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CHAPTER TEN: Captured

Ron tried to remember the last time he'd stood in front of a press conference to deliver good news. He was drawing a blank. Now, as he had so many times recently, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach about how people would react.

"Two days ago,"he told the assembled press,"a group of intruders broke into the Ministry, intent on destroying Ministry property." He hesitated, aware that what he was about to say might lose him sympathy. But it was better than hiding it and being found out. "The Purification Device. The intruders were stopped before they could reach the Device but proceeded to assault Ministry personnel while resisting arrest. There were no serious injuries on either side but the intruders escaped. The intruders were led by Harry Potter." He paused to allow the murmuring to subside. "The others members of the party have been identified as Hermione Potter, Luna Lovegood, Edward Lupin, Rose Malfoy, Lily Preston and Martin Longbottom. None of them have been traced. It is believed that they were working under the aegis of the group known as the Order of the Phoenix. Shortly after, several other members of the Order, and other individuals associated with Harry Potter, also disappeared. It is stressed that there is no indication any of the individuals in question have committed a crime, but they remain persons of interest with regard locating and apprehending the fugitives. A full list of those we wish to speak to will be issued by the Auror department in due course. All those who participated in the attack are now wanted criminals, whose capture has been given the highest priority."

"You're in the paper again,"Astoria noted, placing a copy down in front of Harry. They and some of the other current residents of the house, namely Hermione and Lily, had gathered in the front room for breakfast.

Harry looked at the headline and the slightly unflattering picture of him giving a hardfaced stare to camera. "Undesirable No 1? That takes me back."

"Did I make it to No 2?"Hermione asked.

"No, they gave that to Teddy." Harry smiled at her. "Yes, you're the second most wanted magical person in the country."

"Right behind you, as always."

"I don't know why you're so happy,"Astoria complained. "I can't say I'm too keen on having the head criminals of the wizarding world living with me."

"You want to stop the Ministry, don't you?"Lily asked.

Astoria sighed. "Yes. Or I want you to stop the Ministry anyway."

Harry was flicking through the paper when he suddenly stopped. "Have you seen this?"

Astoria shrugged. "I only looked at the front page."

"Minister to hold conference. Minister Ron Weasley is inviting leading charms experts to view the Purification Device and verify ministry findings."

"He's trying to get public support,"Hermione realised. "If these so-called experts say it's safe, that could get rid of a lot of opposition."

"Except from those who think it's wrong in any way,"Lily agreed.

"But the conference is being held outside the ministry,"Harry continued. "This could be our best chance to get at the Device. Call Luna and Rose. We're going to need their cells to help us."

The hall was large and full. Ron stood at the podium, Parvati by his side. The Purification Device was in an alcove. Rows of charms experts sat in front of him. "As you can see,"he told them,"the device is fully at your disposal. We haven't had a chance to perform a live test yet but the tests we have done are extremely promising."

Harry and Hermione were in the hall. They had come in with the experts, wearing invisibility cloaks: Not the one of Harry's youth, which was safely sealed in the Potter family vault, but ones that had been supplied by their contacts among the old families. Hermione nodded towards the device, aware that the cloaks were charmed so they could see each other. Harry gave a nod of understanding and gestured for her to wait. Their distraction was coming.

It came. Luna, Martin and Susannah apparated in at the front of the hall, wands raised. "Would you please all remain seated?"Luna asked politely. "We wouldn't want for anyone to get hurt."

Rose, Lily and Owen apparated in at the back of the hall, followed a moment later by Teddy, Victoire and Gabrielle, on the opposite side to where Harry and Hermione were hidden. Owen aimed his wand at the Purification Device. "Sorry, minister, but consider this an act of proactive vandalism."

"Expelliarmus!" The wand went flying out of Owen's hand. Everyone looked where the spell had come from and Hermione gave an involuntary gasp. It was Hugo. Although most of the experts were genuine, the back row was made up of Ministry personnel, with Hugo, Scorpius and Marie at their head.

Ministry personnel apparated in all over the room, groups led by Percy, Anthony and Seamus. Spells began flying everywhere. Up on the podium, Ron had his wand out and began firing into the melee. He hit both Teddy and Victoire with an Impendiment Jinx, sending them careering towards the back of the hall where Timothy and Helena were waiting to duel them. Parvati fired a Stunning Spell at Gabrielle and she crumpled.

Harry made to throw off the cloak but this time it was Hermione who caught his arm. He knew what she meant. They had been aware that they might meet resistance, which is why the two of them had stayed hidden. They began cautiously making their way towards the Device.

"Incarcerous!"shouted Apollo Zabini, aiming his wand at Owen. With no wand to defend himself with, he was soon pinioned. Marie hurled a Stunning Spell at Lily, who deflected it and sent a Body-Bind Spell back at her. It smashed harmlessly against Marie's shield.

Harry and Hermione had made it through the battle with a lot of dodging and Shield Charms and were standing in front of the alcove. "Now!"Harry snapped, throwing off the cloak and aiming his wand at the Purification Device. "Bombarda Maxima!" But instead of blowing the device apart, the spell dissipated in the air. He began hurling every spell he could think of at it, Hermione joining in, but none of them struck home.

"There's a powerful Shield Charm around it!"Hermione realised.

Ron finally seemed to spot the Order leaders. "Harry!"he shouted. "Excrucio!" The Stinging Jinx hit Harry and knocked him back into the wall.

"Impedimenta!"Hermione returned, knocking Ron aside before casting a Shield Charm to protect herself and her husband. "Harry, we need to pull out."

Harry nodded. "Retreat!"he shouted. Hermione hooked her arm around his and they disapparated.

Teddy and Victoire followed suit, as did Rose and Lily. Hannah fired a Stunning Spell that hit Susannah, knocking her away from the rest of the group. Martin made towards his wife, but Luna took hold of her son's arm and apparated them both out before he could protest.

Ron shook his head to clear the effects of the jinx before looking around the room. Aurors were taking Owen, Gabrielle and Susannah into custody. Everyone else had gone.

He gave Parvati a rueful look. "Could have gone better."

James sat alone in his cottage. He'd sent Gordon out with the younger children and made his excuses from school. Then he'd made sure that the right people were aware of the secret passages out of Hogsmeade.

There was a cautious knock on the door. A moment later, Nymphadora entered. Bradley, Gemini and Beverley trailed in after her. "You wanted to see us?"Nymphadora asked.

James nodded. "I'm glad you got my message."

"Complete with instructions on how to sneak out of Hogwarts."

"Is it usual for a teacher to ask students to do that?"Gemini asked.

James shrugged. "It's unusual times."

Nymphadora looked at him with concern. "Has something happened?"

"There's been no official announcement but Uncle Ron told Professor Longbottom and he told the staff. There's been another clash between the Order and the Ministry. This time, arrests were made."

"Mum and Dad?"Nymphadora asked worriedly.

"No. They got away." James looked at Bradley. "Susannah didn't though." He could see the confusion in the boy's face. He shared it. Susannah was his sister-in-law, Bradley's aunt. Most of his family supported the Order, Bradley's parents supported the Ministry. The war was tearing families apart.

"What can we do?"Bradley asked. "You brought us here to do something, right?"

James sighed. "Dad and Uncle Ron, they're not going to be able to stop this. They're going to carry on fighting and the more they fight the more damage there's going to be. So maybe someone else needs to find a way to stop this. Us."

"A bunch of schoolchildren and their teacher?"Beverley asked. "We're going to save the wizarding world?"

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"So are we, like, honorary members of the Order of the Phoenix?"Nymphadora asked.

"We're not the Order,"James corrected. "And we're not the ministry either."

"Then what are we?"Gemini wondered.

For a moment, James hesitated. And then the name came to him. A name used by another group who had defied the authorities and the leaders of the light side in order to do what was right. "We're Dumbledore's Army."