Disclaimer: You'll just have to go and read the one at the start of the Prologue. It's just a click away!
A/N: This is a quite short one, giving you another taste of my writing style. If you don't like my cooking, let me know, ok?
Return to No. 4
Harry Potter was not happy with his current situation. He was sitting on the back seat of Dursleys car, rolling towards his next - and thank the heavens - last stay at Privet Drive with his relatives. He would rather be somewhere else - at the Burrow with the Weasleys, staying with Hermione at her parents' house or even in Sirius's old house with Kreatcher. But it seemed that the Fates weren't kind to him and respecting his late Headmaster's wish, he was once again forced to spend some time with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and idiot-of-a-cousin Dudley.
Harry wished that Ron and Hermione could have followed their original plan and stayed with him. Their presence would have made the last stay at Dursleys tolerable, even enjoyable maybe, considering they both were now considered to be of age according to the wizarding laws and could have turned the Dursleys into vermin had they dared to even look at them the wrong way. But Ron was really needed at the Burrow to help prepare for Bill and Fleur's wedding and Hermione wanted to spend some time with her parents and gather any books that she had left at home that could be useful before leaving them for who knew how long. That meant that the only other being he cared about in the car currently was Hedwig.
'At least it'll be all over when I turn seventeen at the end of the month. I'll be free to do what I want - or what I have to, actually. I'll be with my best friends,' Harry thought. Dumbledore had told him that the protective wards around his relatives' house would collapse when he turns seventeen, but he should stay there until then. Out of respect for his memory Harry had decided to do exactly so even when he desired with all his heart to blow up the house along with his relatives and take off to somewhere else. Harry doubted he would be able to resist the temptation to do just that if not for the fact that thanks to the two-way mirrors he could talk to Hermione any time he wanted and now that she had passed the apparition test she could visit him whenever she wanted.
The idea of Hermione apparating into his room every day of his stay at Privet Drive was certainly appealing to the young wizard. They needed to discuss their options, make plans and discover a way to bring down the darkest and most powerful wizard now alive. Dumbledore's death had certainly tipped the scales in favor of the dark forces. Finding and destroying the Horcruxes was in itself a seemingly impossible task if his last venture to find one was any evidence of what to expect. Killing Voldermort seemed to be impossible squared by thousand.
Taking a look out the car window he saw that they were already arriving at no. 4 Privet Drive. When the car stopped on the driveway and Harry stepped out he noticed the truck and activity at the house next to Dursley's. It looked like a lot of furniture was carried inside.
"Are the Langleys redecorating or something?" he asked uncle Vernon when he pulled his trunk out of the car.
"No," Vernon growled, taking a look at the movers. "They moved and sold the house. Good riddance too, I say. Hear the new owner is some rich American. But that's none of your business," he said, giving Harry a look filled with disgust. "I expect you to be gone from my house the moment the clock strikes midnight and you'll be of age. Finally you'll be out of our lives and we don't have to see another of you freaks for the rest of our lives."
"Agreed. And considering that I'm the only thing keeping the wards up around your house that keep the dementors, dark muggle-hating wizards and such out, I'll be happy too." Noticing Vernons face going white at the mention of dementors, Harry added, "And speaking of dementors, I hear they are breeding - however that would happen I have no idea. They've been to the neighborhood one already, maybe they'll visit again." Vernon had gone totally white now and his moustache was twitching. He was glancing around nervously as if expecting an attack any moment now.
"I hear Voldemort managed to recruit some giants too," Harry continued tormenting the fat muggle. "Eighteen feet tall monsters who really enjoy eating humans." Vernon turned on the spot and ran inside the house. 'Mischief managed,' thought Harry and started dragging his trunk and Hedwig's cage to his room.
Finally in his small room, he shut and barricaded the door and dropped the trunk and cage on the floor. He gave the room a mock salute and said in an imitation of a crisp military tone: "Privet Drive no. 4, smallest bedroom on second floor, prisoner Harry Potter reporting to endure the last part of his punishment, sir!"
He dropped down on the bed without taking off his clothes and fell asleep.