Chapter 2. Voldemort's Plans

At 12, Grimmauld Place, there was a lot of silence in the room, partly due to the death of Sirius Black and The Order had received some news. Hermione was also present with the Weasleys, besides the other Order members, minus Percy and Sirius. The atmosphere was very tense.

It had all started with an emergency and all the Order Members had apparated to Grimmauld Place, very fast. Since Hermione, Ron, Fred and George wanted to come too, The Weasleys (except Arthur Weasley) alongwith Hermione had traveled by the Floo Network.

All, the Order Members had arrived by now. Once Dumbledore had come, all the Order Members had gone into a huddle in the Drawing Room. Generally, at least Tonks or Lupin would occasionally mix with them noted Ginny. The meeting was probably very important since even Tonks was quite serious, and silent. Finally, none of the Order Members had even come out of the room for the past ½ hour.

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, even Fred and George were left out of the meeting.

Ron and Ginny were playing Exploding Snap. Hermione was as usual reading A History of Magic, her favorite. Fred and George had gone vowing to break into their defenses ten minutes ago, still there was no sign of them.

In short, no one had any inkling or idea of what was going on.

"What the hell are they hiding today?" muttered Ron absolutely exasperated. "Yeah I would like to know too" said Hermione worriedly, throwing down the book. Her logical thinking, had told her that something surely linked very nearly to Voldemort was the source of the problem, any further, she was in darkness just as anyone. "Could it be Harry?" Hermione shuddered at the thought. Blinking her eyes, she noticed Ron looking at her, his brows curved in worry. Probably, he was having the same thought. "No, it should be something else …".

"Hey, you two, Hermione … HERMIONE, RON". That was Ginny, bearing a raised eyebrow.

Apparently, they had been staring at each other for quite some time. On realizing it, both of them blushed and turned away.

"Could that be about You-Know-Who?" That was Ginny again looking slightly flustered. Ron jerked awake "Say Voldemort Ginny, What do you think Hermione?" "Possible", Hermione was quite surprised at Ron daring "Could be due to Harry's company", still she had started pondering again when approaching footsteps were heard clip clop clip clop. The twins, Fred and George turned around the corner and were approaching them, muttering excitedly. Both of them had electric blue colored robes on with their trademark Boots of Dragon-hide.

"So do we have the answers to their questions?" asked Fred with a mischievous smile pointing to the trio. George simply grinned, showing their Extendable ears.

"Yeah you do, SPIT IT OUT" yelled Ron, Hermione and Ginny together, jumping to their feet. "Well, we better take a seat George, shouldn't we?" "Hmm, that would be better" The five were now seated. "So out with it" Hermione ordered them.

"It was Snape, he called the meeting" said Fred stopping to see the effect. Utter silence prevailed. Ron, Hermione and Ginny were intently sucking in every word. Taking a deep breath George continued "Voldemort …", "I was so sure it was that scumb-" Ginny had clapped a hand to Ron's mouth. "Continue" said Hermione all the while glaring at Ron. "Where was I? Ah yes, Voldemort …" He was interrupted again as the door to the living room burst open.

The Order Members stepped out. Tonks, Lupin and Mrs. Weasley were quite pale. Most of them had a look of disgust mingled with suppressed fear on their faces. Evidently, something really rotten had happened. Seeing them Hermione and Ron were beginning to sweat and could hardly open their mouths, expecting the worst. Ginny however edged closer to the door hoping to catch a few words. At that precise moment Moody limped out, alongside Snape and Dumbledore.

Seeing Ginny and the others, Moody let out a soft sort of growl. "Professor Dumbledore, it is not Harry?" said a deathly pale Ron, making a question rather than a statement. Dumbledore looked down at the kids. "No". A loud chorused collective release of breath was heard, "Ahhhhhh…" followed by relieved chatter and then again, silence. Still partly relieved, Hermione and Ron couldn't shake off the awkward feeling, that something was wrong.

"There was a Death Eater attack at St. Mungos". "WHAT?" all the kids were on their feet. Fred was next. "Evidently, You-Know-Who again Dad?" "Yes" replied Arthur Weasley. A quick glance at Dumbledore told him to go on. "Around thirty Death Eaters had broken into St. Mungo's some time back". "Some patients and two guards were tortured but Aurors apparated just in time, the fighting is still going on". "Probably, they were trying to take the Longbottoms but …" Ron and Hermione exchanged dark glances, Ginny was flabbergasted.

George muttered "A second time, huh?". "Well, now we must make a move, mustn't we?" muttered Kingsley in a rather low hoarse voice.

"NO, I – I mean – I'm feeling unwell". Everybody looked quite astonished, even Moody. Lupin slowly emerged from the room, looking quite out of sorts. "I can't come, I'm not fine, I – I can't do it, I'll stay back". Moody recovered first, his open mouth clicked shut and looking quite amused, he walked over towards Lupin, "Well, Harry is FINE, you've read all his letters, haven't you?".

"Fine, the others will have to go on, this cannot wait, can it?" that was undoubtedly Snape.

The Snape effect was evident, as Ginny narrowed her eyes, Ron clenched his fists behind his back, automatically "If he opens his stinking mouth again …", when Mrs. Weasley swept beside Lupin. "Now, now, Remus, Harry is very safe there, if he were in trouble his letters would reflect it, besides Albus would surely know, wouldn't he?" "I know that but something is really troubling me, something is probably wrong, rather surely wrong. I – He" retorted Lupin.

"The WereWolf Who Lived? A new story likely, it probably …" muttered Snape who quickly fell silent as the headmaster walked to Lupin, partly smiling. He simply put a hand on Lupin's shoulder and said "You can stay back, you really seem to be ill". Hermione turned to see a furious foursome glancing angrily at a smirking Snape. Ron was muttering something on the lines of "That filthy smelling greasy son of …". She nudged him hard on his elbow and he reluctantly gave up. Lupin looked up into the headmaster's face. He did seem quite old. "Alright, I'll come but if anything regarding Harry comes into light, we turn to Number 4, Privet Drive, fine?" replied a very troubled looking Lupin. "You have our word" Moody replied, Kingsley and Tonks nodded, Dumbledore smiled. Snape's mouth was cast into a very dirty smile, noticed only by Ron, Fred, George who looked distinctly murderous. With that Mrs. Weasley gave Lupin a small kiss on the cheeks.

Arthur Weasley, Snape, Lupin, Kingsley, Tonks, Dumbledore and Moody turned and set out towards St. Mungo's, leaving five incredibly stupefied and shocked teens behind with Mrs. Weasley.

George and Ron started off on a sarcastic note, "Whoa! that was something? You kissed him Mom!!" Ron, Ginny, Fred and George were quite amazed. Their mother was quite soft hearted but A KISS, definitely they had missed something real big. Ignoring the sarcasm their mother silently sat down on a chair. Ginny was muttering something about Longbottom.

"Yes, they are Neville's parents" said Ron heavily. "They were victims of the Cruciatus Curse, yes don't discuss this with Neville, it will simply dampen his spirits" This was Mrs. Weasley, she looked very concerned, Fred and George could make out her furrowed forehead, implying thoughtfulness."

She continued in a resigned voice "Poor Remus, first Sirius and now he is really worried about Harry". Hermione interjected "He seemed awful". Someone muttered, "Hope Harry is safe" that was Ron. He added slowly in a smaller voice, "He is, must be". He was still quite unsettled and seeing Lupin seemed to have confirmed his thoughts.

Mrs. Weasley looked at them for a moment and did something really unexpected, she hugged each of them tightly and made off to the kitchen. "Hope Lupin and my Mom" remarked George, while Fred who was looking thoughtfully at his mother's receding back, completed his sentence "are wrong".

Meanwhile, at the Dursleys Harry was already in trouble, rather trouble had found him, in the form of Lord Voldemort.

"Don't get your hopes up, Dursley?" floated a lazy voice around the room.

All the Dursleys froze to the floor. "Yet another nightmare" so hoping Harry turned around, red hot pain seared through his scar, just as Voldemort had turned himself visible, temporarily de-mobilizing him and he stumbled onto the ground, one hand on the floor, with his wand and the other on his scar.

"Bowing to me so soon, Harry?" sneered Voldemort. "No other Death Eaters around" noticed Harry. "Scared of death, are you really a Gryffindor?" "Crucio".

Harry could feel his bones on fire, lava pouring down his throat and white hot knives scratching his back. His pain lifted. Apparently, he had been screaming his heart out, since his throat felt dry and choked. Harry fell with a thud to the ground, trying to recover.

"Unable to answer me? Luck has got you this far, not any more" hissed Voldemort unable to conceal a smile. "I am in a good mood, Harry, you can't escape, no one can escape Lord Voldemort. Ready yourself again". "Crucio".

Harry could almost feel himself crying out in pain but NOTHING. Instead, his uncle's screams echoed in the room. He being hit by the curse, was suffering pain beyond pain, screaming horribly, only Harry could know how much. He had had three experiences.

He was wishing desperately that this was a nightmare, to go away, he couldn't bear to see anyone in that sort of trouble. The other Dursleys stood as if petrified in horror. An invisible sheet of fear took over him. "This is the end of me" thought Harry. "You want to let your family die, don't you?" said a voice in his head again. "I'm helpless again", "You are helpless because you are scared of Voldemort, you are not a Gryffindor, you aren't even fit to be a Slytherin, thinking about fighting Voldemort weren't you?" mocked the voice. It continued on "Let your parent's, Sirius's sacrifice be wasted, let the Dursleys …".

His conscience had switched his senses on. "NO" roared Harry. His aunt who was perhaps under the curse now, stopped shrieking. She slumped motionless to the ground. One look at their condition and his hatred took over. "They don't deserve this and neither does anyone". Voldemort was probably taken by surprise at Harry's outburst and so he had stopped to look at him. The Dursleys were gaping at him. Only a shocked looking Dudley Dursley was on his feet.

Voldemort regained his senses quite fast. "Very well, you could have told me before. As I told you before it was nice dueling with your father and fun killing him, pity your mother could have given in, she was an excellent witch. Shall I start from your cousin?" "You are keeping your filthy hands off them" Harry hissed with silent ferocity, every part of his body spitting fire, every tiny part of him on a rush of pure adrenaline fuelled by anger and intense hatred.

Voldemort simply raised his wand against a gaping Dudley, and muttered dully "Avada Kedavra". "Impedimenta" yelled Harry. A familiar whoooosh reverberated along the room, with a bright green light, towards Dudley who was turning paler as it approached, his legs were frozen. The elder Dursleys were too shocked to react. They only knew too well the effects of the curse, from Dumbledore and the fate of Harry's parents. Just a fraction of a second before it hit its target, Harry's curse had found Dudley. "Bang", Dudley was blown backside onto the floor while the killing curse hit an adjoining desk narrowly missing his hair. The desk instantly burnt into ashes, giving out bright greenish red flames.

There was a moment of an eerie silence.

"You always spoil the fun, don't you? So now …" he never got to finish his sentence. "Expelliarmus" roared Harry every bit of him wanting to kill Voldemort, to save the Dursleys, a dark red light speeded towards a surprised Voldemort who reacted immediately, "Protego", "Crucio". Harry rolled out of his own curse behind a chair, his eyes scanning the room for protection. The Cruciatus curse hit the chair and rebounded off it. Instinctively, Harry sent a Jelly legs jinx at Voldemort between the legs of the chair. This was totally unexpected, Voldemort roared in anger as his legs started dancing awkwardly.

Harry barely had time to yell, "DUDLEY GET LOST FROM HERE, GO …". Voldemort had recovered and had sent a Reductor curse which effectively blasted the chair sending Harry flying into the floor behind him. "That's ENOUGH, Good Bye Harry Potter …" started Voldemort when Harry yelled "Reducio". Now Voldemort had two uneven legs. "YOU ARE DEAD POTTER" bellowed Voldemort as he stumbled and fell to the floor. Meanwhile the Dursleys egged Harry on by "KILL THAT WORTHLESS BAST-", and Vernon Dursley fell to the floor, probably he was stunned.

"This is it", Harry turned around, wand at his side. Voldemort was up his wand raised. Harry made a very dirty face at him. "IT WORKED!!" thought Harry as Voldemort started to spit a warning only to be hit by another impediment jinx. His opponent was now truly angry. However, to Dudley Dursley it would have be difficult to judge who was more angry, Voldemort's reddened slit like eyes radiating an intimidating sort of superiority, or Harry whose every part was emitting hatred, speaking only "KILL VOLDEMORT" clearly.

"We duel now, Potter".

"Done".

However unknown to anyone, except Dudley, Figg had taken a peep, having noticed a lot of unfamiliar voices. She motioned him to be quiet and scampered off silently, undetected. Also Dudley's face had contorted into a small smile as he motioned his parents to be quiet, who were shivering with fear.

The members of the Order had apparated at St. Mungos. Of thirty, only ten death eaters were left, battling with some Aurors. On noticing Dumbledore, one of them tried to flee but was hit by a petrifying curse from Moody. They jumped into the fray. After fifteen minutes of intense dueling, finally St. Mungos was secure. Looking around, Lupin found some of the Aurors of the Ministry among them, others posted by the hospital for guarding, Harry lurking still in his mind. Tonks and Arthur were nursing a broken rib and a jaw. Moody was keeping a watch for any trouble. Kingsley had just returned with reports. Five dead, four patients killed, one Auror, sixty wounded.

At that precise moment, Dumbledore made an odd startling squelching noise. Quite ignorant of their condition, all of them turned around half-sneering, half-inquisitive with a small tinge of worry, "Whatever had made Dumbledore do that?" Moody had a raised eyebrow. The aged professor looked quite ruffled, as he muttered a small conjuring spell, A person's face appeared in it.

What followed next had all the wizards completely thunderstruck, rather wonderstruck?

Undoubtedly it was Figg, who probably had been running "Arabella Figg, Voldemort … Harry Potter … fighting … dueling still on, NOW IN PRIVET DRIVE". After some moments, all the Aurors recovered from their state of shock and assembled themselves, looking at Lupin disbelievingly as Dumbledore created a PortKey.

The next instant they were at the entrance to Privet Drive.

All the Order Members ran towards the Dursley House, Tonks and Arthur Weasley were holding their broken body parts, panting, ignoring the pain. Seeing the flashes of light, the intense dueling going on, between the two rivals, all of them were shocked, awed, frightened and proud at the same time, all worries forgotten.

After some moments of witnessing the exchange in the house, Dumbledore recovered and wordlessly strode towards the Dursley house, Lupin grinned "Well, I suggest we drop Voldemort a visiting card".

After, taking the positions, Harry and Voldemort stood facing each other. The room seemed to be full of the mutual hatred between them and the excitement of the duel. Dudley automatically began the countdown, fear forgotten. 3…2…1….

Voldemort started off, "Leglimens". "Protego". Voldemort rolled away firing an Imperious curse "You will be dead soon Potter, your mother darling is waiting for you." sneered Voldemort. Harry caught off guard by the comment, took the full brunt of it.

Voldemort got up a, radiating a triumphant feeling, "So Potter, we finish what we had started. Kill Dudley Dursley". Harry took shaky steps towards Dudley Dursley raising his wand. "No I will not" Harry lowered his wand, his eyes bore the look of an extremely powerful internal conflict going on in his mind. "Kill Dudley Dursley". "No I will NOT". "KILL YOURSE …" Before Voldemort had finished Harry had shaken off the Imperious curse yelling "NO I WILL NOT".

"Stupefy", "Protego", "Expelliarmus". "No one controls me not even you Voldemort" Harry was now spilling with rage, He tells me to kill my own family, how dare he?

One of Harry's hexes struck Voldemort again and he stopped.

Their spitting eyes met again.

The barrage that started after that was best described by Dudley Dursley as 'inhuman'.

The flashes of light were almost instantaneous. Harry would fire a curse which Voldemort ducked and firing a counter curse, Harry would hide behind chairs, tables and use the protection to the maximum, firing curses from behind and scampering before that protection was ripped apart by a Reductor. Smartly, Voldemort would conjure a snake only to be disposed of. On one occasion, Harry had the ceiling fan drop on Voldemort's thick head, only to be blown away to tiny pieces. This ducking, firing a curse, shielding, pushing continued for a long time. A truck-load of fireworks seemed to have been lit in the room. The exchange of spells, curses, jinxes was at a lightening speed.

Dudley never understood the words. In short Stunners, Disarming spells, Bat Bogey hex, Fire spells, Shielding charms, Jelly-legs jinx, the Cruciatus curse, were blazing across the room in full glory. The sofa was burnt by a fireball, its legs guided by a levitating charm towards Voldemort who transfigured it into a snake, which attacked Voldemort, on being asked to by Harry. The room was emptying itself of all objects "The Dursleys will be pissed out" snorted Harry as he dodged another Killing curse.

After a good twenty minutes time Harry found himself tiring out. A last hex had successfully found its way onto his wand arm. His wand flew straight out of the window "Oh no I had it" taking with it Harry's hopes as well. Voldemort was panting hard. "Well, you sure were a good fighter, Unfortunately, goodbye" sneered Voldemort, as he raised his wand.

"You are wrong" echoed a voice around the room.

"Crack". His wand was knocked out to the floor. Turning around Voldemort discovered something, something Harry had already done, totally unexpected, absolutely unexpected".

An angrily curled fist was making its way towards his chin. It found its target just before he realized what was coming. Voldemort felt a rock hitting his chin, next he was airbone and finally he plummeted with a sickening crunch on the trashcan, beside the T.V. knocking it over.

Voldemort was knocked out, which was what Dudley seemed to think.

"That was cooool ickle Diddydums" Harry sneered and grinned at the same time. The elder Dursleys were tearful, maybe due to the dilapidated condition their house was in.

Dudley Dursley was looking at Voldemort while having an extremely irritated expression on his face, both his fists clenched tightly. He looked down at Harry. "You fine?" Harry was simply staring at his cousin. Dudley had never ever spoken to him like that. He nodded his head dumbstruck. Both the boys looked at each other in a new light.

Voldemort had by now got up and an instantaneous look of frustration crossed his face, then it was gone, he raised his arm and his wand flew to his hand. With an angry look on his face he retorted, "Finally, Good bye Potter you need not get up, Avada Ked…", Dudley and himself had goose bumps over their hands. This had to be, it could only be …, just then Harry caught sight a very powerful stunner above Dudley's head heading towards Voldemort, who broke off and apparated a few feet in front of the door.

"Dumbledore" drawled Voldemort irritatingly, answering his thoughts. Noticing the other Order members, he continued sneering, "So it seems the other members of the circus troupe have arrived too". Dumbledore simply scanned the room and caught sight of Harry now standing looking back at him, with Dudley supporting him. However, this had given precious instants to Voldemort, who simply sent a crimson light at Harry and his cousin and disapparated with a final 'crack'.

His cousin somehow dodged the curse cast at him. "Astonishing performance Dudders!!" thought a smirking Harry. He looked around to see a relieved looking Remus rushing towards him, Moody and Tonks looking at him with a mixture of pride and awe, followed by the Dursleys. At that precise moment Voldemort's curse found Harry's chest and he dropped to the ground without any sound.

Note: Wasn't that some real action?

I promise that this is not the last. I have an idea to extend this story, to 30-40 chapters.

To make this idea fructify, go to the end below, you will see a button called 'Go' beside 'Submit Review'. Got what I mean, if you haven't still, Click it and REVIEW. That simple action of yours will add fuel to the fire. I mean I will be compelled to update. That's all. By the way, do not worry about pairings now. Such stuff is a long way off.

In short PLEEEEEEEASE REVIEW and let me know (and OF COURSE recommend it to others too).

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