Disclaimer: Anything familiar to JKR's books probably comes from there and is hers not mine. Also, Harry Potter, Hogwarts, the Wizarding World, and anything else that has to do with it belongs to the lovely JK Rowling, not me. I'm just playing in her sandbox and building my own Hogwarts in it.

Chapter Twenty-Five

It was hard to be here, Harry decided as he stood looking around the private graveyard. Like everyone else here, he was dressed in a set of pure black robes, and at the moment, his throat was choked up while his eyes burned as they hadn't since he and Tracey had heard of the deaths. He had one arm around Tracey's shoulders and the other around Ginny's waist.

Everyone with a colored Journal was here along with a few of their families. Fleur, Bill, and even Tonks had promised to protect Ginny, Tonks saying that she had been ordered as protection by Minister Bones herself. After what Bill and Fleur had told her Monday evening, Mrs. Weasley hadn't objected once Ginny's protection had been worked out.

Harry knew he was close to breaking down, and Tracey was already beginning to.

It didn't exactly help matters that they were standing on the grounds of Davis Manor where Samuel and Daniella Davis had died fighting. There was no sign of the fight, not after Sirius and Remus had fixed up the house and grounds, but Harry could bring forth his memories of being in the Pensieve, seeing Death Eaters breaking through the wards and tearing apart the house not far from where they stood.

The funeral of Samuel and Daniella Davis was kept very quiet, with only friends and family invited, of which only Tracey was family by blood. They were being laid to rest in a small, warded area in the corner of the grounds, where Daniella's family had been buried over the generations before this manor became Davis property after her parents passed away.

Before Harry sat two handsome, mahogany caskets with beautiful carvings decorating them. The holes had been dug and the gravestones placed the day before by the adults. Harry and Tracey had been given the chance to levitate the caskets into the graves, and it had only taken a few looks between the pair for them to agree, realizing they needed to do this.

Of course, no one here expected speeches, not about this. Despite the months since they had passed away, their loss still cut deeply into everyone's hearts. This was a time to quietly say goodbye, to make it real. There would be no official words, but everyone would get a chance to say something, somehow.

Finally, Harry sighed and let go of Ginny's waist, catching Theo's gaze over Tracey's head. His friend nodded and let go of Tracey, allowing Harry to lead her forward, her sobs subsiding as she realized what they were about to do. Both of them drew their wands, Harry in his left and Tracey in her right, their free arms wrapped around the other. Together, they pointed their wands at the caskets and silently levitated them, moving them forward slowly until they were floating above the holes.

Ready? Harry asked silently as his eyes found Tracey's, and she hesitated before nodding slowly. Squeezing her just a little, Harry began to lower Samuel into the ground, and Tracey did the same with Daniella. Tears finally began to fall as a thump was heard, signifying the bottom of the graves being reached.

Before anyone could move, however, Harry pulled Tracey forward again, and she caught on easily as he bent to pick up a handful of dirt from the pile. Wands away, they took a handful of dirt in each hand and stood side-by-side in front of the graves of the only parents they had ever known.

"Thank you," Harry whispered. "For saving me, for healing me, for teaching me, for treating me like an adult and not a child… Just, thank you for being there for me."

Harry let a handful of dirt fall into each grave and moved back, letting Tracey say her own quiet words before dropping her own dirt into the graves. When she backed away, it signaled to the others that they could move forward for their own goodbyes.

As their friends, the family they had made their own, moved forward, Harry pulled Tracey to him, hugging her tightly from behind. Tracey seemed to collapse in on herself, falling to her knees, and Harry went down with her, never letting her go. Both of them were crying as they sat there, the pain from four months before suddenly fresh in their minds. His face was in her dirty-blond hair, resting against her shoulder as he cried, and she was sobbing into her knees.

Arms wrapped around Harry from behind, reaching around to hold Tracey as well, and he felt another pair of arms do the same from in front of Tracey. He didn't have to move to know that Ginny and Theo were there for them, just like they had been the past few months. The gazes from those around them were heavy on Harry, reminding him that they weren't alone and that the others would help them how they could.

Harry felt some of the pain diminish, if only slightly. With the others there, he could feel himself healing, if only just a little, and he could hope that it would get to the point where he could talk about the pair without hurting, like discussing Cedric had come to be. Yes, he would always feel a dull aching, but he hoped to lose the sharpness of his pain.

"It's done," the melancholy voice of Sirius said from above Harry. He looked up to see Sirius's grey eyes full of pain and sadness as he looked down at the four teens, but Harry just looked over to see that the graves had been filled up and settled. Harry could only nod once at his godfather before moving his head back to Tracey's shoulder, his face tilted so that his mouth was by her ear.

"We're going to have to leave soon," he whispered to her, and Harry felt her head nod. "If you want, we can say goodbye one more time, or we could just leave and come back another time."

"One more," Tracey muttered, and Harry just sat up completely, pulling Tracey with him. Ginny and Theo let go of them as he helped Tracey stand, both of them moving until they reached the graves again, kneeling in front of them.

"I wish you hadn't died, Samuel, Daniella, but we won't let you down," Harry got out softly. "Together, we'll win this war and make sure Voldemort is gone for good. You've done your part, and we'll finish ours. Love you both, and I'll never forget you."

"What Harry said, Mum, Dad," Tracey continued just as softly, her voice choked. "Love you both so much, and I miss you. I'll make you proud."

"They already were proud of you both," Amelia spoke from behind them, and Harry and Tracey turned to see their friends – no, their family – standing there, watching them, tears on their own cheeks. "You've made them so proud, made us all so very proud. Whenever we spoke of the war, we always knew you'll succeed at winning, no matter what you face."

"Thank you," Harry whispered for them both, and Amelia nodded in understanding.

"Let's get back to Marauder Manor so we can get everyone home," Remus sighed, and Ginny and Theo moved to stand by him and Tracey as they stood, glancing back at the gravestones even as they followed the others up to the house.

"Harry?" Ginny called to him quietly, and Harry looked her in the eyes. "It will be okay."

"I know, Gin, I know," he replied, and he meant it. He and Tracey had needed this, and they would heal even more than before, now. They would eventually be okay.

…

The week following the funeral was full of darkness in Marauder Manor. There were very few laughs heard as the teenagers trained in the basement, completed their homework, and sat through more lessons on law and the Wizengamot. Pranks were nonexistent, and the pool was left untouched. Brooms sat in trunks and Animagus forms were unused.

Remus read over and approved the werewolf laws that had been side projects during the school year and were now a major focus. Sirius and Daniel had a few wording changes, but for the most part, the laws and amendments written by the boys needed no edits after hours of being tweaked and perfected. And it showed how hard things were when one realized not even Draco and Theo were complaining about the continuous work.

It seemed to all living or even just visiting the sad home that nothing could change the atmosphere.

"I know why they're like this – why we're like this – but…" Harry told Tracey with a sigh as they sat in his room, watching the walls.

"Mum and Dad wouldn't want the Manor to be like this, for any of us to be like this," she finished sadly. "What should we do about it, though?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Harry began slowly, a very small smirk on his face as the familiar mischievous glint returned to his eyes. In his hand, he held a small packet innocently, and he could see Tracey fighting her own smirk as her eyes began to shine again.

…

At the lunch table, no one questioned why Harry and Tracey were drinking only from bottles of Butterbeer they had brought with them while the rest enjoyed the drinks set out on the table. Of course, this was most likely because the tiny smirks on the pair's faces went unnoticed. It came as a complete surprise to the ignorant when their bodies began vibrating, the speed of it picking up until, suddenly, it stopped, leaving them to look down at themselves in confusion.

This led to screaming.

Harry was holding back a snort as the sight of everyone at the table looking like they had been hit with electricity and turned various colors, their hair standing straight up. Everyone was staring around the table in complete shock.

Turning to meet Tracey's eye, neither could hold it in any longer, and they snorted. Every eye was suddenly on them and their smirks of amusement, and as a group, the others all blinked before they began laughing. They had gone so long without laughter that they couldn't hold it back now that it had started, and before long, many had their heads on the table, were banging the wood with open palms or fists.

Neither Harry nor Tracey laughed as hard as the others, but even they were seen and heard snickering at the sight of their friends' mirth. Both of them had known that to bring laughter back to Marauder Manor, it would take the two of them showing that it was fine to have fun and enjoy themselves again, despite the sadness and pain hanging in the air.

Hopefully this would lighten the mood.

…

Lord Voldemort looked down at the good sized group of Death Eaters, all freshly Marked and drinking pain potions provided by Severus. These men and women would make good additions to his ranks, especially as they could actually duel and provide what he needed to win the war, unlike some of his other recruits.

"Welcome to the Death Eaters," he announced softly, gaining their instant attention as they all stood up straighter, proud behind their masks and robes. "You have all proven capable and passed our tests."

Lord Voldemort walked forward, moving between the lines of his people. He knew from the magic of his Mark which Death Eater was which behind their masks. These Death Eaters had gone above and beyond what he wished, providing information like no other and showing exceptional ability with a wand.

"Ah, the Pritchards," he finally said, standing before two Death Eaters. "Do you have anything to tell me?"

"My Lord, our children…" the man began, his head bowing slightly. "They are blood traitors," he suddenly announced sharply. "Despite our teachings, they have turned against you, my Lord, and they've turned to that Potter boy instead."

"This is… most disappointing of them," Lord Voldemort mused, "but it was to be expected." The Pritchards stiffened, obviously startled. "Oh, yes, Harry Potter has been infecting the minds of the next generation for years now, stealing them away from me. I do not know what he plans or under whose orders he's working, but the so-called Boy-Who-Lived is a menace, and I will deal with him soon enough. For now, protect yourselves, try to bring the young back to our side, and do not lose."

"Yes, my Lord," the Death Eaters chanted together, bowing their heads.

"Leave unless you have information for me," Lord Voldemort ordered, and most left the room as their Lord reclaimed his seat to accept new information.

…

Brandon Harper sat in a circle with some of his closest friends in his year in his bedroom. His parents had gone out with some of their friends, leaving all the teenagers at his home. Slytherin Isabella Stebbins and her twin brother, Alexander, who was a Hufflepuff, were chatting easily with Laura Carmichael, also from Slytherin. Malcolm Baddock, a Slytherin third year this year, was talking easily with Stephan Cornfoot, one of Brandon's classmates. Kevin Entwhistle was sitting beside Brandon himself, also looking over the group that consisted of all but one Slytherin.

Except for Maya, they had the entire sixth year of Slytherin in this one room.

"Has anyone heard from Maya?" Isabella suddenly asked the room at large, and while most shook their heads, Brandon sighed sadly. "Brandon, what's going on with your girlfriend?"

"She and Graham ran away from home to stay with Harry," he informed the group, earning gasps. "It was almost two weeks ago, but they didn't want to worry anyone. She only told me so that I'd know why I couldn't go to her house."

"Why did they run away?" Laura demanded, and Brandon could only shrug.

"Maya told me that they didn't agree with some choices her parents made and they had a terrible fight that had even Graham yelling in anger," Brandon explained, remembering how he felt the same shock his friends were now at the idea of Graham showing true anger; he was usually so mild and calm, even during a fight. "They packed and ran before their parents could lock them up for the rest of the summer. Maya wouldn't tell me anything else, though. She was ashamed of her parents and furious, saying that she would never speak to them again or follow in their footsteps. I didn't get anything more from her after that."

"What could her parents have done to get such a strong reaction from them both?" Malcolm wondered, his face thoughtful. "Graham only gets angry over two things, and even then it takes a lot…"

"Two things?" Kevin asked quietly.

"Natalie getting hurt, and Voldemort and his forces," Malcolm reported, and Brandon sat up straight as a horrible idea came to him.

"No…" he gasped, unable to believe it, and he looked up to meet the eyes of his friends. Isabella, Laura, and Malcolm all shared his looks of horror while the others looked worried and confused. "If they did that… Merlin…"

"What?" Stephan demanded, looking scared, worried, and annoyed.

"Isa, what is it?" Alexander asked his twin, his voice purely worried.

"The only thing that could get both Graham and Maya that angry at their parents would be –" Isabella began, shaking her head in disbelief and horror.

"Their parents joining Voldemort," Laura finished, her voice hollow. The three boys who hadn't figured it out slumped down, and Brandon couldn't help but do the same at hearing it aloud.

"If that's true…" Alexander shook his head. "Merlin, I can't blame them for running away. They're in Harry's Inner Circle! The idea of their parents joining him is just…"

"Completely possible," Isabella stated, giving her twin a look. "Alex, you don't go to their house often, never have, because of how unwelcome you are in most Slytherin households since you got Sorted. Maya's parents, if convinced well enough, would join Voldemort without feeling guilty about anything they do under his orders. The way she and Graham normally act at school is so very different from when they're home…"

"Their masks?" he asked with a knowing look on his face, and Brandon nodded along with the rest. Alexander sighed. "I can see that, especially since Voldemort returned. It's just… sad, knowing it."

"Well, we already knew that Theo and Draco's fathers are Death Eaters, so what's another family from Harry's Inner Circle going to change?" Kevin shrugged, looking unworried. "I mean, I'm upset for Graham and Maya, but on a whole, it won't change things in that group."

"Good point," Stephan acknowledged with a nod and a small smile.

Brandon was about to make a comment when he heard the Floo go off. Pulling out his wand, he gestured for his friends to be quiet and follow him. They all silenced their feet, Disillusioned themselves, and slipped out of his room and down the hall, looking over the banister and into the front room. There, all they could do was gape at the sight before them.

All of their parents were standing there in Death Eater robes, holding their masks in one hand as they began to pull off the black robes and shook out the wrinkles in their traveling clothes. They were talking quietly as they cleaned up their appearances.

"So, Pritchard's kids have been hanging around with the wrong crowd," Brandon's own father mused. "Makes me wonder if Brandon has been as well, since he's with Pritchard's girl so much."

"Most likely," Laura's father commented while shaking his head. "I've heard Laura say your son and Pritchard's daughter are dating."

"I'd best tell him to stop seeing her, then," Brandon's father decided with a thoughtful nod. "It wouldn't do to have more of the children become blood traitors. It's an embarrassment. Have you seen Lucius when his son is mentioned?"

"You mean the Malfoy who's now a Black?" Isabella and Alexander's father asked.

"Yes," Kevin's mother agreed. "His name has something to do with dragons, I believe."

"Yes, yes, well, we'd best get the kids and return home," Stephan's father decided. The other adults began to speed up their changing, and the teens ran back to Brandon's room, removing the charms from themselves easily.

"They – they're all…" Isabella panted, shaking her head in disbelief, unable to finish her sentence.

"Death Eaters, they're all Death Eaters," Brandon finished hollowly, suddenly realizing what Maya and Graham must have felt: shock and pure anger.

"We can't stay at home, now, not with them!" Alexander exclaimed. "My parents have never been pleased with my Sorting, and now…" Alex looked so very scared as he sat there looking at his hands, unwilling to think of the idea of fighting his parents.

"Hogwarts Protector," Brandon snapped, and Alex's head shot up before he sat up straight. "I'm sorry, Alex, and I know you're afraid, but show that you're worthy of being part of the group, owning a Journal." A few hands went unconsciously to their necks, where the necklaces that held their Journals hung. "We're all scared and worried and confused, but we've got less than three minutes before our parents come up here. We need to make a plan!"

"Alex can't stay at home, and I'm not staying if he isn't," Isabella declared easily, her eyes hard.

"None of us can stay at home," Stephan stated. "Not with our parents working for the enemy. They'll make us join Voldemort, even if it means forcing us."

"I guess that means we're running away," Brandon decided, and his friends all blinked in surprise. "Use magic to pack your bags the moment you get home. If you want to confront your parents, do so, but just leave within the hour. We have the Portkey pendants, right? I remember some of those who had to use them last summer saying Harry and some of the others appeared within minutes of them being used. They'll help us!"

His friends all began nodding slowly. It was a sound plan that would get them away from their homes and help from people they trusted with their very lives. Harry and his friends, even those younger than them, were people the whole school looked up to because they were so in control and they could fight like nothing else. They were the leaders of the school, and everyone knew it.

Footsteps were suddenly heard in the hallway, and Brandon caught the eyes of his friends. They all nodded, and Brandon knew that they were going to all run away.

"Exactly one hour," he whispered, looking down at his watch just as his friends did.

…

Harry was shocked when his Journal heated up against his chest three times very quickly, cooling between each time. He quickly stopped his practice duel with Astoria and returned his sword to the sheath on his belt while his wand went into his holster. Around him, his friends were putting their weapons away and moving quickly.

They all ran up the stairs while summoning their shirts and pants to them, slipping them on over the dragonhide armor they were wearing as they paused at the top of the stairs. Once dressed correctly, the group raced to the Floo, where the adults were congregating, obviously waiting for them.

"People are at Grimmauld again?" Harry asked around a very slight pant, reaching out to accept the water bottle offered by Remus while his friends accepted their own.

"Yes, though there's been no news of an attack, so we're not sure why," Amelia replied.

"Let's go, then," Sirius stated, throwing in his Floo powder and disappearing into the flames. Everything moved quickly after that, everyone grabbing some powder and rushing into the flames.

When Harry stepped easily out of the fire, he moved to the side before looking around, draining his bottle as he did so. He caught sight of Maya hugging Brandon Harper as Brandon whispered in her ear. Around them stood the rest of their classmates, Alexander Stebbins of Hufflepuff, and Malcolm Baddock, one of Graham's friends and classmates. They all hard dark looks on their faces.

Just as the last arrivals from Marauder Manor appeared, more students Portkeyed into the kitchen. Most were fifth and sixth years from Slytherin and Ravenclaw, but there were a few from Hufflepuff. What worried Harry the most was seeing Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein in the room as they were his own Ravenclaw classmates, and even Zacharias Smith from Hufflepuff was there. The only House not represented was Gryffindor.

"What's going on here?" he asked to silence the room, and everyone turned to him.

"The Death Eaters had a meeting tonight," Anthony replied sadly, shaking his head. "Voldemort Marked a bunch of new recruits. I believe you're seeing their children here."

Another wave of students, again from those three Houses, arrived. This time it held third and fourth years with another fifth year or two. A handful had younger siblings about to begin Hogwarts or another year away with them. All of them had bags and trunks.

"Merlin…" Theo gasped from beside him. "All these families, torn apart by Voldemort and a single decision…"

"Okay, you lot!" Harry called, ignoring Theo's words despite feeling that same sadness and disbelief. "We have bedrooms upstairs, two floors up. Siblings all share the same rooms no matter what gender you are. If you don't mind sharing a room with a dorm mate, please do so. If we have to, we can expand the rooms and conjure more beds for you. We'll come around the rooms and talk to all of you, figure out what's going on and what we're going to do about it."

Everyone slowly made their way from the room except for Brandon, who was holding Maya's hand. Once the room was cleared of all but him and those from the Manor, Harry collapsed into a chair with a deep sigh, letting his head fall onto the table with a thunk. Around him, the chairs around the table pulled out, and the others settled down.

"Did none of these parents think of their children?" Astoria muttered darkly, already knowing the answer. It was obvious that they hadn't, else this wouldn't have happened.

"They were like me and pretended to still be the good little followers they were before Hogwarts," Draco sighed. "Their parents thought they'd be happy to follow Voldemort, not utterly disgusted by it."

"We're going to have to send a house-elf over to cook and clean for them," Samantha began, listing things. "Remus and Sirius should fix up the attic and bring training supplies over for them so they won't get bored. We'll have to have someone check on them every day to make sure nothing happens. I should tell two or three of the eldest about the Manor so they can Floo call us if there's a problem…"

"Before we do any of that, we need to check on all of them, especially the youngest of the group, and be sure they're okay," Amelia reminded her. "Then we should get the rooms set up for them. After that, your list will work." Samantha nodded in agreement easily.

"Harry, you and the other kids should do the talking," Remus suggested. "Daniel and Amelia can fix up the rooms while you do that, and Sirius and I will go work on the attic. Samantha can find the oldest and tell them about Marauder Manor."

Harry nodded and went to stand before pausing. "Samantha, tell Brandon here, please." He gestured towards the sixteen-year-old Slytherin, who looked confused until Samantha told him the secret.

Once that was done, Harry led his friends and told them where to visit. After they were done, they'd discuss what had happened and figure out what to do. For now, they had a job to do.

Posted: 3/25/12