Chapter 4 – Shadows in the Woods.

They all piled inside to see an anxious Mrs Weasley studying a small red stone. It seemed to pulse, almost like a heartbeat, darker then light again.

"Oh, thank goodness," she exclaimed when she saw them. "I saw you running to the house so I knew you must have seen it."

"Are they really trying to get through the wards?" Hermione asked. Her face was pale, but she clutched her wand determinedly.

"Yes," Mrs Weasley confirmed. "But we should be alright. The Order are on their way and even if they weren't those wards will keep them busy for quite some time."

"I didn't realise you had such good wards," Harry said.

"Well, it's all because of you, dear," Mrs Weasley said turning her attention back to the stone that still pulsed rythmically. "The Ministry insisted that if you were going to stay here we needed the best wards available."

Harry shifted uncomfortably. Normally he would have hated knowing that the Weasley's had been put to so much trouble because of him, but in this case it might have saved their lives.

Sudden voices in the next room interrupted his thoughts and Mrs Weasley thrust the stone into Ginny's hands. "Yell if this changes," she said before bustling off.

The twins exchanged a look before following her while Harry crept to the door where he could see the Order members climbing out of the fireplace, but not so close that he was sent away. None of them looked very impressive. There were the older Weasley's and tiny old Elphias Doge, Professor McGonagall, Emmeline Vance and numerous other people he hadn't met before. Moody was there too with Tonks.

"What is that?" Hermione asked Ginny, eyeing the stone with interest.

"Ward stone," Ginny replied simply. "It monitors the wards. Blue means normal and red means someone's trying to force their way in. As long as it continues to pulse the wards are still holding."

Everyone seemed to be through now and they marched past Harry, through the kitchen and out the back door. Before Harry could follow them Arthur Weasley turned and blocked the door.

"We need you to defend the house," he said. "Just in case someone gets past us."

Ron scowled. "In other words, stay here like good little children."

"That's not fair," Ginny argued. "We fought Death Eaters at the Ministry last month, we can take care of ourselves."

Mr Weasley sighed. "We can handle this. There's no need to risk all of you as well." He glanced at Harry. "Especially as that may be exactly what they want. Stay here with your mum." Without another word he turned and left.

Harry glared at the ground, seething silently. After everything he had done he was being shoved under the metaphorical table yet again. He wanted to fight. Anything to end this as soon as possible. It was like he was made of china.

Mrs Weasley seemed to sense the tension in the room. "Let's all go into the sitting room where we can watch the clock," she said quickly. "That will make all of us feel more involved." She ushered Ron and Ginny along, gesturing for the other two to follow.

Harry paused. For a full minute he considered doing what he was told, but then he remembered the prophecy. If he couldn't even take on a few Death Eaters then how was he ever going to be able to defeat Voldemort? So with a sidelong glance at the doorway his friends had passed through he turned and ran out the back door.

Once outside he kept running and didn't stop until he could see the light of spell-fire up ahead. He slowed, dropped into a crouch and began to circle around so he could stay out of sight of both sides and come at the Death Eaters from out of the tree line.

He broke through the first few trees and came to a complete stop, just listening. He desperately tried to slow the frantic beating of his heart that was pounding in his ears. From somewhere to the left came the unmistakeable sounds of yelling voices. As he drew his wand he wished he'd had time to stop and grab his invisibility cloak.

He crept through the trees, scanning around him for any sign of movement. As far as he could see all he needed to do was distract the Death Eaters long enough for the Order to get under the trees where they would be on a more equal footing. From this side of the wards the Quidditch field at the back of the Burrow looked like farmland, he even thought he saw an old raggedy scarecrow.

Harry came to a sudden halt and hastily hid behind a tree when he saw about a dozen figures up ahead, but they weren't dressed in the traditional black robes of Death Eaters. Instead they were dressed in costumes in various shades of green and brown. The clothes themselves seemed more old-fashioned muggle in design than wizarding, reminding Harry of some of the period costumes on the television shows Aunt Petunia liked to watch. Whoever these people were they blended into the background far better than Death Eaters ever did.

As he studied them he noted that only two of the group had wands, the others were armed with all kinds of medieval weaponry, like bows and arrows and swords. Exactly who were these people? And what did they want?

All but the two casting spells on the wards were huddled around a fire, which was more than strange on such a warm summer day, but it gave Harry an idea. He pulled his own wand and pointed it at the fire. With a whispered word the fire flared and began to billow smoke and the people around it began to cough heavily. Shouts went up as Harry cast a bubble head charm followed by an impervious on his glasses.

Someone from the Order must have seen the smoke for there were numerous popping sounds, indicative of people apparating in, but Harry could barely see anything for the smoke. Some lights flashed and he could hear strings snapping and the occasional hiss of metal against metal. Frantically he tried to recall the spell that would clear the smoke, but it wasn't coming to mind.

"Permoveo Aer," someone called and a breeze lifted the smoke. By the time it was clear the trespassers were gone and the Order were staring around in confusion.

Harry blinked, feeling a bit bewildered as he cancelled the bubblehead charm. They hadn't apparated away so they must have had portkeys to be able to disappear so silently and quickly. But why hadn't they stayed to fight? Surely they couldn't have been scared away so easily.

Harry stayed put while the Order searched the area. Lupin, after a whispered conversation with Moody, came to lean against a nearby tree. He waited until Moody had chased off the others before speaking.

"Alright Harry. Time to come out."

Reluctantly Harry stepped out to face his old teacher. He bowed his head slightly, not quite able to meet Lupin's eyes.

"While I don't want to encourage this sort of behaviour in the future I must say Sirius would have been very proud of you."

Harry felt a lump in his throat as he nodded. Sirius probably would have been, but he would also have shouted the loudest once all was said and done. "Is everyone alright?"

Lupin nodded. "There are a few injuries. Hestia was shot in the arm with an arrow and there are a couple of scrapes. Nothing St Mungo's can't patch up."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"The headmaster will be here soon to check the wards are intact. I'm sure he'll want to talk to you too."

Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "Yeah. OK."

Lupin began walking back towards the house and gestured for Harry to follow. There was a flash as they crossed the wards and suddenly the Burrow reappeared.

"That was a good idea you had," Lupin said slowly. "But I wish you had let us deal with it."

"Everyone treats me like some stupid little kid that can't do anything for himself," Harry said sullenly. "Everyone's so eager to protect me, like I'm defenceless. Well I'm not!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Lupin said. "We all know that you can defend yourself, but you can't blame us for wanting to keep you safe, Harry. You mean a lot to so many people."

Harry grumbled quietly to himself. "None of those people know me."

"I know you," Lupin argued. "And I care about you a great deal, so do the Weasley's and your friends. Even Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore just wants to keep me alive until I can fix all his problems for him," Harry retorted.

Lupin stopped. "What do you mean?"

Harry hesitated. "I can't tell you."

Lupin nodded his understanding. "Very well. But you know you can always talk to me if you want to."

"Thanks, Professor," Harry said.

Lupin smiled. "I haven't taught you for two years now. I think you can call me Remus. Or Moony if you prefer."

"Moony?" Harry queried. For some reason it felt very right to call Lupin that.

Lupin almost laughed aloud. "When you were a baby Sirius was determined you would call us Uncle Moony and Uncle Padfoot. He would spend hours saying those names over and over to you from the moment Lily and James brought you home from the hospital. By the time you actually did start speaking no one was surprised when you referred to us as 'Ucca Ooey' and 'Ucca Paft."

Harry grinned at his shoes. "I never knew that."

Lupin sighed. "No, I'm not surprised. It's my fault really. You should never have been left alone with your aunt and uncle. We should have checked on you. I should have checked on you. Even after I met you again I was so scared of getting close to you, too scared to tell you the things I knew no one else could. Then Sirius was back and I just took a step back, assuming he would take care of it. I know there were so many things he wanted to tell you. He even had plans for things you could do together." He snorted. "Top of that list was buying you your first drink when you were seventeen. I guess that will be my job now."

Harry frowned. "You don't have to," he said quickly. "Just because... because he's dead doesn't mean you have to act any differently."

Lupin squeezed his shoulder. "I want to. I only wish I could take back the last fifteen years so I could try and do it right this time." He glanced up at the house. "Are you ready to talk to Dumbledore?"

Harry squared his shoulders. "I suppose."

"I don't know what's happened between the two of you and I won't ask," Lupin said gently. "Just remember that he really does care about you, even if it doesn't always seem that way."

Harry just ducked his head. He knew the Headmaster cared, that everything he'd done had, in a roundabout way, proven that, but it was hard to remember that after everything that had happened.

Together the two entered the house.

"Harry!"

He almost stumbled back when Mrs Weasley wrapped her arms around him. She was babbling almost incoherently and he was pretty sure she was crying, judging by the wet feeling on his shoulder. Over her head he could see Hermione looking at him with consternation. Ron also looked a bit miffed though if Harry had to guess it was more to do with Harry going off without him than whatever Hermione was annoyed about this time.

Dumbledore was sitting at the table and observing them silently. Harry took a deep breath as Mrs Weasley released him and turned to his Headmaster.

"Harry, I wonder if you'd like to join an old man on the porch," Dumbledore said in his usual genial tone.

Harry nodded and followed him back outside. At least he could put off the yelling for a while.

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Molly watched Harry leave, fighting the urge to pull him back for another hug. That boy was a mother's worst nightmare, always running off and getting into trouble. One of these days worrying about him would make her ill.

Of course she worried about all her family these days. The war didn't make for peace of mind, especially with Arthur, Bill and herself in the Order, Charlie off with the dragons, the twins and their pranks due to join the Order any day now, Percy who still refused to see reason and come home and Ron, Hermione and Ginny who seemed determined to follow Harry headlong into danger.

Then there was Harry himself. She had long considered him just another one of her boys and it was like a physical pain every time she got news he had been on another one of his 'adventures.' The Department of Mysteries fiasco had almost killed her, with her two biological and two all but adopted children all walking straight into the enemies hands and while they had made it out alive Sirius – Harry's only link to his parents – had not. In some ways it had only become real to her that the second war had really started when someone she knew had died. Someone who's death meant that poor Harry had lost the closest thing to a father he had.

She had been told by both Ron and Ginny that Harry had become withdrawn in the days after Sirius' death. She felt a swell of anger towards Dumbledore every time she thought about how he had sent the poor boy off to the Dursley's, where he would have no one to talk to, no one's shoulder to cry on and no Molly Weasley to be there when he just needed a mother to hold him. Still, Dumbledore had insisted and the reasons he had given had been valid, but that hadn't stopped her from asking him every other day if Harry could come to stay yet.

When he appeared on her doorstep she'd not really been surprised to see he had lost weight yet again, either because the Dursley's weren't feeding him properly – again – or because Harry wasn't taking care of himself. Either way her instincts had instantly gone into overdrive and she had vowed to herself that she would help him this summer, even if the only thing she could do was feed him up and make sure he had a safe place to heal.

She had completely panicked when Hermione went to fetch Harry from the kitchen and found him gone, but she'd kept herself together to stop the other three from running off after him and sent off her Patronus to let the others know.

It was the question of why he felt the need to run off all on his own that confused her the most although perhaps it shouldn't. Those horrible people Harry had been forced to grow up with had left him with low self-esteem and absolutely no sense of self-worth, meaning that when it came to putting his life in danger to save others he didn't hesitate. It might be a good trait for a hero, but it wasn't healthy for Harry himself and that was what she really had to work on this summer: making Harry feel wanted, needed enough that he would realise he did have worth as a person, then maybe events like today could be avoided.

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Dumbledore led Harry down to the end of the garden, picking his way around a couple of fighting garden gnomes.

"Now then, Harry," he said lightly. "I'm sure you will have no end of people telling you that you acted very irresponsibly today so I will merely add my voice to theirs by saying I am disappointed you did not trust the adults to take care of this."

Harry couldn't meet the Headmaster's eye as he mumbled, "Sorry." Dumbledore's disappointment could be worse than most people's anger.

"You put your life in danger by leaving the house after you had been told to stay where you were. Although we have no way of knowing for certain it seems likely that you were the main target today."

Harry tensed. "Does that mean I have to go to Headquarter's?" he asked quietly. He couldn't even stand to say the address out loud, how was he going to survive the rest of the summer there? He'd almost prefer the Dursleys to that.

Dumbledore studied him intently. "No, I think not. The wards have held up admirably enough that I think you will be safe here. I will ask, however, that you remain inside for the remainder of your holiday, unless an adult accompanies you."

Harry looked up desperately. "But..."

Dumbledore held up a hand, forestalling his objections. "We cannot take such cavalier risks with your life, my boy. It is only four weeks until you return to Hogwarts. I'm sure you can entertain yourself indoors until then."

"You only want to keep me alive so I can fulfill your stupid prophecy," Harry ground out. "If it wasn't for that you wouldn't care if I lived or died."

Dumbledore moved with a speed Harry wouldn't have thought possible as he waved his wand in the air, casting numerous privacy charms, before turning back and grasping Harry's arm.

"Oh, my boy," he said at last. "I never wanted you to believe that." He released Harry and walked away, putting some distance between them. "I have always cared for you, even when you were just a small baby in your mother's arms. I admit that my decisions where you are concerned have not always turned out how we might have wished, but my most important goal has always been to see you alive and happy. Even if you chose to run away right now I would still care for you very much and do everything in my power to honour that choice."

Harry's heart jumped at those words.

"Is that what you want?" Dumbledore asked him quietly. "Say the word and I will make it happen."

Harry stared at Dumbledore. Would he really do it, just let him leave? Could he run away from the prophecy? Sometimes late at night when sleep wouldn't come after another of his visions he had entertained thoughts of doing just that, but could he really?

He glanced back at the Burrow and knew he couldn't leave. Not knowing that by doing so he was condemning the Weasleys and Hermione to certain death. He sighed heavily.

Dumbledore seemed to realise he'd come to a decision as he reached over and patted Harry's shoulder. "It is a heavy burden you bear," he said. "But never forget that you do not carry it alone." He waved his wand and conjured two large armchairs, gesturing for Harry to sit as he took the other one.

"Have you told anyone about the prophecy?" Dumbledore enquired.

Harry shook his head emphatically. "No way. The less people there are that know about it the better. I thought you didn't want people to know about it, the Order don't know do they?"

"No they do not," Dumbledore agreed. "However do you really think you can keep it from Mr Weasley and Miss Granger?"

"If I have to," Harry said firmly. He could just imagine their reactions to the news Harry was destined to be killed by the Dark Lord. Hermione would go into research overload and he'd probably never find her beyond the pile of books she'd bury herself behind and Ron would panic and probably want to go running to his dad for advice.

"You do not give your friends enough credit," Dumbledore said gently. "Do you not think they would want to know as you would if it was either of them in your situation? They may not be able to provide you with practical assistance, but the emotional help they can give you would be invaluable. If nothing else it would give you someone to talk to."

"I don't need anyone to talk to," Harry said from between clenched teeth.

"Everyone needs to talk to someone," Dumbledore said sagely. "Even I."

"I'll think about it," Harry said, not really meaning it, but knowing he'd never win an argument with Dumbledore.

Dumbledore let it go, even though he probably knew Harry was lying.

"Who were they?" Harry asked, eager to change the subject.

"I have no idea," Dumbledore admitted. "I have never seen their ilk before. Perhaps they are a group sympathetic to Voldemort wishing to make their mark by capturing you."

"What makes you so certain they were after me?" Harry demanded.

"Can you think of anything else here that would be of such value that someone would go to so much effort to get it?"

Harry had to admit he couldn't but he hated to think that the Weasley's had been put to all this trouble just because of him. Maybe it would be better if he went to Grimmauld Place.

"There are three other things I wanted to talk to you about. Firstly, Auror Tonks informed me of what transpired with your relatives and I am sorry to say that I am wholly to blame for that, but at the time there was no other option. It was necessary for your aunt to know what accepting you into her home would mean and last summer, when the Dementors attacked you, I could not afford not to remind her with that howler that she could not let you leave. Yet it was that that alerted your uncle to the danger he and his family were in."

Harry shrugged. He'd already known that.

"Unfortunately it is necessary that you return there next year, if only for a few weeks, so I have had all three Dursleys obliviated. Only Petunia will remember the letter I left with you fifteen years ago and she is under a compulsion charm not to reveal that information to Vernon or Dudley."

Harry blinked in surprise. In his experience Dumbledore didn't like to take drastic measures like that. He nodded his understanding. At least he would only have to go back one more time.

"I also wanted to talk to you about your dreams," Dumbledore said. "I have grown increasingly concerned with the reports you have been sending me. I'm sure you'll agree that there is only negligible benefit to these as the victims are usually dead before you awake."

Harry shivered as he remembered the woman he'd dreamt of a few nights ago who had been subjected to the most horrific torture before the Death Eaters and Voldemort left. She had been alive, but barely and her mind had been so far gone it would have been a kindness had Voldemort decided to kill her. Instead she would spend the rest of her life in St Mungo's permanent spell damage ward all because her parents were muggles.

"On the other hand," Dumbledore continued, "It is clear to me that you are suffering under these visions."

"I can handle it," Harry said stubbornly.

"Yes, I'm sure you could," Dumbledore said gently. "But why should you? If there is a way to prevent them should we not make every effort to do so?"

Harry frowned. "Do you mean occlumency?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily over his half moon spectacles. "I am aware that your lessons last year were something of a... debacle, which is why I am prepared to teach you myself."

"Really? But I thought it was too dangerous," Harry said.

"I did not wish to give Voldemort a reason to try and possess you," Dumbledore explained. "But since you pushed him out of your mind in June those worries have been laid to rest. Now, if you are agreeable, I think it would be perfectly safe for me to instruct you."

"Then I would like that," Harry said. While he and Dumbledore were not as close as they once were he would still much prefer Dumbledore's calm instruction over the ridicule and belittlement he received from Snape.

"Excellent," Dumbledore said, steepling his fingers. "We will begin once you return to Hogwarts in September where you can practise magic without fear of Ministry interference. Incidentally fear no reprisal for your actions today as I have taken the liberty of informing Miss Hopkirk that you were in mortal danger and only defending yourself and others." He clapped his hands together. "In that case there is but one other thing I wished to discuss with you and I apologise if this is a sensitive topic, but it is imperative that it be dealt with as soon as possible. I am talking about Sirius' will."

Harry swallowed hard. He should have expected something like this to come up.

"It is rather simple," Dumbledore went on. "Sirius left everything to you. What that means is that a substantial amount of galleons will be added to your vault while you yourself must take possession of Grimmauld Place." He smiled genially at Harry. "I understand that you will most likely not want to return there any time soon, but if the house remains unclaimed then the wards protecting it will begin to fail and then we will be unable to safely use it as our headquarters."

"Oh," Harry said shakily. "I don't know if I can, Sir."

"It does not have to be today," Dumbledore added. "There is no specific time in which this must be done, but it is imperative that the spell be performed before the wards fall. I estimate we have until early September at the latest."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He still had some time. "Alright."

"I will give you some time to become more amenable to the idea," Dumbledore said. "In the meantime the Order can meet at Hogwarts."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry said gratefully. He hesitated. After everything that had happened it didn't seem all that important anymore, but he had to ask, "Sir, do you know how the Daily Prophet got hold of my results?"

"Alas, I do not," Dumbledore replied. "A student's results are to remain completely confidential unless the student wishes to reveal them and the Ministry takes this policy very seriously. As such there are safeguards in place to protect the results. Either someone managed to circumvent them, which I find unlikely, or the owl that was sent to deliver them was intercepted. I promise I will look into it and let you know what happened. If evidence of foul play is found do you intend to prosecute?"

Harry frowned. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead."

"In that case I suggest you think long and hard. Now, if there is nothing else I will accompany you back to the house," Dumbledore said standing. "And, Harry, please stay inside, for my peace of mind if nothing else."

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Ron stared out the window disconsolately. From here he could see Dumbledore and Harry talking. Dumbledore had conjured a pair of armchairs and they sat, facing each other.

He had always been a bit jealous of Harry's relationship with Dumbledore, one of the greatest wizards ever to have lived. It had not escaped his attention that while he referred to almost all the students by their last names he always called Harry 'Harry.' It was like Harry was Dumbledore's favoured grandson and he lavished attention upon him while Ron was overlooked. It had taken him a long time to get over that. About as long as it had taken him to see that Harry didn't like his fame or the attention it brought him. His jealousy had died completely last year when Dumbledore had stopped talking to Harry and Ron realised that Harry had almost no one else to turn to. Where Ron had numerous siblings and two parents who were always happy to listen to him Harry had only Sirius and Dumbledore and last year Dumbledore had been distant and Sirius in hiding, leaving Harry without guidance.

That was the moment when Ron had seen that instead of feeling bitter and resentful he should be feeling sorry for Harry because without the fame and the money Harry really didn't have all that much.

Harry and Dumbledore were making their way back into the house, their armchairs vanished moments before, but Ron continued to stare out the window. Hermione was sitting on one of the beds and he could feel her eyes on him, but he refused to turn around while his thoughts were still so morose.

What Harry really needed was a bit of fun, a few laughs, maybe a girlfriend. While Ron could help with the first two he wasn't really prepared to volunteer for the third, nor was he about to push Hermione in his direction. Fortunately for all of them Ginny was more than willing to take on the position and Ron couldn't be happier about that. When he and Ginny were younger they'd been very close. Bill and Charlie were a lot older, Percy was more than a little boring, Fred and George were a pair and not very willing to accept a third member of their little group so that left the youngest two Weasley's. Once Ron had started Hogwarts they'd grown apart, but Ron had always tried to look out for his little sister. She hadn't made it easy, what with the Chamber fiasco in her first year, but Harry had been there to save her when he couldn't. And that was why Ron knew he could trust Harry with Ginny, far more than he had Michael Corner or Dean Thomas.

The door opened and Harry walked in looking more than a little bit irked.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not allowed outside without a guard," Harry said angrily, throwing himself back onto the unoccupied bed.

"What?" Ron exclaimed. "Well that puts a stop to Quidditch for a start."

"Ron!" Hermione snapped.

"No, it's alright," Harry sighed. "I should've been expecting it really. Now everyone knows Voldemort's back they're all going to be watching me extra closely. I'm not going to be allowed to go to the bathroom without a guard soon." He propped himself up one elbow and looked at Ron. "Are you really upset with me?"

Ron shrugged. "I guess not. Why didn't you take us along? You know we could have handled it."

"Your mum was keeping too close an eye on you," Harry said absently. "I didn't have time to distract her and tell you even if I'd thought of it. As it was it was a split second decision."

"It was really dangerous and you shouldn't have gone at all," Hermione scolded.

"I know, I know," Harry huffed. "I've heard it all already. I should have trusted them to deal with it instead of just running off. I'm fed up with everyone treating me like a child. How am I ever going to..." His mouth snapped shut with a click and he looked away from them almost guiltily.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look. "Going to what?" Hermione said quickly.

"Never mind," Harry said.

Ron almost screamed. There was something going on with Harry beyond Sirius and Voldemort and it sounded like he was about to say whatever it was until he caught himself. He knew there was no point asking though. Once Harry had made up his mind he wasn't going to tell them something it was like trying to beat down a brick wall trying to get it out of him.

"Well now you know your results you can decide what classes you want to take," Hermione offered, picking up the leaflets she'd been carrying around all day.

"Yeah. Great," Ron said with false brightness. Later he would have to get the full story, but right now it was best to do anything to distract Harry from the grim mood he was developing.

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A/N: Sorry I didn't update last week. I've just got a lot going on with family, work and the real world. I'm a day early, but I know I won't be able to get online tomorrow because I've got an all day rehearsal.

Anyway, please don't forget to review, they really make my day and encourage me to write more. Thaks to those that reviewed the last chapter.

Nat.