Albus Dumbledore sat in his comfortable chair behind his large mahogany desk thinking about the visit he would be making to Grimmauld Place later this afternoon. It was August 1st and looking at the clock on his office wall he knew the Order would be picking up Harry and Remus any minute now.
He found he was troubled by the new relationship Harry shared with his parent's friend and last true Marauder. The loss of control he was beginning to experience over the last Potter weighed heavily on his mind and he knew he needed to do something soon before things got out of hand and it was completely gone.
Lost in his musings of what he needed to do, he failed to notice Minerva entering his office until she was standing in front of his desk.
"Hello Minerva." he said quickly regaining control of his faculties. As he took in the appearance of his transfiguration professor he could tell she was clearly upset about something.
"Albus, I've just received Mr. Potters reply to the letters we sent out last week."
Dumbledore's eyes lit up with amusement. "Ahh Minerva, am I to assume Mr. Potter failed to list the classes he wishes to take?" He chuckled internally and grinned at the look of consternation and the scowl that appeared on his Deputy Headmistress's face.
"No he did not list the classes he wishes to take Albus." she snipped back at him. "In fact I think since you seem to find this so amusing you should read what he did send back."
Reaching across the desk Albus accepted the letter she offered him and began to read.
Professor McGonagall,
Thank you for showing your faith in me by asking me to be the Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor. I regret that I will not be able to accept the position as I will not be attending Hogwarts this year. On that note, please do not expect my class list to be returned.
Once again, thank you Professor,
Harry Potter
Dumbledore sat up straight in his chair as he read the letter which now had his full attention. He noticed another note on the parchment below Harry's.
Headmaster Dumbledore and Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,
This letter is to inform you that Harry Potter will not be attending Hogwarts for his sixth year. As his magical guardian I hereby withdraw him from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Sincerely,
Remus Lupin
Albus heard a gasp and saw Minerva take a step back from the desk making him realize he had become so angry he had let his control slip. Quickly bringing his aura under control and schooling his features he addressed his deputy head.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention Minerva. The Order is taking Harry and Remus to Grimmauld place today so I will have a talk with him this afternoon and straighten this mess out. I assure you that you will have your Quidditch Captain this year." He smiled as he spoke and let his eyes twinkle just a little bit brighter calming Minerva who let out a breath she had been holding.
After nodding to the headmaster she turned to leave when Tonks and Moody rushed into the office. Albus smile and twinkle slipped away as he took in their anxious looks. He had a feeling he knew what was coming.
"Albus, the boy and Remus are gone. They left yesterday afternoon." Moody said in a gruff voice.
"Tonks." Dumbledore said sternly turning to the young auror. "You were supposed to be on watch yesterday afternoon. What happened?"
Tonks swallowed heavily not enjoying having the stern gaze of the headmaster fall on her. "Not much sir. I was in the front yard all day and Jones was watching the back. Remus left for a little while in the morning but was back before lunch. Harry never left. I checked with the guards who took over and they never saw Harry or Remus leave."
Albus was fuming inside at the perceived loss of his pawn. He had to be found immediately and Remus would have to be dealt with. "Call an emergency Order meeting. Have Hermione, Ron and Ginny attend. He's in a great deal of danger, we must find him and bring him back to Grimmauld place where we can protect him."
Hermione was sitting in the library at Grimmauld place studying when a familiar snowy owl flew in through an open window and dropped a letter on the table in front of her before flying off through the door leading to the hallway.
She grinned widely as she recognized the messy handwriting of one of the people she cared about the most in the world. Hermione quickly opened the letter, excited about what it might contain.
Dear Hermione,
Thank you so much for the books you got me for my birthday. I've already spent some time looking through them and have found several spells I can't wait to try out, so thanks.
I wish this letter held only good news but I'm afraid it doesn't. I won't be coming to Grimmauld Place this summer and will not be returning to Hogwarts for my sixth year. I'm sorry Hermione, you are one of the most important people in my life and I hate to think that I won't be able to see you for a long time but I need to do this. Hedwig is the only owl that will be able to find me so if you need to you can send a letter with her.
Please don't be angry with me I promise I will see you again. Take care of yourself Hermione.
With love,
Harry
Hermione's smile as she began reading the letter quickly changed to one of sadness and tears formed in her eyes as she finished. After reading the letter several times she wiped the tears from her face and left the library to find Ron and Ginny.
Ron and Ginny were engaged in a game of chess in the drawing room when Hedwig flew in from the entrance hall and dropped a pair of letters in the middle of their game causing the chess pieces to grumble and swear at the owl. Picking up their letters they quickly tore them open.
Ron,
Hey mate. Thanks for the quidditch posters I plan on putting them to good use in my new room. Actually that brings me to why I'm writing. I'm sorry but I won't be coming to Grimmauld Place this summer and won't be going back to Hogwarts this year. Sorry mate, you're the best friend a guy could have and I hate to think I won't be able to see you for a long time but I have to do this. If you want to send me a letter Hedwig is the only owl that will be able to find me.
Take care of yourself and watch over Hermione and Ginny.
Harry
"Bloody Hell." Ron muttered as he finished reading the letter. Hearing sniffles he looked up to see tears streaming down the face of his sister.
Dearest Ginny,
I can't even begin to thank you enough for the wonderful gift you've given me for my birthday. I haven't taken it off since I put it on. I find myself holding it often the warm and familiar feelings reminding me of you. Thank you.
I've really enjoyed writing to you too this summer. It's meant a lot to me to be able to get to know you better which is why I regret that I won't be able to keep in as good a touch with you from now on. I'm sorry Gin, but I won't be coming to Grimmauld Place for the rest of the summer. I will also not be going to Hogwarts this year. Please don't be mad at me Gin. Of all the people I won't be able to see this year I will miss you the most.
If you want to write back, Hedwig is the only owl that will be able to find me. If you don't want to its ok, I understand.
With love,
Harry
Sobs escaped her throat as Ginny finished reading the letter from Harry. Looking up from the piece of parchment she saw Ron looking at her with concern. Unable to bear it she ran from the room with the letter clutched tightly in her hand passing a distraught Hermione on her way out.
"Ron!" Hermione said as she entered the room to see Ginny running the other way.
"I know." he said sullenly.
"Why Ron? Why?" she sobbed.
"I don't know, but when I find him I'm gonna kill him."
It took the pair a while but when they were finally able to calm down enough they both wrote letters to Harry before going to check on Ginny.
Ginny sat at her desk crying softly. She had received several letters from Dean as well as Harry all summer but it was the ones from Harry that she had eagerly anticipated and looked forward to the most. After all the years of watching him from the sidelines, dreaming they could be something more, he had finally taken an interest in her. She had read each of his letters more times than she could count and it thrilled her to see in his words that they were finally becoming closer. And now, he had left.
Continuing to wipe the tears from her eyes she wrote him what she hoped wouldn't be their final letter.
Dear Harry,
I hope you are well wherever you are. I wish I could say everyone here is fine but I would be lying. They're not fine, I'm not fine.
I miss you Harry. The best part of my summer has been writing to you and getting your letters. I loved getting to know you better and couldn't wait for you to come here so I could see you again. There are so many more things I wanted to know about you and wanted to tell you about myself and now you're going away and I won't even get to see you at Hogwarts. I'm sorry Harry, I don't mean to sound like this but I wish you were here.
I don't know what else to say, I miss you, please take care of yourself and write back.
All my love,
Ginny
After reading her finished letter through a final time she placed it in an envelope writing 'Harry Potter' on the front. She had just finished when she heard Hedwig tapping on her window and opened it to let her in. Before Ginny could give the owl her letter there was a knocking on her door. Opening it she was greeted by Hermione and Ron.
"Are you ok Ginny?" asked a concerned and upset Hermione.
Ginny sniffed and wiped some more tears from her face. "No." she barely managed to get out.
The older girl pulled her into a hug and they were quickly joined by Ron. After several minutes they finally separated.
"Have you seen Hedwig Gin?" Ron asked. "We wrote Harry some letters."
Ginny pointed to her desk chair where the beautiful snowy owl was perched. "Yes, she's here." She then held up her own letter. "I was just about to give her mine."
Approaching the owl they found she had a single letter she was holding tightly. They could see it was addressed to the Order but she wouldn't let them have it. After tying their letters to her other leg she hooted fondly at them and flew out the window.
After lunch a full Order meeting was held and three distraught teens could be found sitting at the table across from Albus Dumbledore. As he began the meeting the normal twinkle he wore in his eyes was completely missing.
"I apologize for asking you all here on such short notice but a situation has come up that must be addressed immediately. Harry Potter is missing."
Gasps and murmuring was heard all around the table at the news. It was several minutes before the chatter died down enough for Dumbledore to continue. "We know he was at Privet Drive yesterday but he has disappeared since then. Earlier today Minerva and I received a letter telling us he would not be attending Hogwarts this year. It is critical that we find him as soon as possible. He is in grave danger and must be brought here where we can protect him."
The murmuring was just starting again when Hedwig flew in the room and dropped a letter in front of the Headmaster. Acting quickly he aimed his wand at the owl and cast a tracking spell on her.
Hedwig felt a spell hit as she was flying out of the window. Instead of returning to Harry she turned around and flew back in the house landing in front of Ginny and holding out her leg on which was attached three letters. After Ginny removed them she flew across the room landing on Hagrid's shoulder where she glared at Dumbledore.
The old man sighed internally as Hedwig landed on Hagrid's shoulder and glared at him. Shaking his head he returned to the matter at hand. She would return to Harry eventually he thought.
Looking at the letters Ginny quickly realized they were not replies but the three letters her, Hermione and Ron had written to Harry that morning.
"Are those letters from Harry?" Dumbledore asked the young witch.
Ginny shook her head. "No, we" she said gesturing towards Hermione and Ron, "wrote these to Harry this morning. Why won't she take them? Harry said she would."
"I'm sorry Ms. Weasley but I had to place a tracking charm on Hedwig and it would appear she's not happy about it."
The three teens tried to protest so that Hedwig would deliver their letters but their arguments fell on deaf ears. Finally waving off all of the children's arguments about Hedwig he opened the letter she had delivered to him and began to read.
To the Order of the Phoenix,
Thank you for watching out for me in the past. I'm sorry that I will not be able to join you all at Grimmauld place for the rest of the summer but rest assured I am safe and no longer require your protection. Please don't waste your valuable resources looking for me. Remus and I have recently inherited the Black Estate and would like you all to know that you are welcome to continue using the house for as long as you need too.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
Dumbledore gritted his teeth working hard to suppress the anger he was feeling at the rapidly deteriorating situation and maintain his calm exterior. After reading the letter to the assembled Order members he turned to the three teens in front of him.
"I understand you each received letters from Mr. Potter. Did he mention anything that might help us locate him?" He spoke in a stern tone causing the three to flinch involuntarily.
"No sir, he only said he wouldn't be coming here or to Hogwarts and said he was sorry." Hermione said through her sniffles. Ron and Ginny quickly verified her statement.
He didn't really need to hear her answer. While they were talking he had entered their minds and read the letters for himself.
Snape finally spoke up his voice filled with loathing and disgust for Harry. "I don't think we should waste our valuable time on the brat. If he thinks he's too good for us then let him run off and get himself killed."
The room immediately went wild with shouts of anger directed at the spy. Pulling his wand Dumbledore let out a loud bang getting everyone's attention. "I'm afraid that will not be possible Severus. Harry is important to our cause and we need to find him."
"And just what makes the golden boy of Gryffindor so valuable to our cause?" said a sneering Professor Snape.
Albus smiled internally as the conversation turned in the direction he had intended it too. "I was hoping I would not have to tell you this but it is because of the prophecy."
"You mean the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries?" Amelia Bones asked.
"Yes, the very one."
"But it was destroyed during the fighting and no one was able to hear it over the noise." Hermione said.
Dumbledore sighed. "The prophecy was originally given to me. I placed my memory of it in a pensieve and showed it to Harry after the battle. I'm afraid that may be why he has run away."
"You know what it says? And Harry knows?" Hermione said softly.
"Yes, and I think it's time to share it with the rest of you." Taking a deep breath he continued. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."
After repeating the false prophecy to the Order he gave them several minutes to digest the new information. Looks of horror appeared on various faces and several of the women were crying. Brian Goldman however was looking at his grandfather with a mixture of shock, understanding and a bit of disgust.
"So you see we need to find Harry. He is the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord."
As the meeting ended Dumbledore gave everyone their assignments holding Severus back until everyone had left the kitchen. Casting a security spell on the room he addressed his spy.
"I need you to keep an especially close eye on Voldemort and his inner circle. I need to know immediately if they begin looking for Harry or have any idea where he might be."
"Very well Headmaster." he said and with a swish of his cloak he left the room.
After dropping his security charms he left the kitchen to be confronted by his grandson in the hallway.
"We need to talk." Brian said before leading Albus to a room off the entrance hall.
Once again Dumbledore cast his security charms before speaking. "I assume this is about the prophecy?"
"You're bloody well right it's about the prophecy! What the hell was that garbage you were spouting off in there? How could you do that to Harry or the rest of the Potter's for that matter?" Brian raged.
Dumbledore's face looked like it was made of stone and there was no twinkle in his eyes as he spoke. "That 'garbage' is what has kept you alive all these years. That 'garbage' was prophesized as well. What exactly did you think 'cost of the innocent' meant in your prophecy?"
"It doesn't matter. It's not right. We can't do this to him. Don't you realize that Voldemort will stop at nothing to kill him because of your lies?"
Placing a hand on Brian's shoulder he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We don't have a choice, our path is set. Your destiny was prophesized and this is part of that prophecy being fulfilled. What we do we do for the good of all wizards. Their sacrifice is necessary and their deaths are not in vain. They will help secure our future and that of the wizarding world.
Brian couldn't believe what he was hearing from his grandfather. A man he had always looked up to, a role model he had patterned his life after. His mind began grasping at straws desperately wanting to find a reason for his actions and behavior. He wanted so badly to believe Albus was under the influence of a spell or potion but he knew it was just wishful thinking, this had been going on for far too many years for that to be the case.
"I don't even understand why this was necessary at all, grandfather. The prophecy was made before I was born and you were the only one who knew of its existence. Why did you do this at all? Why did you feel the need to change it when it was already hidden?"
"I'm afraid that was my fault." Dumbledore said closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. After taking a deep breath he continued. "I met with my brother in a room at the Hogshead Pub during Voldemort's first reign. I felt I needed help in figuring out what the prophecy meant. I had just told him the first line when I realized there was someone listening through the door. In a flash it hit me what the part about 'the cost of the innocents' meant and I quickly changed the second line. I stopped after that and said someone was listening and they immediately ran off. With my new understanding of what the prophecy meant I no longer needed Aberforth's help and to keep us all safe I Obliviated him. I then kept an eye out for someone to fulfill the criteria of the prophecy I made up. Two children were born at the end of July who also had parents that fit, Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. I protected them both but it was the Potter's the Dark Lord went after. Lily was always a very clever girl. She apparently placed a special and ancient protection spell on Harry when they went in to hiding which protected him from the killing curse. When I found him alive I had no choice but to rewrite the rest of the prophecy to fit him and protect him for what was to come."
Brian was stunned. He couldn't believe the lengths Albus was willing to go to for this. It was now clear to him there was no changing his mind about this and he wasn't sure what could be done about it anyway. He wished he knew where Harry was so that he could talk to him and tell him everything.
"I guess we don't have a choice anymore." Brian said having no other option.
After leaving Grimmauld Place Severus Snape apperated away reappearing in a graveyard not far from Riddle Manor. He quickly made his way in to the house passing through the dingy corridors and up the stairs until he came to the Dark Lord's study where he knocked on the door.
"Enter." a voice hissed from the other side.
Entering the study he found Voldemort alone sitting behind his desk. Closing the door behind him he approached the desk and bowed deeply. "My Lord."
Waving his wand Voldemort cast several security spells on the room before speaking. "What news do you bring be Severus?"
"I have just come from a meeting of Dumbledore's Order. It seems the Potter boy and the Werewolf Lupin have gone missing and they have been unable to locate them so far. He also told us of the prophecy concerning the boy."
Voldemort's eyes lit up at the news. "He told you the prophecy?"
"Yes my lord. 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies'. Dumbledore also wants me to keep a close eye on you and the inner circle and notify him of anything concerning Potter."
The Dark Lord sat back thinking about this interesting turn of events. "Does he still trust you and believe you are his spy within my ranks?"
"Yes. He has no doubts that I fight for the light." Severus replied with an evil grin.
"Excellent. I want it known to everyone that Potter is not to be touched or looked for. For now let the old man think we do not yet know of Potter's disappearance. In time we will let him think we are looking for the boy as well."
Severus was confused as to why they would not be looking for Potter but let it go. "As you wish my Lord." Bowing once again he left the room.
-
AN: Your reviews are awesome! Thank you all!
I'll bet that last part got your attention! Smirks! My outline keeps changing slightly as I make small changes along the way but is still set to come in at 30 chapters. I really do like Dumbledore as a character in the books and love that Rowling let some of his power out in the last one I just also enjoy twisting his character for this fic. I think I've made him a bit more evil than I had originally intended but oh well, its fun! Harry may not be going to school at Hogwarts but that doesn't mean he won't be going back to Hogwarts. Author grins evilly, you'll have to wait for chapter 12 to know what I'm talking about.
The Owls: Very large grins! Special mention to Shadowed Rains, Fabi and Gandalf Lyonn who caught that I missed Herbology in the owl letter. I actually knew about that when I posted it. Grins. I didn't feel like reinventing the scoring again so I copied that letter out of one of my other stories (chp. 1 of The Potion Masters Gift) and noticed when I was copying it that I had accidentally left that class off. It hit me as funny that no one caught it in the reviews for that story so I left it to see if it would get caught here and got busted! Nice one guys! (Gandalf Lyonn, that's a brilliant idea by the way, unfortunately I'm too lazy to go back and implement it. I'd rather spend the time it would take on a new chapter. Absolutely brilliant though!)
Pairing update for SeleneA: Ha, Ha, Ha…
I think this chapter addressed most of the rest of your comments and questions though several that weren't will be addressed in the next one, of course feel free to owl or email me if there's anything you want to know that I didn't put here. The next chapter may take me just a bit longer to crank out as I will be introducing Kaela Moore and want it to be done right, plus I have some other things going on this weekend and wont be able to mess with it much. As always thanks for all your reviews and keep them coming! You're all doing a great job of keeping me motivated!