Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter I just play in the world that JK created.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews from the last chapter. This is a short chapter but it sets up the next two that will be much longer. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 7

A barely audible pop disturbed the peaceful night as a strange sight suddenly appeared outside the main gates that lead to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An elderly man with long gray hair reaching below his waist and an equally long beard began to make his way up to the ancient school.

The man was dressed in a pair of fluorescent orange and green Bermuda shorts, flip flops and a short sleeved obnoxiously bright flower patterned buttoned up shirt. His long hair was pulled into a low ponytail, resting on top of his head was a pair of designer sunglasses. If one were close enough to him they would be able to discern an order of coconut and rum.

This haphazardly dressed man was none other than the headmaster of the most prestigious wizarding school in Great Britain and possibly all of Europe – Albus Dumbledore. The century old headmaster had just returned from his three week vacation from the French Riviera. He was in a rather good mood, he had an enjoyable time at the vacation home called Marauders' Roost.

This beautiful villa belonged to the Potter Family but the last remaining member of the family was just a boy and knew nothing of his family's wealth or assets and would most likely never know of them. For the Potter boy had a destiny to fulfill and that destiny would require the boy to sacrifice his life for the greater good and most likely before the boy ever reached his majority. So there was no harm in taking advantage of the boy's wealth, he would not need it anyway and it would all become Dumbledore's anyway once the boy turned eleven.

At eleven the boy would have to have a magical guardian as he reentered the wizarding world and since the Potter will was sealed, conveniently by him. No one would know to notify the intended guardians. Well not that it mattered much, one of the listed guardians was in Azkaban and could not take the boy in any case. The other however… if she were to have knowledge of her right to take Harry could be problematic, but being who he was - Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore defeater of Grindelwald and head of the Wizengamot he was confident that he could persuade and/or intimidate the woman into relinquishing her claim over the boy to him.

He needed to be the only influence in young Harry's life if he were to mold him into the tool that he needed him to be. He would control who the boy associated with, what he was to learn in school. He needed him malleable and somewhat isolated but dependent on him to have the greatest influence over him. He needed to be seen as Harry's hero and mentor.

Part of his plan to control the boy was to make sure he associated with people that were loyal to him. The Weasley had a boy about the same age as Harry and a daughter about a year younger. It wouldn't take much convincing to have Molly onboard. Just by letting her know of the lonely childhood Harry had would be enough to have the overbearing motherly instincts of the redheaded woman kick in to high gear.

Another part of the plan was to keep him isolated and to do that he would enlist the help of his potions master Severus Snape. There existed a great enmity between Snape and James Potter a hate that he could easily foster between Severus and Harry. Key phrases and suggestions such as 'he is so much like his father' would certainly bring the ill will he wanted directed at Harry.

Keeping him malleable had been going on for some time now. The Dursley's would make sure that the boy felt alone and unloved. He expected Harry to enter the wizarding world a broken and dispirited young man, socially awkward and completely unaware and uninformed of his magical and parental heritage.

Dumbledore didn't feel that what he was doing and planned to do was in anyway wrong. After all was it not a firmly held belief that 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one?' The sacrifice of one boy was insignificant to the greater good. In this case at least in the old headmasters mind the 'ends did justify the means.'

So it was a little disconcerting to the old manipulator that the instruments that monitored the wards on Privet Drive and those that monitored Harry himself had all stopped functioning. He began to cast every diagnostic spell he could think of on his instruments to determine if they had just stopped working on their own. He tried numerous times to reactivate them without success. Sighing in frustration he decided he would have to go to Number 4 Privet Drive and discover for himself what was going on.

With a wave of his wand he transfigured the muggle attire he was wearing to an equally outlandishly colored wizard's robe. He then hurriedly made his way to the front gates of Hogwarts once more. With a louder than normal crack of apparition this time he disaparated into the night.

oooOOOooo

Vernon and Petunia Dursley were sitting in their pristine looking family room. A man the size of a small humpback whale was sitting in a large overstuffed recliner watching the evening news. His wife, a tall thin woman with a long face and rather large horse like teeth was reading the latest trashy novel recommended by her book club. She sat primly on the sofa nibbling on a large carrot.

The third Dursley, Dudley, son of Vernon and Petunia who appeared to be as round as he was tall, was in the kitchen sitting in a corner shoveling into his mouth the remaining half of a cheesecake that had been dessert earlier in the evening. The boy had an appetite only matched by his fathers. But to mum and dad Dursley their cherubic angel was the perfect specimen of youthfulness.

The last three weeks had been divine for the Dursleys', perfect normal suburban bliss since they had gotten rid of the freak. Oh sure the first few days were a little stressful as a teary eyed Petunia reported her missing slightly mentally disturbed nephew to the police.

For a week the police canvassed the area looking for the boy. They had also had spoken with many of the neighbors who confirmed that the boy was a young hooligan who was most likely on drugs. The picture that was painted of young Harry by the neighborhood was one of a very troubled boy. Of course the Dursley's had groomed the neighborhood to have this opinion of the boy so the investigators had been convinced that the boy had more than likely run off. A missing person's bulletin was issued and a hotline established but the investigation of the boys disappearance was relegated to the cold case files until something new appeared.

And so it was that the Dursley household was enjoying a normal evening with their normal family that was until their quiet 'normal' evening was rudely disturbed by the ringing of the doorbell.

"Now who on earth could that be at this time of night?" Vernon Dursley bristled. "If it is a bloody solicitor I swear I'll…"

"Language Vernon!" Petunia mildly scolded the large man. "You don't want sweet duddykins to hear that kind of vernacular do you?" his wife finished getting up from the sofa and moving to the front door. Vernon just grumbled something unintelligible.

Petunia opened the door to deal with the late night intruder into their domestic tranquility. Her eyes immediately shot open in a mix of surprise and fear. She stared at the ancient looking bearded man who was wearing green and purple robes that reminded her of a dinosaur from a children's program.

"Ahh Mrs. Dursley, or may I call you Petunia?" The old man said his eyes twinkling merrily.

"VERNON!" Petunia screamed. The obese man waddled quickly to the front door to see what had upset his wife so, swearing under his breath about being torn away from his program.

"Now what seems to be the prob…" Vernon stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the tall weird looking freak.

"Mr. Dursley I presume. I was wondering if I might have a chat with young Harry if I may." Dumbledore asked the man who began to bluster; his face reddening with indignation at the gall of this man showing up at his front door dressed like that no less!

"You are to leave this instant! I will not have you here in my house with all your frakishness! Now go before I call the authorities." Vernon bellowed.

A single eyebrow rose above Albus' left blue eye. "Yes well, I'm afraid I can't do that until I check on Harry. Now if you would please retrieve him, I will be out of your hair as soon as possible." Albus stated entering the small house uninvited. Petunia quickly backed away from the wizard and took a position behind the substantial mass of her husband.

"W-well the boy is no longer here." A fidgeting Vernon informed the tall wizard.

"No longer here?" Albus asked glaring at Vernon.

"Yes…well he ran off didn't he? We have no idea where the brat…the boy is." Vernon stated tugging at the collar of his shirt, it feeling a little tighter at the moment.

Albus straightened up to his full and impressive height. He glared at the smaller man and in a demanding voice asked. "Where. Is. Harry. Potter?" The voice echoed through the hallway causing both Dursley's to take several steps back in fright.

"I-I-I told you he ran away we haven't seen him in three weeks!" Vernon yelled mustering all the courage he could find.

"Well let's just see if that's the case." Dumbledore stated pulling his wand and pointing it at the trembling man. Petunia screamed and ran to the kitchen.

"LEGILLIMENS!" Dumbledore casting the spell that would allow him to view the memories of the fat muggle and try and learn what had happen to the Potter boy. Images of driving through the countryside came to the front of the man's thoughts. A plan…a plan to kill the boy. Horse tranquilizers, several of them mixed in water. He saw Harry guzzling the water as the Dursleys looked on. A drugged Harry falling to the ground, his breathing becoming slow and labored, his eyes were glazing over and losing focus. A mocking Vernon Dursley standing over the boy.

-WHACK! – WHACK!- Petunia Dursley was winding up the cast iron skillet again to give the freak one more bash to the head for attacking her husband.

Dumbledore's eyes shook in his head as everything became blurry just after a blinding pain struck the back of his head – twice. He felt himself about to lose consciousness and decided that retreat was the better part of valor at the moment. He quickly staggered out of the Dursley's front door and to the sidewalk. Mustering all his concentration he spun on the spot and disaparated with a quite loud pop.

Left in the place the bearded freak had been, were what looked like a set of toes, five to be exact. Before Petunia could formulate a coherent thought about what to do with the toes a few neighborhood cats had run away with the severed digits.

Albus Dumbledore for the first time in his life had splinched! Not only that, but had landed face down in the mud outside the large iron gates of Hogwarts. Swearing in what could only be described as grunts and gurgles or Mountain Troll for those learned in the simplistic language. He stood cleaning the mud from his robes with a casual wave of his wand.

He took a step and almost fell back to the ground in his haste to get to his office. He conjured himself a cane to walk with then gingerly hobbled his way back to the castle. He had failed to see the rest of Dursley's memories but it had looked as if Harry was dying. If the great oaf had managed to kill the Potter boy it could have severe repercussions for the future of the wizarding world.

The possibility was harrowing…'how could they kill their own flesh and blood'. He mused shaking his head. He knew they hated magic and would most likely mistreat the boy, in fact he had hoped they would. But to kill him was a bit extreme even for muggles.

He needed to be sure of Harry's fate. He needed to find the boy or the body, but he was not able to ascertain the location where they had taken the boy from Dursley's mind, and he dare not risk a return to Privet Drive, at least not yet. He would need to ask for the help of those who lived in the muggle world, squibs that the headmaster had placed in various strategic positions within muggle society.

oooOOOooo

Harry Potter lay in his bed with his blonde bond-mate. Luna refused to sleep in her own bed since Harry's arrival not wanting to be separated from her first friend. Harry was disturbed about the recent vision thing he had just had. A tall bearded man was searching for him. The man seemed angry and wanted to find Harry desperately. He did not like the feeling he got from the man in his vision and felt like the man wanted to do him harm.

Luna who had fallen asleep holding Harry's hand suddenly woke up in a panic. In a voice that carried worry and fear she looked at Harry and said…" we can't let Dumbledore take you Harry! He will want to take you away from me!" She began to cry.

"Shhh Luna, Aunt Selene said that no one can take me away from you and her. She promised I would be able to stay here and I believe her." Harry said trying to comfort the panicking girl. Luna threw her arms around Harry's middle and hugged him to her tightly.

"You won't leave me…will you Harry?" She asked in a small voice.

"Not if I can help it." Harry stated embracing the small girl as well. Luna calmed somewhat and gave out a long yawn. The two snuggled closer together and lay back down with Luna resting her head on Harry's shoulder her arm draped over him afraid that someone would still try and take him from her.

Selene had been outside the door of the small bedroom and had heard the conversation. She knew that Dumbledore was due back from his vacation and knew that eventually he would discover that Harry was no longer with his so called relatives. She was also aware that eventually he would discover where Harry was but she was ready for him. The law was on her side no matter who Dumbledore thought he was.

Still it didn't hurt to add some extra protection wards around the house. She would contact the goblins tomorrow and see what could be done to add to Harry's safety at the Rookery. She would also make a floo call to Severus, if anything he might be able to warn her if the headmaster figures out Harry's location and give her time to prepare.

A pair of silver eyes stared at a large rune covered stone basin that was filled with some kind of luminescent liquid that showed an image of a small bedroom and two young children that were snuggled tightly against one another.

Aoife smiled warmly at the sight as she looked upon her 'grandchildren'. Her smile waned a little as she to was able to watch Harry's vision. She would protect her precious little ones as well. She would not let Dumbledore interfere with their developing bond. At her unspoken command four fairies the size of a small humming bird flew to her.

"You four are the guards of my little ones. Keep out of sight, only reveal yourselves to Luna and Harry if it is a necessity for their protection. Set up our own wards around their home. Dumbledore is not the only threat that I have seen in vision. I'm afraid my little ones will face trials earlier than I had expected. Go, you have your charge!" Aoife ordered the tiny winged creatures who flew at once to protect the children of their mistress.

A/N: So Dumbledore is back and looking for Harry and what could be this other threat that Aoife has seen? Voldemort? Nah! Something else that well test the two children. Please Read and Review!