Disclaimer: - I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. Anything you recognise is hers; everything else is purely my imagination-running wild…..
Setting He's Own Destiny.
Harry was a legal adult, in the eyes of wizard kind. He had been emancipated and had been granted full wizarding rights to 'do' magic outside of Hogwarts. As Harry soon discovered this was not the means to everything that he had wished for. He couldn't conjure food out of thin air, he couldn't just wonder down to the local shops to pick up the groceries, in case he was seen by members of the order, the public or even deatheaters. Life, at the moment, was not going Harry's way.
Harry had stayed in the cottage for a few days before Hedwig had shown up at the edge of the Fidelius Charm, hooting incessantly.
"Hedwig, where have you been?" Harry said after materializing out of thin air, as he crossed the boundary of the charm
Hedwig, although a very nice and pleasant, snowy white owl, was not impressed with her master, landing on Harry's shoulder, which she gripped hard enough to draw blood she nipped his ear, again enough to make it bleed.
"Oww! Hedwig… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you with no way to find me!" Harry yelped, frantically waving his arms in the air around this head and shoulders.
Hedwig only seemed more frustrated and wanted to bite Harry some more.
"I'm sorry girl!...Stop it!...Oww…..now that hurts!" Harry screamed as he tried to duck her next attack.
Finally coming to a rest, Harry stopped running around and settled against the gate leading to the cottage. "Hedwig….please listen" Harry pleaded.
Hedwig settled on the gate next to Harry and stared at him, with unblinking yellow eyes.
Harry knew that look, he had been subjected to that look before, it was as if she was saying 'you run off, leave me behind with those animals and expect everything to be alright – well think again mister'
"Hedwig, I had to get away, they wouldn't let me be me, they watched everything that I did and the Dursleys, well they were worse than usual, I'm not putting up with it any longer" Harry looked at his owl, she seemed to have clamed down and was edging closer to him, inching towards him on the gate.
"Hedwig, please forgive me….I know it wasn't right to leave you behind but I knew that you would find me……."taking a risk Harry held out his arm for her.
Hedwig looked at her master and inched forward, he seemed apologetic and he held out his arm for her to jump on to. Finally, relenting Hedwig jumped on Harry's shoulder and nipped him on the ear.
"Oww!...okay so am I forgiven…….Do you want to see where we will be living for the next few months girl?" stoking her head as he walked towards to the door of the cottage.
Harry entered the cottage, with Hedwig on his shoulder, showing her the rooms, which there weren't a lot of and the garden.
"Well, this is it, I'm sorry that I haven't got any owl treats for you and food is a bit scarce as I haven't managed to get to the shops yet." Harry walked around the house whilst talking to his owl.
"I think that I remember that Ron said that there is an owl delivery service that can be arranged from Diagon Alley, I'll have to right a note and let you take it to the shops, do you think that you are ready for another flight yet?
Hedwig hooted, in a positive way, 'is there a negative hoot?' Harry thought.
Harry sat down and wrote a short note for Hedwig to deliver to the shops, 'right I can cook, but nothing to fancy, so I think a little of everything' Harry thought while he was writing out his letter/list.
Harry wrote out a small shopping list and tied it to Hedwig's leg, along with some galleons.
"I've asked the shop keeper to shrink down the food and place it in the pouch attached to your leg, girl" Harry said while tying the letter to her leg. "I've also asked to see if they can send me a catalogue to see what else I can get by owl-order"
Harry finished tying the letter and money to the Hedwig's leg and saw her fly out of the window, towards London.
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Back at Hogwarts
"What do you mean you can't find him?" wailed a distraught Molly Weasley, "Where can he have got to Albus?"
"Molly, I assure you that we are doing everything possible to locate Harry and return him to safety" he paused in his speech as the floo flared into life and spat out Bill Weasley
"Ahh, William, what news do you have from Gringotts?" Albus asked as soon as he saw Bill had finished brushing himself off.
William Weasley sat down in a nearby chair and quickly glanced at the people in the office, "It seems that Harry met with one of the goblins and made quite an impression" Bill stated.
"It appears that Harry turned up and indicated that if he was not heard within a given amount of time that he would remove his accounts to somewhere else, of course the goblins acted and Harry was seen in minutes." He paused and considered his next words "I also understand that he was also emancipated and has inherited Sirius Blacks money, properties and investments, I understand that to be quite a substantial sum"
There was silence within the room as this news was digested, Albus Dumbledore sat down, at his desk.
"Well, it appears that Harry may have been planning this for some time" Dumbledore said
"Do you know where he went from Gringotts?"
"No, but I heard from Griphook, one of the goblins at the bank, that Harry has two houses under the Fidelius charm, although he couldn't remember where they are – so Harry could be at one of them I suppose?" Bill stated.
The members of the Order of the Phoenix, hearing this just sat and digested this news.
"He could be anywhere," moaned Mrs Weasley, "Alone and no one to care for him", her mothering instincts running at an all time high.
"Molly, can you please let me know if Ron, Ginny or Hermione hear from him… I understand that Hermione will be staying with you during the summer break?" Dumbledore was trying to bring the meeting back to order.
"Of course Albus, of course" Mrs Weasley replied.
"Albus, you know that the aurors will want to talk to Mr. Potter about the attack in Diagon Alley, even though those who lost their legs were deatheaters we will still need to talk to him" Amelia Bones stated.
"Yes, of course Amelia, but we need to find him first," Dumbledore continued, "I believe that Harry will have to surface soon and when he does we can bring him back and under the protection of the order"
With conversation continuing around trying to find Harry Potter, the meeting continued into the evening, finally all members left for their respective homes.
"Severus, do you know if Voldemort is aware that Harry is missing?" Dumbledore asked
"No, Albus, the Dark Lord is not aware that he is missing, only that he attacked his deatheaters, he was most aggrieved that he lost so many supporters in one attack and displayed his anger at the last meeting" Snape answered.
"It will only be a short time before he will be aware that Harry is missing, he can not find out until Harry is back where it is safe"
Back at Black Cottage – The Lake District.
Harry pondered his next steps while Hedwig was winging her way to Diagon Alley, sitting in the sitting room Harry was thinking.
'I need to train, but train in what? Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy? – why is Mars always 'bloody' bright? why can't Neptune or Saturn be bright for a change?? Keep on track Harry! Training, yes training.
I'm a sixteen year old wizard with a standard education who knows the bare minimum in order to pass a few OWLS, how am I going to fight Voldemort?
Harry got up and started to pace around the small room
'As soon as Hedwig returns I can see what I can order through owl-order, Ha!... owl-order I just got it! Mail-order, owl-order. Keep on track - Dammit Harry!
I'm a wizard of standard power who hasn't reached his magical maturity – what ever that is? and I'm expected to fight one of the most powerful Dark Dorks in the last few hundred years… Right I need food!
Harry finished his pacing and entered the kitchen, looking around he could only see a few tins in the cupboards, 'why didn't they put self stocking cupboards in this place?' he thought to himself.
Harry continued in this vein until Hedwig turned up with a small pouch attached to her leg.
"Hedwig, I glad to see you back safe" Harry said as she flew through the sitting room window
"Right, let's get some food for you and me" and with that Harry made a small dinner for himself and Hedwig.
Looking through the catalogue he could see that Flourish and Blott's, wasn't the only book seller in the magical world, it was the only one the could afford the rents on Diagon Alley. With Hedwig perched in the corner of the room sleeping after her long fight from London, Harry started to make out a list of books that he could purchase and study over the coming months.
Harry decided that he would order books on charms, transfiguration, a basic guide to occlumency, a beginners guide to Legilimency, healing and defence against the dark arts. Harry continued to look through the book and noticed that they had a complete section on dark arts and their uses, pausing to make sure that he was reading it right, Harry ordered a few dark arts books 'why learn defence against the dark arts if you can't use them in the first place' Harry thought to himself.
Harry considered looking for a few books on potions but couldn't find the will power to continue with the subject.
'Why make your own potions when you can buy them from any apothecary… it's not as if anyone will give me time to make a healing potion in the middle of a battle –
'Oh please excuse me, I've injured my leg, I just need to make a blood clotting potion and wait for a few minutes for it to take effect, I will be back to battle you in about half an hour – oh where is my caldron, I must have misplaced it somewhere' –
Yeah right' Harry thought.
Potions would not make the list and that was that, he hated the teacher, if Snape could be called a teacher, let alone a professor, and there was no way he was going to subject himself to more back biting, hate swilling, Voldemort loving, greasy bat like professors.
'Yep! Apothecary's are for me.' Thought Harry.
Harry finished his meal and completed his list of books that he wanted and settled down in the sitting room to read the Daily Prophet, more commonly know as the news paper that makes-up-stories-about-people,
Harry Potter in Battle of Diagon Alley
In a daring risk of life and limb Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, battled to save wizards and witches from a fatal attack. A dozen deatheater had appeared in the Alley and were throwing curses everywhere when Harry Potter jumped out of Gringotts bank and started to attack them,
Harry Potter successfully managed to stop six deatheaters by removing their legs and banishing them away before aurors arrived on the scene and the remaining deatheater apparated away.
One witness to these events had this to say "Harry Potter strolled out of the bank and saw that we were in trouble and just launched himself into the battle, throwing curses at the deatheaters – He was simply fantastic". Another witness stated "He ran out of the bank and struck them down from behind, not the sort of thing I would expect from someone lie Harry Potter" the author of these comments wished to remain anonymous,
It is understood that the DMLE want to question Harry Potter is connection with this attack – Is he a hero or criminal you have you say.
Contact Rita Skeeter at The Daily Prophet.
Rita.Skeeterdailyprophet.magic.uk
Harry threw the paper away in disgust, even he could see that the rubbish that was printed was beyond what was normal for them.
"Why can't they get it right for a change Hedwig?" Harry said from his chair, Hedwig only shuffled her feathers still sleeping "You're no help"
Harry settled down for the night, thinking about the training that he would have to undertake over the coming months.
The next morning Harry woke to Hedwig sitting on his chest.
"Time for me to get up, eh?" Harry looked at the owl, Hedwig just blinked her eyes at him.
"Right I have a list of books that I need, can you take this to 'Paper and Parchment Books' in Gauche Alley, I think it is just off Diagon Alley. Hedwig looked at Harry with distain 'don't tell me how to find a place' seemed to be the look that she conveyed to Harry. Rushing on, "While you're gone I will be writing to Ron and Hermione, just to let them know that I am okay, I'm sure that they will be worried, maybe Ginny as well and maybe Luna and Neville" finished Harry 'why not write to the whole school' passed through Harry's mind while he was telling Hedwig this.
Hedwig held out her leg for the message and promptly left.
Harry turned round and sat at the table, parchment laid flat on the table. ' what to say'
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Dear Ron,
You have probably heard that I have left my relatives and have disappeared, well most of this is true and I have left my relative but as you can clearly see I have not totally disappeared – just going to be hard to find this summer.
Please explain to your mum that I won't be able to come over this summer as I have things that I must do.
Will see you on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st
Harry.
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Dear Hermione,
I hope that you are well and have recovered from your injuries at the Department of Mysteries, I am sorry that you got hurt.
You have probably heard, from Ron, that I have left my relatives and that I turned them into a horse and a bull, they act like these animals so I thought that I would let them see what living like them would do for them.
I know that you will be upset that it appears that I have run away. I can only say that I have run away, I have only taken up another residence that no one can find. Suffice to say that I will not neglect my studies and will be doing various bits of research over the summer months.
I am afraid that you will not be able to write back as I am staying where mail-owls will not be able to find me.
I will see you on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st.
Love
Harry
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Harry didn't write to Ginny, Luna or Neville, knowing that they would be informed of his whereabouts, or lack of whereabouts, by Ron and Hermione. He wanted time to think and a bit of solitude in which to think, without having to worry about friends.
Finally sitting in his chair he waited for Hedwig to return.
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Order of the Phoenix – Hogwarts.
"Albus" Mrs Weasley said as she exited the floo "Ron and Hermione have received a letter from Harry!"
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Let me know what you think…………
Sheeps