Did I mention I would go along with canon Harry Potter pairings?

Also: This chapter contains direct references to the text.

Troubled Days~

Fred turned the extendable ear over in his hands and handed it over to his twin, who did the same before placing it on the floor. Hermione was staring at a book but not really reading it; Ginny glanced at the door every so often, and Ron—Ron was just annoyed they kept waking him up early by barging into his room to hold meetings.

"Could you repeat that?" Ron asked. The question was directed to the twins—he hadn't heard what they said the first time as he was trying harder to stay awake. Hermione's book-to-the-head helped him along.

George nodded. "Last night, after dad and mum went to sleep, Fred and I heard something downstairs, so we went to investigate—and it was Snape!"

Ron looked highly affronted. "Why's that git visiting us in the middle of night?"

"It wasn't us he was visiting," Fred said, "It was Break and Raven…or, well, his real name is Gilbert Nightray. Dumbledore was there too."

"And why?"

Fred and George looked at each other. Fred spoke. "Sirius and Break took Veritaserum."

"What? You mean that evil snake—"

"Ron!" Hermione gave him a scolding look. "If you had listened the first time, you'd know they did it willingly."

"…Oh… But then why'd they take the potion?"

"Apparently to get information from each other," George said, "They were going to ask each other questions—six. Fred and I only stayed long enough to listen to three from each."

"What'd they ask?"

"Snape asked for Raven's real name, and for information about these Baskerville people… apparently they joined up with You-Know-Who…and can't be killed by, er, 'multiple Avada Kedavras'."

"What!"

"Ra—Gilbert said Break was able to kill one these Baskervilles through the use of a chain called the Mad Hatter."

Ron gave the twins a skeptical look. "That makes no sense."

"I know!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed. She glared down at the book she was not reading angrily. "I can't find anything about the northern islands, and if these Baskervilles and chains and everything else is connected to them, we have no sources of information!"

The twins gave her a pointed look and she rolled her eyes but added, "…Other than eavesdropping."

Fred smiled at her brightly before continuing where they left off. "Anyway, Break asked about Snape being You-Know-Who's spy…and then about Harry…"

Ah. Ginny shifted in her seat. "Do you think we can trust Break?"

The children had grown fond of the two northern-islanders over the days/weeks. The guests spent time with the children as well, and they felt Break and Gilbert had become semi-friends. Three days ago, Break had asked about Harry.

"You don't know him!"Ron exclaimed.

Break smiled. "Well, I am asking about him."

Ron leaned back and muttered something about 'northern-island wizards'. Fred leaned forward and grinned at the white-haired man.

"Harry's only one of the most famous wizards ever, mate."

Break shrugged. "I at least know that. Raven read the newspaper out loud."

Hermione folded her arms across her chest. "I hope you're not listening to that Daily Prophet rubbish. They're completely destroying Harry and Dumbledore."

"Then what Harry's saying isn't lies?"

"No!" Ron shouted. "We're his friends; we know he's telling the truth!"

"Oh? You know him personally?"

Hermione nodded. "In our first year at Hogwarts he and Ron saved me from a troll and we discovered the Sorcerer's stone."

"In his second year—my first year," Ginny continued and blushed slightly. "He saved me from a basilisk and from Tom Riddle—that's You-Know-Who's true name."

"In our third year," Ron said, "We were able to able save Sirius from an unfair death."

"Sirius…" Break tilted his head at the familiar name and pointed at the floor. "The owner of this house?"

"He's Harry's godfather," George clarified.

"In our little brother's fourth year…" Fred had started excitedly but then cut himself off when he remembered exactly what happened in Harry's fourth year. Frowns appeared on the faces of the other children too. "Actually…uh…" The other years were easy to talk about, since they also participated in the action. Last year, however…

Break noticed their silence and decided not to push them. "I'm alright. There's no need to tell me more."

"…Thank you," Ginny said. She hesitated before asking, "Um, Break, could you promise us something?"

"Yes?"

"If-if you ever meet Harry, and if he ever gets in danger—he's good at that…could you protect him? I mean, I know you have no obligation to but…"

Break's eyes had widened a little in surprise, but he ended smiling at her. "I promise to protect him." Ginny smiled. "…Your boyfriend that is."There was a pause, and then Ginny blushed, Hermione smiled, Fred and George burst out laughing, and Ron stared at Ginny blankly.

"What."

"It's nothing, Ron," Hermione assured him.

"What—but—I don't even—what…"

"Ronniekins." Fred shook his head at his brother, still smiling. "Poor, poor Ronniekins."

"Do you have friends like that too?" George asked Break. He had ended up sitting next to the blind man, and watched his family happily. He was referring to the group's constant worry and protectiveness of Harry.

Break leaned back against the bed and looked down at his shadow. "I do. They're…good people. Really, really strange, but good people."

"He's trustable," George finally answered with a small smile. "He'll keep to his promises. He definitely will."

Harry Potter believed this was the worst summer he'd ever had. Being forced back to the Dursley's for a whole three months just after witnessing Voldemort return would obviously put him in a bad mood. But what made it worse was the fact that no one was telling him anything! Harry was forced to find out everything himself by sneaking around (not that it helped much). He had tried to relax in the park after receiving more un-informative letters from Hermione and Ron, but only ended up angrier.

He let out a frustrated sigh and kicked a pebble. 'Dumbledore won't let us say anything,' they wrote!', Harry thought bitterly. When had the words of others and the "rules" stop them before? When the Sorcerer's stone was in danger their first year—or when Hermione was petrified by the Basilisk their second year—they had no time to care about the rules! Was this not the same type of situation? Voldemort is much more dangerous, too!

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Dudley see off his "friends". Dudley walked back and narrowed his eyes when he noticed Harry. Harry stood up from the bench and did the same. He walked towards his cousin.

"Have a nice tea party with your little friends, Big D?"

"Big D" scowled at him and promptly told him to shut up before quickening his pace. Harry caught up.

"You…bullied someone again, didn't you?"

Dudley rolled his eyes. "At least I'm not like you—acting tough by carrying around that—that thing when all you do is cry at night!"

Harry stopped in his tracks. "What…"

Dudley turned around and grinned at him. "I bet Cedric's a pansy just like you!"

Harry had drawn his wand and pinned Dudley to the wall faster than you can say "Merlin". His expression was a mixture of anger and grief. His hand shook unstably.

"Don't you make fun of him!"

Dudley eyed the wand and squirmed slightly but said nothing.

"Don't ever talk about this again!"

"Point that away!"

"I said—"

Before Harry could finish his sentence, the two boys felt an unnatural chill fill the air. Everything had suddenly turned cold and dark. The Boy-Who-Lived looked around wildly. Had he done accidental magic? But no—this feeling… Harry dropped his wand and wrenched at his heart as he recognized it—that awful hopeless feeling. The aura of dementors!

"St-stop it!" Dudley cried. "Whatever you're doing! M-make it stop!"

Harry looked back up at his cousin, half angry, half desperate. "I'm not doing anything! Just—"

But Harry was pushed aside; his head hit the wall. Dudley ran off, frightened, not caring about the destination as long as it was away. Harry grit his teeth, and his eyes widened.

"DUDLEY STOP! It's right there! Don't—"

Harry spun around as a high-pitched wail came both directions. 'There are two!' "DUDLEY, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!"

He immediately dropped to the ground to find his wand. After grasping the familiar weapon, he quickly shouted "Lumos!"

He jumped up and turned around again, feeling slightly happier, only to come face to face with a black cloaked horror. Harry scrambled backwards and raised his wand, concentrating. 'Happy thoughts…happy thoughts…happy thoughts!'

But there were no happy thoughts! Harry ran backwards, not wanting to let the creature out of his sight, but not wanting to let it catch up to him either. "Expecto Patronum!"

As expected, it failed. Only a tiny wisp of silver came out of the tip of the wand. 'Please…something happy!' He squeezed his eyes shut as the dementor advanced further, and finally he imagined the smiling faces of Ron and Hermione—his friends!

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A large silver stag sprouted from the wand and charged the dementor, forcing it away. Harry felt instant relief wash over him, and then remembered the gravity of the situation. Dudley!

"Come on!" Harry shouted. The stag obeyed, and they ran as fast as they could towards the direction Harry had seen his cousin run in. They came upon him quickly, crouching and shivering; the dementor was reaching to kiss him—

"GO!" Harry's patronus dashed forward and rammed into the second dementor, driving it away, before disappearing too.

Light returned to the world. Harry groaned and stumbled forward to reach Dudley. As he was about to check his cousin's condition, he heard loud footsteps running towards him and spun around with a drawn wand only to face his old neighbor, Mrs. Arabella Figg.

He hurriedly reached to hide his wand, and stopped when she screeched, "NO! Don't! What if they come again? What if there are more! I'm going to kill that worthless—"

Harry watched her move around frantically in silent shock, trying to process everything that happened. He tried listening to her, only to end up more confused. This woman was a squib? She's been watching him for how long then? Another wizard was supposed to be watching him? And Dumbledore… What—What?

And finally she stopped shouting (but was still panicking) and attempted to hoist up the big cousin, only fail miserably. "Get up! Useless—useless! Everyone one of them!"

Harry shook his head—he'd have to figure this out later. He stood in for Mrs. Figg and managed to drag Dudley up from the ground. He could only barely support his cousin, who looked ready to pass out at any second.

"…You never told me you were a squib," Harry said. He was staring straight ahead while walking, trying to focus on getting answers and keeping Dudley from falling.

"It was Dumbledore's orders. Oh, I'm sorry for all those miserable times, but the Dursley's wouldn't have let you come if you wanted to! And now that wretched Mundungus Fletcher has gone off his protection duties to buy stolen cauldrons—that IDIOT! We need to tell Dumbledore about the dementors! Soon! And the Ministry will already be on your heels and—" She was ranting again.

Both Mrs. Figg and Harry gave a start when a loud crack sounded out; Harry now attempted to hold up his cousin while pointing his wand. The man who had apparated had long ginger hair and bloodshot eyes. He carried a tired look on him—but it wasn't the tired look of a hard worker that Remus always wore—it was the tired look of a shady businessman coming back from a long underground deal.

The man glanced at the drawn wand, the wand's owner, and the wand's owner's cousin in confusion, and then greeted Mrs. Figg. She responded by hitting him with her bag.

"MUNDUNGUS FLETCHER YOU COMPLETE DOLT! YOU PILE OF BAT DROPPINGS! YOU—"

"What!"

"Dementors you idiot! On your watch!" She continued to whack the man with the bag, using him as a substitute stress ball.

"Eh? What? Demen—Ouch! Stop that! We needa tell Dumbledore!"

"You better tell Dumbledore! And you better tell him why you weren't here to protect the boy too!"

Mundungus gave the woman a strangled look before apparating off with another crack.

Mrs. Figgs continued her ranting while walking.

And Harry could only sigh.

'Bout time Harry appeared, right?

Thank you for reading!