fast as their legs could carry them, without a backwards glance.

"You leave them alone for the rest of your stay or you'll be gone in a flash" Harry said, his fists clenched at his sides.

"You think I want to be stuck here" Draco snapped through gritted teeth.

"Well then leave" Harry said pointing at the door, "That'd make my life so much easier"

Then Harry grabbed a book off his desk and tried to ignore Malfoy, who was still standing, wishing that he could just leave but instead slumped down on his bed and pulled a second trunk up in front of him Outside the sun had just begun to set and as he rummaged through his trunk he realised that the holidays were going to feel much, much longer than he would have liked.