Harry twisted violently under his sheets, eyes racing under their lids. His pleasant insubstantial dream shifted quickly and a new scene broke. The room he was in was as dark as the night that surrounded it. There was a rap on the door then a pause and then three quick taps. A weep came from the woman whose arms he was in.
"Quick, through the passage in the back room." Though too dark to see, Harry knew who had spoken: his father. Immediately, he was hoisted up and there was shuffling about and then silence again. There was a terrible rush and the sound of the door in the next room being blown off the hinges. "Lily go! I'll hold him off."
"No!"
"GO! GET OUT!" The dream suddenly blurred into a chaotic sequence of screams and green flashes.
Harry bolted upright in his bed, panting as though he had just finished a race. He glanced at the clock: 5:23 //A whole minuet more// Harry thought. It had been the same dream he'd been having all summer, every morning at the same time, but it had grown. It had started off as no more than the green flashes and the screams, but the dream grew longer and more vivid each night. Harry had become so accustomed to having the dream that he could time exactly how much longer it got each night. His thoughts, however, were broken by the usual 5:30 alarm from his aunt and uncle's room and the even more usual groan of Uncle Vernon as he rolled out of bed and thudded down the corridor to the bathroom. Today however was no usual day, and Harry did not forget it. He leaped from his bed throwing his nightclothes into a ball on top of his trunk and pulling out fresh jeans and a gray Compton Panthers football t-shirt, from the trunk. Today he returned to Hogwarts for his sixth year. Today he would see Ron and Hermione and at night fall asleep in his own four poster bed. Voldemort or no Voldemort he was glad to be going back and leave the Dursley's behind.
But he had to admit, life at Privet Drive had definitely improved since the previous summer. After being threatened by a gang of scatterbrained wizards, the Dursley's were terrified that they would show up and blast them to pieces. And while they showed no sympathy for the death of Harry's godfather, none was expected from Harry's side an. Dudley's gang avoided him completely and the Dursley's ignored him whenever possible. He was given adequate amounts of food and necessary clothing when he asked for it, but no more.
From the minuet they pulled into number four Privet Drive, Harry made a decision. This summer was going to be different. It had to be or else the ennui of it all would drive him to insanity. He decided to occupy every free second he had so not to over think the things he had been dreading most. He got a job moving lawns throughout the development, work that the owners graciously gave to him, even if he was that "strange potter boy". By the third week of the vacation he had mowed every lawn on his street except for the Dursley's, which he did not offer to mow nor was asked to. The money which he made bought him his daily coffee which compensated for his restless nights and the train fares, as well as a few additional treats for to himself. He took the train everyday, save the weather was permitting, across town to the public park, a place where Harry doubted the Dursley's had ever been. This side of town was much different than where he lived. It was the home to many of the rather poor families and the park was no more than a football field with two rusting goals and plenty of weeds and a basketball court, but he liked it there and went whenever possible, despite his doubts about Dumbledore's approval of him straying so far. He however, still kept wand at hand and on his guard at all times.
He was taught, by the other boys, who knew only that his name was Harry and no more, the rules of football, and quickly caught on remembering back to the days of elementary school. He frequently joined in on their unorganized games and found he enjoyed them nearly as much as Quidditch. Nearly.
Harry searched the corners of his room to be sure he left nothing behind and packed the final things into his trunk setting Hedwig's cage on top. She pecked angrily at the bars of her cage for waking her up. "Sorry Hedwig. You'll be able to get out once we're at school." The mail had been flowing in quite heavily all summer but the outflow was much less. He, while pleased to hear from his friends, knew not how to respond to their letters. It sounded as though something was being planned from Ron and Ginny's letters and was sure of it from the one letter he received from Dumbledore, even though nothing could be said directly due to the chance of interception. And there was also the daily newspaper. The ministry had definitely changed their position on the return of Voldemort, but nothing was being done. Harry of course hadn't expected them to do anything drastic, not while Fudge was in office, which would surly not be much longer as he had gone through two strikes with the wizarding population and one more mistake would send him down the drain.
Harry pulled on his tunic and headed for the door. His uncle caught him before it slammed shut. "You'll be back by ten o'clock."
"Yes, Uncle." Harry responded simply and turned away down the drive. He walked briskly out to the main avenue and then the four blocks to the café, where he spent the last of the money he earned on a cup of coffee and a raspberry scone. He took his time walking back and sipped slowly at the cup of warm liquid and marveling at the thought of using magic again. It had been six whole weeks since he last used it or seen another wizard or witch his age. He had not even been to Diagon ally but instead sent his list to the Weasley's with a sack of Galleons and asked them to pick up the few books he would need for the upcoming year.
When ten o'clock rolled around Harry was waiting in the back seat of the car chortling at the look on his uncle's face.
"Quick, through the passage in the back room." Though too dark to see, Harry knew who had spoken: his father. Immediately, he was hoisted up and there was shuffling about and then silence again. There was a terrible rush and the sound of the door in the next room being blown off the hinges. "Lily go! I'll hold him off."
"No!"
"GO! GET OUT!" The dream suddenly blurred into a chaotic sequence of screams and green flashes.
Harry bolted upright in his bed, panting as though he had just finished a race. He glanced at the clock: 5:23 //A whole minuet more// Harry thought. It had been the same dream he'd been having all summer, every morning at the same time, but it had grown. It had started off as no more than the green flashes and the screams, but the dream grew longer and more vivid each night. Harry had become so accustomed to having the dream that he could time exactly how much longer it got each night. His thoughts, however, were broken by the usual 5:30 alarm from his aunt and uncle's room and the even more usual groan of Uncle Vernon as he rolled out of bed and thudded down the corridor to the bathroom. Today however was no usual day, and Harry did not forget it. He leaped from his bed throwing his nightclothes into a ball on top of his trunk and pulling out fresh jeans and a gray Compton Panthers football t-shirt, from the trunk. Today he returned to Hogwarts for his sixth year. Today he would see Ron and Hermione and at night fall asleep in his own four poster bed. Voldemort or no Voldemort he was glad to be going back and leave the Dursley's behind.
But he had to admit, life at Privet Drive had definitely improved since the previous summer. After being threatened by a gang of scatterbrained wizards, the Dursley's were terrified that they would show up and blast them to pieces. And while they showed no sympathy for the death of Harry's godfather, none was expected from Harry's side an. Dudley's gang avoided him completely and the Dursley's ignored him whenever possible. He was given adequate amounts of food and necessary clothing when he asked for it, but no more.
From the minuet they pulled into number four Privet Drive, Harry made a decision. This summer was going to be different. It had to be or else the ennui of it all would drive him to insanity. He decided to occupy every free second he had so not to over think the things he had been dreading most. He got a job moving lawns throughout the development, work that the owners graciously gave to him, even if he was that "strange potter boy". By the third week of the vacation he had mowed every lawn on his street except for the Dursley's, which he did not offer to mow nor was asked to. The money which he made bought him his daily coffee which compensated for his restless nights and the train fares, as well as a few additional treats for to himself. He took the train everyday, save the weather was permitting, across town to the public park, a place where Harry doubted the Dursley's had ever been. This side of town was much different than where he lived. It was the home to many of the rather poor families and the park was no more than a football field with two rusting goals and plenty of weeds and a basketball court, but he liked it there and went whenever possible, despite his doubts about Dumbledore's approval of him straying so far. He however, still kept wand at hand and on his guard at all times.
He was taught, by the other boys, who knew only that his name was Harry and no more, the rules of football, and quickly caught on remembering back to the days of elementary school. He frequently joined in on their unorganized games and found he enjoyed them nearly as much as Quidditch. Nearly.
Harry searched the corners of his room to be sure he left nothing behind and packed the final things into his trunk setting Hedwig's cage on top. She pecked angrily at the bars of her cage for waking her up. "Sorry Hedwig. You'll be able to get out once we're at school." The mail had been flowing in quite heavily all summer but the outflow was much less. He, while pleased to hear from his friends, knew not how to respond to their letters. It sounded as though something was being planned from Ron and Ginny's letters and was sure of it from the one letter he received from Dumbledore, even though nothing could be said directly due to the chance of interception. And there was also the daily newspaper. The ministry had definitely changed their position on the return of Voldemort, but nothing was being done. Harry of course hadn't expected them to do anything drastic, not while Fudge was in office, which would surly not be much longer as he had gone through two strikes with the wizarding population and one more mistake would send him down the drain.
Harry pulled on his tunic and headed for the door. His uncle caught him before it slammed shut. "You'll be back by ten o'clock."
"Yes, Uncle." Harry responded simply and turned away down the drive. He walked briskly out to the main avenue and then the four blocks to the café, where he spent the last of the money he earned on a cup of coffee and a raspberry scone. He took his time walking back and sipped slowly at the cup of warm liquid and marveling at the thought of using magic again. It had been six whole weeks since he last used it or seen another wizard or witch his age. He had not even been to Diagon ally but instead sent his list to the Weasley's with a sack of Galleons and asked them to pick up the few books he would need for the upcoming year.
When ten o'clock rolled around Harry was waiting in the back seat of the car chortling at the look on his uncle's face.