Disclaimer: I don't own HP. JKR does. Some details are taken from the fanfiction HP and the Psychic Serpent by Barb and that can be found on fanfiction.net.
A/N: I've deleted the chapters I'd posted and I'm now uploading them again, since my beta Cheryl corrected some errors she found in them. So if you want to review them again, do so, if not, I know you did before, and I'm happy all the same. Thank you again for your support.
Chapter One
"Summer Surprise"
Just like every summer evening at the Dursley's house on Privet Drive, Harry laid on his bed, waiting with eagerness for his return in Hogwarts. He was smiling, reminiscing about all the things that he and his best friends, Ron and Hermione, had faced in the previous five years. Hermione… that girl fascinated him. In their fourth year, upon seeing her with Krum, suddenly he understood how beautiful she was and what a prat he had been by not inviting her to the Yule Ball.
"I wonder why she's taking her time to answer me," he asked himself, "its been a week now since I sent Hedwig to her with a letter…" as he drifted off to sleep.
As it often happened, Harry dreamed of his last though before falling asleep. He dreamed of Hermione, Ron and himself and what their future might hold after Hogwarts. In this dream they were all Aurors, hunting Dark Wizards, as the best Auror team in the departments' long history. The dream made Harry feel happy as she was still with him after finishing school. He didn't lose her.
But soon the happy dreamed turned to a nightmare. Suddenly he woke up his eyes shooting around the room as he regained his bearings. As is eyes pulled focus he realised where he was and he pulled a pillow over his head trying to fall back to sleep. With effort Harry relaxed his tormented mind and fell back into a dreamless slumber, his favourite kind of sleep.
The following day he decided to attempt his summer homework. He had yet to even start on his daunting Potions assignment. He despised Snape so much that he couldn't face the undertaking, but by afternoon found himself studying. He had figured that he had better start on it rather than have to deal with Hermione's inevitable disappointment if he didn't at least try to work on his homework. He didn't like letting her down, not at all. Apart from the fact she could be scary when it came to homework assignments, he had decided to make his move on her this year. He thought it was better to be in her good graces at the year's start.
In an effort to spend as little time with the Dursleys, Harry had taking up running in the early evening, just before dinner. After a long run in the park, he returned home and showered. Upon returning to his room he found a letter for him. He heart skipped at the thought that it might be from Hermione, but he didn't see Hedwig. He shrugged the thought away eagerly tearing open the letter to read her reply.
However, the grin on his face faded immediately. He was in shock the letter wasn't from Hermione. It was from Snape!!! With a great repugnance he forced himself to read the offending correspondence, thinking that maybe Dumbledore had directed Snape to write him regarding practising Occlumency during the summer. After the Department of Mysteries fiasco, he had decided to take the training more seriously, even if Snape was his only option as mentor. This thought brought him once again to ponder the loss of his Godfather, Sirius Black. Although his newfound feelings for Hermione were a constant distraction, the painful loss of his Godfather would eventually creep up on him and dealing with the emotions that those thoughts invoked was still hard.
Roughly wiping away the tear crawling down his cheek, Harry turned his attention to the letter:
Mr. Potter,
I have recently discovered that the Dark Lord has taken an interest in your friends. He has plans to use them to get to you. It would be wise to restrict your contact and be as vigilant as ever.
S.
Harry re-read Snape's letter over and over, then carefully placed it in his trunk, before heading down for the dinner. Upon returning to his room he couldn't resist the urge to pull the letter out again. It must be some kind of mistake maybe he dreamed it. Snape writing to him was not a regular every day occurrence.
Harry sighed his friends were in danger because of the mere association with him. Ron and especially, Hermione were risking their lives out of loyalty and friendship. After what had happened to Sirius, he knew he had to do everything to protect them. He swore to God he would give his life before seeing them come to any harm.
*
Finally Harry received a reply from Hermione; he was so caught up in the joy of having contact with his best friend that all thoughts of Snape's letter faded away.
Then something really strange happened.
"Mum, can I ask Harry for a gift?" Dudley asked out of the blue one morning at breakfast. He was referring to his upcoming birthday.
"Alright, if you want. I don't see what he could give you, though." Uncle Vernon answered scornfully before Petunia could respond.
"Harry," Dudley proceeded uncharacteristically ignoring his father, "I want you to invite your friends to my party."
Harry laughed thinking that Dudley was either joking or gone mad, Vernon and Petunia froze.
"What did you say?" Uncle Vernon bellowed turning a slight shade of purple.
"One of his kind in our house is enough, what are you thinking?" Aunt Petunia added.
In the end Dudley won the row, as usual, and he followed Harry to his room. A very confused Harry asked Dudley for an explanation and was more than startled at the reply.
"I'm tired of seeing you always sad. I don't like your kind much. I can't help it with Mum and Dad's influence, but I want to some how say thank you for saving my life last summer…and to try and make up for my mistreatment…I thought it funny, once, to treat you badly, but not anymore. You saved me…from those…things, you didn't have to but you did. I've had a year to think about things…don't expect a miracle, I'm still me, but I realised, I owe you."
Harry was overwhelmed by his once hated cousin words. Without another thought Harry quickly invited Ron and Hermione to the party. Harry caught up in the excitement of having his best friends near and the pending party for Dudley, he forgot about Snape's ominous letter. For once, Harry Potter allowed himself to be happy.
They arrived early in the morning two days later, just as Harry was returning from his morning run. They hugged each other very affectionately.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you invited us here…can you explain what is going on?" Hermione asked
Harry explained in detail the change in Dudley. Neither Ron nor Hermione could believe that Dudley had a change of heart. It was something that would have to be seen to believe.
To everyone's great surprise, and the chagrin of Vernon, the foursome had the best time. Dudley kept begging the trio for demonstrations of their abilities. An exasperated Hermione had to keep reminding him that they were not permitted to do magic outside of school until they were 17. Dudley didn't even try to hide his disappointment. The evenings were spent in Harry's room wherein they trio regaled Dudley with tales of their Hogwarts adventures.
Harry was even more shocked when Dudley started jogging with them depending when they went. At least that was one thing Vernon and Petunia are happy about.
"Definitely a surprising summer" Harry thought and smiled, without letting the others see him.
*
Hermione and Ron left a couple of days before the departure to Hogwarts, leaving Harry for the first time with good memories of his summer at Privet Drive.
Later while packing up his trunk, Harry spotted Snape's letter, he picked it up and re-read it. Cold fear ran through him, he had just put his best friends in danger to satisfy his own needs. He was ashamed. He quickly sent Hedwig off with a note to Hermione:
"Dear Hermione,
This year stay far from me; I will explain everything to you one day…
Love, Harry"
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