Disclaimer: still not mine, still don't sue!

A/N: Well here goes, they are almost back to school, thank you all for your helpful advice and for your reviews! I was on vacation, that's what took me so long to post…Sorry! Enjoy!

Chapter 4 – Preparations

            Harry had wasted no time getting upstairs to open his letter from Dumbledore. He was expecting it to be an explanation of things that were happening with his mortal enemy, or maybe even an invitation to join the Order. When the four of them had reached their room, Harry decided it would be best if he opened it in private, but he found it rather hard to do with his best friend's horribly long nose prying into his business.

            "What is it there Harry? Don't you think one of us should open it in case it is dangerous?"" Ron tried hard to peer over Harry's shoulder, but Harry had now stuffed the letter into his shirt.

            "Ron, it came from Dumbledore himself, how dangerous could it be? Now go over there so I can read MY mail." Harry pointed to Ron's bed and reluctantly he went away.

            Harry tore open the letter expecting something huge, but received a disappointing shock.

            Dear Harry,

Please forgive an old man's foolishness. Enclosed is your class schedule for your next year at Hogwarts, which I unthinkingly forgot to enclose with your O.W.L. results.

                                              -Professor A. Dumbledore

            Harry let his smile fall to a frown; his anxious heart fell back into his chest from where it had jumped to his throat, and he let out the breath that he had been holding. A piece of parchment fell out of the neatly folded letter into Harry's lap.  It read:

N.E.W.T level Potions (Professor S. Snape)

N.E.W.T level Herbology (Professor Sprout)

N.E.W.T level Defense Against the dark Arts (To be Announced)

N.E.W.T level Transfiguration (Professor M. McGonagall)

N.E.W.T level Charms (Professor Flitwick)

            Harry gave a sigh but then smiled, he wouldn't have to take History of Magic, Divination, or Astronomy any more, and for that, he was thankful.

            "What was it Harry? Huh? Was it a letter about You-Know-Who?" asked Ron fanatically.

            "No,"

            "A note saying they wanted you in the Order,"

            "No," Harry was grinning at his guesses.

"A letter from someone at school?"

"No,"

"Then what?" Ron seemed to be getting fed up. Then Harry had an idea.

"It's a letter from the captain of the Cannons, they want me to come play for them straight after I leave Hogwarts," Harry said this very seriously, and convincingly.

"The—you—WHAT! Really? Give that here!" The Cannons were Ron's favorite Quidditch team in the world. He grabbed the parchment from Harry's hand and looked it over with a bright smile that soon melted into a disappointed grin. Harry snickered as Ron crumpled the letter and pelted Harry in the head.

"Shut up Harry," Hermione and Ginny were laughing now too.

"I had you going Ron," Harry had fallen on his back snorting with laughter.

"Did not! I didn't believe you for one second!" Ron looked at Harry embarrassed of his gullibility.

"Oh you didn't ay? Oy, Ginny, 'The—you—WHAT,'" He said mockingly,

Ginny finished, "Really? Give that here," They continued to laugh incessantly as Ron plopped down on his bed sitting Indian style, facing the wall, with his lips pressed tightly together.

The rest of the summer went on this way. Laughing, not even caring who came and went from the house. Speaking of nothing that had anything to do with the evil workings of the past few months. During this time with his friends, Harry found that he had less and less of his dreams about Sirius, and the one's he did have, he washed away with the Dreamless Sleep potion. Then it arrived, the day before they were to leave on the Hogwarts express.

Harry awoke to a soft whisper filling his ears. He sat up promptly and pressed his back into the headboard of the bed. He studied the room, and he found it to be quite empty of people, that is, besides himself and his snoring best friend. Turning his head worriedly, he found, to his relief that the whispers were coming from the second portrait of one of Hogwarts' old headmasters. The words were hardly understandable, so Harry decided not to listen. Instead, he pulled off his nightclothes and began dressing himself. He pulled on one of Dudley's old tee shirts and a pair of jeans and made his way over to the calendar where he and Ron were marking off the days until they were to return to school. Taking out his wand for some practice, he made a mark through the day before.

"Last day," He said quietly to himself. In all honesty, he wanted very much to stay at the Order longer. He felt safe in the presence of so many great witches and wizards. He loved the school environment, but was in a way, quite terrified of returning. In the days following the meeting, pieces of parchment started to appear on the doormat in the living room. Harry had been asked to fetch these one day and had glanced inconspicuously at them half expecting them to be some secret message about where Voldemort was hiding. To his amazement, the pieces of parchment contained nothing more than a name. A single name to each piece.

 He didn't understand at the time what they meant, but had no trouble piecing it together when Mr. or Mrs. Weasley said, "Not so-and-so," or "He was such a good wizard." They had never actually told Harry openly, but he figured that the names on the parchment were in fact the names of the people being killed by the Dark Lord or his Death Eaters. Harry knew that these "letters" would continue to come more and more frequently now that Voldemort was gaining strength, but he had at least one thing to comfort him. Lucious Malfoy and the other Death Eaters that he and his friends had battled some months ago were in Azkaban and we not taking part in the killings.

Just as quickly as happiness came with this thought, it went. He thought on the torment he would get from the Slytherins now that he had gotten Draco's father locked up. He shook this off and decided to go downstairs alone and sit by the fire.

It was still extremely dark outside; Harry guessed it was still the wee hours of the morning. The blazing, warm fire had been reduced to mere embers and emitted only enough heat to take the chill out of the room of the old house. The first thing he did was walk over to the door of the Order. Sure enough, there were two pieces of parchment. This time however, they were different. Along with the name, more words appeared that left Harry in a strange way relieved. He read them aloud quietly.

Adragere Daegon

(Hospitalized)

"Well at least he's not dead," Thought Harry as he read the second.

Miriam Daegon

(Declared Insane)

Harry replaced the parchment and then made his way to the plush armchair by the fire where he thought. He knew that it was a good thing that people were only being injured, but he still found his heart aching. How awful it would be to be driven mad by his arch nemesis. A mental picture of him in the hospital beside the Longbottom's. He felt a chill go up his spin causing the hair on his neck to stand on end. He couldn't even imagine what some of those people went through. Finally, all this thought was overcome by the sound of footsteps. He jumped a little and looked out at the sky. It was a hazy dark blue and purple, the color that often appears precisely before sunrise. He saw a tall figure emerge from behind the wall and he recognized it to be that of Remus Lupin. Harry was pleased to see him be the first to rise; he planned on having a word with him alone. However, Lupin seemed to have no knowledge of Harry's presence in the room.

"B-b-bloody un-unkind t-to wake me for this," He said the half-awake Lupin trying to resist a yawn. Without noticing Harry he walked over to the door. His eyes, which had still been closed shot, open when he reached down to feel the doormat. Hastily, he turned the letters over and gave a great gasp. "Bloody hell! Not the Daegons! MOLLY!" The now wide-awake Remus Lupin shot out of the room and back up the stairs. Harry had never heard of this wizarding family before, but he didn't know whether to believe they were important or not.

"Every letter comes with the same reaction," thought Harry as he lay his head back on the chair, though he had never actually seen Lupin yell like that before. As he expected, whispering voices could be heard descending the stairs a few minutes after Lupin had disappeared. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to be in deep discussion while Lupin continued to read the letters shaking his head often. He was still looking down at them when he sunk into the sofa beside Harry's chair. When he looked up, he drew in a quick breath and jumped from his seat.

"HARRY!," he said in a stunned voice, then he took his seat once more. "How long have you been up?" He quickly glanced at the letters and shoved them under one of his legs.

"I heard yelling, and I couldn't fall back asleep," he lied evenly. Eying the parchment. "Who died this time?" He pointed at the leg Lupin had tried to conceal the letters under.

"No one," said Lupin shrugging his shoulders.

"Honestly!"

"No one,"

"I'm not that thick,"

"No one, I mean it!" Lupin pulled the two sheets from under his leg and shoved them at Harry's chest. This was the result Harry had desired, so it still seemed like he had not been awake to witness the incident. He pretended to read the letters then handed them gently back to Lupin.

"Who were they?" asked Harry interested.

"Don't know," said Lupin simply.

"DAMMIT," shouted Harry, slamming his fist down on the arm of the chair. Lupin jumped. "I mean, not that I actually wanted to know what Voldemort's up to or anything. It's only my life on the line after all!" Harry was irritated. He had seen Lupin make a big deal out of the situation and go screaming to the Weasleys. He wanted to know who Voldemort was killing, cursing, or even tickling for all he cared, to get to him.

"Spies," Lupin raised his brow at Harry. "Damn good ones! One of the most known wizarding families in Ireland. Now one is seriously injured and the other driven out of her mind! We are going through spies like mad."

"Thank you," Harry was surprised at the information Lupin had blurted out for all to hear. How many spies had the Order gone through? He thought Snape was the only one. Shows how much information he was given, and HE was the one that had to kill Voldemort. He was beyond trying to fathom the Order's reasons for keeping him in the dark.

"Don't mention it," Lupin threw the two pieces of parchment into the fireplace. "Incindio" Flames were emitted from his wand and the fire was ablaze once more. The two of them sat in silence for sometime watching the pieces of parchment crumple and disappear in the ashes.

"Pro—er—Remus, I was just wondering. Voldemort knows where I am—er—where I will be. Why is he killing people looking for information?" Harry knew that it was bold for him to ask this, but it was something he had been wondering ever since Hermione brought it up the first time. Lupin pressed his hands to his eyes.

"Harry," he paused and looked once more into the flames. "It is important for you to understand how Voldemort works," Another pause.

"Yes?"

"He does everything for his own reasons, no one can tell you why. He does not tell even his right hand men and woman why to kill, Harry. Just who and when. And if they ask why he'll just kill them. We have had letters of the deaths of Death Eaters. He is not killing because he is searching for something either. He is killing for the simple reason that he can again. You see? He isn't concerned with who he kills. He is only making up for lost years. However, you will be best to have constant protection this year, Harry. In fact, we were planning on discussing that over lunch." He turned back to the flames one last time and then left Harry to go have coffee with the Weasleys. Harry knew he had been daring in asking this question, and he expected a response like this in the back of his mind, but nonetheless, he was glad to hear that his prediction was wrong once again, and Voldemort did not care about Harry at the present moment.

He pondered still the 'constant protection' comment that had just been made. Shaking his head, he thought of earlier in the summer when Tonks had shown up at Privet Drive. Heaving a deep sigh, he stood up and made his way to the stairs mumbling, "I don't need bloody protecting," as he remembered he had once before this summer. Harry just couldn't fathom why they made it out to sound like he needed thirty thousand people around him at all times. 

Step-by-step, he climbed the stairs rather warily, then, he noticed something different about the hall in front of him. His eyes widened and he ran over to the sight he couldn't believe he was seeing. A new head had been added to the line of house elves, except this one was very familiar. "No way!" He said aloud. He looked at the head somewhat disgusted. It had been a very sloppy job, instead of being mounted like he was royalty; Kreature had been mounted on what looked like a rotting tree branch. To add to that, his name was written on cardboard and sello-taped crookedly beneath it. Harry placed a hand to his head and wondered how this had happened. He sprinted down the hall to his room and opened the door where he discovered Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to be awake and conversing. "Ron did you know that Kreature is dead?!" He blurted out making all heads turn. Ron raised a brow and chuckled a little.

"Oh that sorry excuse for rat droppings. Told it to eat rubbish three times, and that disobeying thing never did it! Honestly, he can rot in--" Ron said but was cut off by Hermione's famous warning glance. "Harry, I thought you had realized that by now."  he said screwing up his face into what Harry thought was possibly the most insincere look of regret he had ever seen.

Harry had to laugh at this, but he continued to question him. "How'd he die?"

"Er—he—um--"

"Just say it Ron," Harry said not really knowing why it was difficult to talk about. He knew Ron was happy that the house elf was gone, but why couldn't he just say it?

"He," Ron looked at Hermione pleadingly but received no help. Then he looked at the floor and spoke, "He was so happy when," He looked at Harry hoping he would get the message. "He was so happy, the stupid git went and started crying in the curtains of Mrs." Another pause. "He got wrapped up in the curtains and basically smothered himself. All for the better I say. If the stupid thing wouldn't follow orders, then why keep him around?" He said trying to get the subject off of the Blacks. Harry knew now why Ron had not wanted to tell Harry. It hurt still, this was true, but Harry was glad to know his friends cared enough that they tried not to bring it up. Harry summoned a painful smile at Ron's last comment before he made one of his own, trying to forget about the reason the elf had died.

"Well at least he got his wish, but someone did a terrible job mounting his head. It looked like a marshmallow that had been shoved on the end of a stick." Harry laughed, but noticed he was the only one openly doing so. Ron had gone into a bogus coughing fit trying to hide the laughs, and Ginny had buried her face in a pillow. Hermione however had crossed her arms and turned up her nose.

"Don't you find it sad that no one ever care for the poor thing? I thought I did a lovely job!" She said rather offended. Harry had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Ron, on the other hand, had walked over to Hermione and put his arm around her, making it look like he was miserable.

"Your right Hermione, it was a lovely job," There was a long pause and Ron sniffed a few times as though he were crying. He was eerily convincing, so much, that Harry almost bought it. Then Ron broke out into a gigantic belly laugh, "Lovely if we were going to barbeque him!" Hermione pushed Ron away from her and sent him tumbling to the ground still laughing uncontrollably. Unable to resist, Harry also began to howl with laughter.

After recuperating from his laughing fit, Harry told the group about what Lupin had said. He recalled it just as it had happened. Hermione looked both delighted and disappointed in the news for it meant that her prediction had been wrong.

"Well that's good news Harry, but I'm still worried that he will," She stopped herself. "I'm afraid that he will try to get to you eventually. It is a good thing they are going to make people be around you." Leave it to Hermione to side with the opposite party of Harry.

"Yeah, so maybe it is, but I don't need a hundred bloody people." He felt annoyed again.

"There won't be a hundred people,"

"That's what they're making it sound like,"

"They are trying to help you Harry! Let go of some of your pride and take their help!" Hermione jumped at what she had just said and covered her mouth quickly.

"My pride is the only thing that keeps me from going mad like…" Then he realized he was about to cross a line. "So maybe they are just trying to keep me safe, but I've managed for five years to stay 'safe' without a herd of people around me," He said trying to change the subject.

"Harry, you have not been here at the Order as long as we have. You have not seen people around here. They look terrible Harry, dreadful. I have a feeling this year is going to be a lot different than your last five." Hermione stated a very good point. This was one thing Harry knew. This year was going to be one of the hardest of his life.

Harry was just about to reply to this comment when a loud, high-pitched voice called from the bottom of the stairs. "LUNCH!" The four walked down to the kitchen in silence; awaiting what was bound to be a good, long, lecture.

"So good of you to show yourselves this fine day. I see you didn't come down for breakfast." Molly Weasley was dressed in her usual patched and frayed robes, which had at the moment been adorned with a 'Kiss a witch' apron.

"That's because we didn't come down for breakfast," Ron glared up at his mother.

"That is precisely my point Ronald! I expect you to show up for meals, you need to eat son." She looked his lanky body up and down and shook her head disapprovingly. It was true. Ron did look rather sickly, but Harry knew that he ate. And ate, and ate, and ate.

            "I do eat mum! Besides, you didn't call!" he folded his arms and plopped down in his seat.

            "We have been at this house for over a month and a half! Do I have to call you every day?" She sighed then started serving the food.

            "Dear, it is okay if they miss a meal here and there, they were probably still sleeping. Got to get that last day of sleeping in before they're off to school ey?" Mr. Weasley looked at the four that shook their heads fervently. Mrs. Weasley was using her wand to levitate different sorts of sandwiches onto a very large dish in the middle of the table, as well as a large pitcher of what looked like lemonade. Lupin was at the table as well but had his nose buried in the latest edition of the Dailey Profit. Harry could see only the front page.

Yet another disturbance

            The headline struck Harry as odd, he couldn't read the story from where he was sitting, but asked Lupin if he could have a look.

            "Yes. Of course." Lupin handed Harry the paper and he read the front page.

Yet another disturbance

Last night, an anonymous source to the Profit reports that there was yet another disturbance at Azkaban, Wizarding Prison. It is reported that a Blasting Charm was used at the back gates of Azkaban to try and infiltrate he walls. "Lucky for us, the ministry has cast several additional Charms and Shields around us lately," Says one Azkaban guard. The person, believed to be a follower of 'He-who-must-not-be-named' was not apprehended, and was believed to be attempting to free two Death Eaters that were captured more than a couple of months ago. This disturbance has been one of five that have taken place since these prisoners were captured. Azkaban guards assure everyone that these Death Eaters are secure in their cells and ask them not to panic over a few attempted charms.

Harry stared at the moving photographs below the article. The one he was drawn to first, was of course Malfoy, who was sneering at the reader with narrow eyes. Noticing that Harry had finished, Lupin began to speak, not just to Harry, but to anyone who would listen really. "I'm waiting for the edition saying they've escaped," Harry was going to reply, but he wasn't quick enough.

            "What do you mean 'waiting for it?' You don't want them to escape?" Hermione was quite interested in his response.

            Lupin heaved a small laugh, "Of course I don't want them to escape, but I assure you they will. Mark my words, it's only a matter of time."

            "How optimistic," Hermione rolled her eyes sarcastically.

            "Can one really be optimistic? I'm sure they are only waiting for the precise moment when it will cause to most panic, or in a fashion that will cause the most panic, or both, they are not choosey." Lupin bit into a chicken sandwich and started to read again. When Mrs. Weasley sat down to begin eating, everyone else began too. The meal took place with very little conversation. It was when all the dishes were being magically wiped clean over the sink that it began.

            "Harry," Mrs. Weasley began. "Professor Dumbledore has requested we fill you in on the coming school year," She folded her hands neatly in her lap.

            "Oh here we go! Can't you just leave him be mum?" Said Ron doing his best to stick up for Harry without getting himself into trouble.

            "No Ronald! This is serious Harry." She looked from Ron back to Harry and began. "As you have probably figured out by now, V-Voldemort has been having people," She paused trying to find the proper terms, "Done away with. He has not yet killed in Britain yet, but in Ireland, Scotland, Bulgaria, France and Spain there have been reported deaths and injuries. As a precaution," she took out a piece of parchment and began reading from it, "You will need to have at least two students with you, everywhere you go,"  No problem, thought Harry as he looked at his two best friends. "And one adult or three more students with you when not in the castle." She rolled up the parchment and handed it to Harry.

            In a strange way, Harry felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. At least he wouldn't have to have an adult with him every single step he took. Ron clapped him on the back, "Well that's not too bad mate!" He smiled brightly.

            "Now I believe you should all get packed and bring your things downstairs so we will be ready to leave tomorrow." Harry thought nothing of what she said at first, but then realized something important.

            "But Mrs. Weasley, we haven't got our books!" Harry knew they would be in great trouble if they showed up the first day without their textbooks, especially if they had potions the first day.

            "Don't worry dears, Arthur is going to retrieve them right now. Anything you would like to request?" She looked at each one of them.

            "Yes," Hermione pulled out two Galleons from her pocket. "I need a couple of new quills and some parchment, please,"

            Mr. Weasley pushed Hermione's money back towards her, "Of course. I will get you all some," Hermione tried to drop the money in his hand, but her took a step back and the gold fell to the floor. Arthur winked at Harry and smiled. Harry repaid the gesture. The Weasleys were possibly the most generous family he'd ever known, and they were not very well off on money either. He had great respect for them.

            A few minutes later, Arthur Weasley had gone through the fire to Diagon Alley and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had returned to their rooms to pack their things. Harry was still feeling very tense, but was glad he would be with Dumbledore soon. He felt safe as long as Dumbledore was around. Ron spoke to him as he gathered his various dirty laundry and stuffed it into his trunk. "So, what do you make of all this mate?" he sounded somewhat less than interested as he gathered some sweets and stuffed them into his own trunk.

            "I don't make anything of it. I just don't see why I have to be bloody protected all the time." He said wryly, as he shoved a bag of owl treats into his trunk. Suddenly, while rearranging some of his robes, he heard the faint shifting of broken glass. His hand disappeared under books and robes, parchment, and quills, and withdrew what looked like a broken mirror. He stared at it, thinking of Sirius. Not realizing it was still in his trunk, he had not laid eyes upon it since the end of the last school year.

            "What's that?" asked Ron inquisitively. Harry had not realized his best friend had been watching him. Retreating to his pile of birthday presents, he pulled out a second, identical mirror.

            "Well it was the other half of this," he said, holding up the intact one, "Now they are both useless," He sighed and chucked the two on his bed.

            "Useless! Oy, HERMIONE!" shrieked Ron, "She'll be able to fix it,"

            "Fat chance,"

            "HERMIONE," Ron continued his yelling until a few minutes later, a frizzy-haired girl appeared in their door.

            "STOP, with all the yelling. Would it have been that hard to come fetch me two rooms over?" A look of frustration spread over her face.

            "Yes," said Ron simply.

            "Well, did you need something, or were you simply trying to anger me by calling me for no reason?" She remained standing in the doorway, her arms now crossed, and her brows arched.

            Ron ambled over to Harry's bed, retrieved the broken mirror and tossed it to Hermione who only caught it after slapping at it a few times. "Fix," continued Ron.

            Hermione sighed and took her wand from her side pocket. "Reparo." A few glass shards came flying out of Harry's trunk and over to the mirror. "There," said Hermione. "That's the best I can do. You are still missing a piece in the corner, but it should work." She held it up for Harry's approval. The missing piece from the right-hand corner, was very small indeed. He smiled reassuringly.

            Ron grabbed the mirror and ran out of the room down the hall. "Harry. Harry, over here."

            Harry had the urge to walk out into the hallway and laugh in his friends face, but resisted, for the sound was not coming from the hall. It was coming from on his bed, coming from the second mirror. He rushed over and seized it, to see his friend's face instead of his own reflection. "Cool," said Harry as he gaped at the new form of communication. Hermione looked disapproving.

            "You'll do best to leave those behind. They will get you into trouble." When Hermione said this, Ron came storming back into the room.

            "Trouble. Trouble. Aren't you the one who is always going on about how Harry needs to be protected. This way we will always know where he is." Ron made an interesting point, that once again left Hermione speechless and sent her muttering something about 'No respect' on the way back to her room. "How much fun are we going to have with these?" questioned Ron.

            "Loads!" Harry was smiling thinking of all the possibilities. In the middle of potions, when he wanted a break from staring at Snape's hideous face, he could just talk to Ron. It was brilliant, and Harry couldn't wait.

            Arthur Weasley arrived back at the Order somewhere around six-o-clock that evening, with several armloads of books and other school supplies. He distributed them into each of the four trunks that had already been brought down. The four figures, to which to trunks belonged, sat waiting at the dinner table with Mrs. Weasley and Remus Lupin. Arthur surveyed the children's school things for a moment, then sat down at the table. "Quite a load you got there Harry," Pointing to Harry's belongings.

            "It doesn't help, that your sons sent him a very large crate of their fireworks." Mrs. Weasley shook her head and looked at her husband. It also didn't help that he had to cart around a pensieve, and a bottle of potion, both of which were very fragile.

            "Speaking of sons, I stopped in for a little visit," He said, digging into a bowl of roasted potatoes.

            "Oh? It that why you were late?"

            "Yes. I had absolutely no idea what they meant by 'Booming Business' until I stopped in today. Seems it had a bit of a double meaning. There were about one hundred people crammed in this very small store watching a demonstration of the new line of fireworks." Harry grinned when Mr. Weasley said this. He remembered very clearly what their fireworks had been like last year, when they had released them on Professor Umbridge.

            The rest of the meal they spent talking about everything, but nothing in particular. About Fred and George, about the weather, about Quidditch. Then finally, Mrs. Weasley sent them off to bed. "You have an early morning tomorrow," she said as she followed them up the stairs. "G'night," She kissed Harry and Ron on the forehead and then proceeded to Hermione and Ginny's room.

            "G-G-Goodnight H-Harry," said Ron, fighting off a yawn. "See you in the morning." So, Harry drifted to sleep, and for once this whole summer, he had a dream he was pleased to be in. He dreamt of the warm Gryffindor Common Room fire, and the tasty foods of the start of term feast. He couldn't wait for tomorrow.