First Steps

by: Whomping Willow ~

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine.

***

Chapter three: Hints and Allegations ~

Smiling proudly from behind the wheel, Dudley turned onto Magnolia Road. His mother held his new license in her boney fingers prattling on about how fast her little boy was growing up. They had stopped for an early lunch to celebrate, and now Dudley was looking forward to driving by his friends to brag. Vernon remained silent but for another relieved sigh. His car had made it through the test unscathed. The three occupants noticed something was wrong as they turned onto Magnolia Crescent just a few streets away from Privet Drive. Despite the rain, smoke could be seen billowing forth into the overcast sky. As they drew closer to their destination, a sense of dread consumed them.

Before they reached their home, they were stopped by an official looking young man, dressed in an unfamiliar uniform. "I'm sorry sir, but you'll need to turn back. Privet Drive is temporarily closed."

"Like Hell we will," Vernon barked from the passenger seat catching his first glimpse of the smoking building. "That's my home."

The young man's face brightened momentarily. As he scanned over the car's occupants, his face darkened once more. "You're the Dursleys?" He asked solemnly.

"Yes," confirmed Vernon. "What did that bloody boy do this time?!"

The uniformed wizard sobered, "Albus Dumbledore will be wanting to speak with you."

"I should think so!" Vernon bellowed, becoming even more belligerent when he realized the uniformed young man must be one of them.

"If you'll wait here, I'll see if I can find him." He responded politely.

"Oh no you don't! We're coming with you."

The man glanced over his shoulder nervously. "I really think it'd be best if you wait here."

Vernon would not be swayed. Uniform or not some, little prat, was not keeping him from his home, no matter what shape it was in. Narrow streets jammed with emergency vehicles being impassable, they abandoned the car and proceeded on foot following behind the uniformed wizard. As he followed, Vernon was muttering about "freaks and their sticks." How were they going to explain this to the neighbors? How could they not be associated with such evidence of the boy's abnormality considering the present state of their home?

When they were finally able to get a good look at what remained of their beloved two-story home, they saw a hideous shape in the smoke. A large emerald skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue, hung in the air for a moment more before being force to dissipate. All that remained to see of number four, Privet Drive was a smouldering pile of rubble and a trampled flower garden. Some wizards were still trying to control the last of the flames while others began the task of searching for bodies.

Petunia's eyes filled with tears and she held onto her husband for support. Meanwhile Dudley whimpered something about his 'not yet broken' birthday presents and computer and Vernon looked homicidal.

That is how Albus Dumbledore found them. They stood speechless on the pavement before the ruins of their home unaware of what it all meant. He approached purposefully. His long silver beard was smudged with ash and eyes clouded with worry. "Mr. Dursley I presume? I'm Albus Dumbledore . . ."

"What the bloody hell did he do to my house?!" Vernon interrupted.

"Vernon please," Petunia chided going pale as she noticed a neighbor talking to a uniformed wizard nearby.

Noticing the direction of her gaze, Albus spoke again. "Don't worry Mrs. Dursley, by the time we're done here, the neighbors will think it was a gas explosion."

She looked only slightly relieved. "Well, what did happen? Was it that Vold-er . . . "

"Yes, I am afraid so. His followers or perhaps even Voldemort himself attacked sometime this morning. The skull symbol they just dispelled is his sign. It appears that somehow the wards protecting your home were weakened." Dumbledore started.

"How dare you endanger my family like this?!" Interrupted Vernon, bellowing for all he was worth.

"Vernon please, let Mr. Dumbledore finish." Petunia scolded once more.

"Mr. Dursley, I understand your distress, but I have to ask – was Harry at home when you left? We need to know if it is possible he was captured. We've found no sign of him."

"You call that no sign," snapped Vernon pointing sharply at the smouldering ruins of his home.

Just then they were interrupted by another uniformed wizard. "Excuse me Professor Dumbledore, I have been speaking with a witness, and have some questions to ask Mr. Potter's family if I could."

"Certainly Arnold," Albus nodded solemnly.

Arnold Peasgood was an Obliviator, from the Ministry's Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. Due to the size and importance of the mornings job, they needed the assistance of the entire Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes as well as the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. For once Cornelius Fudge was providing the Ministry's complete cooperation.

"When questioning Mr. Prentice from down the street," Arnold started calmly, "he reported having seen strangely dressed men in masks approaching the Dursley home. He then asked me if it was a group of 'troublemakers from that school the boy goes to.' Mr. Dursley, are the neighbors aware that Harry attends Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore was stunned. Could the Dursleys have been so careless as to tell the neighbors of Harry's magical education? All the ploys to protect the location of boy-who-lived, for it all to be wasted was a terrible thought. All fears were immediately laid to rest, and then promptly replaced.

"They most certainly are not! They believe my wife's nephew," he emphasized trying to distance himself from any relation to the freak and his kind, "attends St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys. I will not have them made aware of his abnormality."

Mr. Peasgood's face was stern as he nodded curtly. "That is all I need, for now." He thanked Dumbledore and returned to his duties. His mind wandered momentarily. If we ever find Mr. Potter, it'd be a kindness to Obliviate him, removing all memories of those horrible Muggles.

Turning back to the Dursleys, Albus spoke. "As I was saying, there is no sign of him, yet. His body has not been found. It is still possible that he may be alive. Voldemort might have taken Harry with him . . ."

"That is none of my concern. Volde-whatsis can keep him. You have endangered my family long enough."

"If that is how you both feel . . ." Albus started slowly only to be interrupted once more.

"It is! We've put up with all we will take from the boy." Vernon said with conviction and Petunia nodded sadly thinking of how close she came to losing her sweet Dudley just last summer. He had looked so terribly frightened and still was not quite back to normal. She knew she made a promise, but she would not risk her family anymore.

"You will be relocated to a new home of course. It shouldn't take long, now that you won't need the protective wards."

"If Harry is alive then aren't we still targets to that madman? Don't we need the wards?" Pleaded Petunia.

"The wards were keyed to Harry's blood, the familial bond and his mother's sacrifice. Without Mr. Potter the wards would be of no protection to you."

"But, what if Vol-Volde-whatchamacallit comes after us?" Dudley spoke for the first time.

Albus looked sadly at the boy, then the father. "That is none of my concern." He turned and walked away. He had to go inform the Order and putting it off would do no good.

"You can't do this to us," screamed Vernon. "After all we did for the boy – we took him in – you owe us!"

Took him in – indeed thought Albus, as he walked away from the irate Dursleys. He reflected on his words to the boy, "she may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet she still took you, and in doing so sealed the charm." Could hate this strong, have weakened the shield forged by the blood bond? He had spoken the truth. They were based on blood and love, Lily's love. Unfortunately that love was something still foreign to young Harry. Her blood became his refuge, but alas her heart had not.

***

At number twelve, Grimmauld Place, an emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, was soon under way. Order members were seated around the scrubbed wooden table in the kitchen with anxious looks etched on their faces. Molly Weasley was sobbing quietly in the arms of her husband. She like all the others did not want to believe that Harry could be gone.

"He's a smart boy, with more luck than I've ever known," Mr. Weasley cooed to his wife, "if anyone could've gotten away it would be Harry." She nodded silently, tears still leaking down her cheeks. "You'd best clean yourself up before the children see you." She nodded again and wiped distractedly at her tears.

Albus Dumbledore looked on. It was a hard task gathering the Order together, knowing he had to share the grim details of the morning's events. There had been many difficult questions asked and painfully few answers. A few members were sent on missions based on the little evidence available, but for most there was little to do but wait for news and wonder – How had Death Eaters got past the wards around the Dursleys' home?

The wards around Privet Drive had failed not only to protect Harry, but also to alert Dumbledore of the presence of Death Eaters in the vicinity. It wasn't until Arabella Figg saw smoke through her window in the direction of Harry's home, that the Headmaster had been notified. She was quite distraught, knowing the guard assigned to watch the boy had come in out of the rain and was warming up with a cup of tea in her home at the time of the attack.

By the time Aurors arrived, the house was largely destroyed and the remaining Death Eaters put up minimal fight. The large group only fired off perhaps two dozen curses before Disapparating. One of the Aurors claimed to have seen one of the robed men dragging a smaller figure out of the home by the hair, but smoke from the burning building obscured their faces. There was no proof whether it could have been Harry, but speculation was another matter.

The Ministry was soon on the scene. Dressed in Muggle style uniforms, Obliviators quickly questioned the witnesses about what had happened and then modified their memories. Anti-muggle Security did its best, bringing in fake emergency equipment to block the view of the house and lend the appearance of Muggle firefighters and medical crews. The home's ruins had been thoroughly searched for survivors and/or bodies, but all turned up nothing.

Looking around the table the faces looked grim. The disappearance of the boy-who-lived brought back painful memories for all. That Halloween night so long ago when they learned of the loss of both James and Lily Potter – despite the joy of Harry's survival and Voldemort's defeat, it was a crushing blow. If Harry doesn't return, there will not be anything to celebrate and the hopes for Voldemort's defeat would be all but lost. There was little to say. They just hoped that when Snape returned from the summoning, he would bring some good news.

The silence was brought to an end as someone stepped out of the floo and startled Order members jumped up with wands drawn. Hermione's eyes scanned the room, taking in the sight of a half-dozen wands pointed at her. She tried to look calm, but her voice quavered when she announced, "I think Harry may be in trouble."

Dumbledore lowered his gaze for a moment taking in a steadying breath before he spoke. "I am afraid you are correct, Miss Granger. The question is how did you know?"

She was somewhat surprised by the Headmasters blunt response, but answered quickly. "I spoke with him on the telephone this morning. He cut off the connection suddenly after muttering something about smoke or something burning . . . I tried to call him back, but the call won't go through."

"When was that?" The Headmaster asked.

Hermione thought for a moment and flushed in frustration, "It was still early sir, perhaps a little after nine."

The room's occupants looked at each other mulling the information over in their heads. If the attack started while Harry was on the phone with Hermione, Voldemort's forces would have had plenty of time to kidnap Harry and then destroy the home before the Aurors arrived.

Hermione wanted to inform them earlier, not owning an owl or being hooked to the floo, she needed to wait till her mother could drive her to the Leaky Cauldron to use one there. The wait had been horrible and she really wanted to know what had happened to Harry. She wanted answers, now. "What happened to Harry? Is he here?" She impatiently pleaded.

"I'm sorry, child. There was an attack on his home this morning . . . Harry has not yet been found." Dumbledore spoke with a sadness that shone on the faces of those around him.

Hermione stood in stunned silence, still coated with soot from the floo.

Before anyone could say anymore, a beautiful snowy owl they all knew swooped in, landing on the table in front of a rather weary looking Remus Lupin. Hedwig looking slightly abashed, presented her leg and dropped a slightly muddy parchment into Remus's hands.

All eyes were focused on Remus as he tore open the letter. It could be the answer to so many questions . . .

"Don't dawdle man, tell us what he says," barked Moody.

Remus read it aloud:


Moony,

I know you're all probably worried about me after everything that has happened, but I need you to know I'm Okay.

I'm looking forward to seeing you all really soon. Give everyone a hug for me.

Harry


Remus blinked, read it silently to himself again, shook his head and handed the letter to Dumbledore.

"That's all he said?" Voices echoed from several points of the room as Mrs. Weasley began to cry again.

"I'm afraid so," was the quiet response.

"Why so cryptic? Why didn't he tell us where he is, so we could go get him?" Mrs. Weasley questioned, voice tainted with frustration.

"Perhaps he was being cautious. If the letter were to be intercepted by Death Eaters it could lead them right to him."

There were sad nods to the Dumbledore's words and one shout of, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE," from Mad-eye Moody.

Dumbledore continued, "or the letter could have been sent sometime shortly before the attack."

The looks he received were even sadder after that.

Hermione searched the faces in the room. After not finding what she was looking for, she turned to Mrs. Weasley. "No, they don't know yet," Mr. Weasley quietly replied to the unasked question, for his emotional wife.

She just nodded sadly in response.

"We were hoping to have a bit more information before we said anything. You understand . . ." he added. "Perhaps you could call them down . . . I believe it is time they knew." Mr. Weasley looked to Dumbledore for confirmation and received it.

***

tbc . . .

~ Whomping Willow ~