The American wizard led Harry out of the zoo, which had erupted with police and news reporters. After word of a mad gunman had reached public ears, it was only a matter a time before the media was alerted. He had Harry firmly gripped by his right arm and was steering him through the crowd. Reporters and police tried to detain them for questioning, but the American pushed past them and lead Harry to a silver sports car. “In,” he said.

Harry climbed into the passengers’ side as the other wizard started the car on the driver’s side. They pulled out of the parking lot a moment later, an amazing feat as it was packed with police cars and reporters vans. Harry thought for a minute if any of those reporters might be working for the Daily Prophet, the newspaper that all wizards read. No doubt word of this exploit would soon reach their ears as well.

The car was silent for what seemed like ten minutes before Harry worked up the courage to speak. “Who are you?” he asked. Best to start with the small questions.

“My name is Kevin Hall,” the American replied. “I’m a member of the Order of the Phoenix.”

Harry knew this guy was on the level now. Few people outside the Order itself knew of the secret societies existence. If Kevin knew of it, then he must be a member; and if he was a member, then there was no doubt that Dumbledore had sent him. But why had he been sent? “Has something happened?” he asked.

Kevin looked at Harry with a disbelieving look. “Of course something happened. You were attacked, or did you forget the last twenty minutes?”

“No,” Harry replied. “What I mean is, has something besides that happened?”

Kevin turned his head back to the road. “A lot, but a major concern of late has been the bounty that Voldemort has placed on your head.” Harry’s eyes widened in shock. “Yeah,” Kevin said. “That’s what Malfoy meant when he said he’d be rewarded. The Death Eater that puts you away will be the right hand to Voldemort himself.” Harry was stunned.

This was not the first time that his life had been endangered. On the contrary, it was a miracle if he went six months without someone trying to kill him, but it was always one person or another. If what Kevin was saying was true, the entire Death Eater contingent was going to be after him. Harry was unsure how to react to this news.

Harry had been so preoccupied with this information, he had only just realized that Kevin had stopped in front of a familiar house. Harry was brought back to reality and his face became one of disgust. “What are we doing back here?” Kevin had stopped at number four Privet Drive.

“This is your home isn’t it?” Kevin asked.

Harry looked back at him in disgust. “This is where I live.”

Kevin understood that tone of voice. “We won’t be here long.” They walked up to the door, which Kevin found was locked as he jiggled the knob. “Maybe they haven’t made it back yet.” Harry patted his arm and pointed to the driveway. Kevin looked and saw the Dursley’s car parked. “Loyal relatives, aren’t they?” He pulled his wand from his shirt.

“Alohomora!”

The locked clicked and the door opened. The two walked inside and Kevin motioned upstairs. “Go and pack your things, Harry,” Kevin said. Harry stood still for a moment, not sure if he had heard the older wizard correctly. Kevin saw Harry’s hesitation. “Go on, we haven’t got all day.” Harry bounded up the stairs. Kevin could see a smile on Harry’s face as he turned towards the hall. For a moment, Kevin thought he saw a crack in the door to the living room, and then he heard the door shut.

Bingo, he thought.

Kevin walked over to the door and, for a moment, considered using his wand again. He tucked it back in his shirt, another idea crossing his mind. He took hold of the handles of the two sliding doors. With great force, he pulled them apart with a crack! Kevin stepped into the living room, a smug grin on his lips. He took a quick glance around the room before he saw two portly men and a frail woman cowering in the corner. Kevin tried his hardest to suppress a laugh at this sight. Every moral fiber in his body told him that he should not find this funny, but he did all the same. “Don’t worry,” he said, in a not so reassuring tone of voice. “I won’t hurt you…” he lifted his wand “…unless you give me reason to.”

Vernon stepped forward, trembling. “Who…who are you?”

Kevin started to twirl his wand between his fingers and it emitted silver sparks. Vernon jumped back. “I’m the man who brought your nephew home after you all so lovingly abandoned him.”

”It’s not our fault if the boy doesn’t have the sense to run when a maniac with a gun comes wandering around,” Vernon retorted. “We waited for…”

“…three seconds,” Kevin finished. “I saw the way you all ran away, or waddled away in the case of you two walruses, after that…what’s the word I’m looking for…oh yeah, wizard was taken down.” The Dursleys looked as if he had hexed them all. Kevin knew that this was an unwelcome term in this house.

“That man was a wi…one of his kind,” Vernon replied, refusing to use the correct term. “Out in broad daylight?”

Kevin stopped twirling his wand. “Look, whatever your personal feelings, you can say the word and it won’t kill you. And yes, wizards do journey out into sunlight every now and then.” He took a breath. “But this one surprised me as much as it did you.” There was a clambering noise from the entry hall. “As for the boy, he isn’t your problem anymore. I’m taking him with me and if he ever is forced to come back here you can be sure that I am dead. So, however you want to take that, we’re leaving.”

As Kevin turned his back on the Muggles, he heard Vernon call after him. “Well, good riddance to the ungrateful little…”

Kevin turned sharply and pointed his wand directly at Vernon. “Don’t finish that sentence,” he said, coldly. The Dursleys huddled together fearing the worst, but let out a sigh of relief when they heard the front door shut and a car engine speed away.

Harry could hardly believe what he had heard. When he was dragging his school trunk into the front hall, he overheard Kevin telling the Dursleys that he was taking Harry away from them, and he wasn’t coming back. Apprehension and elation mixed in Harry’s mind as Kevin drove the sports car onto the main road. Harry knew nothing about this strange wizard, except that he was a friend of Dumbledore’s. That should have been enough, but there was still a bit of suspicion.

Kevin seemed to have Harry’s best interest at heart. He had taken him from the Dursley’s, which was always a good thing, and he had saved him from Malfoy. All that, and being in the Order of the Phoenix, should have been enough for Harry to trust him. But Harry had been trusting in the past, and it did not always work out for the best. Was Kevin for real, or was he a Death Eater trying to gain his favor.

Kevin picked up on Harry’s feelings. “You can’t be sure whether or not to trust me,” he said, matter-of-factly. “I can take you back to the Dursley’s if you want.” Harry shook his head. “I didn’t think so.” Kevin pulled off the main road onto a farm road, into a forest and stopped. He turned to Harry. Look, the only thing I can ask is that you have a little blind trust. In time, you’ll see why I am your friend. OK?” He extended a hand. Kevin’s tone alleviated the rest of Harry’s fears about the American wizard. He shook his hand.

“So,” he said. “Where are we going?”

“Oklahoma.”

“Where?”

Kevin reached down to his left and pulled a cassette tape from a compartment. “We’re going to Tulsa, Oklahoma.”

“How?” Harry asked.

Kevin nodded at the tape and placed it in the stereo. After a moment, Harry felt a jerk behind his navel as he, Kevin, and the car were whisked away.