Interlude one:
Albus came back home in his office through the floo after being at the Ministry for the day. It was evening already and Albus couldn't wait to sit down with a nice cup of tea and a delicious Lemon Drop and just finally be alone again. It was hard work holding all those positions and the people he had to work with didn't make it any easier.
The bumbling idiot Fudge was still in office but it wouldn't be long now before a Vote of No Confidence would be called. Fudge had messed to much up for him to stay in office. He should have never attacked the boy-who-lived and Albus Dumbledore in his newspaper. Now that is was known they had spoken the thruth, Fudge had fallen into a deep hole of his own making.
His name might not have been under all the articles but everyone knew that The Daily Prophet was a mouthpiece for the Ministry of Magic. Albus just hoped that the next Minister woudn't be worse than his predecessor. Or a Death Eater.
If only Albus was still a young man. Perhaps then he could have thrown his hat in the ring if only so that no Death Eater would become a figure-head for Tom. But no, he was too old now. His mind and body were getting slower and slower and so was his magic. But he still had a lot to do before his next great adventure could begin.
Luckily he was a Wizard who could use potions to help him. He didn't want to know how muggles dealt with the problems one could get at his age.
His mind and magic were after all still better than most, if not all people he knew. He, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore couldn't afford to appear any less than he was in his prime. Not with the enemies he had, the people out to get to him or the jobs he held.
Albus glanced at his desk and felt his heart skip a long beat. The silver baubles that were connected to the wards of Number 4, Privet Drive were melted into small puddles on his desk. It looked like it had happened a while ago too.
The wards were down.
Harry. Something was wrong with Harry Potter.
Fawkes. Where was the damn bird when you needed him! Albus basically ran his old body out the castle so that he could apparate to Privet Drive. He hoped that Harry was alright. It would be a disaster if Tom had gotten his hands on the boy before everything was ready. That must not be allowed to happen. Ever.
Albus apparated in front of Number 4. It didn't look like there had been an atttack. What had happened? The ward were truly gone now but nothing seemed amiss. He quickly walked up to the door and knocked with a fast beating heart. Something wasn't right here. There was something missing.
It was Petunia Dursley nee Evans who opened the door. She saw who was standing on her doorstep and would have closed the door in his face if he hadn't stepped inside before she could be so rude.
Albus wanted to sigh but knew it was his own fault. It was his decision to place Harry here where he knew he woudn't be loved as much as a child deserved to be. But the Prophecy wanted an equal for the Dark Lord and so Albus had decided to make it so. After all, Tom did not have a happy childhood either.
So Albus made his eyes sparkle kindly so Petunia would let her guard down as he talked to the bitter woman, "Petunia, where is our young Mr. Potter? I have gotten a notification that the wards that have been protecting you and your family have gone down. Completely shattered actually."
The woman looked sour as she said, "So the boy spoke the truth then. The little thief left. He took our money and left a letter saying he wouldn't return. He also left a letter for you for when you showed up."
She went back a little further inside to grab the letter from a small table that Harry apparently left for him. Harry left? On his own? It wasn't like the boy to be so rebellious. He hoped this was all a big misunderstanding. It was truly the best for Harry to stay in this house, with his mothers blood. Albus knew it for sure.
Petunia came quickly back and handed him the letter. Petunia told him before he could open the letter, "The boy is not welcome here anymore. If you bring him back here again we will throw him out on the streets as we should have done years ago. We want nothing to do with you freaks ever again." She pushed him outside which he allowed in his surprise and turned around and closed the door before Albus could convince her that it was very much nessecary for Harry to return here.
What had the boy done? He sighed again and opened the letter to read,
Professor Dumbledore,
After all this time in this horrible house I made the choice to leave. This is not a home. It is not my home. My parents and Sirius wanted better for me and honestly, I desereve better than these cruel people you left me with.
I know that leaving like this will not make you and the Order think that I am capable of behaving like an adult. But you forget one thing: you were the one that kept making me go to a house you admitted yourself was not a good place for a child. You were right professor, the Dursley family is not a good house for 'freaks' like me. So now that there was finally another safe option, I left.
Sirius and I had made plans for a safehouse before and now that he is gone I will live there. Being alone would be a lot better then living with the Dursleys after all, Professor. Number 4 Privet Drive is not my home. It never was.
I never got to be the child you wanted me to be.
I can not and will not tell you where this safe house is. But it is as safe as we could make it and no one but Sirius and I know where it is. I will board the train as usual on the 1st of September.
I promise to even make an effort with my potions homework now that my stuff is not locked away for the summer.
Hope you have a nice summer, sir. I know I will.
Harry James Potter
Albus could feel his control slipping as some of the streetlights burst. This was bad. That stupid boy! What if this ruined the Prophecy? The boy was supposed to follow him blindly and now he suddenly had decided to make his own decisions. This couldn't be allowed. It was for the Greater Good that the boy would do exacly as Albus told him to do.
It was his Fate.