Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the idea of Harry Potter or any of the money making forms of it.
A/N: A thanks to my beta: Throckmarton.
- - - Book 2 – Part 4: Safety
Leaving his room was eerie. Harry let himself rest fully in Dumbledore's more than capable arms as his eyes took in flashes of everything around him.
He let his senses take over, the feelings from them washing against him.
He could smell burned wood and soot in the air. He could feel Dumbledore crushing glass and debris under his tread, and saw that most of the walls had been charred from spells and curses in the hall.
He was vaguely aware of other people in the house, people in robes surveying the damage, and standing over bound Death Eaters as they passed them in the hall. People he didn't recognize froze and looked at him as Dumbledore turned and began carrying him down the stairs.
He heard people talking in the entranceway, living room and kitchen, but all discussion stopped when he and Dumbledore reached the bottom of the stairs, overturned and damaged furniture visible in the living room.
"Six are in custody, four are dead, and the rest escaped, possibly seven," a formidable black man told Dumbledore, stopping a pace away from them.
"Thank you, Kingsley," Dumbledore said, Harry moving his eyes towards the dark face that was filled with well hidden concern.
"Do they need medical attention?" a short black man asked, coming beside Kingsley, looking at Draco before resting his eyes on Harry.
"They will receive some where we are going, Joseph," Dumbledore said gently.
"Very well. Do you need an escort?" he asked.
Harry couldn't help but respect the two men before him immediately, even though he had never met them before. They carried themselves with a purpose he felt he was also, and in their eyes, he could feel their resolve and sense of duty.
"Certainly, the more the better," a gruff voice said, coming from behind them.
Harry could hear the clunk of metal on wood as the man came beside them. Harry tensed slightly, before settling again. Looking up, nearly over his head, was the man with the bulging eye. Harry squeezed his wand, not to use it, but to pull comfort from it.
"Mr. Potter," he greeted roughly, eyeing Harry's tightly held wand for a moment before meeting his eyes. He then looked to the two black men in the entryway into the living room. "Moy, Shacklebolt," he said with a nod.
"Moody," they greeted back. "Lupin," they continued, looking to a man that stepped on the other side of Harry and Dumbledore.
Harry gazed over to the wary looking man. Something was familiar about him, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why.
Harry must have phased out for a moment, for when he refocused on those around him he found that the conversation had continued without him, and that they were now moving towards the door.
"Professor, we shall escort you all," a soft voice stated, coming just out the front door.
"That's appreciated, Ms. Somac," Dumbledore said gently, passing her.
The Dursley's grudgingly followed, not having said a word after Dumbledore's previous statement of, 'I didn't ask'.
Harry felt another presence, this one running towards them, but he was too tired to do anything, save for squeezing his wand again.
"Albus," a voice he knew was McGonagall's sounding awfully close. "My, is he alright?" she gasped.
"He will be. Magic fatigue," Dumbledore stated, moving again.
That was the last thing he heard as his eyes closed and he gave into the darkness he had been fighting since he had lowered the Golden Ward.
- - -
The Knight Bus appeared before the large assembled group of formidable wizards and less than happy muggles.
Kingsley and Stephanie Somac stepped onto the Knight Bus first, poor Stan nearly having a heart attack at who were about to come aboard.
Draco knew Harry was out, for his form was limp in Dumbledore's arms. Draco was eased to the ground by Snape since there was no debris out here, but he knew to stay beside Snape.
He didn't know exactly what was going on, but he caught most of what Dumbledore and the others were saying, particularly the part about Harry.
Dumbledore and the others didn't know exactly what was wrong, but they were certain it had something to do with the amount of magic he had just used, and in such a short amount of time. Because of this, Dumbledore had stressed not apparating or using a portkey to get to their destination, to do so might affect Harry's already disturbed magic.
After a few choice words with Moody, they had decided to take the Knight Bus, though Draco didn't catch where they were going because at that moment his attention had been drawn to the raggedly looking man called Lupin. The look on the man's face had distracted him long enough to miss where they were going. The man was staring at Harry, looked as if he was seeing something he thought he would never see again, but it seemed to go deeper than that.
Draco felt a hand land on his shoulder and knew it was Snape as he was guided into the Knight Bus. Dumbledore, still holding Harry, took a seat several yards in, in the middle of the bus. On either side of him was Lupin and McGonagall. Draco continued forward, sitting across from the old wizard and Harry, while Snape sat to his right, Moody sitting on the other side of Snape.
Draco turned to Snape. "Sir, where are we going, and…" He looked to Harry as Dumbledore retrieved his wand.
"Albus?" Minerva asked, her voice not her normal stern solid voice, but quiet and uneasy.
Dumbledore shook his head.
"I've never seen anything like this. I can only assume this has something to do with that golden ward and his defensive spells we saw evidence of when we first entered the house," he said, passing the wand over Harry again.
Dumbledore paused, looking across to Draco, who was watching fixedly.
"Mr. Malfoy, to answer your previous question, we are going to the Longbottom Mansion. I feel it is safer there, and it will be easier to treat Harry and yourself there without the hustle and bustle of St. Mungos. We have contacted some trustworthy Healers. They will be there soon after we arrive," Dumbledore said. "When we arrive, I will need to talk with you, if that's alright."
"Of course, sir," Draco immediately agreed.
It was soon after that, (the bus uncharacteristically driving at a comfortable velocity) that the bus stopped.
Dumbledore stood up, Moody and McGonagall taking the lead as they exited.
- - -
Neville didn't know what was happening, but seeing that Gran was anxious, he knew that whatever it was, it was big.
"Wait in here, Neville," she said, going to the entry hall and leaving him in the living room.
Neville paced, hoping that if Harry had needed to use those seeds, that they had helped, and that Draco was alright.
Word of the Malfoy's being attacked and murdered was all over the Wizarding World, and the news of their son missing had spread even faster.
What was going on? Was Voldemort back? Was there a new dark lord who had taken his place and was ordering Death Eaters around?
Neville didn't know for certain, but from Hermione's owl, Harry had said, 'Our Foe's followers are moving', which could only mean one thing: Death Eaters.
Gran had told him about them before he went to Hogwarts, and what they had done to his parents…
Neville was torn from his thoughts by the sound of several people entering his house, and the sound of his Gran's voice beckoning them in.
"Albus, good heavens!" she said suddenly, causing Neville to get enough courage to peek around the corner.
He found the entryway full of people, some he had seen before, and others he hadn't, but what quickly got his attention was the sight of his two friends.
"Of course, Albus, take him to the guest room upstairs," she said.
All he could do was gape as he watched Albus Dumbledore give his Gran a nod before heading off to the guest room, all the while carrying an unconscious Harry in his arms.
Shaking himself, he stepped out, completely forgetting that Gran had told him to stay put in the living room. He went straight to Draco, who was standing beside Snape, shoeless and shirtless. His right side was no doubt burned, but, surprisingly, it didn't look that bad. Draco saw him coming, and went to meet him.
"Draco, what happened? What's wrong with Harry, what happened to him, to you?" Neville got out, nearly stumbling over his words as he motioned to Draco's burns.
"Mr. Longbottom, if you would take us to a spare room, I would like to examine Mr. Malfoy's wounds myself," Snape said, suddenly there with them.
"Y-yes sir," Neville said, catching Gran's eyes.
He had never seen the expression on her face she was wearing now before in his life, and he wasn't sure if she was mad or not.
He turned and led them out, Gran not calling him back, but just following him with her unreadable eyes.
- - -
Several Hours Later
Snape planted himself in the chair at the far corner of the room. A lot had transpired since they had arrived, and he was still trying to process it all.
Being Draco's godfather, he had taken his place as Draco's guardian as soon as he was able. He would take Draco home after the funeral, and raise him as his own, just as Lucius and Narcissa had asked him to if anything were to happen; Snape just wished it hadn't been necessary.
Draco seemed to be taking the loss well, if death of loved ones could ever be taken well, but since he seemed to be more concerned about Potter, it probably hadn't truly hit him yet.
Snape gave a silent sad sigh.
Everything that had happened seemed so unreal, a part of him was expecting…hoping, that he would wake up, and find all of it a dream.
Harry was still sleeping, and according to Dumbledore, Pomfrey and the trusted Healer, he would stay that way until sometime tomorrow. Snape shook his head, unnoticed by the other three people in the room. Like him, they were lost in their own thoughts.
How had Harry done what he did? And what had caused what Draco had described moments after the ward had fallen?
'A light came, and I felt it go across my skin,' Draco had told them. 'I have never felt anything like it.'
Had that been an after effect of the Ward falling? Or was it something more? And how did Harry hold off and defeat two Death Eaters, and at the same time? How did he disapparate? An example of accidental magic? And how did he make that Ward?
There were just too many questions, and not nearly enough answers.
Snape looked across the living room, dimly lit by the slowly burning embers in the fireplace. Moody was lightly sleeping on the couch, his guard never really going down; and across from the couch was Dumbledore, in the deepest thought Snape had ever seen.
Dumbledore had gathered a decent amount of what had happened, though a lot of it still eluded him. The Wards around the home had fallen, including the Blood Ward Dumbledore had put on the Dursley family to protect Harry soon after that night, but something else had fallen: the Beacon Charm on Draco.
Dumbledore assumed that the light Draco had described was a result from the Beacon falling, but he still could not fully explain the immense magic surge that had occurred soon after they had entered the house to help because it couldn't have been the Blood Ward, for it had already fallen. Had it been Harry?
Perhaps they would never understand what had happened, just like they would never fully know what had that night Voldemort had vanished…
Snape paused, forcing his thoughts elsewhere, since there was no point in thinking about such things…
Dinner had taken place a few hours ago—the Dursley's included.
That had been an experience…
Snape inwardly smiled, thinking back. Who would have ever guessed Neville would have such a fierce sense of loyalty and tenacity enough to silence a blubbery Neanderthal?
They were all seated at the large dinner table, save Potter and Madam Pomfrey for obvious reasons. They had already discussed with Draco what had happened, and even with the Dursley's, but Petunia seemed to be the only one able to talk.
The dinner was quiet. Moody, McGonagall, and Stephanie were on one side of the table, across from Snape, Augusta Longbottom, and Kingsley—Dumbledore at the head. Draco, Neville, and Lupin were on the other end of the table, across from the Dursley's.
So there they were, sitting around the table, Neville and Draco sitting next to each other, across from the Dursley's who avoided the adult wizards and settled with sitting across the younger ones, probably feeling they were less of a threat.
There were a few quiet conversations going on, but the quietest one was between the Dursley's, or rather, one of them talking to himself—Vernon.
"How did we get dragged into the middle of this? If it wasn't for that boy, none of this would have happened…" Vernon mumbled nearly silently. "Never should have agreed…how was it our problem? Then after we take the freak in, he brings this upon us. He nearly got us all killed. Stupid boy. Nothing but trouble. Good for nothing little bra—"
BANG!
Neville and Draco had stood up, letting their chairs crash down behind them, Lupin about to as well, but seeing Neville and Draco had beaten him to it, he decided to watch.
Both of them were furious, having heard every word from the bumbling man.
"If you say another word against my friend, I promise you, it will be your last!" Draco spat, but before he could add anything else, Neville took over…
"How can you say such things?! He's your family, or at least your wife's! Even if she didn't get along with her sister, Harry is still your nephew. And forget that, Harry saved—your—lives. Which I don't understand after everything he has told me, and even what he hasn't told me! I don't know why he even bothered! But he did, and he—didn't—have—to.
"He ran out of his room to get you three. He ran out of the upper position his room provided to get you. He had to dodge who knows how many curses and was left trapped in the hall with two Death Eaters protecting you and your family."
He paused, but not to get a breath, but to take a moment to glare before he continued—everyone at the table at a loss for words, even Dumbledore, though his eyes were twinkling.
"Oh, but Harry's just a 'stupid boy', 'nothing but trouble'… let's just ignore the fact you three would be dead, if not worse, right now, if not for him."
Neville leaned forward slightly, all of his past nervousness and timidness gone—this was the real Neville, the one who had been hiding underneath the shy and fearful one…
"Why don't you think about that, sir, before you start talking crap about people you don't even deserve to be in the presence of."
Neville straightened, Draco standing firm beside him, proud and inwardly awed. He had done right picking his friends, of that he had no doubt.
"May I be excused from the table?" Neville asked, still staring at the dumbfounded and quite possible horrified Vernon.
"Yes dear," his Gran chimed in, coming out of her shocked state.
"May I also?" Draco asked.
Receiving a nod, he followed Neville out of the room and upstairs to where Harry was.
Snape would never forget that meal for the rest of his days, but pushing that memory aside, his eyes fell upon Stephanie Somac, the Auror from the States.
She seemed to know how to handle herself in tense situations, showing this during the battle, and the relocating of the Dursley's. Snape almost smiled while thinking about the looks on their faces when Dumbledore had told them the Ministry would be moving them for safety reasons.
Because the Blood Ward had been broken, Harry could no longer stay with them during the summer or any other time for that matter. Snape could only imagine the reaction of Potter as soon as he learned that…
Well, because of that, Dumbledore was relocating the Dursley's and providing a few powerful wards to protect them. However, these would not be as powerful as the one they had had, but it would suffice. Death Eaters really had no reason to target them, and once they were moved, they would be difficult to find.
He had only seen Draco once after dinner, and they had only exchanged short head nods before Draco went away with Neville again to check on Harry. Snape inwardly sighed; there would be plenty of time to talk to him later about everything.
The other issue Snape hoped they resolved soon involved Potter. Where would he stay? Would Dumbledore take him to Hogwarts? Or take him somewhere else? What was a safe place? Was there really such a place now?
Stephanie looked up and met Snape's eyes for a moment. She seemed to be thinking about the same thing.
What would the Ministry do now, now that it was proven that Death Eaters were about? They couldn't hide this; there were too many witnesses. Would there be a panic? Or would the fact that their 'golden hero' had triumphed once again calm fears and cause the public to stand together? Only time would tell…
Snape knew Voldemort wasn't back, but that didn't mean he didn't have some part in this, especially after Draco had told him and Dumbledore about the book…Tom Marvolo Riddle's Diary… Was this why the Malfoy's had been targeted? And why did they want the diary?
Snape gave a slight nod in greeting to Stephanie, before once again turning inward to his thoughts.
- - -
Harry looked down at the rat who was cowering and shaking in fear.
"Wormtail, you best have brought me news," he hissed as the rat transformed into a quavering man.
"Ye-yes Master, the Potter's are now under the Fidelius Charm…" the man stuttered.
"And I assume they've made Sirius Black their Secret Keeper?" he asked.
"No Master…Black is a decoy—"
"For who?!" he shouted, cutting Wormtail off. "M-me…"
He looked down in wicked approval.
"And where are they, oh Secret Keeper?" he asked with a smirk.
"Godric Hallow…" he said, telling the exact address.
"Well then, tonight I will make a visit… and if you have not lied to me, there will be an award for you when I return, Wormtail…"
"Thank you Master…thank you…"
The dream jumped, and the next thing Harry saw was the front of the house he was now so familiar with. He had had this dream countless times before…and it always ended the same way…
Green light exploding in his face…
- - -
Meanwhile…
Neville was sharing his room with Draco, Dumbledore having conjured a bed for Draco, and though they were both trying to sleep, they were both unable.
Draco had told Neville everything that had happened, in even more detail than what he had told Dumbledore and Snape. He had sworn Dobby to secrecy, which wasn't a problem, Dobby was happy to do anything Master Draco or Mr. Harry Potter asked of him.
Draco had described the people he had seen to Dumbledore and Snape, but it wasn't much help, he hadn't gotten that good of a look. Draco sighed, rolling over, trying to find a good position that helped ease the soreness of his burns.
Madam Pomfrey and the other Healer, Jean Burry, had helped heal his burns a great deal, but because of the amount of time he had gone without proper treatment, he would have a few deep scars; however, even if they had gotten to him sooner, he still would have had some, for the burns were magical burns and those always left some scarring.
The treatment Potter had been able to give him still helped a great deal though, and his scars that he would have would just be a lighter pigment of smooth skin on the side of his face, patching down the side of his neck, and a little down his arm.
Neville told him it would add character. Draco agreed, and said he would wear the scars with no shame, for they were a testament to the fact he had lived despite of the Death Eaters' attempt to kill him.
Dobby had popped in earlier after dinner, and had told them of the man he had seen, (Barty Crouch Jr.) but because Dobby was a house elf, his word wouldn't stand up in court. Draco and Neville, however, agreed to tell Dumbledore later after they had spoken with Potter, at least Dumbledore would then know to watch him.
Draco was thinking about what he would do now, and how living with Snape was going to take some getting used to, when suddenly, he felt overwhelmed by something. The feeling erupted from his center, yet he knew the source was outside himself.
He sat up, his gut telling him something was dreadfully wrong.
"Draco, what's wrong?" Neville whispered, sitting up as well.
"Potter," he whispered back suddenly, quickly getting out of bed and quietly hurrying to Harry.
He found himself running down the hall, barely conscious of Neville being close behind him. He made it to the guest room's door and entered, Neville instinctively closing the door behind them.
Harry was tossing and turning, murmuring in his sleep, his forehead damp with sweat. They could feel magic thickening in the air, and Draco could swear Potter's bed was shaking.
"Oh, no... This has happened before," Neville whispered, going beside Draco next to the bed.
Draco barely cast him a side glance as he seized Harry's arm with one hand, while placing the other on Harry's chest, trying to still him.
"Potter…Potter, wake up…" he whispered, as loudly as he dared.
Harry's breathing became heavy, and Neville was afraid what had happened at Hogwarts last year would happen again…
The magic kept on growing, despite Draco's attempts to wake Harry, and Neville knew all they could do was wait for Harry to wake on his own; and then he did.
Harry's eyes snapped open as he sucked in a deep breath and shot up.
"Malfoy?" he breathed after a moment, shaking slightly.
"It's me, Neville's here too…" Draco trailed off as Harry covered his face with his hands.
"Pettigrew…Peter Pettigrew, Wormtail…Secret Keeper…Black…Decoy…" he mumbled, clearly trying to collect himself and hold in any stubborn tears.
Draco was going to ask what he was talking about, and if he or Neville could do anything to help, when they suddenly heard a voice come from behind them.
"Harry?" a powerful yet caring voice asked from the doorway.
Draco and Neville whipped their heads around to find Albus Dumbledore staring at Harry with worry they had never seen from him before. They had been so focused on Harry, they hadn't heard the door open.
They quickly moved aside, Harry's head still in his hands.
"Harry…" Dumbledore asked again, the door quietly closing behind him and giving a slight glow from being charmed.
He went forward, kneeling down beside the bed and putting one of his hands on Harry's knee.
He had felt the magical disturbance all the way from the living room. Most of the others were gone or asleep, and as for Moody, he asked him to stay there while he went to investigate. He was sure he already knew the cause, and he had been right.
"Pro-fessor?" Harry choked out.
Dumbledore knew Harry was trying to hold himself together, to be strong, but he knew this was not the time for such chivalry.
Before Harry knew what was happening, he felt Dumbledore's arms wrap around him and pull him into his embrace. He instantly thought back to the last time he had felt such security, such caring and unselfish love…that had been in Hagrid's arms…
He let himself fall into it, no longer caring how weak he may look or what anyone who saw might think.
He cried.
So many times had he seen that bastard kill his parents…so many times had he seen him enter his old house and murder his father as if it was nothing…and do the same to his mother, before pointing the wand at him…
And now…now he knew how he had done it…
Now he knew who had helped him do it…
Now he knew how he had gotten past his family's protection…
The Secret Keeper had told him…
Peter Pettigrew…the supposed friend of his father…this knowledge coming to him from Voldemort's thoughts at the time.
Wormtail…
He felt hot tears running down his face as he just let it all go…
"Wormtail told him…Pettigrew…Secret Keeper…" he said. "Voldemort…memories…"
Dumbledore just rocked him as he continued to ramble, Dumbledore picking up a few words here and there—all of them causing him to inwardly stiffen.
Draco and Neville just stood to the side in silence, not understanding everything Harry was saying, but knowing whatever it was about, it was not anything good.
Harry quieted down, his chest now fighting back hiccups as his eyes focused like never before…
"I'm going to make him pay for everything he has done…"
His voice was eerily calm, and one could feel the power laced with it, even Dumbledore was a little taken aback before a sudden knock came from the door.
Dumbledore released the charms, and magically opened the door.
"What's happened?" Jean Burry, the Healer, asked.
"A bad dream, he's alright now," Dumbledore replied, now rubbing Harry's back to further comfort him.
"I have a Calming Potion he could take," Jean suggested.
"That's a good idea, just not a Sleeping Potion," he said.
"Yes sir," she said, leaving to get it.
Once she was gone, Dumbledore refocused on Harry.
"Is this what Hagrid was keeping a secret?" he asked quietly and as gently as he could.
"Yes."
"It is now my secret too, I will keep this between us," he stated, before looking to Draco and Neville.
"We'll keep it too, we won't tell anyone," Draco said, Neville nodding in agreement.
"Good, because if anyone were to learn this who was or is with Voldemort …the consequences…"
"We understand, sir," Neville said.
Dumbledore, now sure they would keep the secret, turned back to Harry.
"Harry, from what I gathered, you know everything that happened that night?"
Harry nodded. "But I've never seen Wormtail before."
"Last night might have caused the memory to surface," Dumbledore said, before pausing. "Harry, we will speak more on this later, rest now."
Harry lay back on the bed as the door was reopened and Jean stepped through with the Calming Potion, her eyes showing concern and a slight sense of awe kept in line by professionalism as she found him looking back at her.
Soon after, Neville and Draco left with a departing nod, telling Harry they would talk tomorrow.
- - -
A/N: Again, for those of you who review (kindly and honestly), -thanks- each of you help me improve and type faster. :)
Next part: Plans
