Chapter One – The Exodus

It was 3am in Little Whinging, Surrey and raised voices could be heard coming from number 4, Privet Drive. Anyone looking out their window would have noticed the lights were on in the upstairs bedroom, an occurrence that, in itself, was unusual. There were shouts of "Freaks!" and other seemingly random things like "Bloody birds!" and "Abnormal freakishness!"

Suddenly the voices stopped and without warning, the front door was flung open and the lawn was bathed in light from the hallway. A tall, thin, scraggly-haired youth was thrown bodily out of the house, and following him was a trunk embossed with the initials 'H.P' and an owl in a cage. When the cage hit the ground the door burst open and the snowy owl contained within flew out to perch in a nearby tree.

The large man, who was wheezing slightly from the physical exertion of that night, was purple-faced with anger. "You're a burden and we never wanted you!" he thundered at the boy, who was standing by his trunk wearing a look of great loathing. "Get out and don't ever come back, you worthless freak!"

"Fine! Anywhere would be better than here! I'm never coming back, I'd rather die!" As he said this there was an ear-splitting crack and miles away, in Headmaster Dumbledore's office, a silver trinket stopped spinning, indicating that the blood wards protecting Harry Potter had fallen.

With two soft 'pop's Alastor Moody and Nymphadora Tonks apparated to a spot across the street from number 4, only to find Harry and Mr Dursley standing on the front lawn screaming obscenities. Some of the things coming out of Harry's mouth made even these seasoned aurors blush and they decided to break it up before things got violent. They needn't have worried, though, because as Harry's anger grew, he was surrounded by a faint red glow, and Mr Dursley rushed inside at the sight, slaming and locking the door behind him.

"Wotcher Harry." Said Tonks, clapping a hand on his shoulder from behind. He spun around to face her and noticed Mad-Eye Moody not far behind, magic eye whirling around looking for danger.

"What're you two doing here?"

"The wards have fallen. We're here to take you to headquarters, so get your stuff and let's go." Mad-Eye was understandably impatient.

"Could one of you get my wand, photo album and invisibility cloak from under the loose floorboard under my bed?" Tonks apparated into his bedroom and returned a few moments later with Harry's things. She handed him the wand, told him to put the cloak on, then put the photos into his trunk before shrinkng it and the cage and shoving them into her pocket. Mad-Eye grabbed Harry's arm and apparated him to an alley across the road from number 12 Grimmauld Place.

When they entered, feelings of guilt and anger washed over Harry. Guilt because he knew it was mostly his fault that Sirius died, and anger at Dumbledore for not telling him everything until it was too late. If the damn Headmaster had told him the stupid prophecy, and that Voldemort could plant false visions in his head, he might have had more incentive to learn Occlumency.

Mrs Weasley came out of the kitchen and said to Tonks and Moody "The meeting's just started." And as the aurors entered the kitchen, she turned to Harry and gave him a big hug as if nothing was wrong. He could feel his anger growing as she said "Head on up, Harry dear. The same room you and Ron shared last time. I'm afraid he and Hermione can't stay after the meeting."

'So Ron and Hermione are in the Order.' He thought sullenly as he trudged upstairs. 'Last I heard, they weren't allowed.'

When he got to the room he slammed the door behind him and threw himself onto the bed. He then realised Tonks still had his trunk. He swore softly under his breath but was distracted when he saw an envelope addressed to him. He opened it and found a note and an extendable ear. The note said:

Harry,

We are in the Order and will be at the meeting that should be on right about now. We've temporarily disabled the imperturbable charm on the door, so extendable ears should work. The meeting is about you so we think you have the right to listen in. This should be good!!

Talk to you soon, Gred and Forge.

Harry sent a silent thanks to the twins as he did as they suggested and caught the end on Moody's explanation.

"...then we grabbed him and brought him here." He heard Moody's gruff voice finish.

Tonks decided to add her own comment. "I've never seen him this furious. I'm glad it wasn't aimed at me, I'm sure I'd have wet myself."

Someone snorted "Surely Potter couldn't have been that bad. He's nothing but an arrogant brat who doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut." Harry recognised the voice of his greasy potions master.

"Perhaps you could show us what you saw. I have my pensieve with me and I can charm it to project the memory for all of us to see and hear." This was Dumbledore. After a pause, Harry could hear the sound of him and his uncle screaming at each other. When it was over there was silence. Then Dumbledore spoke up. "I see what you mean Tonks. Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, you know Harry best. Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"No Professor." This was Ron. "Last summer he blew up at us for being so secretive, but that was nothing compared to this."

"Hmm." Dumbledore paused. "This is not at all what I wanted. It seems that as Harry gets older his anger grows and he needs to be controlled. He may try to push you two away, so when you all get back to Hogwarts, I want you to stick to him like glue and keep him out of trouble. Oh, and your payments have been deposited in your vaults.

"Professor, how much longer do we have to keep pretending? I'm getting sick of Potter always rushing into things without thinking and having to go after him to save his neck. Then, if that's not bad enough, he gets all the credit...ungrateful bastard." Harry had never heard Hermione talk like this. He expected that tone from Malfoy, but never the mild-tempered bookworm.

"Yes, Miss Granger. I know it's a bit tedious, but I plan to have this whole thing over by the end of this year, or at the most, next summer. The final battle is coming soon and I plan on sending Potter to meet it head on." This went on for a while – Dumbledore went on about how Harry was out of control and had to be kept happy, and how he could not be allowed to rebel against Dumbledore and light. By far, the worst things Harry discovered were Ron and Hermione had been paid to be his friend since before he started his first year at Hogwarts. Also, he found out that Dumbledore had placed a power- block on him the night his parents died, so he would only have the power of an average wizard until "the time is right". What Dumbledore was worried about was that the red glow that surrounded Harry when he got angry at Vernon Dursley meant the power – block was breaking and one more outburst would break it for good.

Harry decided, there and then, that he would stop being their precious Golden Boy. He would show his true colours, do what they had never allowed him to do, and let his inner Slytherin take control. He would hold nothing back and they would be sorry for crossing him.

(A/N: evil cackle I was going to leave it there, but I decided it was time for Snape to make an entrance.)

As Harry was getting into bed, there was a knock on the door. "What?" He was obviously still pissed off about the lie that was his life.

"Potter" Snape walked in and placed the shrunken trunk and cage on Harry's bed. "We may not be at Hogwarts, but you will show me the respect I deserve."

"I'm sorry, sir," Harry spat the title as if it were a curse. "But even that much respect is pushing it. I'll show you respect when you earn it and stop being a prick."

Snape made a low, dangerous-sounding growl at the back of his throat but seemed beyond words. He looked ready to hex Harry into next week, but instead he spun on his heel and stalked out of the room. Harry knew, from what he heard of the meeting, that Snape would be the only one at headquarters this summer (Lupin was trying to convert werewolves in France) and he would get back at Harry for his disrespect, but Harry was beyond caring. He knew what he had to do, and he was going to get it done no matter what.