"Claridina contacted her?" Ron frowned as Harry hurriedly threw on his trainers and stuck his wand in his pocket.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "That's what Alexandra told me, at least."

"Through a letter or did Claridina actually show up at the house?"

"She didn't say," Harry said. "But either way, it's not good. I'm going over there now to get her and talk with her."

"Good luck, mate," Ron told him. "Hope she gives you some information."

Harry left his lot and apperated to the site where he knew Dudley and Alexandra were staying. He was able to get past the protective spells fairly quickly, having helped create them himself, and stepped up the few steps to the door and knocked.

"Harry?" Dudley frowned as he opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Er, Alexandra didn't tell you I was coming?" Harry asked.

"No. Wait, when did you tell her you were coming?"

"A few minutes ago," Harry replied. "Over the phone."

"I-I didn't know anything about that," Dudley said, opening the door wider so his cousin could come in. "Why-Why did she call you."

"She said Claridina tried to contact her again," Harry said.

"What?" Dudley exclaimed. "When?"

"I-I don't know, that's why I came over here," Harry said. "I was going to apperate the two of you somewhere to talk…unless you wanted to stay here."

"That-that might be best," Dudley said weakly. "Alexandra! Alexandra, come out here!"

Harry thought it was a bit off that Alexandra hadn't even told her father of Claridina's contact with her, but when he saw her step out of the small bedroom and head into the kitchen to join him and Dudley, he put that thought in the back of her head.

"Alexandra," Dudley said at once. "S-She contacted you? When? How? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It-It was just a few moments ago," Alexandra said shakily. "And I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to panic."

"Alexandra," Harry said before Dudley could speak again. "How did she contact you? Did she physically come over to you? Did she manage to get through the protection?"

"No," she said, glancing at the ground. "She, er, she-she sent me an, um, Howler."

"A what?" Dudley asked. "What's a Howler?"

"It's a sort of letter that sort of screams at you, to keep it in laments terms," Harry explained. "It's pretty loud; are you sure you didn't hear it?"

"There was some sort of spell on it so only I could hear it," Alexandra said quickly. "And-And after the message the whole thing sort of exploded, so I don't have it anymore."

"Well what did the message say?" Harry asked. "Was she threatening you?"

"Kind of…" Alexandra said. "She, er, I mean, the Howler, said that she was going to make-make everyone that was fighting her pay, and that if I was smart I'd tell you to stop trying to hunt her down. And then that was is."

"I thought we were supposed to be protected!" Dudley said. "How is this woman still able to torment her?"

"Claridina knows magic that not even the most powerful sorcerers know," Harry said gravely. "And unfortunately, she's getting more powerful by the minute. I don't know if you've heard, but she's started up our Ministry again; under her control."

"So-So that's in then?" Dudley asked softly. "She's won?"

"No," Harry said firmly. "We're going to fight this; there are still those, however few there may be right now, that are still opposing her, that know what she really is. Do you remember me mentioning the Order of the Phoenix when were growing up?"

"Yeah…yeah, the name sounds vaguely familiar," Dudley nodded. "But-But what is it, exactly?"

Alexandra perked up as well. "Yeah, what is it?"

"It's an organization," Harry said. "That was started back when Lord Voldemort was in power for the first time. When he came back it was reformed, and now, after everything Claridna's proved she could do, we've started it up again. We already know that Claridina's infiltrated what's left of our underground Ministry, so we've been meeting in secret to work out what we need to do to take away as much of her power as we can."

"So-So this Order," Dudley said. "Is completely against her?"

"Yes," Harry nodded. "And right now, she still doesn't know anything about it. That's good for us, it means we've got the element of surprise on her; once out underground ministry collapses completely, she'll think she's won it all."

"I'm just worried," Dudley sighed, looking next to him at Alexandra. "What if she tries to contact Alexandra again? What do we do?"

"Don't respond," Harry said. "And let me know. Alexandra, you did good."

Alexandra nodded, but Harry noticed she refused to look him in the eye.

"We're going to tighten your protection around here," Harry continued. "We'll make sure owls or any other creature that could be helping Claridina deliver messages will be blocked. But if she somehow gets through all of that, call me. Aurors are still keeps a tight watch around here, so it will be very hard, if not impossible, for her to get here unnoticed."

"Right," Dudley said. "Thank you."

Harry nodded. "I've got to be going. Is there anything else you need?" He looked at Alexandra, but she shook her head silently.

"I'll be off then," Harry said. "I'll-I'll see you."
And with that, Harry headed out the door and apperated away.

….

"The signal from the alarm should be coming any minute now," Hermione said.

"Unless you see Claridina there, we're aiming to stun," Harry said firmly to his Aurors.

"Do any of them know about Malfoy?" Ron whispered to Harry as the rest of the Aurors continued to wait.

"No," Harry muttered back. "That information isn't even being released to everyone in the Order."

"There's the signal!" Hermione said, pointing up to the sky where a series of red sparks began to erupt. Any muggle onlookers would mistake these sparks for fireworks, but Harry and the others knew that they were alerting them to a break in at Slughorn's cottage.

"Move out!" Harry ordered. "Apperate to the location I gave you earlier!"

There were several loud cracks as Harry and Ron and the rest of the Aurors apperated to Slughorn's cottage. When they arrived they saw that Slughorn's front door had been torn off its hinges and a loud scream came from inside.

Everyone rushed in, Harry leading the way, and followed the voices into the kitchen.

Malfoy stood, his wand pointed at Slughorn.

"Don't do this boy!" Slughorn cried desperately. "I was your teacher! I taught-"

"Put your wand down!" Harry said loudly to Draco, pointing his own wand at him.

Malfoy ignored the order and sent a curse at Slughorn, making the professor cry out in pain.

At once several of Harry's Aurors sent spells at Malfoy, but he successfully blocked them all.

"You're a fool, Potter, just as you have always been!" Draco cried. "To think that this pathetic gang of Aurors can defeat me, a hand-picked servant of the Dark Lady!"

Harry sent a stunning spell at Draco, which he blocked again.

"You're surrounded," Harry said. "Drop your wand!"

Draco gave a cold grin, one Harry hadn't seen in years, and fired a killing spell into the crowd of Aurors, but it didn't hit anybody. Harry knew Draco had near perfect aim with his spells, though. "Expelliarmus!" Harry cried, and before Malfoy could raise his wand again to block the curse, his wand flew from his hand and one of the other Aurors grabbed it. Harry sent a stunning spell at Malfoy, and he instantly crumpled to the ground.

"Is-Is he dead?" Slughorn asked. Harry had nearly forgotten about him cowering in the corner near his table. "Get me out of here! I'm not safe!"

"You're fine now," Ron said irritably, helping the professor to his feet with much struggle. "Come on, we'll get you out of here."

With the help of two more Aurors, Ron managed to drag him out of the house.

"Secure the area," Harry said to the remaining Aurors. "I'm taking him back to the underground for questioning."

Once the kitchen was clear, Harry kneeled beside Malfoy's still body, grabbed his arm and apperated back to the underground ministry.

Phase one of this plan had gone through without any problems; now he only had to pray the rest of the plan would sail through just like this.