Chapter 2 – The Last Stay

Chapter 2 – The Last Stay

A/N: Harry's last stay at Privet Drive is very quiet. This all belongs to JKR.

Having seen Tonks and Remus off with promises of keeping in touch and after thanking them for the help in preparing his room Harry could relax. Before leaving Tonks had promised Harry to update the Improper Use of Magic Office at the Ministry that Hermione and Ron were staying with Harry and to sort out the spells used that afternoon in preparing the room for their stay so that he wouldn't be receiving any notices about underage magic again.

Once he was settled into his room again Harry explored the changes that had been made to the room by Hermione, Tonks and Remus. Just like with the Ministry cars, on the outside nothing had changed about the house, but Hermione, Lupin and Tonks had managed to turn Harry's pokey bedroom into a comfortable three bedroom apartment. The changes came complete with kitchen and sitting area for the trio to work and prepare in. It was a good thing he had made an agreement with the Dursley's to stay in his room in exchange for complete privacy or they would have hurled him out of the door without so much as a second thought if they were to discover the changes that had been made to the room.

Harry took a leisurely tour of his new room. The three bedrooms each had a comfortable four poster single bed just like the ones at Hogwarts. One of the rooms seemed to have a longer mirror as well as more feminine decorations and Harry assumed that this was the room Hermione would be using as the décor of the room seemed to fit her personality to a tee. Ron quickly took one of the other rooms which Harry noted had been given orange walls and décor. He immediately began placing quidditch posters up to adorn the walls even though they would only be stating for a month or so. Harry took the other bedroom, which he noted with a mixture of nostalgia and delight had been decorated in Gryffindor red and gold. Harry was impressed with the room's proportions and décor in comparison with what he was used to when he returned to his relative's house for the summer break. The feelings the changes brought about in Harry left his feeling that for once his stay at his relative's house might actually turn out to be pleasant and that it might be feeling more like a home than it ever had during any of the previous summers.

The kitchen was simple and was not overly large. The sitting room on the other hand, could pass as a smaller version of the Gryffindor common room. Noticing the size of the kitchen Harry realised a problem that they had not thought of before. Where were they going to get food to eat? He had a solution to the problem, but the solution brought with it its own set of problems; namely in the form of Hermione and her views on house elves and house elf rights. Harry had been meaning to have a talk with Hermione on this topic for a while but never had the courage to attempt to put forward his point of view. Squaring his shoulders he determined to have a long talk with Hermione that evening before they decided on anything else about using Dobby and possibly Winky and Kreacher.

"Hermione, could you come here for a minute?" Hermione came to the kitchen to see what Harry wanted. "What are we going to do for food?"

"I hadn't thought of food. I suppose we could conjure it but the book I read said it never tastes as good that way and you don't get the same nutritional value as real food."

"Well I have an idea. Please don't freak out; I know how you feel about house elves, but I have been meaning to have this conversation with you since last year and it just never came up. Why don't we go into the sitting room?" Hermione nodded and they both went into the sitting room. Ron was still decorating his room and getting things out of his trunk.

"Hermione last year you thought that if you left clothes in the Gryffindor common room you could set the house elves free." Seeing Hermione nod in agreement Harry continued. "Dobby was the only one who collected any of your clothes. In fact the other house elves were so offended that they refused to clean Gryffindor tower. Dobby had to do it by himself. He did it because he admires me. Now, don't you think that is just as cruel as what you initially started S.P.E.W. for to campaign against?" Hermione nodded so Harry continued. "I understand why you feel this way. I studied history too you know before going to Hogwarts and believe that slavery is totally immoral. I would never fault your principles. What I am faulting is the method you are using. You have to understand house elves and that they have a whole culture based on serving wizards in the ways that they have since I don't know when. The problem is not with the fact that house elves do all sorts of work like servants do. Being a servant has never been wrong. Besides house elves are truly happy doing it. It is what gives them a will to live. Just look at Kreacher and Winky. When you decided to start this did you even examine house elf culture, history or anything else apart from looking at books in the library? If I recall one of the points you made was about house elves and wands. The problem is; that house elf magic does not require a wand. It is different from the magic you and I do."

Hermione seemed to be having an epiphany of some sort as Harry continued. "Hermione I would never lecture to you. These are just things that I have observed in the limited dealings I have had with house elves. As I said the problem is not with house elves or the work that they do. It is how they are treated that is the problem you should be focusing on. Maybe when this is all over get a job in the Department for the Regulation and Control for Magical Creatures and slowly work on it. Slavery wasn't abolished overnight after all. It took time. Maybe if you start trying to make it illegal for masters to punish or order their elves to inflict punishment on themselves. That sort of thing."

"Oh Harry you have given me so much to think about; you're right I never considered those points. I was just trying to push my principles, views and opinions onto a culture of beings that simply wasn't ready to listen, wasn't I? But wait that was a pretty big build up; I don't see; how does this solve our problem about food?"

"I was just coming to that if you will let me. Kreacher and Dobby" Harry called out. A moment later two soft pops were heard announcing the arrival of the elves. "Kreacher every couple of days you will bring us fresh food. You are not to tell anyone you are doing it in any way shape or form. The food must be edible, not poisoned or contaminated in any other way. You will not let anyone see you doing this or inform anyone where I am."

"Dobby, if I recall right, it was Professor Dumbledore who hired you and Winky personally wasn't it?" Dobby nodded allowing Harry to continue with his plan. "Well since his death" at which point Dobby burst into tears while Harry knelt to his level and patted him on the shoulder before continuing "I was thinking would either or both of you like to come and work for me? Now you would have to make it clear to Winky that I wouldn't enslave her but that is just because I don't believe in slavery at all. What I am offering you is access to all of my belongings because I trust you and would make you a part of my family. The only problem is I don't have room here at the moment for you to stay with me. What do you say Dobby would you like to be part of my family?"

"Oh yes Harry Potter Sir; Dobby would be honoured beyond anything to work for the great Harry Potter and to be a part of his family."

"Very well Dobby; I now officially make you a member of the house of Potter. Last year when my godfather died he left me his house in London but I don't think you can go there either because of Wizard magic hiding it and it could only be found if Professor Dumbledore told you where it was."

At this Harry was interrupted by Dobby exclaiming "but Harry Potter sir Dobby is knowing the house you is talking about. The great Professor Dumbledore is asking Dobby and Winky to be helping him to help Harry Potter by cleaning his house so that it is not looking like it is being dark wizards who is living in the house anymore."

"That's great Dobby; in that case if Winky agrees could both of you please stay there and keep that house looking good or continuing the clean up. I don't know what has been done since I really couldn't face going to that house last year knowing that my godfather wasn't there anymore. One other thing please; could you make sure that Kreacher follows the orders that I gave him? I really don't trust him since he served dark wizards for so long and has picked up their views; I don't think that I left any loopholes in the instructions to him but I don't want anyone at all to know what he is doing for me. Can you do that for me Dobby?"

'Oh yes Harry Potter Sir. It would please Dobby very much to help him teach Kreacher to be a proper house elf."

"Thank you Dobby. Kreacher we will need the kitchen stocked in time to make dinner tonight. Oh and Dobby if you need money to buy food I give you and only you permission to use some of the money in my vault if you need to."

Having satisfactorily taken care of the food problem now, Harry went to his room to unpack the things he would need while he stayed at Privet Drive after which he joined Ron and Hermione in the sitting room.

That first day they were too exhausted to do much of anything except to just veg out in their now comfortable sitting room; each of the three teens was lost in their own thoughts. Harry sat repeating the mantra that had been running through his head since the night of Dumbledore's death "the locket, the cup, the snake, something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's …" When he wasn't thinking about this his thoughts turned to Ginny, questioning whether he had done the right thing on the train and concluding that he had and let his thoughts wander as to what she was doing. While he was doing this Ron and Hermione would furtively glance at each other from time to time, and then they quickly look away again when they were caught looking by the other. Things were definitely developing since they had comforted each other at the funeral and Harry and Ginny caught them out on the train. Harry hoped that they would admit their feelings to each other soon. He wouldn't be able to stand the sexual tension between them when they were on their mission.

On the day after they arrived, Hermione disappeared for a couple of hours and returned later loaded down with many books on history of the dark arts and other subjects that might help them to form the plan for their mission which is what they were using the time in Privet Drive to accomplish. They had decided to simply research, plan and make lists while in Surrey; they wouldn't actually make any other steps towards completing their mission until after Harry's birthday at the earliest.

When she got back Harry and Ron had enquired where the books came from and, blushing, Hermione told them she had raided the Black family Library; although now it was Harry's since he had inherited it the previous year after Sirius' death. They flicked through books looking for Death Eaters or former Death Eaters with the initials RAB. This lead Hermione to inquire about a conclusion that Harry had drawn based on the wording of the note left in the fake locket.

"Harry how do you know that it is a death eater or former death eater" Hermione asked irritably after another seemingly fruitless book was put down by the brunette.

"The way that it is addressed is in the tone of a death eater. They are the only ones that I know of who ever addressed him in those terms" Harry rationalised in reply, and so they continued searching.

As they continued an owl appeared bearing a letter from Tonks. The message was simple and very ambiguous in case it had been intercepted and simply read:

Hey,

Everything is taken care of here.

T


They all understood that Tonks had taken care of any underage magic issues, and so breathed a sigh of relief.

The trio's time at the Dursley's passed quicker than any that Harry could ever remember; of course this was almost entirely due to having his friends with him as well as avoiding the Dursley's completely except for when any of them had to use the bathroom. Hermione did most of the cooking for the three of them, although they all did try and help and take turns with the work. They would also send little notes to different people in the order using either Hedwig or Ron's owl Pig by sending them to the Burrow and getting one of the Weasley's to pass on the note. They would then spend much of their days discussing their mission, which they attacked with a vengeance as, they now looked upon the task as a legacy to their fallen headmaster. They went over what they already knew about the trophies making detailed notes.

The notes they made became flowcharts and list of things to do. The first list had things like:

Research – Hermione, Ginny?, Luna?
Strategy and tactics – Ron, the Order
Advanced defence training – Remus, Moody, Tonks?, Kingsly?
Godric's Hollow – Remus
Learn about the Potter's – Remus, McGonagall?, Flitwick?
Base of operations – where?
How to destroy a Horcrux – Dumbledore's portrait?, Remus?

Another list was devoted entirely to the Horcruxes. It listed them, a rough picture, the significance of the object and any other information they could gather. Also using what he had learned when using the memories last year with Dumbledore possible locations. Some of the locations included his orphanage. Riddle had felt powerful there using his abilities to torment and torture the other children. When they thought about it they added Hogwarts to the list as well. Hermione rationalised that it fit with the connection of using objects of the founders. Also it had clearly been a very important place for Riddle. They also debated including Remus in their mission. He was very well versed in the defence and may be able to help them when they ran up against any brick walls. Harry in the end decided to wait to see if Dumbledore had left any final instructions or anything to guide him.

Yet another list contained information of any Death Eater known to the trio. They were hoping that with the help of the members of the Order they could improve the list as well as the detail on certain Death Eaters. Listed were all the Malfoy's, Bellatrix, her husband and her brother-in-law, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott's father, MacNair, Avery, Dolohov, Snape, Amycus and Alecto: the two who had been on the astronomy tower that night, Greyback and Pettigrew. These were just the ones they could name off the top of their head. Next to some special markings were made to indicate any aggravating or mitigating circumstances. Harry added this so that he would know how he wanted to respond if he came up against them any time soon.

Doing the lists the trio came to some alarming conclusions. They all came to realise that they would never have a better base of operations than Hogwarts. Also they could take advanced training. Hermione also pointed out that they planned on winning the battle and what would they do with their lives after Voldemort had been defeated if they hadn't finished their education. After all they all wanted jobs that required NEWT scores. Another conclusion was that they needed to join the order.

"Harry you know my mum. I know I am of age but she still won't let me join" bemoaned Ron.

"I think I have a strategy that will work. When we make our request we need to point out that we have an important secret mission. It will be more dangerous if we do not have enough information about what else is going on. We need to make clear that we only want to know information. Also we offer the Order the use of Hermione's amazing research talents and your amazing ability at strategy and tactics. We make it clear that we are not asking to be more active than finishing the mission already set to us. I think, on those terms we might be able to broker a deal."

One final conclusion that they came to was how ill prepared they felt for the final battle. Harry had watched Dumbledore take on Riddle at the Ministry and knew that he was not ready for a battle like that yet. They needed to train more. So a final list was made of what they needed to train in.

Improve agility – this would help in duelling and stamina for prolonged duels
Non-verbal spell casting
Sensing magic – can any of us do it?
Hexes
Healing
Occlumency and Legilimency
Wandless magic?
Muggle duelling methods – in case we lose our wands. Also the Death Eaters don't expect it.
Weapons?

The trio decided that it would be a good idea to begin getting in shape before they left for the Burrow at the end of the month. This way they could get into a routine for their training. So on the morning of the third day back they each got up and dressed in jogging clothes and headed outside. They decided half an hour would be a good starting point and they could increase once they got used to it. So they set off towards the park and continued making laps of the park for half an hour. They then returned to their mini-apartment and did some cooling down exercises before deciding to do some push-ups and sit-ups. Once more they started small doing 25 of each. They decided they would also do the exercises before bed to get into better shape without making themselves too exhausted doing it all in one go. Over the next few weeks this became a routine and they were soon exercising for two hours in the morning and half an hour of an evening. Hermione was having the most trouble out of all of them since Harry and Ron were fit to some extent after all the quidditch practice they had done. However even that only gave them a slight advantage. By the end of July each of their bodies were developing impressive muscles in all of the right places.

They continued exercising and researching for the remainder of July until it was finally July 29th. Earlier in the week Hermione had sent a patronus message to Tonks and Remus saying that they would like to leave a couple of days before Harry's birthday and asked for arrangements to be made since Harry and Ron technically couldn't apparate yet.

A reply came back that both Tonks and Remus would arrive some time at night, after the Dursley's had gone to sleep so as not to disturb them. Harry agreed that this would be best all around since he had amazingly managed to avoid any sort of confrontation with any of his relatives since his arrival at the beginning of the month. When he realized this he chuckled thinking that maybe he should write to the Guinness Book of World Records. Once Tonks and Remus arrived Hermione would apparate to the back door of the Burrow while Tonks and Remus side-apparated Harry and Ron.

Finally it was their last day at Privet Drive and they packed everything away, Hermione returned the books that they had been borrowing (at least temporarily) and when she returned performed the enchantments necessary to return Harry's room to its normal state so that his aunt and uncle would be none the wiser as to its temporarily enlarged capacity. That night just before they left Harry composed a letter to his aunt and uncle.

Dear Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon,

I am leaving and you no longer have to worry about me. I know it has not been easy for you since I arrived on your doorstep. Believe me I would much prefer to have had my parents alive and lived with them. I know how you feel about me and 'my kind' however I feel I have a duty to warn you about some things since you are still my family even though you have never treated me as such.

As you know the one who killed my parents has returned and is trying to kill me. I am trying to kill him and avenge all the losses I have sustained as a result of his prejudice and malice. If I fail then you will know almost immediately. He has a hatred for normal people and plays sport with them before killing them. If he is victorious in the upcoming battle then not only will most of my world be destroyed but also yours. I hope that you can put aside your prejudices as this is what has caused the war in my world in the first place. I am not asking you to make friends with us but I am asking you to at least respect our rights to live our lives causing as little interference in yours as possible. If anything happens despite the precautions we have taken then get to Mrs Figg's house. Before you blow up she is what is termed a squib. This means she was born of magical parents but can do as much magic as any of you three can. She will be able to contact someone and a possible safe house can be arranged if you want.

You have always hated me because of my magical ability. As a rule we do not use it against people to make them suffer. We use it as a way to live. Many of the things you use everyday just don't work for us. This is what we use our magic for. You have only been threatened by magic because of your prejudice. If you do not interfere with it then it will simply leave you alone. You will probably not want anything to do with me in the future. However, if you change your mind my owl will know. She is extremely intelligent and will come to you if you ever need or want to get a message to me.

Harry James Potter
29 July 1997

The language and tone Harry had used in this letter was a sign of how much he had matured over the past year and indeed over the summer. He also felt a sense of peace at having at least warned the Dursley's, to some extent of the danger of their position and their prejudice. He may not have liked them because of the way that they treated him over the years but he didn't want anything terrible to happen to them because of him either. He knew his aunt would come in once he left to clean the place and thoroughly rid the house of him so he left it in an obvious place on the desk and waited.

It was shortly after midnight when Tonks and Remus apparated into Harry's Room.

"Wotcher Harry, Ron, Hermione," greeted Tonks who was sporting her usual pink spiky hair once more. Remus quickly sent their things ahead of them to the Burrow. Turning to his friends and Remus and Tonks he thought to himself "well who knows what is ahead for us, but at least it will be us together rather than me alone like all of my memories in this house". With these thoughts running through his head, he stepped forward to greet Tonks and Remus as he had been deep in thought when they had arrived. Harry knew that he could do it himself but wanted to avoid static with the ministry since his last run in with the Minister after Dumbledore's funeral

Hermione went first, with only a minimal amount of noise signalling her exit. It was quickly decided that Ron would go with Tonks while Harry went with Remus. Therefore next Ron grabbed onto Tonks arm and they also disappeared with a small pop; Tonks, for once, overcoming her clumsiness and not making any excess noise. Finally Harry and Remus were the only ones left. Harry latched onto Remus' arm in preparation for the sensation he now associated with apparition. With a slight pop the final two left Privet Drive and were never seen there again.

A/N: Coming up: Harry's coming of age.