::raises an eyebrow at "Pussycat":: Threatening me, Pussy? Going to "search for me" if I continue, are you? ::laughs:: I'd like to see you try. ::glares threateningly::

And as for the rest of you...::still glaring:: ::stops glaring and smiles:: Thanks for the comments, I love you all. ::hugs all of you:: LoL. Go play in traffic, pussycat.

.~*~.~*~.~*~.

Tonks followed the exact path that Malfoy had fled. She was grateful that Dumbledore had assigned her to watch over Harry over the summer. Finally she's going to have some fun. She couldn't believe how dull it had been over the summer, watching the Dursley family. All muggles couldn't -possibly- be that tedious.

Tonks proceeded a few more paces and caught something out of the corner of her eye. She froze instantly as she realized what she thought she had seen. She spun on her heel to catch a full view of it, but it was already gone. She could have sworn she'd seen a huge black dog slinking in the shadows in between houses 11 and 12. Resisting the urge to investigate, she kept on, looking for the blonde-haired boy who had threatened Harry.

She kept a straight and determined face as she walked quickly, even as she felt the sting of tears screaming at her to let them out. Memories flooded her mind as she thought of her cousin, Sirius, whose animagi form had also been that of a large black dog. That veil, she thought. That stupid veil. And Bellatrix....

A sob escaped her throat when she once again caught something in the corner of her eye. This time, she wasted no time in witnessing it. She whirled around and instead of encountering the dog, she instead saw a boy standing there. As soon as he noticed he was spotted, he ran. Tonks ran after him, her heart pounding. She wasn't going to let Malfoy get away, especially after what he had said to Harry. Malfoy knew something. And he was going to spill his guts...or else.

The shadows of the houses flashed by as Tonks chased Malfoy across one backyard of a house to the next, to the next. Eventually, she was directly behind him, trailing him. She groped for her wand sticking out of her back pocket and aimed it at Malfoy's dodging back. "Impedimenta!" It was a direct hit. Malfoy abruptly haulted, frozen in his tracks. Tonks slowed her pace and took her time to catch her breath, knowing that he wouldn't be going anywhere. She waltzed up in front of him. She could see the pained look on his face, but she couldn't determine whether it was real pain that he was feeling or if it was only his ego that was hurting.

Tonks grabbed him by the arm firmly, then lifted the charm. "Well, well, well. Who do we have here, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked kindly. Malfoy could hear the accusation in her voice.

"Let go of me." He jerked his arm back, but it was no good. Tonks's grip was too tight.

"So, how did you get here?" she asked with the same polite tone. "Your father bring you, maybe? I think I want a chat with him. Would you care to lead the way?"

Malfoy simply glowered at her, but didn't move a muscle.

Tonks frowned, looking disappointed. "Aw, I see. We want to do this the hard way, don't we?" She flipped her wand in the air with one hand and caught it again. She laughed slightly at the sight of the fear in Malfoy's eyes. "Then, would you lead the way?" Tonks repeated.

Malfoy wrenched his arm away from her and began walking slowly forward. "Follow me." He spoke each word as if he was spitting poison from his mouth. Tonks could hear him mutter something under his breath...something about his father. She merely grinned and followed him.

.~*~.~*~.~*~.

"'Get me out of here,'" Remus Lupin read aloud, stroking Hedwig's feathers. He folded up the paper and shoved it in his pocket. "I wish I could, Harry," he mumbled to himself. He truley meant it, too. But, it wasn't worth risking anyone's life to do it. Lupin walked over to a corner of his confined, dingy apartment room and brushed aside some books, revealing a few rolls of extra parchment left over from the last schoolyear. He stood straight and glanced around the room. "Ah, there it is." He walked over to his small desk and bent over the side of it; his quill must have fallen to the floor. He picked it up and, seated on his bed, he began writing.

.~*~.~*~.~*~.

The sun was already beginning to set by the time Hedwig returned. Harry was still lounging outside in the backyard, virtually invisible to all around him. He savored the isolation. It was his own choice to remain out here instead of going inside, even though he knew he'd probably be locked out for the rest of the night, knowing the Dursleys. Instead of revealing himself to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon when they got home, he concealed himself within the shadows of the large bushes growing alongside the house. And there he lurked.

Hedwig swooped down and perched on Harry's shoulder. He was surprised when he was the large roll of parchment tied around Hedwig's leg with a brown piece of yarn. The owl stuck her leg out in Harry's face, insistant that he untie it rapidly. When he finally got it undone, he unrolled the parchment and began to read.

"Harry...I know what kind of distress you're in, but you know very well why you're here. And you know you can't leave until we know it's safe, which probably isn't going to be for quite some time. I'm truely sorry, but I, nor can anyone else, get you out of there. You've coped for sixteen years, you'll make it through the summer. But, don't go doing anything rash. Just stay where you are...the summer's just about ended. No doubt you already know that you've been under a watchful eye lately by some of the members of the Order. It isn't that we don't think that you're competent enough to take care of yourself, Harry, because you've proven to everyone time and time again that you are, but you need to understand that it's not safe anymore, no matter how powerful you are. There's strength in numbers...and also in you, your family, your home, even if you don't see it or understand it now. I must be off...take care.

-Professor Lupin"

Harry sat transfixed at the letter. He re-read it, then re-read it again. He wished that he could speak to Professor Lupin face to face so he would be able to ask questions. But, he had said those four words...those four words that he utterly loathed: "stay where you are". Why was everyone treating him like he was a child who needed to be locked up and secluded from the world so he wouldn't get a boo boo? Why would no one help him? Of course no one knows "what kind of distress" he was in...no one had ever had to leave sixteen tormented years with a family of reclusive muggles who practically had heart attacks if you muttered the "m" word...which was, of course, "magic". What kind of life was that for a wizard? He hated being left in the dark and this summer, he wouldn't take it. He needed to find someone...anyone...who would be willing to help him. Someone who wouldn't mind getting a few bumps and scrapes...someone not under-age.

Harry mentally scanned through lists of people he knew. First and foremost, he cancelled out the Dursleys...even though Aunt Petunia has been acting a bit strange. Dudley had obviously gotten worse. He then thought of Dudley and his new friend: Malfoy. And Malfoy and his new friend: Voldemort. It seemed simply impossible. How had Malfoy met Dudley and how did Dudley agree with him to do this? Surely Diddy's fear for big bad magic people would have overcome his desire to harm Harry. Apparently not.

As he continued trying to think up the perfect solution to his quandary, something else caught this attention. He heard whispers and they were coming from the window above him. Aunt Petunia was speaking softly, yet frantically. Harry strained to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"He's gone, Vernon. He's gone!"

"Who's gone?"

"What do you mean, 'who's gone', Harry's gone."

Harry was taken aback. She was worried...about him!

There was a silence before Uncle Vernon spoke again. "So?"

Aunt Petunia sighed. Harry could hear the sound of a cushion slightly deflating. she must have sat down. "Vernon...we need to talk. I know you don't want to talk about this, but we have to. We're in danger."

Harry slowly peered over the windowsill to watch his aunt and uncle. Uncle Vernon was standing up in the middle of the room, looking fearful and Aunt Petunia was indeed seated, looking just the same. "We're in danger? Why? By who? What's going on, Petunia?" he asked all at once.

"He...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned." She closed her eyes. "Voldemort." Vernon's expression was replaced with confusion and Petunia continued. "There's so much out there, Vernon...so much that we can't just ignore. Because it'll find us...Harry's luring everything here. If he weren't also repelling them, we'd have been rid of him ages ago."

Harry glared just as Petunia snapped her head in the direction of the window. Harry ducked to suddenly that he head his neck crack slightly. He grimmaced, but waited in the same position anyway, barely daring to breathe. He had no idea what would happen if they found out that he was listening to this. When he heard Aunt Petunia sigh, he slowly poked his head back up.

"Vernon...Harry's presence is what's keeping this house safe. We need him back."

"But...but, why?"

There was another silence, as if Petunia was gathering the courage to let out what she had to tell her husband. "I've been reading up on 'their' news." Just as she expected, Vernon looked appalled, but she quickly continued. "I had to...we can't just walk away from these things anymore...we need to deal with them. We're Harry's guardians...which means that we may be standing in the way of Voldemort's target."

"But, who is this Voldymorty guy?"

"He's the most powerful wizard known. But, this home is protected as long as that's what Harry still considers it. We need him back, Vernon. Now."

Harry was amazed that she knew of all of this...and cared. He couldn't believe that his muggle aunt was going to get involved with this and even go out of her way to protect him...even if it was to her own benefit. If just his going missing had struck this much fear into the heart of his aunt, he wondered what she'd think if he stayed out all night.

The front door slammed open and Harry heard the rustling of feet across the front lawn. He smiled slightly and backed even further into the shadows, watching the frenzied expressions of his aunt and uncle.