Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling

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A/N Awww, come on guys! Gimme a cheap thrill and review!

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Prologue

The air was filled with screams while, one by one, the battlers fell to the Unforgivable Killing Curse.

"Drop your wands now, or join them." Voldemort said at last, a final warning-a warning that would not go ignored.

Ron stared at Hermione and Neville in horror, it couldn't be true…it couldn't. Yet they could see it, high up in the windows of the Great Hall, a bright red ball of pulsating light.

"Ron," Hermione clutched his hand "What do we do?"

He looked at her mutely. How had he suddenly been thrust into the role of decision maker? It was Harry's job to lead them…not his, not Ron Weasley. It was his job to be in the shadow of the other two. Harry, the chosen one. Hermione, the clever one. Yet here he was, Hermione and Neville looking at him for guidance….him!

He took a deep breath, then thought about what Harry might do. Running into the Great Hall now would be suicide, they could use the confusion to their advantage. They could go away and regroup, Harry would find them, or they would find him. Ron took a deep breath, then looked at Hermione and gave his first command as their new leader. It never occurred to him that his decision would leave them branded as cowards.

"We go, deep into the forest, until we get to a place where we can apparate somewhere safe."

Neither questioned him, they knew how much his decision had cost him. His entire family was on the other side of the castle wall, surrendering to Voldemort even now. He had already lost one brother, by morning, they could all be gone. This decision was costing Ron Weasley the most…they dare not doubt him.

They turned and ran into the forest, with a last glance over his shoulder, Ron whispered a hope...a prayer…

"Be safe."

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Rise of the Phoenix

Chapter Four

Breadcrumbs

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"Where is he?" Hermione hissed, her eyes glued to the front walk "I knew I should have went, what does Neville know about being a woman?"

"Hermione, relax" Ron came up behind her, rubbing her shoulders "We went over this for two weeks. Neville knows what he's doing."

"Yes, I know." She turned away and sat nervously into a chair "But … this is George, how many people have been able to get anything past George?"

"Careful," Ron teased "That almost sounded like you think George is brilliant or something."

"He's far from dim, let's just leave it at that." She smiled a little, appreciating his efforts to stop her from worrying, if not exactly benefiting from them. "Fred and George were always so sneaky, I can't imagine many people being able to fool…"

She stopped herself, an involuntary shiver coming over her as she suddenly realized what she had almost said. "I can't imagine many people being able to fool George."

"All Neville had to do was pretend to be lost and ask to use the loo," Ron looked away from her, forcing off the unintentional reminder that his brother was dead "How hard could that be?"

"You're right, I shouldn't be worried about this." Hermione nodded "I should be more worried about all the things that can go wrong when we kidnap Ginny from St. Mungo's."

"That's not going to help either." He sat on the ottoman in front of her, taking her hands in his. "We need to relax and take this all calmly, or were going to make mistakes."

Hermione looked up at him with a small grin. "When did you become the calm, rational one?"

A suddenly assault of memories came to him, wonderful memories of their years at Hogwarts. "When did Neville become the brave one?"

"I don't know, but…" Hermione sighed, lost in a memory or two of her own. They were quiet for several long moments, reliving the past. Then she stood, pulling the curtain apart "He's back."

"See, you were worried for nothing." He rubbed soothing circles over her back, reassuring her in the way that had become so familiar. She pushed past him, ready to pounce the moment Neville stepped through the door.

"Where have you been?" She snapped when they were face to face at last. "You should have been back thirty minutes ago."

"Welcome back Neville," Neville grinned sarcastically "Glad you made it back safely."

"You know how she worries," Ron couldn't resist a little smirk, Neville had picked up his sarcasm from him and he had being a good student.

"Right." Neville pulled off his jacket and hung it on a hook by the door, taking nothing from his pockets…not a good sign. "I have good news and I have bad news, which do you want first?"

"You could start by telling me how my brother is."

"Well," Neville grinned sheepishly "I didn't actually see George."

"You didn't?" Hermione groaned and sank into her chair again "So it was all a waste of time?"

"I didn't say that...not exactly."

"Then tell us," Ron looked even more annoyed than Hermione, something that was rare and left Neville fascinated.

"George wasn't at the flat, but you'll never believe who was…"

"Neville…" Ron's looked threatened. It wasn't often that he was so serious, but when it came to family, or the rare bit of news of family, Ron was deadly so. Information was far too little, and way too far between.

"Let him talk Ron."

"I wouldn't make you guess anyway, you couldn't, not in a million years." Neville sat back, still feeling the surprise himself. "It was Luna."

"Luna…?" Hermione's eyes went huge "Not Luna Lovegood?"

"Luna Lovegood?" Ron looked befuddled "With George? You mean they're…?"

"I don't know what the details are, it's not as if I could ask. It was hard enough to hide my surprise at seeing her there."

"Luna and George?" Ron shook his head, it was like hearing a round peg had just fit itself into a square hole.

"Did you talk to her?" Hermione leaned forward, her eyes keen with interest and her fingers tightly knitted together. Luna was someone dear to her, someone she had worried a great deal about. "How did she look?"

"Like I said, I couldn't really talk to her. I was a lost old woman, remember? She looked like herself pretty much though, except older, with short hair."

"I can't imagine Luna with short hair."

"She's much more cautious, more guarded …which brings me to the bad news."

Hermione sighed and sat back in her chair, the obviousness of the situation hitting them all. "She wouldn't let you in."

"No, she wouldn't." Neville looked back and forth between the two of them. "I'm sorry, I tried, but I didn't dare push it. There were Snatchers about…if it had looked like there were trouble they would have been on all of us."

Ron groaned and put his hands over his face. All their plans were useless without George's hair to put in the polyjuice potion. It would mean another trip, or another plan…both of which meant even more time before they could try to talk to Ginny, more time before they could find out if Harry was still alive.

"If Luna wouldn't let me in, there is no way George will." Neville leaned forward. "But I was thinking; don't you think Luna might be on our side? She and Harry were so close, if we talked to them both, maybe she could help us convince George."

Hermione considered this, it made sense, and three years ago she would have been convinced. But this wasn't three years ago, there was no telling how much Luna had changed.

"I don't know," She hedged "We don't know how Luna feels about anything anymore. She was always unpredictable, there's nothing to give us an idea of how she might have taken being in Azkaban."

"In some things, sure." Ron agreed "But not when it came to Dumbledore's Army…not when it came to Harry."

"She was very loyal." She had to admit, Luna had risked her life for Harry Potter…and not just once. "But that doesn't change the fact that the past three years could have changed that. People we knew and trusted, even people from the DA have been turned."

"Not Luna." Neville shook his head "No way."

"Of course not, I didn't mean to say that she had, particularly not when she is with George." Hermione looked at Ron nervously, he had become awfully quiet. "I don't think Luna would ever…"

"I think this is our best chance." Ron spoke up finally "We get them somewhere, not here, but someplace where we can all be safe. We lead them there, like with a map and make it difficult, so George has to bring Luna to help him figure it out. If he says no, we get some hair off him, go through with the original plan."

Hermione and Neville looked at him for a moment, even after three years, it was odd to see him acting as their leader. In their hearts, even Ron's, it would always be Harry Potter's true place. Ron was second in command, standing in until their true leader joined them to lead once again.

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It had been a week, an entire week since Luna had walked out of his flat and despite the constant nagging urges to do so, George hadn't gone to look for her. She'd been right to leave him, what he was doing was risky, it was dangerous…yet he couldn't stop himself. The wand was the only thing he had left that had belonged to Fred, he wasn't willing, or able, to let it go.

So he'd let her go instead.

Then, the letter came and the letter forced his hand. He had no choice but to find her, because finding her, meant finding his brother as well. He understood why they had to be so cryptic, but it was maddening, not being able to make heads nor tales of simple words on parchment. His only clue… 'You'll need one with wit beyond measure to find the one you've lost.' and instructions to look beneath the sink in the men's loo in the leaky cauldron. Well, he had done that…and it was true, he did need help…he needed a Ravenclaw-he needed Luna.

He'd spent three days searching for her, going through every abandoned building in Knockturn Alley and the surrounding area. He'd worried at first that she had fled, gone off somewhere else, but she had been sighted in the area…just no one could tell him where she was at a particular moment. And so, he decided this night he would stake out the bins behind the Leaky Cauldron.

George hated it here, hated the thought of Luna coming here in search of food…hated even more that she would eat what she would find. Even though every night since she left he had been making sure that it was well stocked so that she would have plenty. Problem was, she wasn't the only one that searched there for food. Already, in the three hours that he had been there, the food that he had left had been taken, and three more had come searching.

He closed his eyes, pulling his knees up against his chest. It was just after two a.m. and he said a silent prayer that this would be the night when he found her. He missed her, missed her badly. He opened his eyes, just standing to pace, when the sound of footsteps approaching had him slumping back down into the shadows.

She peeked nervously around the corner, making sure she was alone, before going to a bin to open a lid.

"Damn," She cussed softly when she saw that no bagged food had been left on top, then began to lift the lids on the other bins.

"I could give you something." He spoke softly, hoping not to scare her too much. Despite his efforts, she jumped back in fear, a lid held out to protect herself.

"Who's there?" Her eyes searched the shadows and he got quickly to his feet.

"Don't be afraid," He held his hands up "It's me."

She was dirtier than he had ever seen her, her sweatshirt torn even more than before-she had left her dress behind. As he moved closer he caught a faint odor radiating off her and she hung her head in shame. "What are you doing here George?"

"I can't talk here." He leaned closer and offered his hand "Please?"

"I can't, I need to…" She turned and started away, but the ground swayed beneath her and she barely caught herself against the wall before falling. "I need to go."

He took her by the arm, turning her slightly to look at him. "Please Luna, I need your help."

"My help with what?"

"I can't tell you here," He looked around nervously, seeing nothing but sleeping drunks, yet knowing that any one of them could be snitches to the snatchers. "Please, come back with me. You can have a shower and something to eat while your there."

"I can't George." She pulled away again, letting go of the wall, then crumpled onto the ground. He knelt down in front of her, his eyes wide and concerned as he remembered the bins and how they had been emptied long before she came.

"When is the last time you ate anything?"

She looked at him sheepishly for a moment, then looked back down at the ground. "Three days ago."

He cursed under his breath, reaching under her back and legs and scooping her off the ground. "I'm taking you home."

"George, no!" She pounded weakly against his shoulder

"Please," He looked at her pleadingly, so much so that she knew she couldn't refuse him. "let me get some food in you, and hear me out…then you can leave if you want."

She nodded slightly, then let her head flop back against his shoulder. It was only a couple hours, and it was the middle of the night…what was the chance that they would get raided in the middle of the night after all? George was relieved when she gave up her protests, he wasn't about to just let her leave again and a plan began to form in his mind for how he would be able to keep her there…but he had to convince her to help him first.

He shouldered his way into the flat, sat her down in a chair, then went around lighting the lamps. She watched his progress, the realization of just how much she had missed him seeping deeply into her consciousness. She didn't want to leave again, she did want to ever leave again…but it didn't change the fact that she must. Her eyes wandered with resentment over to the corner where she knew the wand was hidden, hating it for being the reason why she couldn't stay.

"It's going to take me a little while to warm up some food, would you like to take a shower?"

Luna smiled up at him wryly, she hadn't been able to nick any soap since she'd left and she knew she was pretty ripe.

"Would you like me to take a shower?"

George laughed a little, truth be told, she could have been rolled in cow manure and he would have still been happy to see her. "You know where everything is."

Luna stood and made her way to the bathroom, grinning over her shoulder. "If you need hot water, you best get it now."

"Oh wait," George disappeared into the bedroom and came back a moment later with her pink dress. "You can't put those things back on, in fact, I think I'll burn them if you don't mind."

"George," She looked at him solemnly "This dress…it's not... I'm not staying."

"You can stay long enough to eat and hear me out though, and maybe get some decent sleep." She looked like she wanted to argue, but George was having none of that. "Please, Tom gave me some time off. I'd appreciate the company."

She looked at him for another minute, then nodded and turned for the bathroom. George breathed a sigh of relief, there was no way he was letting her go back out there, but he needed time. While she showered, he pulled cartons of food from the fridge. Tom was having work done in the dining room, and so he was closing the kitchens for the next three days. He had given George enough food to feed a small army. The idea that Luna had gone without food three days was upsetting, who knew what little food she had had on the days leading up to then.

He was just pulling a pan of bread from the oven when she emerged from the bathroom on a billow of steam, her face shining clean. She was thinner now, the dress hung on her even more than it had the week before.

"It feels good to be clean again." She sweetly smiled and pulled out a chair, sniffing appreciatively "And that smells wonderful."

"Thank you," he smirked "I've been slaving over a hot stove all day."

"Or Tom's cook did." She grinned and pulled a carton towards her, pushing off the feeling of comfort in the familiarity. They ate in silence, though both had much they wanted to say, much they wished they could say. For Luna it seemed pointless, she dare not linger here. For George, it was too soon, he would say what he needed to say when their journey ended, when he could make her a promise.

When they finished, Luna turned to him, her eyes nervous and afraid.

"So, tell me what you want my help with."

"Need," He corrected. "I need your help, there is no way I can do this without you." He rose from his chair and went to the secret drawer. Luna flinched when he kicked it open, nearly ready to bolt, but she relaxed when he kicked it closed again and turned to her with a small roll of parchment and a taper candle. He sat down kitty corner from her, separating the two notes, then handed her the first. She unrolled it and read the words.

"Mssrs Wormtail, Moony, Padfoot and Prongs."

She looked up at him, confused. "I don't understand."

George smiled a little "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

She looked at him again and he nodded down at the parchment. The first words had vanished and a new set were forming…along with a small photograph at the top. A photograph of Ron, Hermione and Neville. They looked very different. Neville's hair was past his shoulders and dyed so light he was almost as blonde as Draco Malfoy had been. Hermione's hair was the same light blonde, but cut in a short bob. Ron hair was nearly as long as Neville's, dyed a deep, jet black. Between them, they held a newspaper, dated four days before. Beneath the picture were the words

'You can not hope to do this alone. You'll need one with wit beyond measure to find the one you've lost. The men's loo in the Leaky Cauldron would be a good place to start.'

Luna's eyes were huge when she looked back up at him, then she looked back at the parchment where the words were just beginning to vanish.

"Ron…" She gasped

George nodded and took the parchment from her, then put the corner in the flame from the lamp and set it to burn.

"You have the clue?" She looked at the candle and parchment that he held, holding her hand out for it. George gave it over, then looked away to give her a chance to read. She set the candle on the table, it was a strange color, bluish-green with a bright orange wick. She unrolled the parchment, finding a blank page. She looked at George questioningly and he took it from her, lay it flat on the table and pressed his hand over it. The person who had made these clues was a quite extraordinary witch or wizard…it seemed an awful lot like Hermione.

"Follow the lovers landmark to a thrilling ride. Count one hundred and fifty-seven, on your right side. Find a pathway where twenty-two hides, you'll need a tool you once used at Number Four Privet Drive. When you set out, light this candle. Begin your journey when the flame goes out. Follow the light to your next clue…but don't wander too far."

Luna's face was screwed up in deep thought when her face met George's again.

"The candle is obviously connected to another, to let them know you are on your way. When they put out their candle, this candle will go out as well."

George nodded, that had been the one part of the clue that had made sense to him. "We used to sell these, Fred gave them a box of six the night before they set out."

Luna stared at the parchment, not reading, but not wanting to look into his eyes. She knew that they would be full of sadness, and she didn't want to see it, it would make it much harder for her to refuse him.

"The rest of this is fairly straightforward really. Well, except the counting and pathway, and the tool. I have no idea what those are."

"The tool," George grinned and stood, going to an old teapot that sat on top of the fridge. He picked it up and tipped it over, then came back to the table, his hand clenched. He opened his hand to show her a simple woman's hair pin.

"A hairpin?"

"In Harry's second year, Fred, Ron and I broke Harry out of his Uncles house on Privet Drive. We were all underage, so we couldn't use magic. We had to pick several locks."

George's face came alive with the memory and Luna couldn't help being mesmerized by the way his eyes twinkled. It was so much like the George she remembered from school, the funny, mischievous George.

"Apparently you have to pick a lock then." Luna shifted away from him. "The lovers landmark is the moon, it means you're supposed to go at night, to Gringotts."

"Gringotts?"

"A thrilling ride, you know, the carts that take you down to the vaults."

George looked at her in awe. "Wow, you are a Ravenclaw."

"Well, not anymore." Luna smiled a little, then turned back to the note. "The pathway must be an alley, if you count one hundred and fifty-two of something it must lead you to the right one."

"Cobblestones?"

"No, cobblestones would be too hard to keep track of, but…bricks wouldn't be." She looked up at him, a beatific grin on her face. "You count the bricks, they will lead you to the right alley. Then you just have to find this pathway marked twenty-two."

"We should go now, tonight." He picked up the candle, holding it out to the flame of the oil lamp.

"We?" Luna dropped the parchment on the table "George, I never said I would go with you."

"Luna, please…" He picked up her hand and held it tightly, I need you. There will be other clues, I can't possibly do this alone."

She wanted to help him, wanted badly to help him…but her fear was great. What if they were caught? What if when they came back she was questioned and they used Veritaserum? The pressure on her hand increased, increasing the pressure on her heart exponentially. How could she possibly say no? How, when he hadn't seen Ron in three years. When Ginny was lying in St. Mungo's, her mind gone and Percy was doomed to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban? When Bill was living in seclusion and he wasn't allowed to go see his brother Charlie and he wasn't allowed to come here? How could she not help him…just because she was afraid?

"Alright, I'll help you." She conceded. "But this doesn't change anything, when this is over we go our own ways again."

George nodded in agreement, then set the parchment to flame. When it had burned down to ash, he lit the candle and she watched it silently while George went about straightening the kitchen. Finally, after nearly thirty minutes, the candle went out.

"George," He turned to face her and she pointed at the candle. He took a deep breath and nodded, then went to the closet and pulled out a sweater.

"It's not in very good shape, but it will keep you warm."

She slid her arms in the warm wool, then rolled the far too long sleeves up. "I'm just going to use the loo, then I guess…"

She trailed off, then disappeared into the bathroom. George put some food into a bag, then took the first step towards convincing her to stay with him.

Luna was dead on with her analysis of the clues. The bricks lead them to an alley and the alley to an abandoned pathway that lead out of Knockturn Alley. It was a testament to the ignorance of the current regime, the pathways had once been used by maintenance workers and rubbish collectors, but had been abandoned many years earlier when it became too difficult to hide their coming and going from the muggles. A large overfilled dumpster had hidden the opening, the old, rusted over number twenty-two was barely visible, but George's sharp eye caught the faint glint of gold.

Following the light proved much more difficult, the only light on the street came from the many street lights and the pair despaired of having to search every one…until Luna remembered that the clue had said not to wander far.

The next clue lead them deep into London, to a pair of rusty trash bins from which behind they found a port key that took them to an abandoned house. On and on they went, for two hours, following clue after clue until they landed in a field of holly. There, they had to look in the direction of the brightest landmark-the sun-then count three hundred rocks in a row until they found the thing that 'once had the power to set them free' .

George threw his head back and laughed when they came to a rock, and sitting upon it was a piece of Nosebleed Nougat.

"There's no more clues." Luna looked around them, lifted the side of the rock and peered under it. "You don't suppose this is another port key do you?"

"It has to be," George was near tears. He was moments from seeing his brother again and the realization of just how much he missed his brother hit him so hard it left him dizzy.

"George," Luna put her hand on his arm, his face was pale, more emotional than she had ever seen him. It was something she could understand only too well. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay. " He tried to smile, but his lips shook. "Shall we?"

Luna nodded and they stretched their fingers out, allowing the wind to sweep them into the unknown.

Chapter Five Preview

A long awaited reunion takes a shocking turn for George and Luna, and an even more shocking result awaits Ron, Hermione and Neville