DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of it, JK Rowling and associates own all rights, no infringement intended, no money is being made, unfortunately.

WARNING; Pre-slash if you do not like do not read remember you have freedom of choice. Reviews appreciated but no flames please.

PAIRINGS: HP/SS, GW/NL, RW/HrG

Chapter 10 Cleanup is a messy business

Dumbledore hid a smile as he saw the looks that Severus was giving him. He made the portkey while Pomfrey helped Harry dress. Yes, he was sure that Severus knew exactly what he was doing; it had been a long time since he had fooled his potions master. By forcing him to take Harry to headquarters, he was ensuring that the bond got as much exposure as possible. As they disappeared from sight, Dumbledore could not prevent the small smile from appearing. He had a good idea of what Severus had been thinking while lost in thought and he intended to do everything in his power to make sure that his favourite two boys were happy at last. They were similar in many ways and should balance each other well. Severus' logical and devious mind would offset Harrys' impulsive generous nature. They would make a formidable team once they learned to work together.

"Miss Granger would you collect Harry's owl and any other items that he has here and place everything together downstairs in preparation for leaving." Dumbledore asked.

Hermione looked over at the headmaster, 'He is up to something I am sure of it. Why did he insist on Professor Snape being the one to take Harry? I need to talk to Ron.' With a smile, she said she would do it right away and levitating the trunk with Hedwig on her shoulder she left the room headed for the living room downstairs.

Mrs. Weasley waited for Hermione to leave the room before glaring at the headmaster, "Okay Albus just what is going on here? You know that Severus and Harry do not get along and I am perfectly capable of defending Harry in the short distance from the alley to the front door. Or you could have sent Remus which actually would have been the best thing." Mrs Granger did not say anything but nodded when Mrs. Weasley finished speaking. Both women looked at the headmaster waiting for an answer. Madame Pomfrey did not say anything because she had a good idea of what he was up to having heard the Wizard Promise. She could not wait until she got back to school to tell Minerva.

"Now Ladies, you know that I only have the best of intentions towards Harry." Dumbledore said sidestepping the question entirely. "Molly if you and Mrs. Granger…"

"Elizabeth please headmaster, since I am sure that we will become much better acquainted over the next couple of years." Mrs. Granger said with a smile. 'So this is what Hermione was talking about when she said that he was a deviously kind man' she thought.

"Elizabeth then, if you have no objections we will be portkeying directly to Number 12 from here. I have already sent the young man you came with on his way so there is nothing to worry about. I would like to have you and your husband staying there as well as Hermione, the Weasley twins would be pleased I am sure to take you to your place of business and back." This last was said with a sidelong look at Molly who snorted but did not reply. "Poppy if you would make a last check on the Dursleys I will be along shortly. Ladies if you will wait with Hermione the others will be joining you shortly." With once of his twinkling smiles he ushered the women out of the room. At the door, he turned and with out bothering to use his wand said "Finite Incantatum" and the room returned to its normal shabby state.

Looking around with sadness evident in his eyes, he wondered how he could have made so many mistakes. "Merlin help me" he sighed, "I am so sorry Harry and I promise I will make it up to you. You deserve to have someone in your life that will give you everything you have missed and I know that Severus is that person. I swear I will do everything in my power to aid the two of you. Severus deserves happiness as much as you do." Shaking his head slowly while making a dozen plans in his head, he left the room softly closing the door behind him.

Bill entered the bedroom and interrupted the game of transfiguring the room that was going on. The twins seemed to be on one team; Remus, Ron, and his dad were the other team and they were taking turns at changing the items in the room. The stranger the change the more points that team received. Now, the room was the dungeon from hell with chains hanging from the ceiling, with weird implements coming from the walls. That is if dungeons were purple and red with a lime green something growing in the corners. A cold draft, well more like a cold breeze, was blowing through the room and there was what sounded like toads and owls with an attitude all around them. There was even a black imp with red horns flying around the room. Petunia and Dudley were still bound to the chairs and watching everything with a look of horrified fascination. Vernon was only semiconscious in his chair Bill was pleased to note. He wondered idly what Severus had planned for these Muggles. He knew it should be interesting no matter what he chose.

Remus turned when he heard the door open and watched Bill walk into the room. He did not bother to hide his grin when he saw the look of shock on Bill's face. Looking around he decided that maybe they had been a little carried away but it was really all the twins fault. Okay the flying imp was his idea, and the red colour was Ron's notion to brighten up the place and maybe Arthur had gotten a little carried away with the cold drafts but the rest was definitely the twins fault.

Bill looked at his dad who was busy transfiguring a footstool into something small and hairy, "Dad I hate to interrupt your er…, whatever it is you're doing but I need to finish up so we can leave this place."

Arthur just smiled; you could see where the twins got their mischievous streak from, and said, "We were just waiting for you to get back Bill."

Ron interrupted, "How's Harry? Is he doing better? What…" stopping abruptly when Fred hit him on the back of the head. He glared at his brother "What?"

"If you let Bill talk maybe we could find out something, ever think of that Ronnikins." George asked with a smirk.

Bill laughed as the others gathered round him, "Relax Ron, Harry is looking good from what I saw and mom, Mrs. Granger, and Hermione were with him."

"Did you get what you needed for the spell?" Remus asked quietly.

At this, the others sobered up and watched Bill closely; he nodded and stood in front of Dudley. Petunia opened her mouth to protest but the bit in her mouth kept her from making any sense. With a muttered phrase, a light began to flow from his wand to Dudley's head. Suddenly he stiffened his back arched in pain but no sounds came out of his mouth. Bill continued as if nothing had happened ending the spell with a sudden twist of the wand that cut off the light. Moving over to Petunia, he performed the same manoeuvre with the same results. When he moved to Vernon he halted and spoke to Remus "we need Poppy here to make sure that he is recovered enough to receive the spell or it could kill him".

"So what," Remus growled, "it's not like he doesn't deserve it anyway."

Surprisingly it was Arthur, quiet, sensible, Arthur that answered him "Because death would be too easy for him. He deserves so much more don't you think."

Remus nodded and went to get Madame Pomfrey. Looking around Bill said, "You might want to change things back before Albus gets here since I don't think we are supposed to leave any evidence behind."

The boys groaned but began to change the room back. Remus and Madame Pomfrey came into the room and walked over to Vernon who was still semiconscious. Petunia and Dudley were stiff in their chairs eyes wide open but unseeing, mouths slack with drool dripping from Dudley's mouth. Pulling her wand Madame Pomfrey, examined Vernon, and then fishing around in her bag pulled out two vials of liquid. Pulling his head back, she poured them both down his throat.

"There," she said, "that should do it, it's a good thing you waited for me his heart wouldn't have stood much more. The potions I gave him will strengthen his heart and other internal organs." With, for her, a wicked smile she continued, "Unfortunately you can't take any pain potions with it because it will counter the effect. You may continue Bill."

Bill once again pointed his wand and watched as the light flowed over Vernon, who arched in pain his mouth open in a silent scream.

Remus watched and could not help but feel a surge of satisfaction at the sight of that ugly Muggles pain. Once he had Harry settled at headquarters, and things had died down a little he intended to return here. That bastard had dared to lay hands on Lily and James's son and he was going to pay. Maybe he should show up on the next full moon he could terrorise that tub of lard maybe give him the heart attack he deserves. He wondered if Peeves would hire out his services for a fortnight or maybe Moaning Myrtle. With a start, he heard the door open and turned to face the Dumbledore.

Dumbledore walked into the room and looked around curiously. The twins and Ron had started to put things back the way they were but there was still the odd chain hanging around and the imp was still flying around the room only now he was red with green horns. The twins and Ron looked so innocent that it was obvious who was guilty, Dumbledore decided to ignore the state of the room and looked at Bill with an arched brow. Bill nodded and moved over to the door along with Arthur and Remus. Dumbledore faced the Dursley's forms still bound to the chair and with a wave of wand released the bindings. Vernon and Petunia were floated over to the beds and placed on them Dudley disappeared with a small pop and the others assumed that he was sent to his room.

Turning to the others Dumbledore gestured to the door, "if you gentlemen will join the ladies downstairs then we will prepare to go to headquarters." Holding up his hand to stop Remus "Harry has already left, I just need to perform a memory modification and we will leave." Turning to the beds as the others filed out of the room, he murmured "Obliviate Memorialis Alex". With a look around the room, he turned to leave stopped and pointing at the chains banished them from the ceiling. He looked at the imp then without changing expression put his wand away and left the room closing the door firmly behind him. After taking care of Dudley's memory of Alex, he went down to the living room where the others were gathered. Taking a cushion, he turned it into a portkey and without a sound Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Granger disappeared from sight. Immediately the others began to Apparate out of the room until soon there was not a single wizard left at Number 4 Privet Drive, at least for the time being.

tbc