Spoilers: some parts from this story are from Harry potter and the order of the phoenix, owned by JK Rowling. I make no money on this story, I just play around with the characters.

Chapter one

Even though Harry Potter had a godfather, Dumbledore nor anyone else believed Harry should be allowed to live with Sirius Black. They all believed Harry should remain at the Dursley's. Harry had hinted about how he was treated by his aunt and uncle, but it seemed to make no difference.

Ever since he returned to the house from Hogwarts after his first year Harry was beginning to get worried. Vernon's treatment or punishment as Vernon called it, seemed to be getting worse. His aunt never actually hit him but she withheld food more often and her nasty looks and names were getting worse. But she encouraged her husband to use any means to squash the freakishness out of her nephew. So Vernon Dursley had taken it upon himself to discipline Harry, to Harry it was having the shit kicked out of him. No matter who saw him out in the yard, it seemed the neighbours around number four all believed what Vernon and Petunia said about him, he was a delinquent and often had to be sent to a home for criminal boys.

He's only escape had been to Hogwarts, even though he had to be careful the first week or so, he couldn't allow anyone to see his many bruises or the cuts that covered his back and legs. Harry would deliberately get up early and have a shower before any other boys in Gryffindor woke so they wouldn't see. The few times he slept in Harry would shower late at night, he didn't like doing that as sometimes one of the older boys would end up in the bathrooms at the same time. Harry would either wait until they left or quickly dry and dress before the boys finished in the shower.

He had used quidditch as an excuse once, the beginning of his third year Hermione had noticed some blood on one of his robes. Harry told her he had gone flying earlier and hit one of the goal posts. She seemed to accept that excuse so Harry made sure he did go flying the next morning, he knew what he planned would hurt but he had no choice. He flew about ten feet off the ground then deliberately fell onto the ground. The wind had been knocked out of him and it took him a few minutes before he could get back on the broom. Then it was the more painful bumps he needed to do, he slammed into the goal posts three times, making sure he hit his arm once, leg once and back once. If anyone did see the bruises or cuts he now had the perfect excuse.

It was during that year that Harry discovered a charm that would aid him if he needed it. He scoffed at the thought, of course he would need it. Vernon would never miss an opportunity to deal with him, which meant with fists and feet. So Harry would sneak into unused classrooms, sneaking away using his cloak, he would then practice the glamour charm. He would start on his arms until he had it perfect then he would do his legs. His back was the hardest, but he was able to angle his arm just enough so the wand would touch his back, in various places. While Harry had been practicing, he figured he could use the glamour to his advantage. Sneak out of the Dursley's, find somewhere secluded then change his appearance just enough so no one would ever believe he was Harry Potter.

Finally it was Harry's fifth year, he thought it would have to be better than the last four, but he wasn't counting on it, not when the wizarding world refused to believe Voldemort had returned. So many thought Dumbledore and Harry were lying; even so called friends had turned their back on Harry after he survived the tournament and the graveyard. Even though he had been keeping his distance from certain people since his first year, now he hardened himself, he would not let anyone in again.

It was only the first class that Harry Potter realised he was not going to have a good year at Hogwarts, he laughed bitterly thinking, when has he ever had a good year at Hogwarts. Never, so why would this year be any different to the last four.

Apart from Dolores Umbridge, the new defence against the dark arts teacher, Harry was becoming increasingly annoyed by Hermione and her attitude. He never told anyone, not even Ron that he was beginning to really dislike Hermione Granger. One thing concerned Harry and that is the only reason he never told Ron how he feels, he knew Ron had begun to like Hermione, more than just a friend. But he was still having a problem with Ron after his friend believed he entered the tournament the year before. Harry did forgive him but he won't trust him again.

But Harry had realised he had stopped confiding in a lot of people, not just Ron. It took him a couple of years at being at Hogwarts to realise he had to be careful, that no one was really watching his back so he would have to do it himself.

He was grateful to Hermione for her for helping Sirius escape but he knew that Hermione didn't really like Sirius Black. Not long after he did escape on Buckbeak she had been doing her usually stuff of researching, but now she was researching Sirius and his relationship with James Potter. Harry never told her he found out what she was doing, mainly because he had a feeling he knew her reasons.

If Harry could swing it he would spend as much of his holidays with Sirius and not at Privet drive. As far as Hermione is concerned, if Albus Dumbledore said Harry had to remain with his relatives, than Harry should just trust the headmaster. Harry didn't trust the headmaster, he lost his trust in the old man not long after saving the philosophers stone. Harry had asked him why Voldemort wanted to kill him when he was a baby, Dumbledore wouldn't tell him even though Harry felt he had the right. But another reason he had lost his trust in the old man was Snape and how he got away with the way he treated not only Harry, but others, especially the students in Gryffindor. From then on he just refused to have anything to do with Dumbledore, he didn't even look at him. Everyone thought Harry was angry with Dumbledore for ignoring him, but Harry actually liked the fact the old man wasn't giving him any attention.

The headmaster and Hermione weren't the only people he lost trust in. Another was Remus Lupin, at first Harry thought it would be great to talk to the man as he had gone to school with his parents. But it took Harry a few months into his fourth year before he realised that Remus, who was supposedly good friends with his parents, never bothered to visit Harry when he was a kid. If Remus had then maybe the Dursley's treatment of him would not have been so harsh. But after he left Hogwarts, Harry never heard from him again, to Harry, Remus Lupin betrayed his friendship with James and Lily Potter.

Harry did care for Sirius and was glad he was free, he would give anything to be able to live with him and away from the Dursley's. But Harry realised that he didn't fully trust Sirius either. Like with Remus it took Harry a while to realise that Sirius stayed in Azkaban for twelve years, he only decided to escape when he saw that picture of the Weasley's, Pettigrew was on Ron's shoulder. Harry realise that Sirius didn't escape to help his godson, he wanted revenge for the rat getting his best friend, James Potter, killed. Harry realised Sirius only saw Harry as an extension of James, he wanted Harry to be like his father, he wasn't, Harry wasn't like anyone, not his father nor his mother.

Another thing that was beginning to grate on Harry was Hermione's attitude towards house elves. Harry knew some weren't treated good, like Dobby, but most loved their life, yet Hermione just couldn't see it.

He kept watching at her as she stared down at a blank piece of parchment, he had no idea what she was doing or thinking, but he realised he didn't really care.

'Oh, it's no good, I can't concentrate now. I'm going to bed,' Hermione said, Harry thought thank bloody merlin.

She wrenched her bag open; Harry thought she was about to put her book away, but instead she pulled out two misshapen woolly objects, placed them carefully on a table by the fireplace, covered them with a few screwed-up bits of parchment and a broken quill and stood back to admire her effect.

'What in the name of merlin are you doing?' said Ron, watching her as though fearful for her sanity. Harry had a feeling he knew but he would bide his time, for now.

'They're hats for house-elves,' she said briskly, now stuffing her books back into her bag. 'I did them over the summer. I'm a really slow knitter without magic but now I'm back at school I should be able to make lots more.'

'You're leaving out hats for the house-elves?' said Ron slowly. 'and you're covering them up with rubbish first?'

'Yes,' said Hermione defiantly, swinging her bag on to her back.

'That's not on,' said Ron angrily, 'you're trying to trick them into picking up the hats. You're setting them free when they might not want to be free.'

'Of course they want to be free!' said Hermione at once, though her face was turning pink. 'Don't you dare touch those hats, Ron!' she turned on her heels and left. Ron waited until she had disappeared through the door to the girls dormitories, then cleared the rubbish off the woolly hats.

'They should at least see what they're picking up,' he said firmly. 'Anyway'…he rolled up the parchment on which he had written the title of Snape's essay, 'there's no point trying to finish this now, I can't do it without Hermione, I haven't got a clue what you're supposed to do with moonstones, have you?'

Harry shook his head just to satisfy Ron, he had done the research in the library, but Ron would never think to do that, he wants the easy way out for anything, especially homework.

Harry noticed as he shook his head that the ache in his right temple was getting worse. He thought of the long essay on giant wars and the pain stabbed at him sharply. He decided that learning history of magic from Binns was a waste of time, but since his head hurt he would forget doing the homework and just go to the library sometime tomorrow. Reading about giant wars from a book wouldn't be as boring as Binns was in talking about it.

Harry passed Seamus on the way to the door leading to the dormitories, but did not look at him. Harry had a fleeing impression that Seamus had opened his mouth to speak, but he sped up and reached the soothing peace of the stone spiral staircase without having to endure any more provocation.