DISCLAIMER : I do not own anything but the ideas. They may not only exist in my little HP land. I may use them elsewhere. You may not. Mwaha.

I guess Harry hibernated through sixth year, because somehow nothing much has happened, and yet somehow it's Seventh year. Go figure.

Harry Potter and the Golden Snitch

Chapter Two : Number Twelve Privet Drive, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place

"What?" asked Harry.

"I don't go to Smeltings," Dudley repeated.

It clicked then. Viktor Krum was standing in the room. Aunt Petunia was defeated. Dudley didn't go to Smeltings. Stupid place anyway.

"You're a wizard?" Harry blurted.

Dudley didn't answer. Viktor did.

"Yes." he was giving Harry an odd look. This was too weird.

"I'm dreaming," Harry said aloud. So sorry to bother you like this, little dream people. I'll be going back to bed now.

Viktor laughed. "Nah."

"No, really," said Harry. "I'm dreaming."

Dudley shook his head miserably. Petunia shuddered. Viktor actually smiled.

"Not dreaming. Sorry, Harry." Then he lumbered over to the table and sat down at one of the chairs. The wood creaked under the Quidditch player's weight. Dudley inched away from him. Viktor scowled. "So you lied? That vas a stupid thing to do. I vould have expected that, but still..."

He broke off. Dudley was shaking. Harry just stood there, watching it all go on. It felt kind of weird. He wouldn't have guessed that. Dudley was a wizard? No way.

"No bloody way." But Harry wasn't the one who said it. It was Uncle Vernon. Harry turned slowly, mouth open, and backed away. Vernon was advancing. Dudley whimpered. Then Viktor stood up, and Vernon stopped. He seemed afraid of Krum.

"Who in the the bloody world are you?"

"Krum."

"No last name. I expected that much from layabout and vagabond like you. One of you kind!" He snarled this last bit at Harry, who didn't back away again.

"One of Dudley's kind too," Harry said. He couldn't help himself. Vernon growled. Krum growled. Vernon cast a glance at Krum. Vernon didn't growl again.

"Sorry, Petunia," Viktor said surlily, "but ver're going. Remember vhat I told you. And be careful! Go on, Harry."

"Where-?"

"Get you're stuff. I need a vord vit Dursley."

Harry sprinted upstairs, not wanting to see this confrontation. So Dudley was a wizard. It still hadn't quite sunk in. Harry grabbed his stuff and shot out the door. He thought again, grabbed the card off the desk, then shot down the stairs as fast as he could go.

Vernon was much paler, Viktor was just a surly, and Petunia and Dudley seemed to have gone into hiding. They had left the kitchen. Harry glanced around, but they were gone, and Harry didn't have time to worry about it. (A/N: I'm sorry it's so fast! Only nothing much is gonna happen here. There's more stuff later on. I just need to get that far. Hang with me!) Viktor swung towards him.

"Ve're going."

Harry didn't argue. He just followed Viktor out the door and onto the lawn. It was really wet, and still raining. But Viktor just grabbed his bags walked over the a row of hedges that grew along Privet Drive. Leaning against the hedges was a broom. Harry grinned. Viktor attached the bags to his broomstick and tossed Harry his Firebolt. Harry caught it and held it for a moment, looking at it.

"Hey, Harry!" came a familiar voice from somewhere up above. Harry looked up. It was Dudley, leaning out the window of the top floor. "See you."

"Bye," said Harry. "Have fun at Durmstrang this year." He wasn't sure if he meant it or not.

Dudley scowled. Harry was about to say something, but Dudley said, "Good luck. And thanks for saving me from those dementors in Fifth." Then he slammed window shut and was gone.

Harry stared up for a moment, the shrugged and turned back to Viktor. Krum gave him a long look, then mounted his broom and kicked off. Harry didn't move. He'd seen something down at the end of Privet Drive. Something he didn't like the looks of.

Someone, or something, was standing quietly at the end of the street. It was very tall, and very dark. The street lamps cast strange shadows from it and across the walk. It didn't move. Harry suddenly felt very cold and kicked off, heading after Krum.

"Where are we going?" he asked, trying forget the shape.

"Number Twelve," said Krum shortly.

"The Order?" Harry gasped before he could think.

Krum actually smiled at that. "Of course the Order, Harry," he said. "Vhere else vould ve go?"

"Er," said Harry.

"Right," said Krum.

"How do you know about number twelve?" asked Harry.

Krum chuckled. "Herm-own-ninny got me involved vit this crazy mess,"he said.

"Wow," said Harry.

"Yes," said Krum. He might have said something more, but there was a sudden noise that made Harry spin around in the air and stop. Nothing. They flew on.

***

"Oh, Harry!" Hermoine Granger threw herself down the hall and right at him. She gave him a big hug, then gave Krum a hug. "You're both fine! We were so worried. After what happened I thought it'd gotten you!"

"Gotten us?" Krum looked confused. "Vhat did?"

It took Harry a moment to realize that Hermoine didn't look happy to see him. She looked very upset.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Ooh, Harry," she said. She looked at her toes. "Ooh, Harry," she said again. "I thought you'd've known."

"Known what?" Harry asked. "What happened?"

Hermoine didn't answer, but turned and walked down the hall, dragging Harry's trunk with her. Krum still held Hedwig's empty cage and the cauldron. Harry held both their brooms.

"What is it with her?" asked Harry.

Krum didn't answer. He looked concerned. He followed after Hermoine, and Harry followed him. They left his things at the end of the hall in a pile and went downstairs into the dining room and kitchen. Molly Weasly was making toast, but when she saw Harry, she leapt at him and gave him a huge, warm hug. Ron stood up from the wooden dining room table and gave him a pat on the back. Molly finally let go. Her eyes were shining with tears.

"Oh Harry!" she said. "We were so worried!"

"Why?" asked Harry again. Ron's ears turned pink and he backed away. Molly blinked and turned back to the toast. Harry looked between his two best friends.

"Hermoine Ron what's going on?"

The looked at each other.

"Er," said Ron.

"Well," said Hermoine.

"Maybe we'd better give it to him. Let him read it himself," said Ron. Hermoine just nodded. Ron reached over to the old table and picked up a newspaper. It was new, The Daily Prophet, and Harry looked at it. The front page held a picture taken from an aerial viewpoint.

He stared. It seemed impossible. Privet Drive was burning. And not just any fire. Harry could tell it was a magical fire.

"Vhat the--?" Krum was staring too, and his eyes were almost as wide as Harry's.

Harry couldn't speak. He couldn't think. He couldn't read. All he could do was listen to a little voice in his head ask over and over "Who's it going to be next, Potter?"

He had his answer. And Harry had a sudden thought, more horrible than the last. The dream-Cho had said that whenever someone got killed, it was because someone was after Harry. And there had been that strange figure on the end of Privet Drive. If he had said something, maybe Krum would have been able to do something. Harry sat on his Firebolt, eyes wide, as he watched his last real home go up in flames. Somewhere down there, someone had tired to kill him, and they'd gotten the last of his family instead.

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Whoo. Intense stuff, man. I've always wanted to do that. Don't worry, it really is important to plot. I didn't just blow Privet Drive sky high for nothing. Still short, but I'm working on it. These are the like the Early Explanatory and/or Foreshadowing Scenes. Not much good. Bluh. But I like 'em. Please, please, R&R. Thanks.

James Jango: Yay! Somebody actually liked it!! WHOOO!!! And yes, it be clear ere the end. It's important. ^_^