Chapter Two

Harry was sitting on his bed looking at the cards that he had received over the summer for his birthday from his friends. He felt alone. Utterly alone now. Sirius was dead. He had still not come to terms with that fact yet. He knew but did not want to believe. He was eating less than he should have, but was not hungry. He had lost some weight, but not really that much.

The summer had been quiet. No news of what was happening with Voldemort. The Death Eaters he had help capture earlier that year were still in Azkaban. The Demetors had hidden themselves from the wizarding world. Harry was under the impression that they were bidding there time for something.

He still with held information from his friends about the prophesy. He could not bring himself to tell them just yet. He was not sure how they would react to this information. He had come to terms better with this, than with Sirius' death. Still he wished it would come sooner rather than latter. He was getting tired of the waiting game that Voldemort was playing.

He heard noises downstairs that brought him out of his train of thought. It must be near dinner time by now he thought. With that he left his room and walked down the stairs.

The Dursley's said nothing to him, but his Aunt gave him a plate. The good thing about this summer was he was being fed more. Apparently, the threat they had been given was a little more than they could take. Afraid of having "his kind" on their doorstep was a little intimidating. A smile floated across Harry's face. He could not help himself but to think of those in the Order.

The foursome ate quietly and after dinner, Harry was offered some dessert. He declined and went back to his room.

When he returned, there was an owl waiting for him. Hogwarts. This must be the O.W.L results. He was not too keen on opening them, so he put them aside for now. There were other things more important than exam results.

Harry had received letters from Ron and Hermione over the past few weeks. Always trying to cheer him up. This meant more to Harry than they could know. The thought of them and of Hogwarts sustained him for now. Then he thought of the Order. What could they do that Harry would not have to do himself? Only he was able to defeat this great and powerful evil.

He shook himself from that thought. When the time would come, it would come. Still, he wondered how he would be able to do this. How would he be able to kill the one who seemed incapable of dyeing? How could he kill him when they could not duel? How could he kill him when he was so powerful?

He heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They were on the light side, so he thought it might be Aunt Petunia. She came and knocked on his door. Strange, he thought. She never knocks.

"Come in." he said.

She walked in his room, turned and closed the door behind him. She never had done this before. He had a questioning look in his eyes.

"Can we talk?" she asked him

"Yes, what is it?" he asked her mystified.

"What is wrong with you. You have changed." she said with something in her eyes that Harry had never seen before. He did not know what it was. Nor did he know how to answer her question. Did he really want to answer that and loose some of the ammunition he could use on the Dursley's?

"Just.... just had a bad year that's all." he said looking down at his feet.

"What of... what of him?" she asked.

At this he looked up. He knew who she was talking of, but did not want to believe. Nor did he really want to answer this question. He wanted the two worlds separate. As separate as she had made them all those years.

"I asked you a question." she said becoming impatient.

"He is still alive if that is what you wanted to know." he said with contempt in his voice.

"I have a right to know the truth." she said. She regarded him for a moment, the same look in her eyes as before. She turned to leave but stopped and turned to look at her nephew, opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it and left.

"What was that all about?" he asked to the empty room. He sat at his desk and got out parchment, ink and a quill and started his homework. It was better to get it done now than have it to do at the last moment.

He sat there for about an hour before a tapping on his window made him look up. It was Pig, Ron's owl. Pig flew around Harry's head waiting for his response.

Dear Harry:

I talked to mum and dad and they say you can come to the Burrow this weekend. Send us your response as soon as you can.

Ron

Something just did not feel right to Harry. He quickly grabbed a spare piece of parchment scribbled a note to Dumbledor and sent Hedwig out. He grabbed a new piece of parchment and wrote that they should pick him up on Sunday at noon. He would be waiting for them at the door. He tied the reply note to Pig and sent him on its way.

As he looked out his window he wondered what they were up to. Obviously, they were trying to come and get him. Did they know where he lived? Did he dare come to his aunt and uncle's house?

Slowly the day died into the night. He was anxious for Hedwig to return with a letter from Dumbledor. He wanted to see if Dumbledore thought there was something to the letter.

The minuets crept by. Changing to hours. It was past midnight when Hedwig came back. He threw the window open to let her in. Harry retrieved the letter from Hedwig

Dear Harry:

Please be ready to leave tomorrow evening. You will be relocated to the headquarters. There has been someone from the Order watching your aunt and uncle's house, but there may have been a breach on the perimeter. Remember that you cannot be touched while you are at your relations house. We cannot take the chance of there being a problem in a Muggle inhabited area. Your aunt, uncle and cousin should leave the area as well. Just in case. Please let them know as soon as you can.

Remus

Disappointed that Dumbledore did not respond to the letter, but releived that something was being done as soon as it was, Harry set his alarm to go off at five in the morning to be ready.

Harry awoke with the alarm, got his belongings together and went downstairs. He knew he was in a precarious situation. Harry did not know how to do this without causing another row between his aunt and uncle.

"Good morning." he bid his aunt and uncle. There was a grunt in return. When he received nothing else from them, he tried again.

"So, when will you be going on vacation?" he prompted.

"Don't know what you are talking about."his uncle commented through gritted teeth.

At this Harry looked at his aunt. They were not going to stay and that was that.

"Do you remember what you came to talk to me about yesterday? Well, there is some indication that they may come here. Soon. I think it would be best if you would clear off for a while, just in case."

His aunt and uncle looked at each other for a moment. Harry wondered for a moment whether they could comprehend what could happen to them at the hands of Voldemort. His aunt was the first to recover.

"What do we have to do?" she said almost breathless.

"Go away on vacation. Have someone keep an eye on the house. I am going as well." he said. "I will be leaving this evening. I suggest that you do the same."

At this Harry left his aunt and uncle at the table. He went upstairs and watched the street. There was nothing unusual. He heard his aunt tell Dudley to pack some clothes. Harry grunted. If he thought that they would be safe there would be no reason to make them go. Even though he may not like the Dursley's, there was no real reason to get them involved. Harry stayed at his window for most of the day and waited and watched.

Aunt Petunia came up around 3 that afternoon. She walked into his room. He looked around the neighborhood before looking over at his aunt.

"We are getting ready to leave. When will you be leaving." she asked him.

He hadn't really asked what time they would get there. Assuming there would be a guard just as there was last time.

"I'm not sure. I am waiting for someone to come collect me." he stated.

"We'll be gone for a week and a half. If you need to get us..."

"I don't want to know where you are going, and I am not going to tell you where I will be going either. It will probably be safer that way" he interrupted her. He turned to look at his aunt. She almost looked as if she was hurt. He had never seen this before in her. He did not know whether he liked it or not.

"I know that you have not been given the life that you wanted. I also know that you have a hard road ahead of you. Yes, I know about it. I did not want this for you. This was one of the reasons that we did this for you. It was out of fear that we did what we did. We saw what he was capable of when your parents died. We did not want this for our family or you." she started to walk out the door before Harry could ask any more questions.

With that Harry heard the Dursley's leaving. He heard the car doors close. He heard the gravel in the drive way. He silently wondered if they would be alright. Harry walked back to his window and continued to watch and wait.