To the Guest Reviewer who responded to the naming contest: I'm really sorry but I posted the chapter with their names the day before your review came in!

I will try to work your ones in another way (trust me- I've had something planned for a while that will fit perfectly).

I Don't own Harry Potter any more than I live on Saturn.

Dumbledore was baffled. Never before had an Order vote not gone his way- not because he made it like that… it just sort of happened; people trust him and by extension his judgement. You rarely need to manipulate when people seem to naturally follow you.

And yet- since last year he couldn't help feeling he was losing his control over situations.

It was ironic really: all that fuss with Fudge fearing He and Harry were planning on taking his power and control, when in reality the only one who seemed to be losing power was Dumbledore himself!

Though it was true Harry was at the centre of this even he had to admit it was hardly by the boys own doing; Harry certainly didn't WANT to be special. He just was. And as a result people tended to flock to him and take note of his opinion.

However this matter with the Weasley twins was simply no good. Yes Dumbledore knew the Dursley family was foul, he'd hated to see an innocent child left with them and whilst it had been hard he had forced himself to keep an arm's length. It wasn't out of spite, or manipulation, or any of the other reasons he knew the few who were aware of the situation thought. It was just the blood wards were too important! Harry had to stay there!
No one knew this, but as a child there were incidences where Harry had tried to leave. He had run away several times, a quiet tip off to the police and he was back. People had tried to put him in foster care, a few forms and he was back. It broke Dumbledore's heart to do it, but some things were bigger than the happiness of one boy.

He had a plan!

He had tried to prepare Harry to give him the confidence for the upcoming tasks he would face (the while philosophers stone fiasco had practically been designed for the boy! The later ones just sort of happened).

True he tried to shelter Harry where he could: he kept the prophesy from him, didn't tell him about Sirius, and each time it backfired and Harry wound up more hurt than ever!

The truth of the matter it came down to this: the loss of one child's happiness, or the loss of hundreds- if not thousands- of lives!

Dumbledore loves and cares for Harry but that doesn't change the fact that Harry has a purpose! One Dumbledore spent a long time working on: he had a plan!

And as good as these boys' intentions were Fred and George Weasley were NOT part of that plan!"

And yet- it seemed they were now! Like all of Harry's friends it seemed they were unwilling to simply let Harry face his true destiny. They would be involved.

Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard there was. Yet he seemed powerless against these school children, who didn't seem to want anything more than to be a part of Harry's life.

That in itself was no bad thing. But Dumbledore knew this story would only have one ending, one which was not happy. The closer others were to Harry, the more they would be hurt, if not physically, emotionally.

…

…

…

Neither Arther nor Molly quite knew what to do.

They had both just been forced out of the Dursley house and were now torn between barging back in and taking Harry out with them, or doing what they came to do and seeing their sons. In the end they opted to go with the latter and deal with the muggles later (after all- their sons may have supplies).

As they crossed the road they couldn't help noticing the twitching curtains all around- Fred and George would have to watch out for the nosy neighbours.

Knocking on the door of number 7 they heard some frantic shuffling before the door opened to reveal Fred looking like he had been painted white from head to toe. In the background they could see George in the kitchen holding a paper bag looking much the same as his twin. A huge grin was spread over either of their faces as Fred stepped aside to let his parents in to which Arther could only sigh and enter the house followed closely by Molly.

"Mum! Dad! It's so nice to see you, what do you think of the new place?"

Arther could only raise an eyebrow and look around. The house was (for the most part) immaculate, with the exception of the kitchen which looked like someone had grabbed every kind of food there was and put it on a blender with no lid on!

"I think you boys bought a house without consulting us" he stated

The younger men shifted nervously

"Well it was mum who gave us the idea; she said she wasn't happy with us living above the shop"

"I wasn't happy because I thought it wasn't a safe environment! And your solution is to move in opposite the boy who is number 1 on You Know Whos' hit list? A move mind you, that Dumbledore himself has expressed concern about!" Molly exclaimed "I wasn't happy because I thought you two were too young and inexperienced to take proper care of yourselves living alone! And look at the state of you! What on EARTH have you been trying to do! You've lived in this house four hours and the kitchen looks like a warzone! And why do you both look like ghosts?"

Shuffling nervously the two boys knew this was it: make or break time! In a stern voice neither Arther nor Molly had truly heard Fred spoke up first

"That 'boy' saved our little sister from You Know Who and our little brother from a lake. As for safety- this whole area is surrounded by every protection known to Dumbledore and the Ministry!"

"As for our capability" his brother continued "we singlehandedly started a successful business, rented a shop, manage said shop, and earned enough money to rent this place. We are MORE than capable of looking after ourselves!"

"And when it comes to Dumbledore: you two raised us saying it doesn't matter how far you get in life, as long as you're loved. You said the most important thing in life was to protect those you love and care about, to do what's right no matter what"

At this both parents knew they were beat. Strangely it seemed it was always the two sons with the lowest grades who were always able to outwit them.

Knowing Molly would never admit defeat so easy, Arther decided to, as Hermione once said, 'bite the mullet'

"We understand you boy's had good intentions, but why didn't you at least talk to us? And the question as to what you're covered in still stands"

Looking calmer the two couldn't help grinning at the last part

"We knew if we told you you'd feel obliged to tell Dumbledore, don't get us wrong: we have no intention on staying on his bad side, but we knew the best way to prove to him and to you would be to simply show you!" George explained "trust me- the mere fact you're questioning this is enough to say you haven't seen Harry yet"

"and the white stuff is flour- we were trying to make Harry a marble cake and got into a pickle… well, it's more some pickles got into the cake… can we borrow a recipe?"

…

…

…

Dudley was nervous. He was used to simply saying what he wanted and getting it. But this was different, for once in his life he would need to think!

He knew his current ploy was never going to last; sooner or later his parents would snap and hell would break loose.

The problem was Dudley knew his cousin better than most thought in one sense: he knew Harry wouldn't talk.

No matter what he did Harry would never admit to his parent's cruel treatment and would probably never truly open up and simply ask for the things that would make his life better.

However, at the same time Dudley knew nothing else about Harry! Not his hopes, dreams, likes, dislikes, ambitions… not even his fashion preference thanks to the denial of regular clothing.

That's when it hit him! He didn't need to know exactly what Harry would want: just what he was denied!

OK- what had Dudley and his family denied Harry to keep him unhappy?

Love: his friends had that covered already

Friends: same

TV: maybe he could talk to these twins about getting harry a mini TV for his room?

Clothing: easy! Just tell them to take him shopping

Food: Dudley could handle that himself!

This was going to be easy! His parents wouldn't be able to decline the gifts without risking the wrath of Harry's kind and the food would be easy enough to keep a secret (Lord knows Dudley had been sneaking food long enough!

As he thought on his plan he wondered if he'd missed anything, at which point he heard the shower running. He could hear his parents talking downstairs so that must be his cousin (at least he was finally doing something outside his room; it was starting to get musty in that part of the house!). Maybe he could suggest a spa day… nah; too much.

It was funny really: since coming back Harry had been even worse than last time! The nightmares were definitely the biggest issue but Dudley could hardly help with that. What could he do? Sing a lullaby?

At that thought Dudley couldn't help thinking of all the times his mother had sung to him. Had his own aunt sung to her son? The thought hit like a brick; before, she had been 'Harrys' mum', but the fact was, she was to him what his own mother was to Harry. The thought made Dudley unexpectedly sad she was dead. Was it possible to miss someone you never met? Who you knew nothing about and no one even spoke of? Was this how his cousin felt?
As Dudley pondered he thought of how things would be if places were switched. He knew he'd have used his parent's deaths as an excuse, like a get out of jail free card. Not Harry.

Never once at school had Harry even brought it up.

School, what classes did harry even do now. Were they like his school? All different? Or was it a mix?

At primary school he'd covered English, maths, science, music, and all the basics. Was it the same for those born into the world of magic?

Dudley couldn't help find it ironic that Harry's best topic had been science! The complete opposite of magic in Dudley's mind. Yet it had been Harry's favourite subject next to music.

He definitely liked music, though the love had been squashed down over the years through various means: as soon as the love became clear Harry was never given a chance to listen to or play music.

Maybe an instrument? Something cool, but quiet enough that Harry could play without others hearing? But what? Did wizards even use the same instruments as normal people?

Maybe this wouldn't be so easy after all.