A/N: Harry Potter isn't mine. Thanks to CosmicAngel and Polaris the Ice Queen for being Beta!

Thanks to all my reviewers!

Mikee: Wait and see *smirks*.

Diani: It is in the summer after Sirius died. So it's the summer after 5th year.

Brightest Star: I'll do my best!

cyral: Thank you!

Taisa Ayase: I'm glad you like it!

toxis: There you go!

IndigoInk1: If you hurt me, I won't be able to write. ;-) Glad you like it.


Chapter 2

"Oh my God! DUNG!" shrieked Arabella Figg, when she spotted the Dark Mark hovering in the black sky. When she got no reply she screeched again "DUNG!"

"I'm h're. Ya cr'zy 'le cot. I's fo' lille pirat's"

"I don't care. Look at it Dung! LOOK AT IT! We are in so much trouble… Oh my God…Poor Harry…Oh God oh God" rambled Mrs. Figg.

"Wha's it?" Fletcher looked out of the window and saw the dark mark.

"H'ly moly!" Said Fletcher getting pale. "A'bella call Dumbled're! I'll ch'ck da house!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No 12 Grimmauld Place
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Severus? Do you have any important information?"

"Voldemort doesn't trust me enough. But as for his plans, Headmaster, he wants to attack some Muggles for fun."

"We have to try to prevent that. Now… concerning the safety of Mr. Potter… who has the next shift?"


"I have, Albus," answered Remus.

"Good. We have to check…"

"ALBUS!!!" came the screech from the living room, announcing the arrival of Arabella Figg, before the door to the kitchen flew open.

"ALBUS!" came the shriek when she entered the kitchen. "Thank God you are here," she added, breathing hard.

Dumbledore stood slowly up.

"Arabella calm down. Is something wrong?"

"Calm down??!! Calm down??!! ALBUS!" she shrieked again "The Dark Mark…in Surrey…over Privet Drive. You have to get there! Quickly!"

Mrs. Weasley gasped. Tonks, Remus and Moody were out of their seats in a second. Dumbledore nodded at them.

"Yes, yes. Leave. We are following in a moment." The three apparated with a thunderous 'crack'. "Minerva, go to Hogwarts and check the screeners. Arthur, check the Ministry. Severus, you stay here. Poppy, come with me. Molly, not a word to the children. We will meet here as soon as possible." With that everyone did what he was told.

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

When Dumbledore arrived at Number for Privet Drive, he found Tonks searching the house for Harry, Moody checking for Dark Magic and Remus trying to wake Harry's relatives. Madame Pomfrey bustled over to him immediately.

"What happened?" asked Dumbledore

"I don't know for sure, Albus," said Moody gruffly, "The Dark Mark is in the sky. The door was blasted open and there is blood on the mantle here." He went on, pointing to the fireplace.

"Do you know who's blood it is?" asked Dumbledore.

"Sorry, Albus. Maybe his relatives know something."

"Poppy? Can you wake them up?"

"I'm sorry, Albus. I don't know what they were hit with. I've never seen anything like this before."

Dumbledore went over to the Dursleys and pointed his wand at Vernon.

"Enervate" He didn't move, nor were the any signs of Vernon waking up.

"Curious. Very curious." mumbled Dumbledore, scratching his beard.

"What in Merlin's name did happen here?" came a superior and demanding voice from the back door. "Is this your doing, Dumbledore?"

"We didn't do anything, Cornelius. I was informed of the Dark Mark floating over my student's house. I'm sure you can understand my concern about my student's safety and well-being."

"Well, it's Potter we are talking about. I'm sure all he wanted to do was getting some attention." came the haughty voice of Percy Weasley.

"I think the matters of my students are none of your concern, Mr Weasley."

"Now, now, Dumbledore. Young Percival here is my junior assistant and he, as well as I, have a right to know what's going on here. This concerns after all the matter of Voldemort and an underage wizard. A wizard in the British society, I might add. And as Minister of the British Ministry of Magic it is my concern. So, every one of you, leave now and wait for the Aurors to check the house and report back. The report will be owled to you."

"We have already Aurors present, Fudge." growled Moody.

"That's nice for you, Moody. Although, if I remember right, you are retired and Auror Tonks isn't on duty. So leave. Dumbledore, I advise you to wait for the report. Madame Pomfrey, leave the Muggles alone. Mr Weasley please take them to St. Mungo's."

"Of course, Minister Fudge. I will do it right away, Sir." Percy said, emphasising the Minister while giving Moody a dirty look. Percy went over to Madame Pomfrey, conjured up three floating stretchers and put the Dursleys on them. He put a connecting charm on the stretchers, binding them together. Then he went to the fireplace and muttered a short spell to connect the fireplace to the floo system. Then he pointed his wand at the fire, muttered a short 'incendio' then he got some floo powder from his pocket, then he took hold of the first stretcher, walked into the fireplace and said "St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Closed Ministry Ward"

He was gone with a 'swoosh'.

A few minutes later, several Aurors apparated in to the garden. Their leader went to Fudge and said, "Sir, we will check the place and call the Oblivators. We will report back to you as soon as possible."

"Very well. I also have another request."

"Yes, Sir?"

"Send Shacklebolt and Dawlish to the Leaky Cauldron. I want to know if anyone there knows something about this."

"Yes, Sir."

Fudge left the house through the backdoor and went over to Dumbledore and the others.
"Dumbledore, I want you and your little 'gang'," he nodded at Moody, Tonks, Remus and Pomfrey "in my office in 15 minutes." with that he apparated away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Percy arrived in St Mungo's, he checked for any security before pointing his wand at the Dursleys, muttering 'stepufy', before he breathed a quiet, "That will do."
Then he said loudly, "I need three Healers!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the Minister's office

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, Dumbledore. You might want to explain how you knew about the Dark Mark." Before the old wizard could reply, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in! Ah, Percival. You are right on time. Can I ask another favour of you at this late hour?"

"Of course Minister Fudge, Sir."

"Could you record our little" he made a swift motion with his hand," chat."

"It's my pleasure." answered Percy. He took a roll of parchment and a Quick-Quotes-Quill out of his robe pocket and sat down in the corner of the room. Percy nodded at Fudge.

"Right. We can begin now. Now, Dumbledore how did you know about the Dark Mark over Mr Potter's house?"

"An old friend of mine lives in the neighbourhood."

"Of course. And why, if I may ask, did she call you instead of the Aurors?"

"Maybe because I am Mr Potter's headmaster and it's my duty."

"Don't play wise guy, Dumbledore. You know that the Ministry has to be informed promptly. That counts as failure to render assistance. Your friend could be send to Azkaban for that."

"She is a Squib."

"So? Squib or not. She has to follow the law. What's her name?"

"I don't think that this matters to the disappearance of Mr Potter."

"It doesn't matter what you think in that case. It doesn't matter if you give us her name or not. We will find her. Be assured."

Fudge paused for a moment and looked around the room.

"You got that, Percival?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Did we miss something?"

"I have a few questions, if that's fine with you, Minister."

"Of course, of course we need every help we can get."

"Professor Dumbledore, you said that you are concerned about you student's safety and well-being and that it is you duty as headmaster to take care of them."

"Indeed I said that. I also mean that."

"Now, if this is a concern as a headmaster, then please tell me why you have an retired Auror, an Auror of duty as well as Mr. Lupin with you. I understand the matters of Madame Pomfrey, as she is the school nurse."

"I think, where I go and who I'm with is still my concern."

"I don't mean to impose your private affairs with my question. I was just wondering why you didn't, while on Headmasters duty, have an other Professor with you. More appropriate, Professor McGonagall, as she is Mr Potter's Head of House."

"I think, I can decide fairly well, who accompanies me where."

"Like I said before, I don't care about your private affairs. Although, you as headmaster should handle in the best interests of your students and"

"I see nothing wrong with…"

"It would be nice if you let me finish first. Like I said, as headmaster you should handle in the best interests of your students and protect their privacy."

"I didn't violate Mr Potter's privacy."

"So you say. Maybe Mr Potter doesn't want everyone to know what happens at his relatives home. Which means that, you shouldn't take outsiders to Mr Potter and discuss his private affairs without his consent."

"Right he is, Dumbledore. Good work, Mr Weasley. I think we should present this matter to the school governors. Anything else?"

"Yes, Minister. Dr. Rimstone asked me for a list of spells that were used on the Dursleys. It seems," added Percy, looking straight at Dumbledore "that they can't find the true evidence of their unconsciousness, because someone used spells on them."

"What spells exactly?" asked Fudge sharply. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.

"Are you assuming, that…"

"Oh no! Nothing serious. It's just that the Healers have difficulties finding the cause, because you tried to wake them. Or what ever you did. Now, it would help matters if you just wrote down what you did." Percy stood up, gave them a piece of parchment and a quill. Madame Pomfrey took the parchment ad muttered something angrily. "That is all, Minister."

"Good. Thank you, Percival."

"Not at all, Minister."

"Perfect. Could I have a private word with you later?"

"Of course, Minister Fudge, Sir."

Dumbledore finished the parchment and gave it back to Percy.

"Good. Now, if there isn't anything else," Fudge looked at Percy, who shook his head, "then you are free to go. I will inform you about the Auror's report."

Remus opened his mouth to say something, but Dumbledore shook his head.

"Thank you, Cornelius." said Dumbledore.
Dumbledore nodded at him, turned around and left, the other's following close behind.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No 12 Grimmauld Place - the kitchen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"I can't believe it," exploded Remus, slamming his fist on the table, "How dare they, these … these pompous asses!"

"Remus!" thundered Dumbledore, "calm down. This isn't helping any."

"What's going on here?" asked Molly Weasley sharply, when she entered the kitchen.
Remus just muttered angrily.

Dumbledore turned to her, "Molly, call the rest of the order. Every one of them not on missions."

"Yes, Albus." Molly left for the living room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ministry of Magic - Minister Fudge's office

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Dumbledore and the others left, Percy turned to Fudge.

"You wanted to talk to me, Sir?"

"Ah, yes. Please take a seat" said Fudge sitting down in a high backed chair next to the fireplace. Percy sat down opposite him, "Tea?" The Minister pointed to a tea-set standing between them on a small table.

"Please." Fudge filled two cups with tea and gave one to Percy. He leaned back in his chair and looked at him.

"About earlier today, when we got news about the Dark Mark."

"Yes?"

"Why did you tell me, to send Shacklebolt and Dawlish to the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Well Sir, I will be earnest. I don't trust Dumbledore."

"Straightforward, I see." Percy smiled slightly.

"I somehow felt that Dumbledore would be there, before us. He has many contacts and I'm sure he had young Mr Potter observed. Anyway, I remembered the day when Dumbledore disappeared in his office. Shacklebolt and Dawlish were there then. We both know that we didn't see anything, but we can't be sure about the two of them."

"You mean, they spy for Dumbledore?" asked Fudge incredulously.

"I'm not sure about that. We shouldn't make any rash decisions. It is just very conspicuous when you think about it."

"What is?"

"Well, I will give you my theory. When Madame Umbridge-"

"No need for the formalities with her."

"Of course, when Umbridge tried to expose Dumbledore and Mr Potter, I think it is not very believable that a) she presents you with a false witness, b) a witness that suddenly forgets everything, that c) Dumbledore managed to talk himself into this club when it looked like Mr Potter was about to protest and finally, d) that Dumbledore managed to leave like that when Professor McGonagall looked a bit knowingly. Then of course, Dumbledore being at Mr Potter's house. With two Aurors, no less, as well as Lupin. Lupin has no contact with the Ministry as he is a werewolf. But Moody is another factor. He knows many Aurors and other workers. Then there is Auror Tonks. She too, has contacts and her mother was working in the Department of Magical Transportation, Portkey Office. There could be some connections, too. I think we, that is, if you want my help in that, Sir, should keep an eye on these kind of things."


"You have a great mind for these things. I know why I made you my junior assistant. Better yet. I'll promote you to First Assistant. I was never sure about MacCarter, anyway. I'll put you in charge of these things. You have free reign. This is a very important matter."

Percy blushed slightly, "Thank you, Sir."

"Call me Cornelius."

"Of course, Sir. Thank you, Si…I mean Cornelius." rambled Percy.

Fudge gave a hearty laugh.

"Now, what's your first proposition?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No 12 Grimmauld Place

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About 50 members were sitting in the large drawing room, talking at once.

"What's going on?"

"What happened."

"Why are we all here?"

"SILENCE", thundered Dumbledore. "We don't have time for this. We have dire problems."

"What happened at Surrey, Albus? Did Potter feel the need to be in spotlight again?" asked Snape sharply.

"What do you know about him, Snape," began Remus angrily.

"Stop this childish behaviour, now." said Dumbledore with a sharp edge in his voice. "Young Mr Potter has been kidnapped. By Voldemort, I can only presume."

There was uproar.

"How is this possible?"

"I don't know, yet. Minerva, what did the screeners say?"

Professor McGonagall stood up and faced the others.

"They show some kind of disruption. They are flat for the beginning of summer. Then, this evening there is a small gap. Then they are as flat as before. Then, at exactly 10.28 pm the line shots straight up. That has to be the Dark Mark. Then the line goes flat again and only changes when Moody, Tonks and Lupin apparated in."

"Curious. Very curious indeed." mumbled Dumbledore. "Thank you Minerva." She nodded and sat down.

"What does that mean Albus?" asked Molly Weasley.

"This means, that there wasn't any magic used except for the Dark Mark."

"But how is this possible?" asked Tonks, "Something hit the Dursleys. Even Weasley sat so." Molly, Arthur, Bill and Charlie looked at her sharply.

"Percy that is," growled Remus, sounding very much like a wolf.

"Why? What happened?" asked Bill.

"It seems, that your brother thinks a bit too high of himself." said Remus icily.
Tonks took over at that. "About three minutes after we arrived at Privet Drive and started with our investigation. Fudge showed up with Percy in tow. He made some snide comment about Harry at first. Then Fudge held some speech about him being Minister and that Harry is his concern and such. Fudge everything but threw us out. He sent Percy to St Mungo's with the Dursleys. Then the Aurors arrived. He sent Kingsley and Dawlish to the Leaky Cauldron. Then he told us to be in his office in 15 minutes. Some time after we got there Percy arrived. He took protocol of our discussion with Fudge. Fudge was about to dismiss us. Then he asked Percy if he forgot something. Of course, did he have some questions. – He is actually quite good at interrogating people. - He asked us how we knew about the Dark Mark and why we" Tonks made a swift motion to Moody and Remus. "were there. He said that Harry isn't our business and if Albus puts it as headmaster duty, Minerva or at least an other Professor should be there. Then he asked what spells we used on the Dursleys. Apparently they don't wake up."

Mrs Weasley looked close to tears.

"Anyway," said Dumbledore "Arthur, anything new at the Ministry?"

"Nothing. Looks like it is kept in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"We can ask Kingsley about it later," said Tonks, "Maybe he knows something."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ministry of Magic - Minister Fudge's office

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, at first I think we should keep the Dursleys warded. Nobody should be allowed in there, except for Dr. Rimstone and three nurses. We know that the nurses in the Closed ward are safe. Next, we should find the Squib Dumbledore was talking about and question her. Maybe not Azkaban, but fine her heavily and watch her. One step out of the line and she will be send to Azkaban. Then, I think we should check the screeners in the Improper Use of Magic Office."

"Good good."

"Oh I just had a brilliant idea about the Aurors. Do you know if Dumbledore found another Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, yet?"

"Not that I know of."


Percy nodded.

"Good. Maybe we should start there. You know, Dumbledore won't have another Umbridge disaster. But I know how we can kill two birds with one stone."

"Good good." said Fudge, rubbing his hands together. "With what are we going to start."

"I think we should ask Head Auror Williams for the report."

Suddenly Percy's eyes widened and he started grinning.

"What is it?"

"I think I know who the squib is…"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A/N: Please review. More reviews --- make me happy ---- I write more ---- I update faster.