Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does. I'm just an avid fan

Chapter 1: Departure from the Dursleys

Harry Potter is not your ordinary fifteen-year-old British teenager. He is a wizard and not a normal one. He was the Boy-Who-Lived, destined to defeat an evil lord at the age of 1 and nowadays, he was the Chosen One. Harry had faced through many dangerous and exhilarating adventures such as facing a vicious three-headed dog, saving a powerful stone from the hands of his disguised professor, broke a thousand-year mystery and saved a girl from an evil grasp, encountered dementors and fought them off, gone through a difficult tournament intended for of-age students, watched Voldemort's return, watched Cedric Diggory get mercilessly killed and worst of all, he had fallen into a trap which resulted in his godfather's death.

Now instead of being close to the ones he held dear to help him grieve for the one he had grown close with as a father, Harry was sent back to his magic-hating muggle relatives. Harry despised it there, his uncle would yell at him, his aunt would probably throw several more frying pans at him, and his cousin would probably start to chase him around again like before. But all that never happened, when Harry had returned to the Dursleys for the summer, he was greeted slightly by warmth. Harry was so confused that he trudged up to his bedroom without hesitation.

The next morning, he was greeted by the smell of pancakes and waffles. Determined that his sense of smell was broken, Harry walked into the kitchen to see Aunt Petunia making pancakes while Dudley was eating and Uncle Vernon was reading the newspaper like usual. Aunt Petunia turned around and smiled softly at him, "Oh you're awake. Breakfasts ready, eat it when it is warm." Harry raised his eyebrow, what a sudden drastic change to her attitude and behavior. Harry slowly sat down and cut up his pancakes, weary of them. Nothing happened and Harry mentally shrugged, perhaps this summer wouldn't be too bad.

It wasn't too bad contrary to what he thought, the Dursleys had apologized for treating him very poorly and promised that they would try to get on friendlier terms with him. He got to go to the museums that he never got the chance to go to, he visited the childhood zoo again (Dudley refused to go because it brought back bad memories). Harry finally got the peace he wanted for a long time. For the next few weeks, Harry relaxed and even found the excitement and freedom of doing his schoolwork. Harry was reading up the past materials he had missed and now he was engrossed in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 by Miranda Goshawk reading up the chapter on offensive spells. Harry was determined to increase his academic knowledge to prepare against Voldemort. Ever since the Ministry had finally believed that Voldemort had returned last year in the atrium, security had almost quadrupled and Harry had been never resting ever since.

Flashback

Harry woozily stood up, his mind spinning. He saw the atrium fill up with people and Cornelius Fudge looking stunned as he walked closer. The floor reflected green flames that burst into life in all the fireplaces, as a stream of Ministry employees emerged from them.

"He was there" exclaimed a scarlet-robed man with a ponytail, "I saw him, Mr. Fudge, I swear, it was You-Know-Who, he grabbed a woman and Disapparated!" Several people nodded their heads in agreement.

"I know, Williamson, I know, I saw him too" gibbered Fudge, gasping as though he had just run a marathon. Harry watched as the people had disbelief shown on their faces.

Dumbledore walked forward, "If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius. You will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx and awaiting your decision as to what to do with them." (Rowling OoP Chapter 36)

"Dumbledore" gasped Fudge, apparently beside himself with shock and amazement, "You-here-I-can't-" He looked wildly around at the Aurors he had brought with him as if he had half a mind to order, "Seize him!" Harry had been too exhausted and lightheaded that he did not have enough power and energy to stay angry at Fudge's idiocy.

"Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men — and win again," said Dumbledore in a thunderous voice. "But a few minutes ago you saw the proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong men for twelve months, and it is time you listened to sense!"

Fudge spluttered and was lost for words. He tried to look around as though hoping someone would back him up. No one did.

Flashback Ends

Harry sighed deeply, now that Fudge had admitted his faults and was starting to actively participate in the war efforts, he had trouble staying out of the media attention. Before the media was portraying him and Dumbledore as liars and now they were praising them for bringing this urgent and of essence matter to attention. Security measures doubled and now students fifth year and above are strictly allowed to practice spells in defense of themselves as long as it did not violate the International Statute of Secrecy.

Harry was now able to practice spells that he never got the chance to improve on over the summer and could now show his relatives some magic. Dudley was mesmerized and constantly badgered him about performing some 'cool awesome magic'. Harry found it amusing that Dudley was now so interested in magic and eager to see him perform them. He even made their lives easier by charming some of their appliances like the dishwasher to clean the dishes itself or like the laundry would operate on its own.

Over the summer Harry had taken the time to learn wandless magic, non-verbal magic and several more useful abilities in combat duel. It was difficult but Harry was never discouraged anymore and he had the freedom to access the wizarding world for information. But before the last couple of weeks of the summer, Harry received a letter from Dumbledore, telling him that he is to leave the Dursleys and rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron where there were more witches and wizards around. Harry had informed the Dursleys of his early departure and bid them a safe time.

So that afternoon, Harry packed his things and pulled out a couple of sickles before leaving the Dursleys. He stepped outside and walked a couple of feet down the street before holding his wand out. Bang! Then suddenly the familiar screeching of a purple bus before it stopped sharply. Stan stepped off and started to give his usual talk, Harry smiled slightly remembering the time he boarded the Knight Bus in his third year.

Harry boarded the Knight Bus, shoved the money into Stan's hand and turned to the driver, "Ernie, take me to the Leaky Cauldron." Stan smirked, "You heard the boy, Ern, the Leaky Cauldron it is!" There was another tremendous bang and the Knight Bus shot off at lightning speeds, Harry steadied himself at the sudden jerk before falling onto one of the nearby beds.

Before he knew it, they had arrived in front of the Leaky Cauldron and Harry had gotten off. Harry shrunk his trunk and walked into the Leaky Cauldron, lots of customers sat down talking, laughing, and drinking. Harry made his way to the front bar where the manager Tom was laughing and serving one of his customers with beer. Harry slid a couple of galleons over the counter, "I would like to book a single private room for three weeks please." Tom nodded briefly, "Of course, lad. Staying over at the Leaky Cauldron seems to be the most popular choice amongst Hogwarts students like you. Room 320 will be available for your use, here's the key and enjoy your stay." Harry smiled and then went up to his room where he locked the door and collapsed on his bed. Eagerly awaiting the next day.

A/N: Thank you for reading. Chapter 2 is now posted.