New Beginnings

Chapter 1

THIS STORY DOES NOT BELONG TO ME.
I'm updating it on here from ao3 by the permission of the original author. It's a work-in-progress so updates might be slow and sporadic.

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Harry Potter stared after Dumbledore as the headmaster once again ignored him, making him return to the Dursleys no matter what he said.

He blinked back tears at the prospect of another summer with them and made his way back to the hospital wing. Anticipating an lecture from Madam Promfrey, he sneaked through and into his bed, hoping she hadn't seen him running after Dumbledore.

It'd been one week since Cedrics murder and everyone had already left, promising to visit but not coming once. Harry had been confined to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey wasn't letting him leave anytime soon. Now he wasn't sure he wanted to leave.

In less than a week, he'd be on a train to London. He'd be back with the Durselys and spend a summer in hell. Then he'd come back and have to kill Voldemort, no matter how many years it took, everyone was convinced he'd be the one to destroy the dark Lord. After that was hazy. He'd never been given the time to consider anything after. 

Harry lay down silently, pulling the covers over his head and pushing his face into the pillow to muffle the growing sobs.

Maybe Harry should've seen this coming. There were just so many hints that something was wrong all these years. Having stood age eleven on a strange platform surrounded by people he didn't know had been terrifying, then a family had come along and treated him like one of them and Harry couldn't help latching onto them for more affection. He'd wanted to be loved so badly and it seemed like they did.

Now he knew better.

The Dursleys had taught him not to put faith in people, they'd only disappoint you in the end. But he'd naively hoped that the Weasleys were different, even if Dumbledore sent him back each year and ignored him, maybe the Weasleys would listen. When they did nothing after Ron told them about the bars on his window, he'd should've known.

Standing, Harry drew the invisibility cloak around him and left, wanting some privacy before returning to Privet Drive. He headed towards the end of the train, where he knew there was an outer deck just to watch the scenery. He'd discovered it back in first year, before meeting Ron, and found it very relaxing. However he'd never needed it after becoming friends with Ron and Hermione.

Most students were in compartments, a sombre air to the train as Dumbledore's words hung over everyone. The few that did wander didn't seem to smile at all. The Hufflepuff's especially were in tears.

Continuing on he was about to pass the compartment that  Ron, Hermione and Ginny were in. All three were whispering lowly and shooting furtive glances at the closed door, him getting there just in time to hear the last half of the conversation.

"....ignore him?" Ron asked, confusion etched in his furrowed brow. 

"Please, ignoring potter will be easy, just burn the letters." Ginny sneered, face marred with disgust. "Dumbledore said that it'd break him especially after Diggory's death."

Ron flushed heavily, opening his mouth to start ranting at his sister.

"Is Voldemort even back though?" Hermione piped up. She ignored the indignant glare from Ron. "Potter's obviously lost the plot. Making up Voldemorts resurrection to cover for murder is plausible."