First of all: Hi! It's the first time I post anything at . I have an account at Archive of our own where I have posted a few stories already. I use the same username over there as I do here, so it should be easy to find me at AO3 if you so desire.

This story is also already posted on AO3 (up to chapter 5 so far) and I will try to post on this site as well, but I will admit that I'm more familiar with the other site. I figure that this will change as I keep posting on both sites. I do hope you'll give the story a chance.

Also, I'm not a native English speaker so mistakes will unfortunately happen. I do try to catch my own mistakes, but grammar isn't my strongest side, I must admit.

I do like constructive criticism and talking to the readers and always do my best to answer reviews as fast as I am able to. I enjoy getting ideas from you all and inspiration for my work.

Furthermore, I am already writing a Harry Potter/Kuroko no Basket crossover called "Finding your way home" over at AO3 and that will be the story I will focus the most on. So, that story will be the one that has the most regular updates. So far it's also only posted at AO3. I might post it here as well at some point. I will try to update this one as often I can, though :)

Oh, yeah: I do not own Harry Potter or Prince of Tennis. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi!

Hari walked and ignored the hot sun that burned her skin as she kicked a rock that was lying on the ground. She watched as it skipped further up the curb as she turned off the concrete road and walked down a dirt path she had walked many times before.

Thwock … thwock… thwock…

Hari blinked as she turned her head toward the sound and saw a boy with black hair with some green in it and a white cap on his head. She blinked. She had never seen him before and he was holding a tennis racket and hitting balls so they hit a tin can. She turned and walked to the edge of the court while watching the boy who seemed so focused on what he was doing that he didn't see her.

Thwock… thwock…thwock…

She couldn't stop looking as he hit the can again and again… it looked so easy yet hard and she blinked in awe as he caught the ball that spun back to him. He straightened up and turned to look at her.

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly.

…

"Come on, Hari!" the boy yelled. "We're almost there!"

"Wait, Ryo-chan! Wait!" Hari yelled breathing hard and blinked as a hand reached out and grabbed her hand to pull her forward and she smiled as she followed her friend.

"There!" he said. "Mada mada dane."

Hari breathed hard as she stopped running.

"Why did we have to run, Ryo-chan?" She asked when she caught her breath.

"To train our stamina," Ryo-chan said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because we're going to be great tennis players!" Ryo-chan grinned pushing at his cap.

"Tennis-players?" she repeated.

...

"Mada mada dane," Ryo-chan said smirking at her and pointing his racket at her.

"Argh," Hari grumbled getting back to her feet and dusting herself off. "One more time!"

"You sure? You're still going to lose," Ryo-chan teased.

"One more time!" Hari snapped.

"Hai," he said.

...

"We're leaving…." Ryo-chan said.

He wasn't smiling.

Hari startled awake and blinked as she remembered the dream, but why did she dream about him now? She hadn't really thought about him for ages and she should just forget him like he had forgotten her. She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she fell back on her bed and stubbornly refused to let her mind wander to him. She was not going to think about him. Absolutely not. She sighed and turned onto her side as she tried to get her mind away from him.

She was currently at Privet Drive number four even when it was April and months until Hogwarts ended, yet the thirteen-year-old was back there where she was friendless and alone. It wasn't really that strange that she had dreamt about the first time she had met her first friend, come to think about it. Not when she had been separated from those she now considered friends…

"…after a thorough examination it has been decided that Harriett Lily Potter will be suspended from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the remainder of the school year."

The words still spun in her mind even after arriving back at Privet Drive number 4 and being locked in her room for the last day without much food or even water. Hedwig was also locked into her cage and was unhappily glaring at Hari like it was her fault.

She could still see the smug look on Snape's face as the Minister of Magic himself had read up the conclusion of their small inquiry at the school. Hate and anger boiled inside of her just remembering Snape and his smugness like he had triumphed over her by going over Dumbledore's head and getting the Minister directly involved.

Suspended from Hogwarts, unable to leave the Dursley's like she for those glorious few hours thought she would be able to, unable to contact her friends or anyone at Hogwarts at all for months. And for what? For trying to do the right thing and save her godfather from being kissed by Dementors?

It felt unfair and wrong, and what was more she was the only one who had been suspended. Ron and Hermione had not been and they had been there with her, but they had parents who cared and stepped up to protest. Who did Hari have? The Dursley's? They didn't care nor was they really consulted ("they're muggles, Miss Potter"), but she knew that even if they had been consulted they would have enjoyed seeing her hurt. The only thing they hated by this was that she was back in their house months before she should.

Sirius? While he seemed to care about her (at least more than most) he was unable to help given that he was the problem in the first place.

Remus? They wouldn't listen to him because of his werewolf status. He had also been run out of Hogwarts when Snape (the git) had outed him as a monster for the entire school. Forget the fact that he was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher they had ever had, forget that he was a human being, forget humanity completely, no he was a werewolf and turned into a wolf once a month and that was enough to be idiots.

The more she thought about the magical world the more she disliked it, Hari found. She remembered when she first learned about the world and everything had seemed so perfect and amazing. She had been so innocent and naïve back then, back before she had been forced to do a grownups job. Back before she had almost been killed several times because a madman had decided that he wanted her dead. And no one really did anything to keep her safe.

Why did she even want to remain at Hogwarts?

"Girl!" Petunia's shrill voice sounded and seconds later her door was unlocked and her aunt was standing there looking at her like she was dirt.

Oh, right…because she had to remain with the Dursley's if not… Hari sighed.

"You'll make dinner for us and don't make a mess!" Petunia snapped.

Hari got to her feet and moved toward the door. A slap on her cheeks had her tearing up at the pain and unexpected action. She refused to let them fall, though, as she stepped back and stared at her aunt.

"Answer me when I talk to you, girl," Petunia sneered.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Hari said in a monotone voice.

She walked to the kitchen and started dinner while Petunia walked to the living room and joined her son and husband in front of the television. Hari sent the living room a glare as she finished dinner and set the table, she didn't set a plate for herself knowing she was not allowed to join them.

"Dinner is ready, Aunt Petunia," Hari said quietly from the doorway.

"About time, girl," Vernon said. "Any slower and we would have starved to death."

Not likely, Hari thought but wisely didn't say anything. She waited until Petunia sent her to her room and she walked back to the smallest room in Privet Drive and fell back onto the bed again.

"I'm sorry, Hedwig," Hari said when Hedwig hooted. "I wish I could let you out."

The days passed much the same and Hari was set to do the chores like she had grown up doing, and Petunia seemed to enjoy making her work hard from morning till night making her fall asleep exhausted.

"I hate this," Hari mumbled as she stared at the dry bread at the plate in front of her. It wasn't necessarily the bread she hated, but being there cut off from her friends. It hurt that they hadn't sent her a letter; did they blame her for what happened?

She felt her muscles ache as she got up and walked to the sink to do the dishes, she then went to find the washing cloth and started to scrub the floors before she moved onto the windows. It was well past lunch before Petunia said she could take a break.

She stared out of the window with unseeing eyes as she drank the cup of water that she was allowed to have. Her mind was on her friends again and she wondered what they were doing. They should be finished with Defence Against the Dark Arts now… She wondered who Dumbledore had gotten to teach when Remus wasn't there anymore.

Hari sighed as she spotted the mailman and she got up to go and get the mail before Petunia asked for it. She picked up the small stack of envelopes that was lying on the floor just inside the door and was about to place them at the small table next to the hall when her name caught her attention. Did she get mail? A sudden feeling of Déjà vu hit her and she frowned. She glanced at the living room where she heard the sound of one of Petunia's shows and walked back into the kitchen to open her letter.

Hi Hari,

I try again even if you don't reply to my letters. I don't know why you never do when you promised you would. Don't you want to write to me, Hari?

Anyway, we have (or dad has) decided to move back to Japan soon. Mum is packing our things already and I have to start to pack my room. Mum's already asked several times. I just don't want to move. Not again. But dad says he wants me to attend the same Middle School he went to as a kid, Seigaku Academy. I guess it should be interesting to see just how good this school is and if it can help challenge me in tennis.

Do you play any tennis at all anymore, Hari? I hope you do, but I haven't seen your name in any of the tennis competitions in Britain. You were good, I remember.

Okay, I have to go and start packing. I hope you answer this one, Hari. Dad said that maybe you could come and visit sometime.

Bye,

E. Ryoma

Hari stared at the letter with wide eyes and her breath had caught in her throat as she stared at the writings of a boy she had met years ago and who she had believed had forgotten all about her. But…this letter proved that he hadn't and he had tried writing her over the years even when he didn't receive any letters back.

She narrowed her eyes and stormed into the living room where Petunia looked up startled before glaring at her, but before her aunt could open her mouth to say anything Hari was already speaking.

"Why did you never tell me that Ryoma wrote to me?!" she almost growled.

Petunia's eyes widened slightly and then she paled before she caught herself and glared at Hari.

"That isn't any of your business," Petunia said.

"It's very much my business!" Hari snapped. "He's my friend and he wrote to me! Why didn't you let me have his letters? Why? Why? WHY!"

Petunia stared at her for a long moment and Hari breathed harder and she felt tears in her eyes, but she couldn't help it. The first friend she had, the first friend who had seen her and talked to her without bullying her hadn't forgotten her like she thought. He was still trying to reach her, and she hadn't answered because of her so-called family.

She had met Ryoma when he had lived a couple of streets away from here, back when she was 9 and he was 8, and they had met at a tennis court that was almost hidden away. Hari used to go there to hide from Dudley and his gang, and one day she had seen a boy with dark hair and a cap playing tennis against himself. He had looked lonely, like her, but at the same time looked so…peaceful and graceful that she had almost thought he was a dream.

He then had asked her if she played and she had almost lost her balance when he talked to her. She still remembered his voice, it was calm and soft. Though, a little impatient. She remembered how he asked again and she had shaken her head making him sigh looking disappointed. He had then offered to teach her and she had accepted just because he had talked to her. She wanted to talk to him more, but he hadn't been very talkative.

"That man thought the friendship was unwise," Petunia said breaking into her memories and she frowned at her aunt.

"Who?" Hari asked calming down slightly but still angry.

Petunia stared at her before she sighed and turned off the television surprising Hari since she never done that before. She had expected to be slapped for her questions and disrespect, but her anger had made her storm in and demand answer before her mind had caught up with her.

"That headmaster of that school of yours," Petunia said. "He told us that the friendship outside of that school was not to be encouraged."

Hari felt something inside of her fall apart and she sank down at the chair behind her as she stared at her aunt. She wanted to deny it, to say that Dumbledore would never do anything like that. That he was a kind man that cared about her and would never separate her from her only friend. She clenched her hands together so harshly that her nails dug into her palms drawing blood but she didn't notice as the horror of the truth came to her.

Dumbledore had made her aunt and uncle withhold letters from Ryoma from her. He had made her believe that she was forgettable, that she wasn't worth the hassle to keep in touch with. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Why would he do that? Why? Just why was it bad that she had friends?

"Do…do you have the letters?" Hari whispered.

Petunia sniffed before getting up and left the room. Hari stared after her feeling empty and lost, all of her anger had left her and she now only felt alone and completely empty.

"Come on, girl!" Petunia called impatiently and Hari blinked before she got up and saw Petunia at the top of the stairs looking down at her. Hari ran up the stairs and followed Petunia up to the attic where she pulled out a small wooden box and pushed it toward Hari.

Hari stared at the box and barely noticed that Petunia had left without another word. Hari didn't really have any energy to wonder about the fact that Petunia had actually given her the letters and told her the truth. She would never have believed it if she hadn't just witnessed it.

Tentatively she carried the box with her down the ladder and down the stairs and out of the house. Somehow she felt she had to be there for reading the letters. There at the place where she had met her first ever friend. She finally reached the tennis court and found it empty and saw that it had decayed over the years without regular use. She doubted that anyone besides Ryoma had really used it, and her when Ryoma taught her of course.

She sat down and pulled out the stack of letters and there was plenty. She swallowed as she took one and opened it. She quickly read it and sobbed slightly as she realised for real that he had never forgotten about her. She sat there until long after dark and read the letters (not noticing that she used a wandless and soundless Lumos-charm to be able to read in the dark).

After having read the letters Hari used the next few days to think about what to do and used her time to do chores to think about her life and what her options were. Going back to Hogwarts was not something she fancied. She never wanted to see that man again! Ever. He had taken Ryoma from her and that was unforgivable.

Hari scowled as she washed the windows startling the neighbour who happened to look at their house right then but Hari didn't see her or notice the startled look on the neighbour's face. She couldn't believe that she had fallen so deep under Dumbledore's influence. Just why did she think he was so great?

It didn't tempt her to stay here either because it was clear she was an unwanted and unloved here and she refused to let herself live like that. Not again. She had seen what it was like to have friends and someone who cared about her. At least she thought Ron and Hermione cared about her… but they hadn't written… doubt filled her for a moment but she pushed it away.

She had to get away; she had to find a new life. Her mind drifted to Sirius, but she hadn't heard from him since he had escaped on Buckbeak nor had she heard from Remus. She was disappointed at the lack of contact, but it wasn't like she had expected it either.

Then her hand stilled as she thought about Ryoma. He had said (in almost every letter) that she was welcome to come and visit them. Perhaps she could go and see him? Perhaps Ryoma's parents could help her? Was there hope?

Problem was that they were in Japan and she was in England, and how was she as a minor manage to travel all the way there by herself? She was sure there was something stopping her from doing so, but…perhaps… her mind spun with possibilities as she finished the chores and started dinner.

She frowned as she thought and was caught unprepared by a hand grabbing her arm hard causing her to yelp and look up at the angry face of her uncle.

"Watch where you're going, girl;" Vernon snapped.

"I'm sorry, uncle Vernon," Hari said.

"Spacing out and causing trouble," Vernon muttered as he pushed her away from him and made his way to the table and sat down to eat his dinner. "You should be happy we allowed you back into the house before the summer. You're so worthless and incapable of staying out of trouble! Being suspended for abetting a criminal! I've never been so ashamed."

Hari looked down and tried to push his words out but a voice in her mind whispered that he was right. She gritted her teeth refusing to rise to the bait he offered.

Hedwig hooted sadly and Hari looked at her with a sad smile and walked over to the cage and offered some food to her. It took from her own food, but she couldn't watch Hedwig starve and she knew her owl was already hurting being locked up like this.

"I'm a terrible friend to you, Hedwig," Hari mumbled. "I'm sorry."

Hedwig hooted and nibbled at her finger in a comforting move and Hari smiled slightly. She walked back to the bed and picked up the one gift she really enjoyed; her photo album. She had placed a photo of her and Ryoma at the back, it had been in one of the letters and Hari couldn't stop looking at it.

She was standing next to Ryoma who was looking a little awkward but he was smiling his small smile that she knew meant he was happy. She was also smiling leaning slightly toward Ryoma with a lighter look in her eyes than normal. She remembered the day it was taken very clearly. It was one of the best days in her life before Hogwarts, still was actually. She had spent the day with Ryoma and his family. His mother, Echizen Rinko, had fussed over them and cooked delicious food for them all to enjoy before Ryoma's dad, Echizen Nanjiro, had pulled them to the tennis court to play tennis.

She put the photo album back on the nightstand and lay back on the bed staring at the ceiling again. She wanted to see Ryoma again. She wanted to see her friend. It was almost like a burning inside of her that said that the right place for her was with them, but how could she get there? And…would they allow her to stay?

Was it right for her to go there? Would she bring problems with her? She shook her head, she couldn't think like that. She had to stay positive and focus on how she could get there.

"Aunt Petunia…" Hari nervously asked from where she was hovering in the doorway to the kitchen. Vernon had just left for work and Dudley had left for school.

"What do you want, girl?" Petunia asked.

"I…um, I wanted to ask you something," Hari said.

"What?"

"I know you don't want me here and I don't want to be here," Hari said getting Petunia's attention as she turned away from the bench and stared at Hari with her light blue eyes.

"Sit down," Petunia ordered and Hari sat down and watched her aunt do the same. "Talk."

"I want to go to my friend," Hari said bluntly taking confidence from the fact that Petunia was listening. "But as a minor, I can't travel that far by myself without consent from a guardian. That's why…that's why I thought that if you allowed it, I could go."

Petunia arched a brow and stared at Hari without saying anything for a long time. She pursed her lips and Hari fought the urge to press her to talk.

"Why should I allow that?" Petunia asked.

"I would be out of your hair," Hari said, "at least until summer. If…if I can manage to figure something out before then, perhaps longer."

"You could leave and never come back?" Petunia asked.

Hari nodded.

"What about that school of yours?" Petunia asked.

"What about it? I don't want to go back;" Hari said coldly and Petunia arched a brow. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but she closed it before anything came out.

"How are you getting to your friend?" Petunia asked.

"I can buy a plane ticket," Hari said.

"We're not paying for it," Petunia said immediately.

"I have money," Hari rolled her eyes. "Enough to pay for the ticket, anyway. I also need a passport."

"We have one for you," Petunia admitted. "Vernon has a possible business trip this summer and since both me and Dudley are coming with him we had to make a passport for you as well, seeing that you would have been made to come with us."

Hari nodded stunned at the possible luck she had. That meant that she didn't have to talk to the goblins about a passport and that made anyone tracking her more unlikely. She knew how…challenged wizards were in the muggle world.

"Oh, thanks," Hari said.

Petunia sniffed and got up to make some tea and much to Hari's surprise she was given a cup of tea as well.

"I suppose we can manage that," Petunia said looking at her. "Though, what are we going to say when they come looking for you?"

"Tell them what you want," Hari shrugged. "Tell them I ran away from home. Tell them I moved away and don't want anything to do with them anymore."

Petunia seemed to look at her with something she had never seen before and Hari wondered just what her aunt was thinking, but Petunia never revealed what she was thinking.

"Or you could move away and hopefully they won't find you," Hari shrugged.

Petunia nodded but she didn't look too happy about moving away, but Hari could tell she was thinking about it.

"I will need to talk to Vernon," Petunia said.

Hari nodded and took that as the dismissal it was and got back to her chores.

After that everything moved rather quickly. Just like she thought the Dursley's were very interested in getting her away and hopefully out of their lives for good. Vernon had even almost smiled at her when he had called her down to the living room the very same night.

It was decided that Petunia would take her to London the next day and while Petunia shopped in Muggle London Hari disguised herself and entered Diagon Alley. She went to the bank and found out that she could get a muggle bank card that would make it easier for her to get access to her money. She also changed some money into muggle money before she left the bank and went to the different shops she needed. She bought many books she thought would be useful for further studies (she knew her magic needed training so she would study by herself) and a new magical trunk that allowed her to hide her magical items from the muggle customs.

After she was done in Diagon Alley she went to a muggle clothing shop and bought a few new shirts and pants since most of the muggle clothes she had were Dudley's old ones. She didn't want to stand out too much.

Finally, she met Petunia at their scheduled spot and was on her way back to Surrey hopefully for the last time. She didn't relax until they were back at Privet Drive and back in her room with her new items. Now the only thing left was pack.

Two days later Hari was on a plane and on her way to Japan, Tokyo.

AN: Hope you liked it and I'll try to update again soon! Please let me know what you think :) Thank you for reading!