Chapter 2
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were all helping to re-stock shelves at Fred and George's shop.
"I'm hungry, is it time for a lunch break yet?" Ron grumbled as he finished putting the last of the Skiving Snackboxes on their shelf.
"We just had breakfast, Ron." Hermione said.
"That was ages ago." Ron complained as he hopped up on the counter beside the register.
"It's only been two hours." Ginny reminded him.
She handed Hermione the last of the exploding deodorant sticks.
Fred and George walked in from the back half of the store where they lived.
"Hello all." Fred greeted them.
He received warm hellos from his sister and Hermione but Ron just grumbled about working too hard and not getting any food.
"We really appreciate all the work you three have been doing around here." George said.
Hermione waved it off.
"It's our pleasure." She said.
Ginny nodded.
"Just remember how much work we've been doing when Christmas comes around." She said.
Her brothers laughed.
"Don't worry, Gin you lot won't be disappointed with your gifts this year." Fred said with a wink.
Suddenly the fire place beside the door the twins had just come out of flared and Mr. Weasley stepped through looking stressed.
"Come quickly, something's happened." He said.
The teens barely hesitated before following the man back through the fire.
At the Burrow the group was greeted by the grim faces of Lupin, Tonks, and Dumbledore. Ron looked around the room.
"Where's Harry? Wasn't he supposed to come with you?" he asked.
When Tonks hiccupped and began cry into Lupin's shoulder an icy chill of dread shot down the teens' backs.
"Maybe you should all sit down." Dumbledore suggested.
"No we don't need to sit. We need to know where Harry is." Ron argued.
"Ron, dear please." Mrs. Weasley begged.
Hearing the fear in his mother's voice Ron decided to sit beside her. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders as well as Ginny's when the girl sat on her mother's other side. Hermione sat next to Ron and held his hand tightly. Fred and George joined their father who put his arms over their shoulders. Dumbledore began to explain in grim voice.
"Last night Harry was scheduled to be picked up by a group of Order members and volunteer aurors." Dumbledore paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.
"Moments before take off they were ambushed by an overwhelming number of Death Eaters."
Everyone felt the wind get ripped out of their lungs as terrible possibilities flashed through their minds.
"They managed to separate Harry from Order protection rather quickly. Eight of them pursued him but after quick thinking on Harry's part he disabled six of them. According to one auror who had witnessed the last moments of the battle the two remaining Death Eaters struck Harry down with two curses to his back. He was knocked unconscious and the Death Eaters apparated away with him before anything could be done." Dumbleldore explained.
Mrs. Weasley wept openly into Ron's hair and pulled Ginny closer to her. Ron was shocked into silence and sat staring at Dumbledore as if hoping this was all a sick joke. Hermione cried into his shoulder.
"S-so where is he now?" Arthur asked.
Dumbledore shook his head hopelessly.
"It is impossible to tell but we expect he has been taking to Voldemort's." He explained softly.
"Then we have to go after him. We have to do something!" Ron bellowed.
He jumped up though Hermione and his mother still held his hands.
"We are searching but…." Dumbledore began but Ron cut him off.
"No! Searching isn't good enough! Ask Snape. Ask one of the Death Eater's you've already caught. Make them tell you where the lair is! DO SOMETHING TO BRING HARRY BACK!" Ron cried.
He fell to his knees as tears streamed down his face. Ron pulled his hands free and pounded the ground with his fists, resting his forehead on the top of them as he cried. Fred and George kneeled on either side of him, hugging him tightly.
"Unfortunately Snape's loyalties were made clear last year. He is no longer on the light side. The Death Eaters already in confinement were not ranked high enough to ever have access to Voldemort's lair. Their information will be useless." Dumbledore said quietly.
Tears shone in his eyes as well but he fought to keep them from falling. Mrs. Weasley looked up at the clock hanging above the mantel. She let out a choked sob when she realized for the first time that Harry's hand was pointed at 'mortal peril'.
7