Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the characters, and the locations withing the story; all of which belong to the one and only J.K.Rowling.

Chapter 1: Inquire, inquire, inquire.

The sun, nearly finished setting on Little Winging, the darkness of night slowly taking it's turn. The street lights begin lighting, as the night approaches. However, on Privet Drive, the street lights remain off. Across from Number 4 Privet Drive a plume of smoke begins forming. A loud snap sounds from the streets outside of Privet Drive, catching Harry's attention. Harry already waiting with his belongings and Hedwig, sat in the waiting room of his aunt and uncle's home. A quiet 'tap tap' is heard from behind the door. Excitedly, Harry walks to open the door and greet his expected guest.

An elderly man stands behind the door, donning a set of moon blue robes, silver cloak, and a bright red pointy hat. His blue eyes twinkle as he gives Harry a friendly smile before speaking.

"Hello Harry, I expect your summer has been going reasonably well?", Dumbledore asked. Harry shifted slightly before answering.

"Not any better than my summer's usually are, Professor.", he paused for a second, "Would you like to come in?". He stepped aside and walked in to the waiting room, Dumbledore following. "I would offer you some tea or pastries, but any noise in the kitchen would wake up my uncle...", Harry said with a bit of disappointment. Dumbledore let out a small chuckle.

"Do not worry Harry", Dumbledore pulled his wand from his sleeve and flicked it. A floating tray of pastries and cookies appeared, along with a pot of hot tea and two cups. The pot immediately began pouring itself into the cups before floating over to it's two recipients. Harry took the cup thankfully and blew it a bit before taking a sip. Dumbledore doing the same. "Now, you know why we arranged this meeting Harry. To discuss this dream of yours?", Dumbledore inquired Harry.

Nodding, Harry took another sip of his tea before speaking.

"Right, well it seemed like a normal nightmare. Usually I would be looking at Lord Voldemort and his Deatheaters talking, or sometimes they would be torturing someone. All my other nightmares are random, different people, talking about different things. Sometimes I'll even dream about past memories. But this time, it was like I was right there, in the room with Voldemort and his Deatheaters. He was torturing Hermione and asking her where you were going to hide me...Hermione! Professor, is Hermione safe?! ", Harry suddenly realized. Dumbledore nodded, reassuring Harry.

"Don't worry Harry, as soon as I read your letter I contacted Miss

Granger. She is safe, and was at the moment packing for Grimmauld Place. Her parents have been put into hiding, I of which am the secret keeper of their location.", he smiled at Harry's concern. Harry relaxed upon hearing of his friends safety. Mind switching back to the latter subject, his dream.

"What confuses me is what happened during Voldemort's attack. The weird boy appeared and ended his attack; after, I just woke up.", Harry sat back thinking upon his dream.

Dumbledore pet his beard in deep contemplation. He sipped tea once more and set it on the tray. For a split second, Harry thought he saw a relaxed look on his Headmaster's face, as if he knew what had happened. "Do you know what might have happened?", Harry asked. Dumbledore slowly shook his head before speaking.

"I'm not sure Harry, but it seems like Lord Voldemort might be implanting false messages in your mind again... Harry, if this continues, I want you to start taking Occlumency again. Protecting your mind is and should be one of your utmost concerns.", answered Dumbledore. Harry gave out a quiet growl in disagreement.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I refuse to learn Occlumency from Snape. His methods aren't reasonable and I think he is just using it as an excuse to attack my mind.", exclaimed Harry. Harry set his cup down on the tray. Dumbledore gave a deep sigh.

"Professor Snape, Harry, in my presence please refer to your teachers with respect. I know Harry, but his methods are efficient. He is being aggressive to strengthen your mind quickly. Do you think that Voldemort would weaken his own attack in accord to your own defensive skills being weaker? Professor Snape is very skilled in both Occlumency and Illigimency, so please be sure to ask him to teach you further.", Dumbledore finished. Harry frowned and shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

Harry shifted and looked at his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Hedwig ruffled her feathers, chirping quietly.

"When are we going to leave? You didn't mention how, by the way.", Harry asked, changing the subject. Dumbledore smiled at Harry's eagerness to leave his relatives home. He pulled out a small black feather and twirled it in his fingers.

"First by portkey, we will be going just outside a small village called Budleigh Babberton. From there we will be going to meet with a very old friend of mine. Now come Harry, take hold of the portkey, it will activate in just a minute.", Dumbledore held out the feather to Harry before waving his wand at Harry's belongings. They shrank and flew into Dumbledore's open pocket. Harry nodded and took hold of the feather with his finger and thumb. Harry opened his mouth in attempts to ask a question but a familiar tug at his navel interrupted him. His aunt and uncle's waiting room swirled and twisted away from view, mixed with a view of the night sky and flashing lights as Harry and Dumbledore disappeared from view.

A black smoke flooded in from an open window, stopping briefly before a dark figure. Lord Voldemort turned his head to look at his servant. Wand twirling in his hand, he spoke.

"Have you been able to track Dumbledore's movements tonight, Severus?". The black smoke began materializing, revealing the form of Severus Snape. Looking at Lord Voldemort with an emotionless face, he answered.

"No, unfortunately he has hidden his tracks well. He used his phoenix's magic to leave without notice. Our ministry spies cannot track magic outside of wizard control. If it is true that he is moving Potter tonight, then he will most likely bring him to Hogwarts.", he finished, bowing his head as he stepped back. Fist clenching his bone-like wand, sneering angrily Voldemort seethed at Dumbledore's evasive methods.

"Return to your post Severus, there are other matters I must attend to.", Severus Snape raised his eyebrow and bowed. Body melting into a black smoky form, a loud snap was heard and the smoke dispersed as a light breeze blew in from the window.

'That boy, how was he able to interrupt my assault?', Lord Voldemort asked himself. Flicking his wand in various patterns, a purple string of light weaved from the tip. Like sketch lines forming a drawing, the light formed a large basin on a pedestal. Black water began to fill from the bottom of the basin. Muttering a few incoherent words, an imaged flashed into view in the basin. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After waiting, searching for the appearance of Severus Snape, Voldemort hissed in anger as he realized Severus Snape did not immediately return to his post at Hogwarts.

A heavy wind blew down a dark street shrouded in a very thick mist. The mist, slowly thickening, gathered and balled in front of a small house at the end of a cul-de-sac. The wind picked up and began howling, muffling a sound resembling a spark of electricity. Two figures could be faintly made out from within the fog.

Dumbledore and Harry quickly made their way to the small house about ten yards in front of them. About to knock on a door made from mahogany, it flew open as the wind picked up once more. Inside was a room dimly lit by a small lamp. There was debris fluttering around due to the wind. Ushering Harry in, Dumbledore closed the door and flicked his wand, bringing more light to the dreary room. Upon further investigating, they found the couch split in pieces, a side table burned and charred, and the wall blown apart revealing a kitchen. Stepping a head of his Headmaster, Harry began to speak in a hushed tone.

"Professor, what-", he was interrupted by Dumbledore holding up his hand. His eye fixed on the room before them, then quickly scanning the kitchen, he turned around.

"Wand out Harry, and be on your guard. There is someone here, hiding.", he resolved. Harry stepped back looking through a window for a brief second. Stepping back further, Harry tripped backwards over the broken form of a side table, and fell onto the split couch. Dumbledore quickly turned in Harry's direction, wand raised. As Harry tried to pull himself up, he found himself not able to do so. The springs from the broken couch began slithering around Harry's body. "Show yourself, Horace!", announced Dumbledore. Harry grunted, struggling to pull himself free.

"Ah, so it's you Albus!", said a voice echoing from around the room. The springs from the couch began to recoil as a painting of an elderly farmer on the wall melted to the floor and began bubbling. The form of a large man came into view. Harry fixed his wand on a strange, very fat old man. "Good evening Albus, what brings you to my humble abode?", Horace Slughorn greeted Dumbledore. His eyes quickly shifted to Harry.

"Wand down Harry, this is an old friend of mine, Horace Slughorn. Horace, this is young Harry Potter. Could we fix this room up a bit? I wish to ask you a few questions.", asked Dumbledore. Horace Slughorn's face lit up upon hearing that the boy in front of him was the one and only, Boy Who Lived. Quickly brandishing his wand in various circles, the debris trashed room around them began repairing and cleaning itself.

"Now then, it is a great honor to meet you Mr. Potter!", Horace Slughorn said gleefully. He thrust out his hand, offering to shake Harry's own. Harry, both nervous and annoyed, shook it lightly.

"It's nice to meet you to Mr. Slughorn, and just call me Harry.", he said. Dumbledore smiled, and sat himself down on the couch.

"Alrighty then Harry! Also please call my Horace, Mr. Slughorn makes me feel as old as I really am!", Horace smiled before sitting himself down in a black leather recliner. Harry followed suit and sat down besides Dumbledore. Dumbledore was the first to speak, inquiring his reasons of his visit.