*A/n: I got contacts! Yipee! (Although taking them out of my right eye is a pain in the butt) Okay I'm only updating once a week because Spring break is going to be over soon and I have a lot of homework I should be doing right at this moment and I won't have much time to work on this story. I have to start out by saying though that Paige has been helping me. I've got to give her credit for that!

Chapter 1 "Muggle World"

"POTTER!" Uncle Vernon bellowed. "DOWNSTAIRS! NOW!"

But Harry didn't move an inch off his bed. Nothing was going to shake him out of his reverie. This was the last summer he'd have to spend with the Dursleys. After finishing his 7th year at Hogwarts he would be a legal adult, free to live and do whatever he pleased. Where exactly would he go? What exactly would he do? If things went according to plan, he'd go to Auror's school to become a dark wizard-catcher. What about Hermione, Ron, and Helen? What would become of them? Would they still be best friends? Harry had childishly thought that he and his friends would be going to Hogwarts forever, not realizing that the adult world was right around the corner, waiting to bite him in the ass. It was high time he got his thoughts in order and planned what to do with his life. If Voldemort even gave him the chance. That was another issue; was he supposed to fight Voldemort for the rest of his life? Even after he got married and started a family? Marriage? Family? Shit, he wasn't ready for that!

BANG!

Vernon Dursley grabbed Harry roughly by the arm and yanked him off the bed and out the door in one swift movement.

"Get off me!" Harry yelled, pulling out of Uncle Vernon's grip.

  "Didn't you hear me calling you, boy?"

Years of anger and hatred for the Dursleys surged dangerously inside him.

  "Don't call me boy," said Harry coldly.

"You are to go to Mrs. Figg's for tea, NOW," he snarled. "And do something with that hair, boy."

He said it again. That bastard said it again. This is the last summer. The last summer in this hell hole.

"Go kiss a Dementor," Harry grumbled.

  "WHAT DID YOU SAY, BOY?" Vernon roared.

"I said I'm going," Harry shouted, slamming the door.

*A/n: I couldn't concentrate on hw so I'm writing some more.

Harry kicked a rock as he trudged slowly towards Mrs. Figg's place. Visits with her had been a heck of a lot better now that he knew she was on his side. Sure, he couldn't exactly have a buddy-buddy conversation with the woman, but she sure was better company than the Dursleys.  Maybe what made this summer so unbearable was the fact that he'd been looking forward to going to Helen's summer house in the states and doing fun, carefree, teenage things for a change, but of course the Order had forbidden it.

Harry climbed up the steps and rang the doorbell. Two seconds later the door opened.

It wasn't Mrs. Figg.

~*~

Standing in front of him, with a huge grin on her face, was Helen.

  Thank God.

He hugged her tight, smiling broader than he had in weeks. Helen hadn't changed much. She was the same height as last time (which was good because he'd grown a few inches and now he didn't feel like a midget in her presence). Her eyes were as exotic and beautiful as ever, including the rest of her. Man, was he glad to see her.

"About time you showed up, boy," said a voice behind Helen.

  What was with everyone calling him boy?

"Well don't just stand there like an idiot! Get inside!" Mrs. Figg ordered impatiently. Mrs. Figg went to get tea ready, leaving the two of them alone.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked happily.

   "Magic." Helen laughed. "I apparated."

"You what?" Harry gawked. He had heard what she said perfectly, but he just couldn't believe it. He'd give anything to be able to apparate but he hadn't had a way of taking the test; another thing to add to his after Hogwarts to-do list.

  "So how do you do it?" he asked. Helen frowned at his expression.

"Uh uh. I'm not going to be responsible for you getting yourself splinched."

"That's right!" Mrs. Figg chimed. Harry and Helen jumped, oblivious to the fact that she'd returned with the tea. They sipped it in silence until Mrs. Figg went to go use the loo.

   "Where's Ron and Hermione?"

"Headquarters," Helen answered, "But don't feel left out, you'll be seeing them tomorrow."

   "How?" Harry asked. "Are you going to pack me in your trunk and lug me there?"

"Hey, that's a good idea!" she joked. Something was different about her.

   "You okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Helen said a little too quickly. Harry looked closer and realized Helen looked stressed and tired, as if she hadn't had much sleep. She was definitely keeping something from him.

  "Helen…"

"I'm going to go make sure I've got everything needed for tomorrow." Helen said, rushing from the room. Mrs. Figg walked back in knowingly.

  "I think it's time for you to go home, dear." She said gently. Harry swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded solemnly. Helen wasn't herself and he had a feeling she wasn't going to be the only one that way.