The Advance Guard

Harry is beside himself with worry about possibly being expelled from Hogwarts. In his panic, he writes three letters that he sends by owl: one to Sirius Black (Harry’s godfather), one to Ron Weasley, and one to Hermione.

They all say the same thing. Harry informs the three of what just happened and asks for more information (specifically about when he will be able to get out of the Dursley’s house). Harry waits and waits for days but hears nothing from anyone, not even from the three people to whom he so urgently wrote.

Finally, the Dursleys leave the house and Harry is left staring at the ceiling in his bedroom. When a strange crash beckons Harry downstairs, he finds a varied group of witches and wizards arriving. There are nine of them in all: Mad-Eye Moody, Remus Lupin, Dedalus Diggle, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hestia Jones, Elphias Doge, Emmeline Vance, and Sturgis Podmore. They are all there as “the Advance Guard” to take Harry to a new and safe location.

Harry particularly enjoys meeting Nymphadora Tonks, who is an especially clumsy yet talented Auror. Because Harry wants to be an Auror (a dark-wizard hunter) as well, Harry enjoys talking with Tonks about her job. Harry also is interested to learn that Tonks is a Metamorphmagus, which simply means that she can change her shape any time she wants.

It is Mad-Eye Moody who seems to lead the Advance Guard. Moody is especially concerned that Voldemort is going to try to foil their attempt to remove Harry with an attack. As a result, all of the members of the Advance Guard as well as Harry Potter himself will be flying on brooms in a tight-knit group. To aid in their covert operation, Mad-Eye Moody also casts an invisibility spell over Harry Potter.

The varied group flies from Privet Drive all the way to London without much incident (except for the fact that the night is bitter cold and the trip is very long). Harry cannot wait for this particular trip to be over.

After touching down on a dirty street in what seems to be a lower-class Muggle neighborhood, Mad-Eye Moody hands Harry a piece of parchment. Moody simply tells Harry Potter to memorize what the parchment says. Written in Moody’s familiar handwriting, the note says the following: "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London."