Chapter two
The Unwanted Arrival.

Harry's heart was racing. Why had he let Ron and Hermione come with him? He shouldn't of let them come. I should of known Voldemort would attack when the protection ran out, why didn't I think? He thought to himself.

"Harry…what?" Ron was standing opposite Harry looking extremely shocked and scared, he ran his hands through his hair and clenched his fists. Harry ran to the window, there were at least three death eaters walking down the path towards the Dursleys house. Trashing everything in their path. He saw one of them flick their wand, red sparks came out of it and the trash can a few feet away from them flew at least twenty feet in the air and came smashing down on a parked car. The car alarm went off and one of the other death eaters didn't seem pleased at this as he immediately stopped it. Harry could hear the death eater shouting at the one that had set off the car alarm. Harry pulled his eyes away from the window; he knew they had little time before the death eaters would be charging into the Dursleys house. One of the death eaters Harry knew must be Bellatrix Lestrange. Sirius's murderer. It was hard to tell which one she was though as their faces were covered and it was very dark outside. He turned to Ron and spoke quickly.

"Ron, go and get Hermione now. Stay in the guest room until i come and get you" Ron did as Harry said and ran straight out of the room without another word. Harry's mind was racing. He had to think quickly. He couldn't let anything happen to Ron and Hermione. He opened Hedwig and Pigwidgeons cages. "Go to Grimmauld place, Ron and Hermione will be there soon" Harry heard movement in the next room. The Dursleys must be awake because of all the noise Harry muttered to himself he had almost forgotten they were there. He sprinted across his bedroom and wretched the door open making it bang against the wall.

"What in the ruddy hell is going on?" Uncle Vernon shouted standing in his dressing gown his moustache twitching. Petunia was standing behind him looking very white. Harry tried to quickly explain. He was panicking more and more every second because very soon he knew Voldemort's death eaters would be charging through the door into the Dursleys house.

"It's the Death Eaters, get out of here its me they want" Harry got the impression Petunia understood as she let out a frightened gasp and now looked like she was going to be sick. Vernon didn't want to listen. He wasn't paying attention to anything Harry said.

"No more of your people are coming into this house!" he shouted and started to run down the stairs. Petunia ran after him.

"Vernon No!" she exclaimed. Harry started to follow them but suddenly two pairs of arms grabbed him. It was Ron and Hermione.

"Harry no!" Hermione pleaded. Hermione and Ron pulled him back. Harry knew they didn't want him to go down there and get himself killed but he didn't want anyone else to get killed either. As much as he hated the Dursleys he didn't want them dead. Two seconds later, BANG! They heard the door being pulled off its hinges and slamming into a wall. Here they are Harry thought. He could hear screams and shouts from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing on the landing frozen. Ron and Hermione still had hold of Harry.

"Crucio!" A cruel voice shouted. Hermione's grip on Harry tightened and he heard her let out a frightened moan. The feeling in his arm was starting to disappear.

"Bellatrix, were not here for that. We are here for the boy!" A man yelled.

"Oh let me have my fun Avery!" Bellatrix replied laughing cruelly.

Harry knew they couldn't just stand here and wait. "Ron, Hermione apparate to Grimmauld place. You will be safe there." He told them. Ron hadn't passed his apparation test yet but Harry knew he could do it if he tried, he had only failed by half an eyebrow last time. Ron gripped Harry's shoulder.

"There's no way were going to leave you here mate," Ron said.

"There's really no time for this, I need to try and save my Aunt and Uncle!" Harry said exasperated.

"Harry, you'll be killed and so will Ron and me because were not leaving you" Hermione said determinedly. They heard someone whimpering in a room near them. They all turned to see where it was coming from. The screams and laughter of Bellatrix were all they could hear from downstairs. Dudley…Harry thought, he must be hiding in his room. Using quite a bit of force Harry broke Ron and Hermione's grip and sprinted down the stairs. Ron followed him stumbling, he grabbed Harry again.

"Harry don't be an idiot, we'll all be killed. If you can save anyone, you can save your cousin, apparate him with us" Harry considered this for a moment and then he heard the fateful words.

"Avada Kedavra!" Someone's been killed, Harry thought fearfully.

"Harry come on, now!" Hermione screamed

Harry didn't need telling twice. He sprinted up the stairs with Ron towards Dudley's room. Ron grabbed Hermione. He pushed the door open and saw Dudley sitting in the dark in the corner with his duvet covering his face. Harry ran over to him and pulled him up. Ron and Hermione were standing by the door.

"Lets go…apparate now!" Harry yelled at them.

"Come on little boy, Bellatrix is coming…remember me?" Harry could hear her running up the stairs. He did remember her, he wanted to go out there and kill her. But he knew this was not the time.

"Dudley hold on to me" He could now hear Bellatrix was right outside the room she was laughing manically. He had to forget that now. Harry concentrated hard on his destination and everything went black. He felt the familiar feeling of being squeezed inside a small tube.

Silence. He opened his eyes; there he was, outside Number twelve Grimmauld Place, the headquarters for the order of the phoenix. He doubted anyone would be there though, Dumbledore had told him a while ago they had switched locations and Harry wasn't sure if they'd switched back. He let go of Dudley who was now lying on the pavement looking very confused and scared, not knowing what had just happened. Harry looked to the side of him, there was Ron and Hermione, he let out a sigh of relief that they'd both got there in one piece. "Let's get inside" Harry whispered to them. He didn't know how safe it was for them to be standing out here. Still taking in what had just happened, he didn't want to return to Grimmauld Place as it reminded him of Sirius but he didn't want to go to the Burrow either just yet because he didn't want to put any of the Weasley's in danger. This was the safest place he could think of. "Give me a hand with him will you?" Harry was referring to Dudley who was shaking so much he could barely stand. Ron took hold of one of Dudley's arms, Harry had the other. Hermione walked in front of them up the stone steps of Grimmauld Place. Harry and Ron struggled after her trying to get Dudley to move. They managed to get him inside eventually. It was pitch black inside and they couldn't see a thing.

"Lumos" Hermione muttered and light came from her wand. "There must be some kind of light switch around here somewhere" She searched. "Ah…Heres one" The room was suddenly filled with light. Ron and Harry were still holding Dudley up. Harry's shoulders were aching from his weight. They moved into the kitchen. Harry hated being here; there were reminders of Sirius everywhere. Ron and Harry threw Dudley into a chair. He still looked terrified. Harry disliked Dudley, but he couldn't help but pity him. Hermione and Ron sat down and were now staring at Harry as if waiting for him to speak.

"Where am I? Take me back home" Dudley had regained his voice. He continued to ask questions in a frightened voice that Harry thought didn't suit him. Harry ignored him and exchanged looks with Ron and Hermione.

"Harry we really should tell him" Hermione said looking distressed. "Dudley..." Hermione began. Dudley shifted back in his chair and looked scared of Hermione like she was about to attack him.
"Your parents were killed" She finished, her eyes now filling with tears.
Dudley turned from frightened to angry in seconds.

"Well if they are its YOUR fault that they're dead!" He pointed at Harry and looked accusingly.

"Yes that's true, it was my fault" Harry knew it was his fault. It was his fault that more people were dead. Hermione gasped and put her head in her hands.

"Harry you can't blame yourself, its V…vol…you know who's fault there dead" Ron said consolingly. He still couldn't say Voldemort's name easily. Harry knew Ron was right. It was Voldemort's fault. Harry felt the hatred rise inside of him again.

"What I don't get is, at Hogwarts when the Death Eaters came. They said Voldemort had given them orders not to harm me. He wanted me for himself. But why would he send them to Privet Drive two months later?" Harry was pacing the room now. He was tired and his head hurt from thinking so hard.

"Maybe to bring you to him?" Ron suggested.

"Or to give you greater desire for revenge, so you would go to him yourself and try and kill him" Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Well we can't just sit here all night, I'll send an owl to your dad Ron. Tell him what's happened. Just one thing, if you two really do want to come with me to destroy all the horcruxes you really have to do whatever i ask you. No protesting like just then. I mean it." Harry looked at them both.

"Yeah if we'd done what you said and gone without you, right now you'd be dead. That's smart." Ron said. Harry privately agreed with him. Maybe he hadn't acted in the right way. But they'll have to agree to listen to me or they're not coming, Harry thought finally. He searched for parchment and a quill and quickly scribbled a letter to Mr Weasley telling him what had just happened. He thought they would of already known about it, why was no one from the order guarding him? He finally sat down after he'd attached the letter to Hedwig who arrived a short while after him, Ron and Hermione. They sat and waited; they were all too tired to think about anything. Dudley didn't talk at all; he was just looking at them like he thought this was some kind of sick joke they were playing on him. Some time later, an owl flew in with a reply from Mr Weasley. Harry read the letter aloud to Ron and Hermione.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione
Several members of the order are on their way to guard the Burrow. Hagrid will be sent to pick up your cousin. He will be staying with his Aunt. Tell him to stay there until Hagrid comes for him. The three of you apparate here as soon as you get this, but don't make this a habit. As you know it is illegal for you to be apparating with no license. Under these circumstances however, it will be overlooked.
Arthur

They all stood up ready to go. "Dudley, stay here someone's coming to get you to take you to your aunts. He shouldn't be long." Dudley nodded at Harry his mouth wide open, still in shock.

"Let's go" Ron said grimly. "Oh and Harry...Happy Birthday" Harry had almost forgotten it was his birthday.

"Yeah...Happy Birthday Harry" Hermione smiled uneasily.

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated, he once again went into darkness and felt that familiar feeling of apparation. Leaving Grimmauld Place. He was going back to the Burrow.