A/N- Hello! I just want to let you know in a short AN that this is my first story and I hope people enjoy it.

Disclaimer~ I have absolutely nothing to do with JK Rowling and own nothing. Her characters, her setting just my imagination. (To a certain extent)

Chapter 1 – A new Beginning

'DUBBLEBORE!'

Harry turned to look where Neville was staring. Directly above them, framed int the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. Harry felt a kind of electric charge surge through every particle of his body – they were saved.

Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry, who had no more thoughts of leaving. Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eater nearest realised he was there and yelled to the others. One of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line –

Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her. 'Come on, you can do better than that!' he yelled his voice echoing around the cavernous room. The next spell was coming straight towards him, but he hadn't noticed. Dread filled Harry as he knew what was coming next. He knew that bright green light all too well.

'SIRIUS! LOOK OUT!' he yelled, his voice hoarse. His stomach churned as he prayed internally to any God that was out there that he wasn't too late. Sirius turned with wide eyes and ducked. The spell missed him by millimetres. Then something happened that he wouldn't have dreamed. Neville sprinted out from behind him, trailing blood from his nose, straight at Bellatrix. Still fighting Sirius she turned only to see Neville push her into the veil. She screamed as she fell and soon all was quiet except the ghostly echo of Bellatrix's voice as she fell.

'THAT WAS FOR MY PARENTS!' Neville cried as he collapsed on the ground in a dead faint, the whole evening obviously too much for him. Harry ran into his Godfather's arms, thanking no one in particular that he was still alive. His Godfathers face was tired and thoughtful, but Harry thought he could see some frustration as well.

'Come on pup, let's go.' They picked up Neville and walked towards Dumbledore who not only had bound up the Death Eaters but had retrieved his friends.

'Portus.' Said Dumbledore as he made a portkey back to Hogwarts using a Death Eaters shoe.

'Here Harry, take this and you, your friends and Sirius go back to Hogwarts. It will take you to the Infirmary where Madam Pomfrey will patch you all up. I will see you in about an hour, I have Minister Fudge to deal with.' He handed them the shoe and they all took hold of it. He felt the familiar sensation of a hook being jerked behind his navel and he was soon on the Infirmary floor. The lasts thing he remembered was once again thanking anyone who could hear his thoughts that all his friends and Sirius were alive before he blacked out.

As soon as he awoke he reached over and found his glasses on the bedside table he put them on his face to see Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore having a whispered argument. He couldn't hear much but he did hear McGonagall say,

'He will not go back to that hell hole! I have heard from Poppy about the scars on his body and I will not allow you to send him back there, not after everything he went through two days ago!'

Harry presumed she was talking about the Dursleys. His heart plummeted as he thought about having to go back there. H e thought he might go mad this year. After all that just happened Dumbledore wanted to send him back there. Wait a minute, why was that every year Dumbledore insisted that he goes back there. All he says when I ask is 'I want the best for you my boy.' If he really wanted them best for me then he would let me go to Ron's place where I would actually enjoy myself.

He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and sat up. McGonagall immediately came over and started fussing asking if he wanted a drink, whether he was comfy and whether she should call Madam Pomfrey.

'I'm fine Professor, really!' He looked around and saw that the Infirmary was empty apart from himself.

'How long have I been out? Are my friends alright?' he said quickly turning his head so fast he felt dizzy.

'Your friends are absolutely fine though young Mister Weasley might have those tentacle scars for a while. Scars can come in handy though, I have one on my left knees which is a perfect map of the Muggle Underground.' Said Dumbledore with a smile, his eyes twinkling. Harry then wondered whether he put a spell on them to make them twinkle as no-one else's did.

'You have been out for two days Mister Potter.' Said Professor McGonagall with a sympathetic look on her face 'you go home tomorrow.'

Huh, home. Never ever in his life would he call 'that' place home. His thought wondered to what it would have been like if his parents hadn't been killed. He pictured a kind loving family, possibly brothers and sisters all with his Mother's green eyes and his Father's black, unruly hair. He pictured his Father teaching him how to ride a broomstick. Them going to Kings Cross for the first time. Him coming home for Christmas and them all sitting round the Christmas tree opening presents. All these thought brought tears to his eyes and he hastily wiped them away and looked back at his Professors.

'Can I leave now? I have to go and pack.' He said avoiding Dumbledore's eye. He already was certain Dumbledore could read minds (he would have to ask Hermione about that) and didn't want him seeing the image he had just created in his mind.

'Of course my boy, make sure you come down for the feast though.' Dumbledore said pulling back from his bed and striding out of the Infirmary doors. McGonagall was giving him weird looks and so he scrambled out of bed and ran towards the Gryffindor Common room.

Inside the dormitory he hastily stuffed all his things inside his trunk and closed it. He thought of all that happened this year and was just glad that Umbridge was gone. He carefully placed his trunk with Hedwig's cage and went down to the Great Hall for the leaving feast. He sat down next to Ron and opposite Hermione and tuned everything out. He didn't listen to Dumbledore as he made his ending speech, he didn't listen to Ron when he started talking about Quiddich, he just ate in silence thinking about what would happen when he got back to the Dursleys. He lay awake that night thinking about just how close he was to losing Sirius in the Department of Mysteries and what he would have done without him. He was quiet on the train ride home, worrying Ron and Hermione even more. Just as he was about to leave Ron came over to him and clapped him on the shoulder.

'Look after yourself mate.' And walk over to his family. Envy bubbled inside him as he thought about having a loving family to comfort him but he threw away that feeling. He knew he was welcome and the Weasleys. Hermione suddenly wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.

'Please be safe Harry,' she whispered into his ear, 'I don't know what I would do without you.' She pulled away and walked off to meet her parents, as they couldn't get through the barrier, leaving him with her words ringing in his ears. He slowly trudged over to the Dursleys taking as long as possible and then sank into the car.

He ignored his Uncle's shouting voice all the way home and just went straight into his room. He suddenly felt a buzz of magic and he turned to find an official looking letter on his bed. He picked it up and looked at the wax seal.

'Gringrotts.'

A/N Please review and let me know what you think I would love to know I will try and get the next chapter out ASAP :) Love you 3