1Author's note: I apologize for the lack of updates, with my new job it has been difficult to update regularly. I should be able to update at least once a week from here on out.

Chapter 11: The Minister's Orders

Bill Weasley apparated to an area about twenty yards from his home. He had a lot on his mind, and he wondered whether he should report to Minister Moody or go home first. He decided that it would be best to touch bases with Fleur and let her know that he was okay. It took him a little longer than usual to walk to his house due to the injuries he had sustained in his duel with Rabastan.

He arrived at the door of his home and entered. It was pretty late, so he didn't know if anyone would be awake. He came in quietly just in case. He saw that everyone had retired for the evening. He knew that his wife didn't mind him waking her up to let her know that he was home. He remembered one occasion where he decided to let her sleep, and as a result the next morning he learned several obscenities in the French language.

He quietly went up the stairs. He and Fleur now had two children with a third one on the way. Bill had been very happy with his life and enjoyed being with his family. But now, the very thought of his family and all he stood to lose from this new threat caused him to feel fear and a kind of hopelessness he had never before fathomed.

He decided to make his way upstairs to his room and let Fleur know that he was safe, then go back downstairs and report to Moody. Bill walked up the stairs, past the rooms of his eldest child Sean William, who was now almost two and a half years old, and the room where his one-year-old son Arthur was asleep in his crib. He finally came to the master bedroom at the end of the hall.

Whenever Fleur was pregnant, she was pretty worn out a lot of the time. So it came as no surprise to Bill that he found her asleep. Bill thought that he might be able to get away with not checking in with Fleur. But his conscience got the better of him, and he walked up to his beloved wife and tenderly kissing her forehead. When she didn't wake up, Bill figured that it would be better for him to contact Moody now.

He took the hand-held mirror from off his dresser in the bedroom and then went downstairs to the dining table. Bill sat down and briefly contemplated what exactly he would tell Moody. After a moment of contemplation, Bill brought the mirror up until he could see his reflection.

"Alastor Moody," Bill said in a clear voice. The image in the mirror began to change and distort. The figure of the young man with the handsome, but scarred face, progressively turned into the image of an older man with an even more scarred face and with a magical prosthetic left eye.

"Bill," Moody said clearly into the mirror with anticipation, "what do you have to report?"

Bill began to breathe fairly heavily, the fear and anxiety was returning to him. He struggled to find words to answer his boss with, he eventually settled on some that he felt summed up what had happened earlier.

"We lost," Bill said, "we found Wormtail in the Riddle House in Little Hangleton. Wormtail and the LeStranges were there with him." Bill paused, waiting for an indication from Moody to continue. Moody nodded to persuade him on.

"Dolohov is the new Dark Lord," Bill said trying to keep himself composed and professional rather than sounding frantic. "He arranged for the vials to be stolen from St. Mungo's and used them to turn the LeStranges into two monsters. That's the ultimate weapon that they are going to use to destroy the Ministry. Harry and I fought with them, and they almost killed us." Bill paused and said the next part with an almost hopeless tone, "I don't think we can stop them."

"You don't know the half of it," Moody said after a brief pause. "After the Obliviators took Wellington's body away from the crime scene and found out that it wasn't Wellington at all."

"What?" Bill asked with disbelief.

"It turned out that the body we found," Moody said, "was a wizard who had been missing for some time. He had been forced to drink a very large portion of Polyjuice Potion—enough to sustain a form for a very long time, but fatal to the drinker. It wore off after you had gone to the meeting."

Things began to connect for Bill. "The Death Eaters mentioned a 'good doctor' who helped them make the monsters Harry and I fought. They were probably referring to Wellington."

"Are you sure?" Moody asked.

"I have no proof," Bill answered, "but I remember Harry telling me that Hermione was upset to hear that Wellington had died. When she worked at St. Mungo's she would often talk with Wellington about his work using essences of different creatures to make medicines."

"Did the Potters ever have him over to their house?" Moody asked with a hint of urgency.

"I don't know," Bill said, "but if he worked with Hermione than it's obvious that he knows where she lives."

"Bugger!" Bill muttered, "they can't stay there. Now that Dolohov knows that Harry and I know about their secret weapons, they will want to keep it a secret so that they can catch us by surprise."

"The same goes for you," Moody said, "you survived as well." Both of them were now thinking about the situation they found themselves in. Moody had much more experience than Bill in life and in the work they were both now engaged in. So it was pretty obvious that he came up with the first parts of a plan.

"We may not be able to stop these creatures you spoke of," Moody said, "but in case you have forgotten, we are allied with a group whose function is to destroy the demons in this world."

"The Order of St. George," Bill said after a moment of thought, "do you really think they'd be able to help us?"

"We can at least try," Moody said, "your brother-in-law would be the ideal person to ask about this and to gain access to the Order."

Bill nodded in agreement. "I can talk to him in the morning," he added.

"In the meantime," Moody said, "you and Harry need to take your families and go into hiding for the time being."

"Where?" Bill asked in a manner that showed that he wasn't very happy about the idea of putting his family into hiding.

"I will talk to McGonagall and arrange for her to put some staff at Hogwarts," Moody said. "It is well protected and I'm sure McGonagall can have some other members of the Order of the Phoenix and some house elves there to see to the needs of the families of you and Harry."

"Okay," Bill said, "you had better be quick about getting someone there today. Because we are going to have to move now."

"I will do my job," Moody said with a growl, "you get busy and do yours now." Bill nodded in reply and the conversation ended.

Bill put the mirror in his cloak pocket, he knew that he would probably be contacted on it or need to use it himself. He walked back up to the room he shared with his wife. He saw her sleeping, and for a moment did not want to wake her peacefully sleeping form. He so wished that things were different and that he could just live his life free of fear and worry. But he knew that for whatever reason, that was not his lot in life.

He moved next to Fleur and very gently shook her sleeping form. Fleur's eyes gently fluttered open, and a smile crept it's way onto her face at the sight of her beloved husband.

"Bonjour Bill," Fleur said, "I am so glad to see you here safe."

The smile on Fleur's face faded as she looked at her husband. She had known and been intimate with him long enough to know when something was bothering him. And Bill's face showed every sign she had ever seen and then some.

"What is wrong dahling?" Fleur asked with concern in her voice.

"I am very sorry to have to do this to you and the children," Bill said with a voice that depicted the heart-wrenching emotions running through him. "But we have to leave this place now—we need to go into hiding."

"What do you mean?" Fleur asked in disbelief.

"I mean," Bill said, "that this place isn't safe for us."

"Does thees 'ave sumting to do with your assignment tonight?" Fleur asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes," Bill answered, "I don't know what I am at liberty to tell you about the current situation, and I know it's asking a lot of you, but I need you to please go along with this—at least for the time being."

Fleur looked at her husband with a piercing glance. She was searching for a sign in her husband, sincerity more than anything else. She looked into his eyes, and she could see that he was pleading with her.

"I cannot say no to you," Fleur said, "you are the man of my dreams, and I told you a long time ago zhat I would always stay with you."

Bill looked at his wife long and hard, and then smiled. "Thank you Fleur," he said.

They looked into each other's eyes for a little while. The two of them would renew the love and affection they shared for each other. They got up to leave, Fleur packed some clothes for herself and the children into a small travel bag. Bill carried the bag and the two of them made their way out to the hallway to bring the children.

"When you agreed to marry me," Bill asked his wife, "did you ever think that we would be doing something like this?"

"I will be honest with you," Fleur answered, "I did not ever think that I would be doing something like zis. But, I will always stay wit' you."

Bill and Fleur looked at each other long and hard, then they shared a tender and passion-filled kiss. When they parted, they held each other's gaze for a brief period, and then continued with the task at hand. Fleur went into the baby's room and gently cradled Arthur in her arms, making sure not to wake him.

Bill went towards Sean William's room, when suddenly he heard a noise from inside his cloak. He removed the mirror and saw the image of McGonagall. He could tell by the background that she was outdoors. And by the look on her face, he could tell that she was worried about something.

"McGonagall," Bill said into the mirror, "to what do I owe this?"

"Moody contacted me," McGonagall said slightly flustered and in a voice that showed concern, "he told me about the conflict that you and Mr. Potter were in earlier. I wanted to let you know that myself, Kingsley, and a few other members of the Order of the Phoenix are here at Hogwarts with some of the house elves. We will be able to accommodate both you and Harry's families."

A wave of relief washed over Bill, he at least knew that his family would be safe. "Thank you McGonagall," Bill said, "Fleur and I will be apparating to the boundary on the grounds in a few minutes. I need someone there to escort Fleur and the children to the school so that I can go warn Harry and help him get Hermione and their children over there."

"I am already by the boundary," McGonagall said, "Kingsley is on his way as well and will be here by the time you arrive."

"Understood," Bill answered, "we'll be there in a few minutes."

McGonagall nodded, and then the communication ended. Bill put the mirror away again, and then entered his son Sean William's room. Sean William was sound asleep. As gently as he could, Bill set down the bag he was carrying and then cradled his two-year-old son in his arms. He then tilted Sean William's body so that his front side was leaned up against his father's chest, then Bill picked up the bag in his other hand and exited the room. He saw Fleur already in the hallway and the two of them went back downstairs and exited the house. They walked the minimal distance needed to apparate.

"Hold onto my arm," Bill said to Fleur, "this way we can be sure that we arrive at the same place." Fleur nodded and gently held Bill's strong left arm. A moment later, the four of them vanished.

They appeared on the Hogwarts grounds, just beyond the protective boundary. Bill knew where the boundary began and lead his wife past that point. Once there, Bill stopped and began to look around.

"Who are you looking for?" Fleur asked.

"While we were getting Sean and Arthur," Bill said, "McGonagall contacted me on the mirror and said that she and Kingsley would be here to take you and the children to Hogwarts."

"You mean," Fleur asked slightly alarmed, "zhat you are not coming with us?"

Bill answered in a reassuring tone. "I need to go and get Harry and Hermione and tell them what Moody told me. Hermione and their children will also be joining you at Hogwarts."

Fleur brightened up a little bit at this. "Zhat will be nice, it 'as been too long since I 'ave seen 'ermione and her children."

Bill smiled at his wife, and she smiled back at him. It was at about that time that they saw a cat walking towards them. When the cat got a short distance away, it transformed into the form of Minerva McGonagall. Shortly thereafter, the form of Kingsley Shacklebolt could be seen walking towards them.

"Mr. Weasley," McGonagall's said as Kingsley arrived beside her, "Kingsley and I can take the others from here. You go to the Potters and bring them here." Bill nodded in understanding. He then looked at his beautiful wife, she had a look of love and longing in her eyes and Bill could tell that she was starting to become concerned.

"Don't worry," Bill said as he brought his hand up to cup Fleur's cheek, "I'll be right back."

"'ow can you be sure?" Fleur asked not trying to hide the fear and concern she had for her husband and the father of her children.

Bill gently kissed Fleur on the lips. When they came apart, Bill answered with, "because I am giving you my word—and when have I ever not kept my word to you."

Fleur smiled at him, "I will be waiting 'ere for you." Bill smiled back at Fleur, the two of them shared a brief kiss, and then Bill made his way past the boundary and apparated away to Godric's Hollow.