The Power the Dark Lord Knows Not

By: lbfan

Edits by: The Ink Stained One, Dreatonkslupin

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters and background of Harry Potter. JK Rowling, AOL Time Warner, and some publishers own all of it. This story was created for entertainment purposes only. No profit would be made from this.

Chapter 2 – Rescue

Harry woke up to the sound of the air brakes again. The driver announced, "We're here."

Yawning and looking around, Harry asked, "Where's here?" He found himself on the ghostly white tour bus. He coughed a few times from the dry dusty air. Overall, he considered this to be a much better way of transportation then the Knight Bus.

The driver opened up the door, letting in the cool, salty air. "Parliament Building, Victoria."

Harry asked, "Why here?" He walked down the aisle to the front of the bus.

The driver explained, "You need to take your Apparation License Test. Don't you?"

Harry stepped off to find his trunk and Hedwig's cage sitting on the curb. He turned around to ask the driver where to go, but the bus had disappeared. Like at King's Cross Station seven years earlier, Harry quietly walked around and observed the people.

It was not long when he noticed an attractive young witch walking up into the Parliament Building. He assumed that she was a witch from the magic he detected around her. Harry followed her inside the building and onto the lift.

Harry noticed she was suspiciously looking him over. She asked, "Could you press M for me?" He noticed the elevator buttons were numbered M, one, two and three. He selected the M button, assuming it would take them to a Mezzanine Level.

She relaxed a bit and asked, "Would you like me to shrink your trunk and cage for you so you can put it in your pocket?"

Harry didn't realize it, but the 'M' button was not visible to Muggles. He was startled that she started talking about magic in front of him. "Erm… Yes, please."

She pulled out a wand from her sleeve and cast the spell.

Picking his things up off the floor, he said, "Thank you."

The elevator door opened up into a vaulted glass-ceiling atrium. Plants in full bloom were growing all around them. Everything was beautiful as fairies busily manicured and groomed each plant. Besides the lift, there were Floos and an Apparition Area. It looked like they were in the center of a large Greenhouse with offices lining the walls. A few people were walking about.

Noticing his gaping mouth, she asked, "You're not from around here, are you?"

Slightly embarrassed, he answered, "Is it that obvious?"

She looked him over again, and replied, "Yes, very much so. Can I help you find what you are looking for?"

Pleased, Harry answered, "Yes, please. Could you direct me to where I could take my Apparation test?"

She had a conflicted look on her face that changed to resolve. "Sure, I'm headed that way right now. You can walk with me."

He did not know how, but he could tell that she was lying. Appreciative for the help, he followed her. True to her word, she took him directly to Department of Magical Transportation.

"Here you are," she announced as they walked up to a set of double doors. She looked at him with bright eyes and a shy smile.

He returned her smile. "Thank you. See you around."

Slightly concerned, she asked, "I didn't get your name."

He replied, "Harry."

She smirked then relaxed into a smile. "It has been a pleasure to meet you, Harry. My name is Diana. I work in the Sasquatch Liaison's office, at the other end of the building. Would you be interested in joining me for lunch later?"

Harry looked everywhere but her face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't."

"You're married?"

"No."

"You have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"You're gay?"

"NO!"

"Oh, there is a girl who you like."

"Yes, there is a girl back home whom I fancy."

"Well, she must be pretty special to you. Good-bye then. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask." She turned away and walked towards her office.

Harry turned towards the door to go inside. He stopped when he heard her call to him.

"Mr. Potter, you should take a shower and shave."

Harry quickly turned around. "Diana, please don't say anything."

She stopped him mid-sentence, and with a wave answered, "Don't worry. I won't say anything. But you should pull your bangs down."

After another "Thank you," Harry went inside the Apparation license office. A stern elderly woman behind the desk was reading a book. He approached her and cleared his throat quietly.

She looked up. "Oh, I didn't see you there. Are you here to get an Apparation License?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

She asked, "Name?"

Reluctantly he mumbled, "Harry."

She looked up at him sternly. "Full name?"

Harry resigned himself. He knew that he had to tell her and trust that no one found out. "Harry James Potter."

Pleased, she started writing. Half way through, she quickly gave a double take at his forehead. "Address?"

Harry looked at her in a puzzled fashion. He did not know what to say. He no longer had a home. Remembering the phrase, "Home is where the heart is," he replied, "The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole, England." He knew they would not mind him calling their place his home.

The woman told him, "We can issue your Apparation License here, but you will have to pay an additional Galleon to be registered for international travel. With the state that Britain is in, we have been getting many Brits like you here. Will that be okay?"

Confused, Harry replied, "Yes, that would be fine. What do you mean by the state that Britain is in?"

Pointing to a blue box taped on the floor at the other end of the office, she said, "Please Apparate over there. Where have you been for the last month? In a hole?"

Pulling out his wand, Harry popped over to the other side of the office and answered, "You can say that."

"Do you know the Apparation area near the elevators?"

He nodded.

"Please Apparate over there and back."

Harry conceded, "Fine, but tell me when I get back." He Apparated out of the office.

When he returned, there were two large men dressed in red uniforms standing at her side. The first man had brown hair and a clean cut beard. His steely eyes added to his stoic demeanor. The second had darker skin and high cheekbones. His black hair was long and braided down his back. His eyes seemed more shallow and reserved.

She asked Harry, "Anything missing?"

Harry looked around him and replied, "No."

As if it was customary, she asked, "May I see your wand?"

Harry looked questionably at the two strangers, and then reluctantly complied.

She took his wand and stamped his new card. "Congratulations, you passed. That will be two Galleons please."

Harry paid his fee and held out his hand for his wand.

Instead of handing him his wand back, she offered his Apparation license and his wand to one of the men.

Taking the license and the wand, the Canadian Auror said, "Mr. Potter, please follow me."

Confused, Harry asked, "Why? Who are you?"

He explained, "I'm Officer McLoughlin of the Canadian Magical Mounties, and this is my partner Officer Dancing Dog." He pointed to the other man next to him. "You are required to come with us."

Harry carefully sized up the situation, and he felt he had been given no choice. They had his wand and his new license. If he were going to get away, he would have to wait until he could at least get his wand back. Resigning himself to their custody, Harry obediently followed them.

They took him down a pitch-dark tunnel, which was marked Ottawa. When they emerged from the tunnel, he noticed that they were in a completely different building.

Officer McLoughlin explained, "That tunnel is a magical portal linking our government buildings. For the Department of Magic, here in Canada, we only have three buildings. The one in Victoria is for the Western Region, Edmonton is for the Northern Region, and here in Ottawa is our main building and for the Eastern Region." They walked through another large atrium up to some double doors marked as 'Magical Law Enforcement.'

After passing some strict security checkpoints, Harry was finally introduced to the man in charge. "Mr. Potter, this is Bob Minister, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Officer McLoughlin gave Harry's wand and Apparation License to Mr. Minister.

Mr. Minister appeared to be an elderly, clean-cut man with a certain charisma about him. He looked Harry over carefully, trying to size him up.

Harry stood and quietly tolerated the rudeness.

Mr. Minister said, "Mr. Potter, we have been expecting you. I'm sorry, but I was expecting you to be taller."

Harry's glare deepened.

Mr. Minister continued, "We only have a short time to help you. For the next few days, we are going to do what we can to prepare you for the battle you are destined to fight."

Harry's patience ran out. "How did you know I would be here?"

Giving him an incredulous look, Mr. Minister answered, "Don't they teach you Divination at the school you attend?"

Harry replied, "If I believed in everything I learned in Divination, I would be dead now."

Mr. Minister attempted to remain calm as he explained, "If you were taught Divination properly, you would have learned that it is an important tool to show us what the future may hold in store. By properly using Divination, you can prepare and reshape the outcome of the future.

"The reason you're here is an example. The boys in Washington determined that if something does not change, you will not survive your next confrontation with Lord Voldemort. The fate of Britain will then affect the whole world.

"Foreseeing that you would be obtaining your Apparation license in Victoria, we have decided to jointly train and supply you. This would better enable you to succeed in your upcoming confrontation. We have spared no expense, and you will be given the best of what we can give."

Irritated, Harry shot back, "What if I don't want to face Tom?"

A dark look cast over Mr. Minister's face as he explained, "With what we are going to give you, you can hide safely away anywhere in the world for a long time. However, his vendetta with you is personal. He will eventually find you. In the meantime, the world will fall into his hands."

Harry asked, "So that is it? You are just another party who wants to turn a seventeen year-old boy into a Dark Lord killer."

Mr. Minister growled back, "That is right! We are throwing hundreds of thousands of Galleons into training and equipping you the best we can. All of this is done to not only allow you to succeed, but to survive."

Pacing around the office, Mr. Minister continued, "Are you that selfish that you do not care what will happen to anyone else? Is there not one person in this whole world you would fight to save?" Picking up a picture off his desk, he shoved it in front of Harry. "This is my reason to fight. There is my wife, my baby boy and my two daughters."

Ashamed, Harry replied, "Yes, I have a girl who I would fight for. I know what you mean. If it is only a few days of training, I will do it."

Mr. Minister shared a pleased expression with Harry. "Come now, let's go get some lunch; you look like you haven't eaten anything in days."

Harry replied, "I haven't."

Mr. Minister took Harry to the cafeteria and paid for his meal. Harry ate a hearty portion of everything he took. Over the meal, the director explained, "Shortly after you disappeared, the Minister for Magic was assassinated. The Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge, stepped in and started making some drastic changes. She's released all of the prisoners from Azkaban. Today, Death Eater activity is running unchecked across the country. Crime is rampant and people are fleeing their homes. Many have come here to Canada. All embassies have closed and we have evacuated a few critical suppliers from Britain, like your Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes."

In between bites, Harry asked, "So Fred and George are fine? By the way, the store doesn't belong to me."

Mr. Minister answered, "Yes, Misters Weasley have been given a new location in Toronto where they are well protected. They told me that you were their principle investor."

Harry replied, "It was just a little bit of gold to get them started. What I gave them is nothing in comparison to what their business is worth today. Do they have any of their family with them?"

Mr. Minister solemnly shook his head. "Just two friends, Jordan and Spinnet."

"Do you know anything about the other Weasleys?" Harry asked.

The Minister inquired, "Like your girlfriend, Ginevra?"

Harry replied, "Yes… I mean, no. She is not my girlfriend anymore."

He looked unconvinced, but he replied, "Good. You should avoid attachments until your life gets under better control."

Irritated, Harry did not want to press the question. He did not want anyone to know he still cared for her, thinking it would endanger her.

After the meal, he took Harry down to the lab. In a small adjoining room, he directed Harry to sit down in a reclined chair, much like what Muggle dentists would use. However, this one had an ominous device pointing at where he would have laid his head.

Outside the door to his room, he heard the engineer arguing with Mr. Minister. "We are not ready for regular use. This is not a toy. It could kill him!"

Mr. Minister merely stated, "Without it, he is going to die anyway. We can start small with just simple high school knowledge and see how he does."

Returning to the room, the Director told Harry, "This is a new state-of-the-art training tool. The engineers here irreverently call it the 'Brain Blaster 2000'. Pensieves have been in use for some time, allowing people to extract and share memories. This machine will insert someone else's memories into you. Our research team has found a way to extract just the knowledge and leave the experience behind.

"The program we will be storing into your mind is our basic high school education curriculum. With this, you should do well on those… N.E.W.T.'s… you take there in Britain. In addition, you will understand how Divination works and how it is used.

"The procedure will take two hours. I'm going to get caught up on some other work and I will be right back."

When the Director returned, Harry was sitting on the floor meditating. The Engineer explained, "I didn't expect a skilled Occlumens when we designed this. He is now sorting through his new knowledge. Between the hyper-espressos and high sugars we gave him, he will be very hyper for the next few hours."

Harry continued the torture by Brain Blaster for a whole week. He became thoroughly knowledgeable in subjects from healing to stealth operations. At the end he had a spitting headache that would not go away. The engineer blamed it on the caffeine withdrawals. Harry was not convinced.

He could barely keep his concentration while another engineer tried to explain all of the gadgets and weapons they were stocking him with. They provided him a magical two-bedroom tent with all new technology in furnishings. As they were explaining the Fidelius stakes for the tent, Harry heard the familiar, "Step, clunk, step, clunk," of his former professor.

Harry casually turned around and asked, "Moody! What are you doing here?" The lab geeks in the room stopped what they were doing to greet the renowned Auror.

After Moody grudgingly shook hand with the staff, he asked, "Potter, what happened to your glasses?"

"Well, Healer Singleton fixed my eyes, so I don't need them anymore. Actually, she fixed the shape of my eye sockets in my skull. Either way, it did the trick. What brings you here? You are not here for me, are you?" Harry gave Moody a suspicious look.

Mad Eye jerked his ragged face with a nod. "Yes, Potter. Minister got a hold of me and arranged for me to complete your training. To do that, we have to go someplace secret."

Irritated, Harry protested, "What if I don't want to go?"

Moody growled, "What do you mean? Where else are you going to go?"

Attempting to be discrete, Harry looked around at the developers and whispered, "I have to find Ron and Hermione."

The engineer who had been helping Harry previously started to pack up the tent and gadgets into a backpack. The backpack was designed to hold everything he needed and yet look like he was a youth traveling the world on a shoestring budget.

Moody said, "They are gone."

"What?"

"They disappeared after the Burrow was attacked. We haven't seen them since."

Incredulously, Harry asked, "What happened at the Burrow? Is… Is everyone all right? Is it possible that Ron and Hermione were captured or killed?"

Looking at him with as much compassion as his scarred face could muster, Moody answered, "I can't tell you. Lupin is prepared to tell you everything when we get back."

Harry's insides were turning in grief. He wanted to know how everyone was doing, but he could not stop thinking about Ginny. He needed to know where she was. Was she all right? Eager to talk with Remus, Harry gathered up his things and said his good-byes. Despite the horrible week he had gone through, he managed to thank everyone, including McLoughlin and Dancing Dog.

Mr. Minister asked, "Please check in with us on occasion. We would like to know how you are doing and how well all of the tools work for you."

"Sure thing Mr. Minister, and thank you again for your help." Harry waved goodbye as he followed Mad Eye Moody out of the Government Building.

Once outside, Moody guided Harry over to where he had hitched up two Thestrals. Moody requested, "Lend me a hand, Potter."

With a wave of his wand, Harry carefully levitated Moody onto his Thestral. Moody growled at him, "Not that way! Someone could see you."

Harry replied, "Not while we are on this lawn. There is a Concealment Charm on this lawn and entry to the Canadian Department of Magic."

To remain vague, Moody instructed the Thestrals, "Take us back to where we came from." He figured anyone who was listening in would still not know where they were going.

The flight was quick and exhilarating, but Harry was too worried to enjoy it. When they arrived, they flew over Hogwarts and landed deep in the Forbidden Forest. At the edge of a clearing, Harry dismounted his Thestral and thanked it.

Moody complained constantly as he hopped off his flying beast.

As if he appeared out of nowhere, Remus embraced Harry in a firm hug. "Where have you been? We have been so worried about you."

"Profes… Erm, Remus, I'm fine. Aunt Petunia decided to drop me off at a summer camp run by Snape and Malfoy."

"What! And they didn't kill you?"

Harry answered, "When they were dissatisfied with my learning progress, they wanted to. Due to the protection magic from Aunt Petunia's presence, they had to wait until my birthday."

Remus shook his head and muttered something disgruntled under his breath. Guiding Harry into the clearing, Remus handed Harry a piece of paper that revealed the Fidelius Charm over the glade. The paper said, "We are hiding at Camp Padfoot." Looking around in astonishment, Harry noticed twenty tents nestled in the clearing. A small gathering area was left in the middle. He also noticed many people he knew from the Order were living in the tents. Many of the people waved to him warmly. The centaurs merely nodded.

Remus directed Harry into a simple small tent. "Harry, we should talk first." The inside of this tent looked like a simple wizarding tent. The tent looked like it was used for a meeting room. Maps were on the wall, and parchments were left scattered about.

"Thank you," Harry replied. He did not care what everyone thought at that point. He had to know. "Where is Ginny? How is she?"

Tonks was coming into the tent to greet Harry, but after she heard him ask that, she gave Remus a sympathetic look and ducked back out of the tent.

Looking sad, Remus suggested, "Sit down." He gestured to one of the many chairs in the tent.

Playing along, Harry pacified Remus by taking a seat. "All right? Tell me."

He sat next to Harry and explained, "The Burrow was attacked during Bill and Fleur's wedding. Nearly everyone escaped, but Ginny was taken. We tried to get her, but Voldemort personally had her. He disappeared from the fight as soon as he captured her. Rumor is that she is still alive. He really wants you."

Relieved that he was sitting at the time, Harry clutched his arms across his chest and bent over in his chair. "Oh, no… No! I was so stupid." Suddenly, he sat up, wiping the tears off his face. "I have to find her and get her back!"

"You can't," Remus insisted. "We don't know where she is, and even if we did know, they're using her as bait. We can't risk you getting caught, too."

"We can't just leave her!"

Remus countered, "We have tried. We are still looking. She has not been forgotten. We are doing everything we can to find and rescue her."

Breathing deeply, Harry tried to come to reason. "What about Ron and Hermione? Where are they? Are they safe?"

Again, Remus' shoulders sagged as he reported, "We haven't seen them since the battle either."

Harry closed his eyes and shook his head in despair. "Have you tried Hermione's parents' house?"

For the third time, Remus had to sadly report, "They had died a few days afterwards and their house was destroyed in yet another Death Eater attack. Hermione and Ron were not there. That actually gives us hope. If the Death Eaters are still looking for them, then they may have safety escaped.

We are not the only ones looking for them. The Ministry has wanted posters with pictures of you, Ron and Hermione all over the country. They want you three on charges of aiding and abetting the escape of Sirius Black."

Harry's heart ached for Hermione as he considered her loss. "What about the other Weasleys?"

Remus reported, "Arthur, Molly, Bill, Fleur, Fred and George are all in hiding somewhere in France. They are out of contact. Arthur and Fred were injured badly during the fight."

Harry informed him, "Fred, George, Lee and Alicia are safe in Canada. What about Charlie and Percy?"

Remus answered, "Charlie, Fleur's uncle Claude Delacour, and Bill's best mate, Jack Sparky, died during the battle. Something worse happened to Percy."

Confused, Harry asked, "What?"

With a deep sour look, Remus spat out, "Percy helped Voldemort and the Death Eaters get through the wards protecting the Burrow. He betrayed his own family. Now, their home is destroyed."

Harry had to close his eyes and concentrate on breathing slowly. Fury burned within him as he learned of Percy's ultimate betrayal for power.

Remus did his best to console Harry. "You can stay in this tent. There is a washroom and loo behind that door."

Harry gave Remus a short sad smile for his thoughtfulness. "That's all right, Remus. The Canadians equipped me with a tent to sleep in." Harry pointed to the tent strapped to the bottom of his pack.

Doubtful, Remus asked, "Are you sure you still don't want to stay in here? That tent doesn't look too comfortable."

Harry assured him, "It will do."

Remus guided him outside to an empty space in the crowded camp.

Tonks approached him eagerly, "Wotcher, Harry! You had us worried you were dead. Where have you been?" She gave him a short hug and a slap in the arm.

Harry forced a smile and gloomily answered, "I have survived two different curriculums on 'How to Kill Your Favorite Dark Lord'. One was given by Snape and the other by the Canadians and the Yanks. Well, the Canadians mostly; the Yanks only helped financially."

He continued with his work of rolling out his tent. As Harry inserted the stakes, the tent disappeared for Remus and Tonks. Noticing their confusion, Harry pulled out a piece of paper from his wallet and handed it to them.

The paper said, "Harry's tent is made in China." After they read the paper, the tent reappeared before them. They also remembered what they were doing there, as the Fidelius Charm was revealed.

On the outside, it looked like a worn out pup tent. On the inside, it was a brand new spacious two bedroom flat with everything he would need, including a self-stocking refrigerator and pantry. The appliances and furniture were all Muggle remakes. Tonks eyes lit up as she noticed the large, flat-screen telly, phone and dishwasher. The walls even had light switches.

Harry invited them to stay for dinner, which they accepted. Luckily, the Brain Blaster did not have to program him how to cook. Years of tending to the Dursleys gave him a thorough knowledge of Muggle culinary techniques. Tonks showed him some magic spells that made some cooking tasks easier. The magic oven was the highlight. Once you set the recipe time and temperature, the food was done.

Picking at his food, Harry was too depressed to eat. Remus and Tonks eagerly cleaned their plates.

Noticing Harry's mood, Remus suggested, "Why don't you get some sleep. We have a full day of work tomorrow. You will need to get up early."

After Remus and Tonks left, Fawkes flamed into the room. He flew around and perched on top of one of the lamps. Through telepathy, Fawkes told Harry that he would like to be his companion. Honored, he accepted. Fawkes sang a little while allowing him to forget about some of his worries.

The next morning, Harry was woken up by an excited white owl stepping on his face.

"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed. "How did you find me? Oh… Look at you. You must have flown all the way across North America and the Atlantic to get here. I'm so happy to see you." Hedwig gave Fawkes a stern look. Harry explained, "Fawkes is my companion now. Well, to the both of us."

Hedwig slighted Harry by turning away.

Harry tried to comfort her. "Hedwig, I am not replacing you. You will always be my owl. Fawkes is a phoenix. He is, in no way, taking your spot. There is no reason why you should be jealous or upset."

Hedwig fluttered off the bed and perched on top of his dresser. Harry fed her and gave her water. "Don't fly very far. I want you to rest. I have a message for you to deliver in a few days."

Harry cleaned up and prepared for his training. He knew it would include physical training, so he put on some lightweight clothes and trainers. When he left the tent, Moody growled, "What took you so long? What time is it?"

Looking at his multi-function wristwatch, Harry answered, "Only eight o'clock."

Mad-Eye snapped, "Exactly! The sun has been up for two hours already. From now on, you will be out before sunrise. We will start with some stretching." Moody gave Harry a potion that allowed his muscles to grow quickly as he used them. Harry did many exercises and endurance training.

Harry welcomed the hard physical exertion because it distracted him from thinking about Ginny. The training changed over the course of the next few days. He started working on martial arts and swordsmanship. Harry also learned how to channel his magic to enhance his strength and endurance.

Each night, he went to bed physically drained and exhausted. However, he still had difficulties sleeping. One night, Fawkes asked him why he kept worrying himself sick over her.

Harry answered, "She is my happiness and my comfort. She is somewhere out there alone, afraid and in danger." Harry struggled with the words, yet he added, "I love her, and I'm afraid I will never see her again."

Fawkes told him to get out of bed and get dressed to go get her.

There were many logical questions Harry wanted to ask, but he did not. He quickly dressed and gathered his equipment.

Fawkes hovered in the air and beckoned Harry to grab his tail feather.

Harry grabbed his tail feather and they flashed out of the tent.

When they reappeared, Harry found himself in a cold, dank cell. In the light of the flame travel when they arrived, he thought he saw a red haired girl curled up in a ball against the far wall.

As his eyes started to adjust to the dim light filtering in from under the door, the door opened up. A young man strode into the cell wearing only a bathrobe.

"Happy Birthday, Ginny. I have a present for you," the jailer said. He opened up his robe, making her stiffen and cry.

From behind the door, Harry heard enough. He shut the door, causing the jailer to turn around in alarm. Harry then plunged his fist into the jailer's surprised face, sending him flying against the wall. Harry recognized the jailer as Marcus Flint.

Marcus definitely recognized Harry. He pulled out his wand, but he was too late to sound an alarm.

Harry snapped his neck with a strategically placed kick to the chin. He picked up Marcus's wand and stored it in his pocket. Reaching out his hand to Ginny, he said, "Come on."

Ginny's hollow eyes were full of distrust as she shook her head.

Firmly, Harry ordered her, "TAKE MY HAND!"

Reluctantly, she reached out her hand in compliance.

Grabbing her hand, Harry pulled her close and held on to her tightly. His arm wrapped around her back, hugging her body against his. A loud siren screamed, and footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door. With his other hand, he reached up and grabbed Fawkes's tail feather, and they flashed out of the cell.