Guilty Conscious
H/D Slash
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters nor any of the settings. These are all owned by the "fantabulous" J.K. Rowling. She is marvelous, let me tell you. All that I own from this fiction is the title, the summary, the outlines, and the plot. I probably own a little more than that, but that's all good enough for me.
Harry slammed the door to his second-floor bedroom. Hedwig chirped in her cage and nibbled at the opening, but Harry hardly noticed. "Not now, Hedwig," he muttered. He opened one of the many floorboards in his room and pulled out a survival kit Hermione had made him before the summer started. Hedwig chirped again, but again, Harry didn't notice. There was an envelope taped to the front of the box. Harry pulled it off and opened it up.
Dear Harry,
I figured you might need this over the summer, so I made it for you. There are all kinds of necessities, including food, available. Just say what you want three times aloud and you will get it. Yes, it is magic.
Love Always, Hermione.
Harry smiled. Hermione always prepared for the worst, and when the time came, he knew he relied on her. Harry carefully opened the box and found nothing inside. Reading the note once again, he decided to try it. "Bag of lemon drops, bag of lemon drops, bag of lemon drops," he said aloud. He glanced inside the box and saw a bag of lemon drops there waiting for him. 'Wow,' he thought to himself. He knew he shouldn't be amazed, but he was. He was more intrigued than amazed, wondering how the contraption worked.
After a few more minutes of wondering, he gave up. He placed the box back underneath the floorboard and heard a great tapping at his window. He remembered when his uncle, Vernon Dursley, placed large, metal bars on the windowsill outside, keeping him in and others out. He opened the window, remembering the way Fred, Ron, and George pulled off the bars and saved him from the prison life he knew.
The owl landed on Hedwig's cage and lifted his leg, waiting for Harry to untie the parchment. He did so and sent the bird off, untying the rope of the parchment and reading it.
Mr. H. Potter-
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for another year. You will be entering your sixth year here. Your classes will be based on the job survey you completed last year. You, Mr. Potter, wished to be an Auror, so your classes are based on the skills needed to be accepted as an Auror. Please check the supply list for the books and other supplies you will need for this year. The Hogwarts Express leaves King's Cross Station at Ten O' Clock A.M. on the morning of September first.
Regards, Minerva M. McGonagall Deputy Headmistress
Harry glanced at the second piece of paper and read the notations of books he would need. Nine books. He rolled up the parchment and set it on his bedside stand, next to Hedwig's cage. 'When Ron comes to pick me up for the end of the summer, as he usually does, I'll get my books with them.' He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes...
The sky was a tremendous dark gray colour and the rain fell from the large rain cloud faster and faster by the moment. After at least three moments, Harry found himself standing in the middle of the street of Privet Drive. He found his hand in his pocket, grasping his wand tightly. He pulled both his hand and the wand out and signaled for the Knight Bus to arrive. A large, red double-decker bus came speeding toward him faster than ever and came screeching to a halt in front of him. Sweat beads began streaming from Harry's forehead. The door opened and Harry walked up the steps, seeing the faces of Ernie and Stan. "Hello, Ernie.. Stan." He told them, as he sat down on one of the beds, putting Hedwig's cage between the bed and the wall and putting his trunk behind that. "'Ello, Harry," replied the hushed voice of the driver. The opened door closed and the bus began speeding off again. "Where to, Harry?" asked Ernie. "To the house of Arthur Weasley and family." "Alright," Stan replied. Harry looked around the bus and saw only an elderly old lady sleeping on one of the beds in the back. "She's a regular," Ernie told Harry when he saw Harry's eyes gaze around the room. Harry nodded and seemed to remember the woman from Harry's previous and first visit on the Knight Bus.
In a matter of time, Harry had found himself lying on the bed behind Stan's chair when they arrived near the Weasley's home. "This is as far as we can go with you, 'Arry," Stan told him. "See you around," Ernie said as Harry walked off the bus. Harry glanced around the area and saw Ron standing in the middle of the street. "Ron!" he called into the dark night. "Ron! Move out of the way!" 'He can't hear me,' Harry thought. 'I have to do something. I can't just let him stand there.' Harry reached into his pocket, looking for his wand. "My wand!" he shouted. "It's gone!" He paused and then ran as quickly as he could. Headlights flashed from close by. A car was driving down the street and obviously didn't see Ron. Harry could feel cramps in his legs after running for five minutes.
He recognized the car to be that of Arthur Weasley. "Mr. Weasley!!!! Ron's in the middle of the road!" was what he wanted to yell, but was panting and breathing way too hard to let any air out of his grasp. Harry ran as far as he could and stopped about 5 yards away from Ron when he saw it happen. Mr. Weasley's car plowed right into Ron. Ron flew backwards and off to the side. Mr. Weasley raced out of the car and attended to his youngest son. "Ron.." He saw Harry panting at a close distance near by. Tears strolled down Mr. Weasley's cheeks. They hit the ground, making no noise, and soaked into the soil. Mr. Weasley walked over to Harry's side. "What just happened?" Mr. Weasley asked Harry as Harry felt tears swelling in his eyes. "Nooooo!" he called out into the night...
Beads of sweat dripped down Harry's face from his forehead. He sat up in his bed. 'It was all just a dream?' he questioned in his mind. The experience had felt so real. The way he saw Ron and the impact the car had had on him. Harry shuddered. He didn't know what to do. He was now afraid to sleep even more than ever before. 'What is going on with me?'
Harry stayed awake the rest of the night, lying in his bed, thinking of what he saw. The image replayed over and over in his mind. It seemed to be an endless recording of one of his worst fears. He closed his eyes and saw the image once again, this time more in depth. He re-lived the image and saw one thing he hadn't seen or noticed before. Draco Malfoy.
Harry growled. Draco Malfoy? Could it be possible? Draco was both Harry and Ron's archenemy. 'But he wouldn't kill anyone? Would he?' "Think about who you're talking about, Harry. His father is a Death Eater. He probably already has the Dark Mark embroidered on his arm." What was he thinking?
The next morning, Harry's eyes became redder than ever before because of his non-slumber party. The only person there was himself, but it could still be considered a party in his mind. An owl tapped loudly on his window. Harry hurriedly opened the window and let the owl in. "Quiet. You'll wake the Dursley's." The owl chirped. "You want to live, don't you?" The owl nodded and instantly got what he was saying. The owl's beak snapped shut as Harry untied the parchment.
Dear Harry,
How's your summer going? Ron asked me to write to you and tell you that Dumbledore has allowed you to spend the rest of the time here at the Weasley's house. Ginny keeps begging me to let her write something, so I will conclude my letter with this: We are going to Diagon Alley on the Monday before the train leaves. Ron's dad will be picking you up tomorrow [Sunday].
Hermione
Harry looked down at the bottom half of Hermione's letter to find a scribbled note from Ginny.
Hello Harry! Can't wait until you come over! Well, I just wanted to write to you for a minute and tell you about Diagon Alley. Oh, Hermione already has. Well then, see you tomorrow!
Ginny.
Harry folded up the letter and nodded at the owl, which simultaneously had already left. Harry pulled out his Survival kit once again and began to eat.
The next day and a half passed by slowly. Harry packed all his things in his trunk and got Hedwig's cage ready to go. He went downstairs and saw his uncle Vernon sitting at the dining room table. "Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked.
Vernon Dursley sighed and looked up at his nephew. "What is it, boy?" "Um," he began. "What is it?!? I haven't all day to listen to your nonsense!" "I'm leaving today to go with my friend Ron. We're going to his house." "If you think you are going back to that wretched school, you're utterly mistaken. You'll not be going," Vernon said, anger glowing reddish in his cheeks. "You can't stop me from being what I am!" Harry yelled, growling at his uncle. "You will not be going!" At that precise moment, the doorbell rang. "Get the door, boy. And we'll have no more of this discussion!" Vernon looked at the newspaper that sat on the table in front of him and began to read it.
Harry opened the door to see Arthur Weasely and some of the Weasley family. "Harry!" "Mr. Weasley! Ron!" Harry hugged them both, letting out a sigh.
Mr. Weasley and Ron shrugged as Fred, George, and Hermione questioned Harry's awkwardness. Harry smiled and let go of them both, relieved. 'It was all just a dream.' Harry noticed the strange looks he was receiving from the Weasleys and Hermione, so he looked away. "Let's get your stuff in the trunk, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, the first person to break the silence. Harry nodded. He was feeling a little awkward now. 'What is going on with me?' he asked himself as he got into the packed car. He sat in the passenger seat next to Mr. Weasley.
The next half-an-hour seemed a bore to all of the passengers in the car. Fred and George opened the windows and were arguing with Hermione and Ron because they felt it was hot while Hermione and Ron felt it was too cold. Harry didn't feel like arguing with anyone, so he stayed out of it. He reckoned each and every minute of the ride that he would arrive at the Weasley's home and was wrong most of the time.
Mrs. Weasley was hanging clothes on the clothesline when the flying car pulled into the driveway of the Weasley household. She ran out to the car when it stopped moving and greeted them all. "Hello, Harry dear. How is your summer going? Are you alright?" Harry didn't listen to all the questions she asked. He felt as if they would never stop. "Mum, quit it! He just got here!" Ron claimed. It was true. Mrs. Weasley realized that Harry must've been tired from the short journey and was about to send him upstairs. "I'm not tired, Mrs. Weasley. I'm fine," Harry told her. He felt like she was a babysitter of his and she was sending him off to his bedtime.
Harry gradually took his things upstairs into Ron's room, as Mrs. Weasley had instructed. "C'mon Harry!" Ginny called to him from the stairs. "We're going to Diagon Alley!" Harry put his stuff away and raced back downstairs. "Careful, Harry," Mrs. Weasley cooed. "Don't want to fall and hurt yourself." Yet again, he felt like a mere child to a babysitter's tone. Harry put his cloak on and joined the Weasleys near the fireplace. Each Weasley had his and her turn to enter the fireplace with a handful of the sand-like powder and yell "Diagon Alley!" before throwing down the powder and emerging into flames. Harry and Mr. Weasley were the last two remaining in the Weasley home. "Go on, Harry." Harry nodded and grabbed a handful of floo powder, stepping into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" he yelled as he threw down the powder. Flames emerged from the bottom of the fireplace and engulfed Harry. He caught one last glimpse of Mr. Weasley in a quick second before vanishing from the fireplace and emerging into Diagon Alley, next to Ron.
Within a rapidly consumed period of time, each one of them arrived back to the Weasley home through the Floo Network. There, they found Albus Dumbledore waiting for them. "Professor Dumbledore," proclaimed a surprised Mrs. Weasley. "Molly, Arthur. I hope you don't object to me letting myself in." "Not at all, Albus." "Thank you, Arthur. I did, however, come for a reason. May I speak with you two and a certain other guest in the kitchen?" he asked, nodding to Harry. "Sure. I'll go start some tea. Would you like some, Albus?" "Yes, please, Molly." Harry felt a lump grow in his throat. He nodded his reply and glanced back at Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny as he walked into the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley placed four cups and four saucers on the table for each one of them. Arthur sat down at the end of the table, leaving a seat in between him and Professor Dumbledore for Molly. Harry sat across from Dumbledore and kept quiet. He didn't know what was going on, but it didn't sound good. "Arthur, Molly. I know I approved Harry to come over here for the remainder of the summer break, but now I'm afraid it may be to risky. The Death Eaters are regaining strength and are no doubt after Harry for the last downfall of Voldemort..." Arthur and Molly shivered. "So, I am recommending that he go back to the Dursley's home for one week and then, on Sunday evening or afternoon, you may reclaim him before the school term starts again." Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry, Harry," Molly began. "We have to do what's best for you right now. If that means sending you back to the Muggle's home for a week to ensure your protection and safety, then that is what we have to do," Arthur finished. Harry's watered, jade green eyes wandered to the blue-eyed gaze of Albus Dumbledore. The look felt horrible from Albus' point of view. But there was nothing he could do. Even if tried and objected to his conscious, his subconscious would die if anything happened to Harry. He felt kinda as if Harry were his son and he was Harry's father.
"I'll go get my stuff," Harry said in a voice near a whisper. He walked out of the kitchen and found Ron upstairs in his room, waiting for Harry. "What's happening?" Ron asked, concerned. "I have to leave..but," Harry looked for a way to get back to Ron's home. "I'll sneak out of the Dursley's home..And I'll take the Knight Bus here. You can hide me in your room. I'm sure it will work." And so, Harry packed his things in his trunk, gathered some food to stash in his floor-board cupboard and took everything downstairs, with the help of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
The ride back to the Dursley's was the worst he had even been on. It was quite slow, in his opinion, and he didn't want to go. 'I'll leave tomorrow night.' He thought in the back of his mind.
The next evening arrived slower than the morning had. That night, Harry closed his eyes and fell into a nightmare. He had seen the same dream as he had before. It was getting stranger for him by the minute. This time it felt so much more real. It was freaky, but he survived.
The time had come for him to fulfill his plan. He gradually sneaked out of his bedroom and walked downstairs. The stairs squeaked quietly, but Harry didn't care to notice. Finally, he made it outside.
The sky was a tremendous dark gray colour and the rain fell from the large rain cloud faster and faster by the moment. After at least three moments, Harry found himself standing in the middle of the street of Privet Drive. He found his hand in his pocket, grasping his wand tightly. He pulled both his hand and the wand out and signaled for the Knight Bus to arrive. A large, red double-decker bus came speeding toward him faster than ever and came screeching to a halt in front of him. Sweat beads began streaming from Harry's forehead. The door opened and Harry walked up the steps, seeing the faces of Ernie and Stan. "Hello, Ernie.. Stan." He told them, as he sat down on one of the beds, putting Hedwig's cage between the bed and the wall and putting his trunk behind that. "'Ello, Harry," replied the hushed voice of the driver. The opened door closed and the bus began speeding off again. "Where to, Harry?" asked Ernie. "To the house of Arthur Weasley and family." "Alright," Stan replied. Harry looked around the bus and saw only an elderly old lady sleeping on one of the beds in the back. "She's a regular," Ernie told Harry when he saw Harry's eyes gaze around the room. Harry nodded and seemed to remember the woman from Harry's previous and first visit on the Knight Bus.
In a matter of time, Harry had found himself lying on the bed behind Stan's chair when they arrived near the Weasley's home. "This is as far as we can go with you, 'Arry," Stan told him. "See you around," Ernie said as Harry walked off the bus. Harry glanced around the area and saw Ron standing in the middle of the street. "Ron!" he called into the dark night. "Ron! Move out of the way!" 'He can't hear me,' Harry thought. 'I have to do something. I can't just let him stand there.' Harry reached into his pocket, looking for his wand. "My wand!" he shouted. "It's gone!" He paused and then ran as quickly as he could. Headlights flashed from close by. A car was driving down the street and obviously didn't see Ron. Harry could feel cramps in his legs after running for five minutes.
He recognized the car to be that of Arthur Weasley. "Mr. Weasley!!!! Ron's in the middle of the road!" was what he wanted to yell, but was panting and breathing way too hard to let any air out of his grasp. Harry ran as far as he could and stopped about 5 yards away from Ron when he saw it happen. Mr. Weasley's car plowed right into Ron. Ron flew backwards and off to the side. Mr. Weasley raced out of the car and attended to his youngest son. "Ron.." He saw Harry panting at a close distance near by. Tears strolled down Mr. Weasley's cheeks. They hit the ground, making no noise, and soaked into the soil. Mr. Weasley walked over to Harry's side. "What just happened?" Mr. Weasley asked Harry as Harry felt tears swelling in his eyes. "Nooooo!" he called out into the night...
H/D Slash
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters nor any of the settings. These are all owned by the "fantabulous" J.K. Rowling. She is marvelous, let me tell you. All that I own from this fiction is the title, the summary, the outlines, and the plot. I probably own a little more than that, but that's all good enough for me.
Harry slammed the door to his second-floor bedroom. Hedwig chirped in her cage and nibbled at the opening, but Harry hardly noticed. "Not now, Hedwig," he muttered. He opened one of the many floorboards in his room and pulled out a survival kit Hermione had made him before the summer started. Hedwig chirped again, but again, Harry didn't notice. There was an envelope taped to the front of the box. Harry pulled it off and opened it up.
Dear Harry,
I figured you might need this over the summer, so I made it for you. There are all kinds of necessities, including food, available. Just say what you want three times aloud and you will get it. Yes, it is magic.
Love Always, Hermione.
Harry smiled. Hermione always prepared for the worst, and when the time came, he knew he relied on her. Harry carefully opened the box and found nothing inside. Reading the note once again, he decided to try it. "Bag of lemon drops, bag of lemon drops, bag of lemon drops," he said aloud. He glanced inside the box and saw a bag of lemon drops there waiting for him. 'Wow,' he thought to himself. He knew he shouldn't be amazed, but he was. He was more intrigued than amazed, wondering how the contraption worked.
After a few more minutes of wondering, he gave up. He placed the box back underneath the floorboard and heard a great tapping at his window. He remembered when his uncle, Vernon Dursley, placed large, metal bars on the windowsill outside, keeping him in and others out. He opened the window, remembering the way Fred, Ron, and George pulled off the bars and saved him from the prison life he knew.
The owl landed on Hedwig's cage and lifted his leg, waiting for Harry to untie the parchment. He did so and sent the bird off, untying the rope of the parchment and reading it.
Mr. H. Potter-
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for another year. You will be entering your sixth year here. Your classes will be based on the job survey you completed last year. You, Mr. Potter, wished to be an Auror, so your classes are based on the skills needed to be accepted as an Auror. Please check the supply list for the books and other supplies you will need for this year. The Hogwarts Express leaves King's Cross Station at Ten O' Clock A.M. on the morning of September first.
Regards, Minerva M. McGonagall Deputy Headmistress
Harry glanced at the second piece of paper and read the notations of books he would need. Nine books. He rolled up the parchment and set it on his bedside stand, next to Hedwig's cage. 'When Ron comes to pick me up for the end of the summer, as he usually does, I'll get my books with them.' He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes...
The sky was a tremendous dark gray colour and the rain fell from the large rain cloud faster and faster by the moment. After at least three moments, Harry found himself standing in the middle of the street of Privet Drive. He found his hand in his pocket, grasping his wand tightly. He pulled both his hand and the wand out and signaled for the Knight Bus to arrive. A large, red double-decker bus came speeding toward him faster than ever and came screeching to a halt in front of him. Sweat beads began streaming from Harry's forehead. The door opened and Harry walked up the steps, seeing the faces of Ernie and Stan. "Hello, Ernie.. Stan." He told them, as he sat down on one of the beds, putting Hedwig's cage between the bed and the wall and putting his trunk behind that. "'Ello, Harry," replied the hushed voice of the driver. The opened door closed and the bus began speeding off again. "Where to, Harry?" asked Ernie. "To the house of Arthur Weasley and family." "Alright," Stan replied. Harry looked around the bus and saw only an elderly old lady sleeping on one of the beds in the back. "She's a regular," Ernie told Harry when he saw Harry's eyes gaze around the room. Harry nodded and seemed to remember the woman from Harry's previous and first visit on the Knight Bus.
In a matter of time, Harry had found himself lying on the bed behind Stan's chair when they arrived near the Weasley's home. "This is as far as we can go with you, 'Arry," Stan told him. "See you around," Ernie said as Harry walked off the bus. Harry glanced around the area and saw Ron standing in the middle of the street. "Ron!" he called into the dark night. "Ron! Move out of the way!" 'He can't hear me,' Harry thought. 'I have to do something. I can't just let him stand there.' Harry reached into his pocket, looking for his wand. "My wand!" he shouted. "It's gone!" He paused and then ran as quickly as he could. Headlights flashed from close by. A car was driving down the street and obviously didn't see Ron. Harry could feel cramps in his legs after running for five minutes.
He recognized the car to be that of Arthur Weasley. "Mr. Weasley!!!! Ron's in the middle of the road!" was what he wanted to yell, but was panting and breathing way too hard to let any air out of his grasp. Harry ran as far as he could and stopped about 5 yards away from Ron when he saw it happen. Mr. Weasley's car plowed right into Ron. Ron flew backwards and off to the side. Mr. Weasley raced out of the car and attended to his youngest son. "Ron.." He saw Harry panting at a close distance near by. Tears strolled down Mr. Weasley's cheeks. They hit the ground, making no noise, and soaked into the soil. Mr. Weasley walked over to Harry's side. "What just happened?" Mr. Weasley asked Harry as Harry felt tears swelling in his eyes. "Nooooo!" he called out into the night...
Beads of sweat dripped down Harry's face from his forehead. He sat up in his bed. 'It was all just a dream?' he questioned in his mind. The experience had felt so real. The way he saw Ron and the impact the car had had on him. Harry shuddered. He didn't know what to do. He was now afraid to sleep even more than ever before. 'What is going on with me?'
Harry stayed awake the rest of the night, lying in his bed, thinking of what he saw. The image replayed over and over in his mind. It seemed to be an endless recording of one of his worst fears. He closed his eyes and saw the image once again, this time more in depth. He re-lived the image and saw one thing he hadn't seen or noticed before. Draco Malfoy.
Harry growled. Draco Malfoy? Could it be possible? Draco was both Harry and Ron's archenemy. 'But he wouldn't kill anyone? Would he?' "Think about who you're talking about, Harry. His father is a Death Eater. He probably already has the Dark Mark embroidered on his arm." What was he thinking?
The next morning, Harry's eyes became redder than ever before because of his non-slumber party. The only person there was himself, but it could still be considered a party in his mind. An owl tapped loudly on his window. Harry hurriedly opened the window and let the owl in. "Quiet. You'll wake the Dursley's." The owl chirped. "You want to live, don't you?" The owl nodded and instantly got what he was saying. The owl's beak snapped shut as Harry untied the parchment.
Dear Harry,
How's your summer going? Ron asked me to write to you and tell you that Dumbledore has allowed you to spend the rest of the time here at the Weasley's house. Ginny keeps begging me to let her write something, so I will conclude my letter with this: We are going to Diagon Alley on the Monday before the train leaves. Ron's dad will be picking you up tomorrow [Sunday].
Hermione
Harry looked down at the bottom half of Hermione's letter to find a scribbled note from Ginny.
Hello Harry! Can't wait until you come over! Well, I just wanted to write to you for a minute and tell you about Diagon Alley. Oh, Hermione already has. Well then, see you tomorrow!
Ginny.
Harry folded up the letter and nodded at the owl, which simultaneously had already left. Harry pulled out his Survival kit once again and began to eat.
The next day and a half passed by slowly. Harry packed all his things in his trunk and got Hedwig's cage ready to go. He went downstairs and saw his uncle Vernon sitting at the dining room table. "Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked.
Vernon Dursley sighed and looked up at his nephew. "What is it, boy?" "Um," he began. "What is it?!? I haven't all day to listen to your nonsense!" "I'm leaving today to go with my friend Ron. We're going to his house." "If you think you are going back to that wretched school, you're utterly mistaken. You'll not be going," Vernon said, anger glowing reddish in his cheeks. "You can't stop me from being what I am!" Harry yelled, growling at his uncle. "You will not be going!" At that precise moment, the doorbell rang. "Get the door, boy. And we'll have no more of this discussion!" Vernon looked at the newspaper that sat on the table in front of him and began to read it.
Harry opened the door to see Arthur Weasely and some of the Weasley family. "Harry!" "Mr. Weasley! Ron!" Harry hugged them both, letting out a sigh.
Mr. Weasley and Ron shrugged as Fred, George, and Hermione questioned Harry's awkwardness. Harry smiled and let go of them both, relieved. 'It was all just a dream.' Harry noticed the strange looks he was receiving from the Weasleys and Hermione, so he looked away. "Let's get your stuff in the trunk, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, the first person to break the silence. Harry nodded. He was feeling a little awkward now. 'What is going on with me?' he asked himself as he got into the packed car. He sat in the passenger seat next to Mr. Weasley.
The next half-an-hour seemed a bore to all of the passengers in the car. Fred and George opened the windows and were arguing with Hermione and Ron because they felt it was hot while Hermione and Ron felt it was too cold. Harry didn't feel like arguing with anyone, so he stayed out of it. He reckoned each and every minute of the ride that he would arrive at the Weasley's home and was wrong most of the time.
Mrs. Weasley was hanging clothes on the clothesline when the flying car pulled into the driveway of the Weasley household. She ran out to the car when it stopped moving and greeted them all. "Hello, Harry dear. How is your summer going? Are you alright?" Harry didn't listen to all the questions she asked. He felt as if they would never stop. "Mum, quit it! He just got here!" Ron claimed. It was true. Mrs. Weasley realized that Harry must've been tired from the short journey and was about to send him upstairs. "I'm not tired, Mrs. Weasley. I'm fine," Harry told her. He felt like she was a babysitter of his and she was sending him off to his bedtime.
Harry gradually took his things upstairs into Ron's room, as Mrs. Weasley had instructed. "C'mon Harry!" Ginny called to him from the stairs. "We're going to Diagon Alley!" Harry put his stuff away and raced back downstairs. "Careful, Harry," Mrs. Weasley cooed. "Don't want to fall and hurt yourself." Yet again, he felt like a mere child to a babysitter's tone. Harry put his cloak on and joined the Weasleys near the fireplace. Each Weasley had his and her turn to enter the fireplace with a handful of the sand-like powder and yell "Diagon Alley!" before throwing down the powder and emerging into flames. Harry and Mr. Weasley were the last two remaining in the Weasley home. "Go on, Harry." Harry nodded and grabbed a handful of floo powder, stepping into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" he yelled as he threw down the powder. Flames emerged from the bottom of the fireplace and engulfed Harry. He caught one last glimpse of Mr. Weasley in a quick second before vanishing from the fireplace and emerging into Diagon Alley, next to Ron.
Within a rapidly consumed period of time, each one of them arrived back to the Weasley home through the Floo Network. There, they found Albus Dumbledore waiting for them. "Professor Dumbledore," proclaimed a surprised Mrs. Weasley. "Molly, Arthur. I hope you don't object to me letting myself in." "Not at all, Albus." "Thank you, Arthur. I did, however, come for a reason. May I speak with you two and a certain other guest in the kitchen?" he asked, nodding to Harry. "Sure. I'll go start some tea. Would you like some, Albus?" "Yes, please, Molly." Harry felt a lump grow in his throat. He nodded his reply and glanced back at Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny as he walked into the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley placed four cups and four saucers on the table for each one of them. Arthur sat down at the end of the table, leaving a seat in between him and Professor Dumbledore for Molly. Harry sat across from Dumbledore and kept quiet. He didn't know what was going on, but it didn't sound good. "Arthur, Molly. I know I approved Harry to come over here for the remainder of the summer break, but now I'm afraid it may be to risky. The Death Eaters are regaining strength and are no doubt after Harry for the last downfall of Voldemort..." Arthur and Molly shivered. "So, I am recommending that he go back to the Dursley's home for one week and then, on Sunday evening or afternoon, you may reclaim him before the school term starts again." Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry, Harry," Molly began. "We have to do what's best for you right now. If that means sending you back to the Muggle's home for a week to ensure your protection and safety, then that is what we have to do," Arthur finished. Harry's watered, jade green eyes wandered to the blue-eyed gaze of Albus Dumbledore. The look felt horrible from Albus' point of view. But there was nothing he could do. Even if tried and objected to his conscious, his subconscious would die if anything happened to Harry. He felt kinda as if Harry were his son and he was Harry's father.
"I'll go get my stuff," Harry said in a voice near a whisper. He walked out of the kitchen and found Ron upstairs in his room, waiting for Harry. "What's happening?" Ron asked, concerned. "I have to leave..but," Harry looked for a way to get back to Ron's home. "I'll sneak out of the Dursley's home..And I'll take the Knight Bus here. You can hide me in your room. I'm sure it will work." And so, Harry packed his things in his trunk, gathered some food to stash in his floor-board cupboard and took everything downstairs, with the help of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
The ride back to the Dursley's was the worst he had even been on. It was quite slow, in his opinion, and he didn't want to go. 'I'll leave tomorrow night.' He thought in the back of his mind.
The next evening arrived slower than the morning had. That night, Harry closed his eyes and fell into a nightmare. He had seen the same dream as he had before. It was getting stranger for him by the minute. This time it felt so much more real. It was freaky, but he survived.
The time had come for him to fulfill his plan. He gradually sneaked out of his bedroom and walked downstairs. The stairs squeaked quietly, but Harry didn't care to notice. Finally, he made it outside.
The sky was a tremendous dark gray colour and the rain fell from the large rain cloud faster and faster by the moment. After at least three moments, Harry found himself standing in the middle of the street of Privet Drive. He found his hand in his pocket, grasping his wand tightly. He pulled both his hand and the wand out and signaled for the Knight Bus to arrive. A large, red double-decker bus came speeding toward him faster than ever and came screeching to a halt in front of him. Sweat beads began streaming from Harry's forehead. The door opened and Harry walked up the steps, seeing the faces of Ernie and Stan. "Hello, Ernie.. Stan." He told them, as he sat down on one of the beds, putting Hedwig's cage between the bed and the wall and putting his trunk behind that. "'Ello, Harry," replied the hushed voice of the driver. The opened door closed and the bus began speeding off again. "Where to, Harry?" asked Ernie. "To the house of Arthur Weasley and family." "Alright," Stan replied. Harry looked around the bus and saw only an elderly old lady sleeping on one of the beds in the back. "She's a regular," Ernie told Harry when he saw Harry's eyes gaze around the room. Harry nodded and seemed to remember the woman from Harry's previous and first visit on the Knight Bus.
In a matter of time, Harry had found himself lying on the bed behind Stan's chair when they arrived near the Weasley's home. "This is as far as we can go with you, 'Arry," Stan told him. "See you around," Ernie said as Harry walked off the bus. Harry glanced around the area and saw Ron standing in the middle of the street. "Ron!" he called into the dark night. "Ron! Move out of the way!" 'He can't hear me,' Harry thought. 'I have to do something. I can't just let him stand there.' Harry reached into his pocket, looking for his wand. "My wand!" he shouted. "It's gone!" He paused and then ran as quickly as he could. Headlights flashed from close by. A car was driving down the street and obviously didn't see Ron. Harry could feel cramps in his legs after running for five minutes.
He recognized the car to be that of Arthur Weasley. "Mr. Weasley!!!! Ron's in the middle of the road!" was what he wanted to yell, but was panting and breathing way too hard to let any air out of his grasp. Harry ran as far as he could and stopped about 5 yards away from Ron when he saw it happen. Mr. Weasley's car plowed right into Ron. Ron flew backwards and off to the side. Mr. Weasley raced out of the car and attended to his youngest son. "Ron.." He saw Harry panting at a close distance near by. Tears strolled down Mr. Weasley's cheeks. They hit the ground, making no noise, and soaked into the soil. Mr. Weasley walked over to Harry's side. "What just happened?" Mr. Weasley asked Harry as Harry felt tears swelling in his eyes. "Nooooo!" he called out into the night...