Disclaimer: i own nothing that you recognise from Harry Potter. I do however own the Ackerleys.

Harry had been right. Little whining and particularly privet drive was a buzz rumours and gossip about who would be moving in to number three.

It seemed that no one had seen anyone actually go and view the house so who had bought it? And why had they bought it without seeing it?

Rumours flew around like stray birds. One minute it was one thing the next it was something else. Harry had heard that the new inhabitant was in fact a celebrity wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. That some 'distasteful' looking family had been seen outside the house looking in. What if they had bought it? That wouldn't be good for the village and the poor Dursleys having to live next to them. They already look after their delinquent nephew now this.

Although Harry was none too pleased with the last rumour, he tried to ignore them. But then they didn't really affect him did they?

A week after the 'sold' sign had been put up Harry was woken by a large truck pulling into next doors drive.

Harry groaned. He looked at his watch it was 11:30. He yawned and got out of bed to look out of his bedroom window.

In the drive next door was a large truck and on the road was parked a taxi.

Out of the back seat came a man, he was tall with dark brown hair that came to rest upon his shoulders, age lay on the features of his youthful looking face.

Next came a woman. Harry thought that she was very pretty. She had dark auburn hair that reached just below her shoulders and large round blue eyes. After her came a girl who looked incredibly like the woman who had emerged before her. She bounced up the drive clearly excited to be at her new 'home'.

Finally came another 'girl'. Harry thought that she looked about the same age as him. She had dark hair that cascaded in soft curls down her back. She had dark almond shaped eyes and in Harry's opinion looked prettier than the woman who had come before her. She looked around her surroundings a slightly weary look in her eyes.

They started to unload things from the back of the truck, which seemed to have a lot more in it than it should have.

Harry turned away from the window and got dressed deciding to go for a walk to get away from the impending worrying that aunt petunia was bound to be doing down in the kitchen at this very moment.

Harry decided to go for a walk. He left the house without saying goodbye or telling anyone where he was going. Though he didn't really think that anyone would actually care where he was as long as he wasn't in their hair.

He walked his usual path through little whinging ending up in the park. He sat on one of the newly fitted swings that Dudley and his gang had yet to destroy. He was unsure how long he sat there for just staring at the ground and thinking about nothing in particular.

He was brought back from his thought by an unfamiliar voice.

'You're Harry Potter, aren't you?' it said. He looked up. It was the girl that he had seen getting out of the taxi outside of number 3.

'Yeah I am' he replied, groaning inwardly thinking that the residents had already done their work in telling her what a mad delinquent he was.

'I know all about you.' she said.

She looked at him closely absorbing his features.

'You've even got the scar. I always thought that that was just a rumour, a myth even. But, it's really real. There, where-' she paused 'You-know-who, you know.' she fell silent.

Harry stared at her.

'You mean? You know about me? Not the mad delinquent that they all think that I am around here. But the whole Voldemort thing?'

She winced slightly at the sound of the name.

'Of course I know about you. I mean who doesn't? Your like, one of the most famous wizards around. How could I not?'

'So' Harry said 'you're' he lowered his voice slightly 'you're a witch?'

'Yeah I am, I mean how else would I know?'

Harry laughed.

'What?' she asked.

'Its just if my aunt found out… well when the 'for sale' sign went up she was all worried that her new neighbours would be "like me" and now, well you are.'

'We are'. She said.

They sat on the swings for a while not saying anything, but it wasn't an awkward silence.

'So you've moved into number 3 then?' Harry asked after a while.

'Yeah' she said. 'I didn't really want to move. I mean I've lived in America since I was about one and a half it was my home, but dad got a job over here and so here we are. I mean I've had to move school and everything.'

'Does that mean that you'll be going to Hogwarts?' Harry asked.

'Yeah me and Bethany, that's my sister we're gonna be starting in September. I'm Elana by the way.' she said. 'Elana Ackerley.'

'It'll be good to have some one "like me" around. I mean everyone around here thinks I'm a freak so there's no one that I can talk to or anything round here. What year will you be in?'

'Sixth' she said at once 'Beth'll be in the third year.'

'You'll be in the same year as me then. Do you know how the houses and stuff'll work?' Harry asked.

'No, well not really I know about the houses and that. I think that I am going to be sorted before term starts, not at the start of term feast. What house are you in?'

'Gryffindor.'

'Really, Gryffindor are really brave and that aren't they? I hope I'm in Gryffindor.' she said.

Harry wasn't sure of the reasoning behind this but didn't question it either.

'What about quidditch?' Elana asked eventually.

'What about it?' Harry asked not sure what he was saying.

'I mean, what about the teams? I'd like to play for one of them. How do I do that?'

'You play?' Harry asked quite surprised 'there are tryouts at the beginning of the first term. If you're in Gryffindor then I know that there's a place for at least a chaser, maybe a beater. But I warn you there is normally a lot of competition to join the team. And you have to be the best to play with the best. 'Harry finished with a smirk on his face. He missed quidditch but he had great memories of it.

'I take it that you're on the Gryffindor team then?' she asked smiling.

'Well that's kinda complicated. I was the seeker. But then I got banned. Long story.' he said as she looked like she was about to ask a why. 'Anyways Ginny said that I could have the position back this year now that Umbridge has gone and she'll play chaser cause she likes that better.'

Elana was slightly confused by this, 'what broom do you have?' she asked.

'A Firebolt.' Harry said proudly 'it was a present from my-' he stopped as thought of Sirius and his death filled his head. 'My godfather.'

'Wow. That's amazing. I'd love a Firebolt. I hear that they're amazing to ride.'

'What have you got.' said Harry relived that she had not asked about Sirius.

'A Nimbus 2000. It's a really great broom. Not as good as a Firebolt, but there you go.'

'I had a Nimbus for a couple of years but it kinda got smashed to pieces.'

'How?' she asked.

'Long story, but lets just say that it involved some Dementors and an angry tree!'

Elana looked shocked 'Dementors? And angry tree?' Harry nodded then laughed. Elana laughed too.

They spent most of the afternoon talking about nothing in particular. In spite of everything that had happened Harry was the happiest that he had ever been during his time in the village.

A/N: Hope you liked. now, you know the drill review.