Chapter 2

Leaving for the last time

Harry woke up early that morning and got dressed. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He went down for breakfast and ignored all of Dudley's attempts to antagonize him, and every 5 minutes checking the clock, waiting for nine o clock to come. Just before nine, the Dursleys set off on their day out. But before Vernon left the house, he reminded Harry about what would happen if he did anything. "Now listen here boy, I hear of anything funny business, and you will be thrown out this house so fast your feet won't touch the ground. Do I make myself clear?" Harry nodded and watched as the car backed out of the drive, went down the street and out of sight. It was now nine o clock; Harry grabbed his coat and made his way down to the corner of the street. When he got there, he saw a figure sitting on a fence dressed in black. It was Sirius.

Harry had never been so happy to see someone in his family before. He ran towards Sirius who seemed just as glad to Harry. Sirius looked different somehow, not as course as he was last time. Didn't seem as worried about being spotted by the public or by anyone, he looked so different people wouldn't be able to recognise him. Sirius was on run after being blamed for a death he didn't cause. He was trying to rid the world of person who told Voldermort where Harry's parents were and helped him kill them.

"So how are you Harry? Keeping up with your homework I hope?" Sirius asked as they were walking along the street.

"Yeah, but it's hard to hide the fact that I'm doing homework from the Dursleys. They don't like me working on my magic; you know what they are like," Harry answered with a sad look on his face.

"Cheer up Harry, it's your birthday! Oh I almost forgot. I've got presents for you!" Sirius said pulling out three parcels from his backpack. Harry didn't expect any presents, seeing his godfather was a present in itself, he didn't need presents to have a good birthday. They sat down on a park bench together as Harry opened his first present. It was a dark blue glass ball with gold swirly writing around it. Seeing Harry's puzzled face Sirius said "It's a Taciturn, it reveals secrets that are hidden deep in people and helps get an insight into most people. Never know when it might come in handy." Harry loved it, wondered what he would see if he put it up to Lucius Malfoy.

Next was a book on Quidditch, Harry's favourite wizard sport where there are seven players: 3 Chasers, 2 Beaters, a keeper and a seeker. Harry was on the Gryffindor House team and was a seeker. He loved Quidditch more than anything. It was a perfect gift. Harry flicked through the book quickly looking at the moving pictures of teams all around the world. "Thought you might like that." Sirius said seeing Harry's face light up. "Picked it up somewhere in Newcastle. Interesting place Newcastle." Harry had picked up the last gift and opened it. It was a cake of a Quidditch pitch, with players and hoops. They players were flying around scoring goals. Harry had never seen anything like it. It was great. Harry thought it would be such a shame to eat it!

"It's not what I wanted to give you. What I really wanted to give you were things belonging to your parents that I have but they are at Gringrotts bank and I can't go in there. There were a few things I wanted to give you for your parents, things that meant something to them. Some things were destroyed by muggles, others, I think were stolen, like Lily's guardian necklace. It was given to her while she was school and gave her protection. She wore until the day she died, after that, I don't know what happened to it. Probably stolen knowing muggles." He stared ahead as if he in a dream thinking about the good old days with Lily and James.

"Thanks Sirius. The cake is lovely!" Harry finally said. But he could tell something was still bothering Sirius.

"Harry, there's something I have to tell you." Looking round he continued, "But not here." Sirius got up and walked off, and Harry followed. They went into a bushy part of the park and Sirius quickly turned round staring right at Harry. "Something bad is going on Harry. Have you seen on the news about the spurt of deaths around the country?" Harry had to admit he hadn't he wasn't allowed to watch the television anymore. "Voldermorts followers are gathering strength and have started killing people again. Harry, Voldermort's back to his old tricks again and with more influential followers behind him, he's going to be unstoppable. The dementors are on his side and the Azkaban prisoners have all been set lose. It's a right mess. I've been keeping up to date with the papers. I worried Voldermort will come after you again. Promise Harry, promise me that you'll go somewhere away from here. You are too much of an easy target here."

Harry had never seen Sirius this worried about him. "I'll be alright. I've faced Voldermort three times in my memory and I know what to look out for. He won't be able to get me so easily." This seemed to make Sirius worry more.

"Don't go looking for him Harry, you will only be killed. He's stronger now with all his supporters back, even stronger than the last time you met. I'm going to have to find a place for you to stay the rest of the summer. You are not safe here."

"Well you needn't bother. In a few days, I'm going to stay at Hermiones. So I will be safe there," Harry told a worried Sirius. Harry was looking forward to his stay at Hermiones, and it must have showed.

"You are really looking forward to seeing Hermione again aren't you? You two are very close," And gave a little smile.

"We are just good mates," Harry said defensively. Sirius didn't seemed convinced but dropped the subject. Harry was having a brilliant birthday so far and although he has been told about Voldermort, he was just happy to be with his Godfather.

Something has been bothering Harry ever since Dumbledore told him and decided to ask Sirius about it.

"Sirius, Why did Professor Snape hate my dad?" Professor Snape was the Potions teacher at Hogwarts School and Harry's least favourite teacher. They hated each other with a passion. Snape had it in for Harry from the first lesson they had and from then on, Harry and his friends have been picked on every Potions lesson. Sirius looked uncomfortable about the question.

"I thought you knew?"

"I know my dad saved his life, but surely he can't hate him that much for it?" Harry was really curious to why Snape hated himself and his dad.

"For a while now, I've realised that probably wasn't the reason why he hated him, I think there's another reason. But, Harry, if you want to know, you'll have to ask Snape about it, it's not my place to say. If he doesn't want it to be public knowledge than I have to respect that. Sorry Harry, you're just going to have to ask him yourself." Harry didn't understand what was so secret about it. His father saved his life, that was public knowledge, but why Snape hated his father obviously wasn't. He really wanted to know but asking Snape was not an option. He would get detention for the rest of his life for asking.

Harry was starting to get hungry and they went into Starbucks for a quick bite. They happily chatted over a grande hot chocolate and tall Mocha.

It was getting late. Harry has had the most amazing day ever and didn't want to say goodbye to his godfather knowing it would be a very long time before he saw him again.

"Harry, I must leave you here. If the Dursleys see me then they might phone the police or something like that. I'm glad you've enjoyed your birthday Harry. Enjoy yourself at Hermiones and I'm sure you will. Bye." And with one final hug, Sirius turned and walked down the street into the dark leaving Harry to go into the Dursleys and into his room to enjoy the cake Sirius gave him.

Harry was sitting in his room, packing his trunk, getting ready for Hermiones, when Hedwig appeared at the window with a letter for him. It was from Hermione. Harry's heart sank. What if Hermione can't have him stay any longer? What was he going to do? He grabbed the letter off Hedwig with such a force that she was almost knocked off her perch. She screeched and turned her back on him. Harry was more concerned with the letter. He stood there with the letter in his hand staring at Hermiones neat handwriting. He cautiously opened the letter, took a deep breath and started to read.

Hello Harry!

Sorry to hear about you being punished because of that ogre you call your cousin. I'm just checking everything's still on for Friday. My parents are really looking forward to meeting you, especially my mother. I've just got a note from Ron saying he's going to be in Diagon Alley on the Wednesday and was wondering if we would like to meet up. I'll tell him it's ok shall I? Can't wait to see you again Harry, seems like ages since the last time we were together.

Everything's arranged for your stay. You'll be staying in the guest bedroom (right next door to my room) and we'll pick you up at your house at 10:30. I hope that this is alright for you. Write back if it isn't.

Bye for now

Love Hermione xxx

Harry gave a big sigh of relief. She wasn't cancelling on him. He turned to Hedwig to tell her the good news but she wasn't speaking to him. He went to the loose floor board, took out his cake he got from Sirius, broke a corner of the pitch off and gave it her. "It's a peace offering Hedwig. I'm sorry," he explained as she took the cake from his fingers. "just thought it was bad news but it's not. On Friday, we are going to Hermione's." Harry couldn't have been more excited about leaving the Dursleys this year. He usually loves leaving the Dursleys every September and not seeing them until end of July. The longer he spent away from that place the better. Down at dinner that night, Harry was in such a good mood that even Aunt Petunias comments about his hair not lying flat ("You should just cut it all off, that's the solution.") couldn't stop him from feeling good. He went up to bed that night early to read Hermione's letter over and over again. He would be meeting up with Ron Weasley (his other best friend) as well as staying at Hermione's. This was going to be a great Holiday.

The days just flew by and soon it was the morning of Harry's departure. As per usual, the Dursleys didn't care where he was going, just as long as he wasn't here. It was10: 25 and Harry was staring out of the window waiting for the first signs of Hermione.

"Sit down will you boy, you're annoying me jumping up every time you hear a noise outside!" Uncle Vernon was getting annoyed and if Harry didn't watch it, he would be locked in cupboard under the stairs and not allowed to go. Finally, it was half Ten! Harry looked out the window again, but there was no one there. It became 10: 35 and still no sign of Hermione. Then it was twenty to eleven and still no sign. Uncle Vernon loved this. "What? Has your friend ditched you already? I knew you couldn't make friends at that school!" he burst into a roar of laughter. Harry didn't find it funny, where was Hermione? He kept staring out of the window hoping to see her car pull up outside the house. At ten to ten, Harry's heart leapt for joy when a black Toyota pulled up outside the house and Hermione stepped out of the car.

Harry flung the door open and Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly that he couldn't breathe properly. "Sorry, we're late Harry; it's a hard place to find." She apologised. Harry grabbed his stuff and started to walk out of the house, but Hermione didn't follow. "Well, can I meet them?" She asked him.

"You want to meet them?" Harry asked very puzzled, who would WANT to meet the Dursleys.

"Only quickly. I want to assure them that their nephew is in good hands," She said turning to go inside the house.

Harry loosely grabbed her arm and she turned back to him.

"Hermione, they don't care if I'm good hands or not, as long as I'm far away from them," Harry informed her, but she was determined.

"They can't be as bad as you say," and she loosened herself from Harry's grip and marched straight into the Dursley's living room where they were seated,

"Good morning Mr and Mrs Dursley, I'm Hermione Granger, one of Harry's friends," Hermione introduced herself and held her hand out. The Dursleys just stood there in shock not sure that to do.

"Vernon, it's talking to us," Aunt Petunia whispered to her husband. Dudley went to shake her hand but was pulled back by his mother who was backing up against the wall.

"No Dudley. You never know what kind of trick this is," she warned him.

"I assure you Mrs Dursley, I would never dream of performing magic on anyone, let alone your family. You must be proud of Harry and all he has achieved in his time at Hogwarts," Hermione answered lowering her hand.

"Proud? Disgraced more like. Freaks like the pair of you being taught a hundred ways to kill normal people," Vernon ventured to say.

"It's because of ignorant people like you that put the world in danger. Just look at the politics that run this world; if we are evil, what does that make you?" Hermione asked. Harry was so proud of her for standing up for herself in front of Uncle Vernon, and she was probably the only one to get away with it. But Harry knew his uncle better than that. He always had to have the last word.

"You are the most evil, stupid, pathetic, and…and…" he stuttered, "and ugly girl I have ever met," he finished. Harry couldn't believe how low his uncle would go and how embarrassed of his family he was.

"How dare you say that to one of my friends!" Harry shouted at him.

"Don't you shout at me, boy, or I'll box your ears," Uncle Vernon threatened Harry.

"Harry, it's alright. If I'm so pathetic and stupid, why is he so afraid of me?" Hermione noted to Harry. Harry laughed.

"Why indeed," Harry said leading Hermione out of the house.

"Don't think you can come back here. You're not welcome here. And don't even think about trying to change my mind," Vernon shouted out of the house at Harry.

"Don't worry, I won't." Harry said getting into the back of Hermione's car.