Back at Grimmauld Place
Harry, Lupin, Tonks, and Moody landed quietly in the large kitchen of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Tonks and Harry went falling forward onto the cold floor while Lupin gave a soft chuckle.
"Get up Potter," growled Moody as he limped over to Harry. "How do you expect to survive in this war if you fall over while using a Portkey?"
"S-sorry," replied Harry as he jump to his feet and began brushing off his clothes.
He looked up after a few minutes and finally realized where he was. He slowly walked around the empty kitchen while lightly touching everything he passed as Moody yelled at Tonks for always being clumsy. Lupin was the only one watching as Harry stopped in the front of Sirius' favorite coffee cup.
"Harry," said Lupin, interrupting him out of his thoughts. "Maybe we should get--"
"Harry!!!"
Harry quickly turned around to find a bushy haired witch running into the room. Lupin, Moody and Tonks quietly backed away from Harry to let the brown haired witch see him properly.
"Harry," said Hermione, jumping into his arms and hugging him as tight as she could. "Why haven't you been answering any of my letters?"
Why is Hermione here at Grimmauld Place? thought Harry. Shouldn't she be with her parents?
"I didn't get any letters," he lied.
"How are you?" asked Hermione softly as loud noises echoed from the floor above.
Harry knew that she was referring to Sirius's death and wordlessly stepped back from her, not wanting to answer the question. Hermione nodded her head understandingly as six red-headed people ran into the room with their wands held tightly in their hands.
"Hermione," said Ginny as she slid her wand into her pajamas. "We thought you were being attacked--"
"Harry!!" yelled Mrs Weasley as she ran over and gave him a bone crushing hug. "I've been so worried about you."
Harry could feel his lungs getting crushed as Mrs Weasley refused to let him go.
"Mum," said Fred and George together as they walked behind their mother. "He's turning purple, let him breath."
"Oh, sorry, dear," said Mrs Weasley as she released him.
Harry looked around the full kitchen to see Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Moody, Lupin and Tonks talking to each other.
Harry stood quietly in a corner by himself as everyone talked and laughed. "They don't even care t-that Sirius is. . . Sirius is. . ." he said but couldn't finish his sentence.
"Partner," said cheerful voices behind Harry.
He slowly turned around to see the twins advancing on him. "What?" asked Harry softly as they stood in front of him. "I'm not your partner."
"Yes, you are," said George with a slight smile.
"If it weren’t for you, we wouldn't even have a joke shop," said Fred.
"Which I might add that business is going great," added George as he danced around the room.
"So we decided to give you fifty percent of the money we make," said Fred and George together.
"I-I cant take that money from you. I already have enough money," said Harry as the thought of having more money came into his mind.
"Sorry Harry," said George as Fred walked away. "We won’t take no for an answer."
Harry stared at their retreating backs as he felt a hand grip his shoulder. He turned around to see Ron and Hermione.
"Finally. I thought I was going to be stuck with Hermione all summer," said Ron as he gave Harry a firm handshake.
Hermione sent a threatening glare towards Ron before she looked at Harry. "Are you excited?"
"About what?" asked Harry and Ron at the same time as Hermione rolled her eyes at the both of them.
"Our O.W.L.'s should be arriving this week," she replied as if it was the easiest thing to remember.
Harry looked at Hermione as she smile at him. "Don't remind me--"
"What happened to your face?" asked Ron, loud enough for the whole room to hear.
Everybody in the room glanced down at his right cheek where the bruise was. Ron, Fred and George stared angrily as Hermione, Ginny and Mrs Weasley covered their mouths while tears formed in their eyes.
"Did those Muggles do this to you?" asked Fred as he punched his fist into the table.
Harry slowly nodded his head in reply.
"I knew those Muggles would do something like this," said George.
Ron, Fred and George walked into the corner of the room a second later and began whispering furiously to each other while Mrs Weasley and Ginny walked quietly out of the room with tears dropping down their cheeks.
"Harry," said Mr Weasley walking up and patting him softly on the back. "Dumbleore will be here sometime around noon. He wants to speak to you personally."
"Yes, Mr Weasley," replied Harry politely.
Mr Weasley gave Harry another soft pat on the back and walked over to the counter to pour himself some coffee. Harry slowly looked over at Ron and noticed the scars on his wrist from the brains in the Department of Mysteries.
I-I also led my friends into danger, Harry thought to himself as he remembered the Death Eaters. They could have been killed . . .all because I was so stupid to fall for Voldemort's trick.
Harry quickly left the room before anyone could stop him. He could hear his heart pounding against his chest as he ran up the stairs and into a room on the second floor. He pushed the door shut, and walked across the room.
As he walked across the room, he felt his body burn as if he was suddenly lit on fire. He quickly dropped to his knees as it got worse.
No, Harry thought fearfully. He's trying to posses me again.
After what seemed like forever, the pain was suddenly gone. But Harry could still sense the presence of someone inside his mind.
He's searching for information, thought Harry as he concentrated with all his power to shut the presence out of his mind.
Within ten minutes, Harry was able to shut the presence out of his mind, but was tired from concentrating.
"It's all my fault," he said out loud as he lay on the large bed. "If I had just learned Occlumency, Sirius would still be here . . . and my friends wouldn't be hurt."
"If I was just stronger, than none of this would have happened!!" he yelled at the stone walls.
The prophecy's contents suddenly came rushing into his head as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACHES. . . . BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM, BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES. . . AND THE DARK LORD WILL MARK HIM AS HIS EQUAL, BUT HE WILL HAVE A POWER THE DARK LORD KNOWS NOT. . . AND EITHER MUST DIE AT THE HAND OF THE OTHER FOR NEITHER CAN LIVE WHILE THE OTHER SURVIVES. . . . THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD WILL BE BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES . . .
"I will do everything I can to defeat you, Voldemort," he said softly as he stared at the stone ceiling before his eyes began to close.
"We did it, Master," said a women that stood in the darkness. "They’re all free and you now have full control over the dementors."
"That's good news, Bella," replied a cold voice Harry knew all to well.
"But Master," said Bellatrix in a whisper. "How did the Aurors know we would be breaking into Azkaban?"
"Good question, Bella," replied Voldemort. "There is no way that they would have known."
Bellatrix paced around the room in deep concentration as two snake-like eyes watched her.
"You had to have been betrayed, Master," said Bellatrix still pacing the room. "It's the only way."
"Yes," replied Voldemort softly. "But who is betraying me?"
"I don't know, but I will find them," replied Bellatrix.
"Master," said Bellatrix in a whisper. "What about Potter?"
"Don't ever say that name around me, Bella!!" yelled Voldemort.
"Sorry Master," apologized Bellatrix as she bowed to Voldemort.
There was an odd silence before Voldemort spoke. "Bella, I want you and a few others to kill that boy. He has caused me to much trouble for too long. If you fail me again, Bella, I will see to it that you never see your husband again."
Without another word she left the room.
Harry awoke with sweat dripping down his face and his scar burning as someone or something wiped his forehead with a wet towel. He slowly opened his eyes to find a pair of wide, green eyes staring back at him.
"Ahhhhhh!!" he yelled as he jumped out of his bed. "Dobby. I thought I told you never do that."
"D-Dobby is sorry, sir," replied the small house elf as he looked at his feet. "Master Dumbledore is waiting for you in the kitchen."
Harry glanced out the open door for a minute before answering. "Okay, thanks," he said as he slowly left the room. The small house elf began folding the blankets and sheets on the bed as Harry made his way slowly down the stairs.
"Ahh, Harry," said Dumbledore softly as he walked into the kitchen. "How have you been?"
"Fine," replied Harry rudely before sitting next to Lupin.
Harry, Lupin and Mr and Mrs Weasley sat quietly at the table while Dumbledore looked at Harry's bruised cheek with sadness in his eyes. Harry refused to make eye contact with him.
"Harry," said Dumbledore calmly. "I am here to inform you that because of the recent abuse by the Dursley's, you will never be living with them again."
Harry only nodded his head in reply as everyone in the room stared at him.
Dumbledore looked at Harry sadly as he still refused to make eye contact. "Harry, I know you're mad at me--"
"Mad at you," Harry yelled making everyone around him jump back. "No, I'm not mad at you. All you did was let Sirius die and hide things from me my entire life, but I'm not mad at you."
Harry knew that he wouldn't really blame Dumbledore for what happened at the Ministry. He just needed someone to yell at and free his anger, guilt and sadness. And apparently, that person was Dumbledore.
"Harry," said Dumbledore softly. "I'm sorry. It was my fault and you have every reason to be mad at me right now, but I fear that Voldemort will try and send you visions or even posses you again."
"He's been sending me visions all summer," Harry yelled back as the four of them stared at him in shock. "And I felt him trying to take over my body and get information from my mind, but can't do it."
"Harry, it's very important for you to continue Occlumency," said Dumbledore with a hint of fear in his voice. "If Voldemort knows he can keep sending you visions, he might try to send apart of himself into your soul."
"What does that mean?" asked Lupin, Mr Weasley and Mrs Weasley at the same time.
"I have just found out that there is away to send part of yourself into someone else, but it needs power, power which only I and Voldemort posses," said Dumbledore without blinking. "If you are able to send a part of yourself into someone else, you could take over their body permanently. And to make matters worse, they can switch through the two body's at will."
Lupin and Mr Weasley stared at Harry while Mrs Weasley ran over to him and hugged him tighter than she ever have before.
"Oh Harry," was all Mrs Weasley could say as she refused to let go.
"Molly," said Dumbledore calmly. "We have more important matters to discuss and I think Harry would like to hear this."
Mrs Weasley nodded her head as she released Harry and sat beside her husband again. They sat in silence as Dumbledore stared at his pocket watch.
"What is it?" asked Lupin softly as Dumbledore looked up at him.
"In a minute," Dumbledore replied softly.
The five of them sat in silence for a few minutes before the fireplace roared and several members of the Order of the Phoenix stepped out.
Dumbledore looked upon the worried faces of Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley, Dwalish, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Lupin, Tonks, McGonagall, Snape, Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Doge and Sturgis Podmore. Harry had a good idea about what was going on, but never said anything. Dumbledore slowly shifted in his chair as Professor McGonagall asked, "What has happened, Albus?"
"I have called you all here tonight for an emergency meeting," he replied softly as he took another glance around the room. "There has been an attack."
"Where?" asked Kingsley Shackleboat as he looked up at Dumbledore.
"Azkaban," he replied looking over at Harry.
Harry suddenly felt his throat tighten as he returned Dumbledore's gaze.
"All the prisoners have escaped," Dumbledore continued. "The Ministry of Magic has lost complete control over the dementors and they have joined Voldemort."
There seemed to be a uncomfortable silence where everyone seemed to be thinking. They sat quietly thinking before Snape spoke up.
"Headmaster," he said in his usual hissing voice. "I have a report to make from yesterday night."
"The floor is yours, Serverus," replied Dumbledore politely as the rest of the Order landed their eyes on Snape.
Snape slowly stood up from his chair. "The Dark Lord has sent a team of his most trustworthy Death Eaters to kill Potter for the trouble he caused at the Ministry," said Snape. "My guess is that they are going to attack him while he's in Diagon Alley--"
"He will not be going," interrupted Mrs Weasleys as tears formed in her eyes. "Neither is Hermione, Ron or Ginny."
"I understand, Molly," replied Dumbledore shortly.
"It has started," said Harry loud enough for most of the Order to hear.
"What'd you say, Potter?" growled Moody.
"I said, it has started. The second war has begun."
The Order members looked around from one face to the other and swiftly nodded their heads in agreement.
"I didn't expect Voldemort to attack this soon," said Dumbledore raising from his chair. "Minerva . . . Serverus, I need to speak with you at Hogwarts, The rest of you are free to go."
Without another word, the two professors stood from their seats and left the kitchen followed by the rest of the Order, leaving Dumbledore and Harry alone.
"Harry, how did you know about Azkaban?" asked Dumbledore as he watched Harry give a slight frown.
"I sort of tapped into Voldemort's mind while I fell asleep this morning. Bellatirx was telling him that they broke into Azkaban and freed all the prisoners," said Harry looking directly into his Headmaster's blue eyes. "Voldemort knows he is being betrayed because the Aurors showed up while the attack. But he doesn't know it's Professor Snape, yet."
Dumbledore gave a slight frown as he walked a few steps. "I must meet Serverus and Minerva at Hogwarts. We need to go over something's before the students arrive."
Dumbledore quietly walked toward the door of the kitchen. "Professor," said Harry as Dumbledore turned around to look at him. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."
"You were right," said Dumbledore as he turned to walk out the door.
"Professor," Harry called as Dumbledore turned to face him again.
"Yes, Harry?"
"How come Proffesor Snape didn't know about the attack on Azkaban but the Aurors did?"
"I don't know," replied Dumbledore in deep thought before looking at Harry again. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Harry?"
"Umm yeah . . . why is Dobby at Grimmauld Place?" he asked.
Dumbledore gave a soft laugh. "That house elf would have attacked me if I didn't let him stay with you for the summer. He begged me for two weeks before I finally gave in."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," replied Harry as he walked through the door with Dumbledore.
"Ahh, this is where I must leave you. Your O.W.L's should be here tomorrow and I must tell you before I forget. Your Occlumencey lesson is going to be on the first Monday of term," said Dumbledore as he walked into the middle of the room. "I will see you in two days, so pack your trunk."
Why do I need to pack my trunk? I just unpacked it, thought Harry as Dumbledore gave one last smile before disappearing from the dustyhouse.
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A/N: Thanks to CraftySlytherin, Mala, Izzylovessanpe, Crubled and Harrietta Potter for reviewing my first chapter and for those of you who took the time to read it. I also want to give the biggest thanks to Robin for helping me with this chapter.