Harry Potter and the Year of Toil and Trouble

Chapter two

"M...m...my Lord...." stammered the plump balding man in a squeaky voice as he rushed into the large living room of the derelict mansion, which was their base. "M...m...my Lord....news my Lord! They have been successful my Lord." He was holding what looked like a newspaper in his hands, which he handed to a man in shadow sitting near the fire, which was not red or orange but a strange purple colour. The hand with which he handed over the newspaper was SILVER. These were not ordinary men.

The second man snatched the newspaper out of the plump man's hand, and looked down at the headline on the front page.

"Three ministry of magic ministers missing? Excellent and...yes....one Arthur Weasley...very good work by my Deatheaters. They know better now than to disobey me, don't they Wormtail?" he addressed the other man.

"Yes...my Lord," said Wormtail fearfully.

"Has he been fed?" he asked Wormtail suddenly.

"Not...not yet...my Lord" whimpered Wormtail.

"Then feed him," ordered the man in shadow. "Then bring him to me. I would like a few more words from him. He is proving most stubborn. You need to be more forceful with him Wormtail."

"Yes...my lord...I will be...my lord," still whimpering, Wormtail left the room. The hidden man waited patiently, seemingly staring into the fire. Wormtail returned shortly afterwards with a bound and struggling man whom he threw on the floor in front of the Lord. This man rose himself into a sitting position and stared in horror at the man in shadow. Wormtail removed the man's gag.

"Anything you'd like to tell me?" asked the man addressed as 'Lord'. "Tell me more about Hogwarts. About Harry Potter. What does that Muggle-loving fool Albus Dumbledore have planned? You think I don't know you work from him? He takes me for a FOOL! I want to know! And you will TELL ME!"

The other man hesitated but shook his head, determination in his eyes. "N...Never!"

"More pain," said the 'Lord' casually.

Wormtail raised his wand. "Crucio!"

The man screamed, and fell closer to the fire, twitching and screaming in agony. The light from the fire identified him from his red hair. It was Arthur Weasley.

"All that is left is for a few more to disappear...then Hogwarts will be cleansed. Using sources he least expects, Harry Potter will be completely defenceless. If our plan goes well, I shall be one step nearer immortality. He will be killed finally, and there will be nothing left to stop the rule of the Dark Lord!" the man in shadow laughed maniacally. He caught the light also, and his identity was revealed.

It was Lord Voldemort.

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Harry Potter woke in bed with a start. He had been screaming and the scar on his forehead was burning so badly that his eyes watered. In the bedroom next door, his uncle Vernon Dursley let out a loud roar.

"Damn that boy! I'll flail you to within an inch of your life boy!" Harry could hear him thundering towards out of his bedroom and towards Harry's, but Harry didn't care. Jumping out of bed before Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley (who were also awake now) arrived; Harry grabbed his wand and shouted "accio!" so that his books and other equipment soared into his trunk. Harry was then opened his wardrobe and started pulling clothes out.

Uncle Vernon flung open the bedroom door, his face beetroot with anger.

"What in God's name do you think you're doing?" he spat at Harry, furiously.

"I'm going to the Burrow," answered Harry, still cramming clothes and books into his trunk.

"You're going...where? I don't think you'll be going anywhere!" yelled Uncle Vernon, grabbing at Harry and throwing him onto the bed.

"I've got to!" yelled Harry, breaking free from Uncle Vernon's grasp and starting to dress. He had to get to his friend Ron's house. Ron's father was a prisoner of Voldemort and Harry knew Ron needed him. Mr. Weasley had been good to Harry, almost like a substitute father. Harry knew that this torture was a response to Lucius Malfoy's arrest almost two weeks before.

"You're going nowhere boy, I'm telling you!" yelled uncle Vernon again. "If you think I'm taking you to some bloody freak place at this time in the morning, then you've got another think coming! Go back to sleep boy! GO BACK TO SLEEP!" He raised his hand to strike Harry, but Harry ducked beneath his arm and rushed past him, Aunt Petunia and Dudley dragging his trunk which he had made featherlight using his wand, and Hedwig's cage, while Hedwig flew beside him. He ran down the stairs.

"WAIT!" roared Uncle Vernon. "I said I'm not taking you anywhere!"

Harry turned around at the foot of the stairs. "I'll make my own way there!" but how he would get there, he did not know. He could not fly on his broom, it was too far and Harry didn't exactly know the way. Nor could he travel by floo powder (which enabled him to travel by fire) as he had none and the Dursleys' fire was electric. He stopped at the front door, wondering what to do.

Uncle Vernon stepped past Harry and blocked the door. Aunt Petunia came down the stairs looking just as furious. "YOU.UNGRATEFUL.LITTLE.FREAK!" she shrieked each word individually and very loud. "Everything we've done for you, everything we've put up with! How dare you disturb our sleep?!!"

But Harry was struck with an idea. "If you don't let me leave, I'll tell my Godfather!" he yelled.

That shut the Dursleys up. Harry had never told the Dursleys that Sirius was innocent, that Peter Pettigrew (who had been given the nickname "Wormtail" at school) had committed the crimes. Threatening to tell his godfather when the Dursleys mistreated him made life with them bearable.

Harry pulled a piece of parchment and quill out of his trunk, ran into the living room, and sat down to write to Sirius. He needed to get to the Burrow, Ron's house, to help them, and if the Dursleys wouldn't let him, he had to tell Sirius. Sirius would help him.

Uncle Vernon snatched the parchment from Harry's hands. "I forbid you to write to ANYONE! Go back to bed, NOW!"

"I WON'T!" Harry yelled.

"Dear me. I'm surprised half the street isn't awake," said a new voice.

Harry spun around, as did his uncle, aunt and Dudley to see where this new voice came from.

Harry gasped in surprise. For the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore was standing in the living room doorway.

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Dumbledore entered the living room and looked around. The stares of all other persons present did not seem to bother him. He stepped towards Uncle Vernon.

"Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts," he introduced himself.

Uncle Vernon took a step back, spluttering. He seemed unsure what to say. Dumbledore radiated power and respect, even though he was wearing strange robes of purple that was very unMuggle like.

"I do apologise for startling you," said Dumbledore to them all. "I am hear to collect Harry and take him into safety. As you appear to know, Harry, Arthur Weasley has gone missing and he is not the first. No doubt you have noticed the deaths of many of your own Muggles, Mr. Dursley?" he turned back to Uncle Vernon.

"Deaths? What rubbish is this?" said Uncle Vernon looking from Dumbledore to Harry.

"Evidently not," sighed Dumbledore. "Well sir, ever since Lord Voldemort's return to power at the end of last term, there have been strange murders of both wizards and Muggles as well as disappearances of many Ministry of Magic ministers. I believe someone working for Lord Voldemort informed him that we had started to work against him and he is trying to stop us by killing or kidnapping those working with us. Anyone against Lord Voldemort is at risk and indeed anyone protecting Harry is at risk, hence Arthur Weasley's disappearance and my visit to you tonight. Muggles are also at risk as Lord Voldemort loathes them. I was afraid of waking you, but fortunately you are all already awake."

It was clear that the Dursleys had no idea what Dumbledore was talking about. They just stared at him, open-mouthed.

"Professor...my dream...." said Harry, starting to speak.

"We can talk about that soon, Harry. Right now I must get you into safety as Voldemort more than likely knows where you are and could send Deatheaters to kill you," Dumbledore looked down at him.

"But....Voldemort said...last time I saw him, he said he couldn't attack me here," said Harry in confusion. "So why would he want to try?"

"Arthur Weasley knows what kind of protection you are under Harry, and if he is a prisoner of Voldemort, I suspect Voldemort would have extracted this information from him and worked out a way to break this protection. We must leave at once."

Dumbledore approached the bewildered Dursleys. "Both Harry's and your lives are in danger, I have found a place of complete safety and extremely hidden, which you must all come to, in order to stay alive."

Aunt Petunia forced herself to speak now. "You want us to live with your FREAKS?" she shrieked. "Over this tale of absolute RUBBISH?"

Harry gaped open-mouthed at Aunt Petunia. He had never heard anyone speak to Dumbledore like that; well save for Karkaroff last year, but still most people respected Dumbledore.

Dumbledore remained calm. "I assure you, this is not rubbish. Staying here would endanger your lives as you are Harry's relatives."

"I knew it!" Aunt Petunia was on a roll. "I knew it the second he was born. His parents were nothing but filth and trouble and he's just the same. A FREAK! All they do is get themselves blown up! We took him in, we fed him, we clothed the ungrateful brat and what do we get? Pig's tails, elongated tongues, ballooned up and now you're telling us we're going to get BLOWN UP?" her face was red and she sprayed spittle all over Dumbledore's face.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" roared Uncle Vernon again.

"I cannot persuade you then?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" both Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together.

"Certainly," nodded Dumbledore and taking Harry's arm, he walked to the front door, while Harry carried his trunk. Dumbledore opened the front door and he and Harry stepped outside.

"Professor! Why'd you let them speak to you like that?" gasped Harry, in amazement.

"Because arguing would have wasted us precious time Harry," said Dumbledore simply. "And as I already explained, your life is in danger."

Harry remembered his dream suddenly. "Professor Dumbledore! My dream! He was torturing Mr. Weasley for information about me and Hogwarts! Voldemort said he wanted me unprotected."

"I believe Voldemort does and I believe he has Arthur Weasley. I am dealing with the situation Harry, with help of course." Dumbledore looked tired in the light of the streetlamps.

"And...Ron...Mrs. Weasley...." said Harry quietly.

"Upset, naturally but in safety," replied Dumbledore.

"What about the Dursleys?"

"I had hoped to convince them to come with us, but I did suspect I would not be successful. I cannot force them, your safety is more important. But I believe they will not be in danger unless you are with them," replied Dumbledore. "Well, we must apparate."

"Apparate? But I can't, I haven't sat my test!"

"I know that Harry," smiled Dumbledore, "but I believe you should pass it now! It will come in handy as a means of escape, thus I shall teach you. First you must focus your entire mind on where you are going to go."

"Uh...where ARE we going...Professor?" Harry looked up at him.

"A place called Oakhill" replied Dumbledore. "You must focus your entire mind on the word Oakhill. It would help if you had a picture, but for secrecy reasons, I cannot provide one. So instead, focus on your friend Ronald Weasley. For he is there."

"Okay." Harry shut his eyes, feeling really nervous. What if he couldn't do it? What if he was left here in Privet Drive with the Dursleys and Voldemort found him? He had to get to Ron, Ron needed him. Ron's face swam into his thoughts, a worried, pale Ron Weasley. He was at this place, this Oakhill, and Harry had to get there too. Harry had to get to Oakhill. But nothing seemed to be happening. It must have failed, thought Harry, feeling stupid. He'd have to get more help from Dumbledore. Harry opened his eyes and widened them with shock, for he was no longer in Privet Drive. He was in a large, almost bare living room, save for some old, wooden chairs and a table. This must be Oakhill.

"HARRY!" two male voices yelled and two adult males grabbed him and hugged him roughly. Harry felt Dumbledore pulling him out of their grasp.
"Let Harry breathe," Dumbledore chuckled.

Once Harry was free, he looked up into the faces of the two males who had hugged him, faces filled with concern and relief. The faces of his godfather Sirius Black and of his former teacher, Remus Lupin.

"Oh Harry, thank god. When Dumbledore told us of Arthur Weasley, I knew Voldemort would be after you next," said Sirius, who looked pale.

"Come and sit down Harry," said Lupin, leading Harry to a table where he saw, the Weasleys and his other schoolfriend Hermione Granger were sitting.

"Ron!" cried Harry, rushing to his friend's side. "Ron...I'm so sorry."

"I'm alright," said Ron, although he didn't look it. He was paler than Sirius; in fact, all of the Weasleys were pale and quiet. Mrs. Weasley was sobbing quietly and Hermione had her arm around an equally sobbing Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister. Harry looked at the other Weasleys. The twins, Fred and George were there. But Percy, Bill and Charlie were not.

"Where are the others?" he turned to Dumbledore.

"They are helping the ministry find their father," said Dumbledore. "We are having extreme difficulty persuading um...certain members of the Ministry of Magic that Voldemort is responsible for these deaths and that it is not the work of Sirius, hence Sirius being here also, for his own safety and to protect you. Now if you'd all excuse me, I must return to work. Everything will work out alright Molly," he said gently to Mrs. Weasley, who responded with a sob. With a pop, Dumbledore was gone.

Harry looked around at the Weasleys. He went to sit next to Ron. "Um...hi," was all he could think of to say. It was Professor Lupin who spoke next.

"I would suggest us all going to bed, but there is not much point as you will not sleep. Therefore, I think it would be a good idea if we all made this place somewhat like a home, since it will be our home for the next month, until you children go back to school."

The four Weasley children, Harry and Hermione agreed and quietly started to arrange the furniture that Lupin and Sirius conjured with their wands. Mrs. Weasley retreated into a room to be by herself, Ginny started to follow her but Hermione stopped her.

"I think you should leave her alone for a bit, Ginny," she said quietly. "Why don't you and I make something to eat?"

"I don't want anything to eat," mumbled Ron. He was extremely quiet, obviously worried about his father.

Why don't you children go to bed?" said Lupin to the Weasley children. "The rest of us will finish clearing up."

The Weasleys obediently ate then went to bed, while Harry, Hermione, Lupin and Sirius finished making the house more like a home. Hermione added flowers and perfumed scents and replaced Sirius's Quidditch pictures on the walls, with pictures of scenery, tutting all the while.

"Hey, Hermy?" began Harry, but Hermione rounded on him, her eyes flashing.

"HermiONE, please!" she snapped.

"Sorry, no need to snap," he said, snapping back.

"I'm sorry, I'm just on edge," she apologised.

"We all are," Harry forgave her. "But I think pictures of Quidditch will cheer the guys up, take their minds off what's happening?" Sirius smirked at Hermione behind Harry's back and Hermione made a face back.

"Stop arguing you two," said Lupin. "Harry's right, Hermione." Hermione was surprised. She had expected Lupin to take her side. But she changed the pictures back. Harry turned to Lupin and Sirius, "so...will you tell me what's happening? Because I don't understand. Why did they take Mr. Weasley?"

"Because a, he's close to you and b, they've probably figured out he's helping Dumbledore stop Voldemort's rise to power," replied Sirius.

"Is he.... is he...being tortured?" whispered Hermione, who looked extremely pale, like the Weasley's.

"Yes he is," said Harry. "I dreamt it. And my scar hurt. And Dumbledore said that only happens when Voldemort's up to something, so it's probably true. But he wasn't dead," he added hastily.

"Not yet," finished Hermione.

"Dumbledore will get him back," said Sirius. "Everyone's working on it. Dumbledore called a lot of people in. You remember, Harry. Mundungus, Arabella..." he ticked off his fingers while Lupin nodded.

Something stirred in Harry's memory. "Arabella Figg. I have a neighbour called Mrs. Figg."

"We know you do!" laughed Lupin. "She was placed in your street by Dumbledore when your parents died. To look after you. She's a retired Auror. Although retired is not what she is anymore."

"Mrs. Figg? A witch? An Auror? But I had no idea! She never did magic!"

"Well, of course not Harry!" Sirius rolled his eyes in frustration. "Otherwise, your aunt and uncle wouldn't have let her near you! No, she would transform into a cat and sit in your garden, making sure you were okay and reporting back to Dumbledore."

"Her house was always full of cats," murmured Harry.

"Her reporters, you could say. Other Ministry workers," grinned Sirius.

Harry was stunned. So old Mrs. Figg who babysat him while the Dursleys were away somewhere spoiling Dudley, was a witch! She looked so normal, so mugglelike. If only she had done some magic, Harry thought, then she could have turned the Dudley's into toads and staying with her would have been more fun.

"So she's working for Dumbledore?" pressed Hermione, and Harry came back to reality.

"Yes and so are we," said Lupin, gesturing to himself and Sirius. "I was an Auror for a time."

"You guys were aurors?" gasped Harry.

"Not Sirius. He was too busy chatting up girls and riding that damn motorbike to commit himself to work," Sirius put on a pretend hurt look. "But he's very smart and knows a lot of hexes. Dumbledore needs everyone. He's desperate."

"Hey!" Sirius aimed a fist at Lupin who ducked, grinning.

"How can you guys joke at a time like this?" snapped Hermione, reprovingly.

"Takes our minds of the task at hand, which isn't any fun, let me tell you," said Sirius, turning from Lupin.

"I thought you couldn't work," said Harry, frowning at Lupin.

"I trained as an Auror, briefly," said Lupin, also frowning. "For about two years, until they found out what I was. I said my mother was ill, to explain why I kept disappearing. But then she actually did die, and I was stuck for excuses. And they found out."

"Bye bye Lupin," growled Sirius. His dark eyes flashed.

"It's alright though," smiled Lupin, giving his head a quick shake in the direction of Sirius. "My parents left me lots of money. They knew I'd have trouble finding work."

"Your father was an Auror too, Harry."

"My dad? You didn't tell me that," glared Harry, accusingly at both men.

Sirius shrugged guiltily. "You didn't ask! Okay...okay...I'm sorry, I guess I should have." He raised both hands, surrender style, faced with Harry's fury. "I thought it might upset you, it was the reason your father was killed, Harry."

"My dad was killed for being an Auror?" asked Harry, turning from Sirius to Lupin for confirmation. Lupin nodded.

"He put Davidson in Azkaban. One of Voldemort's right hand men. Voldemort wasn't too pleased."

"Wasn't too pleased?" roared Sirius, making them all jump. "That's some understatement Remus!"

"Okay...he was murderous? Still feel okay, Harry?" said Lupin, and Sirius shut up. Lupin continued. "Moody was my boss. He didn't really care that I was a werewolf, but the other ministers did. He was forced to sack me, but he still asked for my help occasionally, and paid me secretly, until Voldemort disappeared."

"Which was a bad thing, as it stopped Remus getting paid," Said Sirius.

"You know I don't mean that, Sirius," said Lupin, in a sharp voice that surprised them all.

"Of course not," said Sirius quietly. "Sorry."

Lupin continued again. "Well, Moody, Sirius, Arabella, Mundungus and some others, we're investigating potential Deatheater events, trying to stop them, trying to find out who the Deatheaters are. We're part of a sort of army Dumbledore has created, of aurors and spies, called the Order of the Phoenix. I can't tell you too much about what we do but it isn't easy; the Deatheaters are very good at covering their tracks. Meanwhile, deaths keep increasing." He sighed.

"Four muggle-borns yesterday," said Hermione, quietly. Harry glanced at her quickly. "You'll be alright Hermione." He reassured her. He had no idea how many people had died so far this summer; he did not have access to the Daily Prophet. His aunt and uncle would have a fit if he took out a subscription.

"We've placed lots of protection spells around the house." Lupin reassured her also. "Muggle repellents, locking charms, and Dumbledore did an anti-apparition spell just before he left. And the field in the back garden is protected also, so we can play Quidditch." He smiled at Harry, who smiled back, feeling a bit better.

"We can play Quidditch tomorrow," said Sirius, putting his hands on Harry's shoulders and turning him towards the door. "You two should go to bed. You've had very little sleep tonight."

"I'm not tired," said Harry, but he began to yawn as he spoke.

Sirius smiled. "Bed. NOW! Both of you!"

Harry and Hermione murmured "goodnight", and headed off to bed.