Chapter 2: The World of Love

Harry could not believe that the Order had taken Dudley. He had to use Floo Powder to get in contact with Remus, the only member of the Order he really saw from those days; but where was he? The last time Harry saw him was at the wedding of Bill and Fleur. What an interesting event that was. Blue Cornish pixies flew about in a garden of flowers and white icicles hung from tree branches. An odd combination, of spring and winter floral, but that was what Bill and Fleur were like- an odd mix.

Remus took Tonks as a date to the wedding. Her hair was short, raspberry pink with mango butterflies in her hair. Mrs. Weasley thought there were clips and tried touching one; to her surprise, it spread its wings and flew right into her nose. That was one of many humorous events throughout the ceremony. Fred and George arrived with loads of pranks and gift shop goodies for the guests. Even though Mrs. Weasley confiscated a large sum of them at their arrival, they were able to deliver a handful of supplies to Ron and Ginny who spread the joy around.

Ginny and Harry had not spoken much the entire time of the wedding. They danced with each other twice, and smiled for the guests around them, but as far as holding hands or kissing, well, none of that occurred. Harry had broken up with Ginny during Dumbledore's funeral a few weeks earlier. However, Ginny, being the stubborn and incredible girl she was, decided that despite Harry's careful warnings about their relationship, she wanted to continue seeing Harry.

And then the letter arrived. While to any unsuspecting eye it read as though Ginny were breaking up with Harry just as he had with her, she was actually trying to get back with him. 'You know why it can't be' she wrote. Why the relationship ending couldn't be she meant. Harry knew this. Ginny, probably on the advice of Hermione, knew that divulging information about her seeing Harry would be dangerous to anyone who might have intercepted the letter. And so Ginny made it appear as though the letter was a break up one rather than a resolution.

Harry, however, knew that despite Ginny's best interests, he could not risk her life the following year while searching for the Horcruxes. If Dudley was in danger for barely being related to Harry, then surely a girlfriend would be in more serious jeopardy.

And so, thinking of where Remus Lupin was, Harry had decided the best place was the Weasleys. Many guests had been staying there the last few weeks after the wedding, enjoying their gag gift bags from George and Fred while making Mrs. Weasley go bonkers trying to clean up after them.

Harry asked Mrs. Figg if he could use her fireplace to travel, and although she hesitated, realizing that You Know Who was still out there, she accepted in the light of matter. Harry entered inside the fireplace and then thought of a brilliant idea. Why use Floo Powder at all?

Harry knew how to apparate now. Even though he did not have his license, he was sure that the Ministry would understand him apparating rather than using Floo Powder in this situation. And with all the chaos happening in the Ministry after the incident of Death Eaters in Hogwarts, they had their hands full.

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Figg asked him.

Harry took a deep breathe, and smiled, "What I have to do."

He closed his eyes and concentrated on the Weasley's home. He had never apparated so far away before, and without practice the last few weeks, fears of his skills being rusty crept through his mind. Then Harry thought of Ginny, being there to greet him as he arrived. Her warm smile and touch waiting there for him. And without any other fears, Harry shut his eyes tight.

POP

"Ah!" a woman screamed.

Harry opened his eyes abruptly and thought of the worst. Maybe his legs or arms were inside a wall. Maybe he apparated inside the woman screaming!

However, none of that was true. Instead, Harry looked around to find soapy bubbles filling the room around him. The smell of Lavender body wash seeped into his nostrils. A sink full of red long strands of hair stood fixed to a tiled green wall in front of him.

"Get out!" Mrs. Weasley screamed from the shower, her hair in a polka dotted Muggle shower cap, no doubt a gift from Mr. Weasley.

Harry covered his eyes immediately with his cupped hands and cowered toward where the door should be. He took one hand down and felt around for a cool metal knob and attempted to turn it to the right, his hand trembling in horror and embarrasment.

"The other way," Mrs. Weasley whispered, her face as red as her covered up hair.

Harry twisted the knob to the left, tumbled backward out of the Weasley bathroom, and fell flat on his back in the hallway. Quickly, he shut the door and poured face into his t-shirt. That was NOT Ginny's warm smile at all!

"Mum! I heard you scream! Are you alright?" Ron's voice echoed down the corridor.

Ron's eyebrows raised nearly to the ceiling seeing Harry leaning against the wall not too far away from the bathroom door.

"Harry! What are you doing here? Were you…" Ron looked as though he was about to punch Harry square in the jaw.

"I didn't see anything!" Harry said in his defense. "Really, it was an accident."

"It better have been!" Ron said and lowered his fist. He grabbed Harry, hugged him and said, "Blimey, did you apparate to get here?"

"Yeah, I did."

"All by yourself?"

"Yeah," he said and smiled proudly.

"Wicked! Don't suppose you came here for Ginny?"

Harry half nodded. "Not exactly, but I wouldn't mind talking to her."

"Sorry, mate, she's not here."

A cold chill tightened Harry's stomach. "Oh."

"Yeah, she's out shopping with Tonks and Hermione. Girls, you know."

"What a minute, Tonks?" Harry said hopefully. "Does that mean Remus is around?"

"Well, yeah, they've been in and out of here the past few weeks. What's that look in your eyes? What's happened, Harry?"

But before Harry could answer, the bathroom door swung open and very wet, very angry woman flew out. She wore a large, fuzzy robe with gigantic slippers way too big for her feet. A towel tied around her soaked hair, sitting lopsided on her head.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

Ron's eyes widened, his face paler than before, his hair sticking up on end. He knew his mother's screaming voice quite well, and knew this meant trouble. Before he could run away, Mrs. Weasley jumped in front of the two boys, her robe slipping off slightly to the right, enough so that her bare bosom was revealed. Ron gave a revolting face, attempting so very hard not to look.

Harry had not noticed, but instead, was still overjoyed about the news that Remus was around. He would be able to tell Harry the truth about what happened to his cousin, and then, he could start planning where to go to find the remaining Horcruxes.

"EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"

Ron elbowed Harry on the side, suggesting to him that he should probably answer his mother soon or else be doomed forever.

"It was an emergency," explained Harry coolly. "I had to come here, to speak to Remus."

"WHAT?"

"Yes," Harry said. "My cousin, Dudley, has disappeared, apparently due to the Order."

"Oh," Mrs. Weasley said in a much more calm tone. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

"The Order's come nabbed Dudley?" Ron asked surprised.

"Yeah. I dunno why though so don't ask. That's why I came here."

Mrs. Weasley composed herself, realizing she was popping out of her robe. She smiled and turned away, slightly embarrassed by her appearance.

"Who knows. Maybe your cousin's turned to the dark side."

"Real funny. Imagine Dudley running around with them?" It was both funny to Harry as it was impossible. "Don't suppose you've heard anything around the house about it?"

"No," said Ron. "Then again, with the wedding and such, we haven't been doing much else but cleaning all the time. You can't imagine the mess a few hundred people can make!"

Harry smirked. He hadn't smiled in a while, not since Dumbledore's death. It still haunted him every night when he went to bed. But Harry refused to think about it more than that. He had a mission to complete soon, and mourning would do nothing but slow him down.

"Well, where is he?"

Ron pointed down the staircase. "Eating some biscuits last time I checked and reading something. Been a bit too quiet lately if you ask me. Then again, love does that to a person."

Harry stopped short in front of the staircase. "Love" he mouthed to Ron.

"Yeah. Him and Tonks. Come on! You saw them at the wedding!"

Harry nodded. "Course I saw them. I guess I'm not used to seeing him like that."

"You better. I wouldn't be surprised if there was another wedding sooner than later."

"Ugh. Their children would so ugly. Pinkish wolves…"

"Tell me about it."

Harry felt happy around Ron, and despite their humorous chats, Harry knew that when they went to search for the Horcruxes, they'd always be there for each other.

In the study room next to the kitchen was Remus Lupin, his head buried in a thick dusty book bound with silver thread. A half eaten biscuit lay on a china dish next to a cup of tea. The room was a mess, full of papers and marks of scrolls. Whatever he was studying, he was definitely researching past his limits.

"Come in, Harry," said Remus, his head lifting slightly.

"How did you--"

"Mrs. Weasley gave me the heads up," he said. "Apparating without a license… You're just like--"

"My dad, yeah. I knew that's something he would do."

"I was gonna say Sirius, actually," Remus said coolly. Harry's throat numbed a bit. He was still not over his godfather's death, even though he didn't cry about it anymore.

"Oh. Well, I know it's a stupid thing to do. But there wasn't any other way."

"Did you broom break? Did the Bus break down?"

"No and not that I'm aware of," said Harry. "But both of those would take too long."

"What was your hurry?"

"I think you know what."

"I do, do I?"

Remus put down the book in front of him, bookmarking it with a piece of his fingernail that had just broken off. He must have transformed recently, for there were splotches of fur spots on his arms and hands.

"Yeah, you do."

Harry stepped forward and explained to his friend Remus what had happened. How upset his Aunt Petunia was, what Mrs. Figg recalled and how something just did not add up right. Harry expected Remus to tell him what an imagination they all had, that Dudley was sitting in some Juvenal cell somewhere.

"Dudley is safe, though not one hundred percent sound," Remus said as he picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. "I can't get into details now about what happened, Harry. Trust me, though, when I say that what's done is done. There's nothing to worry about."

"Nothing!" Harry shouted. Without thinking, Harry grabbed the tea cup and flew it to the side, shattering it against the edge of a wooden bookcase. "Oh right. The Order kidnaps Muggles related to me every damn day! Sorry for making a big deal out of it!"

"Alright, Harry. I knew a simple word would not calm you." Remus bent over and patted Harry on the back. "Would you like to see Dudley? Would that make you feel better?"

"For starters, yes! And then, you're going to tell me what the Order was going on Privet Drive! Why I, nor do the Weasleys, don't seem to know about it!"

"I'm sorry, Harry," Remus said. "You cannot order me to tell you what happened. You will in time find out. Unfortunately, certain circumstances permit me not to divulge some delicate information, even to you Harry. Now, don't make me say more than I must. I will show where Dudley is, and you will at least be at ease that he is not harmed, much."

"I can't believe you're keeping secrets from ME!" Harry shouted.

"Harry… Please understand. Come, I will bring you to him."

He couldn't do much. Harry could not curse Remus into telling him the truth, he was not evil. But the thought of the Order doing something without Harry knowing about. It was just like a few years ago, when he was in the dark. Harry knew he'd find out one way or another. In the mean time, seeing Dudley was the next best thing.

"Where are we going?"

"To St. Mungo's."