Standard disclaimer: I don't own it, I just twist it around to my liking.


Harry quickly walked up the street into the darkness dragging his trunk and carrying Hedwig's cage. He sat on a bench near the park and put his head in his hands. What had he done? He has already been warned about underage magic. If they didn't arrest him this time then surely they were going to snap his wand in half. He was just going to have to run for it. He figured he had money. He could just disappear and maybe no one would find him. Not even Voldemort. Of course, then Voldemort would just keep gaining power and terrorizing the world. But, its just a prophecy...there are other wizards much more powerful than him. Dumbledore is the only wizard Voldemort has ever feared. The prophecy doesn't have to be the only way to rid the world of him. The prophecy could have just as easily fit Neville. Harry hated the idea of Neville being used the way he has been used. No one else should have to have this burden placed on them. He might as well just face up to it and hope for the best. He needed to figure out where he going tonight. People would start to worry when they realized he had gone. Mr. Weasley was supposed to pick him up tomorrow. He knew Mrs. Weasley would be beside herself if he just disappeared.

Harry stepped up to the curb and stuck his wand out. Within seconds a large triple decker bus screeched to a halt in front of him. A tall young man with a pimply face stepped to the door. "Hello. My name is Stan Shunpike and I am your conductor tonight on the Knight Bus, an emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. How can I help you?"

Harry pulled his trunk up to the steps of the bus. "Yeah, I need a ride to The Burrow, just outside the village of Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon."

Stan looked up. "Harry Potter! Honored to see you again! I was telling..."

Harry growled, "You won't be telling anyone anything else if you keep yelling my name out loud like that."

Stan caught himself and winked, "Ahhhh, traveling in-cog-nito again, huh? Well, 'NEVILLE' let me help you up with your luggage."

Harry paid the fare and sat back on the first bed he could find. Hopefully Ron's parents wouldn't throw him out on his ear after they found out what happened. He just didn't know where else to go. He actually managed to doze off even with the wild careening of the bus back and forth. Stan shook him in what felt like just minutes later. "Oi! The Burrow, it's your stop." Harry stepped out and slowly made his way up the lane where a light was burning in the kitchen window.


A short, red-headed slightly plump woman was sitting in the cozy living room knitting. Her two youngest children were upstairs in bed. Molly Weasley was going over in her mind her plans for tomorrow. Her husband, Arthur, was going to pick up her son Ron's best friend Harry tomorrow from his aunt and uncle's house. She was so glad he was going to stay the rest of the summer at the Burrow. He was always so thin and tired looking when he left there. She startled when she heard a small knock at the kitchen door. Crossing the room she asked, "Who's there?"

"Mrs. Weasley, it's me, Harry."

Molly pulled the door open. "Harry!" She pulled the boy in from the night air. "What on earth are you doing here? How did you get here? Everyone must be so worried!" She sat him down at the kitchen table and with a wave of her wand sent his trunk and birdcage upstairs to the spare bedroom. "Oh, my dear boy. You look terrible! Have you eaten?"

Harry lowered his head remembering what happened before he left his aunt's house. "No, ma'am."

"First let me get you something to eat, then you tell me all about what happened. Arthur should be home any minute." Molly bustled around the stove, heating up some onion soup and sending a bowl of it to the table. With a wave of her wand a loaf of bread sliced itself into thick slices and a mug filled with pumpkin juice.

Moments later, Arthur Weasley walked in the door. "I'm home Molly! I am starving, is that onion soup I smell?" He walked into the kitchen. "Harry, what are you doing here?"

Molly kissed her husband on the cheek. "He only just got here, dear. Sit down and I will get you some dinner. Then he can tell us both how he got here."

Harry slowly finished his soup as he told them the whole story of what happened before he left the Dursley's house. He told them about his uncle grabbing him and shouting. He told them about how dishes started flying when he got angry. "I swear I didn't mean it, Mr. Weasley. I know I have already been in trouble for underage magic. I am going to be in so much trouble. They are probably already looking for me. I don't know happened. I was just so angry, and the next thing I knew, stuff was flying everywhere. I had to get out of there, so I grabbed my things and left. I took the Knight Bus."

"Did anyone see you Harry?" Arthur asked.

"Only Stan, the conductor on the Knight Bus."

Mr. Weasley put an arm around Harry's shoulder. "It's alright, Harry. You did the right thing to come here. I need to talk to Dumbledore and let him know you are safe. Surely he knows by now that you are no longer at home."

Arthur walked over to the fireplace and threw in a handful of Floo Powder. He stuck his head in the green flame and said "Albus Dumbledore's office!" He talked for few minutes and then pulled his head from the fireplace and walked back over to the table. "Albus was about to call here looking for you Harry. He was aware, of course, that you had left your house and was hoping you would come here. I let him know you arrived safely."

Harry shook his head. "I suppose it won't be long before the owls find me here. I am in so much trouble."

"No," Arthur shook his head. "From what Dumbledore has been able to gather, they can't really detect wandless magic. That is basically what you were doing. Think about it Harry, no one came after you when you made your hair grow or made the glass disappear at the snake cage. He and I both feel you should be safe."

Harry looked relieved.

Arthur nodded. "But, we both think that you must try to be careful not to use wandless magic where too many people can see you for the time being. Not many wizards have been able to accomplish this and it isn't something Voldemort needs to hear about for now. I am sure that your Headmaster will talk to you about this once school starts."

Molly put Harry's dishes away in the sink. "You look so tired, dear. Go on up to bed and we can talk about it in the morning. I put your things in Fred and George's old room." She kissed Harry on the cheek and sent him upstairs.

Harry trudged up the stairs and collapsed on the bed. He was relieved that he wasn't going to be in trouble and suddenly felt exhausted. Without even getting undressed he fell almost instantly to sleep. It was a troubled sleep, filled with images of being in the Ministry and his friends falling in battle and Sirius being blasted backwards through a filmy veil. Harry found himself unable to move and could only cover his ears from the sounds of their pleas for help, and the high-pitched rising laughter burning through his brain. He awoke in the early morning darkness, his scar burning. Unable to sleep anymore he got up and went into the small bathroom at the end of the hall and washed his face. He changed into a pair of black running shorts and pulled on his trainers. Taking a shirt with him to put on after his run, he quietly went down the stairs.

Molly Weasley was already awake and getting ready to start breakfast. "Good morning, Harry. Did you sleep well?"

Harry shrugged, "Yes ma'am, just a lot on my mind I suppose. Do I have time to take a run before breakfast? I was hoping no one would be awake yet. I didn't want to disturb anyone."

"Yes dear, just don't go too far." Molly nodded. "The protection wards do not go past the woods or more than a half-mile down the lane either way."

Harry dropped his shirt in the chair by the door, it was warm already this morning and he wanted it to be clean to put on for breakfast. Harry stepped out through the kitchen door and ran off towards the woods. Harry breathed in the clean morning air and instantly began to feel better. By the time he had rounded the pond and went as far as he could in each direction his head was clear again. Somehow just the rhythmic pounding of his feet on the ground and breathing deeply had centered and rejuvenated him. He was going to have to make time for this in the mornings even when school started again, he thought to himself. Once he got back to the Burrow he stopped and stretched for a few minutes. Feeling almost like his old self again he stepped into the kitchen.

Molly looked up at Harry. "You feel better now, dear? Ready for breakfast?"

Harry grinned, "Yes ma'am thanks. I am starving!" Harry looked over at the table. Ron and Ginny were already sitting down to breakfast.

"Harry! When did you get here," Ron asked? "I thought dad was going to pick you up later today."

Harry shrugged at Ron. "I'll tell you about it later, mate, OK? I got here late last night." Harry looked over at Ginny who was staring at him with an odd look on her face. He suddenly wished he had remembered to put his shirt on already. "Good morning, Ginny." Harry pulled his shirt on and sat down at the table.

Ginny startled and dropped her spoon into her bowl of oatmeal. "Oh! Er...good morning Harry." She had turned a particularly bright shade of scarlet and quickly looked away.

Mrs. Weasley put a plate loaded with eggs, potatoes and sausages in front of Harry. "There you are dear, tuck in." Molly looked at her daughter's reddened face and smiled as she turned back towards the stove.

The kitchen door popped open and Fred and George Weasley came barreling in.

"Good morning, Mum! Is that..." Fred started.

"...breakfast? We are starving!" George finished.

"Yes, yes," Molly said. "Sit down. Its almost like you boys never moved out. Don't you have a kitchen in that flat of yours," Molly teased as she passed plates over to the table for her sons.

"But Mum, your kitchen smells so much better! And it cleans itself." George grinned.

Molly laughed, " Yes, yes. Tuck in."

"Glad to see you Harry," George said. "We have been wanting to talk to you. When you go to Diagon Alley before school, stop by the shop."

"Yeah," said George in between mouthfuls of eggs. "There's tons that we need to show you. We want you to see how your investment has grown!"

Fred cut in, "We are even hoping to be able to open a franchise in Hogsmeade before the first scheduled weekend. It's a sure money maker!"

"Alright, kids. Your father has already left for work. He had an early call he had to deal with." Molly straightened up. "I have some things I have to take care of this morning. When you are finished with breakfast please tidy up after yourselves. Fred, George, since you are here you can stay while I am gone and help out with chores I needed done today. The garden is overrun with gnomes again. Harry and Ginny can clear them out. There is a bundimun infestation in the shed. The stench is horrible and they are starting to rot the boards. You older boys can cast some Scouring charms and clean them out then Ron can help you repair the boards."

"But Mum!" Fred and George said together.

"Don't 'but Mum' me," Molly said. "It won't take long and I will feel better leaving if you stay. I will only be gone a couple of hours." Before they could argue any further, Molly grabbed her bag and was gone with a soft pop.

Everyone headed outside after breakfast was cleaned up. Ron, Fred and George went straight to the shed to get started. Harry and Ginny veered off into the garden. Sure enough, Harry saw several small brown gnomes about the size of a large potato run and hide behind the plants in the overgrown portion of the garden. They spent the better part of the next hour chasing gnomes around the yard and spinning them in circles before chucking them over the fence. By the time they were finished there was an empty field over the fence full of confused gnomes staggering around in circles and falling over each other. Harry collapsed on the porch laughing and Ginny fell next to him. They leaned against each other laughing for a minute. Harry had forgotten what a pretty laugh she had and how her brown eyes would shine when she was happy. He stopped laughing and looked at her...she really is quite pretty. 'Where did THAT come from' Harry thought.

Harry stood up and cleared his throat. "So, Ginny, are you ready for your OWL year?"

Ginny groaned. "Don't even remind me, Harry. I am dreading it. I thought Ron was going to go absolutely mental about it last year. But, Dean said he would help me if I needed it."

Harry frowned just a little. "Things still going well with Dean then?"

Ginny shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose so. Things have cooled off over the summer, but we don't get to see each other much. I am sure it will be better once school starts again. What about you and Cho?"

Harry looked away. "Well, we sort of just stopped talking, drifted apart. It was complicated, you know? We reminded each other of too many painful things. I thought I felt something for her...but maybe I didn't. I don't know."

Ginny started to reach out towards Harry, but stopped as she heard her brothers leaving the shed.

Ron ran up and grabbed Harry by the shoulders, "Hey, let's get in a some quidditch practice while Fred and George are still here!" They spent the rest of the morning and afternoon working on quidditch moves and just having fun flying.


The next couple of weeks passed as lazy days of summer should. Harry woke up early each morning and had a run, then spent the rest of the time playing quidditch, helping with chores and reading his summer homework. He was feeling good. The running and exercise was having a good effect on his body and mind. Not only was he physically stronger, but his mind was very clear and focused. He was finally beginning to feel that he could deal with his fate, one way or the other. Hermione was due to arrive this afternoon. Harry was grateful. He would be glad to see her, but Ron was becoming positively morose. He was sure he had found pieces of the autographed Viktor Krum poster Hermione sent to Ron this summer in the trash bin, but decided not to say anything about it. By the time she stepped out of the fireplace that afternoon, he had grown particularly quiet.

Ginny ran across the living room. "Hermione!" She grabbed her friend and hugged her. "I am so glad to see you! I needed some female company around here," she laughed.

"Ginny! You look wonderful!" Hermione gushed. "I have SO much to tell you."

Harry went over to her and hugged her tightly. "It's so good to see you Hermione." He lowered his voice in her ear, "Are you really alright? I can't get the images of you hurt at the ministry out of my mind anymore. I am so sorry."

Hermione grabbed Harry's face in her hands and kissed him on the forehead. She said quietly to him, "I am really alright. You never have to apologize to me for this. I am always going to be there for you."

Hermione smiled at Ron and hugged him lightly. "Hello Ronald. You are looking well."

Ron shuffled his feet. "Yeah, you too." And indeed he thought she was. She had certainly filled out some over the summer. The deep rich tan she acquired while on vacation complimented her hair and eyes beautifully. Ron scowled a bit when he thought of the time she must of spent with Viktor out in sun having fun.

Harry and Ginny watched their two friends just staring at each other awkwardly and shrugged. They both wondered... How could two people so smart manage to still be so thick?

While Harry and Ron went outside to practice quidditch, Ginny helped Hermione carry her bags up to her room and they spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on all the important things friends share.


Meanwhile, in an old hidden manor somewhere in the south of England, the embodiment of pure evil sat, brooding. Long, thin fingers reached down to stroke the large snake curled at the bottom of his feet. "Soon, my pet, soon." he hissed. "He is coming." Lord Voldemort stretched his tall, thin, snake-like body up to his full height. He turned toward the door and with a slight motion of his hand it opened.

A short, balding, beady-eyed little man walked carefully into the room and bowed low. His silver right hand peeked from under his robes as he stood. "My Lord, I have returned as promised."

"Wormtail," The Dark Lord sneered. "I hope for your sake you have not disappointed me again."

"N-no, my Lord." Wormtail cowered. "Everything is exactly as you have planned."

"You are sure she is in place and will do as asked?"

"Yes, my Lord, I took care of it myself." Wormtail bowed low. "It is my honor to serve you."

Lord Voldemort stared down at him with shining red eyes. "Excellent. Soon I will rid the world of the nuisance that is Harry Potter."