Mrs Black was screaming in her portrait when Harry opened the door. He smiled viciously at her words and chuckled. If only she knew... He closed the door and walked to the opposite wall. With one swift movement he had his wand in his hand and was facing the front door. He chose to ignore Mrs Black and waited for his friends to arrive. He swiveled the wand in his hand and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

He didn't have to wait too long. First came Hermione who gave Harry a bright smile and sneaked in quietly. Ron came right afrer her. They greeted each other and moved down to the kitchen. Mrs Black's scream accompanied them downstairs until Harry closed the door. With swirling robes he turned to Ron and Hermione and said:

"Hello."

"Hi, Harry. I'm so glad to see you again! Where have you been?" Hermione exclaimed and tried to hug her friend tightly, but Harry moved out of the way.

"I have been in training."

The green-eyed wizard talked quietly and calmly, which made Ron feel somewhat uncomfortable. It seemed to the redhead that their friend had grown up without them.

"Yes, but where?" Hermione pried from Harry, not feeling the danger, that was spreading throughout the room. Harry smiled and shook his head.

"Dear Hermione, I can't tell you that. It is a secret", was the only answer the girl got. "How is the Order doing?"

Hermione sighed deeply and Ron answered with a worried tone:

"We have not had any word from anyone. And we can't seem to find them. Even Lupin has disappeared. And Snape was on the dark side, no surprise there..."

Harry laughed darkly:

"I knew that. Saw him during my training. But where is Dumbledore?"

The two Gryffindors looked strangely at Harry.

"You mean, you don't know? Harry, he died a little while ago. There was an attack at Hogwarts and it was taken over. We don't actually know how many Order memebers there were, we weren't with them."

"Where were you then?"

"At the Burrow", Hermione answered sadly and sniffed. "I wish I had been at Hogwarts."

Harry looked away and stated calmly:

"You would have died there, Hermione. It was messy."

That sent alarm bells ringing in the girl's head off. Ron looked warily at Harry and noticed for the first time that Harry had still not put his wand away.

"You mean you were there?"

"You don't need your wand with us, Harry, do you?"

A nasty smile spread across the green-eyed wizard's face. He swinged the wand and red sparkles flew from the tip of the wand. Hermione and Ron reached for their wands, but with a flick they flew right into Harry's hand.

"You don't need these, my friends", he whispered with a chuckle.

***

A spidery finger caressed Harry's cheek almost lovingly.

"That was well done, my little one", said the cold voice to his ear and made him shiver. He allowed a proud smile on his lips when he whispered:

"Thank you, my lord of darkness. I am glad you are pleased."

"I am very pleased, my little one. Now the Order is no more, thanks to you", the cold voice praised and the fingers wandered to the delicate neck. "You have done a good job."

Harry closed his eyes and tilted his head. The cold lips pressed to his and he breathed in through his nose. A coldness took a tight grip of his heart and he gasped opening his eyes wide. The cold red eyes looked into his green ones.

"Only you remained", was all the cold voice said and he fell to the ground. He saw Snape stand by the door without any expression on his face. "Let us go, Severus. This house is about to burn all the evidence."