A/N: Firstly, thanks everyone for the reviews, glad you've enjoyed it so far….I should hopefully have some individual replies to reviews up at the end of this chapter….if I ever get round to it! Ok, enough from me, here's chapter two.

Disclaimer: As you all know perfectly well I am sure, none of these characters belong to me, they are all the creation of the God-like JK Rowling to whom I am eternally grateful for creating the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

CHAPTER TWO

Many miles away, Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his desk in his homely circular office at Hogwarts. Deep in thought, he was slowly flicking through a large, leather-bound book, taking notes on a thick piece of parchment as he worked. He was so deeply engrossed in what he was doing that it took him a few minutes to register the knocking at the window. Dumbledore heaved himself wearily out of his chair and crossed to the window slowly, flinging it open wide. A rush of warm summer air hit his face and he inhaled deeply as in flew a glossy black raven, clutching a letter.

"Mortiana…" Dumbledore murmured, a slight smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Long time no see, my old friend…how is dear Tom?"

Mortiana gave him an appraising look, but allowed him to stroke her feathers gently as he took the letter that she clutched in her claws and unrolled it swiftly. His learned face wrinkled in anger as he read.

Dear Albus;

In accordance with your request that I inform you immediately on noticing anything out of the ordinary, I have sent Mortiana with this message. At this very moment, Harry Potter is sitting in my back room. It is evidently very unsafe for him to be away from home at this time and I thought it best to seek your advice regarding what to do. I trust that I find you well and I await your reply.

Regards

Tom.

In an uncharacteristic moment of anger Dumbledore was unable to stop himself from scrunching the parchment up in his fist.

"Damn you Dursley….you have no idea what you could have done do you? Do you even care? I somehow doubt it." He muttered under his breath, his face contorted in anger.

"Alright Mortiana, thank you." He said, regaining his composure somewhat. "Return to Tom now….there is no need for me to send a message with you….this must be dealt with."

Mortiana seemed to understand this as she clipped his finger affectionately with her beak before taking off again out of the window into the late-afternoon Scottish sunshine.

Pulling his dark blue travelling cloak around his shoulders, Dumbledore scrawled a hurried message on a piece of parchment, leaving it on his desk.

Minerva;

I have departed to Diagon Alley. What we discussed has unfortunately come to pass. Perhaps you would be good enough to send word to Harry's Uncle and Aunt. I believe you know what to say, I trust your judgement. I think you also know who else to contact. Ask him to be ready this evening…send Fawkes.

Regards

Albus.

With that, Dumbledore removed the lid from an ornately carved red dish on his desk and took a pinch of the brightly-coloured powder that lay inside. Crossing quickly to the hissing magical fire at one side of the room, he flung the floo powder into the flames, stepped in after it and with a cry of "The Leaky Cauldron!" he was gone.

*

Harry was still slumbering uneasily in the cosy back room at the Leaky Cauldron. Tom sat quietly in a chair opposite, watching his troubled expression with a slight frown upon his face. The heat from the fire was becoming over-powering and so, loosening his collar, Tom reached behind his chair and slid open the large window carefully. Unassuming muggles could be heard chattering and laughing in the street beyond. Tom sighed and pushed his greying hair out of his eyes with a tired hand. It wasn't often that any witch or wizard found themselves envying muggles but in troubled times like these….perhaps they were better off – blissfully unaware of what likely lay ahead.

Seemingly hearing the noises outside, Harry started violently in his sleep.

"No…no….not Cedric! NO…Mum…Dad…."

Harry trailed off and sat bolt upright in his chair, staring wildly around and sweating profusely. Tom looked at him pityingly and seemed to be having difficulty thinking of something to say.

"Shhh….it's ok Harry…you're safe here….I've sent all the other customers home….no one can touch you here…don't worry." He said in what he obviously thought was a soothing tone, patting Harry's arm awkwardly.

"Tom…what's going on?" Harry said blearily, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his fist.

Tom seemed to be keen to avoid the question…he rose out of his chair and began pacing the room, a worried expression on his face, but Harry was keen to push the point.

"Tom? Please…what's happening…I don't get it." Harry said, more insistently this time, he was feeling slightly more awake.

"It's not safe for you to be here Harry….I don't know much more than you do. I've let Dumbledore know you are here, he'll know what to do…Mortiana should be back soon with his reply." Tom said somewhat reluctantly.

"Mortiana?"

"My raven." Tom smiled fondly.

A raven? Harry thought questioningly to himself. He'd never heard of anyone who used a raven to deliver their letters before. He gave an involuntary shudder….thinking that he'd definitely be sticking to owls…ravens gave him the creeps somehow. Especially one with a name like Mortiana.

Noticing Harry's expression Tom smiled gently.

"I know what you're thinking, but more wizards use ravens than you may think…they're highly loyal and much faster than owls, it's just because of their appearance that they have a bad name for themselves."

Harry still looked wary but he had no time to question Tom further because at that moment the fire flared up violently, causing both of them to jump. A second later, the flames surged up even more, it looked as if they were going to jump out of the fire-place and into the room, they were so ferocious. From the midst of the fire Albus Dumbldore appeared, looking thorougly non-plussed. He quickly strode out of the licking flames and into the room, looking more business-like than Harry had ever seen him.

"Albus!" Tom exclaimed, looking thoroughly taken-aback. "I didn't expect you here….at least…not so soon!"

Dumbledore smiled kindly, an odd expression on his face that Harry could not interpret.

"You underestimate I think, the seriousness of the situation….no matter." He placed a hand on Tom's shoulder and extended his other one in greeting. "You did the right thing in sending word to me so quickly old friend, for that I am grateful."

Tom shook Dumbledores hand firmly still looking somewhat bewildered, as if he didn't really understand what was going on. Releasing Tom's hand quickly, Dumbledore turned his attention to Harry and regarded him seriously.

"You are alright Harry?" he enquired gently.

Harry nodded, he was unable to speak for some reason, his throat felt the same way that it had the time Dudley and his gang had pinned him down and forced him to eat three packets of dry cream crackers….itchy, sore and raw.

"I thought not somehow." Dumbledore said perceptively. "But there is no need to worry any longer, you have been through quite enough in the last few weeks…I will take care of the situation from here."

Harry looked up at him dazedly, feeling as if someone had lifted a great weight from his shoulders. Whenever Dumbledore was around he had the glorious impression that nothing could go too badly wrong. Despite his great age, Dumbledore exerted a quiet energy at all times which was somehow extremely reassuring. The only other person that Harry had ever felt this safe around was Sirius but Harry couldn't allow himself to think about Sirius….he felt sure that he would burst into tears if he did.

Tom was leaning against the wall, looking thoroughly awkward and out of place as if he felt he shouldn't be in the room any longer. He cleared his throat loudly as if to remind them that he was still there.

Dumbledore turned to face him and smiled kindly again.

"I wonder if you would be so kind as to prepare a small meal for Harry and I?" Dumbledore said. "It would be a great help if we could eat here before returning to Hogwarts….that would ensure that Minerva had ample time to make all the necessary arrangements."

"I'm going to Hogwarts?" Harry exclaimed, his heart lifting in spite of how he was feeling inside.

"Yes…but not for long, no indeed. I have something in mind that I think will meet with your approval." There was a hint of the familiar twinkle in Dumbledores eye as he spoke.

Harry sank back down in his chair slowly…he was starting to feel giddy.

"I'll just go and…errr….well….prepare some food for you then shall I Albus….steak and kidney pie and roast potatoes alright for you?" Tom exclaimed, sounding more awkward than ever and looking desperate to be given an excuse to leave the room.

"Splendid." Dumbledore said appreciatively and Harry found himself nodding his head listlessly as the headmaster regarded him evenly. He didn't care what Tom brought for him to eat, he was sure that he would be sick if he attempted to swallow even a mouthful of it…his throat still felt like sand-paper.

"Right you are." Tom said, hurrying gratefully from the room.

Dumbldore waited until Tom's footsteps had stopped echoing down the wooded floor of the hall outside before going to the heavy oak door and checking that it was clicked shut.

"Now Harry." He said softly. "It is high time that you had an explanation."

A/N: Ok, that's Chapter 2. Chapter 3 should be up very soon as I'm not busy at the moment and I have a lot of time to write. I'm planning to dedicate the next few chapters mainly to Harry but then I'll move on to other characters, however as this is primarily about Harry, I will keep referring back to him. Keep reading and reviewing everyone!