A Different World

AN: This story will depict Harry´s 5^th year at Hogwarts. There will be more action/adventure/romance (As far as romance goes this story will be strictly R/H and H/G of course) in future chapters. I just had to set the tone of the story in this chapter. Thanks to Moey, my awesome beta!

Chapter 1: Home

Harry awoke at roughly nine on Sunday morning to a tapping on the window. He fumbled for his glasses on his nightstand and sat up in his bed, looking around with a look of bewilderment. A ruffled looking barn owl was attempting to get Harry´s attention by flying around in circles around his head. "Okay, Okay....just give me a minute." He pulled out a small bag where he kept his gold galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts. He pulled out 5 of the little bronze coins and carefully set them into the leather pouch tied to the owl´s leg and pulled off his copy of the Daily Prophet.

With Voldemort back it had seemed like a good idea to keep up with the Wizard World during the summers. Though this was the main reason he had decided to take out a subscription, he secretly enjoyed the Quidditch more than the boring headlines on the front page. He was happy the headlines were boring. This should have meant that there were no deaths and crimes by death eaters to report, but Harry suspected that Fudge was trying to cover the whole thing up. Once in awhile he saw an article titled "Freak Accident Kills Muggle-Born Family". The first time he had seen one such article he had sent a letter to Ron and his suspicions had been confirmed by Mr. Weasley. Fudge was attempting to pretend that Voldemort had not returned.

This summer with his relatives was just about as fun as the past ones. The Dursleys ignored his very existence and Dudley backed away from him in fright. Sometimes Harry would pass away the time by thinking about Ron and Hermione and all the good times they had had at Hogwarts. Inevitably though, his thoughts would turn to the previous year and when they did he pushed these thoughts as far in the back of his mind as they would go, repeating the phrase Hagrid had said last year which was almost becoming his motto: "What would come would come and he would just have to meet it when it did." Harry was interrupted from his reverie by an owl, this time carrying a letter from Ron. He opened the letter eagerly hoping Ron was telling him he was finally allowed to come to the Burrow. It read:

Harry,

Good news! Dumbledore has finally given us permission to bring you to the Burrow. I know there are only 2 weeks left until school starts, but at least it´s something. Hermione is coming as well. I´m surprised she found time for us when she´s been gallivanting halfway across the world to see someone she barely knows. Anyways, we´ll come to pick you up Sunday at 11.30 am. Don´t worry, we are coming in a car this time so the Muggles don´t flip. See you soon

Ron

Ps. Have you heard from Snuffles lately?

Harry picked up a quill and a bottle of ink and began writing a reply to Ron though he wasn´t sure Ron would get it before he was at the Burrow anyway. He confirmed the time that he was to be extracted from the Dursleys, and told Ron of the few short, hurried letters he had received from Sirius basically just saying that he was alive and well. Harry was tempted to add to the letter that Hermione had only been with Viktor for a day or two and what was the problem with that, but decided that teasing wasn´t worth fighting with Ron.

After sending his letter along with Pig, Harry took a shower and then proceeded downstairs to get some breakfast. His Uncle Vernon was sitting at the breakfast table reading the newspaper, while Aunt Petunia passed out cantaloupe slices (Dudley was still on his diet). Harry´s pudgy cousin, who still took up a whole side of the kitchen table, had his eyes on the TV. Harry sat down silently and ate his cantaloupe without complaint. He figured he would have to tell his aunt and uncle that the Weasleys were coming or they would be even angrier than usual. "Er.....Uncle Vernon?" Harry questioned timidly.

"What do you want, boy?" his uncle spat.

"I just wanted to let you know that the Weasleys are coming to pick me up at 11:30 today, but they´ll definitely be coming in a car."

"Damn right they will be. I don´t want any of that abnormality being displayed in my house." Uncle Vernon shouted and pounded his fist on the table. "Make sure they act civil this time. And Dudley?" Dudley tore his eyes away from the TV screen to look up at his father. "You will be up in your bedroom when those....those......freaks come to get him." He jerked a finger towards Harry. Dudley nodded his head meekly remembering his latest encounter with wizards.

The grandfather clock in the living room rang 11 times. Harry ran up to his room to do some last minute packing. He threw his invisibility cloak, penknife, and Firebolt in his trunk (he had never received the marauder´s map back from when he lent it to Moody) and proceeded to drag it downstairs towards the door. Harry raced back upstairs again grabbed Hedwig and set her cage on his trunk awaiting the arrival of the Weasleys. Fifteen minutes later he heard a knock at the door. He leaped up, opened the door and was greeted with the sight of two redheaded people. "Hi Mr. Weasley. Hey Ron."

"Hey Harry! Got your stuff ready?" Ron asked quickly while Mr. Weasley eyed the TV set excitedly. He took a step towards the TV and the Dursleys backed away nervously.

"Yeah my stuff is right here." Harry said pointing to his trunk and Hedwig in the corner or the room. Ron helped him carry the trunk and Mr. Weasley grabbed Hedwig and they hurriedly set out towards the car all the while getting a disapproving glare from Uncle Vernon.

"So how´s your summer been going, Harry?" Mr. Weasley inquired lightheartedly.

"It´s been alright. Thank you for inviting me to the Burrow. I´ve looked forward to coming here all summer," Harry replied. Ron snorted, perhaps because his words had sounded like something Hermione would say. "Where are Fred and George?" He asked remembering that they were usually present when he was picked up from the Dursleys.

"Mum wouldn´t let them come." Ron said with a grin. "Something about `torturing that Muggle boy last year, I can´t believe you two,´" Ron mocked with an uncanny impersonation of Mrs. Weasley. Harry let out a chuckle remembering the ton-tongue toffee.

The rest of the drive was monotonous. Mr. Weasley made small talk and Ron and Harry laughed at the stories from his own school days.

When they arrived at the Burrow, they found Hermione there waiting for them.

"My parents dropped me off while you were getting Harry," she said pointedly to Ron. "It´s so good to see you guys!" She then proceeded to give them each an enthusiastic hug and Harry couldn´t help but notice the way the tips of Ron´s ears turned red when Hermione let go of him. Harry smiled at his two best friends. Finally, he was home.