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He did a quick head count and saw eight people, none of which he recognized. Three of them were most likely related, all with bright red hair, the oldest of which had thinning hair grabbed what must be his youngest and pulled him close behind him, who looked to be about Harry's age. The other was definitely in his teens and stockier built, but with the same distinct coloring, only across the room standing next to a girl about his age with bright pink hair. While she was by far the most interesting to look at, shouting quickly began at the other end of the room drawing the rest of the attention.

A dark haired, terrifying looking man seemed to be the cause of it. His skin looked unnatural as if he'd never had a day of sun or a proper meal, with filthy matted hair and wild eyes as he was held pinned against a wall with another man trying to strangle him. He was a bit taller with light brown hair that seemed to gray streaked for his age, but that clearly wasn't stopping him trying to throttle the life out of the other man as he shouted something at him. Harry couldn't understand the exact words, they were to emotionally all over; sometimes shouting and sometimes hissing in his face. For that matter Harry rarely liked to listen to any actual shouting going on and much preferred to be in his cupboard while his Uncle was doing it rather than on the outside facing him, so Harry was quite glad when the last man looked like he was trying to step in.

He first pulled, was that a stick? Regardless what it actually was, he pulled it out of his pocket, but when that did nothing he marched forward and grabbed the deranged person, saying in a cold and stern voice, "Remus, that is enough."

There were several beats where nothing changed, but then the man's arm relaxed and the darker one fell to the floor in a slump, rubbing at his throat with a terrifying twist of his lips. His voice came out a rasp, like it had been a long time since he'd used it, or because of his throat almost caving in, both were likely, but he spoke with a tight familiarity, "surprised how long it took you to do that. Thought for sure you'd have done it ages ago, course that means you'd have had to show up to-"

The man named Remus lashed out and kicked him, causing the words to cut off and for him to double over coughing and panting.

The eldest man who had intervened, who was dressed rather funny now that Harry looked properly at him with long powder blue robes embroidered with gold and a white beard so long he could tuck it into his belt, laid another restraining hand on the man named Remus and instructed, "I said, that is enough. He will be taken back to-"

"What in Merlin's name are you doing this to me for Dumbledore!?" The angry man turned half his attention away from the one on the floor, though his body clearly showed a will to strike the second he tried to move again, but before he could keep shouting, his face went slack with shock as he started glancing at his surroundings when he demanded, "where are we?"

"I've not the faintest idea," he murmured back, his voice losing its strict tone to take on a cautioning one, "but I implore you Remus not to commit murder until we do. My magic isn't working in here, something is amiss, and I'd like to resolve it and put that man back where he belongs in one piece."

Remus made a tsk noise to show how much he cared for that idea, now frowning at the other occupants who were watching him with some deep concern, all eyes still flickering to the one on the floor with mingled terror.

The eldest redhead still had his charge clutched to his side and at some point had even moved to stand in front of the other two, a stick in his own hand as if he were prepared to use a deadly weapon any second. He addressed the white haired man first though, "well I can't say it's improving my mood that you've no idea what's going on either Dumbledore. Can't we at least find some way to confine that madman with my kids in here?"

"Until we know what's going on, Arthur, I'd suggest-" but he broke off. His own eyes had been examining every inch of their surrounding walls, a calming dark blue in color, but his investigation had finally landed in Harry's tucked away corner. Harry couldn't help tensing in fright. With nowhere to run and surrounded on all sides, he had no way to escape, but somehow he just knew this was his fault and he'd better find a way. "Harry?"

His name caused a chain reaction of heads whipping right at him, causing his knees to start buckling so hard he began to sink to the floor as well in his own fright. Never before had he so many eyes on him at once, and when anyone was watching him it was always to make sure he hadn't done anything wrong. His conclusion seemed irrefutably true now as there was no way this man could know his name unless he was somehow the cause of what was going on.

His eyes quickly flinched away from the piercing blue ones, quickly passed over the politely shocked faces of that group of four, and back over to the downright terrified of the last two. For a reason Harry couldn't explain, his eyes lingered on the dark haired man on the floor, watching his expression change from the cruel expression before to something resembling awestruck. Life finally colored that skeleton face, and without seeming to realize he was doing it he twitched like he was going to come forward, but then a boot stamped down on his hand and he howled in pain, glaring with hatred up at Remus once again as he said quite clearly, "you move one inch towards him and I'll rip your bleeding head off, Dumbledore be damned." He did not remove his foot until the other stopped trying to wrench his fingers away and his cursing faded out.

"Harry Potter?" The red head of his age had finally poked his head around his father's knees and was watching the corner with interest along with everyone else now, but Harry at least found his curious eyes much easier to meet, finding them a dark blue with a long nose making the freckles on his face seem to stand out all the more. He gave Harry a friendly smile which Harry tried to return, but was distracted by the man who seemed to be the most in charge coming towards him.

Harry kept his back flat against the wall, watching his approach wearily, but he stopped several paces away and crouched down to be on Harry's height, and Harry was surprised to see a genuine smile behind his beard as well. He spoke in a soft, far gentler tone than he'd yet used as he said, "Hello Harry, it's alright. No one here's going to hurt you."

Harry said nothing, couldn't think of anything to say. He certainly had more questions running across his mind than he ever had in his life, number one of which was did the Dursleys know he was out of his cupboard because if not he needed to get back there pronto.

"Tonks!" The girl with pink hair caught everyone's attention as she was cautioned by the one of her age for leaving the sanctity of their corner, but instead of heading towards either party she was marching towards the center of the room where no one had taken an interest yet. There were couches arranged in a square like formation, with a table in the middle housing a book and a note on top. This Tonks, who had clearly grown bored sitting on the sidelines watching everything, seemed to have decided that something else had caught her attention and it was far more interesting than people talking to each other.

Ignoring the attempts of the red head trying to catch her attention and call her back, she instead picked up the note, her eyes flickering across the short print, and then declared, "think I know why we're here at least."

Dumbledore straightened up and went to her side now, holing out his hand palm up and asking, "may I?"

She handed it over, and the room watched in silence as his own eyes went across the words several times before he announced, "well, we are in a pickle."

"What is going on Dumbledore?" Remus demanded again, sounding more strained the more he asked.

He looked back towards him before meeting the eyes of everyone in the room and announcing, "we have been kidnapped, and placed in the conundrum of, ah how did this writer put it-" his eyes went back to the letters and read out, "reading the life of Harry for the greater good." His face drew several more lines as he finished that.

He set the note back down on the table, picked up the book, and began investigating it.

"You must be joking?" Remus demanded, watching Dumbledore as if he'd gone senile. "We need to get out of here, not sit around reading anything."

Dumbledore didn't answer, but instead walked back over to him and had him read the note. His sharp eyes scanned the words before they went back to Harry, then the book, before throwing his hands up in frustration.

"Instead of passing it around," Tonks snorted as she walked towards them, "how about I read that aloud, be much quicker."

"Tonks," her friend tried to protest again, "don't go near him."

His eyes were lingering on the dark haired man on the floor, who hadn't taken his eyes off Harry this whole time.

This Tonks seemed unconcerned though, as she plucked the note away and read, "first of all, sorry. I'm sure this is all kinds of startling for you, but there really wasn't a more gentle way to do this. The book that landed with this paper is a recording of Harry Potter's life, and I've sent it knowing reading the life of Harry is for the greater good. My hope is that you read these in time to stop so much destruction from happening. Again, sorry this is all so vague, but there's not much else to say except I hope once you start you'll believe the truth in this and fix the wrongs that come. Time has frozen while you're in here, food will be regularly supplied, magic can not be used, you all must be present otherwise the books will seal themselves, and you each have your own room. Once all is said and done, I promise this will be no dream. Try to have fun and not kill each other."

Arthur looked dumbfounded as he said, "what's all this? What's this to do with my kids?"

His eyes more than anyone's kept flickering to that man on the floor whom everyone seemed so afraid of, clearly keeping his boys at his side for this reason.

"I do not know Arthur," Dumbledore sighed, "but one thing that was irrefutably true, our magic is not working. We have no way to leave here, and as none of us have yet to come to any harm though clearly we could have, I see no other alternative."

"Bit invasive for the lad though," Tonks snorted, without a trace of repentance as she met her Headmaster's eyes. "Reading about Harry's life, we haven't even asked him if he's okay with it."

All eyes turned back to Harry, who flushed in shock. He had understood one word in ten of what was going on around him, but he had gathered that it was centered around him.

"Wotcher Harry?" Tonks called his attention, and when Harry met her eyes he found them a startling purple. "What do you say?"

He hesitated for a long time, but finally his mind turned back on and he stuttered out, "ah, yeah, anything to help."

"Brilliant," she beamed, plucking the book away and beginning to skip back to the couches. Her foot caught on the corner of it, so as she tried to flip over onto the seat she instead landed with a face plant, but she sat up fast enough and corrected herself, declaring, "I'll read first shall I?"

Her friend was the first to react, going over and plopping down beside her as if this was the most normal thing in the world, even if he still couldn't fully face her and his eyes lingered in the dark corner. Arthur instead kept his attention on Harry and said in a warm voice, "I'm sorry, this must be most startling of all for you. My name's Arthur Weasley, and the two redheads are my boys Ron," he gestured to the one still at his side, "and Charlie. That's his friend from school who goes by Tonks," the girl with pink hair waved enthusiastically as she kept peeking at him from over the couch. "And who are you?" He finished politely towards Hermione.

She hesitated for a very long time, the ingrained habit of her parents not to talk to strangers more prominent than anything, but the compulsion against answering a question ultimately escaped her as she told her full name.

Ron gave her a polite enough smile and waved her over to come sit down, and after watching them for several more moments took an uneasy seat by herself for now, her eyes steadily on the book in Tonks' hand.

"The older man over there is Albus Dumbledore, and ah-" he faltered there.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and gestured first and the strangler, "this is Remus Lupin," and the strangled, "and Sirius Black."

"Can't imagine what Merlin had in mind with him here," Tonks mock whispered for everyone loud enough to hear, "I heard he's so out of his mind he wouldn't know how to use a door."

Charlie visibly pinched her arm, scolding in a much lower tone but still audible for all to hear, "please don't smart off to the maniac!"

Tonks was rubbing at her arm with a pout, but Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly and kept attention, "I am sure Black will behave perfectly sound, he has no more space to go than we do." There was something undercurrent in his tone though, something that did not incline Harry to be leaving the safety of his corner and it wasn't even directed at him. His mind flashed back to how he'd convinced Remus to let him go without touching him. This Dumbledore, despite his clear age, was not one to be trifled with.

Dumbledore met Remus' eyes and walked to the couches as well, and after throwing one more disgusted look at the floor space, he followed. Black made no indication he'd heard a word of anything going on around him, his eyes had been transfixed on Harry for so long he was starting to get an itch inside his skin, but when the Weasleys made towards the couches as well, and Ron beckoned at him, Harry decided to ignore him for now as much as everyone else was clearly trying to. He took the seat as far away from everyone as possible, and wondered if he could get away with pushing a seat back into the corner, but knew better than to suggest such a thing.

Tonks decided to begin without a trace of unease, seemingly as at home in this tense environment as she would be in her own room.

THE BOY WHO LIVED

Tonks read the chapter title without a trace of confusion, and when Harry glanced around the room he saw that no one else looked likely to ask about this. These people were clearly all in on something he had no idea of, so he kept his mouth shut and declined asking who that boy was.

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were proud to say that they were perfectly normal...

Harry gave a small nod of agreement. These books were certainly accurate.

Remus felt his face twitch in agitation as he recognized the last name of the family Harry was supposedly staying with, the one Dumbledore had mentioned when he'd convinced Remus not to go looking for Harry. At least now he'd get to hear first hand if the headmaster had made the right decision.

...which made drills.

"What are drills?" Arthur directed at Harry eagerly.

It seemed to take him a few moments to realize he was being spoken to, and a few more for him to find his tongue as he uneasily answered, "ah, they're machines that make holes in the ground."

"Fascinating," he said at once, his eyes lighting all the more as he realized that he was talking to someone raised purely by muggles, he'd know all sorts of things! "Tell me, do they run on-"

"Arthur," Dumbledore cut in with kindness coloring his stern tone. "Let's not pester the boy for now, I'm sure you will have plenty of time to talk to him later."

"Oh, yes of course," he admitted, sitting back and trying to contain himself. The boy was clearly on edge around all of them, no need to make things worse.

...spying on the neighbor's.

Remus felt something twitch in his throat, like he wanted to laugh about all the times Lily had mentioned Petunia spying on people in her youth as well, but the emotion never bubbled so high that he outwardly showed it.

...  no finer boy anywhere.

Arthur gave a small little smile, knowing that all parents felt that way about their children, he knew that he did about all of his.

...bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.

In the shadowy corner, everyone pretended to ignore whatever had caused Black to twitch. Remus most of all had to grit his teeth to stop himself lunging forward and trying to kill him again for that name having to be spoken in past tense at all.

Harry was the only one who didn't notice the man's odd reaction, because he sat up a little straighter in shock. That pink haired girl had said his last name in plural, as in more than one of him. Like his parents perhaps?

... unDursleyish as it was possible to be.

Harry slumped back in his seat in disappointment as he quickly came to the conclusion this was most likely all that would be spoken of them, things he already knew. He could never be lucky enough to hear things about his parents, like even their names.

The others noticed Harry's odd reaction, but didn't really know what to make of it. They were sure he was just upset hearing about his parents in past tense like they were.

... they had never even seen him.

Charlie and Tonks exchanged a surprised look, wondering at how that could be. Harry had gone to live with a family who'd had no interest in him before they decided to raise him? That must have been an odd conversation when they'd decided to take him in.

... didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.

Remus could feel his unease growing the longer this went on. Dumbledore had assured him Harry had been placed in a good, safe home, but this was far too much like what Lily had always said about her sister hating everything to do with magic. He glanced for the millionth time in under a minute at Harry, almost a replica of his father, and still didn't like what he saw. Harry was too skinny, it looked almost unhealthy, and was dressed almost as bad as Remus himself, which was not a good comparison. Perhaps he'd just been sucked in here during a time where he'd been in trash clothes? That couldn't be how he dressed all the time, surely this attitude faded when they began raising Harry...right?

... strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country.

Hermione's eyes went incredibly wide with interest, her mind going back to all the time's strange things had happened to her. She tried desperately to think up if this really could all somehow be connected to her.

... tawny owl flutter past the window.

Harry and Hermione were the only two who leaned slightly in shock at what Tonks had just read, but then they realized this and the pair exchanged a wide eyed stare.

... throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house.

Arthur made a surprised, choking noise in shock, knowing he'd never have let his children be doing such a thing. Exactly what kind of parents were these Dursleys?

... a cat reading a map.

Dumbledore smiled softly to himself as he remembered back to this day, of McGonagall asking for a map of the neighborhood Lily Potter's sister resided in. He'd handed it over without question, and had always suspected his second in command of taking on the task of spending the day in that area to keep an eye on Lily's extended family, no matter how much the sister disliked them, in light of the rumors and news she'd been hearing about.

...there wasn't a map in sight.

While Remus, and one other person that he would not be referring to, and Dumbledore were probably the only people who knew right off the bat who this cat would be, the other four only felt some confusion as to what magical happenings were going on at all in the area, while Harry and Hermione yet again exchanged perturbed looks, clearly feeling they were missing something.

...People in cloaks.

"Why's that strange?" Ron asked his dad in surprise, as it was mainly what his own parents wore.

"Muggles don't wear cloaks," Arthur explained, glancing at Harry and Hermione, though only Hermione was wearing a light coat. He pointed it out as he said, "they more commonly wear jackets of warm material."

Hermione pulled the material around her just a little more tightly defensively, as if expecting to be made fun of at any moment, but then Ron just smiled at her and the girl felt herself relax again before Tonks moved on.

Neither Harry nor Hermione quite got up the courage to ask the same, why cloaks would be worn at all.

... The nerve of him!

Harry was the only one who didn't look very shocked at such a severe reaction to something so minor. Even if Muggles didn't wear them, that was quite a comment about something as silly as what someone else would wear.

... obviously collecting for something.

Arthur chuckled slightly under his breath, he always enjoyed hearing the ways Muggles would explain away magic.

Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window... didn't see the owls in broad daylight,

Hermione and Harry's mind boggled at such a thing, but again they looked around and saw they were the only ones.

... pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead.

Ron was now just as confused as the other two his own age, though for the opposite reason. He turned and tugged on the sleeve of his dad's robes, again asking, "how come they're all gawking at something like that?"

"Muggles don't use owls to communicate," Arthur explained patiently. "This would be quite a sight for them."

Ron went wide eyed in surprise, trying to figure out how they would send mail then, did they walk it everywhere?

Harry's mind felt like it was lagging five sentences behind the more he heard the elders around him speak, they kept saying such odd things he couldn't even begin to form a question even if he could bring himself to ask what they meant.

Hermione was having the same problem, but having a harder time stuffing down her own questions. The other boy wasn't getting in trouble for interrupting though, so perhaps she wouldn't as well? She lost her nerve as the pink haired girl continued.

... made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.

"Sounds like a lovely day at the office," Charlie muttered in confusion, wondering why anyone would consider shouting at all those people a normal day.

..."The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard —" " — yes, their son, Harry —"

The others had long since realized this was the day of the Boy Who Lived story was taking place, most likely the day after Halloween if not a few extra days ahead.

Remus felt something tight strangling his throat as he thought about hearing this all over again, now with the man responsible in the same room. He'd be lucky if he didn't lose his temper and murder him when the thick of it all was being explained.

Harry couldn't crush that hope trying to come forward again, at his name being mentioned like that. Of course the first question that sprung to mind is why all of these people knew his name at all, but the more insistent one that wouldn't leave him was who were these other Potters? Could he actually have more family out there besides the Dursleys?

...Potter wasn't such an unusual name.

"Yes it is," Tonks scoffed, "Harry's the last of his line."

Harry felt like the world was crashing down around him at once, feeling stupid for ever entertaining such a thing otherwise. He hunkered down so low in his seat he looked like he was trying to bury himself out of sight, but Tonks misunderstood and thought his disappointment was in fact sorrow and instead quickly read on.

... It might have been Harvey, or Harold.

Ron gave a slight laugh, thinking Harvey Potter didn't have the same ring to it, but then felt confused again at why someone wouldn't know their own nephew's name. Ron had a huge extended family, and he was sure they all knew his name at least in passing.

...if he'd had a sister like that.

Against his own wishes, Harry still couldn't help listening in with desperate longing. Even if this was proof that he was stuck with the Dursleys for life, this book did keep hinting at something. Something about his mother that Aunt Petunia would never mention. He really hoped the book would quit beating around and say it!

... Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"

Hermione easily made the connection that this You-Know-Who was what had all of these strangely dressed people in such a good mood, and finally couldn't stop the question bursting out of her, "who's You-Know-Who?"

She got a startled and curios look from all present, flushing in shock and sitting back in her seat, but then Dumbledore gave her a kind smile as he explained, "his true name is Voldemort-" and seemed to ignore nearly everyone around him except Remus shivering, "and he is a powerful Dark Wizard who was intent on destroying the world as we knew it. This chapter seems to be marking the day of his downfall by young Harry here."

"Wh-what!" Harry spluttered in shock, sure he'd heard wrong.

Dumbledore turned to him in surprise, which quickly turned to scrutiny as he said, "yes Harry, this has everything to do with you. Hasn't your Aunt and Uncle spoken to you about this yet?"

Harry's gaping expression was all the answer they needed, and Dumbledore frowned behind his beard in concern. He'd left instructions for the Dursleys to have explained all of this to Harry, and they'd clearly done nothing of the sort. He knew this should be explained to him more properly, but he was now even more afraid of overloading the boy with too much information. He waited a few beats for Harry to indicate if he wanted to know more or not, but when his expression didn't change, Dumbledore instead waved Tonks to go on for now.

...been called a Muggle, whatever that was.

"What is a Muggle?" Hermione interpreted to ask again, as clearly she hadn't been made fun of for doing it last time.

"A non magical person," Ron answered with a shrug.

Hermione's eyebrows crept towards her forehead as she demanded, "as opposed to?"

"Well, a wizard of course," Ron chuckled like she was being daft.

Hermione's face couldn't have looked more shocked, and Ron blinked in surprise as he realized this could be a new concept to her. Was she a Muggle? If so, why was she here? She hadn't recognized Harry like the rest of them had, so maybe he shouldn't have been saying anything to her. He threw a panicked look at his dad, wondering if he was going to get into trouble for speaking about these things, but Arthur gave him an unconcerned smile as he explained for both of them, "my best guess Hermione, is that you are most likely a muggle-born. Perhaps you become a friend of Harry's at some point, with Ron. That's all I can imagine of why you two were brought along."

"And the rest of us?" Tonks scoffed, as no one else in here had much to do with Harry Potter as far as she knew.

"I suppose we'll just have to wait and see," Dumbledore interrupted.

... he didn't approve of imagination.

Charlie frowned in pity for that kid Dudley as well as Harry, as he'd already worked out that these must be the rumored Muggles Harry Potter was living with. It didn't sound like a very fun home for anyone who didn't believe in imagination.

...Was this normal cat behavior?

"No," Hermione smiled as she began babbling about one of her favorite animals, "cats startle quite easily, so this man making such a noise surely would have startled it away. Of course, if it's an indoor cat that possibly escaped it could be more used to-" she suddenly cut herself off with a deep blush, waiting for someone to start laughing at her like usual while she kept going breathlessly on, but to her surprise no one was giggling. Most of them were giving her indulgent smiles, which caused her to flush in surprise. When she didn't keep going though, Tonks did.

...He was determined not to mention anything to his wife.

Arthur gave a slight tisk noise, knowing that never went down well with a Missus.

...Dudley had learned a new word ("Shan't!").

"His parents will be thrilled," Ron snickered, remembering the response he'd get from his parents whenever he said that.

..."Well, Ted," said the weatherman,

"Ooh, that was my dad!" Tonks exclaimed with a smile. "He's a newscaster!"

"That's so cool that your dad's on the phelyvision," Ron yelped.

"Television," Tonks quickly corrected, "and yeah, he loves it."

...celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks! 

Arthur couldn't help smiling indulgently, as he remembered his family had joined in on the celebrations that night as well. Fred had used some accidental magic and set off all the fireworks they'd had at the time, so it had been a very memorable occasion for his family indeed.

... you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"

Remus huffed and rolled his eyes, knowing Lily never made contact with Petunia under a regular basis, then his face soured all the more and he gave another hateful look towards the dark corner as from that day and beyond Lily would never have the chance to again.

... it was something to do with, you know, her crowd."

Harry gasped wildly as a fantastic idea all came together for him. Dumbledore had said this all had something to do with him, and his Uncle Vernon had said that his mother had a crowd that was celebrating. Was it possible, had his mum been a witch like those around him? He had to bite down on his own tongue, he'd never wanted to ask a question so bad in his life, but he was fooling himself. Even if for some strange reason the people around him knew his name, it was ludicrous to think that extended to something like his parent's name as well.

..."Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."

"What's he supposed to be named?" Ron chuckled, did all Muggles expect wizards to be named Merlin or something?

... if it got out that they were related to a pair of —

Harry couldn't stop an explosion from going off inside of him as he realized this confirmed it. Both of his parents had in fact been magical. It was the first scrap of information he'd ever learned about them, so he suddenly didn't care about anything else in the world. He clung to that information, watching this pink haired girl go on with wide desperate eyes as he silently begged for more.

... it couldn't affect them.

How very wrong he was.

Even the reminder that Harry was the thing infecting their life as they so often put it, that couldn't bring Harry's mood down now.

...it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.

Hermione was wriggling with excitement about this cat, could it be magical as well? Hadn't they called it something earlier, an animagus? Her hands were shaking at the thought of asking someone where the nearest book on that could be.

... he'd just popped out of the ground.

"How did you manage that without the cracking noise?" Arthur asked in surprise.

"I disillusioned myself up until that point, I had apparated from a further away point," Dumbledore replied simply.

...This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.

Harry was watching Dumbledore with high interest, wondering why this man was on Private Drive, and still what all this had to do with him?

... clicked it. The nearest street lamp

"What are street lamps?" Arthur interrupted eagerly, his mind picturing the whole ground being lit from below.

"They're just normal lamps hung along the street," Tonks shrugged, "they turn on when it gets dark."

went out with a little pop.

"That's so cool," Charlie exclaimed. "I've never seen a magical object that could affect Muggle things."

"I'm glad you enjoy it," Dumbledore smiled, "it is an invention of my own design."

...Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.

Hermione gasped, her eyes going so wide they were likely to fall out of her head. That woman could turn into a cat! The news didn't seem to strike anyone else except Harry, but Hermione already felt so out of the loop that she still felt embarrassed and didn't ask for more information about this like she so wanted to.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

Dumbledore chuckled, as he'd been the one to train McGonagall on her animagus form, as she quite well knew.

... not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."

Arthur couldn't help a little laugh, just thinking of the idea of dressing as a Muggle simply to stand around talking about this sounded ridiculous to him. Surely McGonagall knew the thought wouldn't have crossed the mind of most of their kind.

...on the day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared, the Muggles found out about us.

"I'm positive we'd wrangle something together to make them forget again," Charlie laughed.

... care for a lemon drop?" "A what?"

"How does she not know what a lemon drop is?" Hermione blurted out.

"I don't know what one is," Ron told her with a ruffled brow.

"It's a Muggle sweet," Tonks said like that answered both questions before moving on.

...as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops.

Ron certainly thought it was, he wanted to try one now as he was always curious about new candies.

...trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."

Tonks hadn't said his proper name but had instead called him You-Know-Who again, causing Dumbledore to tisk at her lightly and instruct, "Ms. Tonks, I have never called him by that."

"Sorry sir," Tonks shrugged without remorse, "but I can't bring myself to be saying that." She blasted on without argument, leaving Harry and Hermione more confused and yearning than ever what the name of this mysterious wizard could be.

... never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."

Remus rolled his eyes as Tonks continued doing that despite Dumbledore giving her a piercing look to continue to show his disapproval. The girl clearly didn't care, and it seemed to be leaving the others at ease. He may have actually laughed at the situation at another time, but for now he was too busy keeping a threatening eye on the far corner to make sure Voldemort's number two didn't move while he thought no one was watching.

... you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."

"Wow, never knew you could get anyone besides yourself to say that sir," Charlie said.

Dumbledore nodded and agreed, "it is a hard task, but Minerva will when push comes to shove."

...I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."

Arthur coughed like he was trying to cover a laugh, while Tonks and Charlie didn't even bother and laughed outright.

...Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.

Remus was stiffening in his chair, not wanting to relive this conversation, knowing Dumbledore had it only days before he'd told Remus all of this himself. If only he hadn't been out of the country when this had happened on that stupid mission, if only he'd been there, maybe he could have stopped all of this.

...The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are— that they're — dead."

Harry's jaw flopped open as those two names began pinging around inside his head. James and Lily, Lily and James. Was it possible? He could hardly think who else this McGonagall could be talking about. Were those finally the names of his parents?

Harry's reaction had been the most vivid of all, drawing some odd looks from the others though no one asked as it felt rather rude. No one, not even the two of them, noticed Remus and Sirius flinching in unison at those names.

...Voldemort's power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone."

Harry was sure his brain was short circuiting, or that he was hallucinating. He was learning more in this one chapter than he had in his ten years of life. Now he could finally put names to the two people he'd always been most desperate to meet, Lily and James he kept chanting in his head like a mantra, but they'd also been wizards, and Harry was somehow the reason that some Dark Lord was gone! Did the Dursleys really know all of this and had never said a word of it to him? Dumbledore had certainly implied as much. He looked up to see Dumbledore's blue eyes and got the feeling of being x-rayed, and quickly looked away but still couldn't quite mask the shock that was drowning him.

..."We can only guess." said Dumbledore. "We may never know."

Harry slumped back into his seat, though admittedly not nearly as disappointed that Dumbledore didn't know this answer as he once might have thought he was. He was still too interested to know if this McGonagall would tell anything else about his parents.

..."Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way? "

"Why was Hagrid telling anyone?" Remus spluttered in surprise, and Harry watched him in surprise as what he thought was protectiveness made him glare at Dumbledore for that. Why would this man care though? "You told me not a soul except you knew where Harry was, you wouldn't even tell me."

"Calm yourself Remus," Dumbledore said. "I trust Hagrid with my life, as well as Minerva. I was in quite a rush and informed Hagrid that if he should run across her on his way to go and fetch Harry, to tell her where she could meet me if she so chose. I was under the impression she had been planning to make a visit to Petunia when she'd heard the news, so she was going to be there regardless."

Remus still muttered under his breath before saying in a less snappy voice, "still don't think that's a good idea, Merlin knows who he's told since then."

"No one can reach Harry where he is now, he is safe," Dumbledore promised.

Harry watched Remus who still looked less than pleased but stopped his arguing. Harry still couldn't understand why he would care at all, or the other man. Harry had been watching him the whole time Remus and Dumbledore had been talking, and it was the first time this Black's eyes had really gone away from Harry to focus on Dumbledore. He'd only seemed to relax and go back to subtly watch Harry when Dumbledore had assured Harry was safe. Why would either of them care though?

... kicking his mother up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come live here!"

Harry felt his spirits sinking lower the longer he heard about this, now realizing that he could blame where he lived on this Dumbledore. This man certainly didn't care what had happened to him once he was there, he certainly didn't feel safe in that house by any means.

... "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter?

"She's got you there sir," Tonks agreed. "What exactly did you think you could write to them to explain all of this?"

"I am afraid Ms. Tonks, that that is private information I will not be sharing," Dumbledore said simply.

Tonks pouted for a moment and looked like she was going to argue before Charlie convinced her to go on.

...every child in our world will know his name!"

Harry's mouth was stretching wide with horror as he now understood why all of these people knew his name. He was the reason the darkest wizard had disappeared! What on earth had he done? Those around him threw him curious looks while Tonks read that, and Harry startled in shock and tried to bury himself in the cushions and examine this later.

"Exactly." said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses.

Remus groaned and tensed up like he expected a bomb to go off, his eyes narrowing with venom towards the back corner. No one understood such a response, or why his face flickered to shock when the silence continued. Sirius had never once in his life missed an opportunity to tell a Sirius/ serious joke, and Remus had been fully prepared to rant and possibly strike him when he made it now for having the gall to say such a joke now after what he'd done to James. Nothing happened though, Sirius hadn't even twitched at his old favorite joke.

Tonks was watching Remus with deep concern, he was acting more mad then the madman, but decided to keep going anyways.

...growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"

While Harry appreciated the thought, what he was feeling now confirmed he'd never really be old enough to 'take it.' He wished that Dumbledore had picked someone else who would have said something about it at all.

... a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.

No one noticed Sirius frowning, wondering why that description should mean something to him, why the mention of Hagrid and a motorcycle should remind him of something. Had he possibly owned a motorcycle at some point? The memory wouldn't come to mind.

... "Young Sirius Black lent it to me.

Remus tensed like a coiled spring, his face twisting with hate as he looked about saying something, but-

"Shove it Lupin," the shadows snarled. "If you wanted a go at me, you should have done it at any time over the ten f'ing years you had, not when you're forced into my company. I don't want to hear it."

Whether to avoid a fight, not likely as far as Harry could tell of Tonks, or because Charlie was waving her on pleadingly, she did skip past the moment.

...He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

"Bristol isn't anywhere near Godric's Hollow," Arthur pointed out to try and get past the sticky silence that was now in the room.

"I had Hagrid take as round about a way as he pleased, and suggested several false routes for him to take on the journey." Dumbledore explained. "I wanted absolutely no chance that someone had followed Hagrid, even if I had already put the wards up before Harry had landed. It was safer that way."

... a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

Harry ran his fingers over the raised mark. He'd always liked his scar, it was the only unique thing about him he could ever claim. He'd never had a reason before now to doubt that it had come from that car crash, now he realized it meant something so much more.

... Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.

Remus had to pinch the bridge of his nose to stop himself repeating his earlier actions and make sure Black didn't say some dog comment like he so remembered him doing. No matter how hard he'd tried over the years, even now whenever he heard someone saying anything of the sort he could all but hear Sirius' voice next to him spouting that old joke in that old tone. Still though, no voice spoke up besides Tonks'.

...Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles —"

Harry was blinking so much behind his glasses he looked like he was having an attack, but Harry just couldn't get over his shock. Why would this complete stranger be crying over him like this? Why had this McGonagall cared where he stayed?

... on the doorstep, took a letter to tuck inside Harry's blankets, and then came back.

Remus stiffened for a whole new reason, but waited to hear Dumbledore explain himself.

... "I best get this bike back to Sirius.

Sirius felt a lurch inside of himself, now that he was really concentrating he could dreg up the memory of his greatest regret of letting Hagrid take Harry away, because he thought he'd be safer. Of course he could still remember such a terrible thing as watching Harry leave those ten years ago, he still had not a speck of feeling for something good like his bike.

... He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

"You just left him on the doorstep?" Remus spluttered in disgust.

"You don't play ding-dong-ditch with a kid," Tonks nodded in agreement as she looked at Dumbledore.

"Harry was perfectly safe and warm, I temporarily enchanted those blankets to keep him such," Dumbledore replied. "I had no wish to be there when the Dursleys awoke, a wizard dropping him off would not have made a good first impression. I did not truly leave the area but instead remained where I was, disillusioned, until Petunia took him inside for good."

...he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley.

Harry winced and rubbed at his arm, thinking that was the least of his future problems.

... "To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!"

"Chapter's over," Tonks announced, passing the book to Charlie without asking.