CHAPTER 1.

THE TELEPHONE CALL

Harry Potter awoke like he did every morning: tired, but happy. He stretched his thin arms and ran his fingers through his jet black hair, yawning widely. Life at the Dursleys had been better than it had been in the past, all due to several instances over the last five years. First, there was the pig's tail that Hagrid gave to Harry's cousin Dudley. Then there had been the time when Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had locked him in his room and pretended that he hadn't even existed, that he had gone to a sort of insane asylum during the school year and only came back during the summer. Then the Dursleys had then gotten the shock of their lives when the Weasley twins, Fred and George, and Harry's friend Ron had come to rescue him in their father's flying car. Pandemonium had ensued, but at least Harry didn't have to stay with his relations during the rest of summer holidays.

Then the next summer, Harry made a huge mistake, getting so angry and aggravated with annoying Aunt Marge that he had blown her up and left in a huff, taking the Knight Bus away from his home, or rather his Aunt and Uncle's home.

Don't get mixed up about that, Harry. This isn't your home at all. My REAL home should be somewhere with Sirius.

He had met Sirius Black that year, his godfather and newfound friend, though it had been a rough journey finding out all that information. Sirius had helped Harry through a good many scrapes, though he was still hiding from the Dementors of the prison, Azkaban. Then there had been last year's incident, and a most fond one for Harry. The Weasleys had invited Harry to stay with them for the rest of summer break so that he could go to the Quidditch World Cup with them, and then he and Ron and the rest of the younger Weasleys could proceed to Hogwarts from there. Dudley had been on a diet then, and couldn't resist when the Weasley twins, Fred and George, dropped a Ton-Tongue Toffee on the floor, directly in his line of vision. Not able to resist candy, Dudley ate it, and instantly, his tongue began to grow. Granted, Mr. Weasley had fixed it and everyone had been in a right proper stew about it, but Harry and the Weasleys still chuckled about it when no one was listening.

Harry sighed as he slipped on his glasses, his green eyes blinking in the bright sunlight of morning. Things were better now. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had nothing to do with Harry. Simply let him do as he pleased. The same went for Dudley, who stayed as far away from Harry as possible, afraid possibly that he might slip him another Ton-Tongue Toffee or some such magical concoction. One perhaps that would make his head larger so that it would explode, or transform his bottom into a huge balloon so that he'd float away or some such nonsense. The point was, he steered clear of Harry, and Harry didn't complain. Now that Harry was left to his own devices, he studied his magic books so that he wouldn't forget everything he'd learned so that everything would be fresh in his memory when he returned to Hogwarts in a mere few days.

He wondered how he'd get to Hogwarts THIS time. Every time had been different. The first year had been normal enough. Uncle Vernon had simply driven him to the station and he'd met the Weasleys and had gotten to his train. The second time had been the catastrophe with Ron and the flying car, which had nearly gotten them killed when they ran into the Whomping Willow. The third, when he had ridden the Knight Bus and the fourth, when he had traveled with the Weasleys and had gotten to see what it was like living in a real Wizard family.

Perhaps things will all go normal this time. Harry thought as he gingerly stroked

Hedwig's white feathers through the bars of her cage. But seriously he doubted it. Nothing normal had ever happened to him, Harry Potter, not since his eleventh birthday anyway.

Back then he had found out that he was a wizard, that his parents were wizards and had died at the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort, who too had tried to kill Harry, but had been unable to because of his mother's love for him. That was how he had gotten the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead and when he had earned his name and his reputation for being, "The Boy Who Lived." Everyone he met treated him like some kind of god.

Well at least Ron and Hermione don't. Thats good.

But then again, others didn't treat him like a god either. SEVERAL others. Practically all the Slytherins in Hogwarts HATED Harry. That categorization included Draco Malfoy, his minions Crabbe and Goyle, and of course the Potions Master, Severus Snape, if only to name a few. But Harry didn't care. Not when he had friends and supporters like the headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Sirius, and of course Ron and Hermione. He wasn't sure what he'd do without them if he ever lost them.

A loud banging sounded on the floor beneath him, startling him. "IF YOU WANT ANY FOOD YOU BEST COME DOWN AND FIX IT YOURSELF! BECAUSE I'M NOT SERVING NO WIZARDS WHO CAN PROBABLY.........MAGIC UP THEIR OWN FOOD! SO NOW THEN!!" Aunt Petunia added that little bit in just for defiance, just to make sure Harry didn't think she was losing her grip on her household.

After all, it was HER household, and her sniveling sister's brat wasn't about to shake her, even if he WAS magic. To tell you the truth, Petunia Dursley really was quite affected by her young nephew, especially now as he grew older. He looked more and more like James Potter every day, especially now that he had some height to him, but whenever he walked down the stairs and eyed her sullenly, Lily's eyes pierced right through her, like she was still living. For a moment, Lily Potter stood in front of her sister, shaking her head sadly, but the moment Petunia blinked, Harry stood in her place, walking about the house liked he owned it. It wouldn't do. Not at all. Petunia lived for the day when Harry walked out of her house and she had peace and quiet all school year until summer.

Harry shuffled about, slipping notebooks and quills in his bags to be prepared for the day when he'd leave once more for Hogwarts and a different world. He walked down the stairs quietly, and began to make himself a sandwich. It was slim pickings finding something to eat. Dudley had long since abandoned the diet he had kept so fervently the year before, complaining that it was pointless and stupid that he should have to listen to that stupid git of a nurse who said he was too fat. What did she know of fat? "She should take a look at her bloody rear sometime I tell you!" Dudley had screamed when his father tried to convince him that it was for the best. Petunia had intervened as always and Dudley got his own way, hence becoming as fat as he had ever been, maybe even more so. But all the same, Harry managed to rustle up a liverwurst, mayonnaise, and lettuce sandwich out of the scanty remains in the refrigerator.

As he began to walk upstairs, he suddenly halted in his tracks as the telephone rang. He paused on the step, waiting for Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to come and answer the phone. But no. There was no answer. In fact the house was rather silent. Then he remembered. It was twelve-thirty. Dudley and his parents were going to see a picture show at one and they always liked to get there early so that they could get the time to buy the usual three large cartons of buttered popcorn and two large colas for Dudley. As one can imagine, this took some time, along with the added yelling that Uncle Vernon contributed to the gawking clerk behind the counter.

A rush of excitement flooded through Harry. He had never answered a telephone. Well, he had, but only once and it had been Aunt Marge and the instant he had heard it was her, he hung up. That had earned him extra time of being locked in his closet as well as the punishment of never ever answering the phone. The phone continued to ring as Harry debated whether or not to answer it. Boldness added itself to the excitement and he slammed his sandwich on the counter and grabbed the phone from its cradle saying, "Hullo, Dursleys. Harry spea-," A moment later he had dropped the phone and was covering his ears as a piercing shriek rang through the mouthpiece.

"HUUUUULLLLOOOO!? IS HARRY THEEEERRRRREEEE? THIS IS ROOOOONNNNN WEEEEAAASLLLEEEYY!! HIS FRIIIIIEEEENNNNDDD FROM SCHHHHOOOOOLLLL! CAN ANYONE HEEEEEEAAAAARRRR MEEEE? HULLO? Bloody phelly-tone."

The last part was muttered by the person that Harry knew to be the one and only Ron Weasley. Harry gingerly picked up the phone and held it at arms length, waiting for Ron to start screaming again. He didn't have long to wait.

"HUUUUULLLLOOOOO!!! LOOK!! I JUST WANT TO TAAAAALLLKKK TOOO HARRRY POOOTTTEEERRR!! MEEE AND HIS OTHER FRIEND, HEEEEERRRRRRMMMMMIIIIIOOOOONNNNNEEEEE GRANGER ARE GOING TO, uh, ah, GO SHOPPING!! DO YOU COPY? HULLO? HULLO? LOOK, CAN YOU JUST BLOODY GO GET HARRY? I SWEAR I'LL CAST A SPELL ON YOU I WILL! GIVE YOUR FATTY GIT OF A KID MORE TONGUE GROWING TOFFEES I WILL! JUST WATCH ME!"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle as Ron became more irritated. Finally he took a deep breath and screamed into the mouthpiece,

"ROOOOOONNNNN!!!!" Harry chuckled as he heard Ron drop the phone with a yelp. There was silence a moment more before Harry heard breathing on the other end of the line.

"WWWWWHHHHAAATTT?? HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?" He screamed.

Harry grasped his ears in pain and was just about to scream an answer when he heard voices in the background.

"I say Ronniekins, what are you bellowing about?" An cheerful voice sounded in the background of Ron.

"Oh do shut up. I'm trying to get these Muggles to let me talk to Harry." Ron said in a normal tone of voice, partially covering up the receiver.

"Well you're jolly well not gonna let you talk to him THAT way." The voice said again.

"Yeah Ron. You'll just give 'em an earache." A second voice said. It was Fred and George, Ron's twin brothers.

"Well how do you suggest I talk on the phelly-tone genius?" Ron asked, annoyance in his voice.

"Telephone stupid. And it's easy. Just talk in it like you talk to me. Watch." There was a slight rustling in the receiver as the phone on the other end changed hands and a deeper voice spoke quietly into the phone.

"Hullo? Can we please speak to Harry Potter? It's urgent." The voice said. Harry grinned and pulled the phone close to his ear.

"Is this Fred or George?" There was an exclamation on the other end of the line and the voice began to speak again.

"By golly, Freds! It's Harry! Ron, you had Harry the whole time! Hey Harry! How are you doing you wicked wizard you?" The voice, now identified as George, exclaimed good-naturedly.

"Fine! How 'bout yourself?" Harry answered, a grin on his face.

"Oh fairly well! Gettin' ready for Hog-, OUCH! Ron, quit pinchin'! I'm talkin' to Harry! Sorry. Ron's about to bloody well pinch my arm off. The prat. HEY! No hitting! Its not brotherly! Anyway, just getting ready for Hogwarts. GOSH RON! What are you part veela? Here, take it! Take the phone! I jolly well don't want it! TAKE IT!"

Harry smiled and shook his head as he heard the rustling of the phone being passed to Ron and a door slammed. Another moment later, Harry heard delicate breathing on the other end of the line.

"Stupid prats." Ron muttered.

"Hey Ron! How are you?" Harry asked, thrilled to hear his friend's voice on the line.

"Alright. Fred and George are 'bout to drive me bonkers though. I swear I've had so many Canary Cremes this summer that I feel part bird." Ron said gloomily.

"How do they manage to give you the slip so many times?" Harry asked.

"Oh easy. Wait till Mum makes cheesecakes and stuff and slips them in the center and just hope to Heaven that I get the one with the Canary Creme in it. Stuff like that. Only a few times they managed to turn Dad into a canary. That was a jolly sight I tell you! Seeing Dad, sitting in his seat, as flesh and blood as you please, then a little yellow canary chirping like crazy on the table! It was pretty funny actually." Ron said with a chuckle. "But they are about to drive me bonkers. Hey, you ready for school?" Ron asked.

"No. I haven't gone to Diagon Alley if thats what you mean. Haven't gotten the chance to. Got my list a few days ago." Harry said glumly.

"Yeah well that's what I called about. Me and Hermione are going tomorrow and wanted to know if you wanted to come with us. That way you wouldn't have to go alone." Ron said.

"Yeah, loads of fun it was LAST time." Harry said sarcastically.

"Well hopefully there won't be a Gilderoy Lockheart there! He wasn't on the list of books this year anyway, thanks be to all thats holy." Ron said devoutly.

"Well, what time would you want me to come?" Harry asked, mirth in his tone.

"Oh, we could pick you up. Mum and Dad are gonna let Fred and George DRIVE." The way Ron said, it you could have sworn it was a mix of either envy or pure sarcasm.

"You're joking." Harry asked.

"Nope. It was hard convincing Mum, but Fred and George and Dad managed to get past her. I just jolly well hope they don't decide to let off a firecracker or something while they're driving and get us all killed." Ron said glumly. Harry laughed and shook his head.

"I hope not. What time would you pick me up?" Harry asked.

"Oh, sometime in the morning. That way we wouldn't be there too late." Ron said casually.

"Oh okay. Well is that all then?" Harry asked.

"Yeah I suppose. Can't wait to see you Harry! I just hope that, you know, things don't happen like last year." Ron said, his voice petering off at the end of his sentence.

Harry was silent. He knew what he meant. Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff, had been killed because of Harry. Well Harry felt it was his fault. After all, it had been HE who had suggested that they take the trophy together. So it was his fault that Cedric had stepped into that world with him, that world of death and evil which had ultimately taken the boy's life.

"Me too Ron. So I'll see you tomorrow." Harry said, trying to brush his feelings away.

"Yeah sure. See you! AAAAHHHH!! FRED, YOU GORY PRAT!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Harry laughed aloud as Ron yelled again into the receiver, Fred and George's merry laughter echoing behind him.

"That'll teach you for pinchin' me!" George yelled gleefully. There was a yell of anger from Ron before he slammed the phone into the cradle and disconnected the line. Harry hung up his phone, still chuckling, not even wanting to know what Fred had done to the unfortunate Ron.

Harry's laughter subsided as his fingers slipped off the phone and he slowly grabbed his sandwich, chewing it thoughtfully as he walked up the stairs to his room. He thought of the past year's events, of the changes, of the horrors it had brought. He had brought Voldemort back to life with his own blood. He knew that he had not only endangered himself, but also the lives of the other people he knew. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, everyone. They all could be affected if he could not hold their lives in the balance.

************************************************************************

Author's Note: Guess what all? I OWN HARRY POTTER!! YES! YES INDEED! I'm J.K. Rowling and I feel that my books aren't getting wide enough renown, therefore, I've decided to post them on this fanfiction site...................................I hope ALL of you can guess the utter sarcasm with which I type this. :-) Anyway, I don't own ANYBODY except a few people I'm going to add to the realm of Harry Potter. So don't worry. I'll get all the characters back safely. I'm just borrowing them. I didn't want to post this at the beginning because it would look cluttered. I don't like it when things look cluttered. I'm rather a neat freak. Or better yet, a perfectionist. :-) Anyway, hope you like the story so far! ON TO CHAPTER TWO!! PLEASE!! And input is GREATLY appreciated.