Okay - things are about to get exciting!

And as always, I do not own either Bleach or HP!

Chapter 4

Harry watched as the Dursleys left, still feeling a bit of a shock over Dudley's sudden about face. He hadn't wanted to leave without Harry, had been adamant about it, and had wanted to know why Harry wasn't going with them. This sudden devotion – which, Harry had to admit to himself, he should have seen growing since Fifth Year when he'd saved Dudley from the Dementors, had caused his Aunt to burst into tears, and even get a bit sappy herself as she left, telling him to be careful.

It was enough to make his head spin.

He had his own things packed and in the living room, along with Hedwig's cage. It was dusk, and night had nearly fallen completely. Harry wandered through the empty house, looking around, realizing that this was likely the last time he would be there. He could not imagine himself willingly coming back…

"This is where I used to sleep, Hedwig," he said to the sulking owl when he opened the Cupboard Under the Stairs to look into it one last time, "you know, I never realized it was so small…"

Harry jerked his head and nearly dropped Hedwig when he heard a sudden, deafening roar. He smacked his head on the low frame of the doorway. He staggered, clutching his head as he went to the kitchen to stare out the window.

The air wavered and rippled as disillusionment charms were lifted. The most dominant figure was Hagrid, sitting on a monstrous motor bike. Surrounding him were at least a score of other people with brooms and several Thestrals.

Harry wrenched open the back door and was greeted by Hermione throwing her arms around him, and Ron clapping him on the back.

"How many of you came?" Harry gasped as he was pushed back inside. "I wasn't expecting…"

"Change of plans," Mad Eye growled, stumping into the house, "And there's still more to come. You have them, Arthur?"

"Right here," Arthur Weasley said, pulling a familiar set of stakes out of his jacket. Harry felt his pulse speed up when Arthur set them in place and they sank into the ground. He knew what was going to happen next, and it did – a glowing set of doors appeared, then opened, and to Harry's joy the first person to step out was Ichigo.

He's changed, Harry thought. He appeared taller, more muscular, and his hair was longer and shaggier – and those were just the physical changes. He carried an aura about him now – Harry wasn't quite sure how to describe it. Ichigo had always been sure of himself, but now – it was as if he knew there was no one who could defeat him.

Right behind Ichigo came Rukia, Uryu, Chad, Momo, Yoruichi, Byakuya, Soifon, Toshiro, Tatsuki, Ukitake, Kira and Shuhei. A number of black garbed, ninja-like warriors followed Soifon, who snapped out a series of orders. This group immediately vanished. The last two out of the gate were Renji and Matsumoto, who stood in the doorway, holding it open.

"Is that everyone?" Mad Eye asked.

Byakuya shook his head. "We have two more coming, and Orihime Inoue is waiting for us at our destination in case anyone is injured."

Mad Eye nodded. "All right, then."

Harry looked around at the large crowd that had gathered. Not just the Japanese and his best friends, there Fred and George, Bill and Fleur, Tonks and Lupin, Kingsley and Mad Eye, Mr. Weasley and Hagrid…

"All right, not a lot of time, have to catch up later," Mad Eye said, taking over as Harry was exclaiming over Tonks's wedding ring. "As you are aware, we had to abandon Plan A, so we came up with Plan B. It appears as if Pius Thicknesse has gone over –"

"Who?"

"Magical Law Enforcement," Hermione whispered in Harry's ear.

"He has made it an criminal offense to connect this house to the Floo Network, place a Port Key here, or Apparate in or out. It's supposed to "protect" you from You Know Who, which is pointless, because your mother's charm does that. What he's actually done is stop you from getting out of here safely."

Harry looked around the room at all of the people surrounding him. "So –"

"Second problem," Mad Eye cut him off, "Is that you're still underage, which means you still have the Trace on you."

"The Trace?"

"The Trace, boy, the Trace!" Mad Eye said with some impatience, and Harry felt a finger flick him in the back of the head, causing him to wince, and rub his head. He turned around to frown at Ichigo, who tended to forget his own strength. "The Trace, boy, is the charm that detects use of underage magic for the Ministry! If you or anyone around you casts a spell to get you out of here, the Ministry will know."

Harry looked pointedly at the Shoji doors, where Renji and Matsumoto still stood.

"So we found a loophole," Ichigo said, smirking at him, "They can't sense our magic. At all. So you and Chad get to take a nice, leisurely stroll through the Gate to where we're hiding you, while the rest of us create a distraction outside."

"No – wait – what?" Harry gaped around at all of them, not quite grasping what they were saying.

"That's right. We're going to break you out of here early, not on the thirtieth the way they believe. So while you and Chad stay protected in the Senkaimon to the Burrow, the rest of us will lead the patrolling Death Eaters on a merry goose chase. All the way to London, if we have to."

"They won't fall for it!" Harry protested, thinking they were all quite mad.

"When they see seven Potters they will," Mad Eye pulled a flask out of his jacket and Harry knew immediately what it was.

"No!" Harry protested vehemently, "No way!"

"I told you that would be his reaction," Hermione said mildly.

"If you think I'm going to allow –"

"You don't have a choice," Ichigo said bluntly, scowling at him.

"You need me to cooperate – and I'm not giving you –" Harry suddenly yelped when Chad wrapped his arms around him, restraining him.

"You were saying?" Rukia said sweetly, with a grin.

As he struggled against Chad – a futile effort – Hermione reached out to pull a hair from his head and dropped it into the flask, at which point Chad dropped him. He struggled to regain his balance, flailing wildly a bit, at which point Chad reached out to steady him.

"Good," Mad Eye nodded as the muddy potion frothed and smoked, and then turned a clear bright gold.

"Ooh, you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry," Hermione said, watching the liquid turn. She blushed when Harry and Ron stared at her incredulously. "Well, you know what I mean – Goyle's potion looked like bogies."

"All right then, fake Potters line up now," Moody directed. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Fleur, Tatsuki and Rukia all lined up in front of him. Mad Eye then handed them each a small glass into which he poured a bit of Polyjuice Potion. "All right then – drink up."

As one, they gagged and grimaced as the potion hit their throats, and their form and features started to distort, shrink or in Rukia's case, grow taller. Hair darkened and grew shorter, or wilder, and it was quite disconcerting for Harry to watch as the seven turned into – him.

Mad Eye opened his bag, pulling out bundles of identical clothing which he handed out to the seven decoys.

"Wow," Fred and George said, "We're identical!"

"Don't look at me, Bill, I'm 'idious!" Fleur said, checking her reflection.

"You can't call me midget anymore," Rukia poked Ichigo, who rolled his eyes at her.

"Right now, time for everyone to change," Mad Eye instructed, handing out the clothes. "There's glasses, luggage, and an owl as well."

"This is so bizarre," Harry whispered, watching.

"Hn," Chad replied sympathetically.

"Your eyes are really bad Harry," he heard Hermione say as she put on the glasses.

"All right, is everyone set?" Mad Eye looked sharply at the group. "This is how we're doing it: Kuchiki, you're with me and Kurosaki. We'll be the ones with the big fat target on our backs, and you're the best flyer. Use Potter's Firebolt." Rukia nodded, and stepped forward and picked it up.

"But…" Harry started to protest, but stopped when Mad Eye glared at him.

"Arisawa, you're with Arthur, Shihoin and Hinamori." The three grouped together.

"Fred, you'll go with Hagrid and Kuchiki on the bike." Harry noticed he was referring to a piece of paper, so they'd written the groups down before hand.

"I'll take Fleur on a Thestral," Bill said, giving Mad Eye a long look. He nodded. "Soifon and Ishida, you're with them." They both nodded. "George, you're with Remus, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto. Granger, you go with Kingsley and Ukitake and – sorry, I forgot your name."

"Kira." Momo's boyfriend sighed as if he was not surprised at this, and Momo patted him on the arm.

"Right."

"That leaves us!" Tonks said brightly to Ron, who couldn't help but smile back. Mad Eye frowned down at his paper.

"Where are the other two?"

Ichigo huffed. "Renji?" he asked his friend with an irritated tone.

Renji glanced back through the gate. "Yea, I think I see them now. Though by the time they get here it may just be Nel…" he said dryly.

"I said I was sorry!" Grimmjow's voice reached their ears.

"See? We're late!" Nel scolded as the pair stepped into the room. "I'm sorry, everyone."

Ichigo shook his head. "Nel, you're with Byakuya – like we discussed. Grimmjow – you're with me."

"Yea, yea," the blue-haired former Espada joined his former adversary.

One of the black-garbed ninja ghosted into the room and knelt in front of Soifon; Harry could not hear what was said, but she looked over at Mad Eye and nodded.

"Right, then. It's time."

Chad bent and picked up Harry's things, while Harry continued to protest. He simply looked down at Harry and said, "Come."

"But…"

"Harry, go with Chad or be carried like your rucksack," Ichigo said bluntly, scowling at him yet again. If he scowled like that further, Harry thought, his face was going to freeze in that position. Harry wanted to argue; but from the expression on Chad's face, it appeared as if he really would do what Ichigo threatened to do and cart Harry off by using physical force. He finally sighed, picked up Hedwig's cage, and followed Chad back through the portal, through the twin sentries of Renji and Matsumoto, and into the darkness of the tunnel.

Renji and Rangiku stepped aside, allowing the gate to finally close.

"All right," Mad Eye said, "That breaks the protection that Lily Potter bestowed on her son by dying for him seventeen years ago. It's time to go – you all know your destinations and your port key locations?" Everyone nodded. "All right then…"

They all filed outside, and grouped together. Some of them were scanning the dark skies.

"Anything?" Rukia's voice asked her brother softly.

"They are there," he replied, still staring.

"What about – "

"Not yet."

Ichigo turned to frown at Grimmjow. "Remember –"

"Yea, yea. Your girlfriend. Got it."

"Not just that. Snape will be up there, and he's one of ours, so be careful with the killing," Ichigo warned, scowling, "And I don't know if they'll have forced Draco along since he's still underage, and has the damned Trace on him." He really would have preferred to have Gin or Kyoraku along, but Gramps did not want to leave the Soul Society completely unprotected. So they were using Grimmjow and Nel instead.

Grimmjow grunted, and nodded.

Ron, on his broom, looked around half eagerly. He had heard from Harry and Hermione about the Japanese ability to walk on air, and he'd seen Ichigo do it once, quickly, and he was eager to see more of it. Yoruichi looked at him curiously.

"What are you worked up about?" she asked him.

"You're going to do that air walking thing – I haven't really had a chance to see it up close…" he admitted. Yoruichi shared a look with Renji and smirked.

"Well…" there was a concussive explosion of air as Ichigo went Bankai and Grimmjow released his Resurrección; Ron blinked as the pair simply vanished, followed into the air by Rukia and Mad Eye on their brooms.

"Whoa," he said, stunned.

There was a roar as Hagrid drove off next, and Byakuya and Nel also vanished.

Yoruichi winked at Ron, and calmly stepped up in the air, making it appear as if she was levitating, and then vanished, reappearing a moment later with his father and Momo. At the designated moment, that pair vanished, followed by Tatsuki and Arthur. Fleur and Bill on the Thestral with their guards, then George and Remus, Hermione and Kingsley, and finally it was Ron and Tonks's turn.

"Hang on," Renji warned them, "the others are already under attack."

"Are you going Bankai?" Shuhei asked.

"Yes," Renji looked sternly at the pair. "Don't freak out."

"Why –" Ron started to ask, but Renji was already calling out, "Bankai! Hihio Zabimaru!" and vanishing in a cloud of smoke. For a moment it was hard for Ron to breathe, but then the smoke blew away and he nearly fell off his broom, because rearing up over them was a gigantic, skeletal snake. Shuhei had quietly turned to his Shikai, but he was watching Ron and Tonks closely.

"I think they're the ones who are going to freak out when they find themselves under attack by a giant snake," Tonks said, after blinking at it.

"That's the general idea," Renji admitted, "Are you ready?" they both nodded. "Then let's go!"

#

Harry glumly followed Chad through the tunnel, carrying Hedwig, and thinking that the whole plan was stupid. They could have just slipped Harry out through the gate, and let the Death Eaters wonder how they had done it. Wouldn't it be more mysterious if Harry had just – disappeared? Vanished out of his home with no one the wiser?

He picked up his pace when he saw that Chad had stopped to wait for him.

"What's wrong?" Chad asked when Harry reached him.

"This whole – charade. It's – too elaborate."

"If we just slipped you out," Chad said, "Then it would put Snape in the position of having to explain things we'd rather he didn't," he paused, as if embarrassed he'd said so much, "Or have to come up with a lie."

"So that whole charade was to protect the gates and this tunnel?" Harry shook his head. "But so many people saw the gate open at Professor Dumbledore's funeral."

Chad shrugged. "This is what they decided. Apparently not too many people were paying attention to what was happening behind them. I didn't ask too many questions."

"You didn't?"

Chad shook his head, and as if he had exhausted his sentence allotment for the hour, he fell silent.

Right, Harry thought, falling silent beside him, Chad's not a big talker. At least, with anyone other than Ichigo, his best friend. But that was fine with Harry, as he did not feel like talking either. So they traveled the rest of the way in silence, until they saw a dim light, and Harry felt his legs speeding up of their own accord.

And there, standing in the opening, was Orihime, who had a profound look of relief on her face when she saw them. She turned her head.

"Ginny! Mrs. Weasley!" she called out, "Chad's back with Harry!"

As soon as he had stepped out of the gate, Ginny was throwing herself at him, nearly strangling him.

"Oh, thank God!" Ginny whispered in his ear, and he could feel her tears of relief dripping down to his shoulder. He held her tightly for a moment, barely aware of Orihime taking Hedwig's cage from him and carrying her into the house.

"Is anyone else back yet?" Chad asked.

Molly shook her head and pointed. Clustered together were a silver backed hairbrush, a rusty oil can, and an ancient sneaker.

"The brush was Mad Eye and Ichigo; the oil can was Ron and Tonks. The sneaker was dad and Tatsuki," Ginny said quietly. "Hagrid and Fred are due right about now…" almost as soon as she spoke, there was a crash as four people suddenly appeared; the crash was Hagrid losing his balance. Byakuya grimaced and landed lightly on his feet, while Nel did a tuck and roll, coming gracefully to her feet near Chad.

"Itsygo and Grim?" she asked worriedly.

"Not yet," he replied. She turned her smoky gaze to look worriedly at Byakuya, who was frowning.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"We were attacked almost as soon as we got off the ground," Fred replied, dropping the butterbeer bottle they'd been holding. "They were definitely waiting for us."

"Who's next" Orihime asked, returning from putting Hedwig in the house.

"George and Lupin if they made it on time," Molly replied, checking her watch, as she handed a bottle of brandy to Hagrid.

"Mum!" Ginny cried out, pointing to a spot on the lawn where a blue light had appeared. It grew larger and brighter, and then Lupin and George, followed by Toshiro and Rangiku, were falling and spinning.

Everyone knew immediately that something was wrong. Byakuya flash stepped forward to where Lupin and Matsumoto were supporting George, who was unconscious. Orihime was already rushing back inside and tossing cushions and pillows off the couch to make room for him.

No one got a good look at George until Byakuya laid him down on the couch; as the light fell on the side of his head, Ginny gasped and Harry gulped and took a step back; the side of his head was covered in blood, completely drenched – because one of his ears was missing.

A moment later he was encased in Orihime's golden healing shield, and Harry realized that's why she was here, waiting, and had not been at the Dursley's. She was here in case anyone came back like this, wounded, and needed her aid.

"What happened?" it was Chad who finally asked.

"I'm – not really sure," Lupin admitted.

"It was Snape," Toshiro replied, "but it was an accident."

"An accident? Are you sure?" Harry asked sharply, not quite ready to believe that. Toshiro nodded.

"A Death Eater was aiming at your back, Lupin," Toshiro explained, "And Snape had positioned himself perfectly to make it look like he missed you and hit him – but George flew in his path."

"I took down the Death Eater with kido while Toshiro and Lupin caught George," Rangiku continued, "You can feel emotion through reiatsu, and Snape was very upset - but then very relieved – when the Captain caught George."

"Can you help him?" Molly asked worriedly as she hovered over her injured son.

Orhime nodded. "Oh yes, this much easier than healing werewolf injuries!" she said cheerfully as she worked. The fact that she did not appear to be at all concerned about the state of George's injuries caused everyone to to relax.

Lupin sighed with relief, and Harry glanced at him; there was a melancholy expression on his face, and he thought he could guess what his former Professor was thinking: where was Orihime when he had been attacked?

There was a slight commotion at the doorway, and Arthur was hurrying into the room, followed by Tatsuki, who threw herself at Fred. She never had any problems telling the twins apart, Harry noticed. In fact, none of the Japanese did. He wondered if they could they tell the twins apart by their reiatsu. He gripped Ginny's hand tighter.

"The others?" Lupin asked Yoruichi.

She sighed. "It's a madhouse out there," she admitted with concern, "The bulk of the Death Eaters flocked towards Ichigo, as we planned, and it looked like Old Moldy himself zeroed in on him, too, but I couldn't keep an eye on them because we came under fire as well." She glanced at Momo, who nodded. "We've decided – we're going back." Her golden eyes swept the room, stopping the longest on Orihime and George. "You don't need us here."

Byakuya nodded. "Go."

Toshiro looked at Byakuya, surprised he was not going after them. After all, his sister was still out there. In a gigai, and not in her Soul Reaper form.

"We need to watch the perimeter – just in case," Byakuya told the others, "Nel, you and I will watch the front. Captain Hitsugaya, you and Lieutenant Matsumoto will watch the back." He turned to Chad. "Stand guard at the door."

Chad simply nodded as the nobleman walked away.

"He's so pleasant, isn't he?" Fred muttered.

"It's his way," Chad replied.

Author's Notes:

The Trace is a Charm put on wizards and witches who are under seventeen years of age. When any magical activity is performed in the vicinity of the underage individual, the Improper Use of Magic Office within the Ministry of Magic is alerted to the spell that was used and to the location of the caster and the time. The charm allows the Ministry to track underage magic, which is banned under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. The Trace automatically breaks upon a wizard or witch's seventeenth birthday; Remus Lupin and Ron Weasley each claimed that it was impossible for the Trace to continue to function on a person over the age of seventeen, and that it could not be placed on an adult. It is unknown how a witch or wizard is imbued with the Trace, but it appears to be universal with magical children. It does not need to be removed but breaks automatically upon reaching adulthood.

http colon /harrypotter dot wikia dot com/wiki/The_Trace