A/N: This is a work of fiction using the characters from Harry Potter that are trademarked by J.K. Rowling.
Harry sat by the small window in his small, stifling room on Privet Drive. The summer sun beat down on the street and in through his window making his room unbearably hot. Today was his birthday, but there were no presents. No cheerful voices. There was only the distant sound of a lawnmower and the occasional car that drove by.
It had officially been a year since Hagrid had burst into his life, introduced him to a magical new world, and whisked him away from his dull, unhappy existence. Now, back at the Dursleys, he felt like a phantom trapped between two worlds.
His Aunt and Uncle were even more insistent on maintaining the façade of normalcy. Harry had to remain invisible. A specter that haunted the corners of the house. His room was now his cell. It was not a place of comfort but a place where time stretched on endlessly and the thought of returning to Hogwarts was a far-off dream. September could not arrive fast enough.
He longed for news of the magical world but Hedwig, his connection to the magical world, was forced to live out the summer just as caged as he was. He hadn't even heard from his friends, Ron, and Hermione. It was radio silence.
The days crawled by, each one felt longer and more oppressive than the last. The minutes felt like hours and the hours felt like days, but in the dead of night, when the Dursleys were asleep, Harry dreamed.
In his dreams, he was back at Hogwarts. He laughed with Ron and Hermione, explored the castle, and talked with the portraits, and the feeling of happiness and companionship washed away the feelings of loneliness.
As the days went by it was now a week after his birthday. He clung to the thought that he only had three weeks left before he could once more escape the Dursleys. He focused on the promise of returning to Hogwarts, where he belonged.
He walked up the stairs, once more banished to his room because Vernon's boss was coming for dinner, and he tried to think of the adventures that awaited him in the coming months. As he opened the door to a room that he knew should be empty he was surprised to find a little creature, with large bat-like ears and bulging eyes, on his bed.
And all he could think was, 'The Dursleys are not going to be happy about this.'
Word Count: 411
Challenges/Prompts:
Scamander's Case – Location: Privet Drive
Five Nights at Freddy's – 22. Phantom Freddy: Phantom