Disclaimer-The world and characters of Harry Potter are the property of JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox. Some loose inspiration has been taken from the 'Dahak' series, once again that world and it's characters are the property of David Weber.

A/N- Taken is based on my previous story, Kidnapped. Although it is being greatly expanded and re-written. The story outline has been completed and several chapters completed, with quite a number still to go. A sequel is currently planned, with a rough outline currently being worked on.

I'd like to say thanks to 'Deanine' who was kind enough to agree to beta this story for me. Her own work is great and I think that the help she has given me so far with this story has been of major benefit. Any mistakes or problems remaining with it should be considered to be mine.

Reviews and comments are always welcome, but please make it 'constructive' critism. Saying something is wrong or that you don't like it without explaining 'why' doesn't help.

Now... On with the story :)

TAKEN

Chapter 1

Wednesday 28th August 1985

She hadn't seen him for almost a week now. Truth be told, it wasn't all that unusual for him to drop out of sight for a couple of days, but this was longer than usual, and she was starting to worry.

'School starts today. I could go and get my shopping and see him on his way there.

'Yes, that would work. Sort out two things at once and settle my nerves without having to go and ruffle and feathers or cause anyone any alarm.'

Having decided that, she set about finishing up her breakfast.

Albus Dumbledore, Grand Sorcerer, Order of Merlin First Class, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was in the middle of a meeting in his office at Hogwarts.

His three current Heads of House were interviewing his preferred candidate for Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin, Severus Snape, when they were interrupted by the fireplace suddenly flaring up in green flames.

'Albus! Albus! Are you there Albus! I need to speak to you!'

Quickly getting up and moving to the fireplace, he got down on his knees, thinking yet again that he really should speak to someone about coming up with a more convenient way of communicating with others over a distance.

'Arabella, it is good to hear from you, but I am afraid that I am in the middle of an important staff meeting at the moment. I will of course call you back as soon as we are finished here.'

'No Albus. Your meeting will have to wait. He's missing Albus! I haven't seen him for over a week now, and I've spent the last day making enquiries and haven't been able to find him. I'm worried Albus; something is wrong.'

Albus Dumbledore paled, both mind and body frozen in shock for the first time in decades.

'I will be right over; please hold the connection while I arrange matters here.'

Getting back to his feet, he turned to face the others. Plans already starting to form in his mind. A single glance was enough for him to know that three of the four had no idea of the seriousness of the situation. Minerva however, both knew Arabella and her role in watching the boy, and her face already showed that she had reached the obvious conclusion.

'Albus!' He moved quickly to head off the dressing down he knew Minerva was about to launch into.

'Please Minerva. I see that you have recognised who I was talking to and know who she was talking about, but we must move quickly.

'For the rest of you, that was Arabella Figg, a squib of my acquaintance who was a member of the Order during the last war. After the war, I asked her to keep an eye on young Harry Potter for me. From what she has just said, he would appear to have gone missing somehow. I will have to go and make enquiries beyond those which Arabella has been able to make on her own.

'I assume, Minerva, that you will insist on accompanying me.

'Severus, I realise that you would prefer not to become involved in this matter, but I believe that your talents may be of use in enabling us to ascertain what has happed quickly and efficiently.

'Filius, I would ask you to find Alastor Moody for me. Please ask him to meet me at No.12 Wisteria Walk, Little Whinging in Surrey. While he may be retired, his presence will be of benefit should be find ourselves needing to involve the DMLE at a later date.

'Pomona, I must ask that you stay here and see to the needs of the school while we are gone. Please contact Poppy and ensure that she is prepared in the eventuality that we have need of her services. If young Harry requires treatment for any reason, I would prefer that it takes place here rather than in St. Mungo's.

'I would prefer that you do not speak of this to anyone else for the time being. Hopefully this is all a simple misunderstanding and we can get it all sorted out without involving anyone else.

'Now! Shall we get on our way?'

Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape stepped out of the fireplace into the small, slightly shabby looking living room of the small house in Wisteria Walk.

Seeing the almost hysterical look on her friends face, Minerva quickly intervened.

'Why don't we go and get some tea and biscuits together Ara? I'm sure you have a lot to tell us and the telling will go easier with something to eat and drink.

'We'll also need to discus exactly what I'm going to change our clothing into before we leave here. There's no point in us gathering attention by walking around wearing robes.'

Twenty minutes later Alastor Moody and Filius Flitwick were making their way down Wisteria Walk when the door to No.12 opened and three people stepped out to meet them.

'Alastor, Filius, you made good time. Arabella is going to stay here in case one of her friends should come to her with more information. She is also our closest floo connection should we have need of it. I will brief you on what we know so far while we walk.

The five of them started walking in the direction Albus indicated.

'Now, as you all already know, when the Potters were killed, I made the decision to place him with his Aunt on his mother's side. It was quite simply the safest place I could find for him.'

Alastor Moody interrupted him. 'You've never explained to me just how exactly living with muggles keeps him safe Albus. I'd have thought you would have wanted him behind a full set of wards.'

'The reason he is safe here, is that his mother's sacrifice allowed me to raise a set of Blood Wards for him. But in order to do so, he must live with a blood relation of his mother. His Aunt Petunia along with her son, are the only ones available.

'I asked Arabella to keep an eye on Harry for me, and arranged for her to move into the closest house I could find for her at the time. The reports I have received from her indicated that his Aunt and her husband were not particularly happy to have Harry living with them, and that Harry was not particularly happy to be with them. They did take him in however, and that has afforded him a level of protection from Voldemort's followers that I simply could not provide for him anywhere else. Not even within Hogwarts.

'According to Arabella, she has not seen Harry for over a week now. This is unusual, as he is normally kept busy by his Aunt during the day, and can normally be found gardening, cleaning the windows, sweeping the path and driveway and so on. Arabella has established a schedule which sees her go past the Dursley's a couple of times a day and until this last week, she has normally seen Harry at least every other day for the last 2 years.

'Both Harry and his cousin turned five this summer. This is the age at which muggle children start their schooling. As such, Arabella expected to see them on their way to school yesterday morning. While she saw Dudley, she did not see Harry. Nor did she see him when she returned to look for him at the end of the school day. After making some discrete enquiries via some friends, she received word this morning that Harry was not registered to begin at the school along with Dudley. Nor has he been registered at any of the other local schools.

'My intention at this point, is to check the house in Privet Drive for Harry, if he is present I will question his Aunt and Uncle as to why he is not attending school.

'If he is not present we will attempt to determine where he is.

'I would ask that Filius and Minerva remain outside the house to search the gardens and surrounding area and also prevent any interference with the neighbours.

'Alastor, you would be best suited to searching the house itself. Afterwards I would ask you to join me in questioning Petunia and Vernon if I am not finished by then.

'Severus, given your prior acquaintance with Petunia, it may be best if you question Vernon if he is present. I will question Petunia myself.

'Hopefully this is a false alarm, and we shall simply discover that they have decided to home school Harry for some reason.'

'Albus?' the question came from Moody.

'You said you raise a set of Blood Wards based on his mother's sacrifice correct?

'He has to live with a blood relation, which means you had to have used his Aunt to anchor the wards in place.

'So why can't I see them?'