Chapter 1
Harry Potter lay on his bed, doodling on the yellow parchment in front of him. Once again it was another dreadful summer at number four, Privet Drive. Once again he had to watch from afar as Dudley got all of the kindness and caring. It wasn't as if he cared, though.
Harry was trying to doodle a fat Uncle Vernon falling off a balcony, but his hands betrayed him. He kept sketching the same pointed face. Draco Malfoy's. Harry scratched out the drawing and searched around for a softer pillow. Aunt Petunia gave him only the old tattered ones, but she sometimes gave him big lumpy ones.
Harry ran a hand through his raven black hair and stared out of the window. It was beginning to rain and the only lights were those of the street lights or the lights peeking through the blinds in other windows. Harry thought the weather went along magnificently with his dreary mood. He plopped down onto his bed and flipped open the Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5) to go over what he had learned the previous year.
The whole lot of it had gone one ear and out the other. For Harry was too worried about Draco and the death eaters to concentrate. Harry fingered his lightning bolt scar and looked down. It always had to happen to him. Always.
Ever since the incident in June, his scar had appeared darker and much more visible. Now, if even the slightest bit of hair wasn't hiding it, some one in public - even the muggle public - would point and stare. Harry was glad to know that this was his last week off from school. He wanted to go to Diagon Alley as soon as possible so he could check out the new Firebolt X. It was the newest racing broom and the fastest ever recorded in history.
Harry wondered if he would see Draco in Diagon Alley. His stomach twisted into knots at the mere thought. Last year, Harry and Draco had had a very confusing relationship, and at the moment, Harry was still unsure. He had gotten a letter from Draco a few weeks ago that said only three words: A Secret Untold. Harry supposed this was their inside joke.
If you think about it, it kind of was. If Ron and Hermione - or any other Gryffindors - knew about Draco and Harry, they would be disgusted. And if the Slytherins knew - well, that would be horrible. Harry shook his head and stared out at the full moon. The rain clouds had just cleared away. Harry wondered if Lupin was transforming out there some where. Of course he is, Harry thought, shaking his head once again.
Harry lay down once more and began to fall into a deep sleep.
* * *
"Harry Potter! Wake up this instant!" Roared a voice. Harry jumped up groggily and changed his clothes. "Nothing like waking up in the morning to Uncle Vernon's yells." Harry muttered as he pushed on his glasses and swung open the door to the room.
"When will you cut that hair, boy?" Uncle Vernon barked from the foot of the stairs, his mustache twitching in disgust. Harry trudged down the stairs, his steps barely audible. Uncle Vernon glared. "Why aren't the hedges trimmed already?" He asked coldly. Harry's jaw nearly dropped.
"You didn't ask me to trim the bushes." He replied through gritted teeth. A vien in Uncle Vernon's neck throbbed. "You told me," Harry said quickly. "You didn't ask politely." Harry ran a hand through his raven black hair and gazed out the window at the uneven hedges. Uncle Vernon's face purpled.
"BOY! GET YOUR SKINNY ASS DOWN THERE AND TRIM THOSE HEDGES!" He roared. Harry grapped the clippers, made a rude hand gesture in Uncle Vernon's direction, and walked outside. He began clipping away the stray brances.
"Maybe a bit of hocus pocus would help." Dudley's voice shot at Harry from behind. Harry pretended to ignore him and continued clipping. "Or maybe even that gay boyfriend of yours." Dudley said, his voice sounding more confident. Harry's mind froze. How would Dudley know about Harry and Draco. Dudley must have not liked the silence.
"That owl of yours delivered a little letter to my window last night.
Dudley said with a nasty drawl. "Dear Harry, I don't know how long we can be sneaking around for. My father would kill me if he knew what I was doing with another boy..." Dudley recited in a false female voice.
Harry's grip of the clippers tightened but he remained silent as he clipped. Dudley opened his porky mouth to say something else, but Harry whirled around and pulled out his wand. "Say one more thing. I dare you." Harry said, his tone deadly. He aimed his wand at his cousin's chest. Dudley's eyes widened in shock and his face paled.
"Y-you can't do magic outside of s-school!" Dudley shrieked, glancing down at Harry's quivering wand. Harry chuckled and pocketed the wand. "You don't know what I can do." He said, laughing maliciously.
* * *
The days to follow Harry weren't improved much. Every day was the same routine: wake up to Dudley farting loudly in the next room, be forced to cook bacon and eggs, fetch the mail, tidy up the house, polish Uncle Vernon's work boots, water the garden, watch 10 minutes of TV (only channels 5, 66, and 93), eat a small dinner, lay down to sleep.
Harry's heart leapt as he continued to cross off the days until he would be heading back to Diagon Alley. He had all his belongings packed early one morning. Very quietly, Harry grabbed all of his things, and went downstairs. Being extremely cautious not to wake anyone, he left the house.
His wand arm shot into the air and with a loud crack, a large three-decker purple bus was parked before him. A pimply faced conductor, Stan Shunpike, stepped off the bus. "Welcome to the Knight Bus, we can take you anywhere on Earth exept for - HARRY!" Stan shook his greasy head happily and pulled Harry inside.
Harry straightened his robes. "Hello, Stan, Ern." He said, trying to fit himself into one of the chairs. "Where to?" Ern grunted. Harry told him the destination and off they were, narrowly dodging houses and cars along the way. Stan was talking anxiously but Harry tuned him out and reached inside of his cloak pocket. His fingers enclosed on a letter.
Hello Harry,
How has your holiday been? Mine has been very dull. I miss Hogwarts. It's almost time to go back, though! I do not want to see Professor Snape this year. He gives me the creeps! Hey, you never told me the whole story about what happened last June. Please write back and let me know! Are you completely all right? Is Malfoy? You know, Nadia is in Azkaban and I heard that Eve Studt is doing a special job for Professor Dumbledore to make up for what she's done. Well, write back soon, Harry!
Adriana Riviera
Harry read the letter repeatedly until Stan called "We're 'ere!" Harry's heart swelled with joy as he stepped into the familiar alley. The first person he ran into was Danielle DeVore outside of Madam Milkin's Robes for All Occasions. Her curly auburn hair had been in a sloppy bun and she had on a black and white checkered robe. The second person Harry spotted was Colin Creevy, who nearly fainted when he noticed Harry's reflection behind him in the reflection of the Flourish and Blotts. Harry stood outside Quality Quidditch Supplies, eyeing the latest model of broomstick. His heart plummeted when he noticed a glint of blonde hair out of the corner of his eye.
"Hello." A cool voice said, sending shivers down Harry's spine.
Harry Potter lay on his bed, doodling on the yellow parchment in front of him. Once again it was another dreadful summer at number four, Privet Drive. Once again he had to watch from afar as Dudley got all of the kindness and caring. It wasn't as if he cared, though.
Harry was trying to doodle a fat Uncle Vernon falling off a balcony, but his hands betrayed him. He kept sketching the same pointed face. Draco Malfoy's. Harry scratched out the drawing and searched around for a softer pillow. Aunt Petunia gave him only the old tattered ones, but she sometimes gave him big lumpy ones.
Harry ran a hand through his raven black hair and stared out of the window. It was beginning to rain and the only lights were those of the street lights or the lights peeking through the blinds in other windows. Harry thought the weather went along magnificently with his dreary mood. He plopped down onto his bed and flipped open the Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5) to go over what he had learned the previous year.
The whole lot of it had gone one ear and out the other. For Harry was too worried about Draco and the death eaters to concentrate. Harry fingered his lightning bolt scar and looked down. It always had to happen to him. Always.
Ever since the incident in June, his scar had appeared darker and much more visible. Now, if even the slightest bit of hair wasn't hiding it, some one in public - even the muggle public - would point and stare. Harry was glad to know that this was his last week off from school. He wanted to go to Diagon Alley as soon as possible so he could check out the new Firebolt X. It was the newest racing broom and the fastest ever recorded in history.
Harry wondered if he would see Draco in Diagon Alley. His stomach twisted into knots at the mere thought. Last year, Harry and Draco had had a very confusing relationship, and at the moment, Harry was still unsure. He had gotten a letter from Draco a few weeks ago that said only three words: A Secret Untold. Harry supposed this was their inside joke.
If you think about it, it kind of was. If Ron and Hermione - or any other Gryffindors - knew about Draco and Harry, they would be disgusted. And if the Slytherins knew - well, that would be horrible. Harry shook his head and stared out at the full moon. The rain clouds had just cleared away. Harry wondered if Lupin was transforming out there some where. Of course he is, Harry thought, shaking his head once again.
Harry lay down once more and began to fall into a deep sleep.
* * *
"Harry Potter! Wake up this instant!" Roared a voice. Harry jumped up groggily and changed his clothes. "Nothing like waking up in the morning to Uncle Vernon's yells." Harry muttered as he pushed on his glasses and swung open the door to the room.
"When will you cut that hair, boy?" Uncle Vernon barked from the foot of the stairs, his mustache twitching in disgust. Harry trudged down the stairs, his steps barely audible. Uncle Vernon glared. "Why aren't the hedges trimmed already?" He asked coldly. Harry's jaw nearly dropped.
"You didn't ask me to trim the bushes." He replied through gritted teeth. A vien in Uncle Vernon's neck throbbed. "You told me," Harry said quickly. "You didn't ask politely." Harry ran a hand through his raven black hair and gazed out the window at the uneven hedges. Uncle Vernon's face purpled.
"BOY! GET YOUR SKINNY ASS DOWN THERE AND TRIM THOSE HEDGES!" He roared. Harry grapped the clippers, made a rude hand gesture in Uncle Vernon's direction, and walked outside. He began clipping away the stray brances.
"Maybe a bit of hocus pocus would help." Dudley's voice shot at Harry from behind. Harry pretended to ignore him and continued clipping. "Or maybe even that gay boyfriend of yours." Dudley said, his voice sounding more confident. Harry's mind froze. How would Dudley know about Harry and Draco. Dudley must have not liked the silence.
"That owl of yours delivered a little letter to my window last night.
Dudley said with a nasty drawl. "Dear Harry, I don't know how long we can be sneaking around for. My father would kill me if he knew what I was doing with another boy..." Dudley recited in a false female voice.
Harry's grip of the clippers tightened but he remained silent as he clipped. Dudley opened his porky mouth to say something else, but Harry whirled around and pulled out his wand. "Say one more thing. I dare you." Harry said, his tone deadly. He aimed his wand at his cousin's chest. Dudley's eyes widened in shock and his face paled.
"Y-you can't do magic outside of s-school!" Dudley shrieked, glancing down at Harry's quivering wand. Harry chuckled and pocketed the wand. "You don't know what I can do." He said, laughing maliciously.
* * *
The days to follow Harry weren't improved much. Every day was the same routine: wake up to Dudley farting loudly in the next room, be forced to cook bacon and eggs, fetch the mail, tidy up the house, polish Uncle Vernon's work boots, water the garden, watch 10 minutes of TV (only channels 5, 66, and 93), eat a small dinner, lay down to sleep.
Harry's heart leapt as he continued to cross off the days until he would be heading back to Diagon Alley. He had all his belongings packed early one morning. Very quietly, Harry grabbed all of his things, and went downstairs. Being extremely cautious not to wake anyone, he left the house.
His wand arm shot into the air and with a loud crack, a large three-decker purple bus was parked before him. A pimply faced conductor, Stan Shunpike, stepped off the bus. "Welcome to the Knight Bus, we can take you anywhere on Earth exept for - HARRY!" Stan shook his greasy head happily and pulled Harry inside.
Harry straightened his robes. "Hello, Stan, Ern." He said, trying to fit himself into one of the chairs. "Where to?" Ern grunted. Harry told him the destination and off they were, narrowly dodging houses and cars along the way. Stan was talking anxiously but Harry tuned him out and reached inside of his cloak pocket. His fingers enclosed on a letter.
Hello Harry,
How has your holiday been? Mine has been very dull. I miss Hogwarts. It's almost time to go back, though! I do not want to see Professor Snape this year. He gives me the creeps! Hey, you never told me the whole story about what happened last June. Please write back and let me know! Are you completely all right? Is Malfoy? You know, Nadia is in Azkaban and I heard that Eve Studt is doing a special job for Professor Dumbledore to make up for what she's done. Well, write back soon, Harry!
Adriana Riviera
Harry read the letter repeatedly until Stan called "We're 'ere!" Harry's heart swelled with joy as he stepped into the familiar alley. The first person he ran into was Danielle DeVore outside of Madam Milkin's Robes for All Occasions. Her curly auburn hair had been in a sloppy bun and she had on a black and white checkered robe. The second person Harry spotted was Colin Creevy, who nearly fainted when he noticed Harry's reflection behind him in the reflection of the Flourish and Blotts. Harry stood outside Quality Quidditch Supplies, eyeing the latest model of broomstick. His heart plummeted when he noticed a glint of blonde hair out of the corner of his eye.
"Hello." A cool voice said, sending shivers down Harry's spine.