A/N: This is a little longer chapter so it took a little bit longer to update. I am working furiously with this, as it is my vacation now. Soon after that the updates would get longer and longer. Anyway hope you enjoy this chapter.

Catching up with Time

Ron and Hermione were in the kitchen of their apartment when Remus Lupin burst into the room.

"He's escaped. He's escaped. Harry is out from Azkaban along with all the death eaters." He spoke fast and he was panting as if he had run a mile.

"I've been warning people on the way to stay calm and move some place safe. Some place where no one would recognize them."

Ron and Hermione remained still with shock. Whatever they had been expecting it was not this. But it only took them a moment to reconcile to the fact.

"How could he get loose? He was one of the top rated ones there. How could he managed to escape the tremendous amount of security?" Hermione moaned.

"Bloody hell!" was all Ron could manage.

"Look I don't know how he got out though I very much intend to find that out myself and he was not the only ones to escape tonight. In fact all most all captives escaped. Somehow the anti apparition wards seemed to have broken at Azkaban. The Ministry managed to round up a few who were not far away from Azkaban. But the rest. There seem to be no trace of them at all. Even the dementors seem to have vanished. And the aurors..." he broke off.

"What about them?" Hermione asked questioningly.

"They-they... I can't say it."

"Is it that bad?"

"You have no idea. Well let's just say he created a memorabilia for us reminding the wizarding world of that fateful night. There were a couple of survivors though. They are now at St.Mungos. But I wonder if they at all will be able to tell them about anything. They looked so shocked as if they have had the fright of their lives. Those who perished – well we are having trouble identifying them. Their bodies are so mangled.

"Anyway you lot must be out of here at once. I don't know if he does know about you staying here but it is best we all moved to a safer place."

An hour later all the Weasleys along with Lupin were at # 12 Grimmauld's Place. It was dusty as ever. Ten years of unsettled dust and cobwebs had made this place almost uninhabitable. Soon enough people had started to pop around from the fireplace. People who were members of the Order of the Phoenix had started to gather at that place.

The Weasleys were seated at the dining table in the kitchen. Mrs.Weasley was sobbing. Mr.Weasley was comforting her by placing an arm around her.

"Why did he break free from that place? How could he have done that with all those security measures? They say that his prison bars were protected from all forms of magic. No curse or charm could make them disappear. Also the apparition wards around his cell were even stronger than the one at Hogwarts. The aurors say that he muttered things in his sleep and woke up screaming. But he still escaped didn't he? I mean no magic could stop him." Tonks finished.

"You know I still have hard time trying to figure out amongst all people going over to the dark side it would be him. He finished off you-know-who didn't he? And still he landed in the dark side. He was my best mate and he abandoned all of it." Ron concluded with a pang of bitterness in his voice.

"No one knows how he did it. Apart from Dumbledore no one was there to witness it and Dumbledore was unconscious at the time it all happened. But he killed all those people. Even the death eaters. It doesn't make any sense. Why would you kill someone and take his place when you have killed all the people who would have supported you?" Hermione spoke fast.

With another whish of green cloud Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived at the kitchen.

Everyone looked questioningly at him.

"Well, Diggory has given his testimony just before slipping into coma. Not a moment too soon. The Healers don't think he has much of a chance. They say he was caught in an exploding hex. That also explains the mangled bodies. Blimey if he actually can perform such a complicated hex without a wand I don't know what the hell he else can do. Oh yeah he said that the dark lord also destroyed every single dementor."

"What?" Everybody cried out in unison.

"How could anyone do wandless magic of such magnitude? Only a few living people can do the Exploding Hex and probably Dumbledore is the only one who can do it with perfection. I even hate to think what else he can do with a wand. And how in the hell he can destroy dementors? There aren't any spells that can destroy them. They are too powerful magical creatures to be killed."

"He did kill them though. Must have found a way to kill them."

"Which makes our situation even more precarious." A soft voice spoke up surprising everyone. Albus Dumbledore had just appeared in the room.

"Professor Dumbledore how did he do it? How did he escape from that place?"

"I have a few ideas but they are merely nothing more than some of the wild figments that my brain has brewed up. I am though extremely amused how he actually did it without a wand. If what I believe he did then his wandless magical abilities must be more powerful than Merlin and Gryffindor put together."

Everyone listened in stunned silence.

"I however believe that it is time that the Order of the Phoenix be re- established again. It was prophesied that the third formation of the order would bring about the demise of the dark lord. I hope that the prophecy still holds. Let the dark arts be banished for good this time."

With that he left with another pop sound.

Harry watched through the bushes. He was eyeing the hut that was in his view. The hut where he knew his 'friend' Hagrid lived. But something was odd. His senses told him. He needn't need to see through the window to confirm his suspicions. He had heard sound of true delight and laughter coming from inside. Even then he peered through the window. Although he was more than thirty feet away his sharp phoenix like eyes picked out what was going on inside. A red haired man and a brunette were having the time of their lives. They were shagging and the man seemed to be very good at it. The way the woman was squirming and crying out he was sure she was enjoying as much as he was.

Without any shade of politeness he opened the door and went inside. The couple were so engrossed with each other that they didn't notice the unwanted visitor inside the hut. Not knowing that he was the most feared man alive at the moment and the most powerful wizard ever born. Not knowing the dark lord was standing there watching in amusement at their wanton actions.

"If you have finished enjoying yourselves you can turn around to see your unwanted visitor."

The result was imminent. The man jumped around at the sound of his cold voice. The blanket just covering his abdomen! The girl let out a small scream. But none of their reactions were as strange when they saw Harry Potter the man they feared above all standing in front of the doorway. He went for his wand but Harry cut him in.

"Don't think about it. I don't want to hurt you."

"Why have you come here?" Charlie Weasley's voices quivered.

"To settle an unfinished business." He answered shortly.

"You have come to kill me haven't you?"

"Don't be thick. Why the hell would I want to kill you? You haven't done me any harm though. Anyway I wanted to speak to Hagrid before making my moves but since he is not here I will have to settle with you. Where is he anyway?"

"No idea" Charlie answered very quickly.

"You don't have to lie to me. You could just tell me that you wouldn't tell and I would be satisfied. As it is I can read your mind fair enough. But I won't invade your privacy though."

"What the hell do you want to know?"

The girl gave a loud shriek. It seemed that she had finally come to her senses that Harry Potter was standing in front of her.

"Shut up Maggie." He glared at her and waved a hand at her.

She fell rigid and stiff and fell back onto the bed.

"What did you do to her?" Charlie yelled with fury.

"Relax it is just a simple body bind charm."

"How did you do it without a wand?"

"Haven't you been reading the Daily Prophet?"

Charlie shrugged nonchalantly and muttered something about not believing them.

"How did you know her name though? I mean I didn't tell you."

"She was – er – ah – screaming about something when you were – um – engaging in your social activities."

"But there was a silencing charm on the entire hut."

"They don't work for me anymore."

Both of them looked at each other in the eye for a long time. Neither of them blinked. Maggie was looking at them nervously. Eventually Harry broke the silence.

"I can assure you that I would not even touch you or allow you any harm. You can have my word for it. Both of you."

"Well what did you want to know?" Charlie shifted uncomfortably under the blanket.

"First of all where is Dumbledore?"

"He is away figuring out how to stop you."

"I expected that of him. Too bad he won't be living long."

Charlie froze.

"Yo-you intend on killing him."

"You would have done the same thing to anyone if you were in my place. Especially Dumbledore. I saved his neck out there that night with a huge pain in my arse and all he does is send me off that shit house without a trial. And speaking of that night what the hell do you know about that night? How much has that old bastard told you? Why didn't any of you request for at least a trial? I thought you guys at least owe me that much. But of course you didn't think so did you?" his voice was no more than a cold remorseless fury.

"No one knows what happened that night. Nobody knows what happened that night between you and you-know-who. Dumbledore didn't tell us anything. Said that he was unconscious and unaware of what actually happened. And as far as your trial is concerned none of us thought it was necessary as there were a lot of eyewitness suggesting you killed all those aurors with a very advanced form of dark wandless magic. Dumbledore said you wouldn't stand a chance and we all know you have escaped to butcher all of us."

"So the old crackpot didn't even bother to tell you. I should have guessed. That makes more the reason for killing him imperative. Anyway it has been nice talking to you." He spoke with a voice of harsh anger.

He got up to leave. Then he spoke once again.

"You can tell anyone you want about me being here. I wouldn't complain. And Charlie stay there for Maggie. She needs you."

He looked at Charlie and went inside his mind and within a few moments he had found what he was looking for. Smiling inwardly to himself he gave the both of them a nod before disappearing with a loud crack. Maggie instantly got control of her body the instant Harry had left.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"I've got no idea. Yet he seemed so like the old Harry we knew. He was nothing what the others think him to be. He had all the opportunity to do whatever with us yet he just politely asked a few questions and then left."

"I don't know Charlie. He gives me the creeps. Did you look at his eyes, they were deep red and his scar it was pitch black."

"I know. Apart from his long hair and shaggy beard those are the only changes in the old Harry. Also his skin was pale but..." he trailed off.

"You sound as if you fancy him." She accused wearing an ugly scowl on her face.

"Don't be ridiculous Maggie. I know what he's done. He deserves Azkaban. He bloody well deserves it. It's just he seemed so unlike the one you would possibly imagine even after killing those aurors barely a week ago. He seemed so like..." he trailed off again. Leaving his thoughts to himself.

"He seemed to care for us. But why would he do that?" he pondered to himself.

Charlie had become an instant celebrity. From an assistant gamekeeper to instant fame. Everybody was anxious to hear what he had to say. However they were far more confused when he had actually finished speaking about his little chat. Why would he act so fair and truly towards Charlie? This was the question on everybody's mind.

"You know he had the chance to know everything about us but he didn't. He didn't bother to read my mind."

"How do you know he hasn't?"

"Because I know he hasn't" Charlie snapped. "If someone tries to read your mind the thoughts that he is expecting from you also appears at the back of your mind."

"But that is only if he had been poking around your mind for sometime." Lupin answered.

"Oh Charlie I was so worried for you. We all were." Mrs.Weasley remarked. "I'm so glad you are ok."

"You know apart from the occasion when he was speaking about Dumbledore his voice was calm and caring. His appearance wasn't though. Azkaban had changed him outright. His hair was long and he had a shaggy beard. He had a black scar on his forehead and it was more pronounced than ever. But his eyes. They were so much like you-know-who. They were narrow slit-like and red. Bloody red they were. Without any sign of pity in them. They were so unlike his bottle green ones. You know apart from all that he was just like the old Harry."

Everyone froze.

That night Ron was already in bed when Hermione came inside the bedroom. She quietly slid under the covers and placed her hand across his bare chest.

"You know 'Mione I have been thinking about him a lot. Since the conversation with Charlie. Is it possible that we were wrong about him?"

"Ron think of how many people he had killed. He has unimaginable powers and we don't even know whether Dumbledore is capable of defeating him. He always said that Harry's powers would exceed his one day. He even said that he would be one of the greatest wizards ever at one point of time."

"I wasn't thinking about that 'Mione. I was thinking about old times. Things we used to do at Hogwarts. You know the three of us. I was thinking of all the adventures we had and the pranks we pulled during school. It was so good. Everyone knew Harry was going to defeat him but no one knew about the consequences. We never saw this coming did we?"

"It was horrible Ron. Even thinking about school gives me so pain. We never ever expected this. That's why it was so hard on us. And look at Cho. Even sometimes now she is crying."

"They were real close. It must have been very hard for her. But then again we actually don't know what happened that night. Don't give me that look Hermione because you know we don't. Killing you-know-who is something that you don't do very often. I don't know what consequences he had to pay for that. For the last ten years I have forced my mind to believe that my former best mate did what he was destined to do and then he chose his own path. But after what Charlie told us today my mind says that something serious must have happened that night and I intend to find that out."

"Unfortunately for you the only person who could tell you that is a crazy raving lunatic facing a possible dementor's kiss and is now on the run."

"Yeah well he is, I mean sort of – but Dumbledore himself doesn't know."

"Don't worry yourself over this matter Ron. This is about the Ministry. They would be the ones to capture him and put him back behind bars. They will..."

"prove themselves to be brainless morons."

Hermione hadn't been thinking about that.

"No they..."

She froze. Her mouth remained hanging open. Ron was looking at the source of the sound with a look of utter disbelief plastered on his face.

Harry Potter was standing in front of their bed with a cold gleam in his eyes.

"Harry, that you. How did you get here?" that was all Ron managed to blurt out.

"I've been here since Charlie arrived. Wondering about when to disclose my identity. But I believe I've heard enough and I think it is time that you gave me some answers. Why in the freaking hell did you not appeal for a trial for me? Why the bloody hell did you not do it?"

"You did not deserve it. Even if you were our friend you did not deserve it." Hermione answered flatly.

"Is that it Hermione? After all this time you still have to lie to me. Bloody hell. Should have let Malfoy get to you. At least then he would have got rid of you, you filthy mudblood." Harry spat.

"And what about you Ron? You thought the same as your mudblood wife didn't you? Thought that poor Potter should have wasted away in Azkaban. You are disgusting you pathetic wimp. I am surprised that I took you in as my best friend. Should have listened to Malfoy from the first instance in that train. Then at least I would have got a trial. Their family is still by my side but you lot of bastards ruined me. You have ruined my whole life. Don't worry though I will make you suffer soon enough. Very soon you will endure like you have never faced before."

He proceeded to walk away.

"Harry?" Ron called out.

He looked back. His deep red eyes were still burning with cold fury.

"What is it you blood traitor?"

"What happened to you that night? You are so changed. I – I..."

"Didn't that mudblood loving fool tell you that yet? I thought he did. I thought he told you something about me being power hungry and that I had taken up my choice. I suppose that must be one of his 'shrewd guesses' that turn out to be true. Well bloody hell he was wrong. What went through me is beyond the comprehension of any one. It was his entire fault. And it was your entire bloody fault to believe him. Soon I am going to make him my bitch. Then we would see about that." He finished. He was now panting slightly from the effort.

"I will be seeing you soon enough."

Next moment he had disappeared with a loud crack.

Ron and Hermione remained stunned. For a full minute none of them spoke.

"Why was he here? And how did he learn that we would be here. Dumbledore is our secret keeper. He wouldn't divulge it. And how in the hell did he cross all the protection charms that were in place. We would know if he broke any one of them."

"I don't know Hermione. It seems Harry can do almost anything. Spells and charms do not hold against him now." Ron replied.

"But why didn't he do anything? He was here all the time. We didn't know he was here. Why?"

"I have no idea about that. Not a single clue. The children are still here so is the rest of the order. He sounded so furious. Yet he didn't hurt us. I don't know about that. But he told us that he is going to hurt us."

"Oh Ron what are we going to do? The children are just starting at Hogwarts and even that isn't safe anymore. He entered Hogwarts without anyone knowing anything. Oh Ron!"

"Don't worry I will not let anyone harm you or the children as long as I am alive. You know that."

"Oh Ron I am so scared. What if something happens to you? What am I going to do then?"

Cho was standing near the window looking up to the dark night sky. Her eyes were starry. There was moisture in her cheeks. Her eyes were glistening. She was thinking of a person. That person was her first and only lover. She let her thoughts flutter to the night of June 29th 1998. It was the night of his graduation. It was his last day at school. The next day he would be leaving Hogwarts for the last time. Cho closed her eyes. She remembered how he had led her to the Room of Requirement. He had the house elves prepare a dinner for two and he had transfigured the room to a romantic bedroom. After a wonderful dinner he had proposed his love to her. She had been so thrilled.

Later that night they had made love. She made him make love to her. It was both of their first time but they did it like they had done it for ages. They were meant to be each other. She had immensely enjoyed his raw masculine power. He also enjoyed it a lot. He confessed to her later. They slept under blankets oblivious of the clothes strewn around the room. They slept in each other's arms naked underneath the blankets. That was her best memory. She always thought they were the perfect couple. But something horribly went wrong the next day. He brought about the demise of He-Who- Must-Not-Be-Named and then for some reason betrayed all of them and proclaimed himself as the next Dark Lord.

Had their relationship meant nothing to him? Was her unconditional love nothing to him? Probably not. Else he would not have stabbed her behind her back. She remembered how she had cried her eyes out for months after that incident. Nobody forgave him for all those innocent lives that he had taken and he was sent away to Azkaban without a trial. But she did forgive him. And whatever everybody told him she still loved her. She had her given her heart to him unconditionally.

"I am still in love with you Harry Potter."

Oblivious to Cho her lover was standing just behind her. He had been there for over fifteen minutes. But he had known all that he needed to know. He had read all of her thoughts. His expression faltered and when she muttered those words silently to herself he sighed inaudibly and vanished into thin air.

A/N: Come on guys this is the fourth chapter. Start reviewing or else I wouldn't know what you expect of this FF. Also be kind as it is my first Fic.