Harry was confused for a moment. When his eyes came back into focus he saw Dumbledore, he was being choked by a pair of hands with no arms attached. Harry tried desperately to pry the hands from Dumbledore's throat, but he couldn't. He called out for help, but there was no one to hear him. He panicked.

"Harry! Harry, wake up!"

"Do you think we should call someone?"

Harry recognized the voices, but they seemed very far away. He wanted to talk to them, but hesitated, looking at Dumbledore.

"He's quite again, is he still breathing?"

Dumbledore looked at Harry and it hit him, he was dreaming.

"Harry. Please, can you hear me?"

"He's not waking up. we better get someone, the witch who comes around with the trolley"

"Wait!" Yelled Harry, sitting up abruptly.

Ron and Hermione jumped back looking at Harry with wide eyes.

"Harry, are you alright, we were so scared. You were so pale and-"

Harry interrupted. "Dumbledore's in trouble!" Hermione and Ron just stared. "We need to do something, we need to help him!'

It was a testament to their friendship that neither Ron nor Hermione doubted that Harry knew.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Maybe we should tell the conductor-"

"-Or send an owl."

"Hedwig!" Harry jumped up, ran and grabbed Hedwig's cage. "But who are we sending it to?"

"Send it to Professor McGonagall, she'll know what to do," suggested Hermione.

Harry scrawled a fast note and sent Hedwig out the window.

"Should we go up to the front of the train too," suggested Ron. "Maybe someone will know what to do up there?"

Harry answered by bolting out of the compartment and towards the front of the train. Ron and Hermione were following right behind him. They were almost there when Harry stopped. Blocking their path was Draco Malfoy.

"Where you going Potter?" Asked Malfoy with obvious contempt.

"Just get out of my way Malfoy," said Harry while standing directly in front of Ron, who was being held back by Hermione.

To Harry's surprise Draco raised his eyebrows and stepped to the side of the corridor to let Harry pass. Harry walked past Malfoy without giving him a second look, but just as he thought they were in the clear he heard a muffled cry and scuffling. Ron and Malfoy were rolling on the ground hitting each other.

"Stop it! Ron!" Hermione was trying her best to pull Ron and Malfoy apart, with little success.

"I'm going up front," said Harry, not willing to waste anymore time. He ran on down the corridor, hoping he wasn't too late.

***

"Did it work," asked a cold voice.

"Of course it worked," Theavolos replied with a sneer as he started to turn away.

"Wait," said Voldemort softy.

Theavolos stopped and faced Voldemort, his eyes glittered darkly from underneath his hood.

"What is it you want. The train crashed, the dark mark was there. My work is done."

"They are reporting that there were no deaths," Voldemort watched Theavolos' reaction at his words.

Theavolos waited a second before answering, "I think you should talk to you faithful death eaters about that," and he left with a quiet pop.

Voldemort stared at the place where Theavolos had been standing. He couldn't decide whether he had seen a flash of sadness in the eyes of the dark man.

***

Harry reached the front of the train, and was surprised to find not only the witch who pushed the trolley, but also familiar scowling face. When the face spotted Harry the scowl changed into a look of deep loathing.

"Mr. Potter, I was just coming to find you," Snape growled.

"Coming- to find- me?" he managed to force out.

Snape sneered happily at Harry's bewilderment. "Yes Potter, Dumbledore requested that I fetch you. He seemed to think you might be in trouble, but it seems you are just as. fit. as usual."

Harry knew that "fit" hadn't been what Snape wanted to say, but he ignored that, having been reminded why he ran all the way to the front of the train in the first place.

"Dumbledore is in trouble! We have to go find him-"

"Calm down, Potter." Snape held up a hand to silence him. "The headmaster is fine. I spoke with him only two minutes ago. Now, if there are no more objections I think we should go, he is waiting for you."

Harry nodded weakly, wondering how exactly they were going to "go" but being afraid to ask. Snape did not enlighten him, but simply held out a scroll. As Harry grasped it he felt a jerk around his navel and he shut his eyes as the world began to spin. He landed with a thud and fell heavily to the ground. Opening his eyes he recognized the living room from his latest home. Before Harry had a chance to move he felt a hand grab the back of his robes and pull him up off the floor. The journey on the portkey had not seemed to ruffle his stern potions master at all, and Snape gave him a firm push forward.

"They were in the kitchen when I left."

Harry didn't need to be told twice. He reached the kitchen door in record time, as he opened the door he was met with what would have been a funny scene if he hadn't been so worried.

Dumbledore was sitting at the table with a cut of tea in front of him, he looked pale, but his eyes twinkled as he watched the other occupants of the room. Scorn, Trouble, and Tipsy were sitting on the kitchen floor looking mildly annoyed, as was Professor McGonagall. All four were scowling at a plump man in violent pink robes who was doing some kind of ridiculous dance while speaking in a strange whiny cat-like voice. He slowly danced towards one of the corners, and Harry managed to catch a glimpse of Jasper, looking horrified, trapped in the corner. Mrs. Figg tried to get the attention of the man with the pink robes, but he simply pulled her into his dance.

Arabella was standing stiffly by the fridge. She looked up as Harry entered the room and smiled slightly, her smile becoming fixed when she saw Snape enter behind him. She moved towards Snape menacingly, Dumbledore got up from his chair abruptly, but he was too slow. Arabella's tight fist pulled back as she took a full swing at Snape's nose.