Harry Potter and the Lion's Roar
Chapter 1:
* * * Number 4, Private Drive * * *
July 31, 1997
12:01am.
A young man with horrible wild inky black hair, startling emerald green eyes and an odd scare lay on his back staring up at the blank ceiling in the smallest bedroom of Number 4 Private Drive. The hot summer air making a slight sheen on his skin with mild sweat since any type of air conditioning had long been cut off from his room. The large blue numbers of his alarm clock, a wizard clock, complete with an interesting, and sometimes rude phrase depending on what time it was, stood out in the darkness, but the young man wasn't paying attention to them. No, this young man wasn't just any normal boy, any normal boy awake at midnight on his birthday would have at least registered the significance, but this one, this one was off in a world unto his own with thought.
Harry Potter's mind was not in his small bedroom, they were back to a certain night in June when yet another person he cared about, this time his Headmaster, friend and mentor, Albus Dumbledore, was taken away from him. He thought back with a touch of bitterness, still thinking he somehow could have prevented it, but had resigned himself to the fact that sometimes circumstances didn't allow for him to be the hero. Now this thought would have never crossed his hero-complex driven mind if his best friend of 7 years and usual anchor to reality, Hermione Granger, hadn't send him a very interesting letter 2 days after returning home, telling him if he blamed himself for one moment, or started to pull himself into a pit of self pity and unhappiness like she knew he would, she'd hex his arse from London to the moon and back, then she'd go to work on him. It still amazed him how well that girl knew him, as that had been the exact path he planned on embarking on at the time he received the letter, and smartly choosing to see it her way, and thus avoid certain annihilation and painful suffering that he knew his spunky best friend could deal out.
He smiled softly at the thought of his curly haired friend, and her infallible ability to know exactly what he was going to do, before he even did it, and save his ass before he threw himself into something undoubtedly dangerous. She was the one who always knew him best, better than even Ron, and he could always depend on her, unlike the aforementioned red-head at some points in their history when he'd been bitten in the arse by a jealousy bout.
His mind came back down to Earth and he glanced at the clock, smirking slightly as he realized it was now officially his 17th birthday and he was formally of-age in the wizarding world. A soft hoot from his window pane had him locking eyes with his snowy white familiar and noticing a parcel tied to her leg.
Strange, I didn't send her out with anything that would need a reply. He thought absently, but nonetheless reached out and relieved the bird of her load. Hedwig happily flew off to her cage and the promise of refreshments while her master opened the letter she'd brought.
Harry,
Well, Congratulations you made it to be an adult, never thought you'd accomplish that one did you? Yes well I will be accepting my gifts of thanks starting now, and I'll let you know I would rather like the newest edition of Hogwarts: a History if you can't think of anything.
Funny Mione, Hogwarts: a History, who would have guessed? He thought.
Just joking, but Happy Birthday Harry! I hope your summer is going, well as good as it can be with those....people watching out for you. My parents left the other day for a vacation to the States, so I'm at Grimmauld myself, just me Remus and Tonks really, since Molly's enslaved her own children according to the letters Ron and Ginny have written me, and the Order is still a bit baffled as for what to do now that Dumbledore is... gone.
Oh Mione, I'm not going to go nutters on you for mentioning it. And he wouldn't he'd actually come to terms with the events of last June, from Dumbledore's death to the Minister attempting to hire him for his own devices, down to his and Ginny's breakup. He'd realized a few weeks into the summer, that although he had fancied the youngest Weasley at one point, his feelings for her had slowly dissipated in their time apart, and he now thought of her more as a sister once again.
That's going to be a wonderful conversation with her, maybe I'll ask Hermione how to break it to her gently later.
Well, it's not too bad only having three of us in this house, it's actually quite nice to have it so quiet for a change, but Remus says we're coming to get you on your birthday at 10 am, so be ready, Merlin knows what'll happen if we stick around too long with your uncle around. I erm... got my Hogwarts letter today, guess the school's staying open. I got Head Girl, seems McGonagall dropped yours off here when she gave me mine, said it'd save the owl a trip, you got the Head Boy spot Harry! I actually want to speak to you about that a bit when we pick you up. Harry, I know we need to find the Horcruxes and I know what you said about not worrying about school, but Harry, maybe we should go back, if not for the learning then for the protection the place offers while we find them, and Hogwarts' library is one of the best in the world, since we're both Heads we'd have unrestricted use of the Restricted Section, so maybe Harry, we should go back. I'll follow you know matter what you choose, I'll always be behind you, but I'm just suggesting that maybe it would be better if we did return.... think about it Harry, we'll talk more when I see you. 10 am!!!!
Love,
Hermione
Harry stared at the letter in silence for a few moments processing Hermione's words, she did make a fair point, Hogwarts was a moderately safe place now, and the library would be a momentous help, but was he really ready to go back, even as Head Boy, which he frankly had no idea what someone had slipped in McGonagall's drink, was a journey back to the place that for so long he considered home, but now saw as yet another reminder of the things he'd lost, worth it? He sighed, resigning himself to waiting until he talked to Hermione in person to decide, and plopped down on his bed to attempt sleep before the morning.
* * * * * * * * *
Then next morning Harry woke, and lazily rubbed his eyes, removing them of sleep before he rolled out of bed and went through his routine of getting ready for the day. After showering and brushing his teeth, he made a half-effort to tame his wild hair before giving up knowing it was futile, and dressing in a black fitting t shirt that showed off his Quidditch toned body, and a pair of jeans that actually fit him, thanks to Hermione, who'd dragged him out during a Hogsmeade weekend and gotten him sized for clothes, then proceeded to buy him for than enough for no real reason, he'd attempted to compensate her for them, Merlin knew he had more than enough gold to do so, but she'd only accepted what he guessed was about half of it.
He fed Hedwig a handful of owl treats before putting her into her cage, where she grudgingly sat, glaring at him through the bars, then he began to pack. It was relatively easy with magic, which he could now legally use, and in about 10 minutes, all of his things were packed into his school trunk and ready to go. He decided to make an appearance at breakfast, as it was already 9:30, and simply warn his relative of his leaving, hopefully forever, he doubted they'd care.
He levitated his trunk and Hedwig's cage down the steps, putting them down by the front door, and turned to see his cousin staring at him in mild horror.
Yes Dudley, this is what it looks like when the tabled are turned. He thought jokingly.
"Y-you're n-not allowed to do magic outside school." he stuttered, eyeing Harry's wand warily as if it would kill him just looking at it. Harry suppressed a grin, and made a point of smirking as he walked past his Dudley, spinning the wand with one hand the way a muggle drummer would his sticks.
When he entered the kitchen, the sound of clattering silverware and dead silence reached his ears and he looked up to see his aunt and uncle staring at him much the same as their son did, speaking of whom, Dudley entered the room two steps behind Harry and proceeded to practically run over to his mum, looking every bit the scared little boy sucking up to his mother.
"Mummy he's finally snapped! He was using... ma-ma-magic in the hall!" the overly-obese boy whined.
Harry rolled his eyes.
O Merlin that's pathetic, boy I could turn you into 5 different forms of a rat right now and you run to mummy? Well he never was one for brains.
"BOY! I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU ABOUT DOING THAT..... THAT FREAK STUFF IN MY HOUSE!" his uncle Vernon shouted, the vein in his neck starting to protrude as his face turned a lovely shade of red.
"Should lock you in the closet for this boy!" he snarled. Harry merely laughed, and sat at the table beginning to help himself to some eggs.
"Vernon please quiet down, the neighbors may here." Petunia put in quietly from the side, but Vernon wasn't listening,
"Something you find funny Potter? Anything time in your old cupboard and some yard work wouldn't cure?" he asked. Harry smirked,
"Uncle Vernon you can lock me up all you want now, it will take me all of 2 seconds to escape with a simple unlocking charm, and I'm leaving in a half an hour, and hopefully never coming back, so please assign me some yard work, by all means, I'll find it highly amusing." he said cheekily. Vernon studied him for a moment, before answering.
"You're bluffing, you can't do magic outside that freak school of yours! They'll kick your sad arse out! That fool Dumblydor won't save you this time!" he hissed. Harry's eyes narrowed from the amused look he had on to narrow slits.
"That....fool as you so dubbed him, is one of the greatest wizards of all time, and a greater man than you could ever hope to be, but no he won't be saving me because I am legally allowed to do magic now, I'm 17 today, not that you actually remembered." he growled, standing, snatching his wand up from the table where he put it to eat, and storming out of the room to wait in the living room for the next few moments until Hermione arrived. The nerve of that idiot, mocking Dumbledore, he should have transfigured him into a pigeon and left him there. He sighed, plopping down on the couch in the immaculately cleaned room running a hand through his ebony locks, he needed Hermione to get here soon, he couldn't wait to see her, she'd make all of this just disappear. She always did.
Sure enough a few moments later, just on the stoke of 10, a pop was heard in the front yard.
Guess she doesn't seem to care if the muggles notice. He thought, slightly amused as he stood to answer the door, which she was knocking on. He opened the door to reveal his curly brown haired best friend looking more beautiful than he ever remembered, he actually forgot to breath for a moment as he looked her over.
She'd grown she was now reaching around 5'7", and her tanned and toned body seemed to shine in the early morning sunlight. She had developed womanly curves at some point, and Harry vaguely wondered if he'd been petrified and not noticed. She wore a simple pair of jeans and an emerald green t shirt which strangely matched his eyes and showed off her soft curvy hips and perfect slope of her breasts. Her chestnut brown locks tumbling down past her shoulders in glorious curls, she didn't wear much makeup, simple eyeliner and a bit of sparkling shadow to bring out her gorgeous chocolate eyes that he could drown in.
Christ what did she do over the summer? Why did I not notice this before? WHAT THE HELL! SNAP OUT OF IT POTTER, She's your best friend! The voice inside his head shouted, he desperately tried to avoid the one sounding strangely like Sirius telling him Good luck with that.
He didn't have time to register a comeback or even a thought, as she soon launched herself into his arms, gripping him into a bone crushing hug.
"Harry! Happy Birthday, oh I've missed you!" she squealed, still not releasing him from her death grip. He chocked something resembling the word, "air" and she immediately let go, blushing slightly. He found himself grateful for the fresh oxygen and the space between them, if she'd held on much longer, he very well would have given in to the temptation to do some very un-friend like things with her and absently noting she looked cute when she blushed..
Stop. Thinking. Of . Your. Best. Friend. Like . That. You. Stupid. PRAT!!!
After mentally berating himself, he smiled to her.
"I've missed you too Mione." he replied, his mind racing on where these thoughts about his female best friend where coming from. He resolved to think these things over when he was alone and merely ignored the annoying voice until he could sort this confusing rush of new thoughts and feelings later.
"Well Lupin and Tonks are outside, Lupin didn't want to come in, said something about being too tempted?" she remarked grinning. Harry laughed a bit at the thought of Remus punishing his uncle in various ways came to mind and he nodded, casting a levitation charm on his things, turning one last time back into the house shouting a good bye, and walking out.
Lupin and Tonks were indeed waiting for him at the end of the driveway, Tonks sporting some vibrant purple hair and signature ripped jeans, and Weird Sisters t shirt, while Remus, dressed in a brown polo shirt and black pants looked a bit more formal, the warmth in his eyes and face told Harry Tonks had been doing the old werewolf good.
"Wotcher Harry." Tonks greeted him, pulling him into a quick hug, checking him over in a very Mrs. Weasley like way for any injuries,
"Hey Tonks, " he replied smiling slightly, turning to Remus who didn't say anything before wrapping him in a manly hug, smiling and wishing him a happy birthday.
"Well come on, we can catch up later, Moody's probably having a right fit since we're taking longer than 10 minutes to fetch you. Barmy old bugger I say." Tonks remarked.
"We'll you'll side-long apparate with me today Harry, since you haven't gotten you license yet." Hermione said, holding out her arm for him to grab. He took it, ignoring the jolt her skin on his fingertips gave him and held tightly to Hedwig's cage and his trunk as they were gone in a lone pop.