Disclaimer: I have no intention of making aney money off of this story,I give all credit for characters(and histories of said characters)to J.K. Rowling

Chapter 7:

Planning To Leave

Harry let himself into Number Four Privet Drive, and was surprised to find that the house was eerily quiet. "Anybody home?" He called out tentatively. His hair stood on end when no response, not even an admonishing shout came at him.

He waved Agatha back and stalked down the hallway towards the kitchen, he was grateful for his new mocassins, they made no sound whatsoever on the carpeted floor. Upon pushing open the door, he saw Petunia washing dishes docilely at the counter. Vernon sat comfortably perched on the couch, and all five of his cousins along with Bernice were seated in a silent group in front of him. They were all watching a movie.

He breathed a sigh of relief, surprised that he had been momentarily worried about the fate of his relatives. Then he moved silently back down the hall, and smiled reassuringly at her, waving her inside and taking her shopping bags from her.

"Sorry about that, I've always been a bit paranoid..." He said quietly. "Everyone is in the kitchen watching a movie." He said as jovially as he could. She nodded and moved down the hall. He headed upstairs to his bedroom without any more comments.

Upon entering his room, he set the bag down on the bed and Alima down next to it, and then he started pulling things out of it. che pulled every new garment he had out and laid them on his bed. after that it was his gauntlets, and then his pouch of money. he realized he still had nearly a hundred galleons in it, and some change.

"So what'd ya get?" Came a voice from behind him. He'd turned and raised his hand in mid-spell before he even thought about it. Seeing Fred and George both so paranoid had made him rather jumpy too. But a thoughtful look was on Alima's cat face that both of them missed.

He dropped his hand quickly. "Just some stuff…" he said,waving to the pile of dragon leather. "New clothes mostly." She moved to unfold everything and look at it.

"Why did you get this stuff? it looks like part of some medieval costume." She told him, Harry laughed heartily.

"I don't know. The man who sold it to me swore it was dragon but…you never know…" he said seriously. Her eyes danced and she laughed. "Nah,I got it from a friend of mine. He didn't tell me exactly what it is, but he did invite me to stay with him for the rest of the summer. I accepted, but i have to talk to Vernon before it's definite.

"I wish it were…" she said, her smile fading. "Real dragon skin,I mean. That would be amazing…real dragon." His smile faded at the sadness he could tell was behind her happy façade.

"You've obviously never met one." He told her dryly. "They're just big and mean and all they want to do is burn you into cinders or tear you to pieces." He shrugged. "Nasty things." He began hanging up all of the new clothes. "But I've got to handle all this, and get a jump start on packing. I know Vernon will be only too glad to get rid of, it's a most definite yes…I'll be downstairs later though. Promise." He smiled at her as she left.

Once she was gone he sat down heavily and locked the door, then silenced it. He had taken off the jacket as soon as he entered the room and hung it on the back of his chair, and then he remembered that Cliff was still inthe pocket. He pulled the comfortably slumbering bird out and laid him on the pillow, shaking his head all the while at the small creature.

"Imagine." Alima said suddenly. Harry froze, imagining himself changing, growing fur, legs shortening, arms reshaping, joints reconfiguring...what it must be like to be a hyena, all the smells, sounds, what the ground would feel like to him were he that much shorter and having four legs, the perspective. He re-imagined himself shifting form again and again until she told him to stop. He must have walked himself through the process of it five times. "Now imagine changing, and then changing back to human form, and then changing back to hyena form." She instructed. He stood up tall and closed his eyes. He thought about changing into a hyena, and then thought about changing back. He found the process of changing back easier than changing into, and he paused totell her so.

"That's because you're human, it's easier to imagine yourself as a human than as a hyena." She replied with a smile. "Once you've shifted though, you'll never forget what it feels like though, and it'll be easy." She assured.

"Fred and George want me to spend the rest of the summer with them." He told her directly. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea. The warding spells they have placed on their home are very, very strong. I'm sure they helped Albus set them up. They seem like decent enough people, I'm not too worried about you getting into trouble with them around. More like them getting into trouble with you around." She smiled. "And I think it's probably good because you'll be right in the middle of an all-Wizarding community, which is bad because everyone will know who you are, and good because everyone will know who you are. Not to mention you could learn a lot from them. As crazy and inane some of the things they have are, they are far from incompetent young wizards." She said sensibly. "I'll owl Dumbledore immediately to clear it with him, you can owl them just as soon as you've spoken with your Aunt and Uncle." She told him.

"Yes!" Harry unlocked the door with a snap of his fingers and headed downstairs. Upon entering the kitchen, he noticed that everyone was just sitting down to dinner. He sat right next to Vernon, and Nora sat on his other side.

"What the hell are those?" Vernon asked after looking at his new clothes. "This isn't a bloody freak show!" Vernon's fork clattered onto the plate angrily, and Harry's face clouded as attention was turned onto them.

"I need to talk to you Vernon." He said in an undertone. "I'm going to leave early. I got an invitation to stay with some friends of mine." He said after taking a quick bite of food. "I needed to clear it with you before I let my Headmaster know where I'll be."

"Fine." Vernon said, face paling. "But you're finding your own way there."

"Oh I'm sure they'll find a means of transportation." He smirked at Vernon's suddenly pale face. He was almost positive that Vernon was reliving the summer before his fourth year, when the Weasleys had used Floo powder to get him. Harry finished his small meal in silence before returning promptly to his room.

Harry was thrilled. He was going to be spending the rest of the summer with the Twins! Of all people, Harry had never imagined himself hanging out with the Twins. They had always been aloof, just Ron's crazy older brothers.

He right skipped up into his room and plopped down to write a letter, not bothering to close the door or lock it.

"What's that?" Nora asked, eyeing Cliff. "Did Alima drag something in? You shouldn't have it on your pillow." she went for a closer look.

"Er…" he started. "Well, you know, it's just sleeping. It'll wake up in a few minutes and I'll let it go." He scratched the back of his head anxiously.

"Oh good. So what are you doing?" She asked happily, sitting on his bed next to a lounging Alima and stroking her.

"Oh, this and that…just handling a letter right now. Letting my friends know I'll be staying with them for the summer, you know…"

At that precise moment, Hedwig flew into his window. Nora's jaw dropped when Harry stood to allow her landing on his arm. he was suddenly more thankful than ever to have the gauntlets. Hedwig seemed appreciative also, as she was squeezing his arm tighter than usual for better balance.

"Hello pretty girl…" he soothed, she rubbed her beak along his finger affectionately. "Has Hermione replied?" Hedwig's leg stuck out and he pulled the letters off it with one hand, and then set her gently on the back of his seat. "Let's see what she wrote."

He opened the roll to find a letter from Neville, and another one from Hermione.

Dear Harry;

I'm doing perfectly fine here, thanks. My tutor is very helpful, and I've learned a lot. She's telling me I'm only third behind you and Hermione! Now that's surprising. I'm going to be visiting the Burrow later this summer, they asked me to come. I'm happy about that. Gran says she's not so sure about my going, but if I'm not safe with the Weasleys then who am I safe with?(besides Dumbledore of course)Anyways, I hope your enjoying your holidays much, and I'll probably be seeing you sometime soon. Keep writing! Good talking to you,

-Neville Longbottom

Harry was happy to see the boy's cursive drawl. And it was good to know that Neville would be at the Burrow with Ron and the rest of the Weasleys, Harry figured he'd be there at some point during the summer also. But he immediately moved onto Hermione's letter.

Harry:

Hey Harry! How are you? Good I hope. I'm learning loads here, but I hear you're still ahead of me…I'll be fixing that soon enough. Anyways, I just got an invitation to the Burrow, and Ron says you'll be getting one too soon, Luna should be there also. I'm really hoping that there might be some order members there to teach us extra magic. Not that I'm not learning enough already or anything…but it's always good to know extra! Anyways, let me know what's going on over there…and give me another phone call soon, if you could. I get bored during the day…I can't do practical work yet, as I haven't built up my stamina enough, and book reading only helps so much. But get back to me when you can…hope to hear from you soon!

-Hermione Granger

"Well, what'd they say?" Nora asked. "Is that one from your girlfriend?" She asked coyly, pointing at Hermione's.

"How'd you know it's from a girl? And no, she's not my girlfriend; she's my best friend in the whole world. But my friend likes her." He said, remembering Fred. "He likes her a lot." A wicked grin spread across his face. "Ha…wait 'til she finds out…"

"The handwriting is pretty and it's neat and tidy. Guys aren't like that." She looked to his scrawled letter pointedly. He nodded in agreement. "So…why is there an owl in here?" She asked tentatively. Harry thought having Hedwig around was normal, and he hadn't even considered that other people didn't.

"Oh…she's Hermione's pet…Hermione lives on this huge estate, and her parents research animals. She's got all kinds, and they trained her to go back and forth between our two houses, what's more, she carries things too." He lied quickly, and then held up the letter to prove it. He heard Hedwig's indignant hoot at being called a normal bird and turned to stroke her. It was just at that moment that Cliff decided to wake up.

He sat up and blinked, his large yellow eyes taking in the room around him slowly. Then he saw Hedwig and fell over again. Harry looked at him worriedly. And Alima stood to inspect him. "Get away from it you naughty cat!" Nora said, pulling Alima's struggling body away from the tiny owl.

Harry caught Alima's glare, but Nora didn't. Alima quickly wriggled away from the girl and stalked back to Cliff. Nora went for her again. "No, she won't do anything to it. She doesn't kill things." He said, pulling back on Nora's shoulder. He was still stroking Hedwig carefully.

It became uncomfortably silent. Then Harry moved forward to put his money back in his backpack, as it might raise odd questions. He zipped the backpack closed and put it in his closet. Nora just sat on his bed next to Alima and made sure she didn't do anything to Cliff.

So he sat back down and reread Hermione's letter so that he could reply.

Hermione;

Yeah…I wouldn't know about building up stamina or anything…never had to do it…you know…just kidding. The first few times I used wand less magic, I had to think really hard and got a headache. But once you're used to using it, it's easy as pie. And the Dursleys are being the usual…unmoving and uncaring. Though my cousin Nora is rather interesting sometimes, despite the age and world difference. Her and her family (all three siblings…Urgh) are visiting with their mum. I'm surprised Petunia hasn't had fits already. And I don't know if I'll be receiving an invitation to the Burrow, necessarily, as I've already received an invitation to stay with the Twins. I'm sure you'd be plenty welcome too, if you feel so inclined. I'll ask them for you. Anyways, I'll call you if I get a chance, it probably won't happen, as I'll be with the Twins, and they don't have a Muggle telephone, as far as i know. But wait until you see me! Anyways, I'll get back to you as soon as I can, and please be sure to get Neville's letter to him as soon as you can? Thanks! Talk to you later,

-Harry

He signed the note with a flourish and rolled it up, carefully tying it to Hedwig's leg. Next he wrote Neville's letter, congratulating him on doing so well and asking after health and progress and such. Then he sat down to write the note to the Twins.

F & G Weasley:

I write to you with utmost regret, I will be coming to spend the summer with you. I'm sorry. My uncle told me that he wants me 'the hell out of here' just as soon as it can be arranged. That means you're welcome to come over anytime and poison Dudley and pick me up simultaneously. Anyways, just let me know when it's good for you guys to come and get me, so I can be ready. I'll see you soon!

-Harry

P.S. I told Hermione thatI was going to stay with you guys instead of at the Burrow, andI asked her if she'd like to come along too, I'm sure you two (or at least Fred) would be quite willing to accommodate her...ha, see you tomorrow.

-HP

He rolled it up and after seeing Hedwig off, turned around and picked up Cliff, the tiny bird balanced on his finger perfectly.

"You alright there pretty boy?" He cooed. "Go off and give this to George for me." He tied the parchment to Cliff's leg and held the little owl out the window.

"But he's still sick –" Nora started. Harry turned around and smiled at her.

"No he isn't, he's just tired. Owls are nocturnal, remember?" He said gently.

"But Alima hurt him…" she started.

"Alima did nothing to him at all." Harry assured. "But I have homework to do now, and I have to pack to stay with Fred and George, so I'll have to talk to you tomorrow." And he gently ushered her out of his room.

Author's note: Do you guys think Hermione will go stay over there? Or not?