Chapter 1 Number 4 privet drive

Harry Potter and the year of change

As Harry awoke early one morning to start the daily routine at number 4 he thought about the past year. How he had let the man who'd betrayed his parents escape due to his own stupidity. Of course, that night was also when he learned his escaped prisoner of a godfather not only never betrayed his parents- but had escaped to protect him.

Pulling on his knobbly socks and battered trainers he set out to go make breakfast. He found that if he woke up earlier and had food ready before Aunt Petunia was up that he could sneak himself a halfway decent portion.

As he set about his task of cooking bacon, eggs and American biscuits (Uncle Vernon decided they were to always be had with his breakfast after a business trip a few years before to Tampa, Florida of all places) his thoughts turned to his friends.

He was gradually getting more and more tired of Ron always bickering with Hermione who only ever tried to help, though not always in the best ways. Being said though he'd received a letter from Ron inviting him to the Quidditch World Cup and to stay with his family for the rest of the summer, so not all was bad. Thinking of Hermione brought a smile to his face though, one he didn't notice as he finished the bacon and started the eggs. While he was frying the eggs (another American cooking style Vernon liked from his trip) he thought about the good times and even bad he'd had with Hermione.

Though he hadn't known they'd be best friends in a couple months he'd thought she was admittedly cute when she came knocking on the train first year. As the year passed and she like many of their classmates lost the baby fat she had come to have soft but well defined feminine features. A cute button nose for one, and her jawline being sharp yet gentle at the same time her hair was gradually calming down too from the bird's nest it had been. While he never had reason to talk about messy hair thanks to the Potter genes he knew somehow that Hermione's unruly chocolate curls would calm down eventually to be more in line with Lavender's curly locks.

Harry finally decided to admit to himself that he fancied his best friend after they'd time traveled together. He couldn't pin it down exactly but he'd figured that much. He'd heard Angelina and Alicia complain before about boys being unable to understand their emotions and he had to grudgingly agree. As the last of the eggs were done the timer for the biscuits chimed letting him know to pull them out. As Harry snuck a napkin with some scrambled eggs (as Aunt Petunia and he preferred) and bacon into his pocket he could hear Petunia herself coming down the stairs, always the first of his relatives to wake, though not by much since the smell of food always got his uncle and cousin up.

"You forgot the tea kettle boy!" Aunt Petunia said.

Feeling a little disappointed in himself for such a simple mistake Harry set about putting water on for tea with a sigh. "Yes, sorry Aunt Petunia."

Taking his "breakfast" of an apple and a slice of bread to his room. As Harry quickly made work of the eggs and bacon to get rid of the evidence and slowly ate the bread and apple as always, he made sure to put out some water for Hedwig. She should be back soon he thought, having sent her off with a letter to Ron telling him that tomorrow would work as Ron had asked if it would be a good day to come get him.

Once done with his breakfast, and after a quick stop in the bathroom Harry quickly made his way out of the house before he could be given any more tasks than he'd already had this week. As he rounded the corner at the end of the street he decided that the shrubs next to the bridge by the park would make a good hiding spot for today. Laying down for a nap for the next couple hours after being up late doing his homework in secret, as always and only getting a couple hour's rest. Waking up around 12:30 according to the battered, cracked barley working watch he had nicked from Dudley's room he decided to go for a run.

After his broom was destroyed last year he'd taken to running and doing exercises to burn off the extra energy he had thanks to not being able to do quidditch practice. Ironically, he wound up having more energy thanks to the physical exercises than before, and decided to keep it up even after he'd ultimately gotten the Firebolt back from McGonagall. After running what he assumed was somewhere in the region of 7.5-8km he stopped to catch his breath and do his exercises. He'd done only the basics he'd learned in primary school. Jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups and burpees.if Dudley and his gang of delinquents weren't there later on he might go to the park and do some pull-ups.

Getting done with his "workout" Harry decided it would be good to get out of sight for the time being. Going to the edge of the park and climbing up one of the trees high enough to not be easily spotted yet still easily see everything around him he found a good spot to sit and wait. Having done so for years now, he could zone out while still keeping a remarkable sense of awareness. Eventually he noticed Dudley's gang come by, though they didn't stay long with nothing new to break or kids to beat up. Around 4:00 Harry went and did the pull-ups he had planned on (amazing himself with the 20 he did) and started heading back to number 4.

Arriving back, he set about to helping with dinner (meatloaf and gravy for the Dursleys with Harry maybe getting a small slice and some more bread. As the Dursleys were mid-way through, well Vernon and Dudley anyway, Petunia taking four times longer to eat less than half as much, Harry began to speak "I've received an invite today from one of my classmates to spend the rest of the summer leading up to the school year with them, they'll be picking me up tomorrow morning around 10."

"Good riddance. About the only thing I like about you being under my roof is you leaving" uncle Vernon said.

"I must warn you though- two of them are not exactly the friendliest to people. Fred and George, twins. Especially if they leave something edible behind don't eat it. They use our freakishness as you'd put it to make it do funny things to you."

"If they do it'll come out of your ass next summer and that's a promise boy!"

That night, after a yet again short cold shower Harry went to read the letter Hedwig had brought that day. Seeing it was from Ron confirming tomorrow and more excited Rampling about the World Cup, Harry set it down and got to work packed all his belongings. Including the bit of food and his wand that he'd hidden away in the secret space under his bed. With all his packing done Harry sent Hedwig off to wait for him at the Burrow as his head hit the pillow, dreaming of the freedom of flying in his broom with his friends cheering him on as he chased after a snitch…