Harry Potter woke up, and felt it immediately; today was the sort of day when anything could happen. He had a strange, tingling sort of sensation in his stomach, and his bedroom somehow looked different. Shrugging the feeling off, he got dressed and tossed an Eeylop's Owl Treat to his snowy white owl Hedwig. She hooted her thanks and dived on the treat, munching happily. Harry grinned to himself. He knew now why he felt funny.

Today was his last day in Number Four, Privet Drive.

At midnight that night, he would come of age.

Harry took the steps of the stairs two at a time, leaping from the fifth step to the floor.

"Stop that racket!" snapped his Aunt Petunia, poking her bony face around the kitchen door. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm just thinking about freedom", Harry said airily, darting past her into the kitchen. "Got my birthday breakfast ready? Since I won't be here tomorrow I thought you might throw me a party today."

Aunt Petunia gaped at him, her horror written all over her face.

"Never mind!" Harry said cheerily, "I'll get myself something!" And with that, he shoved two slices of toast into the toaster and switched it on.

"Why does that boy sound happy?" Bellowed Uncle Vernon from the living room, trying to compete with the incredibly loud television.

"I've only got one day left with you lot, and my mates are coming to pick me up, that's why!" Harry shouted back. Aunt Petunia gasped, and Uncle Vernon lumbered into the kitchen.

"Are you giving me cheek?" He growled, the vein in his temple throbbing dangerously.

"No", Harry replied coolly, toning down his display of happiness slightly, "I'm just saying the truth, that's all."

"We gave you shelter you sniveling brat, when nobody else would have you", snapped Uncle Vernon, "it's us who are lucky to be rid of you."

"Whatever." Harry shrugged carelessly and turned his attention to breaking an egg into the frying pan, a liberty he had never before dared to take.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Uncle Vernon shouted furiously, "I don't even allow Dudley to behave like this; I CERTAINLY won't have it from you!"

Harry raised his eyebrows. "You don't let Dudley behave like this?" He repeated incredulously, "Dudley's entire life revolves around treating you two as servants, and eating! He gets away with everything! Speaking of Dunders, where is he this morning?"

"He and Piers went to look at mopeds", Aunt Petunia replied with a smirk, "We're getting Dudley one for your birthday."

"Wow", Harry responded smoothly, in exaggeratedly polite tones, "you mean they've started making mopeds that can hold hippos?"

Harry took the few milliseconds of stunned silence this remark won him, and grabbing his egg and toast, raced to the front door, wrenched it open and slammed it behind him. He was impressed by his own daring.

Next stop: Dudley. He walked slowly along Privet Drive, chewing his sandwich thoughtfully. All his life, Harry had longed to escape Privet Drive for good, and now, in a few hours, he would never have to return again. Ron and Hermione, who had been unable to stay with him in Privet Drive due to wedding preparations and parental fears over what had happened at Hogwarts respectively, were to come and pick him up, along with Arthur and Molly Weasley. He just wished the prospect of his mission was not on the horizon.

Harry would not be returning to Hogwarts, much to his sadness and regret; he would be unable to complete his task in the confined environment of the school. He would have to go in search of the remaining Horcruxes; although where he would begin he did not know. He very much hoped that Ron and Hermione would not kick up a fuss and want to come with him, because he needed to do this alone. He didn't want to put anyone else in danger if he could help it, and certainly not his best friends.

"Harry!"

Harry spun around and looked for the owner of the voice that had called him, but he could not see anyone. He had definitely heard it…..

"Who's there?" He called out, dropping the rest of his sandwich on the ground and pivoting on the spot.

Nobody answered him.

That voice…

It was so familiar, but Harry shook that thought from his head quickly. After another few seconds, he shrugged and walked on again, but this time keeping an ear out for any noises behind him; there were none. Putting it down to his overactive imagination (although he didn't have one), Harry hurried onwards to Magnolia Motors, the shop where he was sure he would find his cousin Dudley.

Sure enough, the sight that greeted him when he reached the forecourt was Dudley's massive bottom, as the spoilt young man bent over a moped, examining it carefully, as though he actually knew something about motors. Piers stood next to him, his usual unpleasant, simpering smile on his face.

"Buying my birthday present, are you Dudders?" Harry said loudly, staying a safe distance away.

Dudley gave a yelp and straightened up as quickly as he could. "What are YOU doing here?" He said, massaging his knuckles. Piers fell into line next to him and folded his arms in what Harry supposed was meant to be a menacing fashion.

"I was thinking of buying something", Harry said nonchalantly, "but not a stupid moped. Maybe a proper bike, like that one", he indicated a huge, bright red motorbike to his left.

"Don't make me laugh", Dudley sneered, "you haven't even got twenty pence to your name."

Harry smirked back. Bill Weasley had sent him some Muggle money during the summer, from his vault, in case he wanted to buy anything in the local village. Unfortunately, Bill didn't really understand about the conversion rate from wizarding money to \Muggle money, and he had sent Harry several thousand pounds in notes, although it only amounted to about one hundred or two hundred galleons. Now, Harry pulled the bundle out of his pocket, and watched Dudley's face fall, and Piers" eyes bulge out of their sockets.

"Where'd you get that?" Dudley demanded, taking a step towards Harry, "you stole that from my parents!"

"I did not!" Harry cried indignantly, stowing it away in his pocket again.

"Don't lie!" Dudley snarled. And suddenly, without warning, he charged at Harry with surprising speed, knocking him off his feet.

"STUPEFY!"

Red light surrounded Dudley and he was lifted off Harry and flung several feet away on the ground, as though moved by an invisible hand. Harry thought for a moment that he may have accidentally cast the spell, but he realized that Dudley had not even given him time to reach for his wand.

"STUPEFY!"

Piers crumpled where he stood, gaping.

Harry lay where he was, afraid to get up in case he, too, would be stupefied. Carefully and slowly, he reached into his pocket and drew out his wand.

"Put it away Harry."

A shadow fell over him, and Harry hardly dared to look up….hardly dared to hope…

Dudley's attacker hunkered down beside Harry, and placing a cold hand on his chin, turned Harry's head gently to meet his gaze.

"No…" Harry whispered, "this must be a dream…or you've taken Polyjuice Potion…or…or…who are you?" He scrambled to his feet and backed away. The man stood up too, and held his hands out, palms up, to show he was no threat.

"Ask me something only I would know", he said softly, smiling slightly, "anything."

"Where's the Order headquarters?" Harry asked hoarsely, still clutching his wand tightly.

The man laughed. Even that sound was so familiar to Harry it made a lump rise in his throat and the hairs stand up on the back of his neck.

"You know I can't say it aloud", the man said, "but I can tell you it is…or certainly used to be…in a house that is numbered twelve, where I grew up – for my sins."

Harry felt as though there was a small explosion in his chest. With a choked sort of noise, he ran to Sirius Black, who held his arms open for him.

"What happened to you?" Harry asked after several minutes. "How…"

Sirius shook his head. "That is not a story for here or for now", he replied grimly. He was as gaunt and pale as he had been when he had escaped Azkaban. His robes were torn, and his eyes spoke of emotional and physical pain that had not been there before. "Come", he continued, a mischievous grin lighting up his face, "shall we introduce your murderous godfather to your aunt and uncle? I've never met dear old Petunia, though I've heard so many wonderful stories about her!"

"That'd be brilliant" Harry replied. And for the first time since Sirius had fallen through the archway in the Department of Mysteries, he felt truly happy.