Prologue
The wind blew fiercely outside the windows of Number 4 Privet Drive. Harry sat by the window and glance frequently at his alarm clock on his bedside table. In one hour he would turn seventeen, he would be a man.
In just one hour all of the protective spells Dumbledore had placed on Harry would wear off. In one hour Harry would leave Privet Drive and spend the rest of the Summer Holidays at the Burrow with the Weaselys.
His trunk lay fully packed at the foot of his bed and Hedwig was safely put away in her cage. Harry couldn't wait to leave Privet Drive. He had spent the past seventeen years hating this street and his relatives that lived on it.
He grabbed a book from his trunk and began reading trying to pass the time more quickly. But the clock seemed only to move slower the more he tried to make it speed up.
Harry could hear the Durselys downstairs. Dudley was watching television, Aunt Petunia was doing her usual nighttime routine of house cleaning and Uncle Vernon was reading the newspaper.
Forty- five minutes to go.
The Summer Holidays had been longer than ever. Harry now felt a heavier burden upon his shoulders now that he new about the Horcruxes Voldemort had created. Harry had never fully appreciated how much of an influence Dumbledore had had on him.
Everyday seemed to go by slowly now. Dumbledore was gone, Sirius was gone, his parents were gone, his Aunt and Uncle didn't care and Ginny was now longer his girlfriend.
Harry had tried a countless number of times to write to Ginny, but every time he tried he didn't know what to say. He had talked to Ron and Hermione though. They sent words of encouragement and told him they couldn't wait to all be together again. Hagrid had also sent him a letter just to check up on him.
Thirty minutes to go.
Harry had spent most of his time locked up in his small room. He avoided going downstairs so he wouldn't become a victim to one of Uncle Vernon's nasty rows. The only time Harry left his room was to eat, shower or go to the bathroom. He had surprisingly finished all of his summer homework with in the first week of the Holiday.
Twenty minutes to go.
Harry couldn't believe it. He would finally get to leave Privet Drive and never have to come back. After his seventh and final year at Hogwarts he would get his own flat and train to become an Auror.
Fifteen minutes to go.
Harry put his book back in his trunk. He walked around his room one last time to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, which was pointless because he had done this nearly twenty times before.
He grabbed his trunk and Hedwig in her cage and went downstairs. Dudley glanced up at Harry, but quickly returned to watching television.
Ten minutes to go.
The wind continued to rage outside. Harry sat on the couch. Ron had told Harry in one of his letters that Mr. Weasely and Tonks were going to apparate to his house and then the three of them would apparate to the Burrow.
Five minutes to go.
Harry heard two faint pops from outside. He rushed to the window. He could see two cloaked figures striding towards the door. One was a tall skinny mad and the other a short woman with mousey hair.
The doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia emerged from the kitchen hesitantly. Harry hastened to the door, praying that it was in fact Tonks and Mr. Weasely.
"Who is it?" Harry called quietly through the door.
"Its Tonks and Arthur." Harry heard Tonks say from the other side of the door. Harry slowly opened the door. Tonks and Mr. Weasely stepped inside the house. Harry closed the door behind them.
"Are you all packed and ready to go Harry?" Mr. Weasely asked. Harry nodded.
Two minutes to go.
"Good- bye Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley." Harry said. He noticed Aunt Petunia was shaking.
"What is the matter honey?" Uncle Vernon said worriedly.
"Nothing dear." She replied hastily. "Harry you take care of yourself." Harry gaped at her. Of all time to care for Harry this was the time she chose to.
One minute to go.
"Yeah… you too. Thanks for everything." Harry said. Then Aunt Petunia did something she had never done before. She smiled at him.
Thirty seconds to go.
"Alright let's get ready." Tonks said. "I'll take your trunk and your owl. You grab Arthur. You do know how side along apparition works?" Harry nodded. She grabbed his trunk and Hedwig.
Fifteen seconds to go.
Harry took hold of Mr. Weasely's arm. "It'll be nice when you pass your apparition test. Then you'll be able to do this on your own." Mr. Weasely said.
Five seconds to go.
"Ready Arthur?" Tonks asked. Mr. Weasely nodded.
Three seconds to go.
Two seconds to go.
One second to go……
Harry felt like he was being pushed through a small rubber tube as he, Mr. Weasely and Tonks apparated. He felt his feet hit the ground. They had reached the Burrow.