Harry dragged all his stuff to Mrs. Figg's and incessantly knocked on the door. When no one answered the door, Harry sat down on the porch. As the sun set, Harry looked up and down Wisteria Walk to see if anyone was around. When he was sure it was safe he transfigured a rock into an owl. He wrote a letter to Mrs. Weasley and had the transfigured owl deliver it.

* * * * * * *

After Ron cleaned out the chicken coop he decided to stay in it. 'Finally I get some peace and quiet. No Mum yelling at me to do something, no Percy being himself and mostly no Ginny. I wish she would just shut up about Harry.' Ron thought.

Later that afternoon Ron was just leaving the chicken coop when he saw Hedwig on a tree stump with a letter in her beak. He walked over to her, took the letter and read,

Ron,

I should be there shortly. I left the Dursley's, for good.

Harry

Ron quickly ran inside the house.

"Mum, I think something is wrong. I just received a letter from Harry. He said that he'll be here shortly and that he left the Dursley's."

"How can you be so sure that something is wrong?" Molly asked sharply.

"Because I know Harry. He wouldn't just say that he left the Dursley's without some kind of time frame. The Dursley's are bloody rotten Muggles."

"Ronald Weasley!"

"But they are. They treat Harry like a slave and servant."

Molly gave Ron the look of 'drop it.' Ron let it go for the time being but planned to bring it up the next day. As the Weasley family was finishing dinner a strange owl landed on the table in front of Mrs. Weasley. Not knowing whose owl it was she reluctantly took the letter and read,

Mrs. Weasley,

You might remember me from the beginning of the summer holidays. I'm Ron's best friend Harry. I left the Dursley's for good. I am sick and tired of being treated like a slave and servant. I hope that it is all right that I come to the Burrow and stay for a while. Sometime tonight I will try summoning the Knight Bus. If I am not there by morning I will be on Mrs. Figg's front porch. Her address is #7 Wisteria Walk, Little Whinging, Surrey. I hope you don't mind me intruding on your family.

Harry Potter

"Molly, dear who wrote the letter? And why do you look like someone just told you that someone close to you has been harmed?"

"It was Ron's friend Harry Potter. As for the second question, well from what I could tell in the writing, I believe that he has been harmed." Molly said disparagingly

"Mum, I said that something was wrong." A disgruntled Ron said.

"Yes, yes I know and I should have listened to you."

"Mum, you can't be serious."

"Shut up Percy. I have heard enough from you, and if you don't stop I just might have Ron do it again."

Percy kept going on and on about Ron binding him. Mrs. Weasley had, had enough; she took Ron's wand, pointed it at Percy and said 'Lengua atar.' Percy's eyes bulged out and was very insulted that his mom used the Tongue-Tying curse on him.

"Mum, can I have my wand back, please."

Molly handed the wand back to Ron.

"Ron would you so kindly tell me what you know about how Harry is treated by the Dursley's?"

Ron thought about it and told his mom everything he knew about how the Dursley's treated Harry, including that Harry had lived in a cupboard under the stairs for most of his life.

"Anything else?"

"Oh, the first night at Hogwarts when he was changing into his night clothes. Mum it was horrible! He was skin and bones and had bruises and old scars. Mum, I think that they beat him."

"They actually lock him up and do not feed him?"

"Yes."

"Well, I don't care what anyone says, Harry will never go back to those rotten Muggles. He can stay with us for however long is needed, forever even."

'Ginny would just love that.' Ron thought as he chuckled.

* * * * * * *

The sun had disappeared and darkness was all to be seen on Wisteria Walk. Harry, as quietly as possible, dragged his things to the sidewalk. He firmly held his wand and stuck out his arm. In a matter of seconds the night bus arrived. As Harry's things were being loaded onto the bus he asked, "Um…I only have Muggle money on me, do you accept that currency? If not then you can have my broom. It is a Nimbus Two Thousand."

"Muggle money?"

Harry sighed exasperatedly as he ran a hand through his hair. Stan Shunpike caught a glimpse of Harry's scar.

"You're Harry Potter. Muggle money is just fine Mr. Potter. Where would you like to go?"

"The Weasley's Burrow.'

"Where?"

"Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon."

"Okay, Otter St. Catchpole it is. Take it away Ernie."

In a matter of a minute or two the night bus stopped at Ottery St. Catchpole. Harry handed Stan a small wad of Muggle money. He stepped off the bus and took his things as they were handed to him. As the night bus disappeared from sight Harry headed in the direction he knew the Burrow would be.

Harry walked a short distance and realized that the Burrow was farther from Ottery St. Catchpole than he thought. He looked around at his surroundings and not one Muggle was to be seen. Harry attached his trunk and Hedwig's cage to his broom and slung the book bag over his shoulder. He mounted the broom, kicked off the ground and flew up a short distance and headed to the burrow. Flying was not as fast as he had hoped it would be. Harry touched down to the ground, pulled out the invisibility cloak, wrapped it around himself and his things. He went through the three D's.

The feeling of being squashed into oblivion was worse than at the Dursley's when he apparated around the house. The feeling of being squashed vanished and he could see the Burrow in the distance. It was about half a mile away. Harry pulled off the cloak, put it away and started walking again.

* * * * * * *

"Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Percy off to bed. Now." Mrs. Weasley ordered.

Percy just sat on a chair staring at his mom.

"Bed. Now. Percy go. Oh…Finite Incantatem."

"Thank you mother." Percy said as he headed up to bed.

Arthur had already retired for the night. Molly had just charmed her kitchen to clean up when she heard a knock on the back door. She quickly went to the door to open it. She was sure that it was Harry.

"Harry dear, come in and have a seat. You look tired. You hungry?"

"Very hungry. Thank you."

"Not a problem dear." Molly quickly fixed Harry something to eat.

As Harry ate he didn't hear her telling him where Ron's room was. He finished eating and went up to Ron's room. Harry did not knock he just walked right in.

"I'm going to bed Mum."

"I'm not your Mum."

"Harry. Are you okay? What happened? I can hardly believe that you left."

"I'm all right. I just got sick of being treated like a slave. The Dursley's had walked in the door and went straight to ordering me around. Telling me I had take their luggage to the laundry room and start on the laundry. They left for the market to buy food and when they got back I was supposed to unload the car, put the food away, finish the laundry and fold all the clean clothes. I found out that they used to receive payment to help with caring for me. That pissed me off the most. I told them off and left."

"So what all happened before today?"

"My Godfather had his hearing, Fudge, being a jackass, wouldn't release him until he heard from Remus. Remus has given testimony and now Fudge say's that it will take some time before he is released because of 'paper work'. In the mean time Sirius has to stay in Azkaban.

Hermione came over and visited for a few days. I am glad that she came over because I was going crazy. I had thought that Sirius would have been released right away. She gave me possible choices as to what I could do. For now I am going to wait. Once school starts if I haven't heard anything then I am going to send an anonymous letter to the Daily Prophet. I wish that you could have been there as well as Hermione.

Do you remember the wallet looking thing I had? It was a book bag that I had shrunk. Well, I was able to put it to its normal size, I unlocked the cupboard so I could get to my trunk and I apparated all over the house."

"Hermione visited? Neither one of you let her parents know? How many days exactly did you and Hermione have together?"

"Ron do not do this again."

"Where did you sleep? Wait never mind I don't want to know."

"She slept on the couch and I slept on the floor. It's not like that with us!"

"You can stop acting now. I'm not stupid."

"No you're not stupid, but you are so wrong about me and Hermione." Harry said as he smacked Ron upside the back of his head.

"What the bloody hell was that for?'

"Never mind that. Trust me, close your eyes. Just close them. Thank you. Now I want you to picture how Bill and Charlie look at Ginny and how they act around her. Do you see that image?"

"Yes"

"Okay, with that in mind think of me and Hermione and how we act and get along."

"Oh. Okay you and Hermione are like brother and sister. You do have to admit that you and her are more than friends."

Harry picked up something and threw it at Ron.

"Do you think that I might still have a chance? I know, I was a complete jackass. No actually maybe worse than that."

"No, you are not worse than Fudge. I think you still have chance with Hermione."

"Time to go to sleep. The two of you can talk tomorrow." Ron's mother said as she poked her head in the room to check on the two boys.

"Mum, where is Harry supposed to sleep?"

"Oh don't worry about it, really I can sleep on the floor."

"Nonsense." Mrs. Weasley said.

A few minute later a cot floated into the room and set it self up. Shortly after that the bedding floated in and made up the bed. Harry sluggishly walked to the cot and curled up on it. Not much longer and Harry fell fast a sleep. Harry woke up the following morning thinking he was still at the Dursley's. He stayed in bed for a while longer. 'Why hasn't my Aunt yelled for me to come down and make breakfast? My Uncle hasn't even yelled for me, my cousin hasn't even bothered me. They could have gone out to breakfast. Why do I care? They aren't here.' Harry thought as he rolled over and on to the floor. His eyes flew open.

"That's not my floor." Harry muttered.

He rolled over, sat up and felt around for his glasses but found his wand instead. Harry was about to call for someone to help when he realized all he had to do was summon his glasses.

"Accio glasses."

Harry put his glasses on, looked around and recognized the place as the Burrow, sighed with relief and went down to the kitchen.

"Good morning Harry. You sleep all right?"

"Good morning Mrs. Weasley and yes I slept all right. Ron why didn't you wake me up when you got up this morning?"

"With the day you had yesterday I thought that you could use the extra sleep."

"Oh, okay. Thanks for letting me sleep in a little."

"Any time."

Harry sat down at the table across for Ginny. As he ate he kept looking at her and smiling. It seemed to Harry that other than Ginny, no one noticed.

After lunch Harry, Ron, Fred and George went out to the small pitch to play Quidditch. Harry invited Ginny to join him and her brothers.

"What's she doing here?" Ron asked annoyed.

"I invited your sister."

"Why?" Asked Fred.

"She doesn't even know how to play." George said.

"She doesn't even know how to fly a broom." Ron added.

"Come on, give your sister a chance. You never know she just may surprise you."

"Whatever." All three boys said.

Harry leaned closer to Ginny and softly said, "Ginny if you know how to fly a broom, feel free to shove me out of the way, take my broom and make them eat their words."

Ginny smiled, shoved Harry out of the way, took his broom and flew over to her brothers. Fred, George and Ron were standing with their mouths hanging open. Ginny was very graceful and steady on the broom. Harry walked over to a tree stump, sat down and laughed at Ron and the twin's reactions to Ginny on the broom. Meanwhile inside the house, Percy looked out a window and saw Ginny on Harry's broom.

"Mum! Ginny's flying Harry's broom."

"WHAT?" Molly screamed as she dropped the laundry.

"Go look. She's on a broom flying. Well not just any broom but Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand."

A panicked Molly ran out of the back door.

"What the…" Molly trailed off as she saw Ginny gracefully flying around and very steady on the broom. Her fears and anger diminished as surprise and pride took over.

Ginny was looping the hoops on top of the goal posts when she spotted her mom watching. Terrified of what her mom might do she started to lose her balance and ended up crashing into one of the hoops. The broom fell to ground leaving her hanging through the hoop. Ginny laughed to herself at the sight of her hanging there might look to someone else.

Molly panic stricken yelled,

"GRED, FORGE GET YOU SISTER!"

All four boys looked around for Ginny, when they didn't see her anywhere they looked up at the goal posts. Fred and George tried not to laugh as they saw their sister hanging through the hoop. Ron on the other hand was pale and terrified that his sister might fall.

Harry quickly spotted his broom, ran over, mounted his boom and quickly flew up higher and higher. As Harry reached Ginny he wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her through the hoop. Harry held on to her until he safely landed on the ground. Ginny thanked Harry for getting her, kissed him on the cheek, and ran inside the house. Molly followed Ginny inside.

"Ginerva"

"Mum don't be mad at Harry. I shoved him out of the way and took the broom. I wanted to show my brothers out there that just because I am a girl and younger than them doesn't mean that I can't do something. I would have been just fine and not crashed, but when I saw you I thought that you would be mad and I lost my concentration and sort of lost my balance."

"I was afraid and yes, angry at first. But when I saw how graceful and steady you were my fears and angry diminished. Pride and surprise took over and I couldn't help but watch you."

"Can I go back out there and play Two Sided Quidditch with them?'

"Yes dear. Just please be more careful."

"I will and thanks Mum."

Ginny ran back outside to join the boys.

"Does Mum know you came back out here?" Ron asked.

"Yes. She said I could. She did tell me to be more careful. Ron I would have been just fine if I hadn't been startled when I saw Mum watching."

"We just started to play a game so you'll have to wait until we are finished."

"Ron it's fine, she can take my place. There is something that I have to do any way."

Ron glared at Harry. As the four Weasley's played Harry wrote a letter to Hermione and had Hedwig deliver it.