Disclaimer 1: This is fanfic. That means I do not own any of it. I just borrow it to play with for a little while and let people see the pathetic results if they really want to.

Disclaimer 2: I'm not making any money from it. It's just for fun.

Disclaimer 3: What isn't borrowed is all made up. None of this is real or most likely at all realistic. Please don't trust any of the information in here. Most likely you know more about whatever I'm writing about than I do.

Disclaimer 4: Attitudes, views and opinions expressed by the characters or in the story are not necessarily those of the author. Even when writing Science Fiction or Fantasy I do not tend to attempt to create perfect/better worlds in which everybody gets a happy end ... or whatever is best for them. Please accept that some characters will have a bad ending or be unhappy.

Disclaimer 5: I intend no insult to anyone. If I offend anyone I'm very sorry. Please understand that it was an accident as I tend to be very clumsy in these things.

Notes: Harry and his friends are supposed to start their seventh year at Hogwarts institute in a few days, but Professor Dumbleore is dead, Professor Burbage has been abducted and what horrors might await the Muggle-born students if Voldemort and the Death Eaters take over? The institute staff decides to take measures to ensure their, and Harry's, safety.

Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Ascending

When Harry arrived in Professor McGonagall's office he found Hermione, Lavender and Dean already there. Each of them was holding one of the strange sea-sacks the younger students had had as well.

"There's no time to argue," the Professor was just telling them. "Just do as I tell you. Ah, Harry, this goes for you as well. Take this bag, go to your dorm and sort your belongings. Everything that is your personal property and either a Muggle item or able to pass for a Muggle item goes in the bag. Everything that is personal property, but magical or likely to seem strange to a Muggle is to go into the box that you will find in the bag. That will ... Actually, Harry, you can owl that box to your father and ask him to keep it for you. That will make things easier. Everything that is institute property, or borrowed from another witch or wizard is to be stacked on your bed. If it isn't institute property make sure that it has a name tag to identify the owner. Do that as quickly as you can and then come down to the small hall where you waited for your sorting when you first arrived at the institute bringing the bag with you. Hurry, there isn't much time!"

"But ..." Harry started, but the Professor shooed him out the door along with the others.

"Whatever is going on?" Dean asked when the door had closed behind them.

"I suppose they are closing the institute," Hermione declared. "And we are to be sent to a Muggle camp for the moment. That's why they want to store our magical possessions somewhere safe."

Return to the Muggle world? Harry had never considered that at all and for a moment he wanted to protest, but then he realised that he had to go somewhere if the institute was no longer there and of course it would be better to be with his friends than to go to a magical unemployment camp all alone.

So he went to his dorm, past the still clueless Neville and started sorting through his belongings.

There was surprisingly little that wasn't enspelled, too old-fashioned not to attract Muggle curiosity or made reference to magic. Even Hogwarts, a History and Harry's chess set would have to be sent to his father.

Or did they? After a moment's hesitation Harry wrote his mother's name on the box instead. Then he sat down and wrote a quick note to explain that he was being hidden in the Muggle world and couldn't take these things with him. Then his eagle feather quill joined the other items in the box.

"Are you still not done?" Dean asked incredulously when Harry returned to his cupboard to put his Muggle study-programs into the sea-sack.

Maybe he'd actually get a chance to use them now.

"Almost," he assured his dorm-mate. "Just the useless stuff at the bottom."

"You have too much stuff," Dean claimed, but he waited until Harry had finished and closed his sack.

Neville was no longer in the common room when they passed through it. Most likely he was on his way to Professor McGonagall's office right now, Harry thought. As they stepped through the portrait hole Harry suddenly realised that he'd probably never see the common room or his dorm again. Wherever the new institute would be would probably look completely different and he might never see it either. He was close to starting his last year of schooling after all.

He stopped to cast a last look back at his home, but Dean grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

"Come on," he reminded Harry. "Professor McGonagall said to hurry."

The waiting room that was easily big enough to hold a whole year of newly arrived students was overcrowded now and Harry was unable to find his friends, but there was a house-elf at the door that was ticking off the names of arriving students on a list and soon announced happily: "That's all of them!"

Then the elf popped out of sight.

Moments later the magically enhanced voice of Professor Vector demanded silence. There was some whispering and shoving, but then the command was obeyed.

"The Death Eaters have abducted Professor Burbage," Professor Vector announced. "And according to our spies they are close to taking over the Ministry. When they do they will also have access to the institute and all its student records. Then you Muggle-borns will probably be arrested and possibly murdered."

"I'm not Muggle-born!" Harry exclaimed angrily. "Both my parents are wizards."

"Well, everybody else here is," Professor Vector snapped. "Don't interrupt. To protect you, we have decided to transfer you to the institutes your Muggle parents originally chose for you and destroy the remaining records. You will explain the change of institutes by your institute having been closed down due to its extremely bad performance. That will also explain your lack of knowledge in your Muggle subjects. Please move on into the changing rooms and exchange your uniforms for transfer clothes, boys on the left, girls on the right. Leave your uniforms in the changing rooms. The house-elves will collect them later. Older students please let the younger ones go first. Once you are changed, please report to Professors Flittwick and Sprout for a safety check of your luggage."

Harry squeezed tightly against the wall as the mass of students streamed past pushing and shoving towards the door. People bumped against him and stepped on his toes. Someone's sea-sack slapped him in the face, but then the crowd began to thin out and a moment later there was room enough to get through to Professor Vector.