"Aha!" said Dedalus as the car gave a lurch and stopped outside the Ruckleigh Farm. In the distance, Dudley could see the Farmhouse, it looked as though it was made of faded red bricks and large ammounts of moss. The man Dudley knew to live in the house, was something of an outsider in the closely knit village of Farbourough; Farbourough was about 10 miles from Little Whinging, and they were something of sister towns, uniting against those of less wealth in the area. Farmer Ruckleigh, much like his house, was an old crooked man, who looked as though he could be snapped as easily as a twig. He must be at least a hundred, probably more, Dudley and his friend Piers had concluded one day whilst playing in the nearby park. Piers would be asleep now, Dudley imagined, what he wouldnt give to be asleep, without a care in the world.

"Right then, all after me if you please, Hestia, you stay at the back, wouldnt want anything... well come on, hurry, hurry!" Dedalus teetered along the cobble path towards the door of the Farmhouse and came to an abrupt halt at the door. After waiting patiently while Dedalus pondered over the door, Dudley leaned over to see what he was waiting for, it wasn't until his head was a few inches from Dedalus' he saw the golden badger, two dimensional, but walking over the door as if it were a climbing frame.

"Excuse me, Mr badger sir?" Dedalus sounded unconvinced,

"Why in the devils name are you speaking to the badger, ring the doorbell you incompetant fool!" Vernon was becoming increasingly impatient with these people.

"Good evening, may I ask who each of you is, why you are here, and if you posess magical powers or not?" In disbeleif, Dudley watched as the badger punctuated every word of his sentace.

"Right you are, Dedalus Diggle - Wizard, Hestia Jones - Witch, here to escort Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley - Muggles, to a safe hiding place. They are relatives of the Chosen One and Mr Ruckleigh has offered his assistance in this matter." Dedalus wheezed out these rather long sentances, and tensed up waiting for the badgers reply.

"Come in." said a voice, although it was not the Badgers, it was spoken through the creature as though he was simply a message carrier.

"Dedalus! How long it has been, I'm afraid we lost contact in these dark times. And Hestia, my dear neice, how are you?" The man was welcoming, but seemed to have forgotten the three muggles, looking on, behwildered.

"Uncle Ruckleigh, i have missed you a deal. I see you remain a true 'Yellow and Black'!" Dudley did not understand this reference, neither did his parents. But the others in the room, knew it to refer to Hufflepuff, the Hogwarts house in which Hestia, and indeed Ruckleigh were decendants of its founder.

"As ever my dear, as ever. Have you spoken to Harry? The plan has changed has it not? Seven Harry Potters, if theres anything else which could send a shivver down You-Know-Whos spine i know not of it, not now with Dumbledore-" Ruckleigh cut himself off, and silence held over the hallway. "Well, anyway, 13 others will look after Harry tonight, it is down to you to look after his relatives, shall we see to it?"

Finally noticed, the three Dursleys set their minds to where they were going, and how they were getting there. What was apparation? Would it hurt? Dudley dread the thought; and seven Harry Potters, what on earth was that all about? If Wizards could clone people, and ride broomsticks and apparate (whatever that was) surely they could get rid of one guy?

"You might feel a bit quesy afterwards, most magical folk throw up the first time, I dont know what you muggles, that is to say, none magical folk will do. Heres hoping, Dudley, you first."