Chapter 5 -- Safe House
Harry ran downstairs and peeked out the front door. He waved urgently to whoever was guarding the house that night. Mundungus Fletcher came crashing out of the bushes and ran up panting.
"Whassup, 'arry?" he asked.
"I've had another vision, and all my friends are in danger! They want to get at me by killing the Weasleys and my other friends. You've got to tell Dumbledore," said Harry.
"Y'know, the last time you believed one of them dreams..." said Mundungus.
"I know, but there was one before that saved Mr. Weasley! We've got to treat it as real. Go tell Dumbledore, NOW!" said Harry.
With another loud bangs that work up the neighbors, Mundungus apparated away. Half an hour later, more bangs signalled the arrival of the Order.
"We've had to scramble, but we have a new safe house for you," said Tonks. She was sporting bright red shoulder-length hair and long, elf-like ears tonight.
"We've worked out a way to get you there safely," said Lupin. "Now that the Ministry of Magic is fully cooperating we can use a portkey.
"What about my friends? Ron, Hermione, and the others?" asked Harry.
"Others of the Order are already moving them. Most of the Weasleys are already safe at the HQ," said Moody. "Fred and George are sleeping above their new shop on Diagon Alley, but someone will get them out as fast as possible."
The Dursleys were predictably furious, but with a bit of arm-twisting they all touched the portkey. Harry followed, carrying Hedwig's cage.
The new house was a multi-storied mansion. The address note, which they all had had to read before the portkey would work, said simply "The Amalgams, Surrey." Hermione, Ron, George, and Fred popped into the huge marble entry hall within minutes of their arrival.
"It's one of the places that used to belong to Nicolas Flamel and his wife," said Lupin. "It's large, remote, and well-warded. Now the Fidelus charm has protected it, nobody can find it or get in unless they are told where it is by the Secret Keeper -- Dumbledore again, of course."
"This is an outrage! How am I supposed to get to work at Grunnings from here?" said Uncle Vernon.
"Leaving is not a good idea," said Moody. "You're not a blood relative, but all of Harry's friends and relatives are threatened."
"I won't stand for this!" Uncle Vernon blustered, but he was cowed by the weird appearance of Mad Eye's revolving eye.
"Mr. Dursley, there's a separate part of the house for you and your family so you won't be bothered by the rest of us," said Tonks.
"Good, because we plan never to speak with any of you again!" cried Aunt Petunia.
"I-it's OK if you or your friends come talk to me sometimes, Harry," pleaded Dudley.
"Don't associate with that riff-raff, Dudders," said Aunt Petunia. "They'll contaminate your mind."
The Dursleys dragged Dudley off to their part of the house. Hermione watched them go with sympathy in her eyes.
"Poor guy, he looks scared," said Hermione.
"That's my cousin Dudley, and he deserves it," said Harry.
"Shall I offer him a nice piece of vanilla toffee?" asked George brightly.
"What does it do, turn your nose blue?" asked Ron.
"Green polka-dotted," said Fred.
The Order met with Harry for a battle plan, and he told them his dream in detail.
"There's no way we can be sure that wasn't meant to mislead," said Lupin. "Just like the dream that lured you to the Ministry."
"I got the feeling there was something else he was hiding," said Harry. "But the first part seemed real enough."
"You shouldn't be having these dreams any more at all. We've got to get Snape here to teach you more occlumency," said Moody. "No more shirking."
"Not Snape! He blew it and then refused to teach me any more. It's his fault Sirrus died!" said Harry.
"Face it, Harry. You had a responsibility to learn, and you didn't. Not only that, you didn't tell anyone you had stopped. So don't be too quick to assign blame to others," Mad-Eye retorted. "Snape will do his duty if ordered. So will you."
Harry sulked, but agreed.
It was first light when Mundungus Fletcher brought in a Daily Prophet.
"Explosion at Joke Shop -- Diagon Alley Devastated," read the headline. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes had exploded overnight. The effects of the Dung Bombs and Portable Swamps had made a disaster area of everything for yards around. Lawsuits were pending.
"We're ruined," said Fred. "But our business went out with a bang, didn't it? I wish I had been there to see it."
"If you'd been there, you'd have died," said Ron.
"It has to be on account of me," said Harry. "Sorry, Fred and George."
"Look at this, Harry" said Ron. "There was another big explosion at the Quibbler last night."
"Luna Lovegood!" Harry said. "Maybe we should bring her here, too."
"We can't bring everybody you've ever met here, Harry" said Hermione.
"Someone I know is going to die, and I can't protect them all," said Harry.
Harry ran downstairs and peeked out the front door. He waved urgently to whoever was guarding the house that night. Mundungus Fletcher came crashing out of the bushes and ran up panting.
"Whassup, 'arry?" he asked.
"I've had another vision, and all my friends are in danger! They want to get at me by killing the Weasleys and my other friends. You've got to tell Dumbledore," said Harry.
"Y'know, the last time you believed one of them dreams..." said Mundungus.
"I know, but there was one before that saved Mr. Weasley! We've got to treat it as real. Go tell Dumbledore, NOW!" said Harry.
With another loud bangs that work up the neighbors, Mundungus apparated away. Half an hour later, more bangs signalled the arrival of the Order.
"We've had to scramble, but we have a new safe house for you," said Tonks. She was sporting bright red shoulder-length hair and long, elf-like ears tonight.
"We've worked out a way to get you there safely," said Lupin. "Now that the Ministry of Magic is fully cooperating we can use a portkey.
"What about my friends? Ron, Hermione, and the others?" asked Harry.
"Others of the Order are already moving them. Most of the Weasleys are already safe at the HQ," said Moody. "Fred and George are sleeping above their new shop on Diagon Alley, but someone will get them out as fast as possible."
The Dursleys were predictably furious, but with a bit of arm-twisting they all touched the portkey. Harry followed, carrying Hedwig's cage.
The new house was a multi-storied mansion. The address note, which they all had had to read before the portkey would work, said simply "The Amalgams, Surrey." Hermione, Ron, George, and Fred popped into the huge marble entry hall within minutes of their arrival.
"It's one of the places that used to belong to Nicolas Flamel and his wife," said Lupin. "It's large, remote, and well-warded. Now the Fidelus charm has protected it, nobody can find it or get in unless they are told where it is by the Secret Keeper -- Dumbledore again, of course."
"This is an outrage! How am I supposed to get to work at Grunnings from here?" said Uncle Vernon.
"Leaving is not a good idea," said Moody. "You're not a blood relative, but all of Harry's friends and relatives are threatened."
"I won't stand for this!" Uncle Vernon blustered, but he was cowed by the weird appearance of Mad Eye's revolving eye.
"Mr. Dursley, there's a separate part of the house for you and your family so you won't be bothered by the rest of us," said Tonks.
"Good, because we plan never to speak with any of you again!" cried Aunt Petunia.
"I-it's OK if you or your friends come talk to me sometimes, Harry," pleaded Dudley.
"Don't associate with that riff-raff, Dudders," said Aunt Petunia. "They'll contaminate your mind."
The Dursleys dragged Dudley off to their part of the house. Hermione watched them go with sympathy in her eyes.
"Poor guy, he looks scared," said Hermione.
"That's my cousin Dudley, and he deserves it," said Harry.
"Shall I offer him a nice piece of vanilla toffee?" asked George brightly.
"What does it do, turn your nose blue?" asked Ron.
"Green polka-dotted," said Fred.
The Order met with Harry for a battle plan, and he told them his dream in detail.
"There's no way we can be sure that wasn't meant to mislead," said Lupin. "Just like the dream that lured you to the Ministry."
"I got the feeling there was something else he was hiding," said Harry. "But the first part seemed real enough."
"You shouldn't be having these dreams any more at all. We've got to get Snape here to teach you more occlumency," said Moody. "No more shirking."
"Not Snape! He blew it and then refused to teach me any more. It's his fault Sirrus died!" said Harry.
"Face it, Harry. You had a responsibility to learn, and you didn't. Not only that, you didn't tell anyone you had stopped. So don't be too quick to assign blame to others," Mad-Eye retorted. "Snape will do his duty if ordered. So will you."
Harry sulked, but agreed.
It was first light when Mundungus Fletcher brought in a Daily Prophet.
"Explosion at Joke Shop -- Diagon Alley Devastated," read the headline. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes had exploded overnight. The effects of the Dung Bombs and Portable Swamps had made a disaster area of everything for yards around. Lawsuits were pending.
"We're ruined," said Fred. "But our business went out with a bang, didn't it? I wish I had been there to see it."
"If you'd been there, you'd have died," said Ron.
"It has to be on account of me," said Harry. "Sorry, Fred and George."
"Look at this, Harry" said Ron. "There was another big explosion at the Quibbler last night."
"Luna Lovegood!" Harry said. "Maybe we should bring her here, too."
"We can't bring everybody you've ever met here, Harry" said Hermione.
"Someone I know is going to die, and I can't protect them all," said Harry.