Harry was pleased to note that he had successfully completed his first year at Hogwarts with no further attempts on his life – well, actually that's a lie… Apparently the Dark Lord Voldemort had been hanging around on Quirrell's head the whole year in an attempt to get something called the Resurrection stone, but Dumbledore swears on his position as Supreme Mugwump (Harry had most assuredly looked that up because, no offense to the Wizarding World, it sounded fake) that Harry's life was not in danger. Parvati, on the other hand, had some rather strong aversions to this… Regardless, he managed to get in the top 5 of his year (Theo had gotten second)! Harry was quite proud of himself (and Theo, of course). Professor McGonagall had given him quite a soft and pleased look when she'd posted the listings in the common room, something the Weasley twins (they all looked like twins to Harry but apparently, there were actual, identical twins – unsurprisingly) were shocked and overjoyed about.

Now if only he didn't have to go back to the Dursley's…

"Not much of a savior if he can't even get top of the class, is he?"

A few titters spread throughout the common room in response to small-Weasley's (there was just so many of them) ingenious quip. Harry sighed internally and rolled his eyes at the ginger menace. However, before he could say anything, Parvati piped up from next to him.

"At least he's smart enough to get on the board Weasley. Can't really say the same for you, now can we?"

Although an almost every day experience, Harry enjoyed watching the boy's face grow more and more puce as he scowled at his classmates around him, the angry flush clashing horridly with his bright, orange hair.

"Sod off, Weasley." Harry turned and smiled at Dean, who ungracefully squeezed himself between Harry and Parvati. Parvati pulled a face at Dean, who instantly began teasing her with his own, mostly ridiculous, faces.

Rolling his eyes at their antics, Harry sighed and figured that putting up with the Dursley's for the next two months would be worth the 10 months he spent at Hogwarts following the visit – a visit, he'd decided, because Hogwarts was now his home, and there was, really, no place quite like home.

"Boy!"

Harry snorted awake and blindly shoved the thin sheet he'd been generously provided with by Aunt Petunia when he'd been forced up into Dudley's old second bedroom at the potential threat of Child Services off his still half-asleep body.

"BOY!' a series of sharp, forceful knocks cracked against the door, 'Get up!"

"I'm up, Aunt Petunia, I'm up."

Harry yawned, rubbing his eyes as he still-blindly searched for his trousers.

"If you're not down in two minutes…!"

Harry hummed affirmatively, grabbed his glasses and stumbled towards the door, running a hand through his thick mop of hair.

As he walked through the kitchen door, Harry ducked instinctually as Dudley came lumbering from the side in an attempt to knock him over. Glowering at his failed attempt, Dudley sneered at Harry, muttering a quick "Freak" under his breath as he forced his rotund figure into a chair at the table. Harry ignored the boy in favour of imagining all the seemingly endless possibilities of creatures he now knew existed that he could set loose on the boy.

"Don't burn the bacon, boy."

Harry glanced at his aunt who was mindlessly fussing with her pig of a son. Rolling his eyes and glancing at the calendar that had not been there when he'd left for school, Harry prayed for the day he'd return back to Hogwarts to come swiftly. If only time-travel were possible…

"I need to get my school things."

"What?"

Harry sighed internally at the shrill crack in his aunt's voice.

"I need to go and get my school things… from Diagon Alley."

Petunia hissed slightly under her breath and glanced nervously around the kitchen.

"Why can't that– that man take you?"

Harry resisted the urge to groan – he knew this would be difficult.

"Well, it's not exactly his job… and I just need to get to the Alley, you don't need to come in with me." Harry hoped this would appeal to her.

It was silent, with the exception of Dudley's piggish eating habits, while Petunia considered her nephew's words. Swallowing down a gulp of her tea, her mouth pinched and frown line exaggerated, she nodded stiffly at Harry.

"Fine. I'll take you as close as I have to, but you will find your own way back."

Harry refrained from mentioning that he wouldn't be coming back and nodded his head as stiffly as she had.

Cow.

Diagon Alley was as dreamlike as it was the first time he'd visited. The hustle and bustle, the screaming children, and the overflowing stores were all pure magic to him. Even a whole year away at Hogwarts was not enough to take away the awe and wonder that filled him with every magical encounter. And Harry sorely hoped the feeling would never leave.

Blissfully trapped in his reverence toward all things magical, Harry failed to notice an incoming crowd of ginger-haired wizards (and witches) until he was swept up into the identical arms of two of them.

"Oh, blessed Savior –"

"– Our dearest Dark Wizard vanquisher–"

Harry sighed and gave in to the orange menaces that reminded him much of that Devil's Snare plant that apparently ravaged the third floor at the end of the year.

"Fred, George, let the poor boy go!"

Harry craned his neck around in attempt to see the sweetly-spoken witch. A rather plump, but stern-looking witch with a rather darker shade of hair than her offspring stood not a foot behind him with her hands on her hips. Shooting stern looks at the twins wrapped around him, she quickly softened her features, smiling graciously at Harry, who felt compelled to smile back at her. He was taken away by her beaming face at his response and felt a flush around his neck.

Finally untangled from the gangly twins, Harry was introduced to even more of the Weasley family (to his utter horror, no matter how gentle and calming Molly Weasley was) and one Ginevra Weasley, or Ginny as Fred and George called her. Apparently, she would be joining the Hogwarts crew as the last member of the ever-excessive Weasley family. She stood slightly behind her mother, cheeks pinked and gaze lowered to the ground. Harry was quite aware of how small he was, but he could not for the life of him imagine this small, shy girl to be only a year younger than him. There was also the matter of burning hero-love the oozed out of her eyes, and Harry felt a tad guilty at his sudden desire to be far, far away from her.

As Harry wandered the alley alongside his gingery company, he kept a keen eye out for Theo, Dean and Parvati. With Hedwig contained to the garden shed, Harry hadn't had much opportunity to send any owls, which turned out to be less of a problem than he'd expected since he'd received not one single letter. Strangely enough, his Hogwarts letter had been delivered with the morning post and there had no owl other than Hedwig in sight. Harry didn't think too much of it.

"– arry? Harry, over here!"

Whipping his head around, he caught sight of two identically-dressed girls on the steep of the Apothecary, and one was waving frantically at him. Harry felt a grin bloom across his face, ignoring the slight pang he felt at the sight of a friend (who hadn't kept in touch with him all summer).

With a wave of his hand to the Weasley's, Harry wove through the crowds towards the twins.

He was immediately engulfed in a hug from Parvati who just as suddenly pulled away from him. Looking hesitant and nervous, she asked him if that had been OK. Harry furrowed his brows at the question and shrugged with a soft, "Yeah."

"Well, it's just that – well – you didn't respond to any of my letters!"

Her sister, Padma, turned her gaze away from the crowd at the outburst and fixed him with a cold, unimpressed stare. Harry gave her a withering glance.

"What do you mean? I never received any letters this summer."

"None?! Not even my painstakingly-hand-made birthday card?"

Harry shook his head, and then frowned.

"Why wouldn't I get any mail?"

Padma made a small noise with her mouth, "Who knows… Maybe your home is under untraceable wards."

Harry didn't believe that… but well, how would he even know?

Parvati nodded her head frantically, "Gosh, Harry, of course! For your safety! And of course, all that fan-mail shouldn't bombard you at all hours of the day!"

Padma visibly rolled her eyes, but Harry paid her no heed. He'd gotten his Hogwarts letter last summer, and this summer… he'd gotten hundreds if not thousands of Hogwarts letters last summer! Hundreds of owls too!

Something wasn't quite right.

"Oh, Harry! There you are, dear… Oh, and you've gotten your books too – lovely."

Mrs. Weasley gave him another one of her gracious smiles and Harry felt that warm feeling course through him again. How this bubbly, sweet woman ever created a worm of a child like Ron Weasley was beyond Harry's comprehension.

"Now, where am I taking you to meet your guardians?"

Harry looked back up at the matriarch questioningly.

"My guardians?"

"Yes? Are they not expecting you?" Mrs. Weasley began to frown, the corners of her mouth turning down in confusion.

"Er – well, no. I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron until the first, Ma'am."

"With your guardians?"

Harry waffled a bit with his answer, glancing around the street before returning his gaze to the woman.

"Alone."

Mrs. Weasley looked alarmed, and her surrounding children began to edge away behind her. Harry felt as though he, too, should back away slowly. He resolved to hold his ground and speak up before the suddenly imposing matriarch could speak her word.

"They – er, my guardians that is, have given me permission to stay by myself. They live far and, well, aren't exactly comfortable around other wizards – and witches. It's only for a couple of nights," Harry wracked his brain quickly, "And Headmaster Dumbledore is aware of my circumstance."

Harry nodded as if reassuring himself that this was true, comforting himself with the knowledge that someone inquiring after a child that is not their own is almost never a thing.

Mrs. Weasley looked him at him apprehensively, as if she didn't want to believe him. Eventually, she relented and gave him a small smile, but not before demanding that he owl her every night and should he ever need anything – anything at all – he just Floo straight over to "The Burrow". Harry thought it was an odd name for a home, and instantly recalled the nickname Draco Malfoy insisted on using despite the rage, hexes and pranks that flew his way after each and every single use – 'the Weasels'.

As Harry made his way up to his room, he reflected on the guilt he felt after lying to Mrs. Weasley. But she could never understand his relationship with the Dursley's… and what could she do anyway that others had tried and failed to do before her? No, it was for the best. They didn't understand and they wouldn't do anything. Besides, according to Theo, he only had five more years of dealing with them – and, in comparison to the rest of his life, it felt insignificant.

If only the Dark Lord Voldemort would just leave him alone once and for all…

Wah! I'm so sorry for the delay in the next chapter... I'm graduating this year so the last month and a half have been so rough for me! I'm in the middle of moving back home right now so it might be another week before I manage to upload the next update! Apologies x