(I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, creatures or other musings the wonderful JK Rowling had created, I am simply borrowing them for my own amusement and will return them good a new, I promise.)

Harry Potter had been at the Dursley household for five days, and he was already bored out of his mind. His Aunt Petunia had given him his usual mountain of chores and had added a few more on top just in case he ran out. He was almost happy at the work he had to do however, as it took his mind off Sirius. He closed his eyes and shook his head, hoping it might go away but it didn't. Hot tears ran down his face and dripped on the dry dirt that he was digging up. Aunt Petunia wanted an entire new rosebud and place for her potted plants and as always he would be the one to do the work.

Gritting his teeth as he clenched his hands around the old shovel he was using, he relished the pain that was brought forward as his palms scraped against the rough wood. But try as he might it didn't take the pain of losing Sirius. Every time he closed his eyes all he would see was the arching body of his Godfather disappearing through the arch and not coming through on the other side, the triumphant look of glee on his killer, Bellatrix LeStrange's face, the anger that coursed through his body when he had cast the Cruciatus Curse on her. He stopped for a moment as the memory of the anger bubbled under the surface, flaring his nostrils in anger.

"What are you stopping for!" snapped his Aunt Petunia, just low enough so that no neighbours would overhear her.

"Just taking a break Aunt Petunia, I've been working all day" replied Harry, gruffly.

"Don't take that tone with me you little brat, you don't eat until you finish." she hissed.

"Yes Aunt Petunia" he said, in a forced, polite tone. He heard her turn and walk away and immediately made himself look busy.

The warning from Mad Eye and the Weasley's had worked to an extent, he was still laboured with nearly every available thing that could be concocted by his miserable Aunt and even more miserable Uncle, but they at least fed him more than normal, and let him keep all his things. It was the fear that Harry would write something bad about them that kept them from doing anything…else. As Harry liked to think of it, but he hadn't even written to them yet. He had received letter but hadn't opened any. They would all be filled with pity and faked condolences, and he didn't any of that. So he had busied himself, the chores helped but at night time he had nothing to do, not even homework. Exams were over and there would be little point of giving students homework for a subject they might not be able to take next year. So he studied independently, looked through the books he had used for the DA, they hadn't even covered anything really. Nothing that advanced, nothing really capable of taking on Death Eater. His thought turned back to that night at the Ministry again and he forced himself to think of something else. And he kept on working.

A couple of hours later and it was getting dark, his hand and arms, sore, filthy and heavy. His oversized top, tucked into his oversized pants, his back was sore and covered in sweat, his hair was stuck to his body and his glasses were struggling to stay on his nose. Walking slowly, on the pieces of old newspaper that had been laid out for him he saw the his Aunt looking at him disdainfully as if his dirty appearance offended her somehow.

'You wanted me to dig the damn thing' he thought, taking half of the sandwich that had been left out for him and taking a bite out of it. Holding in a grimace, he swallowed the mouthful.

"You've finished digging the flowerbed?" she said, looking at him and the job he had done.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." replied Harry, monotonously, she glared at him for his tone but said nothing. The front door slammed and he heard the voice of Dudley Dursley sail through the air.

"Mum! I'm hungry!" wailed the voice, Harry bit back a 'When aren't you hungry' retort and finished his half sandwich. He was reaching for his other half when Dudley snatched it and almost dared Harry to say something.

"I'll make something as well dear." said his Aunt, who turned on the oven immediately.

Taking it as his leave, he walked upstairs. Careful not to make a mess on the stairs, entering his room he took off his dirty clothes and went straight for a shower. The cold water felt amazing against his skin, having worked in the sun all day it was a little red, but not to bad. Not daring to take to long, he was back in his room and dry a few minutes later, opening his book to the page he was on last night.

It was a few hours later and his Aunt and Uncle had gone to bed, Harry was still reading his book, absorbing as much of it as he could when a street light went out. He looked outside, and peering out of his barely open window and up and down the road. Their was a a few out up the road also, his instincts immediately told him something was wrong. He forced himself to think rationally and calm down, he crept over to his bedroom light and turned it off, so it might give the appearance he was asleep and he could look out without being seen. A few minutes passed and he was going to turn his light back on when another street light went out. His wand was in his hand and he was peering through the gap between the curtains, in case anybody was looking at his window.

He heard the noise of a body slumping to the ground and for a second someones leg appeared, across the street.

"Get the cloak back on him!" said an invisible voice.

"Shut up!" replied someone.

Someone was here, or some people were here and he had a good idea who. They must have knocked out a guard of his… 'Or worse' said a voice at the back of Harry's mind.

"Dursley kid is still awake" he hard the second voice say.

"We'll wait another twenty minutes, the rest will get here by then." replied the other voice.

'Twenty minutes until the others?' thought Harry, forcing himself to think clearly.

They were here to kidnap him, if they wanted to kill him then they'd have all come at once, some came ahead to 'clear' the area. It filled him with a bit, but not much relief. He had twenty minutes before it started, he was already outnumbered, owling anyone wouldn't do anyone any good because their was nobody nearby. He could run, but he couldn't leave the Dursley's no matter how badly they had treated him, nobody deserved death by Death Eaters standards.

He looked outside his window and very faintly he saw two outlined shadows against a fence, he could do magic and the Ministry would be here soon enough, but the Death Eaters would clear off and nobody would believe him. Slowly he stepped away from his window and as quietly as he could, slid his trunk out from under his bed. He grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and as silently as he could exited his room and crept downstairs. He didn't want to alert Dudley because he would just wake his Aunt and Uncle who would in turn alert the Death Eaters outside. Peering through the banisters on the stairs he saw the television was on, if he was careful he would be able to walk right on by, as long as he didn't step on the creaking floorboards.

Manoeuvring around carefully he was able to slip by, quietly he unlocked the back door and closed it just as quietly, so not to disturb Dudley. He grabbed the shovel he had left lying against the shed he had painted in the third coat of paint in three days and leapt over the back fence. He'd have to run around the neighbourhood and attack them from behind. Running quietly wasn't easy but he had to in case the other Death Eaters arrived early. Which, knowing his luck was very possible. The street lights that had been extinguished made things easier, and he was able to take shortcuts through neighbours gardens until he was on the opposite street from Privet Drive. He'd made good time and slowed down his breathing, it wouldn't do him good to creep up behind Voldemorts minions out of breath.

Composing himself he saw that they were still there, he heard whispered snippets of there conversation. He walked across the neatly trimmed lawns like a predator stalking it's prey, he raised the shovel as high as he could under the cloak without revealing himself. He waited for a second, trying to pick a moment to strike, he waited for a pause in there conversation and swung downwards with all his might, it hit something a few inches shorter than himself, a muffled cry of pain shot out but that wasn't before Harry had swung sideways and mustering as much strength as he could hit the other. He heard the first one collapse and a second later the other, he cautiously approached them and saw the cloaks had slipped of them, the one he hit first had a huge lump on the top of his head that was still growing, he didn't recognise him but the second one who he had struck in the side of the face he remembered was Macnair. It looked like his jaw was broken, along with his nose the way it was bent.

"Right… Now what?" muttered Harry.

"Now we have to explain to our master why Henwick and Macnair were overpowered by a fifteen year old boy." a voice with a familiar sneer came from behind him.

Without waiting Harry dove to his side, a disarming spell hit were he had been moments before. He saw Malfoy, unmasked and in black robes along with two more behind him who were wearing masks. Harry drew his wand and cast a shield just as the other two casted there own spells. They bounced of Harry's shield which dissipated.

"Ooh, Potter knows some tricks." teased Malfoy. Who lunged and threw a stunner at him. Harry barely had enough time to get out of the way, throwing a spell at one of the two behind Malfoy that caught him on the shoulder and sent his wand scattering across the road.

"Accio" spat Harry. The wand zoomed into his open hand and he snapped it without a thought.

"You'll pay for that Potter!" snarled the man whose wand it was.

"Go and get the others" ordered Malfoy. Who kept his eyes on Harry. The man turned and apparated away.

"How did you get out of Azkaban?" asked Harry, trying to buy as much time as he could. He'd done magic, it was only a matter of time before someone came along.

"Don't keep up with the news at all do you Potter, Azkaban is now a stronghold for the Dark Lord. What did you think he was doing all last year? Crucio!" finished Malfoy. Harry shocked at this statement sidestepped and stumbled slightly. Raising his arm against his face as the spell hit the floor and sent pieces of tarmac flying.

"Stupefy!" shouted Harry, Malfoy stepped aside with grace, and sent another Unforgivable at him. Harry rolled sideways and saw the spell his his Aunts prized rosebushes.

"Funny, I thought he'd have like a nice house in the country. Not a place by the sea." retorted Harry, twisting his body at the two spells sent at him and returning a volley of Stunning spells and Thrashing Jinxes. Malfoy avoided all of them, but the other Death Eater was caught and was sent hurtling across the street and through a fence.

'That'll wake the neighbours' thought Harry. He was right, he heard the door open behind him. Glancing he saw Dudley there.

"Get inside Dudley!" roared Harry. Who had to dive out of the way of another Unforgivable because of the distraction.

"What the hell is going on!" roared the voice of Uncle Vernon. Harry knew he was looking out of his window, Harry looked at the surrounding area and saw it was a bit of a mess, the front garden was ruined, as was part of the road and the neighbours fence.

"Just stay inside Uncle Vernon" gritted Harry as he arched his body out of the way of an unknown spell.

"Yes Uncle Vernon, do stay inside." mocked Malfoy, who sent a spell at the window Vernon was leaning out of. Shattering it, shards of glass rained down as Vernon leapt back from the window. A piece caught Harry on his cheek and a shallow cut appeared.

'Where the hell was the Ministry, the Order. Anyone?" thought Harry.

"Nice family you've got Potter" sneered Malfoy.

"I'd rather have them, than your pathetic excuse for a son. Confratio!" The Bombardment Hex connected but only slightly, Malfoy staggered slightly before returning with a string of quite nasty hexes and curses. He barely avoided the first few when he was hit by a dark purple coloured spell which sent him hurtling backwards. He slammed against his Uncle's car, spots plagued his vision. He felt his chest tighten and warm liquid seeping down his side. He stood up, struggling slightly and twisted away as Malfoy sent another spell.

"Almost tickled me that one Malfoy" said Harry, coughing lightly. Malfoy snarled at the taunt and sent another string of hexes. A few Harry recognised and knowing he'd struggle to get out of the way he dropped to the floor and saw them all sail over.

"Fragmento" hissed Harry as he fell. A Bone Breaking Hex, it caught Malfoy on the leg and he fell to one knee. Harry jumped back to his feet and sent another Bone Breaker, a Thrashing Jinx and a Stunner. The Bone Breaker catching him on the same leg and the Thrashing Jinx sending him in the air and crashing on the from of his Uncle's car.

"Crucio" spat Malfoy as he landed. It hit Harry who was not expecting it and was instantly in agony, he wasn't under it for long as Malfoy unable to keep the concentration released the spell. The spell had affected Harry though who struggled to get to his knees and thankfully saw Malfoy was hurting as well.

"Bombardo" coughed Harry, Malfoy span of the car which it hit and crumpled.

"Not bad Potter." said Malfoy, who was limping slightly.

"Better than your son" replied Harry, who dropped to the floor again and rolled out of the way of a potential second. He heard the sound of Apparation and spun around but only saw more black cloaked Death Eaters.

"Bad luck Potter" said Malfoy, Harry sent a flurry of spells and not bothering to see if they connected ran inside Number Four Privet Drive, dodging spells as he got to the door, opened it and cast the most advanced locking charm he knew.

"What the devil is going on boy!" said a voice behind him.

"Death Eaters" said Harry, as if it was obvious. He didn't have anytime to explain, they'd be circling around the house. He cast the same spell at the backdoor. He had a few minutes maybe.

"I'm sorry Uncle Vernon but I don't have time to explain. Just go upstairs and I'll try to hold them off until help arrives. He heard numerous sounds of Apparation outside again and peered through the window and saw a half dozen Ministry personnel.

"You don't tell me what to do in my own house Potter!" shouted Vernon.

"I do when it means I'm trying to save your ungrateful ass!" roared Harry in anger. Vernon wasn't used to his nephew shouting back at him and looked quite undignified as he was lost for words and was flustered and struggling for words. Petunias eyes were wide and Dudley was hiding behind the sofa. Without a word they all went upstairs, and Harry looked outside again, the people from the Ministry who had arrived were barely holding on. Harry ran upstairs also and into his room.

"Hedwig, go to the Burrow, no Hogwarts. I don't know where Ron and his family are but you'll be safe at the Hogwarts." Hedwig gave him a look of disapproval if that was possible for an owl and with a friendly hoot flew out of the window. Opening his trunk he got all the photo albums he had and put them underneath the floorboards for safekeeping. He went back downstairs and looked out of the window, more had arrived but so had more Death Eaters. He was shook from his train of thought as a body came through the front window. Before he registered who it was his wand was out and he cast a Stunning spell. It was a Magical Law Enforcement Officer, and it didn't matter if he was stunned because he was dead anyway. Harry climbed out of the window and throwing caution to the wind he ran out in the midst of the duels.

"There he is!" he heard one voice cry. Turning he barely avoided a Cruciatus Curse. He cast a shield and it flared to life just as a Death Eater who had just disposed of their opponent had sent a curse at him. It rebounded of his shield and spiralled of and hit a Death Eater to Harry's right.

"Saldrenzo" hissed Harry, who was in a bit of pain from Malfoy's earlier onslaught. A burst of flame erupted and flew towards the Death Eater, it caught his trailing robes and as they tried to extinguish Harry stunned them. He turned around and was hit by a Leglocking Spell with a glancing blow, his legs snapped together and he fell over. Muttering the counter as quickly as he could he barely avoided a Stunning Spell.

"My lord will prize me above all others for capturing you Potter" said a voice to the side of Harry. It was Rodolphus LeStrange, he wasted no time and tried to cast a shield but was caught by a Disarming Hex. His wand scattered and he wasn't given any time to react as he was thrown through the air hit the ground again with force. All the wind was knocked out of him and he had no idea where he was. He saw Rodolphus above him and waited for the next spell. But Rodolphus fell over and to the side of him and he saw the outline of Nymphadora Tonks.

"Thanks!" rasped Harry.

"Don't mention it." replied Tonks who in turn tossed him his wand.

"What took you so long?" asked Harry, as he got up ready to fight.

"Our guard didn't report, we only heard it because of a source in the Ministry. And get back down." said Tonks irritably as she sent a few spells. Harry didn't see if they hit or not.

"No chance." growled Harry, who stood back up and sent a few spells of his own.

"We need to get you out of here now!" said Tonks, they both rolled out of the way of a spell Harry didn't recognise.

"I can't leave the Dursley's behind." retorted Harry as they both crept across the outskirts of the battle. Now more Order member had arrived it was evening out slightly.

"Let us take care of it." replied Tonks, while sending a few Stunners out.

"Here, take this Portkey." she said taking something from around her neck.

"Just think of Number 12." she said, looking at what was going on. "Go!" she added, before running back into battle.

Resigned Harry stood up and was ready to go when he heard that voice. That voice that rang through his nightmares.

"Leaving so soon Potter" cackled the voice of Bellatrix LeStrange. Blood pounded through his veins as he turned around and lunged at the women who killed Sirius. Not expecting physical assault, Bellatrix was surprised and was taken down. Her long fingernails scraped Harry's arms and clawed at his face. Fighting for control he managed to pin her down.

"Awww is poor Bellatrix stuck" snarled Harry, his wand pointed at her throat. Bellatrix's eyes glimmered with pure fear. Before he had a chance to cast anything though he was sent flying through the air. He was sent crashing through the fences and was barely able to get up again when he saw his attacker hurtle another spell at him which he narrowly avoided. Bellatrix to had gotten to her feet and cast a spell where he landed and he was on the floor again. His body wracked with pain. Somebody landed beside him and he saw it was Tonks, she'd comeback to help him.

"Kill her" spat Bellatrix to the other masked Death Eater. 'No' Thought Harry.

"Reducto!" gasped Harry. The masked man was blown backwards with such force and slammed against the house opposite which was at least twenty feet away. Tonks in turn sent a Stunner to Bellatrix which hit her and was sent down.

"Nice!" said Harry, who could barely get to his feet.

"You too." groaned Tonks, who struggled to hers.

"Avada Kedavra!" yelled a voice. Harry turned and saw the spell jetting towards Tonks, she wasn't moving and out of pure instinct Harry leapt and pushed her out of the way. The spell hit Harry who for a second stumbled, everything was a blur, he was dazed. He heard Tonks scream and the Death Eater struck by a spell and flung backwards like a doll.

"Harry!" said a voice, but he barely heard it. The darkness elapsed and he fell to his knees, then everything went black and he fell over, noises getting more and more quieter. The last thing he heard was the cracks of Apparation.