Disclaimer: This is fanfiction. All Harry Potter characters, creatures, spells, symbols, settings, etc... belong to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's given feedback on my work. There were comments early on about typos and grammar in my previous work, and I've been working on that problem. All feedback is appreciated both good and bad. The good really fuels me and the bad helps me become better, so thanks again. Welcome to part 2, and Harry's 5th year at Hogwarts.

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Part

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The mid July sun glared over Privet drive. Harry had put some curtains across his window, but even then the glare was near blinding. He squinted over a letter from Ron. Apparently Cedric, Fred, and George had been messing around with spell creation and were looking for any students with knowledge on the subject. It was the only real news he'd gotten from anyone.

Ever since Grindelwald showed up in Britain, he hadn't been hearing much news from anyone. Even Sirius had gone quiet. He knew from the letters he was getting that something was going on, but he was out of the loop.

Why was everyone just ignoring him? Of course what really bothered him was not getting to move to Grimmauld place with Sirius. He was a free man now, more or less. When Harry first asked about it, he seemed on board, even excited. Then a day later he'd completely changed his mind.

He'd said something about keeping him safe, but what was safe about the Dursleys? He set down the letter and headed out of his room. Uncle Vernon was sitting in the living room; he didn't pay any attention as Harry went out the door.

The sun burned him as he walked across the street, and through the neighborhood. He wandered through the streets coming to an old playground. A woman was pushing her son on the swings. The young boy and his mother laughed, reminding him of what he should have. He kept walking, entering a field of tall grass.

He didn't get it. Why was he always left back here. He'd leave and get to escape to Hogwarts, just to be trapped here again every summer. Maybe Sirius was always willing to write, and things had gotten better. But why did he have to be here in the first place. And why was he left in the dark. Even if it wasn't true, he couldn't shake the feeling of abandonment.

"Well. What do we have here?" A cold voice said from behind.

Harry turned and scowled at his cousin and his posse. "What do you want Dudley?"

"Oh, just saying hi." He smirked. "Wouldn't want the orphan to think he's all alone." Harry's eyes narrowed, trying to make sure he'd heard Dudley right. Dudley walked up to him. "What's the matter cuz. Cat got your tongue?"

Harry glared at his cousin, his hand on his waist. Then he sighed, dropping his hand. He'd just have to put up with it for a few more weeks. Then he could go back to Hogwarts. He turned away, the fight completely gone from him. "Sure, whatever."

Dudley was taken aback. He turned red for a moment, before one of his friends spoke up. "Guess that means you win?"

Dudley shrugged. "Sure." He looked over to the setting sun as his friends headed off.

"All right. Let's head home I guess." Harry walked over to his cousin. Clouds had spread across the sky as a light rain started up. The two cousins started back for Privet drive, when a chill came over. Harry shuddered at the familiar feel, like his life and happiness were being sucked away.

He saw Dudley shivering, before looking around for the source of the cold. Two black cloaked figures shot across the field at him. He drew his wand shouting as a dementor grabbed his throat. "Expecto Patronum!"

A brilliant stag shot from Harry's wand, tackling the dementor away. Harry glanced at the other dementor as it attacked Dudley. He brought Prongs back to take it down. The first dementor had flown off, the second was now skewered on Prongs' antlers. It writhed, trying to break free as the spectral buck carried it away.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Dudley shivering on the ground. Harry helped his cousin up, then let Dudley lean on him as they walked back. The rain battered the two teenagers as Harry struggled to keep his cousin standing.

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Part 2

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Harry pulled Dudley out of the pouring rain and into the house as Uncle Vernon stared at them. Aunt Petunia ran to get some towels for Dudley, while Harry closed the door. Noticing the blank stare in Dudley's eyes, Vernon took a closer look. "Dudley. Are you all right?"

Dudley managed a grunt, but couldn't find any words. He sat down on a couch and Vernon turned to Harry. "All right boy. You better explain what just happened." He didn't look angry, nor did his face change color. But a dangerous look in his eyes made Harry more uneasy than his uncle had ever made him before.

"We got attacked." Harry backed away trying to get away from the middle aged muggle. Dudley grunted and nodded in agreement as Vernon turned to him, who then backed down for a moment.

"All right…" He sighed looking at his nephew, he turned back to Dudley making sure he was ok. Petunia came back with towels and put them on Dudley as Harry went up the stairs. Harry went to his room where Hedwig had just got back with a letter from Hermione. He went to open it when an owl came in, dropping yet another letter on Harry's dresser.

As Harry reached for it, the letter flew into the air. It hovered above his dresser, and opened. Then, a female voice started coming from it. "Mr. Harry James Potter. It has come to the ministry's attention that you performed the Patronus Charm outside of school as an underage wizard. It was also performed in the presence of a Muggle. As the nature of such a spell makes it impossible to cast on accident, a trial has been set for August 12th to decide whether or not you will be expelled from Hogwarts and whether further charges will be made. Mafalda Hopkirk."

Harry stared at the letter dumbfounded. He tried figuring out what had just happened. Maybe it was a mistake, surely he wouldn't be expelled for protecting his own life right? Then again, the letter just said that there would be a trial. Maybe he could explain himself then.

After a few minutes of going between panic and planning for the trial, Harry started on a letter to Sirius. But as he pulled out a quill, another owl arrived. It dropped a letter from Sirius.

Dear Harry,

I already know about the trial. Moody's heading over to pick you up and bring you to Grimmauld Place. I'll explain everything when you get here.

Sirius

Harry shrugged, packing his things. Weirdly, the Dursleys didn't come up to yell at him or ask about the attack. Maybe Dudley had explained things enough, but he would never stand up for Harry. Muggles couldn't see dementors either, so he doubted Dudley really knew what happened. He kept packing and had just finished when Vernon yelled for him.

Harry came down the stairs to see the front door open. Mad Eye Moody stood there in a trench coat, waiting for Harry. Vernon sighed in resignation. "Just go." He walked away, while Harry headed over to Moody.

"How long until you're packed Potter?"

Harry showed Moody his room and the old auror helped him get everything out of the Dursleys house. Then Moody apparated Harry to Grimmauld Place. Next he cast a spell letting the two enter the building.

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Part 3

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Cedric's voice came from the the dining room. "Come on. You of all people know what we're up against. We need to take stronger action."

"I won't put Harry in the line of fire like that." Sirius said.

"And what, wait until he's attacked again. Dementors came after him. Voldemort is back." Cedric said.

"I have to admit, that doesn't sound like Grindelwald." Mcgonnagall said. "But that's even more reason to keep Potter out of it. Mr. Diggory, I'm not sure you should be involved in this, and Potter's even younger than you are."

"Involved in what?" Harry walked into the dining room, looking at a large group of people sitting around a rectangular wooden table. The Weasleys, except Percy, were on one side next to Cedric.

Hermione, Cedric, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks and Professor Mcgonnagall sat on the other. Sirius stood up, walking over to Harry. The two hugged. "Welcome back to the wizarding world." After they separated, Sirius invited him to sit. "We're just messing with Grindelwald's plans where we can."

"And Voldemort's." Cedric added.

"So...which of them sent the dementors?" Harry asked.

"That's what we've been trying to figure out." Mcgonnagall said. "Actually, the ministry of magic has been looking into that too. Apparently the number of dementors at Azkaban didn't line up with records."

Sirius nodded, the hint of a smile on his lips. "Yeah, don't worry about the trial. At this point the charges will probably be dropped before then."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good at least."

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A/N: For any confusion about Cedric, he is still a Hogwarts student. He was a sixth year in the Goblet of Fire, even though he was 17. Was very surprised when I first found that out. I'm also trying to do monthly chapters, so the next one should be out in February.