The Aftermath

Chapter Two
The Visit

It had been three days. Dumbledore had responded that though he would like to come to Harry himself, he was rather busy with preparations for his arrival. He was sending Lupin instead. Lupin was due to Apparate into Harry's room any moment now. They had thought it best to keep this visit from the Dursleys. There was a faint pop behind Harry and he turned.

There he is, Harry thought. And there he's not, he thought as Lupin slipped and fell on Harry's pile of half read Daily Prophets.

"Hope I didn't wake anybody," Lupin said quietly as Harry helped him up, the both of them grinning. Harry sat back down on the bed as Lupin brushed himself off.

"So Harry," he said sitting on Harry's desk chair. "What's up? Besides being unable to clean your room?"

Harry explained the dream he had had. He ended, "He was looking for something – a key. And before you start to lecture me, I have been practicing Occlumency and I've been getting much better, truly. I didn't see it from his head and it wasn't so intense. It was like I was seeing it all through a clouded window."

Lupin nodded, now frowning, "We'll have to verify that."

"I understand," Harry said, remembering once more his History of Magic OWL exam.

"But it would probably be a waste of time . . . " Lupin said, more to himself than to Harry.

"Huh?"

Lupin got up and began to pace. "Kate . . . the only Kate I know of that Voldemort would find important enough to go after personally would be . . . but if both Tom and Kate are dead . . . "

"I don't get it," Harry said, frowning up at Lupin, who was still pacing. "Who're Kate and Tom?"

"People who apparently paid dearly for their bravery," Lupin said sitting down once more.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"This Kate you spoke of," Lupin said, "Did she have an American accent?"

"Yeah, she did."

"Damn," Lupin said.

"What?"

"Tom and Kate were supposed to contact us two days ago," Lupin said. "They said they had information they needed to give Dumbledore. They said that he was the only one who could keep it safe. They wouldn't tell us anything else. But the both of them are deep into government stuff. They're greatly respected; people all over the world trust them with special projects. They've been great assets to Dumbledore for many years providing him with all sorts of information that he's used to locate Voldemort in Albania, information that he's used to recruit people willing into the Order, and they serve as his connections to powerful people in several different Wizarding governments. Tom even got Dumbledore the Riddle House. Tom's muggle brother is a lawyer. The point is, they know things. They do things. Important things. The secrets they keep endanger their lives, and they took great risks in coming to Dumbldore. They've been smart about how they've gone about it, and careful planning mixed in with a little luck has kept them safe from Voldemort thus far. But if what you saw was real, then he finally got to them."

"What did he want from them?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Lupin said, shaking his head dismally, "I have a feeling that's why they so urgently wanted to speak to Dumbledore. But they never got to."

"So we don't know what he's planning? " Harry said, looking up at Lupin, terrified.

"He's planning something big. I've got a hunch he's going to go after you again, but if I know Tom and Kate like I do, this time he's got a whole lot of firepower behind him. They work on a huge scope – not only on stuff that affects wizards, but also muggles, and the whole ecosystem. They've been working on projects such as figuring out how to permanently close up the holes in the o-zone layer for years. Voldemort's got the best of both strategies: he's got the capacity of doing something huge, and he also has the advantage of surprise because we don't know what the hell he's trying to do . . . but maybe he doesn't know what the hell he's trying to do."

"We can only hope," Harry said.

"But you have to be really careful, Harry," Lupin said. "Somebody could get seriously hurt – most especially you."

"I hate that!" Harry said angrily standing up and banging his hand against the bedpost.

"What?" Lupin asked, surprised.

"It's bad enough he wants me killed, but he has to involve others as well. It makes me so mad. If it weren't for me – "

But Lupin could see where this was going. He took Harry by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "Listen to me Harry," he said firmly. "None of this, and I mean none of this is, or ever has been your fault. It's all him Harry. Don't beat yourself up over Voldemort – he's not worth that. In many ways Harry, you're a hundred times a better wizard than he could ever be. He's not worth it. We're going to beat him, Harry. And this time, it'll be for good."

Harry looked up at Lupin, bewildered. Here was a man who had two of his best friends, three if you counted Harry's mother, murdered, and yet . . . he still had hope. He was still determined to see Voldemort fall, and still confidant that it would happen. If there was any other time Harry had to learn by example, this had to be the most important of all. Harry, unable to speak, nodded. He now felt fortified, protected, like nothing Voldemort could do now could hurt him any longer . . . at least for now. "Thank you," Harry said, at a loss for anything better to say. Then he found he had something to ask.

"Do you know how he's going to do it? Do you know how to stop him?"

"Well, if all the facts check out, I think we may, but it's still a really sensitive case Harry," Lupin answered him with a stern and worried look. "But if he hasn't found it . . . ." he continued to himself and sighed. "But we haven't found it either . . . " he said to himself almost inaudibly. His brow furrowed some more.

He looked at Harry, and his look softened. "I'll have to run now, Harry. But remember, expect the unexpected and have faith. You'll be fine." He said this last bit, again, more to himself than to Harry. Harry wasn't sure whether he'd be all right, but considering what he'd been through so far, he figured he was doing pretty well. Lupin was talking again. "We're setting up a new safe house," he was saying. "You'll be there by your birthday. Hopefully the week before."

Harry sighed. "So I have to stay here another three weeks?"

"I'm afraid you do. Are the Dursleys giving you any trouble? Are they feeding you?" some of his regular concern crept back into his voice.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, they're still afraid of what you, Tonks, and Moody might do to them. Thanks for that by the way."

"No, it was our pleasure. And I'm sure Mad-Eye in particular had fun. Well, see you around, Harry. Take care." And with that, Lupin Disapparated with a faint pop.

Harry sighed again and started to tidy up his room, which had reached that pivotal point of "tidy up or die."