~Harry Potter and the Rise of the Dark Lord~

by: LogicalRaven

This is the sequel to my sixth year Harry Potter story, Harry Potter and the Perils of the Unknown.
Thanks to everyone who inspired me to write this story …
I claim nothing as my own. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowlings or some other rich person that gets paid more than I do.
read and review!

****

A Typically Muggle Day


It was a typically English day in the lives of most of the muggles living in Little Whinging Surrey. A typically muggle day, with the neighbors mowing their lawns and pruning their flower beds. Muggle, a wizarding word to describe non-magical folk, but only a few people in Whinging Surrey knew what that word meant. For one boy with messy black hair it wasn't a typically day. Everyday that passed meant that Voldemort, the Darkest Dark Lord in the history of Dark Lords, was growing stronger.

Harry Potter sat up in his bedroom staring out the window, bitterly. Two weeks into his summer vacation a letter had arrived from his Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, instructing him not to leave the house. He was a prisoner, he'd almost rather serve a sentence at the wizard's prison, Azkaban, than be trapped in his Aunt and Uncle's house his entire summer vacation.

On top of all the other tragedies in his life, his cousin Dudley, who was a thick boy, was questioning him about his magical school everytime the Dursleys weren't paying attention.

"Harry, are you up here?" came an all too familiar knock at the door.
"No," Harry said curtly, hoping his porky cousin would take the hint that he didn't want to talk.
Dudley was a thick boy in more than one way and opened the door regardless, "I was wondering if we could talk. Mums outside pruning her roses and dads at the office working on who knows what."
"Dud, I don't want to talk right now," Harry spat hatefully, not turning to greet his visitor.
Dudley took a seat on Harry's firm bed and let out an annoying sigh, "So have you heard from your girlfriend yet? She was quite pretty."

Dudley Dursley had taken to trying to talk to Harry in a friendly manner since he had arrived back at Privet Drive for the summer. Harry had a good inkling why, since before he had left to go to school the previous year Dudley had shown him a Hogwarts acceptance letter his aunt had hidden. Dudley was far from an angel, and in his parents' presences was just as bully some to Harry has he always was.

"Dudley, I'm really not in the mood to entertain you at the moment, so if you don't mind," Harry started opening a book on his desk to act busy.
"She was your girlfriend right? The pretty girl you were walking with?"

Harry couldn't soon forget his incident at King's Crossing with his girlfriend's father. Cho Chang was a former student at Harry's school, and at the completion of her final year, she had been accepted into Auror Academy. This would have been a major accomplishment for any witch or wizard, but Cho's father was a very important man, the Ambassador from China's wizarding government. He was not too keen at all on his only daughter accepting such a dangerous position, and much to Harry's displeasure, had blamed the whole thing on him.

Ambassador Chang had thrown quite a tantrum at the station when Cho and Harry had approached him about her decision. Harry vividly remembered him yelling something in his native tongue followed by a "Stay away from my daughter."

"Have you heard from her?" Dudley badgered.
"NO," Harry finally stammered, feeling Dudley's annoyance clawing away at his last nerve.
Dudley sighed again, "Are all the girls at Hogwarts as pretty as your girlfriend?"

Harry took a deep breath as he continued to ignore his cousin. He wasn't sure what bothered him more, the fact his cousin was talking to him, or talking to him on a five year old level.

"I really wanted to talk to you about…" Dudley started.
"Dud, I don't care about your stupid letter!" Harry finally snapped, turning to face his red faced cousin at last.

The anger rising in Dudley Dursley's face was obvious as his force smile faded, it apparently was talking everything Dudley had in him to talk to Harry in such a civil tongue.

"What crawled up your ass?" Dudley spat back.
"You have no idea," Harry muttered hatefully in return as he turned back to his desk.

Dudley finally took the hint, leaving Harry's room as he slammed the door with such a force it rattle the walls.

"Good ridden," Harry voiced to himself as started staring out the window once more.

It was in the distance, inching closer and closer. Harry knew what it was, he had seen them approach many times in the past, but rarely in broad daylight. Harry swore under his breath, knowing if his aunt saw it come into the house that there would hell to pay that evening. Sure enough, it did just that.

The owl let out a loud hoot as Harry seized it quickly removing the letter attacked to its leg. The bird ruffled it's feathers and dashed out the window. Harry looked out the window to see if his aunt might have seen, but thankfully she was nowhere to be seen.
He caught his breath of relief and turned over the envelope to see who wrote him.


Dear Harry,

Sorry I haven't been able to write you since the incident with my father, he can be a tab bit bull headed at times. I'm leaving tomorrow to begin my Auror training. Father's still doesn't approve of my decision, but I've made up my mind, I'm going. I'm so nervous, I wish you could come with me. Hopefully, next year we can see a lot more of one another, since I'm positive you'll make the cut. How could you not!

I'm not officially allowed to join the Order yet, but I do get to attending the meetings. That means I'll get to see you soon. I can't really say anything else about what is going on in this letter, I've been told not to. I miss you terribly, it so odd being away from you when I could see you anytime I wanted just a month ago. Are you thinking about me?

I won't be able to write you tomorrow so Happy Birthday, I got you a gift but I want to wait to give it to you in person.

I hope you write soon.

Love,
Cho

He sighed as he folded up the letter and placed it on his desk. Somewhere deep inside we was hoping her father wouldn't let her go, but that was just wishful thinking. One thing he had learned about girls, there were stubborn and there was no talking then out of something once they had their minds made up.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Harry jumped suddenly as the cold shrill of his aunt pierce his ears.
"Shit," Harry swore knowing what she was about to fuss about, she had seen the owl.

He rushed down the stairs where he met her, "Is there a problem?"
"Is there a problem? How about the entire neighborhood witnessing an owl flying into my house!" Petunia shrilled.
"Nobody saw, I was watching," Harry argued.
"Mrs. Smith next door saw! She was quite upset that an owl flew into my house! I will not tolerate your freak owl post during the daylight hours, do I make myself clear!"
"Yes," Harry spat hatefully, before returning to his prison cell.

****

The evening passed slowly, but eventually the sun faded in the sky and Harry found his feet dragging him down for a wonderful family meal.
"Dudley, would you please pass the turnips?" Vernon Dudley asked politely.

Harry didn't think it was possible, but Petunia's cooking seemed to get worse year by year. Dudley hadn't lost an ounce since his diet, and Harry honestly thought he had put on several instead. Dudley stabbed impatiently at his boiled turnip rolling on his plate as he sneered.

"Aren't you hungry sweetheart?" Petunia asked her spoiled son.
Harry let out a snicker, "isn't he always hungry?"

Vernon Dursley's chest brooded out as he look down hatefully on his nephew.
"I've had it Petunia! I don't care what you promised that old crackpot, I want him out of here for good!"
"Vernon, lower your voice the neighbors will hear. There already watching us since somebody let an owl fly straight into the house today in broad daylight," Petunia responded eyeing Harry hatefully.
Harry placed his fork on his plate and gave his uncle a cold glare, "You know I can't leave yet."
"And why the bloody hell not!," Vernon roared.
"If you kick me out, you'll have half the Order kicking down your door wanting an explanation," Harry stammered.
Vernon's face was as red as a ripe beet, "GO TO YOUR ROOM!"
"Gladly," Harry spat back, pushing himself back from the table of disgust.

He couldn't wait till someone came to rescue him again, surely it wouldn't be much longer now. This would be the last time he'd leave Privet Drive. He'd never come back, he swore it to himself. Even if he had to live on the streets he wouldn't. Not that he'd ever have to do something that desperate with all the money his parents and Godfather had left him.

Rushing to his room he slammed himself hard into his bed let a few choice words escape his mouth as he landed. His parents' pensive sat on top of his dresser, for some reason Harry hadn't even touch it since he had returned. Part of him just didn't want to know any more of the truth, what difference did it make anyways. They were dead, and there was nothing he could do to change that.

One of the people Harry hated was rotting in a cell in Azkaban prision, and no matter what, he wasn't going to talk to him. Petter Pettigrew had betrayed his father and his mother, his betrayal cost their lives. His eyes glanced over to a calendar hanging on the wall beside his bed, in just five hours he would be seventeen years old, a legal wizard.

"I know the perfect present, ten minuets alone with Wormtail, just me and my wand," Harry sneered turning his eyes from the wall. Slowly he closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep.

****

Harry felt a slight pull on the neck of his shirt. He groggily cracked his eyes to see his pet Owl, excitedly delivering a gift for him. As he predicted four owls waited for him anxiously to wake up and greet his seventeenth.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday mate! How's it feel to be legal? Great isn't it! That leaves Hermione. She's been going nuts since she arrived at the Order last week. I've been learning to apparate, it isn't as easy as it look, but I think I'm getting the gist of it.

Dumbledore says it won't be long till you join us here again. Hope those muggles aren't giving you a hard way to go.

Ron

Harry slow tore off the wrapping on the parcel that Ron had sent him. Harry was dumbfounded at first as he looked at the green covered book, then laughed when he read the title.

Curse and Hexes that Muggles Don't Find Fishy

Harry picked up the second letter and package and open them.


Dear Harry,

Hope you have a wonderful birthday. I just arrived at the Order last week, and Ron is driving me completely mad. I can't wait for you to get here so it isn't just me and Ginny here for him to annoy.

Have you spoken with Cho? I saw her yesterday at the Order . She looks absolutely miserable. I'm guessing things haven't gotten any better with her father. I hope things work out, honestly.

Ron is throwing a fit about my visit with Viktor this summer. He keeps saying that he's too old for me. He took me to the International Quidditch Awards with him in Athens, it is a beautiful city. I did some extra research about the first Wizards and Witches in Greek society. Seems they like to play tricks on the muggles, and the muggles blamed it on the deities, it was fascinating! I got your present while I was there, hope you like it.

See you soon.

Love,
Hermione

Harry smiled at Hermione's letter as he opened her gift, surprisingly it wasn't a book but a potions set, with some ingredients that normally could only be found in Snape's secret stash, including gillyweed.

There was the usual gift from Hagrid, Tonks and Lupin, all wishing him a happy birthday and promising they'd rescue him soon. There was a letter and gift from Ginny, Fred and George. Harry had a feeling he was never going to need another dung bomb as long as he lived.


Hello Harry,

Bet you didn't expect me to remember your birthday, but I feel we grew kind of close last year and all. Hope you have a very happy birthday and I look forward to seeing you again. Don't open your present yet, it is another wishing potion. I thought I'd warn you in case you want to save it.

Always Yours,
Pavarti

Harry shook his head as he placed Pavarti's gift aside, "She never gives up."

Slowly he took all his gifts and letters and placed them under his bed. Not because he was afraid his aunt and uncle would get upset, but because he didn't want to leave them out in the open for his meddlesome cousin to find.

The clock read twenty-three past midnight, and Harry yawned but didn't feel tired, instead of sleeping he reached under his bed and pulled out the book Ron had given him

The Forgetful Curses.

Muggles often blame the loss of memory on age or something they ate. A wizard or witch can place a simple forgetful curse on a muggle without he or she even knowing one has been casted (this kind of behavior is prohibited by magical law, and this book does not condone such behavior.)

Tap your wand three times behind your back, while muttering the phrase "oh fiddlesticks" backwards. "skcitselddif." (skc-it-seld-dif)

Harry laughed thinking about how much fun he could have with the time he had left at Privet Drive, he mutter a "thanks Ron' before closing it and walking back over to his desk.

Sitting down he took out his quill and parchment and began to write.