Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters, places et al. are owned by J.K. Rowling

Thanks for the reviews :)
Never written fanfics, only "original" stuff, so this is a whole new world for me #g# Suffering from HP-addiction is a bad thing it seems...
( Should anyone spot glaring mistakes, errors, plot holes large enough to steer aircraft carriers through, feel free to smack them over my head repeatedly #g#)
And this might be a wee bit short for a chapter, but I like to have them split into meaningful sections, so change of location is one of those moments to end a chapter.
Sheree: There's always the train to Hogwarts :)
Sadiw: He tries to use those nice, honor-bound Gryffindor ethics to get free :)

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He stepped off the Knight's Bus in front of the Leaky Cauldron.
The sun was still blisteringly hot, and looking up into the sky he could not make out any clouds that would come to his rescue. And people think London was all fog and rain...
He choose to stay the night on the Bus, as he thought it would be best if he kept moving, and it was a less public place to stay than the Leaky Cauldron would have been. Once you got used to the sudden speed changes the rough ride, it was almost possible to get a good sleep in those beds.
To keep himself from being spotted, he tried a theory he came up with while he had time to think. He wore his worst clothes, and given the level of clothes he normally had to put up with, this was quite saying something. He wore a hooded sweater, even in this heat, and tried his best to keep his face hidden.
Pushing open the door, he looked around. It seemed to be one of the less busy days and he counted only four customers sitting at the tables. No one did really notice him as he pushed his trunk and the cage with Hedwig into it. Tom, drying some glasses behind his bar, looked up and eyed him. Harry stepped in front of the bar.
"Hi," he rasped, "I have some business in Diagon Alley, and don't like to carry my stuff with me. Could you look out for it for a few minutes?" He knew his voice sounded utterly stupid, but it was as far away from his normal voice as he could get without resorting to Helium.
"Yeah, I could I guess. For a little...fee."
Harry pulled out a little satchel and dropped three Galleons on the bar. "Two for the luggage, and one for your...discretion," he rasped conspiratorially.
Tom nodded, and his hand snapped out and quickly put the gold in his pocket.

Harry made his way to the entrance of Diagon Alley, opened the gateway and walked through it into the alley.
It was just as busy as he remembered it, unlike the Leaky Cauldron. As he made his way through the throng of people, he realised his theory was correct. People were ignoring him, as he looked way to shabby to be considered worthy of attention. Sure, the Invisibility Cloak was better at hiding him, but this was less dangerous, as no one was likely to stumble into him. They were making their best efforts not to.
It proved to be a slight hindrance, though, as he finally entered Gringott's. While he was on the Knight's Bus and thought about his future plans, he always came to the conclusion he needed money first. Not that it was a dire problem for him... But it forced him to go into the wizarding world.
The guards at the entrance kept watch on him even as he was in the main hall and the goblins looked as if he was some kind of unworthy creature. He ignored their looks and went to the next free goblin, putting his vault key on the desk.
"I want to make a withdrawal."
"Name, please?"
"Potter, Harry," he almost whispered.
The goblin raised an eyebrow and pulled out a small parchment form.
Harry took it, scribbled the sum he wanted to withdraw from his vault on it and handed it back. As the goblin read the sum, his eyebrow raised a little further. "Very well then," he said and handed the form one of his assistants.
Minutes went past and then a goblin with a rather large bag of gold came to a stop besides him. Harry looked at it appraisingly.
"Thank you," he cleared his throat. "If you could convert three quarters of it to muggle money, please?"
The clerk goblin slightly sighed. "Surely." He took the bag and went into the back offices.
Several minutes later, he returned with a smaller bag of gold and a thick envelope. He handed both over to Harry. He opened the envelope and checked it. All muggle money. It should be enough for some time in the muggle world...
He thanked the goblin and left the bank, a wicked smile on his face.

Next he went to an owlery. He didn't like it, but he surmised he had to at least give Dumbledore and his fellow Order members some life sign and inform them of his absence. He took a piece of parchment and started to write.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

If you read this letter, I won't be at the Dursley's anymore.
I thought I could go on, after all what happened, and still come to
terms with myself and the world. I can't. I need time for myself, to
think, to sort it out.
I would have liked to come to Grimauld Place, but you thought
differently. I can't understand it, but so be it.
You once told me it's the choices that define us. So I beg you to
accept my choice to be left alone for this summer. Do not try to find
me. I assure you I will be on the train to Hogwarts.
If I will die, it will be my choice and my fault.
If you need to contact me, to send me my Hogwarts letter for example,
send it to the owlery on Diagon Alley, I will arrange for it to be
delivered to my hiding place.

Best Regards,
Harry Potter.

He re-read it, and was pleased. It was sufficiently clear enough, without really giving away his motivation. He attached it to a small owl. It soared into the sky as he left the owlery.

He talked to the head of the owlery, and arranged for letters directed to him to be stored until Hedwig came and picked them up. With a small bribe he was more than happy to oblige.

For now, he was finished in Diagon Alley and he made his way to the entrance.

Back in the Cauldron, he was pleased to find that his belongings still were there, as was Hedwig. He gave Tom another galleon, as a friendly gesture, and walked out of the pub.

Where to go now?
He already decided he would spend his time in the muggle world. There he could pass as a normal boy, and not fear to be unveiled as the Boy-Who-Lived and have a squad of Order members fall over themselves to protect him minutes later. He was sick of it.
If he was to beat the Dark Lord, how could he do it if he was kept hidden somewhere out of harm's way?
No, this was the best way. And if some Death Eater found him, then so be it. He was man enough to stand up to them.

But back to the problem where to stay...
He remembered a travel guide show of London he once saw on TV. They had a very good hotel featured. It did seem to be decent enough. He managed to attract a cabby, and got into the cab after his stuff had been stuffed into the boot of the cab.
"Ey, where'ye want te go?" he asked.
He concentrated, hard. It was at the tip of his tongue... What was the bloody name again?
Then it hit him like a lightning. "The Savoy."
The cabby looked at him with a funny smile on his face, and then started the car.