Chapter 2: Unexpected Arrivals

"Harry!" Mr. Dursley yelled up the stairs one morning, aggrivated by the sudden apearances of two owls and two people. "Get down here at once and explain this...this...blatant disregard for one man's privacy"
Harry Potter opened his bedroom door and walked down the stairs to see what the problem was. When he reached the living room, he saw two owls fluttering around the room waiting for him, each carrying a package for him. On closer inspection, however, Harry noticed that there were two people also waiting for him.
"Ron! Hermione!. What are you doing here?" Harry said, with a mixture of of shock and excitment.
"Precisely what I want to know," Uncle Vernon said, appearing in the living room purple-faced and temple throbbing.
"Shut it, Dursley," Ron said, standing up. He had grown another two inches since the end of term and was considerably taller then Uncle Vernon, but that didn't stop Uncle Vernon from standing up to Ron. "What did you say?" Uncle Vernon exlaimed.
"You heard me," Ron said, now pulling out his wand and advancing on Uncle Vernon.
"Y-y-you're n-n-not allowed, outside of school," Uncle Vernon said, though backing into a wall and looking at the wand with apprehension.
"I'm of age now, I can do as I feel," Ron said.
"Ron!" Harry and Hermione said, Harry with admiration and Hermione with hesatation.
"I;m only joking," Ron said, lowering his wand. "I would never jinx the Dursley's without Harry's permission"
"Right,' Harry said, looking away from Ron. "So what are you guys doing here, anyway?" he asked Hermione. "Can't go three days without seeing me"
"Yeah, that's it," said Ron sarcastically. "We wanted to bring Hagrid along with us beacause he was crying his eyes out over you and"
"That's enough, Ronald," Hermione said, a note of laughter in her voice. "We've come to take you back to headquarters, and your new home. We figured since you'll be seventeen soon, we can go make your home even better with magic. I've been reading books on Magical Home Decorating and there is a charm in there that will let us put a permanent cover over that dreadful portrait of Sirius' mother. And we can make it bit more colorful and look like a non-Dark Wizard lives there. And don't worry," she said, looking at Harry eagerly, "Professor McGonnagal made me the Secret Keeper, so there's no way anyone will get in there without you or me knowing.. Is that okay?" she said, looking at the puzzled expression on Harry's face.
"What if an accomplished Legilimens like, lets say, Lord Voldemort, tries to get the Secret out of you? What then"
"Well, of course, Professor McGonnagal and I thought ofn that so she's been giving me Occlumency lessons. And I'm expecting you and Ron to start sometime during the school year"
"But I've already told you I'm not going back to school. I'm going out to find Voldemort's horcruxes"
"You still need to finish school, though. And besides, you can find information at Hogwarts, I'm sure of it"
Just then there was a soft hooting noise that made Harry jump. He forgot there were two owlsther as well. "And what are they doing here?" Harry asked, gesturing towards the owls.
"Well, one of them has your letter from Hogwarts about the books you will need and the other, by the looks of it, is a book"
Harry went over to the owls, pulled of the letter and book, then watchedas the owls took of out the living room window. Harry opened up the letter, expectring to see the usual message about catching the Hogwarts Exprress, but this message was accompanied by another. It read:

Due to their age, Seventh years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have two options to get to school. They can take the Hogwarts Express from Pltform 9 3/4 at 11:00am at King's Cross Station, or they can, if they have past their tests, Apparate to Hogsmede Station at 8:00pm, just in time to tAke the carages leading up to Hogwarts. Term begins September 1st.

Professor M. McAGonnagal

Headmistress

Harry finished reading the letter then looked at th others."So you guys Apparated here?" he said. "And you're going to Apparate to Hogwarts? What am I to do alone on the train"
"Don't be silly," Hermione said. "If Ron can pass his test, you can pass yours"
"And what's that supposed to mean"
"Nothing," said Hermione rather quickly. "Anyway, you've Apparated before any other Sixth year"
"But I had Dumbledore's..." Harry stopped. Thinking about Dumbledore hurt him.
"Harry, I know how you must be feeling..." Hermione began.
"NO YOU DON'T!" Harry shouted. "NOBODY KNOWS HOW I'M FEELING" Harry didn't know why he was shouting, but as suddenly as he started shouting, he stopped. "Nobody knows what it was like, standing up there. Dumbledore was defensless, and i was up there, watching the whole thing. Dumbledore immobilized and was immidiately disarmed. I could've helped him. Instead, I had to watch as the greatest wizard ever beg for his life. It was the worst thing I have ever had had to witness. And do you know who killed him? IT WAS SNAPE"
"Harry, we know this. You told us at the end of the term," Ron said.
"Yeah, Harry, we know whta Snape was like long before what happened. But that doesn't change what happened. So instead of moarning ovewr Dumbledore's death, why don't you go out there and avenge him by finding Voldemort's Horcruxes. And the best place to start is Hogwarts"
"You know, you're right," Harry said, finally settling down. "If Voldemort was able to find out about Horcruxes at Hogwarts, we should be able to as well, right? Anyway, did either of you get a book"
"No," Ron and Hermione said.
"I wonder why I did, then," harry said now taking up the wrapped book and opening it. A sky blue book, almost the size of side table, fell onto the floor with a dull clunk. Harry picked up the book, turned it over, and read the title on the front. "Occlumens and Legilimens; Mastering the Mind. Never heard of it"
"Who's the author," Hermione asked withthe same look in her eyes that she has everytime she sees a new book.
"Hang on, I'll check." Harry opened the front cover and immidiately dropped the book again. "I don't beleive it," he said.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Who's the author?" Hermione asked.
"Albus Dumbledore."
"Are you serious?" Ron asked, looking slightly confused.
"Yeah, it says right here. And there's even a note fom Dumbledore in here. It looks like he rushed the writing."
"Well read it," Hermione said.
"It says:
Dear Harry,
The book you hold in your hands was written byme specifically for you. I understand that your Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape were kind of awfull soI wrote this to assist you and you closest friends in the near future
My thoughts about you have grown clear over these last six years.I have watched you stop at nothing to save your friends and those you love, even if it means risking your life in the process. ButI must ask you not to do that in your next year here. You must be safe, at least until you have found the Horcruxes and destroyed them. I will not be around to help you much longer, so heed my words now. You must retake Occlumensagain and start taking Legilimens. It is better to take these as soon as posible so you can find out as much as possible about the Horcruxes. As i have said, I won't be around much longer to assist you physically but you will still find any help you need in Headmistress McGonnagal's office should you needit.
It was an honor to know you and to teach you these last six years and I hope that this book will guide you safely through your final year at Hogwarts.

Albus Dumbledore
post-datedMay 31st

"So Dumbledore knew he was going to die this year," Harry said.
"Seems likeit," Ron said.
"So Dumbledore can still help us, even in death," Hermione said. "But How?
"This letter saysthat we can find help in McGonnagal'sOffice if we ever need it," Harry said. "I got it. We can talk to his portrait. All of the old Headmasters and Headmistresses have portraits hanging in the Headmasters office."
"That's brilliant," Hermione said. She glanced at the clock and immidiately looked anxious. "We've gotta get back. TheShower is about to start."
"You're right," Ron said. "Quick, Harry, go get your stuff."
Harry returned five minutes later with his trunk packedwith all of his belongings. "So where are we going, GrimualdPlace?"
"No, we're gouing back to the Burrow. It's Bill and Fleur's wedding shower. TheWedding is next week," Ron said.
"How are we getting there?" Harry asked.
"Well, I only have enough Floo Powder for one person soI'll take the trunk and meet you back at the Burrow," Ron said.
"And you're going to Dissapparate with me, Harry," Hermione said.
Hermione pulled out her wand, walked over to the fireplace, bent down and lit a fire in the grate. Harry and Hermione helped Ron put the trunk into the flames before he stepped in, dropped theFloo Powder in the fire, shouted "The Burrow!" and disapeared in a wisp of flames. Hermione then grabbed Harry's arm tightly and looked at him. "Remember how to do this?" she asked. Harry nodded and they both turned abrubtly on the spot. Harry felt that familiar sensation like he was being sucked through a small pipe. Then suddenly as they started, Harry and Hermione hit level ground. Harry was back at the Burrow.