Changes

After checking in at a hotel not too far from the Leaky Cauldron, Harry washed off the blood that had dried on his clothes as best he could, and walked into London. After searching around for awhile he found exactly what he was looking for. Paying with the muggle money he had changed at Gringotts, Harry admired his purchases. He had never really had a chance to go shopping for himself and found he rather enjoyed it. The shop he had found had so many brilliant clothes in and Harry had most definitely ‘splashed out’.
The growl of his stomach quickly awoke him from his thoughts. Getting back to the hotel, Harry ordered some lunch from room service and picked out an outfit whilst he waited. He had little under a week left until September 1st and he still needed to get some new robes and his school supplies. Once his food had arrived Harry all but devoured it. The Dursleys had fed him as little as possible and, he realized he hadn’t eaten in a few days. A rather amused hoot made him look up.

“Hedwig!”

Harry hadn’t taken Hedwig to the Dursleys that summer, his uncles threats to kill her last summer were still fresh in his mind. At the beautiful snowy owls disgusted but amused hoot he blushed and shrugged.

“Hey, my stomach feels like my throats been cut”

Downing his Pepsi, Harry moved over to stroke his beloved owl. He had sorely missed her during the summer months but it had been worth it to see her safe and well. Leaving Hedwig to finish off his sandwich, he grabbed his clothes and hit the shower. Shampooing his hair, he watched his blood slowly wash away. He hadn’t meant to start self harming but after one of his many ‘dreams’ it had become a regular occurrence.


Harry ran into the clearing. Under him, tatters of winter leaves were freezing in the slush. Night had fallen and the storm had drifted away, leaving a bitter coldness.

His clothes clung to his form, soaking him to the skin. Breathing heavily Harry searched.

A rustling behind him made his breath hitch. He could feel it coming.

Stumbling he raced forward, there! Grabbing it he felt himself tense again. It was close.

Staring down at Godrics sword he felt his desperation ebb away.

He had found it.
He was safe.

As the bushed rustled again, this time louder, Harry drew the blade across his wrist.


Harry had woken up shaking and covered in a cold sweat. Trying to calm down he had almost fainted at the sight of the gash in his wrist.
Now, despite popular belief, Harry wasn’t stupid. He knew he hadn’t really been it that clearing. But he couldn’t deny the evidence before his own eyes either. He had quickly realized it was another of Voldemorts tricks. He couldn’t kill Harry in his dreams but he could torment him. And torment him he did. He would feed off of Harry’s desperation, showing him things in his dreams that had Harry waking up and running for the nearest sharp object.

Banging his fist against the wall Harry cursed. He hated being so weak. He was playing right into the maniacs hands and he knew it. The sad thing was, he almost didn’t care.
Rinsing and drying his hair he studied himself in the mirror. He had grown over the summer, now reaching somewhere round 6ft. Although still far too skinny, Harry had worked hard building up his muscles and was quite pleased with the results. His abs were firm and strong, and he had a six pack to die for. Dressing, he couldn’t help but smirk further. He had chosen some black jeans, tight around the hips and backside but baggy, a simple black t-shirt with his black Dr Martins. Flicking his hair out of his eyes he studied his face. Whilst in muggle London he had bough some contacts but would probably get his eyes magically fixed later. Without his glasses he looked a lot older and less innocent. His hair was longer, almost shoulder length, and still black as pitch. Grabbing his wand, invisibility cloak and Gold from his bed, he gave Hedwig one last pat on the head before heading on out to Diagon Alley.

Whilst under his invisibility cloak, Harry weaved in and out of the crowds. He had already purchased his school supplies and a vision correction potion, surprisingly without any difficulty. It was almost as if invisible customers were normal. Laughing quietly he stepped inside Madam Malkins Robes For All Occasions and after looking around, pulled off his cloak. As much as he would have preferred to stay hidden, he couldn’t exactly be measured for new robes if he was invisible.
Moving through the store Harry almost jumped at the sight of Draco Malfoy standing on the same stool he had seen him on before first year. Gulping quietly Harry noticed Malfoy watching him.

“Well well, if it isn’t Potter”

Hearing Malfoys familiar drawl brought Harry down to earth with a bump. He was the first person he knew that he has seen in what seemed like forever. Giving a sharp nod Harry moved onto the other stool as he was measured for his robes. More than prepared to ignore the blonde boy he was quite shocked when Malfoy continued to speak.

“So how was your summer Potter? Go off with some mudblood friends did you? I of course did not partake in a holiday this year. My father being in Azkaban and all”

Harry ignored Malfoys name calling. He really didn’t see why he should defend his so called friends when they couldn’t even be bothered to write to him. Realizing what Malfoy had meant by the comment about his father, he opened his mouth to reply but was quickly cut off. Obviously Malfoy hadn’t finished.

“Not that it bothered me of course. Those holidays always were boring, I’m quite relieved to not have had to go. And as for my fathers imprisonment, well, I’d call it Karma”

Completely shocked, Harry could only stare at the Slytherin. Did- did he just say he was GLAD that Harry had gotten his father put in Azkaban?
Smirking Malfoy jumped off the stool and paid for his robes. Just as he was about to leave he turned to a still speechless Harry.

“Yes Potter, that was a thank you”

After Malfoy had sauntered away, Harry still struggled to fully grasp what had just happened. Malfoy, Draco-Rich-Stuck-up-Pureblood-Malfoy, had just thanked him, Harry-The-Boy-Who-Refused-To-Die-Potter, for putting his father in Azkaban. Staring at the door Malfoy had just passed through, all he could think was ‘I’ve finally gone mad’