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"Do you ever think about running away?"

She had asked him that question. Of course he thought about it. Everyday it seemed. But he could never bring himself to leave her. If she came with him...

Harry Potter sat in his room. He toyed with his scarlet and gold comforter. Not unlike the rest of his room. Everything was scarlet and gold. It was all so bright. It gave him countless headaches.

Harry had gone out of his way to be what they wanted. A Gryffindor. A chaser. A prodigy in transfiguration and defense. He secretly despised it all. If he had had a choice he would have chosen Ravenclaw. He loved seeking. The diving was what he lived for. Nothing compared to rising up to the sky almost touching the clouds. There was nothing like diving from such a height. That was except for her kisses...

He hated transfiguration. Charms was his area of expertise. No. He had to be like his father. Just like James Potter. At times like these he hated his father. He could never go a day without hearing about James Potter. From Snape to McGonagall to Sirius they all wanted James. Why couldn't he have been born with red hair?

Speaking of red hair. Sirius was trying his hardest to set Harry up with Ginny Weasley. Harry was thankful he had never declared Sirius as his Regent. He had given that to Arcturus, who in turn, gave it to Pollux, who proceeded to hand it over to Aunt Andy. Shocked the hell out of everyone that...

Ginny Weasley. She was a cute little girl. But that was all she was to him. A little girl. Remus and Sirius grated on Harry's nerves. Sirius would drop hints about Ginny while Remus would not so subtly say things about Hermione Granger. Harry wanted neither one. The could never compare to her.

They tried to keep him from everything. His money and his titles. They said, "No. You have so much to focus on already. When you are older..."

He hated his life and the daily routines. He remembered when he turned nine:

"Get up Harry." Harry woke to see his godfather, Sirius Black, standing over.

Harry looked outside and frowned, "Aww Siri it's not even daylight. Wha'da want?"

Sirius looked down at him, "Today you begin training."

"For what?" Harry asked in confusion. What was he training for?

"Professor Dumbledore says Voldemort will be back one day. You must be prepared." He turned to leave the room. Stopping at the door Sirius said, "I expect you to be downstairs in ten minutes."

That was the beginning of his life. That had been almost six years ago. He was being trained to defeat Voldemort. His friends, the few he had, all had lives. They did not have to train. They could read whatever they wanted. They could go out on Friday and Saturday nights. They did not have to defeat a dark lord.

"Professor Dumbledore said." He could go the rest of is life without hearing that phrase and it still would not be enough.

Harry had been training everyday since he turned nine. He rarely got breaks. He had to make up years they said. Voldemort would not give him a break they said. Merlin, he hated them.

Sometimes he hated Arcturus for dying and leaving him with his grandson. The old man had had a dark sense of humor and had always come to his rescue.

A week later Astoria Greengrass sat on her bed in her cozy little room. She sighed in agitation. If she could only kill that blond ferret and get away with.

Damn Daphne. Why couldn't she leave her alone? Daphne went out of her way to make Astoria miserable. Astoria could only guess at the reason...Harry Potter. Like all girls Daphne had a crush on Harry Potter, but unfortunately Harry never paid one iota of attention to Daphne. Served her right with her nasty little attitude. Astoria would never forget Daphne's face...

Daphne and Astoria were sitting in their backyard when a boy with bright green eyes and messy hair came over to them. His clothes were ripped and dirty.

"Hi," he said waving shyly.

Astoria waved back, but Daphne gave him no attention.

The green-eyed boy frowned then asked, "What's your name?"

"Astoria," she answered promptly.

Daphne, however, sneered, "Go away you stupid boy. Why would we speak to someone who is so obviously beneath us?"

"Daphne," Astoria scolded. Shaking her head Astoria said, "You must forgive my sister. She isn't feeling well. What is your name?"

The hurt in his green eyes had been clear as day. Turning back to Astoria the boy answered, "Harry Potter."

Astoria giggled in remembrance. Neither one ever forgot that encounter. Harry always steered clear away from Daphne whenever they met.

Astoria sighed and pulled out Harry's letter

My Tori,

Do you remember asking me if I ever thought about running away? Well I have and I still do. But I cannot leave you. If you will come with me I can make you happy. We can live on the Potter Island. Sirius cannot get onto it and we will never be found. We can leave and never have to see these people again. We can do whatever we want. I turn seventeen in three years and then we will be able to marry without consent. I can have the house elves bring books and things from my library. You will never want for anything...

The letter continued with Harry's pleading. She could go with Harry and be happy or she could stay here and see Draco Malfoy. Her mother and Daphne wanted her to marry Draco, but Draco could never measure up. She would rather be with Harry and live a life in destitution then be with Draco sodding Malfoy.

Astoria looked over her letter and nodded her head.

"Blinky," she called in a loud whisper.

"Yes Miss. Astoria?"

"Can you pack my belongings."

She went over to her desk and wrote a small note, "Slink."

"Yous called Slink Miss. Astoria."

"Yes, Slink. Bring this to Harry Potter's room."

When Harry arrived in his room he saw a Greengrass house elf. "Hello."

"Miss Astoria says for Slink to bring this letter to Harry Potter's room."

Harry nodded his head. Harry took a deep breath as he opened the letter. This letter would determine his fate.

Yes my Harry. Was all the letter said. Three little words that made Harry grin with abandon. Happiness was just around the corner.

Harry looked around. Slink was still there. "When Miss. Astoria finishes can you pop her over here?"

"Yes Mr. Potter," Slink said before popping away.

"Kreacher."

"Master Harry," the old elf said. Neither could stand each other, but both had a mutual dislike of Sirius, Remus, and most of all Dumbledore. There was an enemy of my enemy thing going on.

"Pack my belongings. Get my dad's cloak for me." Sirius had taken the cloak when Harry had hid under it to get away from them. They only found him because he had gotten hungry.

The next morning Sirius Black woke up late. He looked outside to see it was daylight. He frowned. The house elves usually woke him no later than 5:00. What was going on.

Looking around his room nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He got up and went to Harry's room. The child had to get up. He had to practice his Charms work. When Sirius tried to turn the knob the door would not open. Banging on the door Sirius said, "Time to wake up Harry." Sirius liked to give Harry his privacy. He was almost fifteen after all.

After about five minutes and still no answer Sirius became annoyed. "Alohamora." The door clicked open. Harry's bed was made up. In fact the room was tidier than he had ever seen it. Nothing was on the floor. Sirius knocked on the bathroom door. He heard nothing. Turning the lock he saw that no one was in there.

"Maybe he is hiding in the closet." Sirius received the shock of his life as he opened his godson's closet. It was completely bare. There was a note on the floor.

Don't look for me. I'm long gone.

HJP