Disclaimer: Most characters belong to J. K. Rowling, a few are my own. ;) This story takes place after the first five in the series; making it sixth year. The plot is my own, but is based on J. K. Rowling's work. I DO NOT own Harry Potter. I might borrow details from other fan fiction, but nothing major; don't get mad. I hope this is what I need to say to keep out of trouble. :)

The Power of Four Chapter 2: Summers End

Hermione sat on the edge of the bed next to Harry's. Ron was laying behind her in an exhausted sleep. It was about four in the morning. She hadn't even tried to sleep because she knew she couldn't; she had too much to think about. The ending of Snape's story was terrifying and awkward, but what troubled her even more were Dumbledore's reactions. When Snape finished his story Dumbledore thanked him then went directly to Harry. He then placed his wand on Harry's scar and muttered some old spell. When he was done he turned to the group. The familiar twinkle in his eyes was gone, and for the first time they showed how old he truly was. After wishing them all good night he left without another word on the subject. Hermione's attention was tore away from her thoughts as there was a soft moan from the bed next to her. Her eyes immediately shot to Harry, he was sweating and thrashing around violently. On impulse she went over to him, she sat next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Harry wake up it's just a nightmare." He was unaffected. She started to shake him and call his name. Ron was on Harry's other side trying to hold him down, so he wouldn't hurt himself or Hermione.

"N0!!!!" Harry yelled sitting bolt upright. He was shaking uncontrollably, and drenched in sweat. His eyes wide like a scared animal.

"Harry, are you alright." Hermione said in a voice that clearly demanded an answer. Ron wrapped a blanket around Harry, and held onto his shoulders, to try and stop his shaking.

Harry looked at both his friends, and then put his head in his hands. Ron felt him shake even harder as he heard Harry's sobs. "You shouldn't be here." Harry croaked.

"Harry, don't say that." Hermione and Ron said in unison.

"NO, you are in great danger by being here…. everyone around me is." Harry said weekly.

"Harry! Every wizard is in danger, and don't think us being your friend puts us in anymore danger then we already are. My family consists of some of Dumbledore's most faithful supporters, and Mione is a muggle-born!" Ron burst out.

"You don't understand….. I don't know how much longer I can fight it." Harry said even weaker.

"Well let us understand, let us help you Harry. That's what friends are for." Hermione said with a hurt tone.

"Please…." Harry wrenched himself free of Ron and lay on his stomach, covered by the blanket. "Just go." The friends made no move to leave; just looked from Harry to each other, helpless.

K9marauder

Harry fell into a fitful sleep. His friends still sat on his bed, watching him; wanting to help. The door to the Hospital wing creaked open. A middle aged wizard came over to the three teenagers. "Hello, Professor Lupin." Ron and Hermione whispered.

Light grey eyes studied them, "Dumbledore wishes to see you." Lupin delivered his message with concern. The two young wizards looked at Harry. "He will be okay, he is a strong boy." Lupin said in a comforting definite tone.

"I've never seen him this….this…..broken." Hermione broke into tears. Lupin's expression turned grave.

Ron put a comforting hand on Hermione, "Let's go see what Dumbledore has to say. He might have good news." They slowly made their way to Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore was unreadable as he looked around his office at the occupants; the entire Weasley family (excluding Percy), Hermione, Remus, and Severus. Everyone in the room was waiting for him to speak, some with hopeful faces. Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his eyes, "I'm not certain, but I believe I found what is happening to Harry."

There was a collective question of "What?" as hope rose in the room.

"I believe Voldormort has cast a spell on him." Everyone gasped. "I think it is a much stronger darker version of the Imperius Curse. I believe Voldormort is trying to control Harry, but Harry is fighting it." He paused for a moment to let that sink in. "It seems that he can hold Voldormort off unless he is very emotional, but then it even seems Harry can win because Harry doesn't want to kill anyone."

"That fucking evil discusting piece of shit should just go to hell." Ron said in a disgusted and angry tone, but with a hint of fear.

"Why Harry? Why can't that mean old bastard leave Harry alone?" Ginny cried.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, but made no comment. He felt it was Harry's decision when to tell them.

"What can we do to help him?" Hermione was crying and scared, but very determined.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at how true a Gryffindor she was. "I know that you have heard this; but even if Harry thinks he is endangering you, I want you to take him to the Burrow. I will put up extra protection, and we are setting up a watch by the Order." Dumbledore watched their reactions.

"Of course he can stay at our place, we love having him." Mrs. Weasley said happily, though her eyes were sad.

"Certainly headquarters would be safer." Snape broke in. The entire room scowled at him.

"You insensitive bastard!" Lupin yelled clearly pissed.

"I believe that would not be good for Harry; the Borrow is plenty safe." Dumbledore agreed with Lupin.

"But what about the curse?" the twins asked in unison.

Dumbledore looked almost helpless at this, "Harry has to fight it on his own; the only thing we can do is make sure he knows he is loved,"

"This is too big a burden for such a young boy." Mr. Weasley was grim. The group agreed, even Snape.

K9marauder

Harry woke to find himself surrounded by a sea of red. He knew that it was the Weasley family. He groaned to himself, 'Why are they here, I don't want them hurt.'

"These might help." Hermione said handing him his glasses. His vision came into view; indeed the Weasleys, Hermione, and Dumbledore were all watching him.

"Are you ready to go to the Burrow?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a somewhat mothering tone. Harry's eyes went wide in horror.

"Certainly we're not that bad." Charlie chuckled.

"No…I….I….can't." Harry was horrified.

"Yes you can." Mrs. Weasley was stern.

"Harry, I think you should spend the rest of vacation at the Burrow." Dumbledore insisted.

"It's too dangerous…." Harry was petrified thinking 'for them.'

"Nah, we have plenty of wards." Bill was dismissive.

"You can come peacefully…." Fred started.

"Or we can force you." George finished.

"But either way your coming." Ginny added to her brothers.

Harry was ready to bolt when Ron and Hermione grabbed his shoulders. Harry soon felt a jerk behind his navel, as he was portkeyed to the Burrow. "Dammit, I can't stay here. I'm too dangerous." Harry yelled at his friends.

"Harry you are not dangerous; Voldormort is." Ron yelled back.

Harry's eyes became glassy, "Exactly my point." Harry turned on his heel and headed for the door.

"Harry you can't go." Hermione pleaded.

"I have to." Harry was solemn and didn't turn to address her. Just as Harry reached the door a spell flew past him. He turned around knowing the door was locked. "Let me go." Harry said half pleading half demanding.

"I can't." was Mr. Weasleys calm caring response.

"I appreciate your concern, but it is not safe for me to be here."

"Don't you worry about that. Now go get settled in, and washed up. Supper will be in an hour." Mrs. Weasley cheerfully instructed.

"Come on." Ron led Harry upstairs.

K9marauder

Harry woke up screaming, as he did every night; it was the filth night he was at the Burrow.

Ron looked at him quizzically, "You all right mate?" Harry waved him off, and curled up under his blankets. "It might help if you talk about them." Ron said to his friend.

"I won't burden anyone with them." Harry answered.

K9marauder

Harry was running frantically through the Forbidden Forest. Their were agonizing screams coming from directly in front of him, and were loud enough that he could swear the person could be no more than five feet away. He had been running for what seemed like hours; the screams never getting closer, but always getting worse. Finally, he skidded to a stop to see himself with his wand pointed at a screaming man. As soon as he came into the clearing the screaming stopped, and his other self looked at him.

Harry looked at himself in horror; he looked even more evil than Voldormort. "There is great power here!" his other self said as Voldormort strolled up beside him.

"Join us Harry!" Voldormort said.

"NEVER!" Harry yelled into the darkness of Ron's room. There was a loud thud and a lot of footsteps.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione sat beside him on his bed. Harry looked at the doorway to see every Weasley somehow crammed in the small space with faces full of worry.

"Err….nothing….sorry." Harry replied full of fear and embarrassment.

Ron sprung up off the floor. He looked at Harry, and then motioned to his family that he and Hermione would take care of it. They all reluctantly left. Ron turned back to Harry, "You okay mate?"

"I shouldn't be here." Harry's voice was full of fear. Harry turned away from his friends; curling up in the corner, and hiding himself from them. Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances, neither wanting to leave Harry.

K9marauder

Ron and Hermione sat on the grass behind the Weasley's house; watching Harry. After the first week of being there Harry had taken to secluding himself from everyone. He would sit at the edge of the wards under a large tree, and stare into the small forest that was there. Despite everything Mrs. Weasley said to him, the most he ever ate was a sandwich a day, and would only go into the house if he thought everyone was asleep; when they woke up he was again under "his" tree. The only responses he would give were quiet pleas for them to leave him alone, or him shrinking away even farther. So by his 16th birthday he was barely a skeleton, as white as Malfoy, and his eyes seemed to belong to someone older than Dumbledore.

Hermione almost cried every time she looked at him, "Why him? Why can't we help him?"

Ron would just stare at his shoes and feel helpless that he, probably the closest person to Harry, couldn't do a dam thing.

"How's he doing?" Lupin's voice broke into their thoughts.

"Worse." was Ron's worried blunt response.

Lupin frowned, "I should go talk to him."

"It won't help." Hermione was about to cry as she thought. 'It's his god dam birthday, he's supposed to be happy; but no that bastard Voldormort can't leave him alone for one second. But why? It has to be bigger than the fact that Harry was the cause of his first downfall. There has to be more to it, or why would he have needed Harry's blood?'

Lupin had taken over as guardian since Sirius' death; he felt it was his responsibility, "I have to try." Lupin took off towards Harry.

K9marauder

A short while later Lupin and Harry came strolling up to the house. Harry was reluctant and unsure. For the first time since he arrived at the Burrow he looked at Hermione and Ron with a small smile. This made Hermione almost jump through the roof in excitement, but it also made her even sadder. His eyes were bloodshot and the bags under his eyes were almost unbearable. The Weasleys, Hermione, and Lupin tried to make his birthday as happy as possible. Harry had seemed to enjoy himself, but was always tense and afraid. He was opening his presents at the picnic table they had set up; when he stopped at a small rumbled package. It had Happy Birthday Harry written on it in Hagrid's scribble. Harry opened it to find two boxes, a small one and a larger one. Harry grabbed the larger one, upon opening it Harry found a birthday cake. It looked exactly like his the first cake the half-giant made him. A small tear ran down Harry's cheek then he turned to the other box. None of the Weasleys moved; except the twins who were secretly bringing something up behind Harry. When Harry opened the box a small note and a set of keys fell out. Harry looked confused at the keys. He turned to the note: This was Sirius' when he was younger. I thought you should have it. Harry looked closer at the keys. "Surprise!" the twins shouted; standing on either side of a very large gleaming motorcycle. Harry looked at it stunned, tears pouring down his cheeks.

The rest of the night was spent riding it; Harry's heart ached at the thought of Sirius, but he wore the only true smile he would have during this summer.

K9marauder

It was the middle of August when the Hogwarts letters came. "We are not going back to Hogwarts!" the twins yelled at their mother clutching letters in their fists.

"Yes you are." Mrs. Weasley yelled back.

"We are adults, and have our own business now! We don't need to finish school." they yelled again.

Mrs. Weasley became stern and authoritive, "The shop can wait, and you know that there are other reasons for you to go." The twins were defeated.

K9marauder

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Harry all boarded the Hogwarts express on September 1. Harry was even tenser as the group made it to the train. They quickly found a secluded compartment at the back of the train. Harry by the window, with Hermione beside him, and Ron on her other side. The twins and Ginny were on the other side of the compartment deep in discussion about upcoming pranks. Hermione and Ron left early on to attend their prefect meeting, leaving Harry to his own thoughts. He sat there in silence watching the scenery fly past. He was fingering a large gold badge he had in his pocket. 'How in the hell did I become Quidditch Captain', Harry thought. The slow rocking of the train slowly put him to sleep.

K9marauder

Harry woke up on a small rocky hilltop. It was very dark, but an emerald green fire cast a dim light around him. He looked around and squinted in the light. There were a number of people lying unconscious in a circle around the fire. A tall dark figure came walking towards him. Soft determined green eyes stared into cold hard evil ones.

"Come on Harry, there is more power down this road than you know." His other self said.

"Never. I won't become a dark wizard." Harry replied.

"It is in your blood, I can feel it. Can't you?" Voldormort's cold voice pierced the night.

"I am not dark." Harry was fiercer.

"Yes Harry. We are, if you just accept." His other self was cool and calm, but almost pleading for the power.

"No." Harry was not giving in.

Voldormort let out a high evil laugh. "I have other ways of persuasion." Voldormort twitched his wand and two bodies levitated over. Harry gasped, it was Ron and Hermione; a recent fight evident.

"Leave them out of this!!" Harry yelled at Voldormort.

"Harry you have very few weaknesses, but I have found them. Rather easy to manipulate you with it if I have to." Voldormort grinned in satisfaction, with a wave of his wand images of everyone Harry cared about, some he didn't even know about yet but would soon, started to swirl around him. Voldormort sneered, "If you don't join me in 24 hours I will snuff them out." Voldormort twitched his wand each image showed a horrible death. "One by One." Voldormort grinned in satisfaction.

"You bastard!!" Harry's voice was low and menacing.

Harry sat up abruptly, stiff and still. He slowly looked into the opposite corner of the compartment. He locked eyes with Ginny; she looked at him worriedly. The dream finally hit Harry; hard. He started to hyperventilate; 'Shit I have to leave. I can't put them in anymore danger'; Harry's mind was racing.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked. Harry quickly stood up, and reached for his trunk.

"Calm down Harry." The twins grabbed him by the shoulders.

"I…I…can't" Harry looked at each like a trapped animal. He wrenched himself free from their grip, and took a step towards the door. Ginny grabbed his shoulder to stop him. Harry stopped, "Please let me go."

"Harry, don't." Ginny pleaded. Harry started to tremble, the window shattered behind him. The twins quickly repaired it, the three red-heads watched Harry's every move; dam if they would let him leave. "Harry?" Ginny stepped in front of him. Green eyes met brown.

"Ginny." Harry whispered, and then he slunk back into his seat.

A loud banging on the door caused the Weasleys to jump in surprise. The twins opened the door, blocking it, so nobody could see in. "Malfoy." George greeted with disgust.

"What's going on in here? I heard something break." Malfoy calmly replied.

"Nothing." Fred moved so he could see the compartment, except Harry.

Malfoy was displeased, "Mark my words! One tiny fuck up and both of you will belong to Snape for the entire year."

The twins laughed and slammed the door shut. "Ginny get Ron and Hermione." They instructed.

K9marauder

Hermione was back in her seat, the compartment was silent. Harry was hugging his knees on his seat, with his face buried in his robes. He hadn't moved since he sat there. About an hour after they all noticed a dark red aura surround Harry. Hermione had tried to touch him when she came in, after Ginny had told them what happened. He started to tremble at her touch, so she took her hand away. That short contact was what Hermione had been thinking about. She sensed Harry was fighting about a hundred things at once; mostly himself. She stared at him; he hadn't grown since the beginning of the summer, but he had lost an alarming amount of wait. He was so pale he could have been dead, and if one could look into his eyes all you could see was fear and pain, pain worse than any Cruciatus curse. How the hell was he supposed to deal with school like this? The train slowed and they realized they were pulling into Hogsmeade.

K9marauder

Author's Note: This is the end of Chapter 2. What will Harry do? Thanks, hope you liked it. Please Review.