The wind cut through Dudley like a knife, the dusk closing in around them like a blanket throwing deep shadows between the trees. Harry whispered into the darkness barely audible over the blustering wind.

"Keep quiet and behind me, single file if you can manage it." There was no questioning in Harry's voice and it was unmistakably an order, Dudley understood that this was Harry's domain but was surprised by the haste and diligence of his friends to follow the orders. They crept through the trees Harry and Hermione at the front wordlessly casting spells that reached into the darkness to find the barn, while Ginny, Neville and Ron scanned to the sides ready to react to any movement. Twigs snapped occasionally under foot and every time Harry was there with his wand ready fight.

"The train arrived in kings cross five minutes ago, the bewitched aurors will be on our tail at any minute." Harry's voice emanated out of the ever thickening night.

Suddenly a ruined barn loomed out of the darkness.

"Ok listen to me, this is the plan, I will approach the barn in order to get inside, and I will try to negotiate with him if I am right, we still aren't sure its even him, but what I need you to do is cover the windows and doors, we can't let him get out and I would prefer not to dodge curses." Harry finished and allowed the others to scatter through the trees.

"Dudley Just lay here and don't move." Harry added as an afterthought, Before casting a dissalusionment charm over himself and disappearing from sight. Dudley could just make out the ripples that Harry's form created in the air as he ran towards the door of the barn, eventually Harry reached the wall and began edging his way to the door. Harry paused next to the door for a moment gathering his thoughts, before calling into the barn.

"Dean? Are you in there?" Harry paused for a moment listening intently "Can I come in Dean?" Dudley watched astounded as Harry removed the charm from himself and walked slowly but fearlessly into the barn, leaving every one else straining against the darkness waiting and listening.

--

"Dean I know you're here." Harry announced into the darkness not wanting to raise his wand to light the room In case it was interpreted as an attack.

"Hello Harry I'm glad it's you who has come to stop me." Deans voice whispered behind a veil of pain and darkness.

"Why's that then Dean?" Harry asked still searching for a sign as to where Dean was.

"I like you Harry, and I take it the others are with you as well, what do they call you these days, still the Terrific Trio or whatever it was."

"They have never called us that."

"Well forgive me I have been a little out of touch recently."

"Will you come with me now? Stop this violence?"

"No." Deans voice was suddenly directly behind, Harry whirled round and was met by a grisly sight. Wounds covered Deans face and body, some still weeping others inexpertly healed and dressed, there was several fingers missing from Deans wand hand, mud and grime embedded in the wounds and any other area of skin not cut or bruised.

"You need a healer. Come with me." Harry said covering his horror over the wounds.

"No if I wait a few more minutes the aurors that I bewitched will be here and will kill every one including me."

"Why do you want that?"

"As you said this needs to stop" Harry was lost for words for a moment, left in disbelief at the damage in Deans mind.

"You don't have to die."

"I do, You will just send me to the Dementors, after all the things I have suffered and all the things I have done, after a week the Dementors kiss will seem like a relief. I wont do that to my self. Anyway, what better way to make a statement, a grand exit, then a massacre." Dean finished leaving Harry angry and frustrated, he fished in his pocket and pulled out the door knob from the leaky cauldron.

"I give you two choices. Take this Portkey to the Leaky Cauldron and wait for me there, you remove the curse from my aurors and let us leave here in peace on condition that you never leave this place again." Harry paused for a moment to gather himself "Or I take you straight to the ministry holding cells, by force, and leave you to the fate of the Dementors." Harry finished never dropping Deans gaze.

"No." Faster than Harry thought possible Dean turned and ran, as the air filled with multiple cracks of apparition. Spells began to explode around Harry as he hared after Dean, the air fizzing with curses; Jinking between tree stumps and fallen branches Dean fell to the ground just ahead.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried denying Dean of his means to escape. At that moment he heard the one thing he never wanted to hear, as Ginny screamed for help, Curses overwhelming her. For a moment Harry was torn between getting Dean and finishing this whole affair and saving Ginny. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Dudley sprinting along the tree line on a collision corse with Dean yelling save her. Without a moments hesitation Harry turned lifted his wand to the sky and with all his might yelled.

"Penyelamet" A blue light radiated from the tip of his wand bursting in all directions throwing all the cursed aurors around Ginny to the ground, while rushing around her leaving her untouched.

"Come on!" Harry yelled to her as he dived full force into the battle, twirling and spinning throwing curse after curse towards the aurors, Ginny had never seen her husband fight as an auror. He was always good at school but after his training no one can stop him she thought to herself. Eventually all the aurors had all been captured or stunned.

"That was old magic Harry where did you learn that?" Hermione asked a note of awe in her voice, before Harry could reply a shout was heard from the trees, They all sprinted towards the shout thinking that Dudley might be hurt, skipping over branches lungs bursting, Harry came skidding to a halt and felt Neville run into him. Dudley was lying on the floor Dean kneeling over him wand in hand.

"You will never get me Potter, you will never make me face my daemons." Dean took the wand in both hands and stabbed it into his chest, to shocked to move they watched in horror as blood ran from Deans mouth and he whispered Avadakedavra. Silence fell on the forest, and not until Dudley began to stir did anyone move.

--

Dudley Sat in the Kitchen at the Potters house.

"Well it has been very exciting being with you lot but has made me feel like retiring early, very early." Dudley smiled ruefully to himself. Hermione had removed the spell from him once they had got back to the ministry, Neville had left for Hogwarts, and at last check Ron was enjoying the Delights of the Ministry canteen.

"It most certainly has been very…" Dudley trailed off searching for the right words

"Very." Agreed Ginny smirking from ear to ear.

"Well then Harry, Ginny I will make my way home then and don't take offense but I wont be back to do the same next year." Dudley shook hands and left through the front door, leaving Harry and Ginny sitting at the kitchen table.

"He's only ever travelled here by magic how will he get back home?" Ginny asked suppressing a giggle.

"No Idea, he doesn't even know what pat of the country he's in." Harry finished. A moment later there was a knock at the door.