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Chapter One - A Very Harry Birthday
Harry Potter lay on his bed in Number 4 Privet Drive, just thinking. He had a book lying open next to him, forgotten in the course of the evening. He realized that his thoughts were more depressing than those of any other sixteen year old. He thought of his friends, who had risked so much to help him, he thought of his teachers, who worked so hard to help him, and he thought about his godfather Sirius Black. He couldn't keep from thinking of the events three weeks previous, when his fifth year of schooling at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had come to a head and he led a group of students to the ministry to save Sirius. As fate had it, Sirius wasn't even there when they arrived, the deep sinking feeling of dread seemed to hit him again as he remembered; Dark Lord had manipulated Harry's vision-like dreams to lead Harry astray. Later, Sirius arrived with other members of the order to help him, but he never lived to see the end of the battle. He was killed by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange, a servant of Voldermort. She threw him back through a mysterious veil in the Ministry of Magic. He fell through the archway, and was never seen again.
The sting of tears in Harry's eyes reminded him furiously of the reason why Sirius, why Cedric, why his mother and father had all died. The prophecy. This is what they had died for, just some stupid prophecy.
Harry stood up and walked to the open window trying in vain to clear his head, he couldn't keep on like this. Moping, thinking these thoughts over and over in his head, after all it wasn't so bad here this summer. The Dursleys were almost being civil. He could here his uncle walking past his door and had to hold back a smile remembering his face at Kings cross station at the end of the school year. He had to admit, it had felt good, when all of his friends had stood up for him to the Dursleys in London. They weren't making him follow Dudley's stupid diet anymore and he didn't have to do anywhere near as many chores. It was nice, but he knew that they still hated him. He could tell by the way they looked at him, especially his uncle, who had taken to scowling in his direction more and more often lately. He even would go so far as to open his mouth in the usual manner that meant that he had something of extreme "importance" for Harry to hear, such as what a lousy job cleaning the laundry he had done, or that his hair was embarasingly in need of a hair cut. Then without saying a word he would close his mouth again, and go back to scowling in his direction all over again.
A soft click caught Harry's attention, and he turned to the door apprehensively just as uncle Vernon himself sidled into his room and locked it from the inside.
Without a word, he walked over to Harry's desk and sat down, looking intensely frustrated, as if he was having trouble with what he was about to say. So much trouble in fact that Harry had to ask in order for him to start.
"Is something wrong Uncle Vernon?" he asked warily, waiting for him to explode with some accusation or other.
"The things I say to you now do not leave this room, do you understand me?" he barked suddenly, both fear and anger touching his voice.
Harry frowned. "Ok," he said hesitantly. That didn't seem to relax uncle Vernon at all. It wasn't every day that Vernon Dursley tried to actually talk to him. In fact, it wasn't any day.
"Harry, I read your school books." Harry squawked, that was the very last thing he had expected. The Dursley's were about as anti-magic as possible.
Vernon scowled, then continued. "I read them all and I think you should leave. And you can tell that crackpot of a teacher of yours there's no way we're safe here with you in our house."
Harry finally cut him off. "What do you mean you've been reading my books, and I'm not safe? Safe from whom?"
His uncle looked at him seeming to turn an intense shade of red from trying to carry out a simple conversation. "From a man named Voldemort. You be quiet till I'm finished." Harry sighed having heard that all too often lately. "Last week a man with long white hair and a nasty look on his face delivered a letter to me from this Voldemort, which said basically that 'you' were going to die, even if it was in ways that I as a 'normal' human being would not understand." His face colour had dropped two shades. "Harry, you are my nephew, and I'm not going to have you murdered by psychos under 'my' roof! I borrowed that ruddy bird of yours to get hold of that old fellow who runs the school, to give him a piece of my mind." At this Uncle Vernons mood lifted considerably. "He wrote back by post saying that he wants you picked up here, tonight. You'll be leaving in exactly one hour." And with that He got up to leave, when he had unlocked the door and was half a step out Harry finally spoke.
"You knew, didn't you? You knew about the prophecy, you knew I wouldn't be safe here anymore, you know about Sirius, you know it all, don't you?"
Vernon Dursley paused, and said only this "well, of course I knew. You think I'd have you living in my house and not know? I have my ways; my grandfather was what you would call a squib. And even if we both hated magic, I still know enough. But that isn't important anymore; you're leaving in one hour."
Harry got to packing thinking of Uncle Vernon's words. He finished what he could and laid down on his bed to think. About five minutes till he was to be picked up he started to daydream about school and his friends.
CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK
Harry sat bolt upright and reached for his wand but what he saw in front of him made him smile. There stood Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Percy Weasley. They had apperated into his room. All but Percy seemed happy to see him. Percy seemed timid, a reaction Harry had not usually seen in him. He could be blustering and ignorant, but timid?
"Hiya Harry," Bill said as he stepped forward and started to gather Harry's things together. "We are here to assure that you get to, erm, London, safely. You know what I mean, right?"
"By London, do you mean..." Harry started to ask, but the twins interrupted him both with a spell and an answer.
George muttered "Silencium." Fred started off "Of course that's what he means Harry, but we can't talk about it right now," As he spoke he glanced around nervously. "The rest should be knocking on the door right...about...now..."
Nothing happened.
"You dolt, you have to take off the Soundproofing charm to hear what's going on outside." Charlie said with a grin. "I can't believe you two sometimes; your brilliant, but you would forget your own asses. Sonoran."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE? GET OUT NOW!!!" Uncle Vernon was bellowing, but then another voice interjected, one Harry didn't recognize.
"I SHALL DO NO SUCH THING, NOW SIT DOWN AND SHUT!"
Harry looked at the Weasleys curiously and asked "Who is that?"
Charlie opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by another noise from downstairs.
THUD Incarnous "I TOLD YOU TO SIT DOWN" THUD "NOW STAY DOWN!"
"Is that another Order member?" Harry inquired, but turned to see the Weasleys had their wands drawn and pointed at the door. Then another Two voices came into the mix. They had a funny accent though. And whereas the first one had seemed high class, these were rougher and definitely not British at all.
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?" The first voice asked, obviously surprised at this persons presence in the house.
"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" The first voice came back strong and commanding; although it seemed that it was a little awestruck.
There was loud laughter and at that Harry heard something heavy swing through the air and land with a sickening crunch.
Bill stood to the side of the door as heavy footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. Harry listened and thought that the footsteps sounded considerably more forceful than Uncle Vernon's ever did and there was more than one set. But before he had any more time to think about it, the footsteps stopped at his door.
KNOCK KNOCK
Harry glanced over at Bill and whispered "You wouldn't think that Death Eaters would be so polite."
Bill just gave him a look and said "Very funny. Step back Harry, get behind Percy." Harry nodded and stepped back as he was asked, however he drew his own wand and didn't hide behind Percy.
Bill opened the door and all of the boys, save Harry, shouted Stupefy at the same time. An enormous man in Blood-Red robes and steel grey armor with a Gryphon design on the shoulder was knocked to the floor. He abruptly sat up, looked at them.
"God Damnit!" he said. "What the hell was that for?"
"Who are you?" Bill asked, clearly trying to take charge of the situation, but if five stunners hadn't done much of anything, he didn't know what would. At that, another almost Hagrid-sized man stepped into sight, this one was wearing Royal Blue robes but with the same Armor and the same symbol.
"I am Amrathon Garadon, Wizard and Paladin of the Order of the Gryphon. This man is Logan Halpazon, another Paladin of the Order. We were called by my Uncle to come to this house. Now who, may I ask, are You?" A Paladin? But of what? At that Bill stood as tall as he could and answered "Bill Weasley, of the Order of the Phoenix, on duty to escort Harry Potter."
There was a long pause. "You are Bill Weasley?" Asked Amrathon, a small hint of amusement in his voice.
"Yes I am." Bill said, the fear starting to become evident in his posture.
"Well then, for the moment we are yours to command, my uncle Albus asked us to some over here to assist."
"What, Uncle who?" Harry asked surprise and confusion evident in his voice.
"My Great Uncle is Albus Dumbledore, He has asked some of us to come to England and assist the Order of the Phoenix. Logan and I are here to get you to safety."
"Ummm ok." Harry felt very confused by what was happening. My own protection? But what about dumbldore's safety charms. But then what uncle Vernon said to him made sense. As he thought this, Bill and Charlie exchanged looks of worry. If they couldn't stop them, they would have to trust them, for the moment.
"Harry lets get the rest of your stuff and get out, there is a portkey waiting for us at the nearby park, hopefully we can get there soon enough." Each grabbing one of Harry's scarce belongings, they made their way down stairs. As they reached the bottom, Percy pulled Harry aside to talk to him.
"Hey Harry, look I just wanted to tell you myself, about last year. I—I was working for Dumbledore, ad I'm sorry—well I'm not, but, well, nevermind. I just wanted to tell you that was working for Dumbledore and that I always believed deep down that you were right, I had to do what I did to every one, and I just hope you can forgive me." Harry had never seen Percy so uncomfortable, or sincere.
Percy's shoulders slumped slightly when he didn't answer. "I do forgive you. You did what needed to be done I guess." He smiled. "Now let's get going."
As Fred and George were opening all of the locks on the cupboard under the stairs Harry looked over into the living room and saw Uncle Vernon stuck in the couch. Someone was embedded in the wall between the kitchen and the living room. Whoever it was, they weren't going anywhere. Harry looked up at Amrathon and Logan and they just shrugged. As they did this Harry got his first good look at them. They were both at least over six and a half feet tall and their shoulders were twice as wide as Harry's. They were extremely well muscled and were clad in odd looking combination of armor and robes. These robes flowed from under metal shoulder plates and were split in the middle to show a breastplate upon which was a Gryphon motif. Their robes covered their entire backs and flowed almost to the ground. They wore armored boots and leg plating. They had gauntlets that covered their forearms and it seemed that everything that wasn't covered by plate was covered in blue or red dragonhide. Isn't Dragonhide stronger than steel? Harry wondered. It was then that Harry first noticed their weapons. They both carried very long handled Hammers, the heads of which were at least 2 foot long and one foot thick. Amrathon noticed Harry looking at his equipment and said to him "It is Adamantium, the hardest non-magic enhanced substance in the world. Ask me later and ill explain more. As for now, I think the twins have your school supplies out of the cupboard, so we should get going, I feel we are being watched."
Bill and Logan were the first to step outside. Then the entire group took off for the nearby park, hurrying as fast as they could. Harry tried to see past the wall of bodies surrounding him, as soon as he did, he stopped dead.
Under the streetlamp next to the park stood a very familiar face.
Wormtail.
Pettigrew shouted a warning and suddenly there was apparating all around them. Almost immediately the troup of Death eaters attacked. Logan and Amrathon responded at once. Logan literally crashed into a group of four Death Eaters, while Amrathon hit the ground with his hammer; Harry nearly tumbled to the ground as a great tremour ran through the earth and knocked the remaining Death Eaters off of their feet. The twins and Percy formed a ring around Harry, keeping him covered the best they could, while Bill disapperated looking for the portkey and Charlie dueled with Wormtail. Amrathon pulled throwing hammers out of his sleeves and shot them at the Death Eaters, to quite an affect. As Harry looked at Amrathon, he noticed that he looked different, he seemed to radiate power and his eyes were glowing slightly. It was impressive, but frightening. It was very much like his Uncle when he was in a rage. Within a minute Bill apperated with the portkey and everyone huddled around it, save Charlie, who was still dueling with Wormtail. The twins looked at each other and nodded. They then proceeded to cast spells at the same time; Fred cast Stupefy as George cast Accio on Charlie. Wormtail ducked, and that gave Charlie time as he was pulled towards his brothers and he grabbed the portkey. Harry felt the familiar feeling of having a hook somewhere behind the navel and being dragged along. The next thing he knew, he was on the floor of the kitchen at 12 Grimmauld Place.