Prologue: September 1st
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
I am writing this letter to inform you, which, according to the promise I made you a week ago, I am leaving my house and disappearing from both Wizarding and Muggle worlds alike.
I told you in our chat that you had until my birthday to remove me off from Dursley household. You failed to do what I asked, and what's worse you prevented me from working at my job.
You knew what the consequences were if you went on, but you ignored them. Here they are again for you:
I'm leaving.
Don't worry about me; I plan on being at school this year. I'll arrive the night of the welcoming feast or on the first day of classes. Doesn't matter the day, but I'll be there.
And you and I should have to talk about many things.
Yours sincerely,
Harry James Potter
Gryffindor, Fifth year.
P.S.: I ask you to keep Hedwig at school until I return. I hope that there won't be any trouble with it.
Albus Dumbledore had read this particular letter for about the millionth time this morning, which happened to be the day that the students were to return to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. This is the letter that he had received via owl post on August 1st, exactly a month before to the day. No one has heard or seen from Harry Potter since. It was if he had just disappeared from the face of the earth.
The old Headmaster remembered quite well the talk that Harry had been writing about in the letter. It had occurred one week before the boy's 15th birthday, at the library where Harry was working for the summer.
In that particular chat, the young boy had specifically told him that, if, by his birthday he wasn't out of the Dursley's, he would disappear and no one would be able to find him until he was ready to return.
Albus hadn't give much credit to the threat at first, but when he received the owl, he realized that Harry hadn't been kidding.
Dumbledore knew that Harry had many reasons to be angry with him this summer.
Apart of the fact that he wasn't able to see his friends, the Headmaster had intercepted all the mail that was being both sent and received. There was a charm put into place on Privet Drive, so that the only owl that would be allowed to enter was Hedwig. Every letter sent or received went straight to him.
Besides cutting off his mail, he had sent all of the school supplies to Harry that he would need for this coming year, removing any chance that he may have had to visit Diagon Alley.
He then talked to Alicia Smith, Harry's boss at the library, and told her that he wouldn't be able to work anymore. He gave no reasons for this; he just did it.
Two days later, Harry stopped working and he wasn't happy with this at all. Actually he was FURIOUS with it. Dumbledore knew that if Harry had been able use magic out of school, he would have surely sent him a howler.
This summer had been a nightmare for the Headmaster in many ways. Apart from Harry's disappearance, he discovered many things about the boy's relatives that no one had known about. They had abused him many times throughout his life, but this summer they were worst than ever. The starvation that he suffered with for most of his life and the fact that he had to sleep under a cupboard for 10 years topped the cake.
"That is why he had asked to be removed from there." Dumbledore thought to himself when he first found out about this.
Vernon Dursley and his family were arrested when the Ministry caught wind of the abuse, and was charged for violence against an under aged wizard. The three of them were now living out there days at a jail for Muggles, which was specially built by the Ministry in cases like this.
The Ministry, still in deny about Voldemort's return, had been constantly pressing him for any information of where Harry may be hiding out as they are trying to locate him as well, but without any luck.
Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, was still angry over the whole situation. He had accused Dumbledore of not protecting Harry. He was scared of losing him, as he did with both James and Lily 14 years ago.
Ron and Hermione, Harry's best friends, were not very pleased either with this information. A few days after his disappearance, they sent the headmaster a Howler yelling about all that has happened. They were worried about him and Dumbledore didn't want to think about their reactions if something were to happen to Harry.
Voldemort had since attacked many times, killing Muggles, Squibs and Muggle- born wizards alike. The havoc that this has caused is immeasurable, but Fudge, still blissfully unaware, is telling the press that they are all lies and that You-Know-Who has not returned.
"How can someone be so stubborn and still be the Minister of Magic like him?" Dumbledore asked to himself many times this summer.
He was suddenly taken out of his reserve by a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Said the Headmaster, wondering who it could be.
"Albus, I need to speak to you." Said Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House.
"Sit, Minerva." Said Albus, motioning the teacher to take a seat in a chair in front of his desk.
"Any news?" Asked the Transfiguration's teacher seeing the letter.
"I'm afraid not. He said he would be here today or tomorrow. We'll have to wait and see I guess." Said Dumbledore worriedly.
"When will we tell him all the truth?" Asked Minerva, going straight to the point of this little chat.
Dumbledore sighed. They have had this chat many times this summer, especially right after Harry's disappearance. When they were going to tell him his story, his heirloom and the fact that the Dursley's are not his only living relatives.
"I do not know, Minerva. I know that we should have had told him before, but when was the right time to do it? Can your answer tell me?" Asked Albus looking tired of it all.
"You know that I always listen and follow your orders, Albus, but you can't deny to the boy his history more. By Goodness Sakes Albus! Half of the Wizarding world knows more about his past that he does! You can't go on in this position. You saw what happened when you decided to stay at your resolve and didn't hear to Harry's wishes. I'll bet you that this summer was far worse than any other." McGonagall said worriedly.
Dumbledore knew exactly what she was talking about. It wasn't the Dursley's and their abuse; it was his feeling over Cedric's death. Both of them knew that Harry would feel guilty about it. Although no one blamed him for it, they knew Harry would think that he had killed him. Especially because it was Harry who persuaded Cedric to take the Cup together. Albus didn't want to think about the mess that Harry's mind would be in over the whole incident.
"You are right about that, Minerva, but all we can do now is to wait until he returns. Then, I will talk to him and tell him the truth. But you will tell yours as well. I just hope he doesn't hate us." Said the worried old wizard.
"I don't know how he will react. Like you said all we can do now is to wait, and pray he is fine." Said McGonagall as she was leaving the office.
"Please, Harry be okay. All of us need you." Dumbledore prayed silently, looking over the grounds.
**********************************
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger entered the Great Hall with the hope that they would see their friend sitting at Gryffindor Table. Their heart sank when they noticed he wasn't there.
Both went and sat at the table and waiting for the feast began, lost in their own thoughts.
Hermione was worried about Harry, just as much as the redhead. Although nobody knew it yet, she loved Harry. It wasn't a love of friends; it was a real love. When she first heard about his disappearance, she cried at the thought of losing him forever, and that she never had been able to tell him her feelings. She hoped that it wasn't too late for it.
Harry worried Ron as well. His fear was that You- Know-Who had caught him. Other thing that disgusted him was Malfoy's attitude on the train to school that day.
The blond Slytherin had told everyone that Harry was a coward and a killer. He assured them that Harry had killed Cedric and that was why he wasn't there.
"I'm sure he's hiding of the Ministry. After all, the murderers must be in Azkaban with all of their kind." He said with his usual tone of voice.
This provoked all Gryffindor's from Second to Seventh year to curse him on the spot, with every curse, hex or charm that would hurt him. When it finished, Malfoy and his bodyguards were unconscious at the floor of the train with marks of, at least, 20 different curses each one.
When Roger Davies, the Head Boy, saw this and asked who had done it, nobody answered. None of the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff students said anything about the incident. Davies didn't say anything and returned to the Prefects compartment with a little smile on his face. Apparently he was happy by what happened to Malfoy.
Both Ron and Hermione, who had been chosen as Prefects along with Harry, stopped their thoughts when Professor McGonagall entered in the Great Hall with the first year students and the Sorting began.
********************************
By the end of the sorting ceremony, Gryffindor ended up with 10 new students, Ravenclaw had six, Hufflepuff 7, and Slytherin 8. Immediately after all the new students sat down, the food appeared.
After the deserts were cleared from the tables, Dumbledore stood and the silence fell in the Great Hall, as the Headmaster began to speak.
"Welcome everybody to the new school year at Hogwarts. I hope that all of you had a good summer and didn't forget what you learnt here last year." Said the old wizard with a smile.
Many people groaned at this and muttered different things about all the summer.
"Now I have a few announcements to make. As every year, the forest around school remains forbidden to all the students. Some of the older students should remember that." Dumbledore began, looking to the Weasley twins with the twinkle in his eyes.
Both boys, looked innocently at the Headmaster with a tiny smile on playing on their lips. Those looks didn't convince anyone.
"Hogsmeade is also forbidden to all students Second Year and below. On a happier note, the Quidditch Inter House Cup will return this year. Those teams who need players contact your Head of House or Madame Hooch to arrange the tryouts, please." Said Dumbledore, as the Hall erupted in cheers from all the tables, who were anxious to play Quidditch again.
"For my last announcement, this year we'll have Arabella Figg taking the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position." Said the Headmaster smiling to a woman who was seated next to Hagrid's replacement, Professor Grubbly Planks.
The new Professor stood while some people clapped and she smiled and bowed before sitting down again.
"Now everybody go to bed. Prefects!" Said Dumbledore with a smile.
Ron and Hermione guided the new students toward the Common Room and the bedrooms. The password for this year was "Phoenix Song."
After all the First Years were in bed, both of them returned to the Common Room and sat down in the armchairs with tiredness on their faces.
"It was the hell! In our first year, the five of us weren't that bad!" Exclaimed Ron as he gazed at the fire.
"I must agree Ron. I didn't think that the girls could be so much trouble either." Said Hermione tiredly.
"Do you think that Harry will come to school, Hermione?" Asked Ron with hope in his voice.
"I'm sure he will, Ron." Hermione said with hope in her words.
"I'm going to bed, see you tomorrow." Said the redhead before going to his dormitory after a few moments of silence.
"Goodnight, Ron." Said Hermione going to hers.
As both of them settled down for the night in their respective beds, they both had the same thought: "Please Harry, come back soon."
A few minutes later they were sound asleep.
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
I am writing this letter to inform you, which, according to the promise I made you a week ago, I am leaving my house and disappearing from both Wizarding and Muggle worlds alike.
I told you in our chat that you had until my birthday to remove me off from Dursley household. You failed to do what I asked, and what's worse you prevented me from working at my job.
You knew what the consequences were if you went on, but you ignored them. Here they are again for you:
I'm leaving.
Don't worry about me; I plan on being at school this year. I'll arrive the night of the welcoming feast or on the first day of classes. Doesn't matter the day, but I'll be there.
And you and I should have to talk about many things.
Yours sincerely,
Harry James Potter
Gryffindor, Fifth year.
P.S.: I ask you to keep Hedwig at school until I return. I hope that there won't be any trouble with it.
Albus Dumbledore had read this particular letter for about the millionth time this morning, which happened to be the day that the students were to return to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. This is the letter that he had received via owl post on August 1st, exactly a month before to the day. No one has heard or seen from Harry Potter since. It was if he had just disappeared from the face of the earth.
The old Headmaster remembered quite well the talk that Harry had been writing about in the letter. It had occurred one week before the boy's 15th birthday, at the library where Harry was working for the summer.
In that particular chat, the young boy had specifically told him that, if, by his birthday he wasn't out of the Dursley's, he would disappear and no one would be able to find him until he was ready to return.
Albus hadn't give much credit to the threat at first, but when he received the owl, he realized that Harry hadn't been kidding.
Dumbledore knew that Harry had many reasons to be angry with him this summer.
Apart of the fact that he wasn't able to see his friends, the Headmaster had intercepted all the mail that was being both sent and received. There was a charm put into place on Privet Drive, so that the only owl that would be allowed to enter was Hedwig. Every letter sent or received went straight to him.
Besides cutting off his mail, he had sent all of the school supplies to Harry that he would need for this coming year, removing any chance that he may have had to visit Diagon Alley.
He then talked to Alicia Smith, Harry's boss at the library, and told her that he wouldn't be able to work anymore. He gave no reasons for this; he just did it.
Two days later, Harry stopped working and he wasn't happy with this at all. Actually he was FURIOUS with it. Dumbledore knew that if Harry had been able use magic out of school, he would have surely sent him a howler.
This summer had been a nightmare for the Headmaster in many ways. Apart from Harry's disappearance, he discovered many things about the boy's relatives that no one had known about. They had abused him many times throughout his life, but this summer they were worst than ever. The starvation that he suffered with for most of his life and the fact that he had to sleep under a cupboard for 10 years topped the cake.
"That is why he had asked to be removed from there." Dumbledore thought to himself when he first found out about this.
Vernon Dursley and his family were arrested when the Ministry caught wind of the abuse, and was charged for violence against an under aged wizard. The three of them were now living out there days at a jail for Muggles, which was specially built by the Ministry in cases like this.
The Ministry, still in deny about Voldemort's return, had been constantly pressing him for any information of where Harry may be hiding out as they are trying to locate him as well, but without any luck.
Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, was still angry over the whole situation. He had accused Dumbledore of not protecting Harry. He was scared of losing him, as he did with both James and Lily 14 years ago.
Ron and Hermione, Harry's best friends, were not very pleased either with this information. A few days after his disappearance, they sent the headmaster a Howler yelling about all that has happened. They were worried about him and Dumbledore didn't want to think about their reactions if something were to happen to Harry.
Voldemort had since attacked many times, killing Muggles, Squibs and Muggle- born wizards alike. The havoc that this has caused is immeasurable, but Fudge, still blissfully unaware, is telling the press that they are all lies and that You-Know-Who has not returned.
"How can someone be so stubborn and still be the Minister of Magic like him?" Dumbledore asked to himself many times this summer.
He was suddenly taken out of his reserve by a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Said the Headmaster, wondering who it could be.
"Albus, I need to speak to you." Said Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House.
"Sit, Minerva." Said Albus, motioning the teacher to take a seat in a chair in front of his desk.
"Any news?" Asked the Transfiguration's teacher seeing the letter.
"I'm afraid not. He said he would be here today or tomorrow. We'll have to wait and see I guess." Said Dumbledore worriedly.
"When will we tell him all the truth?" Asked Minerva, going straight to the point of this little chat.
Dumbledore sighed. They have had this chat many times this summer, especially right after Harry's disappearance. When they were going to tell him his story, his heirloom and the fact that the Dursley's are not his only living relatives.
"I do not know, Minerva. I know that we should have had told him before, but when was the right time to do it? Can your answer tell me?" Asked Albus looking tired of it all.
"You know that I always listen and follow your orders, Albus, but you can't deny to the boy his history more. By Goodness Sakes Albus! Half of the Wizarding world knows more about his past that he does! You can't go on in this position. You saw what happened when you decided to stay at your resolve and didn't hear to Harry's wishes. I'll bet you that this summer was far worse than any other." McGonagall said worriedly.
Dumbledore knew exactly what she was talking about. It wasn't the Dursley's and their abuse; it was his feeling over Cedric's death. Both of them knew that Harry would feel guilty about it. Although no one blamed him for it, they knew Harry would think that he had killed him. Especially because it was Harry who persuaded Cedric to take the Cup together. Albus didn't want to think about the mess that Harry's mind would be in over the whole incident.
"You are right about that, Minerva, but all we can do now is to wait until he returns. Then, I will talk to him and tell him the truth. But you will tell yours as well. I just hope he doesn't hate us." Said the worried old wizard.
"I don't know how he will react. Like you said all we can do now is to wait, and pray he is fine." Said McGonagall as she was leaving the office.
"Please, Harry be okay. All of us need you." Dumbledore prayed silently, looking over the grounds.
**********************************
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger entered the Great Hall with the hope that they would see their friend sitting at Gryffindor Table. Their heart sank when they noticed he wasn't there.
Both went and sat at the table and waiting for the feast began, lost in their own thoughts.
Hermione was worried about Harry, just as much as the redhead. Although nobody knew it yet, she loved Harry. It wasn't a love of friends; it was a real love. When she first heard about his disappearance, she cried at the thought of losing him forever, and that she never had been able to tell him her feelings. She hoped that it wasn't too late for it.
Harry worried Ron as well. His fear was that You- Know-Who had caught him. Other thing that disgusted him was Malfoy's attitude on the train to school that day.
The blond Slytherin had told everyone that Harry was a coward and a killer. He assured them that Harry had killed Cedric and that was why he wasn't there.
"I'm sure he's hiding of the Ministry. After all, the murderers must be in Azkaban with all of their kind." He said with his usual tone of voice.
This provoked all Gryffindor's from Second to Seventh year to curse him on the spot, with every curse, hex or charm that would hurt him. When it finished, Malfoy and his bodyguards were unconscious at the floor of the train with marks of, at least, 20 different curses each one.
When Roger Davies, the Head Boy, saw this and asked who had done it, nobody answered. None of the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff students said anything about the incident. Davies didn't say anything and returned to the Prefects compartment with a little smile on his face. Apparently he was happy by what happened to Malfoy.
Both Ron and Hermione, who had been chosen as Prefects along with Harry, stopped their thoughts when Professor McGonagall entered in the Great Hall with the first year students and the Sorting began.
********************************
By the end of the sorting ceremony, Gryffindor ended up with 10 new students, Ravenclaw had six, Hufflepuff 7, and Slytherin 8. Immediately after all the new students sat down, the food appeared.
After the deserts were cleared from the tables, Dumbledore stood and the silence fell in the Great Hall, as the Headmaster began to speak.
"Welcome everybody to the new school year at Hogwarts. I hope that all of you had a good summer and didn't forget what you learnt here last year." Said the old wizard with a smile.
Many people groaned at this and muttered different things about all the summer.
"Now I have a few announcements to make. As every year, the forest around school remains forbidden to all the students. Some of the older students should remember that." Dumbledore began, looking to the Weasley twins with the twinkle in his eyes.
Both boys, looked innocently at the Headmaster with a tiny smile on playing on their lips. Those looks didn't convince anyone.
"Hogsmeade is also forbidden to all students Second Year and below. On a happier note, the Quidditch Inter House Cup will return this year. Those teams who need players contact your Head of House or Madame Hooch to arrange the tryouts, please." Said Dumbledore, as the Hall erupted in cheers from all the tables, who were anxious to play Quidditch again.
"For my last announcement, this year we'll have Arabella Figg taking the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position." Said the Headmaster smiling to a woman who was seated next to Hagrid's replacement, Professor Grubbly Planks.
The new Professor stood while some people clapped and she smiled and bowed before sitting down again.
"Now everybody go to bed. Prefects!" Said Dumbledore with a smile.
Ron and Hermione guided the new students toward the Common Room and the bedrooms. The password for this year was "Phoenix Song."
After all the First Years were in bed, both of them returned to the Common Room and sat down in the armchairs with tiredness on their faces.
"It was the hell! In our first year, the five of us weren't that bad!" Exclaimed Ron as he gazed at the fire.
"I must agree Ron. I didn't think that the girls could be so much trouble either." Said Hermione tiredly.
"Do you think that Harry will come to school, Hermione?" Asked Ron with hope in his voice.
"I'm sure he will, Ron." Hermione said with hope in her words.
"I'm going to bed, see you tomorrow." Said the redhead before going to his dormitory after a few moments of silence.
"Goodnight, Ron." Said Hermione going to hers.
As both of them settled down for the night in their respective beds, they both had the same thought: "Please Harry, come back soon."
A few minutes later they were sound asleep.