Chapter 4: As We Wind On Down The Road

"Dad, Harry is a nice guy, he's not a monster" Hermione argued angrily.

"One that would never have happened if you both stopped to think for a second what the consequences might have been." Hermione's mother piped up with a frown.

"We were both upset.. It just happened. There wasn't any 'thinking' involved." Hermione yelled.

"Exactly! You see? You're both completely irresponsible. Well you've got yourselves into one hell of a mess now. What are you going to do? Huh? Have you even thought about that?" Her father yelled in satisfaction.

"Of course I have." Hermione said indignantly. "Harry and I will raise this baby together."

"What?" Her father exploded.

"You heard me." Hermione said, crossing her arms.

"Don't get smart with me young lady. You can't be serious? You want to raise this child with that boy?" Her father said incredulously.

"Yup. Thats what I said, didn't I?" Hermione said calmly.

Hermione's father's nostrils flared dangerously, which she took as a sign to shut her mouth.

"Oh yes, and babies don't cost anything to raise? You have no money, no stable environment, you're both still at school for God's sake! How can you possibly think that that's an option?" he roared.

"Its the only option dad." Hermione said firmly.

"I've seen that boy, the clothes he wears, the way he presents himself. It's obvious he couldn't be poorer. He has nothing to offer you Hermione, he's just lowly scum!" He retorted.

Hermione gritted her teeth. "No dad, what's obvious, is that you don't know the first thing about Harry. And as for still being at school, we'll find a way to work things out. Things will have to change obviously."

Hermione's father snorted, cutting her off. "You think?"

"Yes Dad, I managed to figure that one out all on my own." Hermione said sarcastically.

"Hermione enough of your attitude.." He warned.

"Well you're not even trying to listen to me, or even understand anything I say about this. You don't even want to know anything about Harry, you just want to judge him!" she yelled angrily, tears stinging her eyes.

"What makes you think he'll want anything to do with you when he finds out? What makes you think he won't abandon you and refuse to accept responsibility?" he asked aggressively.

"Because I know him! Alright? I know him better than anyone else! And if you'd just listen to me.."

"I don't want to listen to you Hermione!" Her father shouted angrily, pausing. "I'm disappointed in you. I'm disappointed, and I never ever thought that i would be disappointed in you..."

Silence filled the car for many long awkward minutes. Hermione seemed to vibrate with suppressed anger. Suddenly she began to speak in a very strained voice.

"His name is Harry James Potter. James after his father. His father who was murdered along side his mother when Harry was one year old. His Godfather was blamed for their murders' and sent to the wizarding prison for 13 years before he escaped. Harry was sent to live with his mother's sister and her husband, and their child Dudley. They made Harry live in a cupboard under their staircase until he was 11 years old, when they were forced to alter that. They refused to acknowledge his presence, never gave him birthday or christmas presents, never allowed him to have friends or do anything fun.

"Dudley made his life hell, by bullying him and turning his whole school against him. His uncle and aunt lived in fear that he would turn out to be a "freak" like his mother. When the letter for Hogwarts came they tried to ignore it, they never told him he was a wizard. They told him that his parents had died in a car crash, that his father couldn't hold down a job and was a useless bum. He never knew they were wizards until Hagrid came and forcibly removed him from the Dursley's to take him to Hogwarts.

"Harry has been forced to return there every summer, where he only gets hand me down rags to wear, and barely gets anything to eat, they lock him in his room and bar his windows, and tell the neighbors he's a troubled child. Every summer it gets worse, they beat him, and more than once he's had to be rescued to be able to return to school. He's heir to his parents fortune, he's not poor at all. He's one of the most intelligent wizards at Hogwarts, and definitely is the most powerful. He's been living under the shadow of the fact that he must either die at the hands of his parents murderer, Voldemort, or kill him himself.

"At the end of last term, his godfather, Sirius, died when Voldemort tricked Harry into coming to his rescue at the ministry of magic. Harry blames himself for Sirius' death. He feels like he has no one left now. And at this moment he's sitting in his locked bedroom at the Dursley's, thinking God knows what because we're not allowed to write to him in case our owls are intercepted, Dumbledore's orders. People hate Harry for no reason, they judge him, last year the whole school thought he was mental until Voldemort showed himself.

"So don't act like you know anything about him, either of you. This isn't his fault, its mine. So leave him out of this. I don't care if you're angry, or disappointed, or whatever you are. What's done is done and Harry and I will raise this child whether you approve or not. So you might as well accept the fact that you're going to be grandparents, because I am not getting rid of this child." She finished crossing her arms.

Hermione's father gave a dry cough. All the color had drained from his face and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, seeming to focus more intensely on his driving. Her mother had her hand over her mouth in shock, and was staring unknowingly in the rear-view mirror obviously lost in deep thought. Hermione threw her legs up onto the seat and leaned against the car door.

"Good." she said. "Make a left up here." she motioned to her father.

"So uh, his parents left him a fortune, you said?" Her father said in a polite attempt to make conversation.

"Yes. A very large fortune, not to mention the Black fortune that he's inherited from Sirius, his godfather. The Potter's were a very wealthy and influential family in wizarding society, they were very prominent in the fight against Voldemort. Everyone admired Lily and James for their courage and determination." Hermione said sounding like the text book they knew and loved.

"Oh, I see. I thought you said his godfather was blamed for Harry's parents murders?" He asked again dryly.

"Well, he was. They thought that Sirius had betrayed the Potters location to Voldemort, and he went to Azkaban for 13 years. He escaped in our third year and came to find Harry. We thought he was trying to kill him, but it turns out that he was trying to find Wormtail, his and James friend from high school, who had been hiding out in the form of a rat for 13 years. It was Wormtail who was the traitor. But Wormtail escaped and returned to Voldemort, so we couldn't clear Sirius' name, he had to spend his last few years in hiding, but at least he was free. It was Wormtail who helped Voldemort return to his body at the end of our fourth year."

"Oh." her father said gulping.

"Funny name for a man really, Wormtail. Even if he is a wizard, its a bit, well, primitive isn't it?" Her mother piped up.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "Its the name of his animagus form mom, Rat - Wormtail?"

"Oh.. now i see."

"His real name is Peter Pettigrew."

"Ah.."

"Ok, so you'll have money. But do you really think you're ready for this kind of commitment Hermione? Its a huge step, And you're only 16, both of you." her father interrupted as if he had not heard anything his wife had just said.

"We have time to prepare ourselves for it dad. No one wanted this to happen, of course we aren't ready for it, but we will be. We just need time to adjust to this." She said firmly.

"And Harry? What if, IF Hermione, he doesn't want anything to do with this? What are you going to do then?" he asked quietly.

"Dad he wouldn't abandon me."

"But if he does?" He said desperately. "I'm not asking you to revoke your trust in him Hermione, i just want to make sure you're prepared for both outcomes. If he doesn't want anything to do with this child, then what? Have you thought about that?"

"I've thought about it." She said quietly.

"And?" he pressed.

"Then i'll do it on my own." she said in quiet determination.

"Hermione.." he began.

"Don't dad. I've made my decision. Either way i'm having this baby. I'm sorry if thats not what you want.."

"I don't want my daughter to get hurt. I don't want you to have to go through this alone, thats what i don't want." he said.

"Thats not going to happen. I know Harry. Everything's going to be ok dad, i promise." she said as if she were trying to convince not only him but herself as well.

Conversation died for the present time as outside Hermione's window the dreary countryside whipped by. Dark rain clouds had crept in without warning and it was not long before heavy rain plummeted down to the earth. Hermione knew they were not far, perhaps 10 minutes away, from Little Whinging. Ten minutes away from facing up to the consequences of her actions, ten minutes away from facing up to her responsibilities. She thought of Harry, how he would probably consider this visit a completely unexpected yet pleasant surprise. that is until he heard what she had to say.

She found herself wondering how he would react to the news that he would soon be a father. Not only that, the father to a child carried not by his lover, but by his best friend. The closer they drew to privet drive, the more Hermione's stomach clenched into nervous knots. She had become so worked up that she was now terrified of facing him, terrified that he might abandon her. After all, he had enough problems as it were on his own.

"What street?" Her fathers voice abruptly broke her train of thought.

She looked out the window in alarm to discover they were heading into Little Whinging. Panicking she choked out the words "Privet Drive" before she could think better of it.

"What number?" He asked casually.

"4" she said, shifting uneasily in her seat. "Number 4"

"And his Aunt and Uncles names?"

"Vernon and Petunia.."

"Dursley?"

"Yeah.."

"There it is dear, Privet Drive." Hermione's mother said pointing out the old fashioned street sign.

"Listen.. can't we do this some other .." Hermione began.

"No. We're doing it now, were getting everything out in the open, so everybody knows exactly where they stand. Its better to do it now Hermione. There's no point delaying the inevitable." her father said sternly.

"I guess.. " she said her stomach flipping wildly. She thought for a fleeting moment that perhaps she could miraculously dive out of the moving car door and make a run for it, but decided that there was no way she could make it.

"Number 4 Dear, just here." Her mothers voice came again.

"Ah right here we are, right Hermione.." Just as he said it something odd happened. An electrical charge seemed to race through the air, and a large dome appeared in a flash enveloping number four privet drive.

The dome of light flickered in and out of focus for several seconds, causing Hermione's parents to stare in shock. Hermione sat bolt upright her eyes fixed on the fluroscent dome of light. Suddenly there was a great boom which caused Mrs Granger to shriek and cover her ears. The boom shattered the car windows, and blew out the windows of all the houses on the street, covering Hermione and her parents in fragments of glass.

"What in the name of.." Hermione's father shouted as he threw his hands over his head. His voice was cut off by another gigantic boom. The great dome of light began to crack, flickering dangerously in and out of focus.

"Harry.." Hermione whispered in wonder.

"Hermione" Her father yelled. "What's happening?"

"I don't know! Something's not right.." she replied loudly, frantically opening the car door and stepping out.

"Young lady get back in this car right now!" He yelled in distress.

Suddenly the Dome exploded, bursting into millions of shards as it fell to the ground like broken glass. The fluorescent light vanished and number 4 appeared to steam in the cold night air. Hermione raised her hand to her mouth in shock. She raised her eyes to where Harry's bedroom window was set on the outside of the house. It appeared from exterior damage that this was where the magic had forced its way out of the house. The window frame was blown outwards with tremendous force, leaving it dangling precariously from a severed hinge. A steam like substance billowed from the gaping hole and rose up into the dark night sky.

She was half expecting half hoping that Harry would appear at that gaping hole with a sheepish grin on his face and shout a humored apology down to her. But as the steam kept flowing out steadily she realized that he would not be doing that. Whatever just happened was no experiment gone wrong, no accident, it was serious and extremely powerful magic, and she did not like the feel of it. Suddenly she awoke from her shocked state and realized that something was horribly, horribly wrong.

"Harry!" She screamed as she flew towards Harry's uncles front door.

"Hermione!" Her father shouted after her, climbing awkwardly out of his open car door. "Hermione!"

"Stop her John!" Hermione's mother screeched as she clambered out of the destroyed car.

"Hermione stay away from there! It might not be safe!" He yelled, chasing her frantically. His words did not reach her, at least did not reach her conscious mind, she reached the front door long before her father shouted them.

"Alohamora!" She shouted in panic, throwing the door open forcefully.

Her thunderous footsteps pounded up the staircase fiercely, not waiting to check for any other occupants of the house. She tore towards Harry's bedroom door and wrenched at the door handle. It did not budge, she had forgotten in her panic that they locked him in at night time.

She cried out angrily in frustration, screeching "Alohamora" at the lock so forcefully the door flew open without her touching it.

A horrible stench washed over her like a tidal wave as the door flew open. The most pungent odor she had ever encountered, so strong it made her ill. Wretching she fell to her knees and crawled into his room, one hand covering her nose and mouth. The room was pitch black but for the silvery steam substance that had almost completely disappeared out the gaping hole where Harry's barred window had been. She felt something slick under the hand she was crawling along the floor with and stopped abruptly, gagging as she felt around for her wand in her pocket.

"Lumos!" She said in a muffled voice, holding the wand high above her head.

The harsh white light filled the room instantly, causing her to blink rapidly as her eyes watered from the pressure of adjusting to the drastic change. At first things looked as they should have to her eyes, but after a few moments she realized that nothing in this room was as it should have been. Her hand dropped from her mouth and nose, suddenly the smell did not seem to register with her senses. The hand that held up her wand was slick with blood that was now trickling down her pale wrist, as she looked to the floor she could see that the floorboards were thick with trails of it, as though he had been dragging himself around in circles on the floor.

On his bed lay two sets of broken cold steel shackles that were rusty and jagged, stained with old dried on blood. His trunk had been thrown across the room, his bookshelf lay broken on the floor. The sheets on his bed were torn and soaked in fresh blood, which had mingled with old blood which had crusted. Next to her hand on the floor she picked up a small white object, a piece of broken tooth. Her hand shook uncontrollably as she placed it carefully back on the floor where it had been.

Next to his bed a pile of charred books lay where they had been set alight, his school books. In the midst of the pile she removed what was left of his defense against the dark arts book from the year before. As she tried to open it up the book disintegrated in her hands. Her eyes fell on his robes which lay shredded next to his books in a discarded pile, along with Hedwig's battered cage. There was no sign of the snowy owl. Just as there was no sign of Harry anywhere in the room, just evidence that he had been there not long before.

Hermione's wand fell absently from her hand, clunking to the floor beside her. Unable to support her own weight she curled over her knees in choking sobs. Tears poured down her face as she cried in agony, tears mixing with Harry's spilt blood.

"Dear God.." Came her father's horrified voice from behind her as he entered the room, bringing his hand to his mouth and nose. "Where is he?"

Hermione could not answer her father, the lump in her throat was pure agony as she choked out her tears, repeating only Harry's name over and over.

"No. Don't love, don't come in here." Mr Granger said, putting an arm up to prevent his wife from entering the room.

"What is it? What is that smell? John let me in." She said frantically. "Is Hermione ok? Hermione?" She pushed passed her husband's arm and stopped in horror. All color drained from her face as she clutched her husbands arm.

"I told you you can't come up here!" Roared another male voice from behind her father. Vernon Dursley barged his way passed John Granger and pushed him backwards out of the room. "What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at? This is breaking and entering this is! I could sue you!"

"What have you done?" Mr Granger asked in horror.

"It's none of your business. What did you do with him? Where is he?" Mr Dursley roared angrily, scanning the room for Harry.

"We were about to ask you the same question." Mr Granger said through gritted teeth. "He's an innocent boy! What have you done?"

Vernon scanned the room again quickly, then suddenly noticed Hermione on the floor, he had not seen her huddled there the first time.

"You." He said through gritted teeth, marching towards her, fists clenched. "You're one of them, Aren't you? You broke him out didn't you? You little bitch, what do you think you're doing, meddling in other people's business? I'll give you a life lesson girly, its not a wise move, you could get yourself hurt." Vernon grabbed her by the collar of her robes and yanked her to her feet, causing her to yell. "What did you do with him? Bring him back now or i swear you'll pay for this."

"Get your hands off my daughter you son of a bitch!" John Granger yelled fiercely as he came up behind Vernon Dursley, planting his fist into the side of the man's jaw.

Vernon released Hermione involuntarily, falling sideways and crashing into Harry's bed, hitting the side of his head, knocking himself out with a sickening crack. Hermione jerked her head away in shock as Vernon hit the floor. From the doorway a woman shrieked and tore into the room, kneeling beside Harry's unconcious uncle.

"Vernon? Vernon!" she shrieked, shaking the mans shoulders. "What have you done to him?" he cried angrily rounding on Mr Granger.

"He'll be fine." John said dismissively. "As for Harry i'm not so sure. How could you let this happen? Where is he?" He roared at the woman, hoping to scare her into submittance.

"I don't know! There was no way he could leave! He should be right here!" She yelled defensively.

"What do you mean there was no way he could leave?" Hermione asked frantically, "What did you do to him?"

"He.." she began slowly.

"Speak up!" Hermione's father roared.

"Vernon beat him.."

"I'd say he did more than beat him!" Mr Granger yelled in frustration.

Petunia looked down at her unconcious husband for a moment, then raised her eyes to meet Mr Grangers. "Vernon found out something.. he caught Harry writting a letter to one of his friends.. Something we forbade him to do.. He confiscated the letter. It said, It said that Dumbledore had bound his magic.. that he couldn't use his magic.. under any circumstances at all.. leaving him in effect powerless."

Hermione gasped in shock. "No... No you're wrong. Dumbledore wouldn't do that to Harry. Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Petunia said shakily. "All I know is that Vernon was elated, Harry couldn't scare us into submission anymore, we didn't need to fear him. Vernon, he was vengeful.. he beat Harry. Until he couldn't walk, I.. I think he broke his legs."

Hermione looked away disgusted, feeling her stomach lurch, tears fell down her cheeks in dispair.

Petunia continued. "He.. he took acid up there one day.. I never saw what he had done.. but he told me.. he told me that he made sure he would never see again.."

"That's enough.." Hermione's father said looking away from the woman to see his daughters face.

"He whipped him many times.. he made me come in and clean the wounds the first few times. After a while he refused to let me in.." Petunia carried on in a daze.

"I said thats Enough!" Mr Granger roared as Hermione collapsed to the floor in tears.

Petunia jumped with fear at the fierceness in his voice. Mrs Granger ran to her daughter, taking her in her arms and holding her tightly. Mr Granger ran his hands through his hair helplessly, spinning around on the spot taking in the horrors of the room. His frustration grew as he saw the blood trails on the floor.

"Where is he? What did you do with him? You said yourself he couldn't leave on his own! So what did you do with him?" He yelled at her.

"Nothing, he was here. I know for a fact that he was here! I can't explain it!"

"You listen to me.." Hermione's father started moving towards her.

"Dad no!" Hermione shouted. "Leave her. Just leave her. We need to contact Dumbledore. Now. He's the only one who can answer for this."

Getting to her feet Hermione stumbled to Harry's broken desk, rumaging about for a piece of parchment and a quill in his trunk. Emerging with both she scrawled a hurried note and rolled it up, looking about the room for Hedwig.

"Harry's owl, Did he kill it?" Hermione asked Petunia in a choked voice.

"No." she said quietly. "He tried. It scratched his face when he tried. He never could catch it. He was livid with that bird.."

"Hedwig?" Hermione called softly, turning away from the woman with disgust.

After a long silence she called again. After a few moments there was a rustling noise from within Harry's wardrobe. A very thin, ruffled looking snowy owl emerged slowly from the crack in the wardrobe doors, hooting woefully.

"Hedwig!" Hermione said in relief, taking the owl in her arms and stroking her softly. The owl hooted again, as if trying to tell Hermione of all the troubles she had witnessed. Harry had obviously not been able to feed her, as she was barely skin and bone. She shuddered thinking about what injuries would have kept Harry from taking care of Hedwig, he always took such good care of her, she was his best friend in this house. Seeing a bag of owl treats in the open trunk, Hermione took one and fed it to the owl who accepted it gingerly.

"It's ok girl, its me Hermione remember? I need you to take this to Dumbledore, we need him to help us find Harry. Ok Hedwig? Go as fast as you can."

The owl pecked her finger affectionately and soared out of the gaping window.

Hermione crumpled to the ground in exhaustion. Her mother rushed to her side once more, stroking her hair gently. Her father walked over and knelt down beside them, hugging them both firmly, Harry's cold blood soaking through his pants at the knee.

"How long will he take?" Hermione's father asked quietly.

"Not long. Hedwig knows its urgent." Hermione said quietly through tears.

Time seemed to fly by in a dream as they waited for Dumbledore's presence. Hermione sat mesmorized by Harry's blood, the slick, shining pools glimmering beneath the glow of the streetlights outside. Harry's pain and torment rose up out of those pools to haunt her as she sat on the stained wooden floor, streaked with his blood.

After what seemed only mere seconds there was a loud crack and the old wizard appeared out of thin air. Petunia screamed and huddled closer to Vernon who groaned weakly from the floor. Hermione jumped to her feet and rounded on Dumbledore before he could get his barings, leaving her parents struggling to get off the floor and chase her.

"How could you?" She yelled furiously through her blinding tears. "How could you leave him here?"

"Miss Granger I.."

"How could you leave him here with no protection against that monster?" she screamed, cutting him off as she pointed an accusatory finger at Vernon Dursley.

"Miss Granger if you would .."

"Look! Look at what theyve done!" She yelled, pointing at the blood on the floor, the bloodstained sheets, the shackles, the tooth. "They burnt his eyes out with acid!" she screamed. "You selfish old bastard! How could you leave him here? How could you leave him here when he begged you not to make him come back? Look what you've done!"

"Hermione Calm down!" Her father pleaded.

"Calm down?" She laughed a scornful laugh. "Harry's been tortured up here for months! He's been here in agony for months! No one to rescue him, no one to talk too, no one to help him! No! I will not calm down!"

"Miss Granger please sit down." Dumbledore said calmly. All the color had drained from his face as he absorbed his surroundings, his eyes fell on Petunia Dursley huddled next to her semi conscious husband. He gave her a look that said he wanted to be sick at the sight of her, then turned to the Grangers. Hermione was shaking with silent rage and her parents were white with shock, each standing either side of their daughter, concerned at her behaviour.

"Miss Granger, May I ask why you came here in the first place?" Dumbledore directed at her firmly.

Hermione looked taken aback for a moment, and temporarily, her anger vanished and her mind went blank. She knew she couldn't tell him the truth, but for some reason a lie was hard to form when being probed so suddenly.

"I was worried about Harry. I wanted to come and visit him.." She tried to sound sincere, and when she realised he was skeptical, she added hastily. "It's your fault! you're the one who said we couldn't write."

She shot a furtive glance at her parents, who knew from this frightening glare that under no circumstances should they call her out on the lie. Fortunately for her, neither of them showed any signs of speaking up.

She knew that Dumbledore didn't quite believe her, but at the same time she gained a mild satisfaction from knowing that he knew she was lying. He did not deserve the truth in her opinion, and she wanted to be sure that her feelings were indeed known to him. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, examining her carefully before frowning. The determined stubborness in her glare told him more than her words did.

"I see." He said quietly. "You came to check on Harry, is that it?"

"Yes"

"No particular reason why? No cause for your sudden visit? No reason to be concerned enough to drive an hour across the country with your parents at this time of night?" He probed, and Hermione disliked the suspicion she heard in his voice.

"No. Just a feeling." she clarified.

"A feeling, Miss Granger?" He inquired.

"A feeling that he needed me.. Thats all." She said shortly in reply.

Dumbledore frowned again in what was soon becoming an annoying habit to Hermione.

"Very well." He said finally. "About the same time Hedwig reached me i got an owl from the ministry of magic informing me that the anti portkey wards, anti apparition wards and other magical protections i have placed on this household were completely obliviated." He said clearly and calmly.

Hermione gasped, everything finally falling into place. "We saw them come down." she said angry at herself for not recognising what had happened.

Dumbledore nodded solemnly and continued. "Only a very powerful magic could have destroyed those barriers."

"Voldemort.." Hermione interrupted in dispair.

"No. Voldemort could not have done this." Dumbledore assured her. "Only Harry's magic could have done this. You can imagine my surprise, as i bound his magic myself. Something i regret very greatly now, obviously." he added, seeing Hermione's look.

"He set his magic free?" She asked, her astonishment at this revelation overpowering her anger for the present time. "How?"

"I don't believe that even Harry knew what his magic was doing. I think, Miss Granger, that it set itself free. I think it forced itself out of his body."

"But why, why would it do that?" She asked in surprise.

"It is obvious to me, after witnessing this room, that the extent of Harry's torture and physical damage was far beyond the threshold of pain that any normal man could stand. I think his magic forced its way out of bondage in attempts to heal him, to save him from the unbearable pain he was in." Dumbledore said pacing the room, appearing to be lost in thought.

Hermione's stomach lurched, imagining what terrors would be so painful that his magic would force itself out of his body to heal him.

"But where is he?" Hermione asked carefully, fearing she may not like the answer.

The old man stopped and looked at her, absorbing her question. He frowned, then began pacing again, stroking his beard absently as his eyes searched the room. Hermione waited as the old man seemed to toss theories around in his head, every now and then shaking his head and muttering to himself. Sometimes "Perhaps.. But maybe.." or "No.. No thats impossible.. But what if.."

Abruptly he stopped and turned to face her. "The anti-portkey wards were destroyed, as were the apparition barriers. It is possible, that somehow he apparated out."

"He doesn't have his liscence yet, we havn't learnt how!" Hermione stated throwing his theory out the window. "Unless his magic did it." she said skeptically.

Dumbledore frowned. "It is unlikely, However, perhaps he used a portkey to escape from here."

"A portkey?" Hermione said quizzically. "How would he get a portkey? He wouldn't just carry one around with him."

"I at first thought the same thing. But I don't have any other reasonable explanation. You were here when the wards collapsed, there was no time for anyone to apparate in and take him, you would have seen it. Either he somehow came into contact with a portkey that he was unaware of, or like you say, his magic disapparated him from the house." Dumbledore said, sounding slightly frustrated that he could only stab in the dark for answers.

"But if thats the case.. Then where did it take him?" Hermione asked frantically.

"Your guess, Miss Granger, is as good as mine."