Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I also do not own his universe. I do, however, own my original character(s), but as I have not yet introduced her/them in the story, I won't say anything else about her/them. This is the only place where I will be posting a disclaimer and therefore applies to all following chapters.

Notes:

Please note that this fic is AU beginning during OotP! It does not completely follow cannon as laid out by Ms. Rowling in book 5 and events of this fic follow MY version of Harry's 5th year (briefly explained below), not hers.

If you like it, review! If you don't like it, review! If you have no opinion at all, you may not want to review.

Useful tidbit:

Incase anyone is curious I am providing this helpful piece of information, inquisitive minds enjoy.

Main Entry: per·spic·u·ous
Pronunciation: p&r-'spi-ky&-w&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin perspicuus transparent, perspicuous, from perspicere
Date: 1586
plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation a perspicuous argument
synonym see CLEAR
- per·spi·cu·ity /p&r-sp&-'kyü-&-tE/ noun
- per·spic·u·ous·ly /p&r-'spi-ky&-w&s-lE/ adverb
- per·spic·u·ous·ness noun

After receiving a couple of questions about it in reviews, I decided to provide some general background information so that everyone knows what parts of OotP I am incorporating and which parts I'm changing.

Q Since Sirius survived the department of mysteries, what actually happened that night according to your story?

No one fell through the veil. In fact, no one went to the Department of Mysteries that night at all. Harry and Ron played a game of chess that night while Hermione read a book about wood mice and their fascinating mating rituals. I don't like impulsive Harry, so I've basically created my own idea of how he should act. In my story you can basically assume that the only things I'll be incorporating from Book 5 are that Harry and his friends did go through their 5th year, basically all of the book up until they went to school happened, so that's like the first 250 pages or something, but after that I just pick out the things that I think should have happened.

Harry sees the thestrals, the trio sort of makes friends (or friendly acquaintances) with Luna Lovegood, Harry has Occlumency classes with Snape and events happen according to cannon regarding that specifically. Umbridge is DADA teacher, Trelawney never gets fired and Hagrid never brings Grawp to the forest, he did go on his trip to the giants and they decline to pick sides. Firenze doesn't fall out with the other centaurs and there is no quarrel between them and Hagrid. Harry never dates or kisses Cho Chang, because that makes me squirm. He got over his little crush on her during the summer between 4th and 5th years. The DA did happen, because Umbridge is a cow, but that one girl (I'm too lazy to look up her name, but you know who I mean right?) never rats them out. Harry was banned from Quidditch, the twins did leave the school before graduation, and as of the beginning of my story Harry has never attempted to use an Unforgivable Curse. Ok, so there are some basics.

Now for some things I'm changing hugely. Umbridge is kicked out of the school and sent to Azkaban because she is discovered as a Death Eater. Mostly because I hate her. I'm not even going to invent a reason for why or how it happened because it really doesn't have anything to do with my story. If I ever bring it up in the story then I'll explain it. Harry is not dumb and remembers the mirror Sirius gave him, therefore saving everyone loads of trouble. I'm leaving the parts about the Dark Lord giving Harry the dreams about the Department of Mysteries, but I'm changing the part about the Prophecy. I don't like it. I think it's dumb. In fact, the lack of this particular prophecy is what makes my entire story possible. So there will be a new reason why the Dark Lord wanted to kill Harry, but I won't explain that to you. You'll just have to wait and see.

Q WHERE is Harry's guard? WHY have they not been paying attention to Harry while he is outside?

Well, they do pay attention to him when he's off the Dursley's property. They have no real reason to assume that he would be in any sort of danger while 'protected' by the wards on the property. They follow him around wherever he goes otherwise. Watching him while he's in the house or yard would be like invasion of privacy, Harry's and the Dursley's. He hasn't said anything or given any indication to them that he is being abused by his family, so like any nice witch or wizard, they keep their noses out of his private business. You would think they'd be a bit more perceptive though wouldn't you? Oh well.

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22 September 2003

I am writing this story in an attempt to enhance my fiction writing skills. Not that I had any to begin with, but I think it would come in handy to be able to write fiction. I am rather good at essays, but they just don't normally have any dialogue (or imagination). So, please review and let me know what you think I'm doing right or wrong. Let me know if my dialogue portions suck, or if they're alright because I have basically no experience in writing dialogue. I do sometimes have a rather chatty writing style though. But that's not always a good thing. So anyway, just please review!

First chapter will hopefully be up today, but I have to leave for work in 42 minutes, so that might not be possible, as I have no power or internet at my house right now, thanks to hurricane Isabel.

On a different note, I need to let everyone know a few things about my story. I didn't particularly like Ms. Rowling's version of book 5, so while I will be incorporating some of the events of Order of the Phoenix, some things I will change to suit myself. If you read the book, then you will notice what I changed.