Alexandra slowly stepped towards the owl and, with a shaky hand, untied the letter. Checking over her shoulder to make sure that nobody was coming up the stairwell behind her, she opened the envelope.

Come down to the Forbidden Forest at half past eight tonight. Do not even think of bringing anybody, or letting anyone know where you are going. Mother says if you refuse this meeting, you know the consequences.

Rolwat

A meeting in the middle of the Forbidden Forest? He had to be crazy! Alexandra tore up the letter and threw the pieces into the wastebasket by the window. He knew how tight security was this year! How exactly was she to sneak down into the forest, getting past not only the teachers, but the members of the Order who were guarding the grounds of Hogwarts!

But then again, she didn't have a choice. Rolwat had said that she knew the consequences if she refused, and he was right; if Claridina was threatening her with the Vow, she knew she was going to be forced to get down there one way or another.

The owl gave a loud hoot, making Alexandra jump, for she had almost forgotten that the creature was still there.

There was a small parcel tied to its other ankle that Alexandra must've missed, being so distracted by the letter. Alexandra untied it and opened it up to see a small vile with a note attached to it.

Drink entire vile five minutes before leaving for the forest. It will let you get past security.

Alexandra examined the contents; the liquid was clear, almost like water. Of course every reasonable fiber in her body told her not to drink anything that came from her mother or her brother, but she found herself pocketing the vile anyway, wondering how the owl had gotten this past the owl checks.

The owl took flight out the window. Alexandra watched as it disappeared into the sky, and then sat down on her bed.

She knew she was going to need to make an excuse for her absence tonight. She could always say she needed to talk to Hagrid, but Fred and Alanna might want to join her. Simply saying she was going up to bed early wouldn't work, for if Alanna went up to the dormitory and saw she wasn't there, the whole plan would be ruined.

Alexandra let out a sigh. If it was already becoming this hard to keep all these secrets from her friends now, she could only imagine how hard it would become as the year went on.

...

Harry, crouching beneath his Invisibility Cloak, walked around the seemingly empty area that housed Claridina's Hungarian hideout, searching for the small glitch in the protection that he had discovered weeks ago. He removed the bubble head charm that members of the Order had been wearing during their periods of guard duty ever since he had been poisoned and smelt the familiar scent of rotting flesh that came from Claridina's Thestrals, signaling that he had found the spot.

Placing the bubble head charm back on himself, Harry kneeled down and drew his wand out. He knew the protection here would be even weaker than it was last time; Hermione's charms to bring down the multiple barriers were finally beginning to kick in, though very slowly.

Racking his brain, he tried to remember every one of the spells from the books he had been pouring over for the past few weeks. He knew it was going to be time consuming, and undoubtably take a lot of work, but he believed he could use this glitch to get to Claridina.

"Penotriate," Harry whispered. A small series of white sparks emitted from his wand tip, but other than that, there was no indication once so ever that the spell was working. All he could do was hope that it was.

This spell was a bit stronger than the ones Hermione had been steadily placing on the hideout, but it could only work on small areas, which was perfect for what Harry wanted. It was supposed to greatly weaken the remaining protections around the area, allowing Harry to take down the rest with more ease. Like Hermione's, though, this spell could take weeks to fully work. Harry stood back up and looked around the forest for Ron, who was on guard duty with him that day.

"You find anything over there?" Ron asked as Harry joined up with him again towards the the mouth of the forest.

"No," Harry said quickly. "Must've just been a mouse I heard..."

"Only a few minutes left before Lander and Fleur take out places," Ron commented, looking at his watch. He turned back to the area where he knew Claridina's hideout was. "Wonder how long it will be until we get through..."

"Hermione reckons it will be months, doesn't she?"

"Yeah," Ron nodded. "She said that she can't perform the next charm for at least one more week. It will be right around the time we get back from France."

"Oh, right, you two are leaving today, aren't you?" Harry asked.

"Right after I get back," Ron nodded. "Thanks again for watching Hugo for us. And leaving us off the guard schedule for the week."

"Don't mention it, it's your fifteenth anniversary," Harry said. "Mind you, you're setting the bar pretty high for me next year..."

"Ah, well," Ron grinned. "Remember, send word to us if anything happens and we'll be right over."

"Right," Harry nodded.

A moment later they heard a loud popping noise in the distant, and Fleur and Lander, and old Auror of Harry's, walked into sight.

"It's been pretty uneventful here," Harry said to them as they placed their bubble head charms. "Remember, send a Patronus if there's anything."

"Yes, we will," Fleur nodded.

"Charlie and Angelina will be replacing you in four hours," Harry told them as him and Ron turned to walk out of the woods so they could apperate back to the Order headquarters. They apperated back into the kitchen, where Hermione and Ginny were helping Mrs. Weasley make a stew while Hugo and Lily were playing a game of Exploding Snap.

"Anything?" Hermione asked softly.

"Nope," Harry answered.

"Well that's a good thing, I suppose," Ginny pointed out.

"Yes, it is," Molly nodded.

"Are you guys ever going to tell us where you go?" Lily asked, looking up from her game.

"Don't you worry about it, Lil," Harry told her.

"But I want to know!"

"Sound familiar?" Ron grinned.

"Well, we'd better be off," Hermione said to Ron.

"Have fun, you too, but be careful," Molly said, wiping her hands on her apron to give them each a hug. "France has been having a lot of fishy activity lately."

"We will, don't worry, Molly," Hermione smiled.

"Can't believe you lasted fifteen years with him, Hermione," Ginny grinned. "I couldn't stand living in the same house as him growing up, and you're stuck for life."

"Oh shove it, will you," Ron scowled.

"Now, you'll be good for your Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry, won't you, Hugo?" Hermione asked her son, giving him and hug and kiss goodbye.

"Yes," Hugo nodded.

"We'll be back Monday," Ron told them, giving his son a quick hug goodbye.

"We know, go on then," Harry said.

"Thanks again Harry, Ginny!" Hermione called as her and Ron headed out of the kitchen.

"Why don't you two go get washed up for dinner," Molly said to Hugo and Lily.

The two children, listening to their grandmother, ran upstairs, leaving the adults in the kitchen.

"Hensworth called for you while you were out," Ginny told her husband, lowering her voice.

"Did he?" Harry frowned. "Did he say what for?"

"He told me to tell you that he's searched nearly every professors office at the school," Ginny said. "All except for Slughorn...Hensworth says he's been a bit uncooperative."

"Yes, I suspected as much," Harry sighed. "He's hiding something...doesn't want us finding out."

"You think it might be something like that memory he hid for so many years about Voldemort?" Ginny asked.

"I really don't know," Harry admitted. "But that's probably why Claridina wanted him back during the summer."

"Well if he's refusing to have his office searched," Molly pointed out, setting a large pot of stew on the table. "I'd say he's dead set on keeping whatever it is a secret."

"Unfortunately, yes," Harry nodded. He looked at his watch. "Which means it's going to be all the more difficult for me to get it out of him. I should be back in a few hours."

"You're going to the school now?" Ginny asked.

"Yes."

"And have you even thought of how you're going to say to him to persuade him to tell you what it is he's been keeping?"

"Well, I-I thought I'd wing it," Harry admitted.

"I'm coming with you," Ginny said firmly. "You might be Slughorn's favorite past pupil, but I don't think that will cut it this time." She turned to her mother. "Mum, you can watch Lily and Hugo for a bit, can't you?"

"Yes, of course," Molly nodded. "But-"

"Great, we'll see you in a few hours then," Ginny said. She turned back to Harry. "Well come on then."

…..

AN-Happy Birthday Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling!