The Renegade

Chapter One: Rebirth of a Phoenix

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly for Harry and before he knew it he was up in his room, counting down the seconds till midnight. Lying down on his small, cramped bed, he watched in tense anticipation as the second hand crept closer and closer to its target, through the cracked glass surface of Dudley's old alarm clock.

As soon as the hand hit twelve, he gave a startled yelp as heard an odd rapping sound on his window. Throwing the tattered covers off him, Harry blinked for a moment before grinning at the scene before him.

Pig, Errol and two other grey owls he did not recognize, were perched on his windowsill precariously, having to balance the weight of their postages with their own. Biting back a laugh that would have woke the household up, Harry opened up the window to let them in.

The two grey owls delivered their parcels and left immediately while Pig proceeded to test Harry's seeking skills. After hitting the lampshade, Harry plucked the tiny fluffball out of the air and removed his attachments before stuffing him into Hedwig's cage.

"Sorry girl," muttered Harry sheepishly as she glared at him for putting a comatose owl and a hyperactive one inside her cage. Opening his first letter, he began to read the messy scrawl that was distinctively Ron.

Hey Mate!

Happy 16^th birthday! Things have been really crazy around here and I really hope that Dumbledore allows you to come and stay soon. If not we'll probably see each other on the first of September. Enclosed is a book that you might find handy just in case you suddenly feel the suicidal urge to play against me. Please reply this letter Harry because if you don't... We're really worried about you Harry.

You can't keep everything bottled up inside. It's just not healthy. Hermione sends her wishes as well and her present is together with this letter. She just flooed over to give me your present, then goes straight back to Bulgaria. Honestly, I have no idea what she sees in that grouchy git! She probably couldn't send it due to the nation wide strike happening in Bulgaria concerning the Overwhelmed and Oppressed Owls Organization

(O.O.O.O).

Hope to see you soon.

Ron

Harry eagerly tore open his package and out fell two thickset books, "A Hundred and One and A Half ways to win a Game of Chess" and "Know Your Broomstick!"

Glancing through the pages, he thought it was quite unexpected of Hermione to give him a book on Quidditch as she hated the sport of flying but then again Harry wasn't exactly complaining either.

Opening another letter, Harry noted it was from Fred and George.

To Our Sole Contributor a.k.a Harrykins,

We at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes wish to grant you this fine opportunity to spread the love as the Hippies say, to your dearest Dudders on your 16^th birthday. Enclosed is a new project we've been working on. Please do try it and tell us if it works mate. Happy Birthday Harrykins!

Masters of Mischief,

Gred and Forge

P.S Blackmail Material (1) - Ginny used to sleep in bed till the age of 9 with a stuffed Harry Potter doll.

His eyes bugged out at that statement. He fought to control his furious blush as it spread all over his face as he thought of Ginny in a skimpy nightgown hugging a doll to her chest. Only problem was that this Ginny wasn't nine!

She was fifteen with the curves in all the right places and Harry felt that he was stupid he didn't notice her before. Furthermore, she was really nice and had a great personality to boot. Reflecting, Harry knew that his chance was gone when she told Hermione that she was over him.

Sighing, Harry wisely put the present aside for another time as he noticed it was shaking quite a bit. It would not be good for half the roof that covered the house to disappear in one night or something equally disastrous.

Opening his next letter, he noted that the penmanship was feminine with an elegant twist to it.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday! You're finally sixteen. The Burrow's been quiet lately with Bill, Charlie and Percy gone and the twins creating havoc in Diagon Alley. But I don't think a certain brother of mine (read: Ron) has been that still. You should see him Harry! The moment a letter from Hermione comes he's up in his room, pacing about and muttering.

Either that or he's always going on about bloody Bulgarians.

Therefore I need your help. We need (not want Harry, need, absolutely need) to launch Operation: Ron And Hermione Together for the Benefit Of Magical Society or also known as Operation: RAHTBOMS.

We'll discuss the details when you get here and I hope you like you present. It's a woodcarving I did. Take care Harry!

Love,

Ginny

Harry chuckled to himself as his mind immediately started to think about various ways to get them together but screeched to mind-numbing halt as he read the closing lines again. "She wrote love," muttered Harry as he stared at the parchment, daring it to become a dream.

Grinning to himself, Harry opened up the parcel to find a beautifully crafted Griffin in mid-flight. Painted in hues of gold and red and it was hard to believe that it was not alive. Setting the woodwork down on his table, Harry turned to his remaining letter.

It was plain white but Harry felt a sense of foreboding as he approached it. Throwing caution to the wind and opening the letter, Harry instantly felt the wards around the house collapse like sheets of paper and saw black flames licking at the roof, eating its way fast into the other parts of the house.

Swearing, Harry jumped off his bed and ran to Dudley's room. The heat was unbearable and he could feel raw blisters forming at the back of his neck.

"Dudley! Wake up! The house is on fire! Move your arse out bed!"

"What is the meaning of this boy?! What have you and your freakish kind done now?!" shouted Uncle Vernon from behind Harry as his wife cowered behind him, eyes darting everywhere, looking for an escape route.

"Look. You can do whatever you want to me after we're away from here but in case you didn't notice the roof is going to crush us all at any moment so it's best if you just shut up and listen to me," said Harry as he locked his emerald eyes with his uncle and exuded a sense of power so great that Vernon took a step back and nodded mutely.

Harry looked around and noticed that the stairs leading to the door were on fire and it had cut of their only hope of escape. "Damn the wizarding laws," thought Harry as he brandished his wand and before any one could protest, levitated his relatives towards the front door.

Before he himself could move however, a section of the roof gave way pinning Harry under it. He felt, more than heard a loud crack that told him his sides were broken and he was just moments away from death as the black flames loomed closer.

Knowing full well that there was not any hope for himself any longer, Harry summoned a nearby piece of the wreckage and tapped it with his wand muttering, "Portus."

"This will take you to the Weasley's home," spoke Harry as he began to lose consciousness. "Tell them I love them, please," as he banished the item towards the Durselys who took hold and promptly disappeared.

Coughing up blood, he noticed a snowy white form gliding towards him as he started to fade into a dark peace. As the shape loomed closer, Harry realized that Hedwig was much larger than before as she grabbed him and disappeared in a flash of fire, before the walls around them gave way and crumbled to dust.