The Worst Summer

CHAPTER 1: ABANDONED

As Harry was leaving King's Cross Station with his Uncle Vernon, he saw Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker, sitting on a bench waiting for her parents. "Uncle Vernon, could you wait here please? I have someone I want to say good-bye to," Harry said.

"I'll give you no more than five minutes," Uncle Vernon replied, "I am on a busy schedule."

Harry ran over to Cho. "Cho," he said, I am so sorry about Cedric's death."

"Thank you, Harry, it means a lot to me that you care, especially since I turned you down for him for the Yule Ball," Cho replied.

"Look Cho, I don't have long. Do you have a quill and a piece of parchment that I could use?"

"Why, Harry."

"So that I can give you my address and we can keep in touch over the summer."

"Sure, Harry. I'd like that." Cho dug out a quill, a piece of parchment and an ink bottle out of her trunk. She handed them to Harry.

Harry dipped the quill into the ink and wrote,"

Harry Potter

#4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey."

Harry handed the ink, quill and parchment back to Cho. "Well, I've got to run. See you in September." Harry left Cho and returned to where his Uncle Vernon was waiting for him. They continued towards the car.

Before they got ten paces, though, Cho ran up to Harry. She handed him a piece of parchment. "Here," she said, "My address."

"Thanks Cho."

"You are welcome Harry." Cho returned to her bench.

"Who's that? Your girlfriend?" asked Uncle Vernon after Cho left.

"No," replied Harry, "she's just a friend."

"Yeah right," Uncle Vernon huffed.

"I could hex you right now," Harry thought. He wished he could, but being an under-age wizard, Harry couldn't do magic out of Hogwarts unless it was an emergency.

* * *

There was an air of hostility as Harry got into the vehicle. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were both waiting there. "I don't know why you keep letting them send him back to us," said Aunt Petunia, "We don't want to have anything to do with FREAKS like him and yet you keep taking him back."

"I keep thinking we can squash that abnormality out of him," Uncle Vernon replied.

Harry was struggling to keep control of himself. He remembered what happened two summers ago when he lost control of his powers:

Flashback (Prisoner of Azkaban):

Aunt Marge was putting Harry's parents down. Harry got angry at Aunt Marge. She had inflated like a balloon and rose up to the ceiling of the house. End of Flashback.

Harry smiled to himself at the thought of Uncle Vernon inflating and floating at the ceiling of #4 Privet Drive.

Harry took several deep breaths to calm himself. "What are you doing boy?!" Uncle Vernon bellowed.

"Meditating, it's a method of relaxation. It has nothing to do with the 'M' word," Harry replied.

"It had better not!"

"You know that I'm not allowed to practice it outside of the school."

"You have broken that rule before. Remember boy!"

"Oh yes, Aunt Marge," Harry said without regret.

"You watch that tone boy or you'll get such a walloping you won't know what hit you!"

That's when harry lost his temper. He kept control of his powers as he shouted, "I could squash you like bugs! I have magical powers! I am a Wizard!"

It was a good thing they were on a deserted street with no other traffic because Uncle Vernon slammed on the brakes so hard everyone lurched forward. He threw the gearshift into park. He got out and slammed the door. He threw open the back and heaved Harry's trunk onto the shoulder. He set Hedwig's cage on the trunk.

He threw open Harry's door. "You...out...now!" were the only words Harry could make out through Uncle Vernon's bellowing. Harry got out of the car. He noticed that Aunt Petunia was whiter than usual and that Dudley was shivering in fear.

Uncle Vernon climbed back in the driver's seat. "Let's see your magic get you out of this," Uncle Vernon called as he drove off.

Harry was now alone, in the middle of nowhere. Hedwig was shrieking loudly. "Shut up you stupid owl, before I turn you into a mouse!" Harry yelled at Hedwig.

Harry realized what he had said and apologized to Hedwig. Harry's anger and hatred towards Uncle Vernon burned inside of him. "I hope he crashes," said harry to the thin air, "I hope they crash and burn in H - E - L - L!"

* * *

One hour passed. Two hours. It was getting late and Harry's anger subsided into fear. This would be an ideal time for Lord Voldemort to attack.

Harry was also getting hungry. Hedwig hooted reassuringly. "Fine for you to say. I could let you out and you could hunt for your food," said Harry.

Harry then remembered something else that happened that second summer. When he was on the run from the Dursley's he remembered seeing the dark shape between two houses and holding his wand out. He then remembered the arrival of the Knight Bus. He set Hedwig's cage on the ground. He pulled out his wand and held out his right hand.

As Harry had remembered, there was a loud BANG. The Knight Bus came to a stop right in front of him.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just hold out your wand, step on board and we'll take you anyplace you want to go. My name's Stan Shunpike, and I'll be your conductor this evening."

Stan then noticed who it was standing there. Hey Ern, it's Neville." He turned to Harry, "Or is it Harry?"

"It's Harry," Harry replied.

"Choo doing out here in the middle of nowhere Harry?"

"My uncle abandoned me."

"Where ya goin' 'Arry?"

"Leaky Cauldron, I guess."

"Seven Sickles. For ten you get 'ot chocolate and for eleven you get a 'ot water bottle and a toofbrush in the color of your choice."

Harry pulled out his money pouch and counted out eleven Sickles. He handed them to Stan who then stepped down and helped Harry lug his trunk into the bus. Stan then went and got Hedwig for Harry.

There was only one bed left in the whole bus. It was on the main level. Harry shoved his trunk under this bed. He then took Hedwig from Stan and hung her cage on a hook that mysteriously appeared at the foot of his bed.

He laid face down on his bed and sobbed quietly. "Why was everything going wrong for him now, when he most needed things to go right?" he asked himself.

First, he was accused of conjuring the Dark Mark (Lord Voldemort's personal identification mark for his Death Eaters) after the Quidditch World Cup. He didn't do it, but the wizard who did stole his wand and used it.

Second, his name came out of the Goblet of Fire at the beginning of the Triwizard Tournament last year. This caused he and Ron to stop talking until the end of the first task which was several weeks later.

Third, Rita Skeeter, a reporter for the Daily Prophet (Wizard's newspaper), who made up lies about people wrote several articles about Hermione, Hagrid and himself. This caused the whole school, especially the Slytherins to make fun of them.

Fourth, he saw Wormtail kill Cederic Diggory then bring Lord Voldemort back using some of Harry's own blood. He had to fight a Wizard's duel with Voldemort and in the end, he forced Voldemort's wand to expel the previous spells he'd cast. Harry wound up seeing 'Shadows' of his parents.

Now, with his aunt and uncle abandoning him in the middle of nowhere, it was just too much for him to handle.

Harry wished Hermione were there. She always had a way of comforting his tortured soul. She was probably at home, safe and sound with her parents.

How Harry wished he had parents. Lord Voldemort killed them when Harry was only a year old. That is what had forced him to live with his aunt and uncle for the greater part of fourteen almost fifteen years. The only times Harry had even seen his parents were when he looked into the Mirror of Erisid in his first year, and when he saw their 'Shadows' come out of Voldemort's wand during his duel with Voldemort. He had also heard them when he was faced with the Dementors in his third year.

He didn't know how long these thoughts were going through his head when Stan tapped on his shoulder. "Your 'ot water bottle, 'ot chocolate, and your toofbrush 'Arry," he said.

"Thank you Stan," replied Harry.

"Woss wrong 'Arry?" asked Stan.

"I'd rather not talk about it," said Harry.

"Okay. I'll let you know when we get to the Leaky Cauldron."

"Thanks Stan." Stan left. Harry drank the hot chocolate. He placed the empty cup on the table below Hedwig's cage. He removed his glasses and set them on the table. He laid in his bed and cradled the hot water bottle to his chest.

He decided that when he got to the Leaky Cauldron he'd write to Hermione. He'd also write Dumbledore, Sirius and the Weasleys. He'd also write a letter to Cho and see how she was doing.

Harry eventually drifted off to sleep. He was woken up some time later by Stan tapping his shoulder again. "What is it this time?" Harry snapped.

"We've reached the Leaky Cauldron, 'Arry," Stan replied.

Abandoned

The Worst Summer