A/N: Response to the last chapter was pretty much what I expected. It only gets worse from here.

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Harry was alone now. Dumbledore had tried to warn him about six months ago. Harry thought back to that night in Dumbledore's office.

"Tell me, Harry," Dumbledore said, leaning back in his chair. "What will you do with all this information I have given you?"

"I'll try and stop him," Harry said, wondering why Dumbledore even need to ask such a thing. The answer surely was obvious. "We'll find these Horcruxes and destroy them."

"Forgive me, Harry, perhaps I was not clear. I meant to ask whether or not you planned on sharing this information with your classmates." Harry blinked. He knew now what the Headmaster was hinting at, but he would continue to play dumb. He didn't want to discuss this anyway.

"Of course not, sir," he replied in the most innocent tone he could manage. "I wouldn't want this sort of information being passed around the school. What if Voldemort heard about it and knew we were looking for them?"

"A very good question, indeed, Harry," Dumbledore nodded. "But I think that it would be wise to entrust a few close confidents. Perhaps Mr Weasley and Miss Granger?"

"What about you, sir?" Harry asked. "Have you told any of your close friends?" He smirked, feeling that at least he might be able to get out of this conversation if he accused Dumbledore of being a hypocrite.

"Of course. I have already relayed all of this information to Professor Snape."

"SNAPE!" Harry exclaimed. "Sir, are you sure you can trust him?" Harry flinched when he saw the angry look that now formed on Dumbledore's face.

"Harry, I have, again and again, expressed my support for Severus. I feel not need to repeat myself to a cheeky teenager." He paused. Harry gulped. "You are deliberately avoiding the issue at hand here. Refusing to acknowledge your friends is doing no one any favours."

"They're not my friends," Harry muttered.

"If I were you, I'd stick close to my friends," Dumbledore said. "We all need friends, Harry. Voldemort never had a friend in his life, and look what happened to him."

"Yeah, he's only the most powerful Dark Wizard who's ever lived, and his name will only be remembered for thousands of years to come."

"Yes, but your name will also be remembered for thousands of years to come. You were the baby that stood up to the most powerful Dark Wizard that ever lived."

"Did I stand, sir? I don't remember. You see, I was a baby and totally incapable of coherent thought."

"Enough of this," Dumbledore said, holding up a hand. "I tire of your attitude, Harry. Why do you refuse to speak to your friends?"

"Some friends they turned out to be."

"They would die for you, Harry. Even now they still both love you."

"They have a funny way of showing it," Harry sighed. "Well, I still have Ginny."

This, at least, was true. Ginny had been a lot friendlier since Hermione had broken up with him. She had broken up with Dean so she could spend more time with him. Her company was beginning to get a bit tiresome though. Sure, she was funny, but not quite as funny as Ron. She was smart, but nothing on Hermione. She knew a fair bit about Quidditch, but other than that she didn't seem to have any other interests.

Other than her interest in Harry, of course.

Mrs Weasley had sent several owls expressing her joy that he was at least speaking to one of her children again. She didn't have many pleasant things to say about Hermione, even though she was now Ron's girlfriend. Harry also got the feeling she was pushing Harry towards a relationship with Ginny instead.

Dumbledore had scowled at the mention of Ginny. Obviously he did not approve.

"Yes, perhaps it would be best not to mention it to young Miss Weasley," he said, casting a glance at the remains of Tom Riddle's diary. "It might bring up some memories she'd rather forget."

Harry had agreed with him at the time, but now he felt that he'd be glad even of Ginny's company. After Dumbledore had been murdered by Snape, Harry had left Hogwarts and gone alone on the Horcrux Hunt. Unfortunately Dumbledore had given him no hints where to look, and so Harry found himself just Apparating from Muggle hotel to Muggle hotel, occasionally checking the libraries for any references in old newspapers to strange disappearances.

This turned out to be a totally fruitless exercise. His Muggle cash was running out. He'd soon have to make a trip to Diagon Alley for supplies. He hadn't seen a wizard or witch in the four months since the funeral. He had no idea what state the wizarding world was in. He was sure he would have heard if Voldemort had taken over completely.

What Harry really needed, and he knew it, was Ron and Hermione. Hermione would surely have been brilliant when it came to searching for clues. Ron would perhaps not be so good at that aspect, but he would help to keep the spirits up and it would always be useful to have another hand in a fight.

Harry lay awake in a hotel one night pondering his next move. There was nothing else for it but to find Ron and Hermione. But before he could make the long trip to Hogwarts (he could only assume that it was still open) he would stop by Fred and George's. If he Apparated straight into the shop they could help him get all the supplies he needed without the risk of being seen in Diagon Alley. They still probably felt they owed him after he'd given them the gold that had gotten their business up and running.

When he woke up the next morning he did not feel quite the same despair he did most mornings. Having a plan at all seemed to make all the difference. He had breakfast at the hotel before checking out, feeling that he didn't want to arrive too early. He didn't think the Weasley twins would be early risers.

He found an empty street to Apparate from. Visualising the Weasleys' shop (he had visited once last summer, though that visit had been cut short when Ron had turned up) he spun on the spot and Apparated.

The shop was empty when he landed in it. Despite the walls being laden with colours it still seemed fairly dreary without any customers. He was looking around when suddenly a redheaded man appeared from nowhere.

"Hey, you can't Apparate in here!" he man said. "What if you'd landed in the fireworks cabinet?"

"George, it's me," Harry said. The man looked confused for a moment before a look of comprehension dawned on his face.

"Sorry, Harry," George said. "Didn't recognise you with the beard and all the hair. Come on. You can't stand here in the shop all day. What if someone sees you?"

Harry wasn't sure who was likely to see him. Outside looked even bleaker than in the shop, but he allowed George to drag him through behind the counter to where they had some kind of storage room. Harry refrained from asking what all of it was and allowed George to drag him into an office which had ample room for two desks. Both were absolutely covered in paper, sweets and magazines. Behind one desk sat Fred Weasley, who was identical to his twin right down to the last spot on his nose.

"Look who stopped by, Fred," George said happily, pulling Harry to a halt right in front of Fred's desk. Fred surveyed Harry for a moment.

"Love the beard, Potter," Fred said. Harry felt his cheeks grow a bit warm. Since he'd left Hogwarts he had not felt much need to keep up with personal hygiene. His hair was long and unkempt, and he'd allowed his beard to grow out. This had the added bonus of acting as a bit of a disguise, but his green eyes and scar were as distinctive as ever.

"So what brings you here, Harry?" George asked. "No one's seen you in months. The Prophet reported you were dead."

"No, I've been looking for something," Harry replied. "Anyway, I came back because I need Ron and Hermione's help. But before I can do anything, I need some supplies. Like money, food –."

"A razor and a shower," Fred added helpfully. "George has had about four B.O. Bonbons today and I can still smell you over him." Harry looked at George quizzically.

"We're experimenting," George told him. "If you can't smell me then I'm probably due another one." He wandered over to his desk to rummage around a bit.

"What have you been looking for, then?" Fred asked.

"Oh, it's something Dumbledore asked me to do. It's to do with Voldemort."

George's rummaging suddenly stopped and Fred's face turned as pale as a ghost.

"What?" Harry asked, turning his head to look from twin to twin. "What's wrong?" Fred sprung up from behind his desk and grabbed Harry.

"You've got to go!" he said. "Apparate away, now. Anywhere! We'll try and hold them off."

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

"It's the Taboo, Harry," George said. "You can't say his name."

"I know you guys don't like me using the name, but isn't kicking me out of the shop a bit much?" Harry asked, thinking this was a joke.

"No, it's the Taboo," Fred tried to explain. "Whenever you use You-Know-Who's name they can trace it. There's a squad of Death Eaters on their way here now!"

There was a sudden explosion from the shop. All three of them were knocked off of their feet.

"Judging by that sound, they tried to use a Reductor Curse to get in," George grumbled, rising to his feet. "Typical Death Eaters. They'll kill us all with their incompetence."

"Oh really?" a voice asked. George suddenly seemed to notice a wand prodding his neck. He turned around to look at the attackers. Harry could already see them from where he as still lying on his back. George was being held at wand-point by Bellatrix Lestrange. Behind her were Fenrir Greyback and two other Death Eaters Harry did not recognise. Harry tried to grab his wand from his pocket but one of the Death Eaters had disarmed him before he had a chance. Fred and George were similarly disarmed.

There was no fighting it. They were caught.