CHAPTER19: The Best-Laid Plans

It came on as suddenly as it always did. Dudley blinked as he felt the queasiness sink in. He got up from the lunch table he was sitting at with his mates and marched over to the teachers' table.

"Mr. Lupin," he said flatly. Remus looked up with a smile. He'd been joking with Constance and an English teacher about something.

"Yes, Mr. Dursley? How can I help you?"

"I wanted to ask a question about something sir," Dudley said. "About what you were talking about at Christmas." Remus froze, smile slipping away.

"Of course," he said seriously. Then he turned back to the teachers, excusing himself. As soon as they were in a secluded area Dudley stopped them.

"You have to go to Hogwarts tonight."

"Is it that bad?" Remus asked in horror.

"No." Dudley admitted, "but that makes me even more worried. After all, I only seem to be able to do this kinda thing when Harry's involved. Maybe he'll be fine, but I also feel like something awful is gonna happen to someone else." Dudley explained before looking at Remus with a worried frown. "I know it's not much more than a hunch-"

"Your hunches tend to be rather worryingly accurate Dudley." Remus insisted. "I'll head there after dinner. I'll ask Dora to come as well if she isn't summoned by the order." Dudley smiled gratefully.

"Thank you so much, Remus. That really puts me at ease." Dudley said. The queasiness suddenly spiked and he grimaced. But then it went down again. Dudley sighed. "Whatever Harry is up to, it's gonna be one heck of a ride."

Harry furiously dug around in his trunk. Dumbledore had sent him a note earlier in the day telling him to meet him outside the school.

Hed found one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.

Harry swore under his breath and he searched for that little bottle. After he'd used that small sip last week to get Slughorn to finally give up his memory it had seemed so unimportant in his potion-induced urgency.

"Harry." Sirius began as he stood in the doorway, blocking his godson's exit.

"Have you seen my Felix Felices?" Harry asked worriedly. "I swear I tossed it in here but I-" Sirius withdrew the bottle from his pocket. "Great!" he reached to take it but Sirius drew it back.

"What are you going to do with it?" he asked quietly.

"I… I don't know why," Harry began, "but I've got a bad feeling about tonight."

"As do i." Sirius agreed.

"I was gonna give it to my friends."

"Don't go."

Harry froze.

"What?" he demanded.

"You heard me," Sirius said with a harsh glower. "You say you feel like something bad is going to happen. I agree. You need to leave."

"I am leaving," Harry said with confusion. "Dumbledore and I are going to get the Horcrux-"

"You misunderstand." Sirius said with a frown, "I think you should go back to Privet Drive."

"What?" Harry said in horror. "But Sirius! This is my job! The prophecy says-"

"To hell with the prophecy!" Sirius snapped. Then he took a deep breath. "That blasted prophecy got two of my best friends killed. And I won't stand by and let their son die too." Harry's face hardened.

"I'm sorry Sirius. But I'm going." he grabbed the bottle from Sirius's hand. Then he pulled the cork off. "Drink some."

"No," Sirius said coldly.

"Sirius," Harry began with a whine.

"I won't. I can take care of myself. You, however, need luck now more than ever. You drink it."

"Sirius…" Harry said weakly. But his godfather refused to move until Harry took a single small mouthful. Unlike the last time, he didn't feel lighter or more confident. The apprehension did lessen a little bit. But the lingering worry remained. "Promise you'll be safe?"

"As long as you promise to do the same." Sirius insisted. Harry nodded. And finally, Sirius moved out of the way. Harry moved quickly making a stop in the common room, shoving the bottle in Ron Hermione and Neville's hands and demanding they eat take a small sip. Then he jogged down the stairs. Susan was waiting on the landing.

"You're leaving?" she asked. Harry ran into her arms and gave her a forceful kiss.

"Drink this," he demanded, thrusting the little bottle into her hand. There was just enough left for one last sip. Susan looked at it before she gave Harry a worried frown. "Please just trust me, Susan."

"I do," she said before taking that final sip. Once she did he gave him another kiss. "Be safe."

"I will," Harry promised. "But honestly how bad could it be? I'll be with dumbledore. Everything will be fine."

"Harry!" Sirius suddenly shouted from the stairs.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted back in slight horror "what are you-"

"No time for charades now." Sirius insisted before he thrust a ball of shimmery fabric into his hands. "Almost forgot your cloak." Harry blinked as he took it and chuckled.

"Lucky you caught me," he said with a grin.

"Lucky indeed," Sirius said with a snort. He gave Harry one last pleading look before he sighed "go." Harry nodded, leaving Susan and Sirius on that landing. Susan twisted her hands together and bit her lip.

"He's gonna be okay…" she paused, "right?" Sirius didn't respond as Harry turned around a corner and out of sight.

Harry sped down the hall, stuffing his invisibility cloak into his pocket as he did. He couldn't keep Dumbledore waiting any longer than he already had.

"Potter!" Snape barked as he turned a corner. Harry winced.

"Professor Snape!" he called back, but continued walking "Sorry! Dumbledore asked me to meet him and I'm already late-"

"Stop." the man snapped. Harry froze and turned to him with a worried frown.

"I'm really sorry sir but it really cant wait. Dumbledore and I-"

"I am aware of where you are heading," Snape said as he caught up to Harry, folding his arms domineeringly. Harry blinked at him. Really? Dumbledore had told him? He said it was top secret. "Vaguely." Snape finished, pursing his lips sourly in a way that made him look rather humorously like Harry's aunt. "You must endeavour to be extra careful on this little adventure." Snape insisted before he sniffed, "regrettably I cannot be around to remind you to not be a dunderhead." despite the insult Harry smiled.

"I'll try not to be, sir," Harry said before he looked down at his watch and grimaced. "I'm really sorry sir, but I have to go," he said before continuing in the direction hed been travelling.

"Harry there is something we must discuss-" Snape began, shouting after him.

"We'll talk later!" Harry cried back before dashing around the corner and beginning the trek down the stairs and across the long bridge to the front gates.

"Harry my boy." Dumbledore said, peering over his half-moon spectacles at the teen, "you took a rather long time."

"I had some stuff to do." Harry explained away, "then professor Snape stopped me in the halls. He was-" Harry paused and smiled a bit. "I guess he was worried about me." Dumbledore smiled.

"It is nice to hear that the two of you have reconciled," Dumbledore said before he looked out to the lake, glowing red in the sinking sun. "I always believed that you could be great friends if you looked past your differences."

"I don't know about friends," Harry argued. Dumbledore laughed.

"No I suppose not." the headmaster agreed. Then he rose his wand. The gates swung open with a flourish and the man took a few steps until they were at last beyond the anti-apparition wards surrounding Hogwarts. Then he flicked his wand again and gates rather ominously clanged shut behind Harry. Then the old man held out his blackened hand in a gesture so like that summer day that seemed forever ago. "Enough dallying I think. Into the lion's den." Harry nodded. With a dizzying swirl, they were gone, unbeknownst to the fact that in those few moments they had spoken, death eaters had infiltrated Hogwarts. But Hogwarts was miles away for them, and besides...

They would soon have troubles of their own.

A/N: Another kinda short chapter today, but it's also an important buffer.

A while back I coined the term 'everything is worse with context'

And it most definitely applies here.

There is so much angst coming...

Rori Potter: Harry's troubles are far from over. but yeah, I love writing Ron. He is so pragmatic when he needs to be. As long as he keeps a level head.

Only 2 more chapters left!

Happy holidays!

Stay Safe this year.

Dont's forget to keep on reading!

-TTC