At 7:30 Harry thought he'd better inform the Dursleys that they were going to be hosting a party of wizards in their home within the next half hour. He grabbed his trunk and cauldron and made his way down the stairs. The Durselys were sitting in the living room, watching a quiz show on television. "There!" cried Dudley as the show went to commercials, "That's the car I want!" Harry glanced at the screen. A bright red sports car was being driven around a winding street by an exceptionally good looking man. Harry seriously doubted if Dudley would be able to fit inside the car's tiny interior, but Aunt Petunia didn't seem to agree. "Of course Diddykins, as soon as you pass your test." "Nooo!" whined Dudley. "It's a limited edition ! If you don't get me one now they'll all be gone!" "Er, 'scuse me," said Harry Uncle Vernon flinched as he always did when Harry spoke, and turned to look at him through narrowed eyes. "Just thought you ought to know, I'm leaving tonight. For my friend's house." he added nonchallontly. Uncle Vernon grunted. "Er..." said Harry, "They should be here around 8:00" he added in a would- be casual voice, though he was bracing himself for the blow. "THEY'LL WHAT!?" bellowed his uncle, choking. Dudley made a annoyed noise and turned the volume on the television up. "THOSE PEOPLE IN MY HOUSE? NEVER! I SWORE IT AFTER THAT LUNATIC BLEW THE LVING ROOM APART, AND I STAND BY IT, NONE OF YOUR KIND IN MY HOME! ONE MORE SHANANGIAN LIKE THIS BOY, AND YOU'LL WISH YOU'D NEVER-" "My, my, this does seem like a happy family." Harry wheeled around to see that it was Mad Eye Moody who was standing in the door way to the living room, and had growled this statement to the rest of the group who had accompanied him. Standing around Moody, all looking somewhat shocked yet amused, were Ron, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and Lupin, some of Harry's favorite people in the world. Hermione beamed as she caught Harry's eye, and Ron gave a little wave. "Sir," said Uncle Vernon as Aunt Petunia gave a terrified squeak and Dudley toppled off his chair, "You are breaking and enetering, and mark my-my words, you...you you will find yourself..in-some-some-" he broke off as Moody drew his wand and examined it with his knarled hands. "Do us a favor Dursley," he said still looking at his wand, "and bugger off." Uncle Vernon didn't need telling twice. He snatched up a crystal ornament from the mantle, as though afraid for its safety, and then ushered his family out of the room trying to retain some dignity. "Now then," said Moody as the door to the kitchen snapped shut with the Durselys inside, "Sorry we're a bit early. Got your things Potter?" "Uh, yeah." Harry's feeling of surliness had just intensified ten fold, and with some regret he hauled his trunk out of the hall. "I got it." said Ron who had followed him into the hallway. Together they pulled it in. "Now." growled Moody again, "I want to say a few things before we go. One, nobody'd better mention anything about what's been goin on until we're in a secure place. Two, we all know that Sirius dying has affected Potter, so there's no point in ignoring it .Three, Potter," he said turning to Harry who was somewhat surprised, "you need to stop acting like a baby. This is war boy, and young as you are, you need to get used to it, because this is gonna be a long battle. People die, and I know you're tough enough to take it, so talk to Molly, talk to Lupin here, and talk to your friends, cause you got some good ones there," he said gesturing to Ron and Hermione, "But don't mope around pitying yourself. You're not gonna like me for saying this, but someone's got to, and I've never been much for subtlety. You need to be a man now, Harry." Harry stared. His first reaction was of fury. But just as he'd begun to think of a stab he could take at Moody's empty words, a new feeling began to wash over him, one he hadn't felt in a long time. It felt like stepping into a hot bath; it was the realization that Moody was right and Harry needed to move on. And somehow it was a good feeling. He was still staring coldly at Moody, but after a moment's silence, he nodded. "Excellent." said Mrs. Weasley, who looked relieved at his reaction, "Well let's go then shall we?" Harry moved towards the Dursley's fireplace, but Lupin held him back. "I'll go first to make sure there's someone on the receiving end." Lupin pulled a bag of floo powder out of his shabby coat, and was about to toss it in, when Hermione shouted, "Look!" A gorgeous phoenix was soaring through the open window, carrying a note. "Fawkes!" said Harry. Dumbledore's bird dropped the note into Harry's arms, and soared away with a single quavering note, as Harry opened the letter cautiously. Inside was a very short note, but Harry's jaw dropped as he read it. "Do not come back to the order. GET OUT OF 4 PRIVET DRIVE IMMEDIATLEY. Baffled, Harry showed the note to the others, who looked very grave and somewhat puzzled. "What does it mean?" he asked. "It means," said Lupin slowly, his face was suddenly very serious and his brow furrowed in concentration, "we've got to get out of here, and fast. I'll tell your aunt and uncle they'd better leave too, if we're in danger here, than they are... and you lot get Harry's things together. We need an immediate portkey authorization," he said to Mrs. Weasly, who nodded, and was gone with a crack. "Harry," he went on, "Any letters you might have saved or anything that mentions the order needs to be gotten out of here. You, Ron, and Hermione go round those up and destroy them. Do you understand?" "Yes," said Harry, "but what-" "No time to explain now," said Lupin cutting him off, "Just go. hurry. And don't miss anything!" he called after them as they rushed up the stairs. "Here," said Harry as they reached his room, "there's a bunch of them on the floor." "So what's going on?" murmured Ron as he bent beside Harry to pick up a letter. "Why'do we have to leave so fast?" "I expect," said Hermione, "That the death eaters know what's going on, that we're taking Harry. Oh my goodness...you don't think they found the order!? And that's why we couldn't go back!?" Harry stared at her. Could that be true? "Nah," said Ron, "someone would have to tell them about it, it's got that fiduleousy charm or something on it. Secret keeper and all that." "Yes, but what if..." Hermione trailed off, and glanced at Harry. He knew she was thinking exactly what he was, what if someone had betrayed them and tipped off a death eater? "Quick let's go before...I dunno before something bad happens." said Hermione with a glance around, checking for stray letters. She looked extremely nervous, and was shaking a bit. Ron seemed quite anxious too. He was very pale. Harry looked at them questioningly, but a moment later Lupin's voice carried upstairs, "Let's go you guys. We have to go now." Harry was beginning to feel nervous. Downstairs, Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, Moody and the Dursleys were waiting. On the floor was a chipped flower pot, which Harry realized must be their port key. Dudley was eyeing it very nervously, and Aunt Petunia seemed shaken beyond words; she was standing clutching her husband's arm with her lips tightly pursed, not saying anything. Uncle Vernon however was arguing furiously with a haggered looking Lupin. "I'm not traveling by any porto key, and neither are my wife and son. No sir, we don't need any of your washed up, ridiculous, rabbit-in-a-hat, lunacy!" Lupin looked imploringly at Moody, who stepped in and said gruffly, "Yeh'll do it Dursley, unless you and your family here would rather stay and wait for Lord Voldemort to show up." Ron flinched, Mrs. Weasley gasped, and Hermione grabbed Harry's arm convulsively. Harry was suddenly in a state of mild panic. "Here?" he stammered, "He can't be-be coming here? I-I thought...Dumbledore said I was safe here..." he said almost pleadingly. Ron and Hermione gave him quizzical looks, but Harry shook his head. He hadn't told them about the prophecy that decided his future, or the near invinsible charm that connected him to his Aunt and ensured his safety. Lupin simply waved his hand and said, "Listen Harry, I don't really understand it myself, but Dumbledore said leave, and if we don't listen to Dumbledore, well then what can we listen to? His worries are usually justified, even if he doesn't explain them right away, and right now he's worried about us staying here, so let's go, shall we?" In response the others all moved toward the flower pot and touched it, even the Dursleys, though they were looking at the pot as though it was a ticking bomb. "Where are we going?" asked Harry suddenly, but just as Lupin turned to reply, Harry felt a familiar tug in his stomach region and he was swept off his feet by the force of the port key. His shoudlers bumped into Hermione's as they traveled, now glued to the pot, and a scream of shock came from the direction of Aunt Petunia. Moments later they crashed into the floor of a building, and everyone but Lupin, Moody, Mrs. Weasley and Ron toppled over one another onto the ground. Harry landed hard face down and groaned. He rolled over and saw Hermione standing above him. She extended her arm and pulled him to his feet. "Thanks" he murmured, "Where are we?" "I dunno" replied Hermione slowly. They seemed to be in a basement. It was one dusty and dank room, with a large boiler in one corner, and a squashy couch in another. Around the room were boxes and bottles of various drinks and things that looked like napkins, only dirty and slightly decomposed. Dimly lit, the room gave the impression of a medival castle. Moonlight came through from one, grimy, narrow window and cast a muted beam of light across the floor. Harry turned to Lupin and asked "Professor, where are we?" "Just a moment," he replied, "I've got to go and check if we're secure here." Not sure what he meant, Harry crossed to the couch and sat down next to Ron who had sunken into it moments before. Lupin Moody and Mrs. Weasley went up the stairs on one side of the room and out a wooden door. The Durselys seemed to be in shock. Uncle Vernon kept opening his mouth as if to speak, but made a funny rasping noise and shut it again. Dudley whimpered once or twice in the silence. Suddenly Uncle Vernon rounded on Harry. "Where in the devil are we boy!?" "If I knew, I certainly wouldn't be sitting here." said Harry coldly. The last thing he wanted to do right now was argue with his uncle. He really wanted to get out of here and figure out what was going on. Why couldn't they go back to the order? Suddenly, Harry heard the creaking noise of a door opening behind him. He jumped up and instinctively reached for his wand. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." said a dry, hoarse voice from just beyond the darkness of a now open passageway in the wall. Right on que, Dudley screamed and ran for the stairs, stumbling over his feet as he knocked boxes aside. Aunt Petunia shreiked "Diddy darling! NO! You don't know what lunatics could be up there!" and went hurrying after him still yelling in panic. Dudley reached the door at the top of the stairs and forced his way through it, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon close behind, with a frantic look down at Harry, Uncle Vernon slammed the door furiously. Harry wasn't watching any of this though. His eyes were fixed on a wand tip emerging from the doorway, pointed directly at him. A figure moved into view. Ron and Hermione seemed paralyzed watching Harry facing this unidentified man threaten them. Suddenly the man's face was thrown into relief and Harry noted it looked angry. The man looked vaguely familiar to Harry, and Hermione let out an "oh!" of understanding as she saw him. "Explain yourselves!" he spat at them. Harry and the others gaped. "Now or I'll go straight to the authorities. You mark my words, you crazy hooligans, sneaking into my store room, stealing liquor, don't think I don't know what you're up to coming into my basement in the dead of night... Good lord...is it...you?" he sputtered. Harry noticed the man was gawking at his forehead with a blank and awestruck look. An odly familiar blank and awestruck look...then suddenly something clicked in his head. "You're the Hog's Head bartender!" he exclaimed, "Is that where we are?" He looked around as though searching for an adress to tell him. The bartender was still gaping at Harry's scar. "Listen," said Hermione, "we're not breaking into anything, or stealing, we just came here with...with Alastor Moody and Mr. Lupin, they think we'll be safe here. I don't know if you are in touch with any of them-" "Why didn't you say so!" cried the man, finally lowering his wand, and stepping out of the door frame. "Of course," he said, "You must be here on my brother's wishes. "Your brother?" asked Ron, puzzled. He wasn't the only one. Harry was sure he wasn't following this at all. "Of course," repeated the bartender, "My brother Albus Dumbledore." "Your-your...Dumbledore?" said Harry, perplexed. "Ah, I see you've all met Aberforth." Lupin had spoken from the stairs, he was smiling down at them. Normal Normal Default Paragraph Font Default Paragraph Font Body Text Body Text Laura Munoz:C:\Documents and Settings\Laura Munoz\My Documents\HP2.docÿ?? 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