It was close to the end of his stay at #4 Private Drive. His uncle and cousin had been rather rough this time. They had him do all sorts of nasty chores. Mow the yard, trim the hedges, weed the gardens, polish the cars, and scrub the floors with his toothbrush (instead he used Dudley's), clean the gutters, change the oil, and other tiring jobs.
The intense work helped keep him busy. Not once had his mind traveled to the night Dumbledore died. Which he was glad to do the chores, they helped him forget. He would have gone insane if he thought about all the loved ones he had lost over the past few years. However, his stay was coming to end this week, and he would be forced to return to the wizarding world.
Lupin had been the only one to contact him. Saying that in 2 days he and a few order members would be by to pick him up. Grimmauld was still the orders HQ. Dumbledore had assigned a new secret keeper before he died, and Lupin was living there. Hermione and Ron were staying there as well. He had also been informed that Dobby was taking care of the house now.
It was raining that night as he slept. The sheets were wrapped wildly around his legs. He's head tossed to the side, he's eyes shut tightly. Horrid scenes played behind his eyes. Lightning struck and thunder roared. With a snap, Harry Potter jolted awake.
He rolled out of bed and threw on black sweats and a dark red T-shirt.
"Hedwig, fly to Lupin." With a peck of her beak she flew out into the storm. He scrambled around his room, shrinking his things and putting them away inside his trunk. Once his room was cleaned of his personal items he shrunk his trunk and Hedwig's cage, placing them inside his pocket. Lightning lit up the sky highlighting his intense green eyes.
He held his wand ready to go wake his uncle.
A crash sounded downstairs as Harry opened his door. Uncle Vernon bashed out of his room, face red from anger. Aunt Petunia followed behind him. A groan came from Dudley as he opened his door.
"BOY! WHAT DO YOU THINK…" His yell was interrupted by a spell nearly hitting Harry, who dodged back into his bedroom.
He look to his uncle, "Run!" He yelled.
He shot a stunning spell at the death eaters progressing up the stairs. Green lights mixed with red came at Harry. He retreated back into his bedroom to avoid getting hit.
The first death eater reached the top.
He pointed his wand at Harry who had no cover at the moment.
"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Yelled Vernon. The death eater turned and Harry realized who it was as his long platinum hair swished behind him. Lucius raised his wand and smiled.
"It won't be for long." Harry raised his wand and shot a stunning curse. Lucius fell as Vernon was engulfed in green light. He fell lifeless and Petunia's screams echoed through the hall.
Two death eaters joined Lucius stunned body. One turned to him and raised his wand. Harry rolled and disarmed him with a spell. The cloaked death eater growled and dived after his wand. The other eater raised her wand at Petunia and she soon joined her dead husband.
Harry put the unarmed death eater in a full body bind as Dudley shouted, "NO, MOM! DAD!"
The last eater turned and smiled.
"Foolish boy," Pointing her wand at him.
"Leave him alone." Harry said his wand pointed at her.
"Harry..." Dudley whispered. His eyes widened and filled with tears as he was hit with green light just like his mom and dad, lying no more than 5 feet from their dead son.
Harry screamed in rage, as his only family lay dead. He sent a boil hex at her then rolled picking up Lucian's wand, pointing both at her. She laughed as she deflected his spell. He cast a shield charm with his wand, then cast another hex at her with the other.
Red light reflected off his shield as he backed down the stairs, shooting hex's left and right. It wasn't safe to go out the front where the door had been blown off so he retreated to the back.
She followed him, with the evilest smile. And he realized who she was. "Bellatrix." He raised his wands all thoughts of retreat, fled his mind.
She smiled, "Potter." She cast another curse his way and he ducked out of the way throwing two of his own. Sweat had appeared on their foreheads as the circled each other in a duel to the death. She had his back to the back door and was gaining footing on him.
He could stay and fight, but he would surely be killed. No he had to run, make it to London and hope he could find # 12 Grimmauld place.
He crashed through the glass door, a large gash forming on his forehead. His body was quickly soaked through and he could hear Bellatrix laughter behind him.
A spell hit him in the leg and sent blood spattering the wet grass. He fell to his knees another spell ripping open his back.
He rolled to his side and threw Lucian's wand, which hit her in the stomach going in a few inches. She cried in pain and he seized his chance. He sprinted to the fence and jumped it. The pain was intense as he ran through his neighbor's back yard. The fence behind him exploded, he didn't slow, leaping over the next one. He soon lost her and himself. Eventually finding a bus station. He had enough muggle money to get him close to London.
The rest of the way he would have to walk.
People gave him strange looks as he limped into the station, his face, back and leg bleeding profusely.
"Sir, do you need help?" The desk clerk asked, worry evident on his face.
"I just need a ticket to get as close to London as possible. I'm afraid this is all I have." Harry said handing him the money. The clerk nodded and printed his ticket.
"Leaves in 20 minutes, you'll be 4 miles outside of London." He said handing the bloody boy the ticket. Harry smiled and thanked him before making his way to the bus.
He had only a few minuets to spare as he found himself a seat. He quietly sat down and watched those around him for any small movements.
A death eater may have followed him and would attack. Luckily he was clear as the bus began to move. He sighed and leaned back into the chair relaxing some, but not entirely.
The bus finally reached its destination: a small bus stop outside of the London streets.
Harry found a bathroom and cleaned the blood from his face, then pushed his hair down to hide the gash and his scar. He pulled out a cloak, from his trunk still in his pocket, and resized it, pulling it on. He pulled up the hood then made his way out onto the streets.
He stopped once to get directions to #13 Grimmauld place. Slowly but surely he made his way to his inherited house. The sun had risen about 5 hours ago. It was now 9 a.m. He didn't know what he was going to do, but that house was the only place he felt safe.
He doubled around in hopes to lose any followers then made his way into the back.
The door was locked, "Alohamora" and the door clicked open. The inside was dark and no one was up yet. He pulled out his invisibility cloak and made his way through the house. He quickly flattened himself against the wall as all three of them walked down the staircase and made their way into the kitchen.
Harry quietly followed after, pleased to see his friends after so long, and that they were all right.
The kitchen table was full of breakfast as the three sat down and ate. Ron immediately grabbing a plate full and shoving eggs into his mouth.
Dobby popped into the kitchen holding a newspaper.
"Master Lupin, Dobby bring you paper." Lupin smiled his thanks and took it, with a pop Dobby was gone again.
Lupin took a sip of orange juice and quickly spit it out in a spray all over Hermione, while he read the header of the first page.
"Bloody hell!" Lupin said. Hermione quickly took the paper from him and read it while Ron read over her shoulder.
"Oh no, Harry. Professor?" She asked, looking at him.
"I'm going to Hogwarts and see what I can find out." He said standing and getting his robe, with a sad smile he apperaited.
Ron wrapped his arms around Hermione's shoulder as she began to cry.
"He's fine! After all, he's bloody Harry Potter. No worries love." He said. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and Ron looked in Harry's direction. His eyes widen, while Harry stood still, afraid he'd been figured out.
"Hermione, what's that?" He asked. Hermione looked to see a small pool of blood on the kitchen floor; more blood was dripping in it.
"Who's there?" She asked. His secret was out, so he pulled off the cloak and leaned against the wall, weak from all that had happened in the past few hours.
"HARRY! OH MY GOD!" She said shoving herself off Ron and running to his side. Ron's face grew red with anger but was lost quickly.
Hermione pulled him into a hug, but Harry cried out in pain as she squeezed his back to hard.
"You're hurt." She said, worry and concern in her eyes, not to mention relief.
Harry smiled weakly then collapsed against her small frame from the lose of blood.