As Harry took the letter from Fawkes, Hermione admires and fusses over Fawkes.
"Harry, who do you know that has a Phoenix?"
"The only person I know is Dumbledore."
"That being the case then do you think that Dumbledore is the one that Remus went to for help?"
"I had a feeling that Dumbledore has been involved. I am just surprised that he hasn't come by wanting answers."
"Dumbledore is a very intelligent wizard Harry. I am sure he is just giving you some time and space. I bet that he is waiting for you to go to him. Enough of this chatter, uh… the letter Harry."
Harry opened the letter and read,
Harry,
Sirius has obviously been found innocent. It will be a while before he is released. According to Fudge there is a lot of paper work to do. Unfortunately Sirius will remain in Azkaban. Once Sirius is released and he takes care of a few things, I know he will come for you. For should he find any evidence that you have been mistreated in any way or form, there will be hell to pay for the Dursley's. Stay out of trouble. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
Fondly,
Remus
Harry read the letter again. His face was blank, but his eyes were filled with anger.
"Harry, what is it?"
Harry handed Hermione the letter. As she read the letter Harry paced trying to figure out what to do next.
"Harry, what Fudge is doing is bull-shit. He is abusing his power as Minister."
"But what more can I do? This is not going how it was supposed to. Sirius should be out now! I want to leave this house and never come back." Harry said near tears.
"You do have some choices."
"Like what?"
"You could go to the Burrow to take your mind off of all this or bring Ron up to date. Or you could got to the Daily Prophet or send and anonymous letter or just give it some more time and see if Sirius is released before school starts."
"I'll give it some more time. I should see about going to the Burrow, it would help distract me and I would be able to bring Ron up to date. In person will be easier and quicker than using an owl. Crap! Hedwig is still at Remus's house."
"So send a letter to Remus through Fawkes requesting that he send Hedwig back to you."
Harry stopped pacing and wrote a short note to Remus and gave it to Fawkes. Harry and Hermione watched Fawkes fly off until they could no longer see him.
As Remus was leaving the Leaky Cauldron Fawkes landed on the floor and walked toward him. Remus took the letter and read it.
"So, what did Harry have to say?"
"That he would like his owl back."
After that Remus and Albus left the Leaky Cauldron and in an instant they were standing in Remus's living room. Remus quickly wrote a short letter to Harry and gave it to Hedwig. Hedwig lightly nipped Remus on the hand and flew off out the window.
* * * * * * *
Hermione had just left with her parents when Hedwig flew in Harry's bedroom window. Harry went up the stairs and into his room. Seeing Hedwig resting on his bed vanished the depressed feeling that had crept up moments ago. Harry quickly took the letter and gave Hedwig some treats. Harry sat down on his bed next to Hedwig and read,
Harry,
My apologies. I meant to go home sooner that I did. I hope you are doing all right and that you are not too depressed about Sirius. I am sure you thought he would be released right away. Rest assured, he will be released.
Fondly,
Remus
Harry sighed and set the letter aside. If not for Hermione visiting and the Dursley's on vacation it would have been extremely depressing. Harry though about what Hermione had said about going to the Burrow and sent a letter to Ron.
Ron was outside de-gnoming the garden when Hedwig landed next to him. Ron took the letter and read,
Ron,
How have you been? Are you still in loads of trouble with your mom for the binding Percy? Quite a bit has happened on my end. I would really like to visit and tell you everything. It might be a while before I can get away. I am not sure exactly how to get there, but I'll figure out something. Oh if you haven't heard from me by the 5th of August then something is probably wrong.
Harry
Ron wrote his reply and gave to Hedwig. She did not take off until Ron gave her some treats.
Harry was stretched out on his bed bored off his ass when Hedwig flew in his window. As Harry took the letter and set it aside when he noticed that Hedwig had no water in her dish. He got up and filled it.
Later that evening Harry went through the house making sure that there was no evidence of having someone over. He proceeded to check the food level in the kitchen. He had to throw out quite a bit of food, but there was enough to last Harry until the Dursley's returned. Once Harry was sure that it appeared as though no one had been there he went back up to his room. He picked up the letter and read,
Harry,
I'm as good as I can be. I am still in loads of trouble for the bind on Percy. I don't think that it would be quite so bad if Percy wasn't constantly going on about it all the time. Ginny is driving me mad; she won't stop talking about you. It would be great if you find a way to get here. I would ask my mum but I don't think that would be wise right now.
Ron
Harry couldn't help but smile about Ginny talking about him so much that she was driving Ron mad.
'I have to go to the Burrow. But how, I can't apparate over there. I am not supposed to be able to apparate and I don't want to give Mrs. Weasley a heart attack. I could call for the night bus and see if it would take me to Ron's.' Harry thought and decided to give it a few more days.
Harry sent a note with his address to Remus just before he turned in for the night.
The following day progressed so slowly for Harry that he was bored. Apparating around the house became tiresome. Watching television lost its appeal, the house was clean and the flower garden was perfect. So he stripped his bed, washed his bedding, flipped his mattress over and remade his bed. Harry was so bored he tried walking around town.
As the sun dipped down out of sight leaving darkness behind, Harry became a little excited that the day was nearly over. He looked forward to the next day hoping for anything to happen. He would welcome Dumbledore wanting an explanation. He would even welcome the Dursley's bossing him around. The Dursley's were due back in a few days. Though he would welcome the bossing around from them, he still wasn't thrilled that they would be back. Harry stretched on the couch thinking about life with Sirius when there was a knock on the door. He got up to see who was there he was not expecting anyone.
"Remus. Please come on in."
"Thank you Harry. I assumed that you would like some company since you sent me your address. I came to see how you are doing, not for the explanation unless you want to give it to me."
"I am glad that you came over. I have been so bored. The Dursley's won't be back for a few more days. It has been nice without them but right now I would not mind them being here."
"How long have they been gone?"
"Twelve days."
"Do they always leave you here by yourself?'
"They usually have me stay with Mrs. Figg, but she was really sick when they left."
"I know a little about how you are treated. I would like to hear it from you."
"I get blamed for everything that goes wrong, I have to cook all the meals, do all the laundry, cleaning and grooming the flower garden."
"You get to eat regularly thought."
"Not all the time. I usually get what is left over. Sometime I'll sneak pieces of bacon. When they punish me I go with out food."
"How long?"
"The longest has been about a week."
"That is so wrong Harry."
"I know it is. Would you like something to eat or drink?"
"No. I am good Harry thank you for asking. When they left did they leave any food for you?"
"No. Before I left Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall took me to Diagon Alley so I could withdrawal some money and exchange it for Muggle money."
"Seriously, Harry how have you been holding up?"
"Okay. A friend stayed for a few days. Like I said I have been really bored. I can see it in your eyes."
"See what?"
"You want the explanation as to why I know so much."
Harry told Remus everything, the prophecy, the deaths, the final battle, Ginny Weasley, screwing up in potions and every thing that followed.
"By looks of things you are still trying to make sense of it all aren't you?'
"I was for a while. Now I am just starting to accept it and making some changes. I have to change how things happen and no one is going to stop me."
"I won't stop you, I promise. With everything you have told me I don't blame you. I would do the same thing. I am curious about how you have managed to go on this long without gong mad. Have you told anyone other then me?"
"I told my two best friends, not everything. Mainly the basics, but I did let it slip about the deaths. They took it fairly well. Ron did take it kind of hard at first, all he was thinking about was his brother. I didn't and don't blame him."
"I have to say that this is remarkable. Harry, be honest with me, how are you doing in school?"
"I study like crazy. I didn't before and I am realizing that I missed quite a bit by not paying attention. I let my best friend Hermione succeeded in class first, well except for potions. Professor Snape always overlooks her and she always knows the answers. When I can I help out my fellow Gryffindor's in my year. Oh, and I play seeker."
"You are on the Gryffindor Quidditch team?"
"Yeah, that is the one thing I didn't change. The one thing I wouldn't change. This might sound strange but I feel close to my dad when I'm playing Quidditch."
"I think I understand what you mean. You'll never know your parents and your dad played seeker when he went to Hogwarts, it makes sense to me anyway. When do you plan on telling Dumbledore?"
"I don't know. Honestly, I have to say that I am a little scared to tell him. I don't know how he'll react."
"Give him a chance Harry. I am sure that he will surprise you. If you are actually doing the class work and studying then I don't see why he would have a problem."
"Remus, can you tell me about my parents?"
For the next several hours they talked bout Harry's parents. Harry had begun to yawn a lot.
"Harry, forgive me for keeping you up so late."
"Don't worry about it. You are forgiven though."
"Thank you Harry." Remus said as he left.
Harry went up to bed.
Harry woke up the next morning with a start, looked at the clock and jumped out of bed. He quickly straightened up his room and ran down the stairs. He glanced in the living room and saw that it was perfect. He went into the kitchen and cleaned out the refrigerator, took out the garbage and dusted everything.
As several car doors slam shut Harry locked the front the door and ran up the stairs. He stretched out on his bed and calmed his heart rate and breathing.
"BOY! Get down here, now!" Vernon bellowed.
Harry quickly went down the stairs, "Yes Uncle Vernon."
"Take all the luggage to the laundry room and get started on it. We will return shortly, have to go to the market."
Harry dragged the luggage, one piece at a time, to the laundry room. He started the first load and sat down in the kitchen. As each dryer load finished he would take the clothes to the appropriate room. As the Dursley's returned Harry noticed that no one brought any of the bags in the house.
"Go get the groceries out of the car and put it away and don't forget to stay on top of the laundry. Speaking of which, you fold everything?"
"No I did not fold the clothes."
"Well, when you finish bringing in the food and putting it away, finish the laundry and fold everything."
"Why do I have to do it all?"
"Because you have to earn you keep. We no longer receive payment to care for you."
"WHAT! You used to get money to help care for me. Where the bloody hell are my own clothes and my own stuff? What did you do with the money you did get? I never benefited from it."
"None of your business. You are treading on a thin line of being locked in your room."
"Piss off! Put your own damn food away and do you own damn laundry!"
Harry ran up the stairs, pulled the book bag out from behind the dresser, put the other books in the bag, quickly wrote a note to Ron stating that he'll be there shortly and sent it with Hedwig. Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage and went down the stairs to the cupboard and pulled out his trunk and broom. He proceeded to drag every thing to the front door.
"Where do you think you are going? You have nowhere else to go."
"I don't bloody care. All that matters is that I am away from you miserable people."
"After everything we have done for you, this is how you treat us?"
"What have you done for me that deserves my gratitude or thanks? I have been locked in my room with out food for long periods of time. I get blamed for everything that goes wrong. I have done all the cooking and cleaning since I was old enough to reach the stove. I am not a servant! I most definitely am not your servant. Oh and when my God father is released from prison you better watch out." Harry bellowed as loud as he could and started walking down the street with his things dragging behind.
