4 Privet Drive
Harry sat in his room, looking at his bedside table on which his parents' photo stood. They seemed to be so happy together. Harry still couldn't understand how his mum could have started liking his Dad, from what he saw in the Pensieve she was absolutely repulsed by the sight of him.
Harry rubbed his eyes and walked to his window where Hedwig was sitting. "Hey girl," Harry said, and gave Hedwig a little treat. Harry noticed she had a letter attached to her scrawny little leg. Harry pushed his glasses up and took the letter. It was Remus's handwriting yet again. Remus had been writing to him almost on a daily basis, and Harry felt now that Remus was his father. Harry had always seen Sirius as his father figure, rather laid back and neither overbearing nor overprotective. And Remus was a father figure in a whole different way. Harry had always looked to him as his former professor, the only Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that knew what he was talking about. He opened the letter, which held a picture of his mother and father, Sirius and Remus. Harry smiled down at the picture and put it to the side as he read the letter.
Dear Harry,
Dumbledore told me we were allowed to bring you to Grimmauld Place on July 25, but only if you like. Hermione has been asking me for the past couple of days to ask you, as she didn't feel it was her place to ask you - I think she was ready to send me a howler if I didn't write to you soon. I am sorry I couldn't have written sooner, the full moon was yesterday so I was too weak to do much of anything. Ron and the rest of the Weasleys are here as well as Luna, much to Ron's objections. Luna seems very nice doesn't she Harry? Well write soon! Or Hermione might just send a howler to you.
Talk to you soon,
Remus
Harry rolled his eyes at the mention of Luna being a 'nice girl'. Remus was always pushing either a relationship with Luna or Ginny. Harry thanked Merlin he hadn't mentioned Hermione as someone to have a relationship with; Harry wasn't sure how he would answer. Harry looked on his calendar; the 25th was 10 days away. Harry could already predict that they were going to be ten extremely long days. He got out a quill to write a reply.
Dear Remus,
I'd love to come to Grimmauld Place on the 25th. I'd like to come sooner, but I know that Dumbledore will object to that. I hope you're recovering all right from the transformation. Yes Luna is a 'nice girl', but I don't think of her in the way that you're implying. She's nice as a friend; must you keep trying to set me up with people? Thank you for the picture of my parents, Sirius and you. Well, you'd best go and tell Hermione I can come on the 25th, wouldn't want to have to get a howler from her she can be quite scary when she is angry!
See you soon,
Harry
Harry attached the letter to Hedwig's leg. "Take that to Remus," he said as Hedwig picked at his hand. Harry smiled and gave her a treat, petting her affectionately. Hedwig went off. Harry couldn't wait to be out of this place. Although the Dursleys had left him alone for most of the vacation, they would bother him occasionally, mostly Dudley, until Harry spoke the words 'Mad-eye'. It was quite funny, really. Dudley's eyes would widen and would run out of Harry's room, and Harry had trouble not laughing at Dudley whenever that happened.
All of Harry's essays were finished, Hermione would be proud of him. Ron probably hasn't even started his, and Hermione's are probably three times the size of mine, Harry thought. Harry looked outside where the sun was hanging at its zenith in the sky. It was probably around noon, and his stomach was rumbling.
Harry walked downstairs; to his relief Aunt Petunia was in the basement doing the laundry, while Uncle Vernon and Dudley were out somewhere - it wasn't like Harry cared. Harry looked in the refrigerator and took a cold slice of pizza and a cola can.
He walked in the back garden and ate. He saw Mrs. Figg eyeing him. He walked over to where she was. "Hello Mrs. Figg," he said.
"Hello Harry, are the Muggles giving you any trouble?" she asked him, eyeing the house as most people would eye their enemy.
"Nope, they've hardly even talked to me the whole summer. Dudley was being a git but I scared him away by mentioning Mad Eye." Harry said as he finished his pizza. She nodded her head.
"Okay then, see you around Harry." Harry nodded, and sat leaning on the bark of a tree. He finished his cola and set it down next to him. He closed his eyes and thought of the past year, From the Order coming to his house, to Ron and Hermione becoming prefects, to the meeting of Luna Lovegood, The DA forming, his date with Cho, his first kiss, to Sirius dying. Harry grabbed a piece of grass and threw it out in front of him. It was his fault Sirius was dead, he knew it was. It was his fault Hermione had almost died too, as well as Ron. It was his fault for everything that went wrong. The only thing Remus had never talked about in the letters he sent was Sirius' death. Harry opened his eyes and saw Dudley in front of him.
"What do you want Dudley?" Harry asked, balling his hands into fists.
"This is my house, I can be here if I want to." Dudley said. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Hicatatus Pocataus!" Dudley's eyes widened and he ran. Harry smirked. Dudley was so stupid; those weren't even words in the most foreign of languages. Harry chuckled, but then thought back to Sirius. He felt tears prick at his eyelids. "No, you're not going to shed a tear," Harry told himself. "Why couldn't you just have taken those goddamn lessons, and not gone into that stupid Pensieve of Snape's? Then Sirius wouldn't be dead, and Hermione and Ron's lives wouldn't have been threatened." Harry sighed and walked back into the house, where Uncle Vernon stopped him.
"What," he said with spit coming out of his mouth, "have you cursed my son with?" Harry wiped his face.
"Nothing!" he said.
"He said you were doing some wacky spell."
"For most spells I need my wand, which I wasn't holding at the time." Harry said.
"You're grounded." Vernon said.
"What's new?" Harry retorted and walked into his room. He sat on his bed and saw Pig was sitting there too. Harry saw Ron's handwriting and opened the letter.
Harry,
I'm going bloody mad here! Ginny invited Luna! She freaking invited Luna! As in Loony Lovegood! The girl is always staring at me, and quite frankly it's creeping me out. I'm dying here! It's a bloody loony bin house! Did you know that four girls are likely to PMS every single day! Gah! And Remus is no help! He just avoids talking about them. I need to get out!
Talk to you soon.
Ron
Harry chuckled at Ron's letter. It didn't sound as though he was having a peaceful time. It was pretty obvious to Harry that Luna liked Ron. Just if Ron would stop calling her Loony, they might actually have a chance to be together. Harry shrugged it off. He had received letters from practically everyone except Hermione; he had even received one or two from Luna. Was Hermione angry with him? Harry wondered.
Well then again you haven't written to her have you? a nagging voice said.
Well no, but I've tried... it just always sounds stupid, he thought. Maybe it's the same with her.
"Let's hope so," Harry thought, realizing he was talking to himself. Wow he must really be bored. And there were still ten days to go. Harry sighed and put his pillow on the top of his face...
"Harry, what are you doing out here?" she asked him. Harry's eyes widened.
"Hermione, leave!"
"Harry?" she said, and was hit with a curse by a man in a hood. Harry ran to her side.
"Hermione! Hermione?" he asked and took her pulse. It was gone. He pointed his wand at the three hooded people. "Leave!" he said a tear falling down his pale cheek. They all unhooded themselves. He recognized them as his parents, and Sirius. Lily came forward.
"Everyone dies because of you." she said. Her eyes were all black with no other trace of color in them.
"It's always your fault, if you hadn't been born none of us would be dead." Lily looked over to Hermione. "And I would have thought you would at least try to save her, you selfish little boy." She said.
Harry bolted upright, his breath raging. He groped his nightstand for his glasses, and found them. He put them on.
"No she's not dead. She's at her house, totally fine," Harry said trying to convince himself. He rubbed his scar, noticing it slightly hurt, but it always did, so he dismissed it. Plus it happened with him, so he just had to keep his distance, right? Right. Harry looked to his digital clock, which read 5:53am. It was too early in the morning for him to be up, but yet he was up, and probably wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Harry sighed and was happy to notice Hedwig in her cage. Hedwig flapped his wings over to Harry.
Harry,
Hermione was very excited to know you were able to come. Hermione always does seem excited about that doesn't she?
Harry gulped, he was going to avoid answering that question.
Well, everyone is excited about seeing you in nine days. (well it'll be nine by the time you get this) Ron says "Rescue me". Not quite sure what that means, so I leave it up to you to decipher.
See you soon,
Remus
Harry sat on his bed, and sighed; He would have to spend nine lousy days here. He opened his window, and breathed in the cold yet refreshing air. He looked down the street where he saw hooded men walking down the street. He heard a cackle, not different from one he'd head a month ago. "Bellatrix… they got out, again." Harry groaned. He quickly closed his windows, and grabbed his invisibility cloak. He watched them come up to his house.
"Oh Harry!" He heard, and saw her struck with a jet of light. Harry decided it was either the Order or aurors, okay probably not the latter, but one could dream. He saw a flash of pink run into his house.
"Tonks." He muttered to himself. He dragged out his trunk, which had everything except his invisibility cloak and Hedwig. He saw Tonks open the door.
"Harry?" She asked into thin air. He took off his invisibilty cloak.
"Here."
"You've got everything?" Harry nodded.
"How are we going to get rid of them?" he asked nodding to the Death Eaters. Tonks took out a piece of parchment and put it on Harry's bed.
"Moody's got it covered." She told him. "Remus, Fred and George are waiting outside."
"Fred and George?" Harry asked incredulously. Tonks smirked.
"That's what Remus said, but the were the only ones who could fly on brooms that were available, besides Ron and Ginny. Molly forbade them from going." Harry nodded. Harry opened Hedwig's cage.
"Hedwig, go to Grimmauld Place." Hedwig did as she was told. Luckily none of the Death Eaters saw the snow white owl, they were too busy defending their own lives. Harry stuffed his invisibility cloak into his trunk and took out his broom, making it become the normal size once again. Tonks and Harry walked through the back door. "Hello Harry," Remus said calmly. Fred and George grinned at him and he grinned back. So he didn't have to wait nine days after all! Harry mounted his broom, and they all set off into the night sky. Harry looked back and saw Moody, accompanied by some others fighting off Bellatrix and company.
"Well Harry, it seems your wish has been granted." Remus said.
"What wish?" Harry asked.
"The wish to come here sooner then the twenty-fifth." Remus said. Harry smiled. That wass true; one wish granted, but another thousand to go. They landed in front of 12 Grimmauld Place and walked in. He was blown with conflincting emotions as he walked in. He saw Ron run down the stairs. He had said something but Harry didn't catch it as so many thoughts were going through his head. Sirius was dead… Wormtail was alive… Bellatrix was out… Dementors were on Voldemort's side… Hermione was in danger near him. He felt Remus' hand on his shoulder, which took Harry out of his reverie.
"Sorry, what was that Ron?" Harry asked him.
"Who attacked you?"
"Bellatrix and some others, I didn't see their faces." Harry said softly. Ron nodded.
~*~*~
A/N: Review pretty pretty please. This is my first attempt at writing a long-term Harry era fiction. I am trying to follow the books as well as I can. Tell me if you liked the story or give me some constructive criticim if you hated it! Thanks to Racheal for betaing this chapter.