Chapter 1:
It had to be the hottest summer on record at Number 4 Privet Dr. So hot that just being outside for 30 minutes had young Harry Potter sweating through his horribly huge shirt. Almost 15 years old and still Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon still insist on giving him Dudley's old hand-me-downs when Dudley was very clearly at least triple the size of him. Harry had learned to just shut up and not complain, he only had to be at number 4 for a short time during the summer. Summers at his aunt and uncles house seem to get a little easier every year, that was probably thanks to the news his aunt and uncle had received letting them know that his godfather was Sirius Black and he cared for Harry very much, and if so much as a hair seemed out of place he would be coming for a visit. Threat of a 'serial killer' coming to visit seemed to scare them so much they just left him alone when he was there, and Harry responded in kind.
On a Thursday afternoon Vernon burst into Harrys room,
"We are going out of town for a few days," He must have seen the slightly confused look on Harry's face and QUICKLY reiterated,
"We, as in your aunt, cousin, and I, are going out of town for a few days. Don't burn down the house, keep it tidy, and none of YOUR kind here. Understand boy?"
Harry snorted, 'figures I wasn't going, don't know what came over me', "I understand Vernon, and just to clarify, when you say MY kind, do you mean bespeckled 14 year old boys, or wiz-"
"Don't you dare finish that word, you know EXACTLY what I meant you ungrateful freak."
Vernon's words were hushed and harsh, his face was so purple he started to resemble a plum. Harry smirked, it was small things like this that gave Harry entertainment. Vernon spun on his heel and slammed the door behind him, Harry walked down the stairs and followed the Dursleys to the door, as they climbed in the car Harry stuck his head out the door,
"have a good time! Just listen to the doctors, they're there to help!"
Harry quickly ducked back inside and closed and locked the door, he didn't have to see it to know that Vernon's face was turning purple again and Petunia was trying to hide her face hoping no one heard what he said, Dudley of course was to busy eating to hear what Harry said, not that the overweight whale would understand his jib.
Harry ran to his old bedroom, the cabinet under the stairs, and grabbed the key to Hedwig's cage that he secretly copied and hid there so he could let Hedwig out when he knew the Dursleys would be gone a while. Hedwig hooted gratefully as she got out the cage and stretched her wings. Harry attached letters for Sirius, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to Hedwig's leg.
"Stay with Ron a while, you can rest there and fly for a while before coming back."
She nipped his finger affectionately before flying off, Harry stood at the window watching her fly away until he couldn't see her anymore. He grabbed all his school stuff and walked downstairs so he could do his school work at the kitchen table and watch TV, he liked to keep up on the news in case there was any word of Voldemort moving.
Hours later Harry had finished his potions essay about the correct uses of crystals in potions, DADA essay regarding the correct way to store your wand on your body, and the next 6 months of predictions for his life that he definitely pulled out his arse. Harry turned off all lights locked the doors and went up to his room, closed his door, changed into pj pants and left his window open just enough in case Hedwig came back, and went to bed. Sounds of the stairs creaking along with hushed voices woke Harry up from another dream of Cedric dying at the graveyard. Harry forced his breathing to calm down and quietly reached for his wand on the night stand while turning to stand up, the clock stated 12:04 am. He strained to listen for if the Dursleys came back early but he couldn't discern the voices, he stood facing his door, wand out, ready to face whatever was about to come through the door. The locks on his door unlocked slowly and one at a time, Harry's heartrate picked up as each lock opened up, the door handle twisted as Harry started, spell on the tip of his tongue when the door flung open and Moony's face stared right back at him. Harry relaxed and smiled as other faces were starting to appear, lit up by Moony's wand he saw Arthur Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, another redhead he could only assume was either Charlie or Bill Weasley, and one other person he couldn't place.
"Moony! What are you doing here?"
Remus was about to answer when he was pushed aside and replaced by Mad-Eye Moody,
"No time for questions, we gotta move."
Harry was shocked
"Professor? What's going on?"
Moody turned back around to look at him,
"nice to see you Potter, I was never really your professor though was I? Lets get going, we can explain everything later."
Harry started to gather his things as the adults filed out, Fred and George came in.
"Hey Harry!" They said simultaneously,
"Hey Fred, George, do you guys know what's going on?"
They smiled back
"well ickle Harrykins we can't tell you that-"
"- it would ruin the surprise" Started George but finished Fred.
"Harry" Mr. Weasley had popped his head into the room,
"Hedwig is at the house safe."
Mr. Weasley was looking a little more rough for wear than normal, it was like he aged 5 years within the last year.
"Thanks Mr. Weasley."
Mr. Weasley smiled and ducked back out. Fred shrunk all of Harry's things and Harry put them in his pocket, they walked out of Harry's room and when they got to the top of the landing they heard spells being yelled, flashes of bright color and what sounded like things being thrown. Harry, Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley rushed outside to come face to face with Peter Pettigrew bound in his front yard and 5 wands trained on him, Harry could hardly believe his eyes, he looked to Moony and if looks could kill then Pettigrew would have been dead 10 times over.
"He's paralyzed but don't take any chances." Called Moody.
"What-I don't-." Harry could barely string a sentence together he was so in shock.
"He was hiding in the flowerbed under the window, just waiting for the perfect time to go inside and take you," Moony snarled.
At that moment he could never doubt that once a month he was a werewolf, Moony was very protective of those in his pack, Harry and Sirius happened to be the most important people in his life right now, and it made his wolf very mad to see the man who ripped away two members of his pack and ruined the lives of the rest, but it also made his wolf very happy to know that now, Sirius would be free.
"Kingsley, take him in before I kill him, I expect this to free Sirius." Moony turned to another person in the group that Harry had yet to meet, he was tall and very dark skinned, his voice was very calm and soothing,
"Don't worry Remus, we've got him this time, Sirius will be free by end of day today." Kinglsey strode forward and grabbed onto Wormtails sleeve and pop, they were gone.
Harry turned to Remus, they were both in shock. Remus strode forward to Harry and pulled him in for a hug and held him tightly for a minute before stepping away, a soft smile graced his face.
"Lets wait to tell Sirius until we know for sure what's going to happen." Remus stated somberly, Harry agreed, the last thing he wanted to do was to give his godfather hope just to have it ripped away again.
Fred and George walked to him, George held out his hand that had a broom in it, his broom, his firebolt, his most prized possession that was given to him by his godfather, who now, may be free by end of day.
"All right everyone," Moodys voice boomed over everyone and Harry had to wonder if any of the neighbors could hear, but he didn't have long to think about it because Moody started talking again, "we stay in formation no matter what, stay low in the clouds, Harry stick between Fred and George, Arthur and Remus will be in front of you three, with Charlie behind, and Me in the front."
Everyone moved into position and as Charlie passed by Harry he stopped and reached his hand out, "Nice to finally meet you Harry, I've heard a lot about you from my family."
Harry shook his hand, "Nice to meet you too Charlie, I've heard a lot about you as well."
"Yes yes its nice to meet everybody, lets hurry up." Moodys annoyed voice cut through us.
Charlie chuckled "don't worry, he's always been like this, 'Constant Vigilance' and all."
Charlie moved to his spot behind Harry next to Moody, as everyone mounted their brooms.
"Alright everybody, on the count of 3, 1..2..3." On 3 everybody pushed off and went straight up.
As soon as the wind hit his face, Harry instantly felt better, this was where he was meant to be, in the sky, with his friends, he had to remind himself that he couldn't just take off, as much as he wanted to.. They flew at the bottom of the clouds through the night sky, getting soaked. After about an hour Moody finally signaled to land. They landed on a dark cobblestone street, the street was lined with thin houses pushed together. Harry looked around at the group and everyone was soaked from head to toe, and shivering, Remus whipped out his wand and used the self drying charm on his self first then Harry, everyone looked at them shocked for a second before remembering they had the same capabilities. Mad Eye shook his head in light annoyance as he stepped towards Harry.
A slip of paper was given to Harry as Charlie whispered "read the paper, don't say it out loud", the paper read 'Number 12 Grimauld Place'.
When Harry looked up another house appeared that didn't seem to be there before. The group walked up to the house and went inside, Harry was hustled forward as everyone walked past him and through a door, the only thing he saw was his godfather Sirius black at a table and he was talking intensely with someone sitting next to him that Harry didn't recognize. Harry walked towards that same door when he was intercepted by Molly Weasley.
"Harry! How good to see you dear. Why don't you go upstairs and join Ron and Hermione, 2nd floor, 2nd door on the right."
"But-"
Mrs. Weasley cut him off, "no time for questions dear, up you go."
He went up the stairs slowly, looking back occasionally to Mrs. Weasley giving him 'the look' and pointing up the stairs. The hallways were dark and lined with people who looked at him with judging eyes but not saying a word, he finally got to the 2nd floor and went to the 2nd door on the right and opened it, Ron and Hermione were sitting on the bed farthest from the door talking in hushed tones and holding hands.
Harry couldn't help but smirk, "Should I go get a different room?" Their heads snapped in his direction and a big smile on both of there faces grew.
"Harry" Hermione exclaimed and rushed at him, she embraced him tightly, stepping away to let Ron in.
Harry felt arms embrace his waist from behind, he looked to see Ginny Weasley ducking under his arm, he hugged her tight, "Hey Gin," he took a deep breath and took her in, woodsy, and floral, like the backyard at the burrow and recently she smelled like home to him.
Harry and ginny started talking more often after the Chamber in his 2nd year, but they got really close when Harry and Ron had a falling out in their previous year.
"So what is this place" Harry asked, Ginny still tucked under his arm which didn't escape his notice.
"It's headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore formed it back when they first fought You-Know-Who." Hermione rushed out.
"You couldn't tell me about this in a letter, I haven't had any actual news since I left Hogwarts."
Harry was getting mad quickly, he is in the center of EVERYTING but yet he knows NOTHING.
"Dumbledore made us promise we wouldn't tell you anything-" Harry cut Ron off,
"WHY WOULD DUMBLEDORE ASK FOR THAT, I'M THE ONE WHO HAS FOUGHT VOLDEMORT ALMOST EVERY YEAR SINCE 11, I'VE ALMOST DIED 4 TIMES NOW, BUT NOOO LETS NOT FUCKING TELL THE PERSON WHO HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS, ANYTHING. I-."
Harry stopped as he felt Ginny squeeze her arms around his waist, calming him down almost instantly, he deflated.
"I'm sorry guys, I just – don't understand I guess."
"We don't understand either mate, we just figured that he wouldn't ask if it wasn't important" Ron responded.
"if you're all done shouting," a new voice behind him startled them, Fred and George were now standing in the doorway, "who wants to hear something a little more-"
"-Interesting." George held up a device that looked like a string with an ear on it.
They eagerly walked to the stairs and lowered the ear down in front of the door, suddenly Molly's voice sounded clearly and she didn't sound happy.
"He is just a child Sirius! He needs to be protected!"
"He is not YOUR child Molly! He's my godson!" Sirius sounded on the verge of losing it, Harry felt sympathy for Sirius.
"And where have you been! Sitting in Azkaban because you decided to be selfish, he needs to be kept away from all of this, I'm the most stable family he's got."
Harry was shocked, and with the looks on the others faces, so were they, Mrs. Weasley kind of crossed a line and by the looks of it, everyone else agreed with him.
"How dare you, you have no idea what it was like!" Sirius was in a frenzy now, "Harry has been in the middle of this since he was 1 years old and Voldemort came for him the first time, he deserves to know! And lets get this very straight to everyone, including you Dumbledore, I AM Harry's godfather, that means I have the final say."
Molly started to argue which caused Sirius to go off again, and the argument was just now unintelligible, he could faintly hear Remus and Dumbledore trying to get everyone to calm down.
Harry was frustrated, "that's it I'm done with this."
Harry marched down the stairs, everyone following behind not wanting to miss what was going on. He barged through the door with everyone in tow, Ginny still at his side.
"That's enough!" Harry yelled, everyone stopped, shocked to see the kids in the meeting, the door was supposed to be magically locked.
Mrs. Weasley rushed forward "Harry dear, kids, please go back upstairs-"
Harry stopped her "No, I'm sick of not being told anything. And no offense Mrs. Weasley, I care for you deeply but what you said before was out of line, I am not your child, and Sirius does have the last say."
Mrs. Weasley was gobsmacked, Harry felt bad for speaking to her that way but she had no right to speak to Sirius like that.
Sirius stood up and walked over to him and hugged him tightly, "missed you kiddo" "missed you too Sirius."
Sirius pulled away and slung his arm around his neck and they walked to the table everyone sitting down, Remus next to Sirius, then Harry, Ginny, Fred and George, then directly across from Harry and Ginny were Ron and Hermione.
"I don't want my kids hearing any of this." Mrs. Weasley said loudly, still trying to gain some control over the situation.
"Molly, Harry is going to tell them everything anyways, they might as well stay." Arthur was always trying to be the voice of reason in the chaos. Mrs. Weasley looked cross but didn't say another word.
"Alright Harry, what questions do you have?" Sirius asked him
"Why did Voldemort go after me?"
This question had been bugging Harry since he was 11.
Dumbledore sighed sadly, "Harry there was a prophecy, it stated "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." This prophecy we learned, was speaking about you. This prophecy is what caused your parents to go into hiding"
Harry sat there, just processing for a minute, no one speaking, Ginny grabbed his hand below the table and squeezed reassuringly.
"So that means…one of us will have to kill the other."
Dumbledore looked at his somberly, and nodded his head, "Yes, this means that one of you have to kill the other."
