Sorry 'bout being so late. Ready for the excuses? I: was studying for my drivers test, which I passed. I was out all day at a Bridal shower. I've been partaking in finals. I get out Tuesday, so I'll be updating faster with longer chapters. And then of course, I had to watch Bruins games. (I don't want any hockey wars going on in my review box because I said that!)

And no. No one guessed my name. It is not:

Luna.

Alicia.

Katie.

Hermione. And no. It's not Ginny, Nymphadora or Minerva either. But good guesses. Try again ;)

Also...are you guys going to keep reading if it goes up to like, 93 chapters like Family Honor? I'm not saying it will but, to finish the books in this story (Because I'm not separating it like I did with FH), it's going to take quite a few chapters. And if not, I'll be cutting it off, like, not finishing to DH, or even HBP. I'm honestly wondering...


Aero found herself contemplating everything. Every choice she made, every word she said, every move she made. Everything suddenly was whirling in her mind, and she found herself wondering where exactly she wanted her life to take her. Was she going to get married? Was she going to continue living with Sirius or find a house herself? Was she going to keep being an Auror? What did she really feel about her family, Draco? Was she going to continue with her scheme with George? Did she truly want to put herself through another relationship with Fred?

She thought over and over, running through every possibility she could imagine about the future. She lay in the bed still, Fred tangled up with her, breathing evenly as he dozed. She pulled the sheet up over her chest again when it slipped. She had to admit to herself that she hadn't know where she was going or what she was doing for awhile. It was something she wasn't comfortable knowing. Most of her life had been about knowing what she did before she did it, about controlling herself and any situation she was in. But lately, everything just felt like it was sand slipping through her fingers.

Or, that wasn't exactly true. If she really thought about it, her life had slowly but steadily slipped away from her control since she came to Hogwarts. Before she had never dealt with emotions further than being impassive. She never had to worry about someone else. She had barely worried about herself. She had had no purpose. She knew that. That she had just been going through the motions, unknowingly searching for something to make her feel alive.

And then that day on the train, that was the day that everything changed. She had had no idea that allowing those two goofy looking gingers into her compartment would forever seal her fate. From that day she was linked to them, and everything that came with them. They had made her realize it wasn't bad to laugh, it wasn't a crime to smile and it wouldn't kill her to be happy. Through them she had been able to become friends with Angelina and her roommates. She had gone out for the team. She had slowly found a purpose in Fred. And then Harry had come along, and Neville and suddenly she found herself bombarded with emotions, panic and worry and courage. They made her realize, they were the very reasons she was in Gryffindor, they were her strength, the people she'd give anything for. And then she had changed so completely, felt more human, to the point if she looked back at herself now she wouldn't even recognize herself. But with the prize of living, she had gained the consequences of heartbreak, pain, betrayal and fear. She had allowed herself to love, despite the fact she knew nothing about it, that she had no idea what to do with it, she took that leap into the unknown future for Fred. And he had to easily broke her. It was unnerving to find that one person could deal her so much damage without realizing, without even really thinking about it.

Aero sighed and stared hard at the ceiling. Did she want to go through that again? Did she want to risk the cripling pain she had felt before? Who was to say Fred wouldn't hurt her again, as he had in the past? Could she truly trust him with her heart again? And even if she did, did that mean he got off about him and Angelina, that he didn't face any consequences for his actions? Saying sorry, feeling guilty, they weren't enough. They didn't make him feel the pain she did. But did she wish that pain on someone else? Did she want to purposefully give him that pain, hurt him and break him, when she knew, she knew, in the back of her mind, he hadn't done it to her intentionally?

"You look awfully lost in thought."

She turned her head on the pillow to face him, his eyes were open and watching her curiously.

"I'm just thinking is all."

"You don't regret anything, do you?" he wondered quietly.

Aero was silent for a moment, pondering his question and her answer. She looked up and found his face carefully blank, as if he expected a rejection.

"I have many regrets in my life, Fred Weasley. But I can now honestly say, you are not one of them."

Fred gave her a small smile and leaned forward and gave her a closed-mouth kiss, chaste and sweet.

"Good. I don't regret you either...but what happens now?" he asked.

Aero took a breath.

"You're asking the wrong person. I have no idea what I'm doing anymore." she murmured.

Fred was silent for a mere moment before she felt him shrug against her.

"Well, that's half the fun, isn't it? It means life is a suprise. We should just go with it then."

Aero looked up at him again.

"I'm not sure I know how to do that." she said.

Fred placed his had on her cheek and smiled.

"I know. I know you live for control. And being out of control scares you to death. I understand that...or at least I can try to. I've never been one for control myself. But I know it helps you make it through each day. You've told me that much. You know..." he paused, thoughtfully, " you've never really explained why. I know you've told me slightly about your mother, but you never really told me about you."

Aero looked away from him, staring blankly at the floorboards.

"You're asking for a lot more than you know." she said.

"I'm asking for nothing but you." he disagreed.

"I don't like knowing me. What makes you think you will?"

"How can you say that? How can you not like yourself? I happen to love you, more than life itself." he said, his hand on her bare arm.

"If you even knew...you'd understand. But I don't think you could ever understand. You've grown up completely different than me."

"Then tell me. Tell me everything, I don't want anymore secrets. I want to know you, everything about you. Because I love you. And nothing you can say, nothing you've ever done or had done to you could change that even slightly." he told her confidently.

Aero willed him to stop talking, to stop asking her. He didn't want to know. Or rather, he shouldn't. Her past was dark, his was bright. He knew her parents, had seen the Black house, had met Sirius and her cousins and Uncle. He heard the stories. He should know that asking for her past was like Pandora's curiosity about opening her box. He'd get more than he bargained for. She could barely handle it. Why would she put that on him?

"That's a conversation for another day. I don't want to get into it." she said, shaking her head.

Fred leaned up on one arm and brushed some hair from her face with the other.

"Alright. So. Neither one of us has a plan. But are we...together again?" he asked.

Aero met his unsure gaze and realized she was the only sure one.

"We're not getting married." she stated bluntly.

Fred nodded slowly.

"I kind of assumed that much. Will we ever get married?"

"I'm not saying I don't want to be with you. But I don't want to get married. I don't want to be engaged. I don't think it's for me. I don't think it works for us."

Fred nodded again.

"My mother will be so dissapointed." he stated, smiling. Aero gave a laugh, shaking her head.

"I think we're more...contemperate. Perhaps one day...?" Fred said.

Aero rolled her eyes good naturedly.

"Sure."


Aero left Fred to his shower and stepped out the door and almost jumped when she saw George and Lee waiting outside, sitting on the ground, and looked up at her, glaring expressions plastered on their faces.

"Uhm...hey." she said awkwardly.

"Hey." Lee muttered.

"Alright. I understand you and my twin need to release your pent up whatever-it-is, but can you give us some due warning? Because then I could have proper time to find somewhere else to sleep. But coming up here to pass out and then finding out I can't be heard and the door is locked...knocking on some unsuspecting's bloke's door at midnight and asking to sleep in there is just...not appropriate. I'll look weird." George lectured.

Aero blinked.

"You're a little grumpy. Have you had your morning coffee yet?" she asked.

"My morning...oh just go eat your breakfast."

Aero grinned, feeling incredibly happy with everything, and nodded, leaving the two to stretch out before entering the room.

When she opened her dorm door she suddenly had an armful of something warm and brunette.

"I thought you'd died! Where were you? Did you get locked out of the common room or something? I know that Fat Lady can be a bit of a bitch sometimes -"

"Ali! Ali, I'm fine. Nothing happened." Aero soothed her.

"I'll shag Filch, nothing happened." Katie scoffed, toweling her hair as she came out of the bathroom.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about. I mean, she was probably off being a slag somewhere." Angelina muttered from her bed where she was rearanging her braids.

"Resident whore said what?" Katie exclaimed.

"Well, it's obvious. She breaks up with one guy and immediatley finds another." Angelina said with a shrug.

"Angelina, that's not necessary." Alicia chided, as usual, trying to keep the peace.

"If shagging my boyfriend makes me a slag, then I was. But see, I think you're just jealous because I was able to accomplish the shag, whereas you were not. So, despite the fact you're no doubt a boyfriend-stealing-bestfriend-backstabbing-lying-tramp, you're a horrible one. Tell me, is there anything you're actually good at? You can't seduce my boyfriend, which is no surprise to anyone, you can't properly win a fight without pushing someone backwards down a flight of stairs, and you can't manage to come up with decent comebacks." Aero replied coldly.

Katie whistled and raised her eyebrows. Alicia sucked in a breath and stepped out of the line of fire.

"Excuse you?"

"No bitch, excuse you, if you think you can get away with the shit you've done. I was willing to lay off you for the sake of being a decent person, but you've more than crossed the line of my temper, several times."

Angelina stood so that if they were a centimeter closer they'd practically be smashed together. Neither one seemed to notice the obvious height difference as the Quidditch Captain towered over her Beater.

"You're getting pissed because you fell down the stairs?" Angelina scoffed.

"If I trip that's my own damn fault. But when someone pushes be down a flight of stairs because they're being petty, damn right I get pissed. Things are going to change around here, that's for sure." Aero said through gritted teeth.

Angelina raised her eyebrows mockingly.

"Is that so?"

Aero gave a sneering smirk and cocked her head.

"Act superior, like you're untouchable. Go ahead. But when everything you hold dear falls apart around you...don't say I didn't warn you." she said softly, though the chilly venom was still noticeable.

They stared hard at one another for a moment before Angelina gave a quiet scoff and bumped into her shoulder as she passed by and out the door.

There was silence for a moment.

"Are you really going to do something horrible to her this time?" Alicia wondered, an anxious look on her face.

Aero gave her a quick glance before shrugging dismissively and walked to her cart, filling up a glass with ice that clinked on the glass cup and the poured herself some Scotch. She leaned against the wall, staring thoughtfully at the outside world.

"Aero! It's only morning, and you're already having a drink?" Alicia chided.

"It's noon somewhere." Aero replied half-hearted.

"I'd be drinking too if I had to deal with Angelina everyday like she does." Katie said.

"Drinking is not the answer to problems." Alicia reprimanded.

"Stop being such a mother goose." Katie groaned.

"I am not a mother goose!"

But Aero was deaf to the bickering of her roommates. All she could think about was everything that needed to change. It was time for a self-revolution of sorts. Everything needed to change. Not just Angelina, though that was a start. That bitch could continue walking around thinking she could just get away with everything. No, no...Aero also needed to change.


December was here full force, and despite being eighteen now, Aero had hardly noticed her birthday's passing. Instead she was focused on the banners hanging around the Room of Requirment that said "Have a Very Harry Christmas", courtesy of Dobby. She examined them curiously as Harry mingled with the rest of the DA, preparing for the last session of the year, until they came back from Holiday.

"My mum said you're invited for Christmas." Fred said brightly, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

Aero smiled and leaned back into him and turned her head up to give him a peck on the lips.

"I'd love to. Spending time with your family is always fun. But I won't be going to the Burrow." she said.

Fred blinked in confusion before looking down at her questioningly.

"Did I do something? Again?" he wondered.

Aero shrugged.

"No. I just want to spend it with my family."

"You're part of my family though."

"Yes, but so are my cousins and my goddaughter. I want to spend Christmas with them."

"You're mad at me, aren't you? We're not really over everything, are we?"

Aero sighed and raised her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation.

"No, Fred, you haven't done anything. I'm simply telling you I'm spending it with my family. It's not up for negotiation."

Fred frowned.

"Don't look at me like that. I spend all the time with your family usually. And I love them and consider them a part of my family, yes, but I also have other family to be with. I can't spend every waking moment with you, or you family. I won't do that again."

"What? It's suddenly a bad thing to be around my family so much?"

"No. Do you even listen to me? I love your family, but they're not my only family. I'm not asking your permission, Fred, because I don't need it. I'm going to spend the Holiday with who I want to spend it with and that's that." Aero told him firmly before moving away from him and towards Neville, who would be her partner for the Impediment jinx, since Dean and Darius were currently plotting some kind of trouble in the corner, no doubt involving girls.

Aero had had a lot of time to think since her fight with Angelina. She rembmered how she hated the girls who were needy and cracked and got depressed when a guy left them. She hated them. Thought it was week and dependent behavior. And then she had a horrifying realization, that when she found out about Fred and Angelina, she had stayed in bed, practically comotose. She had acted like one of those girls. She was disgusted with herself. So she took a long ahrd look at herself and her relationship. She was never, ever, going to let herself become dependent on Fred's love and support again. Not like before. She was not going to be dependent on him, because she realized she couldn't ever fully trust him again, not after all the hurt he gave her. She was in love with him, yes, completely and totally. But things were changing, as she had said before. She had to be her own person, she wasn't going to keep letting this relationship swallow her up, and then when it went bad, spit her back out. She would stand on her own, as she had done before Fred, and the next time he hurt her, it wouldn't be so bad.

During her momentary thought she tensed and looked up, surprised, to see Neville with a triumphant look on his face. He had jinxed her.

"Yes! Ruddy hell, you're an Auror and I jinxed you!" He cried.

After a moment she shook it off and smiled at him.

"Well done, Neville." she said.

"Yeah, great job, Neville. Try again, come on." Harry encouraged.

Neville nodded eagerly and flicked his wrist against and Aero swiftly moved her hand to deflect it but Neville happened to be quicker and got it passed her and she froze again. She felt a surge of pride for the kid. He was certainly growing up...

"You know Nev...Hannah Abott was making eyes at you the other night." she said with a grin.

Neville blushed ten shades of red, all the way to his neck.

"W-what? That's completely mental." he stammered.

Aero shook her head.

"Nope. Definately saw some heavy eye contact going on, boy. So, tell me, what's going on?"

"N-n-nothing! Absolutely nothing. You saw nothing!"

"Are you sure? So if I go searching some broom cupboards tonight, I won't find you two -"

"Ah! Stop!" Neville cried, an even darker shade of red at her teasing and Aero burst out a fit of laughter.

"You're so mean to me sometimes..." he muttered, still blushing.

"You're so adorable, you know that?" she said with a grin.

"You're really acting like the big sister I now regret ever wanting."

"Good. Means I'm doing my job. So, if nothings going on, do you want me to put in a good word for you, or...?"

"AERO!"


"My little brothers are growing up so fast!"

"Stop it! You're a mental woman."

"You had your very first kiss, then will come your first date, your first girlfriend, you're first shag -"

"AERO! C'mon...I'm stressed out over this kiss enough already."

Aero managed to calm her laughs long enough to breath properly and she sat down on the window of the Astronomy tower, facing Harry. Everyone seemed to be shouting her name lately...

"What's so stressful about the kiss?" she wondered.

"I don't...well she...was crying."

Aero blinked and then opened her mouth and her lungs contracted before she bent over her knees, laughing.

"Aero!"

"I'm...I'm sorry, Harry. Really. But...was it really that bad?" she teased.

"It wasn't me! At least...I don't think it was me...Hermione said it was because she's emotional, about Cedric and Me."

"Ah, well, it's about time to buck up."

"You think she should stop crying?"

"Look, I'm not taking away her right to grieve here, but I don't want her making any moves and leading you on if she's still got feelings for another bloke. I don't care who she is, she needs to sort herself out before she starts kissing you. I already know you fancy her, so it's not fair."

"I do, I do...fancy her, I mean..."

"Did you like it? The kiss?"

"I don't know. It was wet, and I wasn't prepared for it, I went there looking for a Merry Christmas, she's crying about Cedric and then it just...how do you know? I mean, what are you supposed to...feel?" he asked, looking at her.

Aero sighed.

"Well...when I kiss Fred, I get this...tightening in my stomach, like a spring coiling. And it feels like every nerve ending it alive, hypersensetive. And the rest of the world disapears, just for that moment in time. I don't have to worry about anything, it's just us. I literally forget about everything else. And my head spins and my heart skips beats. And I forget to breath...and you know it's good when you forget the necessary function of you own body to survive just because you're kissing." she said, smiling at the end.

Harry watched her for a moment.

"Must be nice...to feel that."

"It is. But it's complicated, as are most relationships, ours maybe a little more. But it's those moments you live for. And you deserve to feel that. We both do. And you will. You'll get that. I don't think it'll be with Cho Chang, but if she's who you want, right now at least, then you should at least get the chance to see. See how you feel with her, if it feels right. Is it easy, or are you uncomfortable, uneasy? Test the waters."

Harry nodded thoughtfully.

"I really do like her...so you think I should see her again?"

"If you want to see her again, do it. If you don't, don't do it. It's not as complicated as if feels, really. I know you're confused, but you'll figure it out."

He nodded again and Aero grinned before suddenly pulling him into a hug, ignoring his yelp of surprise, and clung to him, a teasing smirk on her face.

"You're having girl problems! You're turning into a man!"

"Knock it off!"


It was never odd to be called into that office. For most kids it might have been intimidating. She knew as a first year she would have been, but now it just seemed normal, like he wasn't one of the most known, most powerful wizards in the world. He never acted like it. He was just...

"Professor D." Aero said in greeting as she kicked her legs while she sat ontop of his big desk.

"Always pleasant to see you, Aero." he said with a grin. "The injuries you sustained were not severe then?"

"Nope. Just a mild concussion."

"Good, good. Because there's something I wish to discuss with you."

Aero nodded and her mind raced as she still saw the twinkle in his eyes, but the serious expression on his face.

She slipped off teh edge of the desk and sat in the chair across from him.

"There is a serious matter we must attend to. You see...the Ministry isn't going to cooperate with us. They're in severe denial, a denial that is crippling them. They're already being tampered with..."

"Professor D...what exactly are you getting at?"

"The Dementors...they're going to switch sides. Voldemort can promise them darkness, people to feed off of, whereas the Ministry keeps them contained. Now, either someone at the Ministry sent the Dementors after Harry, or he's already got control of them, or maybe he has control of someone at the Ministry who sent them. I have many theories on that. But...the Dementors guard Azkaban Prison, where many of his followers reside, and if he takes control of them..." Dumbledore trailed off, staring grimly at her suddenly pale complexion.

Aero felt her heart racing and her knuckles were white as they gripped the arm rests. No...no no no no NO!

"You told me...you told me when they went away they wouldn't come back out...you said!"

"Aero, I tried. I tried to convince Cornelius but he's not listening."

"You said...you told me...I believed you when you said they wouldn't come out..." she said quietly and Dumbledore watched silently as her eyes darted wildly around the room, as if searching for something to alert her that it was really just another nightmare.

"I'm sorry. Kingsley has been working to try and find another way to keep them in should...should the Dementors turn sides. But I just wanted you to be for warned. The likelyhood that your parents will be broken out of Azkaban is, high at best."

Aero clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, as if trying to shake the terrifying truth from her mind.

"You said..." she whispered, almost a whimpering sound, in defeat.

Dumbledore's eyes had finally lost their twinkle and his eyes were closed, his head bent.

"I know. I'm sorry."


Aero spent the night tossing and turning. Her stomach was in knotts, she had a headache and she was shaking. She had thought about going to Fred about this but she wasn't going to burden anyone with her own problems, not when she could handle them on her own. Besides, her parents hadn't broken out, not yet. She was just suddenly aware that they would. Even though she knew, in the back of her mind, that the moment Voldemort appearred again they would be broken out. She had known that. Perhaps it had been denial that kept her dreams safe from the maddening cackle of her mother and the stony silence of her father.

But they were not safe and protected from the denial tonight. Things had been calm mostly, Tonks had been taking care of Sirius' nightmares and Aero hadn't had one in months. Both Blacks had been plagued with nightmares that shook them to their cores...and tonight was no different. But Aero didn't sleep talk like Sirius did, so there was no comfort from the man on the otherside of the mirror. Nor from her sleeping roommates or her blissfully sleeping boyfriend.

Her nightmares were a jumbled mess, not like the memories she'd dream about before. This was just flashes, sounds, colors and feelings. It was more scary than the actual memories themselves.

She'd hear the cackling of her mother. She sound of a slap. Her own shrieking. Dumbledore speaking about her parents mixed in with the talking of her parents trial and the terrified shouting of Sirius in one of his fits and flashes of green lights and the dark mark over a home and Neville's parents screaming and her mother's eyes as they watched her from her seat in the courtroom and Lucius pointing his wand at her and the pain of the cruciatus curse on herself Umbridge's words of comparison between mother and daughter and then dementors and the little girl from her dream and a cold cell in Azkaban...

She couldn't seem to wake herself up from it. And when morning rolled around the dismal cold and snowy weather seemed to reflect her. She felt exhausted as soon as she woke up. Her hands were shaking. Her mind and body felt numb. But she got out of bed and took her shower and dressed for class and went down to breakfast.

"You alright, Aero? You look like you've seen a ghost." Alicia wondered.

"Fine."

"Eat some eggs. You probably just didn't sleep well."

"Sure."

"Well you actually have to eat them, Aero, not just move them around your plate."

"Sorry."

"Did you have a really bad nightmare or something?"

"No."

"Maybe she's sick?"

"Should we take her to Pomfrey?"

"Maybe she should just go back and rest?"

"I can take her notes for her..."

"Ms. Black?"

Aero continued poking at the scrambled eggs Katie had heaped onto her plate but slowly raised her eyes to look across the table where McGonagall stood behind Alicia, a grim look on her face. It looked like her day was going to get even better.

"I need to speak to you, on behalf of Headmaster Dumbledore, regarding the Weasley family."

Aero arched an eyebrow, her eyes staring dully back. She was too tired to deal with this...

"There's been a terrible accident involving Arthur Weasley."


Oh course, Umbridge had already found out about everything and seemed to think it would be best that if Aero had to go anywhere, she should go to the Ministry first. So Aero went, as they were doing an investigation into whether or not Arthur should be punished for wandering around the Ministry.

"Minister, I highly doubt he was doing anything illegal." Kingsley said.

"Well what was Weasley doing, wandering around the corridors of the Ministry so late?" The Minister demanded.

"Well it isn't a secret that he's allied with Dumbledore, sir." Lucius drawled, a glint in his eyes " And Dumbledore seems to think the Ministry untrustworthy, incompetent, even, because no one belives his theory about the dark lord. So it's no suprise to me, if he were to have his spies among us, to get information." Lucius cast his niece a sneering, brief look.

"That's it! It's what I've been saying all along! Albus Dumbledore is out to get me! He wants my position and the power and he'll do whatever he has to! Arthur Weasley is a pawn to get information on me! To bring me down! Who knows how many others he has? We have to do something. Make an example of Weasley, terrify the other spies!" The Minister exclaimed.

Aero thought he looked half barking now. But her mind was racing, working through her own mind numbing fog of fear from the night before, to see where the Minister was going with this. Arthur couldn't possibly get into trouble...

She glanced wearily at Kingsley who shared her look and they watched the Minister from their places. Shane and Desarie were off the side, along with Tonks and several other Aurors, Hit-wizards and Ministry officials.

"But was he doing anything illegal, Minister?" Madam Bones inquired.

"Of course they'll be no proof, of any illegal activities. While Dumbledore may be a traitor, he is not a foolish minded one." Lucius replied.

"Exactly! Dumbledore is intelligent, he'll have already tampered with any evidence." the Minister agreed.

Aero resisted the urge to roll her eyes. This was ridiculous.

"So what do we do then? Throw Arthur Weasley in Azkaban? Surely that would be enough, the Dementors would steal any sort of rebellious thoughts from him." Lucius suggested, smirking.

"What is he even doing here?" Aero muttered under her breath, shaking her head.

"Azkaban...perhaps..." The Minister trailed off.

"No! You can't possibly send Arthur to Azkaban. Minister, this is mental." Shane shouted, stepping forward.

"Get back in your place, Lathum!" one of the Officials demanded.

"And sit back and watch how out of control everything is getting? We've put a boy on trial for mere underage magic, like a high class criminal, just because he's Harry Potter! And just because something terrible happened to one of our own, because he's friends with Dumbledore, you're ready to sentence him to Azkaban like a Death Eater! This is all biased, and speculation at best!" Shane protested.

"Perhaps Lathum here is defending an ally?" Lucius snapped.

"It wasn't that long ago we were going to put you into Azkaban, Malfoy. And with good reason, Death Eater activities. But I suppose that's all been forgiven and forgotten, right? We had actual reason to throw him in Azkaban, and didn't. Arthur is based on biased speculation with no proof of any wrong doing and you're all ready to throw him under the Knight Bus? Do you even hear yourselves?"

"Are you implying the Minister can't make an honest judgment?"

"If he chooses to throw Arthur away because of this nonsense, then yes!" Shane shouted, now face to face with Lucius.

Aero watched the scene with wide eyes. They would throw Shane and Arthur in Azkaban for this...

There were several gasps around the room.

"Know your place, Lathum!" an Official shouted.

"I was under the impression my place was to help protect the innocent. And If I have to be punished for speaking the truth in order for an innocent to be spared, then so be it." Shane snapped, glaring holes into Lucius Malfoy.

"Enough. You're all losing your minds." Kingsley commanded.

Kingsley moved forward as another official of Fudge's did, and Kingsley stepped in between him and Shane defensively.

"Shacklebolt is right...there will be no punishment, this time, for Arthur Weasley. Weatherby, make sure the Prophet keeps this hush, understood?" the Minister announced, tiredly running a hand over his face before leaving the room.

Aero watched a pale faced Percy scribbled hurriedly on his note papers and follow him out, trippng slightly on unsteady feet. Maybe, just maybe, he cared more than he was letting on...