Chapter 1: Not so Far Away
Harry sat silently next to Dudley as he rode back to the Dursley's. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were busy chatting in the front seat but Harry didn't care what it was about. He hadn't cared about a lot of things lately. He hadn't cared to find Cho was dating Ginny's ex-boyfriend. He hadn't cared when members of the Order were there to talk to his relatives when he got off the Hogwarts Express. He wouldn't care if his friends didn't write him over the summer. He wouldn't care if he didn't go to Number 12 Grimmauld place before going back to Hogwarts. In fact, now that he thought about it, he didn't care if he never left the Dursley's. He sat there. The one thing that he had cared about, the one thing he thought would never be taken away from him, the thing that was the closest thing to family for Harry, was gone. Sirius was dead, and Harry wouldn't even bother denying it anymore. Right now, Harry had one more thing to care about, and that was the downfall of Voldemort. Voldemort's scheme had cost him the thing that meant most to him. Bellatrix Lestrange would also pay. She was the one who sent Sirius behind that veil. She was the one who gave Harry no more reason to live in his opinion. It had meant a lot to Harry that his friends and the Order would keep him trapped here and they wouldn't let the Dursley's do anything to him, but when he smiled at them, he wasn't really feeling it. Afraid they would notice, he turned around, with the Dursley's following in his wake. Before he knew it, Harry was back at what Dumbledore called home. Yes, he couldn't be touched here. Voldemort could explode the world, but if Harry were here it wouldn't matter. Harry grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage and headed up to his room. Upon getting there, he closed his door and locked it, set his things down, sprawled on his bed, and cried. He knew that it was hardly something a fifteen-year-old man should do, but, of course, he didn't care. He cried for at least an hour just wishing he could be dead. Dreaming that Neville could be the one with this burden instead of himself. Life may not be fare, but this was just wrong. He was strong enough to escape death from Voldemort more than anyone, but he wasn't strong enough for this. He couldn't face a destiny of not being able to live until he murdered Voldemort. He especially couldn't face it without Sirius. For two years Harry was given the closest thing to a family and that had to be taken away from him too. He would make Voldemort and Bellatrix pay. He wouldn't let anyone else be pained from their horrible actions. Eventually Harry got up and went down to the kitchen for dinner. When he finished, he went upstairs and got a start on his summer assignments. When 10 o'clock rolled around, he put his pajamas on and went to bed. Harry watched in horror as he saw Sirius go behind the veil like so many times before. He saw the look that had taken over his face when he realized his closest thing to a parent was gone. Then, almost immediately, he was watching a clock. The clock went on for days ever so slowly. Two days to be exact was how long he watched that clock. Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock... Just when Harry though it would never end, it stopped. Tick... Tock... TICK! He was looking at the veil yet again. The pain was overwhelming. The veil was a constant reminder of what was lost. He watched as the veil moved. Something was inside it trying to get out. What though? He waited for what seemed like hours but was only seconds. Then he saw it! It was a hand. Then he saw two hands. The second was holding a wand. He saw the outline of a head. A skull. Was it a skull? He almost saw who it was when... "Wake up boy! It is breakfast time and you need to get to work! C'mon! Get up! NOW!" Harry awoke to the sound of Uncle Vernon's brain-shattering voice. Harry got up and shrugged off his dream. 'It was a fantasy, Harry.' He told himself. 'Probably your parents or Sirius would have come out of that veil.' He got up and went to breakfast. Harry was sitting at the table finishing his breakfast when he heard a tap at the window. He looked up and saw an owl there on the windowsill. He tried to get up and go let it in but Uncle Vernon beat him to it. Harry watched as his Uncle opened the letter and read it aloud as to make fun of it.
"Dear Harry,
As we promised, we will be picking you up tomorrow. We pulled some strings with Dumbledore and he decided that one night at the Dursley's should be enough. (Mind you, he didn't say enough of what but we didn't ask. Please reply to confirm you have received this and you will be ready tomorrow at 1:00pm for us to come and pick you up. Tell your family hello for us and we await your response. We hope you can come.
Remus Lupin and the Order of the Phoenix"
Harry looked at Uncle Vernon. He was smiling. Harry figured that the Dursley's would be happy to get rid of him, but as he observed Uncle Vernon's facial expression, he began to feel very worried. "The Order of the Phoenix? What is this boy? Is it not bad enough you are what you are that you also have to join a gang with others like you? You will NOT be going I tell you! In fact, I will reply back and tell your little friend Remus Lupin myself! Now go up to your room and stay there till we call you down for lunch!" Harry's heart sank. For a split second he actually thought that he could get away from here and begin working on a plan to get back at Voldemort. He walked off to his room quietly, closed his door behind him, and sat on his bed. He was about to begin packing his things so he could run away when he heard a familiar voice whisper, "Hey Harry. Harry!" He heard someone shout in a hushed voice. Harry went through his trunk and found the now repaired mirror that Sirius had given him at Christmas. He looked into it to see a friendly smile on Ron. He decided to reply. "What?" "Stay where you are." "Why?" "We knew your uncle wouldn't let you go. Just stay put and be patient for a little while okay mate? Trust me. There are different plans than what you think. You will be happier tomorrow morning." "What? Why?" "Oh! Mum is calling. Just remember what I said ok?" "Ok Ron." "Great. Thanks." Harry watched Ron's crooked smiled turn away as he left to go meet his mother. Harry smiled. He used to wish he could be a part of Ron's family. They were the best sorts of people he had ever known, except Percy, of course. Percy had always been Harry's least favorite of Ron's brothers, and when he turned on his family the pervious year, refusing to believe Voldemort was back, saying horrible things to his parents, and, worst of all, telling Ron not to hang out with Harry, Harry really created a dislike for him. Since he had nothing better to do, Harry decided to do some more of his over-the summer homework. Since he wasn't hungry, he skipped lunch, and after dinner he went right back to work. By the time 11 o'clock came and went, Harry had actually finished everything. Exhausted, he changed his clothes and plopped into bed. Within seconds he had fallen into a dreamless sleep. Harry awoke around 2:30 am to a tapping on his window. He closed his door, so not to wake up his relatives, and even locked it so he could hide something if it was an owl with a letter. When he turned around he stared in amazement at what he saw at his window. Hermione was outside his window standing on a ladder, smiling. Harry rushed over, opened his window and let her in. Almost instantly he was holding onto his trunk for balance as she nearly tackled him with a hug. "Hermione, what's going on? Why are you here?" "Me and Tonks are here to pick you up. We are going to be spending the summer with Adriana Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore said it was to get your mind off things, but I know there are other reasons. Ron is already there waiting for us. C'mon. Let's pack up your things and get going!" She replied in a whisper. Harry didn't need telling twice. Instantly he was swiftly and quietly piling his entire stack of things into his trunk. He handed it to Hermione who tossed it down to Tonks, who was sporting the long, blonde, curly hairdo this evening. He grabbed his firebolt as he began to hear pounding on the door. Uncle Vernon was trying to get in! Harry waited until Hermione was halfway down the ladder and he began to go down it as well. He shut the window behind himself to get more time. When he reached the bottom of the ladder and stepped onto firm ground, it vanished. Tonks conjured two brooms for herself and Hermione as Harry mounted his own. Before he knew it, he was following Tonks and Hermione through the midnight sky.
Harry sat silently next to Dudley as he rode back to the Dursley's. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were busy chatting in the front seat but Harry didn't care what it was about. He hadn't cared about a lot of things lately. He hadn't cared to find Cho was dating Ginny's ex-boyfriend. He hadn't cared when members of the Order were there to talk to his relatives when he got off the Hogwarts Express. He wouldn't care if his friends didn't write him over the summer. He wouldn't care if he didn't go to Number 12 Grimmauld place before going back to Hogwarts. In fact, now that he thought about it, he didn't care if he never left the Dursley's. He sat there. The one thing that he had cared about, the one thing he thought would never be taken away from him, the thing that was the closest thing to family for Harry, was gone. Sirius was dead, and Harry wouldn't even bother denying it anymore. Right now, Harry had one more thing to care about, and that was the downfall of Voldemort. Voldemort's scheme had cost him the thing that meant most to him. Bellatrix Lestrange would also pay. She was the one who sent Sirius behind that veil. She was the one who gave Harry no more reason to live in his opinion. It had meant a lot to Harry that his friends and the Order would keep him trapped here and they wouldn't let the Dursley's do anything to him, but when he smiled at them, he wasn't really feeling it. Afraid they would notice, he turned around, with the Dursley's following in his wake. Before he knew it, Harry was back at what Dumbledore called home. Yes, he couldn't be touched here. Voldemort could explode the world, but if Harry were here it wouldn't matter. Harry grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage and headed up to his room. Upon getting there, he closed his door and locked it, set his things down, sprawled on his bed, and cried. He knew that it was hardly something a fifteen-year-old man should do, but, of course, he didn't care. He cried for at least an hour just wishing he could be dead. Dreaming that Neville could be the one with this burden instead of himself. Life may not be fare, but this was just wrong. He was strong enough to escape death from Voldemort more than anyone, but he wasn't strong enough for this. He couldn't face a destiny of not being able to live until he murdered Voldemort. He especially couldn't face it without Sirius. For two years Harry was given the closest thing to a family and that had to be taken away from him too. He would make Voldemort and Bellatrix pay. He wouldn't let anyone else be pained from their horrible actions. Eventually Harry got up and went down to the kitchen for dinner. When he finished, he went upstairs and got a start on his summer assignments. When 10 o'clock rolled around, he put his pajamas on and went to bed. Harry watched in horror as he saw Sirius go behind the veil like so many times before. He saw the look that had taken over his face when he realized his closest thing to a parent was gone. Then, almost immediately, he was watching a clock. The clock went on for days ever so slowly. Two days to be exact was how long he watched that clock. Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock... Just when Harry though it would never end, it stopped. Tick... Tock... TICK! He was looking at the veil yet again. The pain was overwhelming. The veil was a constant reminder of what was lost. He watched as the veil moved. Something was inside it trying to get out. What though? He waited for what seemed like hours but was only seconds. Then he saw it! It was a hand. Then he saw two hands. The second was holding a wand. He saw the outline of a head. A skull. Was it a skull? He almost saw who it was when... "Wake up boy! It is breakfast time and you need to get to work! C'mon! Get up! NOW!" Harry awoke to the sound of Uncle Vernon's brain-shattering voice. Harry got up and shrugged off his dream. 'It was a fantasy, Harry.' He told himself. 'Probably your parents or Sirius would have come out of that veil.' He got up and went to breakfast. Harry was sitting at the table finishing his breakfast when he heard a tap at the window. He looked up and saw an owl there on the windowsill. He tried to get up and go let it in but Uncle Vernon beat him to it. Harry watched as his Uncle opened the letter and read it aloud as to make fun of it.
"Dear Harry,
As we promised, we will be picking you up tomorrow. We pulled some strings with Dumbledore and he decided that one night at the Dursley's should be enough. (Mind you, he didn't say enough of what but we didn't ask. Please reply to confirm you have received this and you will be ready tomorrow at 1:00pm for us to come and pick you up. Tell your family hello for us and we await your response. We hope you can come.
Remus Lupin and the Order of the Phoenix"
Harry looked at Uncle Vernon. He was smiling. Harry figured that the Dursley's would be happy to get rid of him, but as he observed Uncle Vernon's facial expression, he began to feel very worried. "The Order of the Phoenix? What is this boy? Is it not bad enough you are what you are that you also have to join a gang with others like you? You will NOT be going I tell you! In fact, I will reply back and tell your little friend Remus Lupin myself! Now go up to your room and stay there till we call you down for lunch!" Harry's heart sank. For a split second he actually thought that he could get away from here and begin working on a plan to get back at Voldemort. He walked off to his room quietly, closed his door behind him, and sat on his bed. He was about to begin packing his things so he could run away when he heard a familiar voice whisper, "Hey Harry. Harry!" He heard someone shout in a hushed voice. Harry went through his trunk and found the now repaired mirror that Sirius had given him at Christmas. He looked into it to see a friendly smile on Ron. He decided to reply. "What?" "Stay where you are." "Why?" "We knew your uncle wouldn't let you go. Just stay put and be patient for a little while okay mate? Trust me. There are different plans than what you think. You will be happier tomorrow morning." "What? Why?" "Oh! Mum is calling. Just remember what I said ok?" "Ok Ron." "Great. Thanks." Harry watched Ron's crooked smiled turn away as he left to go meet his mother. Harry smiled. He used to wish he could be a part of Ron's family. They were the best sorts of people he had ever known, except Percy, of course. Percy had always been Harry's least favorite of Ron's brothers, and when he turned on his family the pervious year, refusing to believe Voldemort was back, saying horrible things to his parents, and, worst of all, telling Ron not to hang out with Harry, Harry really created a dislike for him. Since he had nothing better to do, Harry decided to do some more of his over-the summer homework. Since he wasn't hungry, he skipped lunch, and after dinner he went right back to work. By the time 11 o'clock came and went, Harry had actually finished everything. Exhausted, he changed his clothes and plopped into bed. Within seconds he had fallen into a dreamless sleep. Harry awoke around 2:30 am to a tapping on his window. He closed his door, so not to wake up his relatives, and even locked it so he could hide something if it was an owl with a letter. When he turned around he stared in amazement at what he saw at his window. Hermione was outside his window standing on a ladder, smiling. Harry rushed over, opened his window and let her in. Almost instantly he was holding onto his trunk for balance as she nearly tackled him with a hug. "Hermione, what's going on? Why are you here?" "Me and Tonks are here to pick you up. We are going to be spending the summer with Adriana Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore said it was to get your mind off things, but I know there are other reasons. Ron is already there waiting for us. C'mon. Let's pack up your things and get going!" She replied in a whisper. Harry didn't need telling twice. Instantly he was swiftly and quietly piling his entire stack of things into his trunk. He handed it to Hermione who tossed it down to Tonks, who was sporting the long, blonde, curly hairdo this evening. He grabbed his firebolt as he began to hear pounding on the door. Uncle Vernon was trying to get in! Harry waited until Hermione was halfway down the ladder and he began to go down it as well. He shut the window behind himself to get more time. When he reached the bottom of the ladder and stepped onto firm ground, it vanished. Tonks conjured two brooms for herself and Hermione as Harry mounted his own. Before he knew it, he was following Tonks and Hermione through the midnight sky.