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The Assassins

Chapter One

Leaving the Dursleys

He's been drinking sleeping potion," the voice said.

"Get him up," another said.

Rough hands shook him and the sixteen year old boy with the lightening scar across his forehead fought back feebly.

Someone pinched his nose and when he opened his mouth a liquid was poured in and he sucked it into his windpipe. He choked and coughed and then opened his eyes. Without his glasses he could barely make out two figures kneeling beside him.

Harry Potter slowly felt himself regain a conscious state, something he had avoided for a month. Upon arriving back at # 4 Privet Drive following the horrendous fight at the Department of Mysteries and the loss of Sirius Black, Harry had slowly deteriorated emotionally.

Now he found his glasses shoved on his face and he lay staring at his best friend Ron Weasley and someone he disliked terribly, Severus Snape. They stood in his room where his belongings, dirty clothes and books littered the hard floor and Harry was laying amongst them. A cauldron sat next to him and along with it the ingredients to mix the potion he had been taking for a month.

"Get him sitting up," Snape growled.

"Here, I'll do it," Ron answered and pulled Harry into a sitting position.

"It looks like he's been mixing sleeping potion and drinking it," Snape said glaring down into the cauldron. ""I'm surprised he's not dead from starvation or worse."

Ron had a wet handkerchief and was clumsily washing Harry's face. Harry fought back, "Leave me alone," he mumbled and tried to push the cloth away.

"Harry, you've got to wake up," Ron said and held one of his hands easily and avoided the other as he wiped his face.

The more the room came into focus the more Harry began to realize where he was and what was going on. He finally scooted into a better position bracing himself weakly against a wall and shoved Ron back.

"Geroff," he growled, "I'm awake."

His mouth felt dry like someone had poured sand in it. He glanced over at the cauldron and then watched as Snape stood erect and crossed his arms over his chest and glared at him.

Harry couldn't stand to look at the man and instead leaned his head back and studied Ron. His friend was still kneeling beside him, looking grim.

"When Hedwig showed up at the Burrow with your last letter, I knew something was wrong," Ron was saying.

Harry remained silent, coughing now and again to expel the droplets of potion still in his lungs. The taste from it was incredibly bitter and he wished he could spit it at the man dressed in black who stood behind Ron.

Snape was staring at him as if he were one of his infamous dead cockroaches stuck in a fruit jar and sitting on one of his shelves in his office amongst the other monstrosities located there.

Harry struggled momentarily with his anger and then stopped. He was too weak to rise to strike the man who stood gloating over him.

"Harry. Harry!" Ron hissed and turned to glare at Snape as if to say, 'why aren't you helping me' and then was back staring at Harry.

"What, Ron?" Harry answered irritably. "Why are you here?" He closed his eyes. "Never mind. Just leave me be."

"You're in bad shape mate," Ron continued. "Didn't your aunt or uncle even check on you? How long has it been since you've eaten?"

Harry was thinking about the prophecy. That was all he seemed capable of thinking about and wasn't listening. His head rolled to the side and he sat staring at the floor and the cauldron.

"Perhaps Mr. Potter would prefer we leave him to starve to death, compensation for the death of his godfather," Snape growled. "You know Potter, self-pity isn't a pretty sight!" A hand reached down and grabbed him roughly under one arm. "Get him on his feet, Mr. Weasley."

Harry pulled away feebly and pushed at the hands jerking him to his feet. His head was swimming and he couldn't focus and before he could stop himself he was bent over retching and someone had shoved the empty cauldron under his face.

He heard the angry voice of his uncle and his aunt but saw only the colors in the room swirling around him. The strong hands under his arms lifted him and carried him down the stairs and out into the warm late summer night. He was thankful when he they let him sit on the grass and then he passed out on the lawn.

This time the voices were clearer and different. He recognized Remus Lupin's voice immediately just outside the door. He recognized the room he was in. It was the room he had previously occupied with Ron at #12 Grimmauld Place.

He was lying in the four-poster, canopied bed and dressed in clean pajamas. He had been bathed and smelled mildly of apricots and assumed it came from the soap they had used. His glasses were lying within reach. This time he had them on before the door opened.

Remus appeared and when he saw that Harry was awake, he stepped in, smiling slightly. "Had a rest Harry?" He slide onto a chair next to the bed and crossed his legs. "Good, good. I thought perhaps we might have a talk if you're up to it." The gray eyes studied him and Lupin waited for a moment before realizing that Harry wasn't going to talk. "Mrs. Weasley will be up in a moment to bring you some food. I imagine your hungry. Until then I thought I should fill you in on what's been going on over the last month."

Lupin's calm nonchalant attitude forced him to speak. "That's rich of you," Harry growled. "I haven't heard from one of you in a month. I even wrote to you to let you know that the Dursleys were up to their old tricks. So why did you all fetch me now? Why don't you leave me in peace!" Harry set up and realized that it took all his strength to do it.

"I know Harry," Lupin said, nodding vigorously to what Harry was saying. He looked disturbed, even sad. "We just couldn't. The house was being watched, every owl was being intercepted. We had to plan to get you away before Voldemort's Death Eaters showed up on your birthday. Have you forgotten what it was like getting you away last year?"

Harry pushed back the covers but didn't attempt to get up. He was afraid he would need the man's assistance and at the moment all he wanted to do was vent his anger and frustration. He also was thinking back to the night that he was taken from the Dursley's the year before

"Why did Dumbledore send Snape?" Harry hissed. "He's the last person on earth I wanted to see."

Lupin leaned back, looking grim and answered, "A lot has happened in the last month Harry. If you'll quit snapping at me I'll answer your questions." He waited until he saw that Harry wasn't going to continue. "I know how you feel Harry, I loved him, too. But this not going to bring Sirius back. Trying to k….hurting yourself only makes things worse."

Harry glared at him, "I didn't hurt myself, I was starving. Taking the sleeping potion only made the time go by faster. What was I to do Remus? My Aunt and Uncle kept me locked in my room. The moment we got home from the train, that's where I've been. How could it have made it worse since no one knew what I was doing anyway." He was trying to remain calm since he knew that Lupin was right. He had suffered the loss of his best friend in the world. Harry had only lost a godfather that he'd known for a short time.

"You know Harry, I find it amazing how you fail to comprehend that the world's eyes have been upon you now for the past year. Sirius and I talked about it all last year." Lupin was glaring back but the look was without malice. "Every time we turned around the Daily Prophet was printing some drivel."

Harry sank back on the pillows and closed his eyes. He couldn't keep being angry at Lupin when the person he was really angry with was himself and just having Remus mention Sirius out-loud was enough to stifle the rage and bring back the horriblel guilt that he felt. "Your right, I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Well that's the second time I've been angry with you Harry and it's not a pleasant thing," Lupin said quietly. "Anyway, Fudge is no longer in office and neither is Delores Umbridge, not since the world has been made aware that Voldemort still lives. Rita Skeeter has been printing rather in-depth information…"

Harry interrupted, "Really!" he said looking over sharply at Lupin. He thought of the pledge Rita Skeeter had made to Hermione to keep her writing straightforward and honest instead of the yellow journalism that had been her previous style. "What garbage has she been writing about now?" he asked, venomously. He found it easy to vent against people who were not present.

"I don't know exactly what made her change her writing style but it has been very accurate and to the point. As a matter-of-fact, Fudge left office because of the articles she's written for the Daily Prophet," Lupin said. He shifted in his chair, and went on, "Umbridge is to stand trial for her misdeeds at Hogwarts. Although, she claims to have been under the Imperious Curse when she threatened to use the Unforgivable curses on her students and when she tortured some of them…" Lupin's eyes fell to Harry's hand where the words 'I will not lie' remained clearly visible. "It seems Rita has now become the champion of Albus and of you." Lupin sat with his hands folded in his lap and waited for the reaction.

"Really!" Harry declared once again and leaned forward to pull a pillow out, punch it a few times and tuck it back behind him. The move sapped his energy.

"Here, I'll let you see for yourself," Lupin replied and pulled several papers from his pocket and dropped them on the bed.

Harry could see the front page of one without moving. It had a picture of him in front of the Dursley's trimming the hedge. He didn't read the headline, just moaned and kicked it off the bed.

"Alright," Lupin said and bent over to pick them up. He placed them neatly on the bedside table and turned to look at Harry. "Let's get this out in the open then, shall we Harry? I'm not one to beat around the bush so I'll say it straight out. You feel responsible for Sirius death."

Harry glared at him.

"You forget that I was there," Lupin said smoothly. "Sirius was his own man. He made his own choices and one of those choices was to risk his life. He'd grown tired of being cooped up here, and felt useless. Running off to save you was an excuse to feel useful. He was well aware that there were plenty of people who'd already set off to get you."

Lupin looked at his hands, his face reflecting his sadness. He continued, speaking softly, "That's not to say he didn't care about you, Harry. We all do, myself included." He looked up and said, "We are all in a war. One you are facing for the first time and one that never seems to end for the rest of us who were there when Voldemort rose to power the first time. Lives have been lost because of him and more will probably be lost."

Harry watched him and felt the anger pass and his chest filled with the now familiar pain of grief and regret. "He died because of me," he said in a whisper.

Lupin frowned and said, "Alright Harry, have it your way. You made a mistake and as a result Sirius went to rescue you and died. Have you forgotten he made the same mistake? He made Peter secret-keeper for your parents and your parents died. Do you think he wouldn't have understood what you're living with and forgive you?"

Lupin stood and walked to the window and drew back the curtain which had enveloped the room in darkness as if it were night. Brilliant sunlight shone in and illuminated the room. "I have made mistakes which have cost other's their lives." He turned and looked back. "Werewolves are not particularly sensitive to the people they murder or the lives they destroy. I am very familiar with the feeling of guilt, Harry. My life is haunted by it, but I know that Sirius would tell both of us to let it go."

Harry lay listening and didn't reply. He was still caught up in his own self-hatred and despair to argue with the man.

"So we move on," Remus said and returned to his chair. "We live with it and we move on."

"Is that all?" Harry asked, coolly.

Lupin frowned again appearing frustrated and angry. "No, Harry. My sole purpose in coming here was not to console you. We went to a great deal of trouble to fetch you from your Aunt and Uncle's. That paper you refused to look at had your picture splashed all over the front. It put you in danger and anyone coming in contact with you, because it gave away your hiding place. Rita was very clever in her sleuthing, although not very smart. She basically told anyone who opened the paper where you were. We had to devise a plan that would remove you before Voldemort got to you first."

"So I am here and your plan worked," Harry said, suddenly confused.

Lupin nodded, "Yes, it worked, although we were surprised at the condition you were in when we found you. However," he sighed heavily, " I'm here Harry, because…" he stopped and pulled at his clothes. "…to bring you bad news."

Harry pushed himself up higher and waited.

"My concern is that you will continue to take these incidents personally. We need to start blaming the person who is the real villain," he said sternly and nervously smoothed the cloth over his knee.

"What is it Remus?" Harry asked. He watched the man carefully as if doing so would provide a clue as to what to expect.

"It's Hermione, Harry," Lupin stuttered. "When she got your last letter, she left her parents and was coming to visit you. She sent a letter to Ron and she's not been heard from since." Lupin's voice was filled with worry as he re-crossed his legs and looked at them. "We're looking for her now."

Harry lay back stunned. He'd only last seen her a month before; had watched her as she recuperated from the curses she'd gotten in the Department of Mysteries during their skirmish. He'd received one letter from her and then had sent Hedwig to her telling her not to write to him anymore. He'd written that he didn't want her or Ron around him because it was too dangerous.

How stupid of me, he thought. Of course, she would have come to talk to me. Why wasn't I thinking?

Lupin must have been reading his mind. "Harry, you cannot take responsibility for this."

Harry shoved the bed covers back and struggled to get up. He found the act depleted him almost entirely of energy. He struggled anyway and Lupin grabbed him as he teetered on the edge of the bed, his head swimming.

"I thought as much!" Lupin said with alarm. "You cannot get up until you've gained some strength."

"I've got to find her," Harry gasped. Once again he was pushing and clawing trying to get past the man who held him down.

"Yes, WE have to find her," Lupin said swinging Harry's legs back into bed and pulling the covers back over him. "Now stop!" he ordered, leaning in with a grim expression. He pinned Harry's shoulders back and was inches from his face. When Lupin saw that he had given up the struggle he let go.

Harry threw his arm over his face and groaned.

"Harry, listen to me," Lupin murmured. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Immediately after Albus told you about the prophecy he also told the members of the Order."

Harry dropped his arm and stared at the man.

"It was bound to come out sooner or later, Harry," Lupin said kindly. "Now we know why Voldemort wanted to get into the Department of Mysteries." He shook his head and continued, "The prophecy is gone and now he's more dangerous than ever before. His attention is now turned on you. Although he doesn't know the whole prophecy, he can surmise that you're in the way. What I'm trying to say Harry, is that this is not your war. It belongs to us all. We're all in danger, just as we were sixteen years ago. You just happen to be his target at the moment. Once he's gotten rid of you, anyone who gets in the way will be his next target." Lupin reached over and touched his arm. "Just because you are the target doesn't mean the job is yours and yours alone. We will all be there for you. You won't have to stand alone."

"What about, Hermione?" Harry gasped. He felt the same panic rising that he had experienced when he thought Sirius was being tortured. It's all happening again, he thought.

"We are all soldiers in a war," Lupin said very softly. "We may lose the people we love. It is something you must learn to accept." His gray eyes were filled with tears and the words came out strangled with emotion.

"Remus, do you believe that!" Harry gasped, leaning forward until they were inches apart again. "Is that how you choose to look at my dad and mum's death, at Sirius' death? Just casualties of war? Is it how you want me to think about Hermione? Accept that she is just a casualty of war?!"

The gray eyes stared back into his and the man began to shake his head. His words came out in a groan, "Harry, I care about you. If something were to happen to you…" He gulped. "Voldemort has taken everyone from me I ever cared about. I want to keep you safe. I want to help you kill him. Better he take me; better my life than yours."

Harry saw the reflection of his own despair and pain in the man's eyes and slowly leaned forward and put his arms around the man sitting next to him. He felt arms come around him and grasp him back with tenderness.

"We've got to find, Hermione," Harry choked, giving into strong need to be consoled.

Lupin sat back and held him by the shoulders and said, "Yes, WE will find her. It doesn't mean that you need to be at risk. Let me do this for you."

Harry was stunned into silence by the proposal. He frowned and then slowly began to shake his head.

Lupin sighed again and said, "I thought not. Well…"

"Don't take it wrong Remus, but I couldn't live with myself if something happened to Hermione," he said slowly, grabbing Lupin by the arm. "But I won't reject any help I can get."

The man smiled slightly and said, "I thought that would be your answer Harry." He stood and picked up a cloak lying on the chair. "We have some information already, thanks to Severus."

"Snape!" Harry hissed and raised himself to his elbows, once again furious.

"Now Harry," Lupin's said soothingly, he held up his hand was up to calm him. "I know how you feel and we can talk about this later. For now…ah, I hear Mrs. Weasley already. Good. Eat and rest. We'll talk again this evening. Right now I will follow up on the information we have."

"Remus!" Harry barked. "You won't go without me will you?"

The man turned at the door and said calmly, "No, Harry. I won't go without you." The gray eyes studied him for a moment and then Lupin turned and left the room.

Harry tolerated Mrs. Weasley's fussing and he ate what he could stomach, while he thought about what Remus had told him. A tepid knock came to the door about two hours after he'd eaten his lunch.

"Who is it?" he asked.

Ron's head poked through the crack. "You awake, mate?"

Harry once again raised himself while he nodded at the red-head. Ron came in and sat at the edge of the bed. They didn't speak for a few awkward minutes and it was Harry who began, "I wasn't trying to hurt myself, Ron."

Ron nodded and his words rushed out, "I was sure of it, Harry. Really was, mate! But after I got Hermione's letter and then the way we found you, I swear if it had been a day more we'd have found you dead." His friend dropped his head as if thinking something over and then looked up and asked, "Harry, did Professor Lupin tell you what happened to Hermione?"

"Yeah, Ron," Harry said, slowly. "We'll find her; it's okay."

Ron was nodding and almost quivering with anxiety. "What if Vol…You-Know-Who has her!" He stammered. "Harry, what are we gonna do?" It was obvious Ron was beside himself and worried about both of his friends.

Harry was resting against his pillows and was feeling a little better. "Tonight, Remus will be back and we can find out what he knows. Tell me why Snape was with you."

Ron's face reddened until it was almost the shade of his hair. His head dropped and he fingered the cover. "I owled Dumbledore at Hogwarts. I didn't know what else to do 'cept give Hermione's letter to my dad. What with everything going on at the Ministry, dad hasn't been at home at all. Did Remus tell you about Fudge?… anyway," he went on without waiting for an answer. "I thought Dumbledore would know what to do. Before you know it, there's Snape at the door and mom is looking at me like I have committed a crime. Well, I didn't tell her I was going to write the letter did I? You know my mother, she'd be in the way, wanting to know about Hermione and all.."

He was shaking his head and continued to speak, "It was okay, Harry; it really was. Dumbledore figured that You-Know-Who would be having you watched. The Daily Prophet has been running articles every day since we left Hogwarts. Rita Skeeter is on a rampage. She wants something done about Vol…You-Know-Who. But Snape was really clever about it all and I insisted on coming, cuz I knew you'd probably chuck him out if it was only him."

"Ron!" Harry groaned, pushing back the covers to staunch the flow of Ron's words. "It's alright. Remus left the papers and I looked them over. I think it took a lot of courage to stand up to Snape."

Ron blushed and quickly said, "Mom's downstairs and so is Ginny." He stood while Harry reached for the floor with his feet and pulled on a robe. He headed for the bathroom and Ron followed talking as they moved. "Remus and some of the other members of the Order have come and gone. I know they are looking for clues as to where she was…was taken." He stopped and Harry turned to see him the doorway of the bathroom. Ron looked pale and frightened.

"I'm going to shower and we'll go down and see if anyone's come in," Harry said and began to disrobe.

Ron's eyes widened as he looked at Harry and gasped, "Gosh, Harry you look so…bad. Didn't they feed you at all?"

Harry dropped the pajamas and stepped in the shower, closing the doors and turning on the water. He didn't want to talk about the Dursleys. He didn't feel like talking about anything, just letting the water beat over his tired body.