A/N, Happy Birthday, Moriah93ohio! Depending on when I post this...maybe early, maybe belated. HELL MAYBE EVEN ON TIME! But ya know, faithful reader and all, thought you deserved some Drarry birthday wishes.

Okay, so, unfortunately this chapter will be short because I just want to let y'all know what's going on at Hogwarts and with Dumbledore. AND I'm taking very important tests at school this week that determine whether I graduate or not...So let's just say this isn't my top priority so I'm just gonna try to get it out in time and not worry about the word count.

In a particularly tacky office in a particularly looming castle we find a crowd of people, with grim expressions.

This castle is, of course, Hogwarts and this obnoxiously decorated office belongs to one, Albus Dumbledore.

Upon a roll call of the witches and wizards in varying positions on the debauched spectrum now loitering in Dumbledore's office we find several shocks of red hair accounting for all members of the Weasley clan, excepting the three eldest brothers who 'couldn't be troubled with teen-aged drivel', as Percy put it, several Order members, who it's given would be there: Tonks, Alastor Moody, and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

The only seated participants being Minerva McGonagall, a dramatically scowling Severus Snape and our esteemed Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Then of course we mustn't forget a, as usual, pitiful looking Remus Lupin with a fluffy albeit suspicious grim curled by his feet with one eye open, an occasional growl resonating from his direction through the room at certain remarks.

The murmuring voices are pushing continuously higher towards a marvelous crescendo.

"Albus, this is utterly ridiculous, he is a sixteen year old boy! How could he just evade all our watchful eyes? The only option is that he was taken, why can't you see?" A frantic Molly Weasley, sobbing, is berating Dumbledore from her husbands arms.

"Think he's gone senile, he has."

"Really! He's acting like Fudge when You-Know-Who came back."

Two disgruntled identical redheads speak up, both receiving identical smacks to the backs of their heads.

"Fred! George!, you cannot speak to the headmaster that way!"

Dumbledore stands up, hands in the air, asking for quiet, or maybe it's a gesture of surrender.

This author thinks the latter would be the wisest choice such a wise wizard as Dumbledore could make.

"Friends, I know everyone is worried and panicked, but I do not even humour the idea of Harry being taken against his will. We all know his stubborn mind, and his sheer strength, not even Voldemort could accomplish such a task anymore. Mr. Potter's power has grown leaps and bounds over the past year and it is imperative I get him here to counsel him on his changes. That is why I sent an owl out just this morning and the owl has returned empty handed." A smile crossed his thin lips and that infamous twinkle filled his blue eyes behind half-moon spectacles.

The group looked at him, expectantly. The twinkle increased at getting to tell his master plan.

If anyone was watching close enough they could see the slight eye roll from our exasperated Potion's Master.

"The letter I sent was charmed to only be removed by Harry and the bird was not to return without the secure delivery of said letter. So, since the owl has returned empty...legged, I know Harry was able to be located and able to remove a letter from an owl's leg, which is a better state than The Prophet is making him out to be in. So I ask you to humour an old man when I tell you Harry is safe and I expect him here in no more than a day's time."

Relieved expressions spread like the plague across the crowded office save for a few skeptics whom I think any of us could identify with little prompting.

Dumbledore folded his hand together with a gentle, reassuring smile that everyone took as a cue to file out, whispering amongst themselves, from the office.

Dumbledore took his seat behind his desk and stared over it at the room's remaining occupants: Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black, formerly a suspicious grim.

A scruffy Sirius spoke first.

"Albus, you know I want Harry back and I appreciate any efforts to accomplish that, however, I wish you would have let me look for him, what if he left because he wanted to leave? If that's the case don't you think he would prefer seeing my face as opposed to yours?"

Snape snorted, "Insulting the boy's taste don't you think, Black?"

Sirius snarled and moved to stand but was halted by Dumbledore's raised, aged hand.

There had to be some wandless magic involved in that simple motion, how else could it always be such an efficient means to his preferred end.

Sirius reclaimed his seat and Snape sneered at him smugly, to which Sirius stuck his tongue out then whispered, "Better my face than yours, Snivellus."

Dumbledore sighed and that seemed to make whatever retort Snape was planning die on his pursed lips.

"Minerva, in the case that Harry left 'because he wanted to leave' then I will be working hard to appease him, sway him over into thinking it is better here, with us, than anywhere else. Arrange a suite for him somewhere isolated, I'm sure Severus would watch over him in the dungeons?"

Dumbledore gave the scowling brunette a pointed look and he nodded.

Sirius jumped up again. "I don't think Harry would want Severus watching over him! Why not me? Why not Remus?"

Snape stood up, meeting Sirius' furious gaze, "Because, Black, you are a convicted murderer who cannot be seen 'watching over him', and the wolf won't always be able to be present will he?"

Sirius glared at him ferociously, a snarl on his face as if he were in his grim form. Then he sighed in acceptance and slumped into the seat.

"Albus...What if Harry just wants a break? Why force him back if he doesn't want to come?"

Dumbledore's eyes lost their twinkle.

"Sirius, Harry is the one destined to defeat Voldemort and save our world, he cannot simply take a break any time he wants, he needs to be in a constant state of training or readiness. You know that."

Sirius glared weakly. "I know that you think that. I don't agree. He's a teenage boy, not a machine."

Remus pinched his arm and stood up gesturing for him to follow, which he did reluctantly.

They were both given understanding looks from McGonagall.

After their departure Dumbledore was silent, in thought, for a few minutes then turned to Minerva and asked her to follow them and check on Sirius. She nodded and rose, leaving quickly.

Snape turned expectant obsidian eyes on Dumbledore which were returned in blue.

"You know what I want to talk about, Severus."

Snape sneered, "So talk about it, Albus."

Dumbledore shook his head solemnly.

"You took it too far with Harry's relatives, I know you were angry, but you know I wanted Harry returned to them so I could keep an eye on him! I could have you sent to Azkaban, murder is murder, Severus!"

The Headmaster's voice had been rising consistently throughout his chastising.

Snape just glared at him with a hint of a smug smile carved on his face.

"Those muggles got exactly what they deserved-"

"Murder is murder!"

"Oh please you wouldn't send me to Azkaban, then who would get you your precious information from The Dark Lord. With the war rapidly approaching you don't have time to build another useful contact. Don't make empty threats, Albus."

Dumbledore unfolded his aged frame from behind his desk and leaned over it towards Snape.

"Where is he, Severus?"

Snape snorted.

"I don't know. The Dark Lord was there, I don't know why you won't believe he was taken."

Dumbledore made a noise uncharacteristically close to a growl deep in his throat.

"I know you know, but if you won't tell me I'll simply look for myself." He smiled eerily and looked into Severus' eyes.

The Potion's Master started then quickly reinforced the shields around his mind, tighter than ever as Dumbledore tried to drill through them mercilessly.

Severus threw the old man from his mind and stood up, irate, and spoke through tightly gritted teeth.

"Too far, Albus. It'd be wise to remember just exactly how much you need me, unless you've grown too senile even for that. I'll show myself out."

Severus stormed from the office and down to his suite in the dungeons with a quick, billowing stride.

Dumbledore slumped into his tall chair holding his head that was developing a horrible headache from his mental assault. He turned to Fawkes who chattered at him with an unknown emotion.

"This is not what I had planned...We can only hope Harry comes to his senses."

The phoenix ruffled his wings and chirped..maybe in annoyance this time.

(was going to end it here)

Severus slammed the door to his private chambers behind him harder than was necessary.

He paced before the fireplace muttering under his breath.

"Manipulative old man....Gryffindor? I think not...He's not going to ruin his life again...I couldn't let that happen to Lily and James' little boy...man...."

He heaved a long, exasperated sigh and plopped down gracefully in a worn armchair. If one could plop gracefully that is.

Harry can't come back here...Not with Dumbledore's mind set the way it is right now.

Severus stood up and through some floo powder into his fire, following behind it with a yell of,

"MALFOY MANOR"

(was also going to end it here...)

Lucius was sitting in his study with Voldemort discussing their new charge and his evidently budding relationship with Lucius' son.

"My Lord, I understand it is a good match and that they....like each other...." Grimace. "But I have only one son, who will carry on the Malfoy line if Draco is bonded with another man?"

Tom shook his head.

"Come now, Lucius, you're simply grasping at straws, for what reason I don't know, but it needs to stop. You know who Harry really is and you also know that pureblood wizards, like your son, can produce heirs just like any witch. I know you're still bitter about losing your lover to your arranged marriage, so you wouldn't do that to your son would you?"

Lucius sighed, he loved Narcissa, truly and with most of his heart but he could never give it all to her as a piece still clung to his first love, Aurora, his Lord was right, he couldn't do that to his own son, no matter how heartless and cold he seemed, he couldn't do that.

Lucius nodded and Tom curled his lips into a smile.

"Glad you can still see reason, Luc, after all these years."

The conversation grew lighter as the fire suddenly burst to life and a slightly blackened Severus Snape stepped through the fireplace, dusting off his robes.

"Dumbledore wants Harry back at school, so he can 'keep an eye on him'. He can't go back."

Severus spoke quickly and retold everything that happened during the impromptu order meeting in Dumbledore's office just under an hour ago.

As he spoke the men's fury grew quietly and they were all fuming by the time he finished.

"The old man has really placed all his eggs in one basket hasn't he?" Lucius asked the room in general and Tom in particular with a smug grin.

Tom matched his expression.

"Indeed...it seems he's in for a surprise when the bottom falls out..."

A/N:

Okay, I was going to put in them planning with Harry about what theyre going to do. But as I said at the top, I have a lot of testing to do and I took a benadryl earlier and now...I'm going to sleep and thought I should go ahead and just post....okay...sorry if this is a boring birthday chapter! If it is just tell me and when I write some fluff or smut (depending what you prefer ;). ) I'll dedicate that to youuuuu!

SORRY ALREADY HAD TO REPOST THIS, PESKY LATE NIGHT MISTAKES ;)

Read, review, you know.