MetaFic

She walked away from him, and as he watched her go, he found that the terrible weight in his stomach seemed to have lessened slightly.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Page 864, U.S. Hardback Edition

--Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Page 870, U.S. Hardback Edition.

***
Harry Potter rode in the backseat of his Uncle Vernon's car, looking out the window. His uncle maneuvered the over-sized automobile through the narrow streets while cursing softly under his breath. Harry smiled to himself. Anything that got on his uncle’s nerves was fine with Harry, so he found himself applauding the driver of a battered old Morris who cut his uncle off.

Harry kept his eyes trained out the window as Vernon took the car deep into London instead of immediately heading for Little Whinging. Vernon pulled the car into a space in front of a store that Harry was not familiar with, letting his Aunt Petunia and Cousin Dudley out, while Petunia fluttered on about buying Dudley an extra special gift due to his winning a boxing tourney that year at Smeltings.

Harry smiled to himself as Vernon looked at him in the rear view mirror. He could almost sense what was going to happen next.

"Now see here, boy," Vernon began, his mustache quivering. "I won't allow a bunch of freaks to tell me how to run my own household. It's bad enough we've spent all the time and money we have taking care of you, but to have those — those — people, try to tell me —"

"Would you like to be rid of me?" Harry said softly.

Vernon narrowed his eyes at Harry. "You know full well that your Aunt, out of the kindness of her very heart, made some sort of deal with your Headmaster. Otherwise I'd toss you out."

Harry leaned forward and looked at his uncle. "I need you to take me somewhere."

Vernon started to turn purple. "What on earth makes you think I'm prepared to take you anywhere, you ungrateful little–"

Harry leaned closer to his uncle and whispered something into his ear. Vernon stopped raging and looked at Harry as if he had suddenly grown an extra head.

"No," Vernon said at last, a disbelieving edge in his voice.

"Yes," Harry replied. "I would."

Vernon Dursley smiled at Harry. The sight made Harry slightly nauseous. It was like watching a hippo dance in a tutu, his uncle smiling.

"Well then, when your aunt and cousin get back, I'll drive you right over."

"Thank you, Uncle Vernon," Harry said, sitting back and turning to face out the window again.

When Petunia and Dudley arrived back at the car, with Dudley all smiles, Vernon aimed the vehicle toward the neighborhood Harry directed him to. Petunia gave her husband a look, asking why they would be driving around in such an ill-reputable neighborhood, but Vernon simply smiled more widely and started to whistle. When they reached Harry's destination, Harry climbed out of the car.

"I should be done in a couple of hours," he told his uncle. "I'll be waiting out here by the curb once I'm finished."

"Fine! Fine, take all the time you need!" Vernon said amiably, much to Petunia and Dudley's surprise.

"Oh," Harry said, "I need to get a couple of things out of the boot."

Vernon reached down and pulled the lever, opening the boot of the car for Harry, who rummaged through his trunk for the items he needed. He shut the boot and waved at his uncle, who was watching him closely through the side view mirror. Vernon waved back jauntily and then drove away.

Harry turned and faced the door to the Leaky Cauldron.

He slipped quietly inside the wizarding tavern and then slipped his invisibility cloak, which he had retrieved from his trunk, over his head. He thought that Tom might well be an informant for Dumbledore, or the Ministry, or both, and Harry did not want to be seen on this little side trip if he could help it. He walked softly through the tavern, avoiding any contact with the various witches and wizards eating their dinners or sipping their drinks, and made his way to the entrance of Diagon Alley. Taking out his wand, he gave the bricks the proper sequence of taps and stepped into the greatest wizarding shopping district in the world.

First stop Gringotts, thought Harry. He needed money, and a lot of it. Harry walked up to the counter.

"Harry Potter. I need to access my vault," Harry said to the goblin behind the counter.

The goblin looked up from his rolls of paper and gave Harry a measuring look. "And do you have your key?"

Harry showed the goblin the small golden key.

"Very well," The goblin said. "Griphook, take Mr. Potter to his vault."

Two dizzying tram rides later, Harry had two pouches of coins secure in his pockets alongside a rather large wad of muggle cash from the bank's exchange. Harry felt sure the Goblins had cheated him on the exchange rate, but he did not really care at this point.

Harry made his way to Flourish and Blotts, where he picked out several old and rather expensive books on a variety of odd subjects. He asked that the books be delivered to him that night by owl post. The storekeeper started to argue about the irregularity of night-time deliveries, but Harry silenced the man with the offer of several gold galleons for his trouble.

A stop at the apothecary shop let Harry stock up on other items he needed, and a few minutes in the general shop gave Harry the final items he wanted delivered by owl that night. Harry turned and started for the Leaky Cauldron, his invisibility cloak drawn tight. Harry walked back through the tavern and into the London night, where his uncle's car sat waiting for him.

"Have a good shopping trip?" Uncle Vernon chirped as Harry settled into the backseat.

"Yes, thank you," Harry replied.

Dudley and Petunia looked at each other in confusion but did not question the situation.

Harry rested his head on the window and did not say another word until they reached Privet Drive.
***
Harry lay back on his bed and waited for the delivery of his items. As soon as they had reached Privet Drive, Harry, under the distrustful glare of his aunt, had taken his trunk and Hedwig's cage straight to his room. He had sent Hedwig out before exiting the Hogwarts Express, telling his faithful owl to go hunting and then meet him at Privet Drive that night. Hedwig was currently sitting in the footboard of Harry's bed, looking around the room with her over-large eyes.

The two delivery owls arrived almost at the same time. Harry relieved them both of their packages, offered them treats and water, and then sent them on their way. The books Harry had purchased at Flourish and Blotts went directly into his trunk. The other item Harry unwrapped and looked at critically.

It was a broom, but not a Quidditch broom. This broom was longer and made with heavy oak. The Heart Shaft Four was one of the best family transport brooms money could buy. It was sturdy, and what it lacked in speed, it would more than make up for in stability and lifting power. It was the kind of broom a family of five could fly on for hours. Harry nodded approvingly and propped the broom in a corner.

Next came the hard part of the night. Harry took out his wand and drew in a deep breath. He hoped the twins had told him the truth about the masking charm, or else the Ministry sensors would be going off like mad in a few minutes. Harry took a second breath, steeled himself, and cast the charm as Fred and George had shown him. There was a blue glow, then nothing.

Deciding there was only one way to test the charm; Harry pointed his wand at his Firebolt and uttered the shrinking charm. The broom obediently shrank down to the size of a toy. Harry lay back on his bed and waited in the silence of his room for an owl from the Ministry to come with a letter about underage magic.

He knew it could take awhile, so he let his mind drift back to the day after his ministry hearing. That was the day the twins had taken him aside and taught him the masking charm, swearing him to secrecy about its very existence. When Harry had asked about the charm, the twins had proudly told him that they had developed it their third year at Hogwarts. Harry had laughed, suddenly realizing the secret of the twin's success in making new jokes over the summer without incurring the wraith of the Ministry.

Harry had sworn to the twins not to reveal the secrets of the charm, which they informed him was known by only one other. When Harry had asked who, Fred had laughed and told him the person was their brightest protégé and that they expected Harry to aid her in mischief-making once he and George were gone from Hogwarts. After all, George had added, the son of a Marauder and a Weasley trained jokester should be sufficient to continue their legacy. Harry had been surprised that the twins knew about his father, but they explained that Sirius had told them while everyone was living at Grimmauld Place. When Harry had asked again who their mystery heir to the Hogwarts prankster throne was, they had laughed and told him that he would figure it out soon enough.

Harry chuckled to himself. When Ginny misdirected students with her fake garroting gas ploy, it had finally dawned on him that they were talking about her. Harry thought her a brilliant choice to take up the twins’ mantle. No one would suspect Ginny, with her innocent face and tiny frame, of being on par with Fred and George or the famous Marauders.

Harry looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. An hour had passed, and no owl from the Ministry had arrived. The charm worked. Harry placed the shrunken Firebolt in his trunk and then turned his wand on Hedwig's cage, shrinking it and placing it in the trunk also. He took out several pieces of parchment, an ink bottle, and a quill, and started writing. By dawn he was finished with his letters.

Harry shut the window shades and crawled under the covers in the morning light. He knew his uncle would not be calling him down and would tell his aunt to leave him alone. Harry would have the run of the house at night when everyone was asleep, as long as he was quiet. It was part of their agreement.

An agreement Harry intended to honor.