The door clicked loudly behind him and Harry stepped out into the sunshine. He knew he would likely receive an owl from the Ministry but he didn't particularly care at the moment. The memory of seeing Dobby lock his uncle away in the cupboard under the stairs would remain forever etched in his mind just like when Malfoy was transfigured into a ferret. Harry was now standing alone in front of number 4 Privet Drive seeing as Dobby had just followed Winky to Grimauld Place. Harry looked up into the summer sky and inhaled a deep breath, although what just happened wasn't exactly what one might consider mature Harry had just taken his first step into adulthood.
He passed his aunt's flowerbed and continued down to the curb before stinking his wand arm out in front of himself to hail a violently purple triple-decker, which appeared out of thin air with a loud bang. A young wizard with large protruding ears and quite a few pimples stepped off the Knight Bus clad in a purple uniform.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor this afternoon."
"Hello Stan, glad to see they finally let you out," said Harry
"'choo being so loud for 'arry?"
"Sorry Stan I'm just surprised to see the Ministry is actually doing the right thing for once."
"I was a tad surprised myself when they let me go last month." said Stan
"Seeing as they finally caught some real Death Eaters there was no need to make me out as one. I just can't stand all the muttering from the passengers is all."
"I know what you mean ' said Harry as he took a seat near the back of the top deck.
"Well 'arry that'll be eleven sickles please, London again?" asked Stan.
Harry pulled out his money bag and handed over the silver." The Burrow actually."
"Take 'er away, Ern,' said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's."
The purple bus took off with a BANG. Harry was staring out the window as Privet Drive disappeared from sight to be replaced by what looked like a motorway. Another BANG and they were now on a bridge somewhere.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken ?
Harry looked up to see a man dressed in all black his face shrouded in the shadow caused by the hood of his cloak. He was indicating a leather recliner opposite Harry's. Harry gripped his wand but just shook his head in response to the man's query. The man took his seat and lowered his hood. Harry had to do a double take, the man sitting opposite himself had very untidy raven colored hair and vivid green eyes. It was like looking at an older version of himself only without the lightning shaped scar.
"I have something that might interest you Harry." The man said reaching inside his cloak and pulling out a rolled up piece of parchment.
Harry eyed the man suspiciously but glanced down at the parchment to see very familiar thin, slanted writing. Harry lunged forward to snatch the parchment; he unfurled it immediately only to find it was blank. Harry lifted his head to glance at the mysterious man who indicated the parchment now clutched in Harry's right hand. Upon returning his gaze to the parchment he saw Dumbledore's handwriting, which was now scrolling line by line vertically up the parchment. It appeared to be a letter addressed to him so Harry began to read.
Dear Harry,
If you are reading this then I am surely deceased. Do not mourn for me Harry as I am now in hot pursuit of that flighty temptress, Adventure. However, I know that my being gone will have left a tremendous burden on your shoulders, for this I am truly and deeply sorry, and yet even with my passing, you must always remember that no matter what obstacle lay before you that there will always be someone to aid you if you simply ask for it.
Now on to more pressing matters at this moment, the man across from you who undoubtably has boils on his backside from trying to read this letter prior to his delivering it
(Harry glanced at the man who surely enough was squirming in his chair uncomfortably) is someone who I trust completely. (Harry had heard that one before.) His name if he has probably been so rude as to not introduce himself is Cyric Melley . He was both a former colleague and student of mine. He has been away for the past decade working to continue some of Nicholas Flamel's brilliant work. Given certain events I've decided to entrust him with the enormous burden of furthering your magical education. Now knowing you as I do, I am assuming you have some queries as to why I have chosen Cyric, whom you have never met, as opposed to a qualified professor such as Professor McGonagal. I answer thus, I believe that he can learn as much from you as you can from him. Also his rashness and reckless abandon should to you seem very familiar. As they say birds of a feather...I expect your full cooperation on this matter and do try to show him a little more respect than the last person entrusted to tutor you due to my inability to do so myself.
I am, yours most sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
The parchment was now devoid of any writing. It must have been enchanted so that only Harry himself would be able to read it. Harry looked up at Cyric who had now abandoned sitting all together and was clutching a candle bracket for dear life as the bus jerked with a loud BANG.
"Nice to meet you Cyric." said Harry, a smile playing across his face.
"Was I chastised for not introducing myself?" asked Cyric.
"Er, kind of." replied Harry.
"I swear he knew everything, that man. I was always being reprimanded by Albus to address him and the rest of the Hogwarts staff properly. Even in his final days he knew I'd yet to learn proper etiquette." said Cyric with a chuckle.
BANG
Glancing outside Harry noticed they were on an old country lane.
"I have the same problem." Said Harry.
"So are you ready to go?" Asked Cyric.
"Go where?" asked Harry, surprise etched all over his face.
"Ah, I guess Albus forgot to mention that I am to escort you to Hogwarts."
"For what?"
"Honestly Harry your guess is as good as my own." answered Cyric
"Listen it's 'ogwarts stop after next." yelled Stan as a tree jumped out of the way of the speeding purple bus.
Harry followed Cyric off the bus and they both traipsed past the gates and up to the great oak front doors in complete silence. Neither companion found a topic to speak on, each apparently lost in thought. Harry found it strange to be walking through Hogwarts without meeting a single soul, living or ghost Harry's thoughts were on the blank parchment that Dumbledore's final letter was on. It seemed that perhaps he knew his time was short. Was that the reason he filled me in on his suspicion of Voldemort using Horcruxes in an attempt at immortality? Did he suspect Snape of being a traitor? Sooner then he'd thought Harry found himself and Cyric before the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the heads office. Cyric reached out and patted the gargoyle upon its head just as Harry was going to start guessing random sweets to see which one was the password. The stone statue before them sprang to life revealing the spiraling staircase.
"I've been sent to the heads office quite a few times. It knows me by now." said Cyric in response to Harry's inquiring look.
They climbed the staircase, Cyric knocked on the door and entered with Harry on his heels. Harry was in the process of closing the door when the familiar voice of the Headmaster rang out "Good evening Harry."
