Chapter 1
Harry awoke to feel the hot sun over his face. He got up reluctantly and stared around his room. It was the same as it had been last summer. Everything was the same. Even the spider on the wall which never seemed to move during the day, and for a reason that was beyond his comprehension, had managed to survive his Aunt Petunia's daily cleaning rituals.
Harry smirked as he though of what Aunt Petunia would say if she knew that there had been a spider in this room the whole time he had been here. He was quite sure it was the same one. It was the same colour, black, and had a small white spot on it. He was glad it was there though. At least when Hedwig was away there was something living in this house that wouldn't flinch at the sight of him.
Harry quickly got dressed as he thought again, about how much had changed since the previous summer. He had met with Voldemort, yet again, the previous year and yet again, Voldemort had failed to kill him. There was a difference between his last meeting with Voldemort and his meetings with Voldemort before that. The last time he had met Voldemort, he had wanted Voldemort to succeed. He had wanted Voldemort to finally end the life he had tried so hard all these years to end. He wanted to die.
There was a hole inside him that nothing would fill. An emptiness that consumed him wherever he went. He didn't care about anything else. Last year, he had been furious with his friends because they had not given him information, but this year it didn't matter. He knew about the prophecy. That he would one day kill, or be killed, by Lord Voldemort. He didn't care about that either. Whatever the outcome, he would be satisfied. If he won, then he would have his revenge on Voldemort for murdering his parents. If he didn't win, if Voldemort killed him, then he would be able see Sirius again.
Harry sighed heavily as he made his way downstairs to get some breakfast. Despite all the changes that had occurred in the wizarding world, or perhaps in spite of them, number 4 Privet Drive remained the same. Every morning, Harry would go downstairs for breakfast. Dudley would look petrified and run out of the room. His uncle Vernon would turn purple and hide his face in his newspaper, and his Aunt Petunia wouldn't say a word, but would pretend he wasn't there. Harry didn't mind. He didn't feel like talking to anyone.
As soon as he had finished breakfast, he went for a walk around the neighbourhood. It was swelteringly hot, but Harry didn't mind, because it meant the majority of people were indoors. He could be alone. He saw Mrs Figg coming up the road. She stopped and looked at him concerned.
"How are you Harry?" she asked.
"Fine" he replied mechanically.
"I'm sorry, I really have to get going" he added, not wanting to stay and chat.
She nodded resignedly and continued to walk towards her own house. Harry kept walking along the street.
Harry walked for a long time, completely lost in his own thoughts. He lost track of time, and before he knew it, darkness was approaching. He'd been walking all day. The Dursley's had locked up his magic equipment, including his wand, when he had arrived at their house for the summer, and this meant that Harry was not safe walking around at night in case a repeat of last year took place. He sighed as he headed back to the Dursleys. When he got there, he realised that his Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley were gone. His Uncle Vernon was waiting for him in the lounge room.
"YOU!" His Uncle yelled. "This is YOUR fault. Admit it! You did. you know what in my house! You caused Dudley to have that accident!"
"What?" Harry asked.
He was starting to get scared. He had never seen his Uncle this angry before. There was a vein visibly throbbing on Vernon's temple and his face was purple with rage. He began advancing on Harry and Harry ran towards his room. He tried to close the door behind him, but Vernon managed to wedge his foot in the door. Harry tried with all his strength to keep Vernon out, but he was too strong. The door flung open, sending Harry flying across the room. Harry threw his arm out to break his fall and felt pain shooting through it.
Vernon walked in and Harry spun around to face him. He tried to get past Vernon, but it was no use. Vernon overpowered him and threw him back against the wall. He had a strange smile on his face as he pulled off his belt and brandished it like a whip.
"Oh I've been waiting a long time for this boy" he said in an excited whisper. "I should have done this a long time ago"
He raised the belt in the air and Harry instinctively put his hands over his head to protect himself. The belt impacted, the buckle cutting his arm and drawing blood. Harry cried out in pain as the next blow followed, and the next. When the blows finally stopped, Harry looked up in time to see his uncle's foot impacting with his chest. Harry fell back in a heap on the floor with a small groan and Vernon dropped the belt. Vernon walked towards the door and stopped in the doorway.
"And don't you dare tell those freaky friends of yours or things will get a lot worse for you boy. Mark my words" he said, then closed the door and left.
Harry tried to get up, but pain shot through him like a bullet and he moaned softly as he fell back against the wall. The last thing that he saw before he passed out was the spider on the wall, making its way towards the window.
Harry awoke to feel the hot sun over his face. He got up reluctantly and stared around his room. It was the same as it had been last summer. Everything was the same. Even the spider on the wall which never seemed to move during the day, and for a reason that was beyond his comprehension, had managed to survive his Aunt Petunia's daily cleaning rituals.
Harry smirked as he though of what Aunt Petunia would say if she knew that there had been a spider in this room the whole time he had been here. He was quite sure it was the same one. It was the same colour, black, and had a small white spot on it. He was glad it was there though. At least when Hedwig was away there was something living in this house that wouldn't flinch at the sight of him.
Harry quickly got dressed as he thought again, about how much had changed since the previous summer. He had met with Voldemort, yet again, the previous year and yet again, Voldemort had failed to kill him. There was a difference between his last meeting with Voldemort and his meetings with Voldemort before that. The last time he had met Voldemort, he had wanted Voldemort to succeed. He had wanted Voldemort to finally end the life he had tried so hard all these years to end. He wanted to die.
There was a hole inside him that nothing would fill. An emptiness that consumed him wherever he went. He didn't care about anything else. Last year, he had been furious with his friends because they had not given him information, but this year it didn't matter. He knew about the prophecy. That he would one day kill, or be killed, by Lord Voldemort. He didn't care about that either. Whatever the outcome, he would be satisfied. If he won, then he would have his revenge on Voldemort for murdering his parents. If he didn't win, if Voldemort killed him, then he would be able see Sirius again.
Harry sighed heavily as he made his way downstairs to get some breakfast. Despite all the changes that had occurred in the wizarding world, or perhaps in spite of them, number 4 Privet Drive remained the same. Every morning, Harry would go downstairs for breakfast. Dudley would look petrified and run out of the room. His uncle Vernon would turn purple and hide his face in his newspaper, and his Aunt Petunia wouldn't say a word, but would pretend he wasn't there. Harry didn't mind. He didn't feel like talking to anyone.
As soon as he had finished breakfast, he went for a walk around the neighbourhood. It was swelteringly hot, but Harry didn't mind, because it meant the majority of people were indoors. He could be alone. He saw Mrs Figg coming up the road. She stopped and looked at him concerned.
"How are you Harry?" she asked.
"Fine" he replied mechanically.
"I'm sorry, I really have to get going" he added, not wanting to stay and chat.
She nodded resignedly and continued to walk towards her own house. Harry kept walking along the street.
Harry walked for a long time, completely lost in his own thoughts. He lost track of time, and before he knew it, darkness was approaching. He'd been walking all day. The Dursley's had locked up his magic equipment, including his wand, when he had arrived at their house for the summer, and this meant that Harry was not safe walking around at night in case a repeat of last year took place. He sighed as he headed back to the Dursleys. When he got there, he realised that his Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley were gone. His Uncle Vernon was waiting for him in the lounge room.
"YOU!" His Uncle yelled. "This is YOUR fault. Admit it! You did. you know what in my house! You caused Dudley to have that accident!"
"What?" Harry asked.
He was starting to get scared. He had never seen his Uncle this angry before. There was a vein visibly throbbing on Vernon's temple and his face was purple with rage. He began advancing on Harry and Harry ran towards his room. He tried to close the door behind him, but Vernon managed to wedge his foot in the door. Harry tried with all his strength to keep Vernon out, but he was too strong. The door flung open, sending Harry flying across the room. Harry threw his arm out to break his fall and felt pain shooting through it.
Vernon walked in and Harry spun around to face him. He tried to get past Vernon, but it was no use. Vernon overpowered him and threw him back against the wall. He had a strange smile on his face as he pulled off his belt and brandished it like a whip.
"Oh I've been waiting a long time for this boy" he said in an excited whisper. "I should have done this a long time ago"
He raised the belt in the air and Harry instinctively put his hands over his head to protect himself. The belt impacted, the buckle cutting his arm and drawing blood. Harry cried out in pain as the next blow followed, and the next. When the blows finally stopped, Harry looked up in time to see his uncle's foot impacting with his chest. Harry fell back in a heap on the floor with a small groan and Vernon dropped the belt. Vernon walked towards the door and stopped in the doorway.
"And don't you dare tell those freaky friends of yours or things will get a lot worse for you boy. Mark my words" he said, then closed the door and left.
Harry tried to get up, but pain shot through him like a bullet and he moaned softly as he fell back against the wall. The last thing that he saw before he passed out was the spider on the wall, making its way towards the window.