Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the Potter-verse. Everything you recognise belongs to the magnificent Ms Rowling. I do, however own any characters you don't recognise.

A/N: I'm sorry! I just haven't had either the inspiration, or the time to write much. I only got this chapter finished because I felt really guilty, and had a free morning. I'm not sure how fast I'll get the next chapter up; it'll most likely be slow still.

Thanks for everyone who has reviewed, they make me happy :D


Fulfilling Prophecies

Chapter thirteen

"It was the middle of March, and I got called into Dumbledore's office. I didn't expect to see my muggle aunt and uncle standing there, looking absolutely terrified, along with my squib neighbour, Mrs. Figg."


Flashback

Harry was shocked to see his aunt and uncle in Dumbledore's office, it was the last thing he'd expected when Professor McGonagall told him he had to go see the Headmaster.

Looking at the haunted and terrified expressions on their faces, and the nervous and worried one that Mrs Figg was wearing, Harry felt a cold feeling travel through his body. Whatever the reason for their being here, it couldn't be good.

"Sir?" Dumbledore looked up at his student's querying tone. There was no trace of the twinkle in his eyes now. "What are they doing here? Is something wrong?" Harry's attitude changed slightly with the presence of the Dursley's. He reverted to a slightly meeker version of himself, more like he was when he stayed at Privet Dr over the summer. He still held his confidence though, they were at his home now, he wasn't going to be insulted or ignored by them here.

"Perhaps it would be best if you sit down Harry?" It spoke of the seriousness of the situation that Albus didn't offer one of his lemon drops. "About half an hour ago I received a rather urgent call from Mrs Figg saying that there were Death Eaters at Privet Drive." Harry breathed in sharply, he may not particularly like or get on with his family, but he didn't want any harm to come to them. And if Voldemort had found a way to get through the wards…

As if sensing his thoughts, Dumbledore explained further. "They could not breach the wards, but they knew where the wards began. Both your aunt and uncle were inside, and your cousin was off outside with his friends. Fortunately Mrs Figg noticed and was able to alert the Order, as well as make warn Mr and Mrs Dursley to stay inside the house."

Harry noticed that no mention was made of Dudley. It was him, something had happened to his cousin. "What happened to Dudley?" Harry spoke softly, but it caused a large reaction from his aunt and uncle. Petunia, who had previously been crying quietly, let out great big sobs and buried her face in her handkerchief. Vernon, his face betraying anger, stood and faced Harry.

"This is your fault! You and your freak friends! My Dudley doesn't deserve what is happening to him, he is normal and a good boy, not like you!" Vernon's voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "you better pray that Dudley gets back safe and sound, or you'll pay for it."

Not wanting to put up with his uncle's threats on his own turf, but shocked by what was happening, Harry pulled out his wand and cast a muting charm on the man. It didn't shut him up completely, but it did dull the sound a little, and had the pleasant side effect of calming emotions down a little as well. Deciding to ignore his uncle for the moment, Harry turned to his headmaster to find out what had happened to his cousin.

"Your cousin was in the park, he stood no chance of getting away when the Death Eaters appeared and surrounded him and his friends. It seems their main objective was to capture Dudley and take him back to Tom, but while one of them did so, the others focussed on your cousin's friends." Seeing the terrified and guilty expression on Harry's face, the old man continued on quickly, "They are all going to be all right, though two of them will be spending a few weeks in St Mungo's. The Order members managed to show up fairly quickly and the Death Eaters apparated away at the first sign of resistance."

"What is being done to find Dudley?" Harry asked, hoping that there was still hope for his cousin. Petunia lifted her head at the concern she heard in her nephew's voice, and Vernon looked a little less angry at the question.

"Before they left, one of the Death Eaters left us a message. He said, 'Our Lord says that only by following their connection can Potter find his cousin, and only when he does will the boy be returned.' We tried to follow their apparition trail, but it was masked and led us around in circles. I'm afraid we have no way of knowing where Dudley is being held."

Frowning, Harry said "what does he mean follow the connection? I assume he was talking about my scar, but how would that help?"

Dumbledore, too, was confused by the message, though he was wary of admitting it, particularly in front of all those gathered. "Perhaps you could guide Mrs Figg and your aunt and uncle to the hospital wing for now. Once you are back we can discuss what needs to be done. Mrs Figg, if you would be so kind as to stay with them and help make sure the Dursley's are all right?"

Seeing Harry's uncertainty at having to lead his magic-hating relatives through the halls of Hogwarts, Dumbledore muttered a few words and waved his wand over the pair. "I've placed them under a strong calming charm, be sure to mention it when you find Madame Pomfrey."

Harry nodded and stood, indicating that the others should follow him. It was a quiet trip down, there were a few students but they steered clear of him when they saw the serious expression and his still nervous looking followers. He passed by Professor McGonagall, who was supposedly on her way to see the headmaster, and she gave him a small, slightly confused, nod as she passed.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry called as he entered the empty hospital wing. The medi-witch soon came bustling out of her office, looking to see who was needing her attention.

"Oh, Harry! You haven't gotten yourself into trouble have you? You've been so good this year; I've only had to see you a few times!" That's because most of the time other people heal me, Harry thought as he recalled the number of injuries he had received in his training.

"I'm not here for myself Ma'am. I've brought my aunt and uncle down from the Headmaster's office, and Mrs Figg as well." Harry spoke softly to the kindly old matron who he knew far too well.

"Oh, yes, Albus told me to expect a few guests. I can take care of them now, Harry. You'd best be back to whatever it is you have to do. Unless you'd prefer to stay with your family?" Poppy Pomfrey knew of Harry's conflict with his family, but thought she'd better offer anyway.

"No, you're right, I should head back to see Professor Dumbledore. Oh, he cast a strong calming charm on my aunt and uncle before I brought them down." He paused, wondering how best to phrase what he had to say. "They have a particular dislike of magic, and may be rather argumentative."

Pomfrey chuckled softly, "thank you Harry. Now, off with you! And I don't want to see you again any time soon!" Smiling quietly, Harry left with a wave, and headed back to find out what was going to happen next.


Arriving back in Dumbledore's office, Harry noticed the room was much busier than it had been. The room's occupants sitting in seats or standing around the walls since there weren't enough chairs and not enough room to conjure more. Professor McGonagall had, indeed, been on her way here when Harry had passed her earlier, she was now sitting in a stiff backed chair next to Dumbledore's large desk. Snape was standing against the wall, right next to where the door was, so he was currently glaring at Harry most likely annoyed that they had been waiting for Gryffindor's 'Golden Boy'. Remus Lupin was sitting in a soft chair next to McGonagall, and he gave Harry a smile as they made eye contact. The auror Kingsley Shacklebolt was sitting on a couch with his younger colleague, Nymphadora Tonks, who was the current DADA professor since she had been injured and forced to take leave. Arthur Weasley was also there, and he, too, gave Harry a smile from his position behind McGonagall. The only other new occupant of the room was Alastor Moody, who was sitting on a rather uncomfortable looking chair opposite Minerva.

Seeing Harry enter, Dumbledore stood behind his desk and began to outline the situation. Unsure of where to sit, or stand, Harry remained at the back, and stood against the wall on the other side of the door to Severus.

"It would be best if we could move quickly before Voldemort has a chance to do any harm to Dudley Dursley. Our problem is that we have no idea where to begin looking. I was hoping Severus would be able to help us with that."

Every head in the room turned to look at the Potions master, except for Harry. The youngest of the group was thinking about what the message from Voldemort meant. Follow the connection? It couldn't be anything too difficult; otherwise there wouldn't have been any point. Harry was half listening to Snape speak about his theories on the Dark Lord's hideaway.

"I know it can't be too far away from London, the weather seems to be fairly similar if I leave from there. And it couldn't be too close to Hogwarts, as the school's wards would interfere with the ones the Dark Lord puts up." I wonder what sort of wards are around it. Unplottable, muggle prevention obviously, apparition maybe – but the Death Eaters have to get inside somehow, anti-portkey is a possibility but would be a large strain on the ward-holder and not particularly useful since nobody knows where it is to make a portkey to it. Harry continued to think things through, his thoughts running along a similar path to Snape's outspoken ones. "I believe he pulls down certain wards when he is expecting us to arrive." that could be used to our advantage in an attack, Harry mused. "It would be foolish to think we could use a tracking spell, or anything else of the sort." Perhaps a blood spell would work, is that the connection he was talking about? We share blood through his rebirthing ritual, so it could be that rather than my scar. But I doubt the wards will allow me to find him with a blood spell. "Whenever he wants us, we have to follow the connection through our marks, and apparate blindly to him. That is when I assume he lowers the anti-apparition wards." The mark connection must be similar to my scar connection! I must have to apparate using it. Harry made eye contact with Dumbledore, who looked like he had solved the mystery too.

"No, Harry," the Headmaster said, startling everyone, and frustrating Snape. "Even if you could learn how to in the short time span, I wouldn't risk you."

"There's no other way to find him. You know that. Snape is under too much suspicion already to be called at a time like this, and we can't risk losing him or his position even if he did go." Harry was determined the Headmaster was going to listen to him, "and besides, I already know how to apparate, so that's not the problem."

There was a small uproar at his last statement, by all other than Dumbledore and Moody. Dumbledore because nothing could make him lose his calm like that, though Harry was surprised the man didn't know of Harry's ability already. Moody wasn't shocked by Harry's claim either, as it was the ex-auror who had taught him how to apparate in the first place.

While everyone else was still confused as to what the young Gryffindor and the Headmaster were going on about, the two in question were engaged in a battle of wills. Harry was certain that this was the only way to save his cousin, and there was no way he was going to leave Dudley to Voldemort, no matter how cruel the boy had been to him in the past. Dumbledore, too, knew that this was the only way to save the boy, it might be possible with more time, but time wasn't something Tom Riddle liked to give. But the old Headmaster couldn't bear the thought of sending his favourite student – he admitted to himself that Harry was most definitely his favourite – into harms way; the risk was far too high and in all truth, the Dursley boy was expendable.

"Sir, with all due respect, if I decided to go, there isn't a lot you could do to stop me. I would find a way past Hogwarts' apparition wards and apparate directly to Him, you know I would." Harry sighed, noticing that every other person in the room was watching him and Dumbledore, finally catching on to what they were talking about. "I can't apparate with anybody else, so the best you can do for me is to prepare me for what I might have to face there – and a way out. I can do it sir, you know I can."

Sitting down heavily in his ornate desk chair, Albus Dumbledore knew he had no other choice. If the boy was well enough prepared, and had a portkey back to Hogwarts with him, he had a good chance of getting his cousin out from Voldemort's clutches.

"Very well, you will spend the next week proving to me that you are capable, and learning anything else you will need to know." Harry smiled sadly, it wasn't that he wanted to go and put himself in danger, he just knew that nobody else could. He was just glad Dumbledore had realised it as well.

Everybody else, once they knew exactly what was going to happen, protested against it. But Albus Dumbledore was a very stubborn man, as was Harry Potter. And not even the combined efforts of seven witches and wizards, powerful in their own right, could change their minds.


For the next week, Harry didn't go to his regular classes; instead he stepped up his private lessons. He now had a larger group of teachers than he used to; with three past or current aurors, a werewolf who was knowledgeable in defence, a reformed Death Eater turned spy, and the man regarded as the most powerful wizard of the age. Hermione was incredibly jealous. Ron just thought it was cool.

Harry had decided against telling any of his friends what it was he was doing until the day he left. He didn't want to deal with them trying to convince him to 'leave it to the adults' as he knew they would in concern for his safety. So all they knew was that he was having extra lessons for the week.

When the day came for him to leave, Harry arranged to meet Dumbledore, Moody and his friends in the Headmaster's office. After explaining the situation to Ron and Hermione (and getting the reactions he had expected), Harry turned to Dumbledore.

"I'm ready, sir." The old man peered at him over his half-moon glasses, and nodded once. Dumbledore glanced at Moody and the ex-Auror grunted, pulling out two almost identical chains one with a gold medallion the size of a fifty-pence coin, the other with a silver phoenix pendant.

Harry took them wordlessly, without meeting Moody's eyes. He knew what to do with them, he had already been told the activation words, and where they would portkey him to. Taking a deep breath, Harry turned to the Headmaster again.

Albus Dumbledore was looking his age as he tapped his wand on an old copy of the Daily Prophet. It glowed blue for a moment. "This will take you to a room in the Leaky Cauldron Tom has kept free for you. It has also been warded against any prying by the Ministry, so they will not know what you are doing. You know what to do from there." Handing the newspaper to the nervous teen, he said softly, "Harry, be careful."


A/N: Next time, the flashback continues, and we see what happens as Harry goes to rescue his cousin.
I'll try my hardest not to make the wait as long as the last.