In the kitchen of number twelve Grimmauld Place, London, the members of the Order of the Phoenix were gathered along with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Everyone was waiting for Headmaster Dumbledore to arrive to start the meeting.
"Does anyone want some tea or biscuits?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she tried to remain busy without breaking down into tears.
"No, thank you," a number of people murmured in reply.
Standing up from the table, Arthur Weasley took a hold of his wife's hand and pulled her towards the table. "Why don't you take a seat, dear," Arthur said softly as he gently pushed his wife into his chair.
"I have to do something," Molly whined as she clutched at the fabric of her robes. "I’m so worried about him. I can't imagine what they're doing to that poor boy. I keep seeing him… seeing his body all broken and dead." Tears started to well up in her eyes.
"There. There my dear," Arthur said patting his wife on the shoulder. "I'm sure we'll be able to rescue the lad shortly. The Headmaster probably has a plan already."
"Do you really think so?" Molly asked hopefully, looking up at her husband as she wiped at her tears.
Arthur smiled reassuringly but the smile did not reach his eyes. "Of course I do my dear."
"And don't forget Mum, Harry's gotten out of worse," Ron chimed in as he ate a biscuit. "He's faced off against You Know Who before."
"Don't speak with your mouth full," Molly chided her youngest son.
"The lad got a point," Moody commented from where he sat, his magical eye spinning in all directions looking for danger. "I'm sure that no matter how badly the lad is injured, he won't give in right away."
At Moody's words Molly took a shuddering breath before she began to sob quietly.
"Good work, Moody," Tonks chimed in. "Very reassuring."
With his arms cross over his chest, Moody replied, "It's better that we faced the facts then to build up false hope. If the lad is in hands of the Death Eaters then we need to expect the worst."
"If he's in the hand of the Death Eaters?" Hermione parroted. "Is there a reason to not expect him to be their prisoner?"
"Just because he vanished from the Hogwarts Express doesn't mean that the lad was kidnapped," Moody pointed out as he fixed the girl with his remaining eye. "The lad has just lost his godfather and was returning to a place he didn't want to return to. I would say that was enough of a reason for the lad to disappear on his own."
"Harry wouldn't do that," Ron spoke up in defense of his friend as he grabbed another biscuit from the plate. "At least he wouldn't do that without telling us before-hand or sending a message afterwards."
Moody nodded his head in acceptance of the facts that Ron pointed out. "Even if the lad was kidnapped there are other out there besides Death Eaters who would like to get their hands on the lad."
Molly dabbed at her eyes. "But who would want the poor boy?"
"The Ministry for one," Hermione pointed out. "Harry told them about You Know Who after the Tournament and insisted that he was back all year long no matter what Professor Umbridge did to him. And then there was the fact that Harry insisted that Sirius was innocent. I can't imagine the Ministry would like the public learning the truth about all of that."
Tonks snorted. "I can't see that happening. One thing I've learned as an Auror, is that there are no secrets inside the Ministry. If the Ministry had Harry, someone would definitely be talking and I can't imagine that Dumbledore wouldn't find out."
"So if the Death Eaters didn't take Harry and neither did the Ministry, who else would want to kidnap him," Ron demanded.
"Foreign governments. People who want to marry Harry or have him father a child," Moody suggested. "Those after fame or fortune."
"So we're talking about the majority of the wizarding world," Dung commented as he played with a piece of silverware before it vanished into his robes.
Moody shook his head. "No, if we assume that the lad didn't leave on his own then we'll be after someone who has access to the Express. Someone, who has talent on a broom, concealment charms or was trained to apparate from a moving vehicle. We need someone who can silently take down the lad without alerting anyone else. The lad may not be fully trained but he's smart enough to call for help."
"They could have warded the loo," Hermione commented. "Plus we can't assume it was just one person. A group of people could have kidnapped Harry."
"There was no signs of any warding in the loo aside from the usual ones," Flitwick chimed in as the charms master poured himself a cup of tea.
"We're assuming that Harry was taken from the train, what if he was kidnapped earlier?" Tonks suggested as her hair changed from hot pink neon green and then back again.
"At which case anyone could have taken him, even Muggles," Moody commented thoughtfully.
"Hedwig!" Hermione said suddenly drawing everyone's attention to her. "She could help us find Harry."
"Hermione's right. I'm sure she could find Harry no matter who has him or where," Ron said excitedly.
"Hedwig? Potter's owl?" Moody asked to which the two Gryffindors nodded their heads. "Could work. Of course that's assuming that is Potter's owl and wasn't switch with another owl before hand."
"I'm sure Hagrid could tell if she wasn't Hedwig," Hermione pointed out. "I know he bought her for Harry and that she would visit him from time to time. I'm sure he would be able to tell."
Moody nodded his head. "We'll mention that to Dumbledore when he finally arrives."
As if by magic Headmaster Dumbledore arrived in the doorway with Professor Snape a few steps behind him.
"I'm sorry I'm late," the Headmaster said as he sat down at the head of the table. "I was delayed at the Ministry."
"Fudge asking you to save his sorry ass from all his screw ups," Tonks snickered.
"Something like that, my dear," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eyes. "Now that we're all there I think it would be best to begin with Severus' report."
"The Dark Lord does not have Potter however it appears that one of the Death Eaters or someone dressed up as one does," Snape reported simply with a snarl on his face.
"And how to do you know that, boy," Moody growled as he glared at Snape.
"First because the Dark Lord has every available Death Eater looking for Potter. And the second because Draco saw Potter being taken from the train," Snape answered.
"You can't believe that slimy snake," Ron exclaimed. "He probably helped them kidnap Harry!"
Snape glared in Ron's direction. "I highly doubt that. For one thing Mr. Malfoy was very much surprised to learn that Potter was not in the hands of our Lord since he witnessed Potter being taken by someone dressed as a Death Eater. And for another thing it would not be to his advantage to help kidnap Potter at this time. Malfoy knows of the importance to waiting until the time is right to strike at his enemies though at time he can be a bit impatient."
"Why would a Death Eater kidnap Harry and not bring him to Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked more to himself than those in the room.
"Someone wishing to gain favor with the Dark Lord, who is not a Death Eater," Snape suggested. "Or to study the boy to see how he survive the killing curse for their own benefits. That is assuming that the person was a Death Eater. If the mutt was still alive I would say it was him; pulling one of his childish pranks on us."
"I'm assuming that the Dark Lord knows about what the Malfoy brat saw?" Moody asked. "Or were you able to Obliviate the brat before he was able to tell anyone else?"
Snape shook his head. "Draco unfortunately informed me about what he saw in front of his mother and Bellatrix. I had no choice but to report it to him."
"So some of the Death Eaters will be answering some interesting questions soon," Moody said with an evil smirk.
"Undoubtedly," Snape replied with narrowed eyes at Moody's pleasure at hearing someone would be tortured.
"Who do you think could have pulled something like this off, Severus?" Dumbledore asked as he leaned forward in his chair, his hand clasped in front of him.
"Lucius would have been my first choice however since he's in Azkaban we can discount him," Snape answered. "While Bellatrix has the skills I doubt she could have done it without turning the train into a bloodbath not to mention that she is completely loyal to the Dark Lord and would have turned Potter over to him immediately. Rodolphus and his brother Rabastan could perhaps do it however they are still recovering from their stay in Azkaban."
"So it's probably someone else who kidnapped Harry," Hermione pointed out.
"Does anyone know where the Lupin was at the time or even where he is right now?" Snape asked.
Everyone looked around the rest of the group hoping one of them might have the answer.
"I know he was upset over Sirius's death," McGonagall supplied. "I assumed he was wandering around Hogwarts at the time."
"Or perhaps he was kidnapping the cause of death for his last best friend," Snape suggested with an almost malicious glee.
"That's enough Severus," Dumbledore snapped. "I'm confidant that Remus would never willingly harm Harry in any fashion."
"He might have stolen Harry if he thought he was protecting him," Tonks suggested with a shrug of her shoulders.
McGonagall shook her head. "He barely passed flying class. He always told me his wolf had a fear of flying."
"Could Harry has faked his disappearance and flown off on his own?" Ron said as he chewed his bottom lip. "Maybe he teamed up with Remus to disappear for a while."
"Possible but very unlikely," Dumbledore finally spoke up. "I know for a fact that Remus has gone on a little mission for me and that he's been out of contact with Harry since a week ago."
"Why didn't you mention that before," McGonagall snapped.
"I believe the Muggle term is brainstorming," Albus said with a smile. "I wanted to see what ideas we could come up with to explain Harry's disappearance."
"And what haven't you told us about Harry's disappearance," McGonagall demanded, reminding them all why she was not a woman to be crossed.
"Nothing my dear Minerva. Nothing at all," Dumbledore replied sweetly. "But perhaps someone else has the key to our dear Mr. Potter's vanishing."
McGonagall crossed her arms over her chest and glared fierily at the Headmaster.
"Was there anything else to report, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.
"Only that the Dark Lord is in possession of a book that contains spells used to track one's enemies," Snape supplied. "He plans of finding and capturing Potter as soon as possible."
Dumbledore nodded his head. "Moody?"
"There was no sign of spell or charms in the loo or in the walkway Potter would have taken if he had in fact gone to the loo aside from the ones that you would expect to find there," Moody stated.
"Draco claims the Death Eater carried Potter from the loo and through the door to the next car," Snape supplied.
Moody nodded his head as the considered this new information. "In which case we're at a dead end as far as the train is concerned," Moody stated. "However the girl," he nodded towards Hermione, "might have an idea."
"I was thinking we could put a tracking charm on Hedwig and then follow her to Harry, sir," Hermione stated.
"An excellent idea my dear but it is one I have already tried when I had his things brought back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore replied. "The poor dear flew around for a bit before returning to roost. Either Harry is well hidden or he a long way from here."
"Or Hedwig thought it would be better that we didn't know were Harry was at," Ron commented softly.
"Why would you say that Ron?" his mother demanded.
"Maybe she knew that Harry was safer wherever he was instead of with the Dursley's," Ron stated.
Noticing the confused looks from his parents and the other members of the Order, Ron growled, "Don't tell me you never noticed! How could you not see how much thinner Harry is at the beginning of the school year or how he shies away from being touched? Or how about how he dresses or how he's been wearing to same glasses since I meet him. What about the bars over his windows!"
His parents blinked at him in confusion. "I thought it was a Muggle thing," Molly said. "Like those people who wear an earring in their eyebrows and different color spiky haircut."
A few of the younger more Muggle knowledgeable members of the Order shook their heads sadly.
"No Mum. It was not some Muggle thing. It's more of a hide a problem away and hopes it dies type of thing," Ron growled at his mother.
"I'm sure you exaggerating what was really going on young Ronald," Dumbledore said in a grandfatherly fashion as he tried to reassure everyone.
Ron stared at the Headmaster in shock. He opened his mouth to reply only to be stopped by Hermione as she squeezed his hand from under the table, hard. Ron turned to Hermione and looked at her. Hermione quietly shook her head. In response Ron's eyes narrowed at his friend before turning back to the Headmaster.
"With all due respect, sir, I think the lemon drops have warped your brain," Ron stated calmly as he hid his wincing when Hermione dug her nails into his hand in order to make him shut up. "Did you know that before Hogwarts Harry's room was the cupboard under the stairs? Or that the Dursley's have four bedrooms? One for Mr. and Mrs. Dudley's, two for their son and one for guests?" Ron ripped his hand free of Hermione's, her nails gouging strips of skin from his hand. "Did you know he took care of most of the chores plus cooking and cleaning of the house? Or that the Dursley's allowed their son to beat and torment Harry?"
"Boys will be boys," Dumbledore replied simply as he smile indulgently at Ron. "And beside a little hard work never harmed anyone."
Ron ground his teeth together. "As the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot can you tell me why Sirius Black was denied a trial as is the law?"
Dumbledore blinked for a moment at the sudden change of subjects. "You must understand young Mr. Weasley at the time, it was very chaotic and mistakes were make," Dumbledore said in his defense.
"Like Malfoy and all of his Death Eater friends buying their freedom," Ron commented. "But why didn't you order a trial after you found out about Sirius's innocence? Or overturn Fudge's order for him to be Kissed on sight? After all how could the Minister overrule the judgement of the Wizengamot?"
"Ronald Bilius Weasley that is enough of that behavior!" Molly Weasley exclaimed in outrage. "We are here to find poor Harry, not to attack the Headmaster."
"You're right mum," Ron said with a slight nod of his head. "We're here to find Harry and protect him from whoever would harm him," Ron turned to stare at the Headmaster with narrowed eyes. "However everyone keeps ignoring a threat to Harry and to the rest of the students at Hogwarts."
"And you consider the Headmaster to be a threat?" Shacklebolt spoke out as he looked back and forth between the Headmaster and the youngest male Weasley.
Ron turned to look at Shacklebolt. "The facts seem to be pointing that way."
"And what facts are those lad?" Moody demanded.
"In our first year Dumbledore had the Philosopher's Stone brought to Hogwarts and series of traps layered to protect it," Ron explained. "Of course three first year students were able to get through all the traps easily as was Professor Quirrell, who at the time was possessed by the spirit of You Know Who."
"By exceptionally bright students who followed the path Quirrell has left before them," Dumbledore stated with a smile. "I'm positive that Voldemort would not have been able to discover the secret to the last trap without the help of Mr. Potter. If it wasn't for Harry's actions I'm sure that I would have been able to save poor Quirrell and vanquish Voldemort when I returned to the school."
Ron narrowed his eyes at the Headmaster when he laid the blame for what happened on Harry's shoulders.
Turning to look at the other members of the other, Ron continued. "Second year we had to face a giant Basilisk that was traveling throughout the school turning everyone to stone," Ron pointed out. "And yet the only time someone came to help deal with this threat, they drag Hagrid away! I'm curious," Ron said looking pointedly at Tonks, Shacklebolt and Moody, "were the Aurors ordered to not to come or did you just not care about what happened to any of us?"
"I never heard about it until everything had already been dealt with," Shacklebolt replied. "Seems the higher ups wanted to keep everything mum. Didn't want to frighten the parents and have them pull their kiddies out."
Ron turned and looked at Hermione. "And how did you parents feel about you being turned to stone? Or how about when you were attacked by a troll? Or did they even know it happened?"
"Mister Weasley," Dumbledore said in a commanding voice, "That is enough!"
"Why?" Ron snapped back. "Are you afraid of people finding out the truth? Of them questioning you or somehow finding out you're less perfect than they think you are?"
"If you don't stop this line of questioning, of sowing the seeds of dissent then I will have to ask you to leave the room," Dumbledore said.
Ron rose out of his chair. Standing tall he looked down at the Headmaster. "I'm afraid that you'll find it's already too late Headmaster especially when you ignored the fact that Umbridge was torturing the students. People are starting to open their eyes and see the real you. And let me tell you Headmaster from what I can see you're not that much different from the You Know Who."
Ron started for the door before anyone can say anything. Stopping in the doorway, Ron called out. "I wonder if I'll find myself in Azkaban like Sirius did since I'm a thorn in your plans, Dumbledore." And with that Ron left the room.
The room sat in shocked silence as slowly everyone's attention drifted back to the Headmaster, who was gritting his teeth, his eyes flaming with anger. Taking a deep breath, Dumbledore appeared to calm himself. "Shacklebolt do you have anything to report," he demanded.
Shacklebolt glanced at the door Ron had just exited through. "Not at this time, sir," he replied respectfully. "However I would like permission to question the Dursley's further. I believe that they may know something more about Potter's disappearance."
Dumbledore nodded his head. "Do whatever you feel is necessary. Just bring me answers."
Shacklebolt nodded his head once again. "Yes, sir."
~*~
"Wakey wakey, Dursley," Moody said in a menacing tone as he smacked Vernon across the head.
With a pig like snort Vernon Dursley opened his eyes for a moment only to close them once again and roll over in bed. The deep rumbling sound of snoring filled the room.
Moody looked over at Shacklebolt, who was trying his best not to laugh at Moody's disgusted expression over the Muggle's lack of 'constant vigilance'.
"Ice water?" Shacklebolt suggested with a smirk in a normal tone of voice.
Moody shook his head. "Too nice for this fat slob." Moody's face twisted up into an evil grin as he aimed his wand at the figure under the blankets. "Teum!"
Vernon seems to jump three feet above the mattress when the spell hit him, shrieking to the heavens like a pig that is being dragged to the slaughter.
"New version of the stinging hex?" Shacklebolt asked with professional interest.
"Not really," Moody replied smugly as he watched the Muggle flounder about on his bed. "It's not used very often anymore since it can be blocked by most shields. The only people who use it anymore are those who work with livestock."
"What the hell is going on? Who are you people!" Vernon demanded furious and not yet realizing the danger his mouth was placing him in since his brain hadn't fully woken up to his peril. "What are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?"
"Twenty-five after two," Shacklebolt replied with a cheeky smirk.
Dursley blinked a couple of time in confusion. "What?"
"It's Twenty-five minutes after two in the morning," Shacklebolt said slowly as if talking to a small child. "You asked what time it was and I told you."
" Twenty-five after two?" Vernon repeated to himself in bewilderment.
Turning to Moody, Shacklebolt said, "I think you fried his brain."
"I don't think there was anything there to begin with," Moody said as he glared at Dursley.
Then as if someone had thrown all the shutters open in Vernon's mind; the overweight man turned towards Shacklebolt and pointed a finger at him. "You," he said as he tried to be menacing in his baby blue pajamas. "You're one of them! One of those freaks. You were at the train station."
Moody lean forwards so that his face was inches from Vernon's. "That’s right, Dursley. And we're here to talk to you about Harry."
Dursley leaned back from Moody in fear. "What about him? I don't know where the brat is. He wasn't at the train station."
"We know that Vernon, that's why we came to talk to you," Shacklebolt said respectfully as he pulled Moody back from Dursley.
"At two in the morning?" Dursley said in confusion when he suddenly turned around to look at the bed, realizing that someone was missing. "Where's Petunia? What have you done to her? If you've hurt her or Dudley, I promise you, you will pay!"
Moody crossed his arms over his chest, his wand clearly visible. "You're wife is fine. She's asleep in the guestroom. And we have no idea where you son is. He wasn't in his room when we checked."
"Why should I believe you?" Dursley demanded. "I know your kind. Lay abouts and scoundrels the whole lot of you. Wouldn't know an honest days work if it was forced upon you."
Moody snarled at Vernon. "A word of warning Dursley, you're rapidly losing any good feelings we have for you."
Dursley snorted. "It's not like you can do anything to me. Your kind is forbidden to do magic outside of that blasted school of yours."
A truly evil smile appeared on Moody's face. "That would be true Dursley, if we were students but since we're not," he said as he pointed his wand directly in Vernon's' face.
"Hold on Moody," Shacklebolt said coming to Vernon's defense. "I don't think he meant anything by that. Just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, that’s all."
"Yeah. Yeah that all," Vernon sputter as his crossed eyes stared at the tip of the glowing wand.
With a snort of disgust Moody flicked his wand away then sat down in a reading chair Petunia had insisted be put in the room.
"Sorry about that," Shacklebolt apologized. "Moody just gets a bit high strung when he hasn't been allowed to kill anyone in a week."
Vernon's' eyes grew wide as his brain finally realized what Shacklebolt had just said. "That… that’s ok," he sputtered as he stared at the deranged man sitting in his bedroom. "What… what did you want to know?"
"Not much Mr. Dursley," Shacklebolt said smoothly. "But when I met you at the train station you seemed kind of nervous and we were wondering why."
Dursley turned and looked at Shacklebolt. "Ner… nervous?"
Shacklebolt nodded his head. "And you seemed really upset when I told you that Harry was missing."
"Of… of course I was," Vernon answered swallowing nervously. "He's…he's my nephew."
"And I'm sure that you're a good uncle to the boy, Mr. Dursley." Shacklebolt patted Vernon on the back reassuringly. "But you do know that there are some dangerous people after Harry and they might be trying to get to him through you. You haven't been visited by anyone recently, have you?"
Dursley licked his lips nervously. "No… no. No one's been asking about the boy."
"Don't lie, Dursley," Moody snarled. "We know you hate Harry. We know that you despise the boy and that you've abused him. And we know you're lying about someone asking about Harry."
Vernon looked bad and forth between the nice wizard and the demented bastard in the chair. Vernon opened his mouth. Closed it. Open. Closed.
"If you talk to me. Tell me everything, I can protect you," Shacklebolt said gently. "I can protect your whole family."
Vernon looked over at Moody before turning back to Shacklebolt. "He came to my office. He threatened my family."
"Who threatened you family, Dursley," Moody demanded as he leaned forward in the chair.
"A Yank. Said his name was Maybourne," Dursley said. "He wanted me to sign Harry over to them."
"To the Yank?" Shacklebolt asked.
Vernon nodded his head. "I didn't have a choice. I was to take the boy to them after I picked him up from the train."
"Where were they going to take him, Dursley," Moody demanded. "What did they want him for?"
"I don't know," Vernon squealed. "I didn't want to know. We never wanted the boy in the first place!"
"What did this Yank look like?" Shacklebolt demanded.
"I don’t remember. It was weeks ago," Vernon sputtered.
"Was he tall, short, fat or thin?" Shacklebolt pressed. "Was he white, black? What color was his hair or eyes?"
"White. He was white," Vernon answered. "Short hair, grey. He was thin, stuck me that he was a soldier or had been one."
"What else Dursley," Moody snarled.
"That's it!" Dursley exclaimed. "If I knew any more I would tell you!"
Moody and Shacklebolt shared a look before Shacklebolt raised his wand and fired a spell at Dursley who then collapsed to the ground.
"Think he was telling the truth?" Shacklebolt asked as he looked down at the bloated man.
Moody nodded his head as he looked down at Vernon in disgust. "Unfortunately. The fat bastard would probably sell his own mother to save his skin."
"The Yank?" Shacklebolt said as he looked up at his partner.
"A decoy most likely," Moody replied. "Either that or that boy has more people after him then we know."
"I just one question," Shacklebolt said.
"And what that?" Moody asked as he made his way to the bedroom door.
"What's a Yank?"