Chapter 4
Early the next morning as they were packing to leave the house in Barmouth Hermione could not resist the temptation to keep looking at the three beautiful rings Harry had bought for her from the local jewellery shop. The simple wide wedding ring made of pure Welsh gold that had been mined close by, was covered in an engraved old Celtic design. Harry wore a matching ring on his finger. Her engagement ring sported a two carat diamond surrounded by a group of small sapphires. Harry had insisted on also buying her a platinum eternity ring that also had small sapphires that ran in a complete circle around the ring. He said it was to let people know his love for her was eternal.
By lunch time Harry, hand in hand with Hermione was walking around the rather large manor house that was Potter Valley's centre point. The choice of twelve bed rooms plus a master suite was a little over whelming for the young man who had spent most of his life sleeping in a small cupboard, and then the past four years in a small cluttered box room. He had no idea which bedroom he should choose to sleep in, until Hermione made up his mind for him by telling him that as they were married they would be sleeping together in the master bedroom.
Helen complained rather vigorously at first about the two teens being in the same bed until Hermione simply stated that no matter what her parents thought or wanted she was now a married woman and was not going to sleep in a different room than her husband. She added with a small chuckle that it would save them from sneaking about in the middle of the night when they fancied a cuddle. Harry hearing her say that turned a fiery red that even Ron Weasley would envy.
One week after moving to Potter Valley the two Grangers returned home to Oxford. The summer holiday closure of their dental surgery was coming to an end and they needed to be there to re-open the surgery, plus there would be things to do at their home, bills to sort out etc. With a stern warning to the two younger ones to behave and a rather teary farewell Harry and Hermione found them selves completely alone in a house for the first time since the day they met on their first journey to Hogwarts.
As the days passed the two young ones became ever closer as they shared many nights exploring their love for each other without going all the way and consummating their marriage. They had both agreed to wait until Harry reached the age of sixteen which was the legal age in the muggle world for them to experience the ultimate in their love of each other.
Their remaining summer days were filled with a happiness neither of them had ever known before and they were both determined to let no one ever take it away from them. They both silently vowed that were either Dumbledore or Voldemort to try they would not live long enough to regret it.
As September 1st approached Harry was a little worried, wondering about whether Hermione wanted to return to the school, and as their last few days alone together before the 1st progressed, he thought more and more about it and got more worried until he was awoken early on the Saturday morning before the start of the school term by Hermione.
Harry love, much as I hate using house elves I think we should get Dobby here, and maybe his friend, the one who belonged to that awful Crouch person. Oh and I was thinking that maybe we could get Hedwig to take a letter to professor Lupin to ask him to visit us… before you get angry you should know that the professor was the only one at head quarters who spoke up about it being wrong to keep you in the dark and isolated at those awful Dursleys' house.
It's obvious we can't go back to Hogwarts because of Dumbledore, and I know we will miss it. But we still need to do our studies, we have our owl year this year and despite the money we have in the Potter vault it would be nice to be a properly qualified witch and wizard. I think professor Lupin would be perfect to teach us what we need to know and how to take our exams without going to school.
Remus John Lupin was just returning to the dilapidated little cottage that had once belonged to his grandfather. He had stayed there on several previous occasions when he needed to get away from everyone, and right then he needed to get away from Dumbledore, Molly, Sirius, and the rest of the Order who were running around in circles trying to find Harry, while criticising him for running away. Nothing that anyone said could convince Dumbledore to give up on what ever plans he had that needed Harry and for him to leave the boy alone. That afternoon Remus had told the old bearded fool that he had had enough of his single minded distorted view on the world and his obsession with a greater good that did not exist and he quit the Order. With a sneer of disgust at Sirius for his support of Dumbledore he stormed from the house.
It came as a complete surprise to the ex-professor as a gorgeous white owl he knew as Hedwig settled down on the garden gate and offered him a letter. Taking the letter into the house with him he sat at the old table in the kitchen and began to read the letter, he was pleased to hear from both Harry and Hermione and it did not take him long to make his mind up to help the two teens. Writing a quick reply he checked to see if Hedwig was still waiting outside. He was smiling widely when he gave her the letter to take back to Harry.
The following day Remus Lupin answered a knock on his door to find the strange little house elf Dobby standing there. "Master Harry has sent me to collect his Lupin, and to be taking him to Harry Potter sir's home."
Remus chuckled at the small elf and invited him into the house while he finished his packing. Remus did not own many things and other than quite a few photographs he wanted to take with him which he placed in his brief case, he was completely packed and ready within fifteen minutes. Dobby took hold of Remus hand and with a small sound they both vanished from sight.
Harry had just finished making a pot of tea when Dobby and Remus arrived in the kitchen. With no outward sign of surprise Harry asked "Tea? Milk? Sugar? Remus? Dobby?"
Dobby, not yet used to the treatment he received being that of a friend and not a slave, quietly said "Yes please Harry Potter sir," while pulling on his ear looking a little embarrassed. Remus watched the little fellows' actions with a large smile on his face and as Dobby climbed up on to a chair at the table. Remus then answered Harry's question "No sugar for me thanks Harry."
Harry poured out four mugs of fresh tea and took a seat across from Remus. "As we will no longer be attending Hogwarts, my wife suggested that you might be willing to become our tutor and help us to complete our education, get us through our exams and such. What do you think? Would you like the job?"
Remus stared wide eyed at Harry for a short time before he was able to speak. "I'm sorry Harry, I think I might have misheard you, I thought you said your wife."
"He did," Hermione said as she entered the kitchen with a large leather bound book under her arm. She quickly took the seat next to Harry and took a sip from her cup.
Remus was in a mild attack of shock and simply sat looking from one of the two teens to the other. It was several minutes before he spoke, "Hermione Potter?" he managed to ask as he looked at the young woman.
"Yes professor, that's me. Mrs Hermione Jane Potter, we will have been married for one year on November first. Bit of a surprise I know, we were both surprised when we found out. It was during my visit to Gringotts a few days ago that I was informed by the Potter vault keeper." Hermione told him with a rather proud look in her eye.
"You must have been in school when this happened and Dumbledore never said a word?" Remus asked almost as a gasp as he realised what that meant.
"Hmm yes well the old sh…" Harry stopped speaking when Hermione said
"Language Harry."
"Yes Remus, we were in school and Dumbledore did not bother to inform us, we believe it was because of his strange obsession with where Harry spends his time, especially during the summer. We know he keeps saying it is to keep Harry safe, but we are both convinced there is something of a far more sinister a reason than the one the old man continues to spout. Besides Harry would have been far safer with his godfather after Voldemort used his blood for that disgusting ritual don't you think?" Hermione finished for her husband.
"But Dumbledore said you and Ron, he said it several times that you would marry the Weasley. Molly keeps saying that Harry is Ginny's soul mate and they will get married as soon as Ginny is sixteen." Remus stammered finding it hard to believe that the old fool Dumbledore could do such a thing. That he should hide such a thing from them was criminal. The consequences could have had the two teens in Azkaban for bigamy if they had married someone else while they were already married. Remus quietly, still in a little shock told the two young Potters what might have happened to them if Hermione had not gone to Gringotts. "I hope the idiot doesn't do something stupid to separate you two, though I wouldn't put it past him," Remus added.
"How the hell would he have ever got me to marry that feeble minded fool Weasley?" Hermione asked no one in particular just moments before she let out a small gasp. "The same way Molly got Arthur, they would give us love potions, it's the only way I could ever consider Weasley as a boyfriend, and even then it would need to be a really powerful one to get me to marry someone who shows me nothing but hate."
Hermione then turned to Remus, "Will you excuse us for a moment please Remus, I need a very quick word with my husband. We won't keep you waiting too long. Help your self if you need more tea. Harry we need to discus something." She said as she grabbed his hand and dragged him from the kitchen and up to their bedroom.
Once they were in the bedroom Hermione walked over and sat on the bed, waiting for Harry to join her. When he did she gently took hold of his hands and began to speak rather quietly. "Harry love, I know we were going to wait until you were sixteen, but I don't think we can. Our marriage can be annulled if we don't consummate it and hearing what Remus said I am sure that either Dumbledore or Molly will do all they can to split us up. I think we should do that tonight… you know… go all the way and consummate our union so that if they do happen to find us they will not be able to separate us. It would also make it a really serious crime if they gave us love potions when we are already completely legally married and not just magically. I'm quite sure that they won't dare do anything to us if they know we are properly and fully married and the Goblins knowing all about it, maybe it should be leaked to the national and international press and that will give us extra protection."
"You mean like have sex? Well even though I have been really looking forward to it, I did want to wait until we were a little older… but I am willing to do anything, especially you know… I have been dying to have sex with you… er its going to be even better if it's to stop them taking you from me. I love you Hermione, I always will, and there is no way that Weasley is ever going to touch you. I'll kill the prat before I let that happen. I hope you have read a few books on the subject because what I know about it could be put on a postage stamp and still leave room to write an address." Harry replied seriously.
"I love you too Harry, so it's decided then we do it tonight, yes. Right we better get back to Remus and get him to accept the job as our tutor." Hermione said nervously.
Remus had accepted their offer and gave his solemn word that no one would learn of their where about's from him unless it was with their full permission. After a long and thorough discussion about their education and how to take the exams as two home schooled students, and making up their lesson plans he had left for the room he had been given.
The two rather nervous teens went up to bed. Hermione using her usual fall back for when she was not quite sure of a subject, had found them a book to glance through. Even having had the talk with her mother she was a little shy when it came to explaining it all to Harry and dispelling all the myths and nonsense he had picked up from other boys his age so it was much easier if they read a book about it together.
An hour after getting to bed, Hermione was a little angry at her mother. She had not only not suffered any severe or sharp pain; she had discovered that with a little help from a book sex with Harry was just about the best thing she had ever experienced. "Wait till I see my mum, how can she possibly have kept such a wonderful thing to her self, honestly Harry, if I had known it was that good we would have done it much sooner. Are you ready for another go at consummating our marriage?" her question was asked with a rather randy smile and a pair of wandering hands.
Mr and Mrs Harry James Potter spent the next several days making sure at every opportunity they had between their lessons, that their marriage was well and truly consummated, several times every day, as well as at night when they went to bed in fact.
Lessons at Potter Valley began early on the morning of the first of September. Remus surprised the two teens by starting their classes with a maths class that was quickly followed by a class in English. By the time their first day of classes came to an end they had had lessons in the more important subjects that the Muggles studied. Neither of them questioned why Remus had chosen these subjects as they had quickly realised it was a good idea and was something that should have been done at Hogwarts. The lessons they were taking would eventually bring them up to the same standard of education as their Muggle counter parts and would be of great help any time they might live in the Muggle world.
For their lessons in the magical arts they studied only those that together with Remus they decided would be of use to them in their adult life. Their lessons started with transfiguration followed by charms, defence, potions and runes. Hermione had them study Arithmancy as a part time subject for an hour each Saturday and Sunday evening until Remus could find someone that would be willing to help him teach them what they needed to know to pass their exams.
They were less than half way through the first week of the school term when two slightly harassed Grangers called for Dobby. Dobby delivered the two parents to the living room of the house in Potter Valley having just rescued them from several members of Dumbledore's order of the phoenix. Dobby had arrived at the Granger house just as the order members were ending their discussion on whether they should force the Grangers to reveal where their daughter was with Legilimancy.
Dobby appeared in front of the Grangers and the look of fear on their faces let the little elf know that the witches and wizards in the room were a danger to his family. He was not slow in rendering all of the order member's present unconscious, by simply banishing them all into the living room wall rather forcefully. When Dobby grabbed the Grangers and took them home to Harry and Hermione he left behind nine order members all of them with several broken bones. As he awoke from his unconscious state Sirius Black began to realise he had made a huge error in judgement in trusting Dumbledore. An error he knew he was too late to correct. Harry had all the protection he would need if his elf was prepared to be so violent to any threat.
Over in Ireland Harry James Potter declared to those in the room with him that he was going to let Dumbledore and his so called order know that they had over stepped the line and were now in a war that they had no chance of winning. Harry wanted someone to pay for all he had suffered and for what they had done and tried to do to his family; he swore they would really suffer if they tried to hurt his Hermione.
Chapter 5
Richard told the family how he was completely disillusioned with the magical world that Dumbledore seemed bent on preserving when the order members had arrived in their living room uninvited. It was quite obvious from what he and his wife had been through with Harry that they were not safe with Dumbledore's lackey's and they were both scared of what might happen, as soon as they heard the word obliviate they remembered that Dobby would hear them if they called him, so that is what they had done.
On Harry's orders Dobby arrived on the table in the Grimmauld place kitchen, right in the middle of the next order meeting, and delivered his message quite clearly. "Harry Potter sir, told me to tell you's he has declared war on all you's who has hurt him and his wife's family. You's will all pay for your crimes, all you's whisker faces servants. And you's dark lord whisker face, you's is going to be punished for what you's done. Master and Mistress both know that you's is badder than nasty snake face one. Harry Potter sir is going to make sure you's pay for your crimes."
Albus Dumbledore looked on in shock as the little being in front of him said that his pawn was declaring war on him and his associates. How dare the boy even contemplate such a thing, he needed Dumbledore's guidance and wisdom. It never occurred to the old man that he might not be as wise as he thought he was. The 'boy' who all the order members knew had several times bested the worst dark wizard for more than a century was going to be after revenge, they and Dumbledore who had never actually beaten Voldemort knew Harry had a power that Voldemort did not know was declaring a war on them. What chance would they have against a boy who had escaped from more than twenty death eaters after dueling and beating Voldemort, bringing the body of the boy who had been with him back as well?
Quietly Harry pulled Remus to the side and asked him if he could help them get hold of some fire arms so that the two Grangers would have some means of self protection against any further attacks from wizards. He did not like the idea of his in laws being completely helpless.
After the two Grangers had explained what had happened they both decided to remain with Harry and Hermione for the time being. They made arrangements over the phone for cover at their surgery and a caretaker for their house. The Potter's and Grangers were angry with Dumbledore and intended to eventually get some serious revenge for how things turned out because of his evil meddling in Harry's life.
Remus who had over the years made contacts with quite a few unsavoury Muggles in order to earn money as a body guard to supplement the meagre income he was allowed to earn by the Wizarding government, very quickly made a deal and with money from Harry he bought four light weight point four five hand guns. He even spent some evenings teaching the Grangers and Potters how to care for and use the weapons.
At the next order of the phoenix meeting in London Albus Dumbledore found him self losing half of his members after Dobby's message and when it was revealed what Snape, Mad eye and Sirius along with others were going to do with the Grangers in order to find the two teens. Most of them like Tonks, one of the female Aurors, had announced that using the same tactics as the death eaters made the old man just as bad as Voldemort.
Sounds of agreement ran around the room and lead to several more resigning from the order. Dumbledore was not a happy man to be equated with the evil they were supposed to be fighting and for the first time he began to yell at Severus Snape about his stupid attitude toward others. Especially toward Muggles and his stupid threat to obliviate them as if it was his right to do what he wanted with them. He never stopped to think of what he himself had done to the lives of countless other people over the years.
Nymphadora Tonks resigned from the order and wondered why on earth she had joined them in the first place. She knew it was her desire to help fight evil and with Dumbledore's reputation she had joined them thinking that was what they were doing. Over the past few weeks she had come to realise that all the order was doing was keeping a young man a prisoner for the old man, who Harry accused of being a dark wizard. She realised that keeping the teen away from the Wizarding world was not being done to keep Harry safe. She did not know the real reason for Harry's treatment but she knew Harry Potter was not evil, so there must be some other reason for how he was treated and she intended to find out what that reason was.
The only person she could think of who might be able to tell her, or at least help her to figure out what was going on was Remus Lupin. He had been the only one who had argued against what they were doing and showing his support for Harry. Disapparating to Remus cottage she found it empty and having no signs that anyone had been in the place for quite a while she returned feeling slightly defeated to the Ministry.
Deep in thought Tonks wandered through the corridors toward the department of law enforcement offices. She was rudely shaken from her thoughts when she walked into the back of her boss. Amelia Bones was not a happy woman; she had evidence that there had been two Dementors in a Muggle area, and as far as her research went there was no record of why they were there. The fact that they had attacked Harry Potter and that fool Dumbledore would not tell her where the boy was or what had happened had her sixth sense going wild. She knew that there was far more to what was going on than she knew and she could almost smell some sort of conspiracy taking place unseen right in front of the magical worlds face. There was something not quite right about Albus Dumbledore evading her questions with his lies and half truths, and she intended to discover what it was that was prickling at her senses.
Madam Bones needed to contact Harry Potter, how she could do that she did not know but she intended to find a way. She had just left her office and turned toward the ministers' office when someone almost bowled her over from behind.
"Auror Tonks what the hell are you playing at?" Amelia asked not intending to take out her temper on the young woman but letting some of it enter her voice.
Tonks still a little confused about what had happened spoke without thinking "Oh sorry boss, I was just doing some thinking about Harry and why he has declared war on Dumbledore… shit I should never have…" she trailed off as she saw her boss's eyes narrow.
"Tonks in my office now," Amelia ordered.
Once in the office Amelia started to cast an array of impressive secrecy charms and spells. She had the feeling that young Dora could have some of the answers she needed. Turning to the young Auror Amelia smiled, "Take a seat Dora, we need to have a little chat about what you said."
Without even being asked Tonks told Amelia all she knew about Harry's life and how he had been a virtual prisoner of Dumbledore's since he first entered Hogwarts. Her last comments about Harry's elf arriving and delivering Harry's declaration of war on the order of the phoenix, gave Amelia an idea of how to find Harry.
Madam Bones dropped the spells and charms before she called for her house elf Squeezy. Squeezy was asked to try and find Harry Potters elf Dobby and ask if a meeting could be arranged with his master. Amelia and Tonks sat in the office for a little over an hour before the elf Squeezy returned with a message that a meeting could take place with Harry's representative the following Friday at four pm. He would meet them in a small café two hundred yards down the road from the Leaky Cauldron on the Muggle side of the pub.
While Dumbledore was reeling from the disaster that Harry Potter declaring a war on him and the order that had caused more than half of his members to resign. Grabfang listened as Filius Flitwick described how Harry Potter dressed when he was not in his school uniform. He had already given rather detailed descriptions of Harry's apparent physical condition when he first arrived at Hogwarts and how the boy looked when he returned after the summer break each year.
Grabfang cursed quite loudly as he put together a picture of the young boys' life. It was not a picture he liked; in fact it filled him with a strong desire to meet out the punishment due to the Dursleys personally. The younger Flitwick was dispatched to visit Mr Potter and ask him to attend a meeting at the bank. Filius puzzled by what was going on asked his old friend what was happening.
"Well Filius, the Dursley family were paid rather well for taking care of young Mr. Potter, the house they live in was rented to them for a rather low monthly amount and the food they consume so much of is provided using funds from the Potter account. In fact practically every thing they have is funded by young Mr Potters account, and yet it seems that they spent next to nothing on the boy as he grew. They have never paid a single penny of the rent, and they now owe quite a substantial amount. They are thieves and will be treated as they deserve after I have spoken to the young man. I am quite sure that even if Harry does not wish us to pursue the theft charges his young wife will and that Mrs Potter is one formidable young woman." Grabfang told the surprised Filius.
Oddly enough Filius did not need to ask who Mrs Potter was; he knew it could only be one person that a goblin thought formidable. That person was his favourite student and just about the cleverest witch he had ever met. Had Grabfang not asked him to keep what they spoke of to him self he would have enjoyed his return to Hogwarts, where he would collect his winnings from almost all the rest of the school faculty. He had bet on Harry Potter and Hermione Granger getting together as a couple since the day the boy had saved her from a troll. Still he told him self he could claim his winnings later, and enjoy laughing at all the fools who had thought Miss Granger would be stupid enough to fall for the Weasley boy.
Grabfang had been proved a little wrong when Harry had been contacted and given a short overview about why he was being asked to attend a meeting. He had asked the young Goblin to do all that could be done to reclaim everything from the Dursleys even if it left them destitute. The old vault keeper had expected Harry to be angry but to ask that some sort of leniency be offered to his relatives. The fact that he did not told the old goblin as much as he might learn from a personal meeting with his client.
Dumbledore had been sitting and worrying over the way things had changed and he could only come to one conclusion. The reason behind the changes had to be that damnable Granger girl. He would need to do something to get her out of the way if he was to ever get his pawn back under control. All he needed was a fool proof way to remove her from Potters side.
The next morning just after breakfast the Potters, Grangers, and Remus were standing out in the back garden in the area they had chosen to use as a shooting range. Helen was the next one up to shoot after Hermione had emptied her pistol into her target, the grouping of the bullets was the best the young witch had done to date and Remus was praising her for how quick she was learning. Helen slipped the ammunition clip in place and pulled back the slide to load a bullet into the chamber.
The flash of fire that appeared over Hermione caused an almost instant reaction in Helen. As Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix settled on Hermione's shoulder and began to lift the young witch, Helen had raised her gun and fired three shots that all hit the large bird before it could disappear.
Fawkes dropped Hermione the foot or so that he had managed to lift her then fell to the floor and burst into flame. Harry in his anger was about to do something he would have regretted for the rest of his life when Hedwig dropped out of the sky and took up a protective stance over the newly formed phoenix chick sitting in the ashes of his former life.
Hermione quickly recovering from the surprise abduction attempt took pity on the chick and knelt down in front of Hedwig. The owl seemed to study Hermione for a few moments before she allowed the young witch to lift the chick and take it into the house, where she placed Fawkes in Hedwig's cage leaving the door open for Hedwig.
Dumbledore's worries increased greatly when Fawkes did not return with miss Granger, he had been absolutely certain that his little plan was infallible, after all there was no wizard alive that could cast a spell quick enough to capture a phoenix. Fawkes should have found the girl grabbed her and returned in just a matter of minutes and yet he had not. No matter how long Dumbledore thought about it he could see no reason for his plot to have failed, he was completely baffled by it.
Three days later the now rather large yet still young Fawkes chose to bond with Helen. Helen shocked by the bonding could not wait to tell the others and called them all together for a quick family meeting. As soon as every one was gathered in the living room Helen began to tell them what had happened.
Fawkes who was now far to large for the owl cage had taken to sitting on top of a writing desk that was tucked into a corner of the living room. He was sitting there when Helen had entered the room; he looked at her and gave a quick short and rather quiet trill before he leapt onto her shoulder. Helen had moved to knock the bird off her when they were both surrounded with a golden glowing light. After another quiet trill Helen had some how received a message from the bird that informed her he had chosen her as his bond mate because she had been the one who had broken the cycle of evil dark magic that Dumbledore had been using after each rebirth to bind the phoenix to him for the past forty years. She was now in the proud position of having a phoenix familiar. Something that was extremely rare for a Muggle.
At exactly four in the afternoon on the Friday Remus Lupin entered the small café and looked around. Sitting in the corner furthest from the door he recognised Tonks and Madam Bones. The moment he saw Tonks he was on full alert for some sort of trap or treachery. He joined them at the table making sure he had his back to the wall and had a way to escape quickly if needed.
It did not take too long for Tonks to get him to relax a little as she told him what had happened at the last order meeting. It surprised him that so many had resigned from Dumbledore's little private army after they had heard what had happened to the Grangers. He had not really realised that a large part of the order were only in it to help protect Harry and fight the evil their world seemed so good at generating. After hearing that madam Bones was trying to find out who had tried to have Harry killed by Dementors and that it had to be someone from within the ministry, she also mentioned that she was not happy with what she was learning about the supposed great Albus Dumbledore. He agreed to ask Harry if he would allow the two Aurors to visit him.
Sirius Black since the meeting with the Grangers and hearing Snape's stupid suggestion of using Legilimancy and the obliviation on Hermione's parents had been doing some actual deep thinking. Until that first note from Harry he had never once thought about how his going after Pettigrew had been tantamount to deserting his godson, or that Harry would see it that way. He had also come to realise that his agreeing with Dumbledore about the treatment Harry was receiving from the order had been the exact opposite to what he should have been doing as a godfather. He was ashamed of himself for practically doing to Harry what had been done to him self when he was locked away for all those years; he had helped Dumbledore steal Harry's happiness and freedom.
The only thing he could think to do was to try and contact Harry or Hermione and offer his belated help. He knew in his heart that it was to late but he had to try something to ease his guilty conscience. He had sent four letters by owl and all had been returned unopened. He was almost ready to give up when he realised that Harry had to be hiding somewhere where owls could not reach him so he began his own search for the boy. He had found Harry before when in his dog form and he felt he could do it again.
Ronald Weasley returned to Hogwarts and quickly began to complain to his house mates about Harry bloody Potter stealing his girlfriend. During his first month back at school his loud mouth and the things that he was saying about Harry Potter earned him a total of three weeks in the hospital ward and yet he still could not keep his mouth from spouting his hatred every time he heard the name of either Harry or Hermione. By the end of the month he had spent so much time in the hospital wing that McGonagall was forced to take his prefect badge from him and give it to one of the fifth year boys who would actually be available to do the prefect duties. Ron also discovered his total greed and lack of manners was no longer tolerated, if he tried to put too much food on his plate, or tried to refill it for a second helping the food in front of him vanished. If he began to eat like a pig as he usually did, someone would hit him with a powerful stinging hex. No matter where he sat at the dinner table he was targeted, it seemed the entire school was against him and the hex could come from anyone who could see him. Ginevra (Ginny) Weasley learned with in hours of arriving back at Hogwarts it was a very bad idea to copy her brother in talking about Harry or Hermione, so she kept her thoughts to her self. She convinced her self she had nothing to worry about because Hermione would understand that in the end Ginny would become Mrs Harry Potter just like her mother promised.
Chapter 6
Helen spent quite some time with Fawkes during the phoenix first two weeks with the family as her familiar, the two of them got to know each other quite well and Helen knew she could call on him when ever and where ever she was if she needed him.
Filius Flitwick was having a private meeting with his best friend Minerva. He had carefully explained that he was going to be resigning his position at the school and why. "I shall be speaking to my cousin about doing some private tutoring. There two of my former students who I think deserve all the help I can offer." He told his stern faced friend.
McGonagall looked at the friend she had had since she first entered Hogwarts as an eleven year old, making her mind up she cleared her throat a little. "Let me know when you are leaving Filius, I want to be sure to hand in my resignation at the correct time. I'm quite certain that Mr Potter and Miss Granger would appreciate the help of a transfiguration teacher that they can trust."
At the end of that week both professors handed in their resignations to the board of governors, stating that they had a lack of trust in the head master to serve the best interests of the school and could no longer work under him. They saw no need to inform Dumbledore just as he had seen no need to tell them things they should have known.
Albus Dumbledore was still confused about what had happened to the phoenix and no matter how he thought about it he could find no reason why the creature had not returned, it could not have had a burning day yet as that was still several months away so the binding charms should still be working. He was still working on the problem when he received a letter from the board of governors informing him he needed to find two new teachers to take over from McGonagall and Flitwick as they had both resigned and left the castle.
Vernon Dursley awoke on the Monday morning to find an official letter from a bank called Gringotts that notified him he was to repay a total of £36720 to the Potter estate by 3pm the following Friday at which time he was to be evicted for none payment of rent over a long period of time and that the house would be repossessed. He was informed that his possessions should be packed and ready to be removed from the property by no later than 2.30pm that Friday.
It was a furious Vernon who arrived at work that morning and immediately began to shout at everyone he came across. Several of his fellow Grunnings workers reported his behaviour to the personnel dept. At eleven am he was ordered to clear his desk and leave the building after he had physically assaulted the young woman from personnel who had been sent to have a talk to him about his behaviour. His boss fired him instantly after seeing the bruise on the young woman's face that had quickly developed from the vicious slap she had received from Vernon.
Vernon was informed as he left his office at Grunnings that the police were waiting at the reception desk to arrest him for assault. Still furious at what his freak nephews' people had done, he resisted the police constables as he yelled and screamed at them calling them freaks. He never noticed the local news paper reporter who had heard from his brother that he might find a story at the reception desk some time on Monday.
There was a rather large photograph on the front page of the 'Surrey News' on Tuesday, it showed the true face of Vernon Dursley as he attacked two police officers. The story that accompanied the picture was rather revealing about the early life of Vernon's nephew, it revealed several people who had accepted bribes from Dursley to cover up the abuse the young child received while living with his Aunt and his Uncle, who was now being held in a secure facility for deranged and violent men. It also revealed a long list of crimes committed by the Dursleys son Dudley. The reporter would not reveal where he had received all his information from, and he had no intention of ever doing so. After all how could he reveal that his brother worked at a bank run by Goblins, or that the bribes were paid by Albus Dumbledore head of the Wizarding government and head of the premier Wizarding school?
Tuesday evening Petunia Dursley returned home from the police station where she had been to answer some questions and eventually charged with several child cruelty offences, to a rather noisy reception from the women of Little Whinging. She was bruised and battered by the time she managed to get in to the house and lock the doors. Several angry fathers waited outside number four, hoping to have a friendly talk to the human whale child that had been robbing and beating up their children simply for pleasure. On the Wednesday after trying to see Vernon, Petunia was informed that her husband was a violent neophobe and was not able to see anyone until after he had completed an assessment by the psychiatrists working on his case.
Somehow two weeks after being placed in a secure cell in the ward for violent offenders, Vernon Dursley simply vanished. The hospital staff were at a complete loss about how such a grossly obese man had escaped the still locked cell.
Grabfang was grinning as he watched Vernon Dursley appear in his office. The two Goblins who had been sent to collect the huge human stepped back and took up a guard position against the door. "Now Mr Dursley, Mr Vernon Dursley. We at Gringotts are not at all pleased to find that you have been stealing gold from one of our wealthier clients. We were most annoyed when we learned of your treatment of that client, and the very pleasing task of deciding your punishment has fallen to me. You will be taken from here to work in our mines until such time as you have paid back every Knut you stole. You will then be transferred to our Dragon training area until such time that you learn your lesson. You sir are a freak of nature and until you accept this fact as the truth you will not breathe a single breath of freedom." Grabfang then turned to the two other Goblins and said "Take it away."
At the end of the first month back at Hogwarts the headmaster decided that it would be safer for Ronald Weasley if he sent him home, after Ron was given a really severe beating by the normally shy and timid Neville Longbottom for calling the Granger girl a whore. Mrs Weasley was not at all happy about her baby boy getting suspended for the rest of the year, and after yelling and screaming at Dumbledore to no avail she decided that in retaliation she would withdraw all her children until Ronald was reinstated. A fact that Dumbledore was actually pleased about the boys leaving as the school governors would not blame him if their mother withdrew them. He was not to happy about the Weasley girl leaving, he had plans for the young girl. The three Weasley brothers were sent home by floo from the hospital wing, while their sister Ginny was returned via the headmasters' office floo.
After a request to the school for some help in educating her children from the Weasley matriarch, she seemingly having forgotten she had been the one to withdraw them all. Molly Weasley was informed by a happily grinning professor Deloris Umbridge that she would have to home school her brood herself because none of the professors at the school were willing to spend any time in her presence. Listening to her screeching voice and overbearing attitude was not something they were paid enough to do.
By the end of the first week back home Ron was wishing he could have kept his big mouth shut while he was at Hogwarts. Getting slapped on the back of his head by his father almost every time he opened his mouth during their lessons, and his ears ringing from all the yelling his mother was doing about how absolutely pathetic and thick a wizard he was, he was really beginning to wish he had listened to the know it all Granger and studied more.
Ginny was enjoying her time being at home instead of Hogwarts, she had far more time and privacy at home to make all the plans for her wedding to Harry when the time came. She had even worked out a good way to thank her best friend Hermione for looking after her soul mate, while she had been busy getting some experience learning what wizards liked, and she would happily allow the older witch to be her head bridesmaid. She even started to compose the letter she would send to her best friend in which she would explain that Harry was her soul mate and would be overjoyed that his new wife was not going to stop him seeing his best female friend.
Fred and George while bored had crept into Ginny's room in the hopes of setting up a prank on their sister which they hoped Ron would take the blame for. "George, here read this, what do you make of this?" Fred asked as he handed his twin brother Ginny's half finished letter.
George took the offered letter and read it through, "See I told you there was something different about Ginny. I think we should have a quiet talk to dad about this. There is no way Ginny would act in this way, Hermione's her best friend and we both know she thinks of Harry as one of us." He whispered to his nodding brother.
Later that evening after supper Arthur Weasley was pottering about in his shed when he was joined by his two sons. Fred and George quickly told their father about the worries they had about Ginny. When they showed him a copy of Ginny's letter, he was almost inclined to brush it of as his daughters crush on Harry resurfacing, but a look at the true worry on the faces of his usually devil may care sons he changed his mind.
The following morning it took the healers of St Mungo's almost six hours of examining Ginny and then discovering a way to remove the rare spells that were placed on her. The spells were little known ones used by the old families when a daughter did not wish to marry the man chosen for her. As long as the spell lasted the young woman would become convinced she had a soul bond with the chosen wizard and would happily marry him.
The only clue they could give to Arthur about the caster of the spells was that it had been a male who had cast them. The magical signature had been too obscured to give a full reading on them, and it could not be determined when the spells had been cast or by whom.
Cleared of her new obsession Ginny and the three Weasley males returned to the Burrow, within fifteen minutes of returning home and going up to her room to think Ginny discovered two vials of love potions with Harry Potter written on one and Hermione Granger on the other along with instructions on their use, in her trunk. It had not taken the twins, Ginny, or Arthur long to realise that Ginevra Weasley was not safe. Someone wanted her to risk more than just losing her friendship with Harry and Hermione. They also wanted her to risk at least a stay in Azkaban for the possession of a banned substance if it was discovered in her belongings.
The four of them had wondered who was stupid enough to think that Harry suddenly dumping Hermione for Ginny would go unnoticed, but were unable to think of anyone.
Fred, George and Ginny spent three days trying to come up with a way to get in touch with Harry and Hermione, knowing that the owl mail was not reaching them. It was a comment about the stupid way that the elves fawned over Harry bloody Potter during one of Ron's now regular rants that sparked a memory in Ginny's mind. Taking turns the three of them spent quite some time calling out for the elf Dobby to see if he would answer them. When they finally gave up on Dobby Fred had what he termed a brain wave.
With help from Arthur and the twins Ginny was smuggled back into Hogwarts via a tunnel out of the shrieking shack. It took Ginny a full hour to sneak undiscovered from the exit of the tunnel under the whomping willow tree into the kitchens where she found the elf she was searching for. A slightly tipsy elf by the name of Winky vanished from the kitchens to take a message to either Dobby or Harry Potter to warn him about love potions and let him know what had happened to Ginny.
Harry and Hermione who had just begun to get settled into their new lives in Potter Valley noticed at the end of the month that Remus was far more tired than he usually was on the run up to the full moon. It was Helen who voiced what they were thinking when she wondered if doing all their teaching was just a little too much for one man. Remus was working all day teaching, and then spent time well into the evening working out lessons, as well as giving instruction in Muggle weapon use and fighting techniques.
All of the new Potter Granger family were pleased when at the end of the month the younger Flitwick Goblin got in touch with them and asked if they would be willing to talk to Filius and Minerva about taking them on as tutors now that they were done with Hogwarts. Harry wondered if they should be a little more cautious when it came to trusting McGonagall, he could remember how she had acted during their first year when they went to her for help. He also remembered that even though she was his head of house and had known he was not the heir of Slytherin she had not once tried to stop the hate filled rumours about him in their second year. He relented when he thought about how much Hermione liked the transfiguration teacher, and he went along with the idea of giving the two ex-professors the benefit of the doubt.
The two ex-professors were portkeyed into a small room directly from the Gringotts bank. On arriving they found five people waiting for them. After taking an oath that they no longer supported Albus Dumbledore they were led into a small study where Richard and Helen conducted the interview while Harry, Hermione, and Remus sat and listened. Their minds made up the two professors were handed another portkey that would transport them both to Potter Valley where they would be met by an elf who would then look after them.
It did not take long for the two professors to settle into the new life style and they enjoyed only having to teach two teens that were both willing and eager to learn. Remus was happy at the lessening of his work load, especially around the full moon. Harry and Hermione threw them selves into their training and soon enlisted another tutor by the name of Tonks who took over the task from Remus and taught them the Muggle classes with the help of her father who was a muggleborn who had gone on to university after Hogwarts. Before the second month was over they had also enlisted Hermione's old Arithmancy teacher who combined both Arithmancy and Runes into the classes she gave.
It was not long after the arrival of the two ex-Hogwarts professors that Remus suggested that the two teens really should have someone their own age around as well as all the 'old fogies'. After a family discussion that they invited their tutors too it was agreed to contact Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood and their guardians, thoughts on contacting Ronald Weasley were discarded when Filius informed Harry and Hermione about his behaviour after they had left Britain. McGonagall suggested Dean Thomas should join them because he had been so firm in defending Hermione's honour along side Neville. Hermione added her best female friend Ginny to the list because of the warning and she was not sure that Mrs Weasley was capable of teaching properly.
Both Madam Augusta Longbottom and Xenophilious Lovegood readily agreed to their young ones joining the two Potters, who they both considered their best friends. Neville and Luna were to be spirited out of Hogwarts by Dobby and the new member of the household Winky and very quickly decided to catch up with Harry and Hermione in their training. Dean's father was rather pleased with the idea because his family was really struggling to pay the Hogwarts fees and this would be a relief. When Arthur was approached he was really eager to get Ginny out of the reach of who ever had tried to use her.
Harry and Hermione were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their old friends. They both readily agreed that they had indeed missed being with someone their own age. Both of them were pacing in the garden in front of the main door as they waited for their two elf friends to return.
Dobby was the first to return with both Neville and Dean, as they were all greeting each other and telling about their recent experiences at Hogwarts they were joined by Winky who had Ginny and Luna with her. the get together was noisy as they all excitedly spoke at the same time. That is until they were suddenly silenced by Helen Granger shout "Quiet!"
Helen led them into the house and on into the kitchen. Sitting around the kitchen table the teens were each in turn given a chance to speak and offer their greetings in a rather more civilised manner than their previous chaotic meeting in the garden.
The two boys and Luna told of the recent happening at Hogwarts before it was Ginny's turn to tell her tale of recent happenings in her life. All the teens turned to stare as Ginny finished her tale and McGonagall not having heard about Ginny's message let out a low growling noise that was accompanied by the words "He would not dare, that evil old goat."
It was Filius who asked the question on everyone's lips, "Who?"
Minerva McGonagall sucked in a breath "Dumbledore was always saying that Harry needed to find a good family to settle down in, one that the purebloods would accept. I never thought he would go that far to keep those bigots happy. Lord I was livid enough when he allowed that little insect Malfoy get away with so much, but to do that to Ginny, that's… that's…" at that she seemed to be to angry to speak.
It was an angry group of people who went to bed that night, each of them swearing to work hard, each of them silently vowing to do all they could in helping Harry in his war with the two dark lords.
Chapter 7
Potter Valley
Sitting around the kitchen table Harry and the other two boys were introduced to Luna Lovegood. The young girl with straw coloured hair and sky blue eyes that looked a little to large for her face, had been chosen to join them because she was apparently Ginny's best friend and had been so since they were little toddlers. Harry's first impression of her was that she was a little odd but he suspected that her oddness was something of an act, perhaps some kind of self protection, he, Neville, and Dean welcomed her just as warmly as they welcomed Ginny.
Hermione explained why they were there and what they were going to be doing. The idea of private tuition appealed to Luna, who was exceptionally brainy, almost as clever as Hermione, while Ginny was grateful that it would allow herself to be who she wanted to be and not some pawn of the headmaster of what for her had to be the worst school in the history of magic.
Their first day of training began two days after their initial meeting, which gave them time to become comfortable with each other. Ginny had enquired if her brother Ron was going to be joining them as he had been Harry and Hermione's best mate. Their answer of "No way, not ever," came as a sort of relief to her as she was sure he was in Dumbledore's pocket, and that man would never be forgiven for what he had done to her.
Their first taste of training, which had been physical training to get them as fit as possible, as a group had just ended and Tonks grinning at them walked off after reminding them they had a lesson with Flitwick in thirty minutes.
"She's just got to be evil, Harry. No one normal would put us through all this," said a rather exhausted and sweating Neville as he collapsed onto the grass.
"Nah… if she was that bad things could be worse," Dean said as he sat beside his friend.
"What on earth could be worse than this?" Ginny asked from her position on the ground next to Neville.
"Well she could have us running about like those football coaches do with their teams; they keep them at it for hours." Dean answered after taking a drink from a bottle of water, showing little effects other than sweating from their work out.
"You mean we weren't at it for hours, felt like bloody hours to me." Ginny mumbled as she dropped to her knees.
"Oh I don't know what you are all complaining about, I don't feel to bad, but then chasing after all those Snorkack's with my dad keeps me fit I suppose." Luna commented as she stood doing some stretching to cool off with Harry and Hermione.
Harry looked at his friends enquiringly as they lay sweating and breathless on the ground before he turned to Luna. "What on earth is a Snore… thingy?"
"A Snorkack is a mythical creature that Luna and her dad are determined to find and prove their existence, Luna's dad prints a magazine that is devoted to… well mythical things, and magical creatures. Most people make fun of them for it but some of the stories are quite interesting," Ginny said answering for her friend.
Having finished with their stretching both Harry and Hermione sat down facing Ginny Neville and Dean, Luna was busy looking around them as though hoping to spot one of the elusive Snorkack's to point out to them.
"I'm glad you brought Luna here, she has not been treated to well at Hogwarts. Some people, like Ron call her loony because of her beliefs, they are like the muggles who think someone believing in magic is crazy, she's also a little too honest for the Ravenclaw idiots who like to see things as black or white, and they have been bullying her since we first started Hogwarts." Ginny said quietly.
"Yes well you did say she was your oldest and closest friend. So we thought we should invite her as well." Hermione spoke up "Besides you did say she's really smart didn't you?"
Leaving the field they had been training on the six former Hogwarts students made their way to the house and their lesson with professor Flitwick. Their following days weeks and months were filled with serious training. Getting fit and learning all they could to reach both OWL and NEWT level standards before the following year was over.
Privet Drive Little Whinging
Petunia Dursley soon discovered that her treatment of her sisters' son was not going to go unpunished. Dudley was taken away and placed in a wayward boys' home where he would be placed on a strict diet and a social behaviour course. She herself not knowing what had happened to Vernon found her self thrown out of the house she had called home for so long. She then had to suffer the remarks made by the neighbours she had always tried to impress with how normal she was. She ended up living in a small one bedroom council owned flat on the top floor of a twelve story building where the lift never seemed to be working when she needed it.
At the Potter's home, the training was intense and the four teens had to work five days a week, they were allowed to relax a little at the weekends but still had to do their phy6sical training every morning. Mr Weasley and Mr Lovegood became frequent visitors to Potter Valley; Mrs Weasley had point blank refused to visit, claiming that Ginny was no longer her daughter for going against Dumbledore. Bill and Charlie Weasley visited when they could and praised their little sister for standing up for herself. They were a little upset when she eventually informed them that Dean was her boyfriend, but not upset enough about it to bring the subject up.
After two years intense training from various sources, and having taken and passed both their owls and newts the four young ones were all sick of having to hide all the time while they trained. Fed up of going out in disguise if they wanted a break from their rigorous routine, they had stepped up their effort to get rid of one of their two main enemies.
Gathering all the information they could they formed several plans of how they were to rid the world of the evil that was Voldemort. They had, just at the right time, finally received the vital piece of information they were waiting for all about where Voldemort was hiding. His hiding place had been discovered and passed on to them by the Goblins.
So with help from Remus, and Hermione, Harry and Richard had carefully put the last piece required for what they had planned, a small clock like device, into the box sitting on the table. The box was slightly larger than a big shoe box and was now filled to its brim; it was a rather lethal idea of Richard's that he got from the TV, while watching a movie that showed the attempted assassination of Adolph Hitler many years before.
Dobby had heard Richards' idea and the problem they had in how to deliver it, had volunteered to deliver the box and to set the timer. It was Dobby volunteering that solved their main problem of how to get really close to the evil monster, and so their plan had been set in motion. Helen taught their little friend how to set the clockwork timer and on the night that the final piece was added to the package he left the house with a quiet pop.
Ten minutes later a grinning Dobby returned to the living room, his eyes were bright and filled with happiness. He quickly told how he had done as they had asked and had delivered the box to the Malfoy mansion, he then let out a little chuckle which had everyone listening wondering what he had done that amused him so much.
"The bad wizard with the snaky face was sitting at the big dinning table and shouting at the room full of his nasty's. Dobby did puts the box under the table next to his feets, and while snaky face was making loud noise banging his hand on the table Dobby did start the clock, five minutes did Dobby give them, then I got's all the elves to leaves the house. Dobby watched when big house go'ed boom, bad wizards and Dobby's old home was all gone." He was almost dancing as he gestured with his arms how the Malfoy mansion had blown up.
They all knew that if Voldemort and his minions had been in that mansion when the one foot square biscuit box bomb filled with C4 explosive went off there was no chance of any of them surviving. A large wave of relief went through them when Dobby handed what was left of Voldemort's wand. Harry identified it as soon as he saw it, that was the wand he had seen the shade of Cedric and his parents come out of.
Sending Dobby off to get some rest Harry sent Winky to Dumbledore with the piece of wand and a message. Winky arrived at Grimmauld place just as Dumbledore called for order to the order. Standing on the table offering the old man the wand she started to give the message from Harry.
"A small gift of Voldemort's wand or what is left of it for the dark lord Dumbledore from my wife and I. My wife suggests you sit on it you evil old git, and remember you and your sycophants are all going to go the same way that the death eaters did. The way all dark lords do, this is the end of your evil reign old fool. You are next, Harry and Hermione Potter."
As soon as she finished the message Winky popped home informing the teens that she had done as asked, and she was now going to start on dinner.
The headlines in the Wizarding press for the next few days were all devoted to the death of Voldemort and his death eaters. Descriptions of the total carnage that was found where Malfoy house once stood was on the tongue's of most of the Wizarding population.-
Dumbledore's order of the phoenix was in complete disarray as many of them began to try and raise the money to flee the country. The Potter threat uppermost in their minds, they all knew how Harry Potter had grown up. They all knew the harm they had inflicted on the young man as they kept him a prisoner in an abusive home for thirteen, nearly fourteen years of his life and they were all terrified of what ever power the young man had that could devastate a huge manor the way Malfoy house was.
Having overheard several house elves celebrating the victory of Harry Potter over the dark lord, a wraith like shadow drifted over the ruins that were moments before a luxurious mansion and cursed at Harry Potter. The fact that the little bastard had so much power caused the not quite dead Tom Riddle to rethink his ideas about his conquest of the British Wizarding world using the stupidity of the purebloods. It was he decided time to leave Britain, get as far from Potter as he could and stay there until he came up with a new body and a new way to rule the magical world.
There was no doubt in his mind that it was far to dangerous to make any more attempts on the boys life, he had after all tried several times to kill the boy and had ended up losing badly every time. 'It won't be long before I end up truly dead if I keep trying to go against the little prat using those stupid inbred fools' was the thought that replayed in his mind as he drifted away, heading south towards Africa and hopefully a life of anonymity until Harry Potter was no longer a threat to him.
Once the news got out about the Potter attack on Malfoy mansion panic also reined at the ministry of magic. Everyone knew it had to have been Potter who had destroyed the dark lord and his army of death eaters, the boy was the only one who had ever actually beaten the dark wizard, and did so repeatedly. Some pointed out that Dumbledore had fought the dark lord several times, and each time that point of view was voiced it was shut off by those that pointed out that the old headmaster had never actually beaten Voldemort, and the best he had managed was a draw.
The story was told by fleeing ex-order members of how Harry Potter had destroyed Voldemort and his army single handed, and how he had sent Voldemort's wand and a warning to Dumbledore calling him 'a dark lord' and saying that his days and all that he stood for were numbered.
Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna held a private meeting between them selves and made the decision that they would come out of hiding and arrangements were made to return to one of the Potter properties in Britain for the summer, and preparations were then begun for their hunting down an insane old man who thought it his god given right to do as he pleased. Albus Dumbledore had no idea what was coming his way, nor did his followers. A few of which were red haired and totally loyal to the old ways.
Barmouth Wales.
The two older Grangers and six teenagers arrived at the house in Barmouth that the family had left two years before, and immediately began to open all the windows to air the house, when a small army of house elves arrived and began to clean and polish just about every part of the house. Harry and Hermione questioned Dobby about where the elves had come from and were informed they were formally the house elves of the death eaters that were now dead and they had all accepted the Potters as their new masters.
Hermione not at all happy about the slaves they had acquired apparently by conquest, quickly came up with a solution to the problem of housing the elves and with help from both Dobby and Winky the elves were transferred to Potter Valley where they would be employed in the school that was now to be built there. They would be allowed to build a small village for themselves and any food or other requirements would be paid for from the estate funds. Harry agreed with his wife and sent a letter to the Goblins to ask for their help in starting a new school of magic.
Out of the six teens three of them had never before seen a seaside resort and for the first week Harry and Hermione, along with Dean happily showed them around. During that week previously ignored feelings were revealed. Ginny and Dean had been a couple for several months but it came as a small surprise to them all when Neville asked Luna if she would like to become his girl friend and possibly the next lady Longbottom. Luna jumping into his arms and kissing him was all the answer that any of them needed to let them know her answer was yes.
After the first week acting as a group in the small town, the teens began to pair off more and more and spent times as separate couples. Days lazing on the beach and visiting the arcades and other entertainments were thoroughly enjoyed until it was time to get back to what they had chosen to do.
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office and worried. Voldemort was gone along with his death eaters and he could not decide whether young Potter's threats had been just the boast of a teenager, or whether the threat to him and his former order members was real. He knew while he remained at the school he would be safe from what ever it had been that had totally destroyed Malfoy manor, he knew Potter would not do the same thing to a castle full of students. He also realised he could not stay inside the castle permanently. He did not know just how precarious his position was.