The Hundred Acre Wood

by DracaDelirus

AU Eleven-year-old Harry's fondest wish is to disappear. With help from friends in a magical storybook he just might succeed.

36. The Pink Haired Girl

The Hundred Acre Wood

Disclaimer & Warnings: See chapter 1

Timeline: Saturday, August 3rd, 1991, early morning hours

Chapter 36 – The Pink Haired Girl

"Call Poppy!" one voice suggested.

"Quick cast a 'Rennervate' spell," suggested another.

"I'm fine! You can all quit hovering now," Tonks opened her eyes and declared from her prone position on the floor of the headmaster's office.

"Just give her some air," someone else advised and the multitude of faces backed off, much to Tonks relief. She had burst through the door just in time to hear Dumbledore's dire proclamation. That, combined with the stress of the last two days, plus a monumental headache, had suddenly overwhelmed her.

'So graceful!', she snorted. And in front of her boss too.

Getting back to her feet, she dusted herself off. Quite aware of everyone staring at her, her cheeks coloured all the way up to the tips of her ears in embarrassment. However, she did have all their attention, which is what she'd wanted. Taking advantage of the situation she picked up the shimmering orb she'd been laying on, stalked up to the Headmaster's desk and placed it firmly in the centre in front of him.

Then she said simply, with an uncharacteristic quiet determination, "What you said before I interrupted - that simply isn't true Headmaster. Harry Potter isn't dead."

"My dear Miss Tonks, I'm saddened to say that it is. Unfortunately, you arrived too late to hear the reports for yourself, and I just can't go over it all again just now. Perhaps one of the others could enlighten you…"

"Headmaster, I don't mean to be disrespectful," Tonks interrupted again. "But I don't give a rat's arse what your reports say, it just isn't true. Harry Potter's NOT dead! He's very much alive. At least for now, and I…"

"Tonks! That's enough!" Kingsley Shackleford admonished her. "Next time, if you want to know what's going on so you don't make a fool of yourself, I'd advise you to skip the date and get here on time. Now just be quiet and listen."

"But I…"

"No 'buts' Nym-pha-dor-a. Now SIT DOWN!"

Coming in behind the young witch, Mad-Eye Moody moved silently into the room and slid along the wall in the shadows, watching the exchange with interest. Kingsley had asked him to mentor Tonk. However, at the moment Mad-Eye thought Kingsley was the one who needed the mentoring. Their argument was almost a repeat of the one back at the office earlier that afternoon. How'd Kingsley expect to gain Tonks' respect as a supervisor if he wouldn't ever listen to her? Tonks sat in a chair as Kingsley had ordered her to, but was shooting daggers at her boss. If looks could kill, he wouldn't want to be Kingsley right now.

Catching Kingsley's eye Mad-Eye nodded meaningfully towards the teenaged Auror. Kingsley misread the signal, and returned a look that said he was disappointed with Moody for being late as well. Recognizing that this was obviously not the time and place to give Kingsley management tips, he decided he'd just wait a bit and see how Tonks handled it first. If need be, he'd step in and make sure she had her say. Not only because she deserved that opportunity as a member of the Order, but because he was very curious about what she'd been up to for the past two days. As riled up as she was, it had to be quite a story.

"Sorry you were interrupted Professor McGonagall," Kingsley addressed the Deputy Headmistress. 'Please continue."

"As I was saying - you're not a fool Albus. Even I was holding out hope when the facts were obvious. I sent a last acceptance letter out with my owl Icarus, even though I knew it was futile. After seven hundred and twenty nine letters you would've thought I would've gotten the message loud and clear, but I still sent one more, just in case. When Icarus didn't come right back, I admit my hopes grew that he'd found Harry and would return with a reply."

"I always knew there was a reason you were my favourite professor," Tonks piped up excited. Now she knew who the other owl Little One had mentioned must be!

"I appreciate the compliment, but why bring that up now Miss Tonks?"

"You were right not to give up, because HARRY POTTER ISN'T DEAD! HE'S AT NUM…" Tonks was practically shouting now.

"Miss Tonks! Please! I understand how you're feeling. I didn't want to believe it either, but the Headmaster's right. We must face the facts. The sooner we do the better for all," Minerva said stoically. "I appreciate you wanting to keep hope alive. I did myself, especially when Icarus finally turned up without the letter. However, my hope was in vain - the letter was never delivered."

"How can you be so sure it wasn't?" Tonks asked and then glared around the room at the reproachful looks she was getting in return for her persistence. "What? I'm not allowed to ask questions either?"

"Icarus was injured by a hunter, his wing had been shot. The Weasley's found him and saved his life. I dare say the letter was lost when it happened…"

"Maybe it wasn't lost Professor… maybe HARRY POTTER HAS IT BECAUSE HE…"

"As much as I'd like to be on your side about this Tonks, I sincerely doubt that Icarus got the letter anywhere," Charlie Weasley butted in. "He was badly injured and barely made it to the Burrow. There's no way he could've delivered a letter with those kinds of injuries. It was a miracle we even found him in time."

"Dursley has a shotgun, and that's all I have to say about that," Tonks muttered under her breath. No one heard her.

"Charlie's right Miss," Hagrid added from the back. "That was one lucky bird. Professor Kettleburn's been watching over him since Percy Weasley brought him back, and he was injured sumpthin fierce. Could'na delivered a letter in that condition. I'm surprised though, that he's recovering as quickly as he is. It's almost as he'd a bit o' Mother Nature's help."

"Maybe he did," Tonks thought aloud, remembering the blue aura that she'd imagined seeing surround another owl and a certain boy. "Or… maybe he got help from HARRY POT…"

"Miss Tonks, you seem to have quite a lump on your head. I can see it from here. Has it addled your brain?"

"What?"

"Can't you see you're making an already difficult situation worse? If you persist in interrupting, I'll have to… Ask. You. To. Leave." Severus Snape enunciated each word slowly as if he was talking to an imbecile.

"Speaking of addled brains…" Hagrid interrupted. "I think your owl's a bit o' that now Professor McGonagall. He won't answer to his name anymore, and he keeps flying in the face of every wizard that gets close. Dragging brooms over to them with his talons and pecking at their wands with his beak. It's just sad. He used to be such a reliable bird too. Best messenger you ever had."

"Maybe he's just trying to get you to HELP HARRY!" Tonks yelled, rising out of her seat.

"TONKS! What'd I tell you?" Kingsley admonished threateningly with his hands firmly pressing down on her shoulders. "Now sit down and shut up, if you don't want me to put a body-bind on you. I apologize again Professor, it won't happen again. Will it Nymphadora?"

After this last rebuke, Tonks shrugged him off in anger. Getting up, she brushed past Kingsley and stormed over to the open window behind Remus Lupin, sitting on the wide stone windowsill to sulk.

What to do? Little One needed help. The muggle police didn't provide it. Since Fudge was into it up to his slimy neck, she couldn't ask the Ministry - so the Aurors were out. Her last hope was the Order, and now they weren't paying any attention to her. How many times did she have to say it? It wasn't as if she was being vague or anything. She put it quite simply and very directly. They couldn't have possibly have misunderstood. That only meant one thing…

NO ONE WAS LISTENING TO THE PINK HAIRED GIRL!

Moody watched her with concern. He wished she'd picked a less precarious perch knowing her penchant for falling out of windows lately. This one had nothing but two hundred meters of air between it and the ground. As he watched her now, he could almost see the wheels turning in her head. She was up to something…

Tonks was royally fed up with how they were treating her. Here she was, the youngest person ever accepted into the Auror program, but did it gain her one iota of respect? NO! Did anyone even pretend to listen to her? NO! Even Bill and Charlie Weasley weren't giving her the time of day, and they weren't that much older than she was, in fact Charlie was the same age! Was it the pink hair?

'It shouldn't matter what colour my hair is, or how old I am,' she thought derisively. 'My voice should carry as much weight as anyone else's. Well, almost everyone else anyway,' she conceded. However, everyone just kept telling her to shut up and behave, as if she was an annoying child running about underfoot, instead of a full-fledged member of the Order. How was she going to get their attention long enough to listen to her? If it weren't for the fact that she recognized she needed the help of every person in the room, to help her save her Little One, she would've told them all to take a flying leap off the astronomy tower.

'Hm… flying leap - flying. What I need is corroboration from another source. I wonder if… and if I'm right, it just might work… otherwise it'll only confirm their opinion that I'm a raving lunatic. Still, it's a chance since they won't listen to me. But maybe… just maybe… they'd listen to the only other witness…'

Tonks leaned backwards out the window, put her wand to her throat and cast a 'Sonorus' amplification spell and then bellowed towards the Owlery.

"MERCURY!"

The spell magnified her voice and it reverberated off from every shingle of the castle. She then punctuated her command with a piercing two-fingered ear-splitting heart-stopping whistle.

You could hear a pin drop in the crowded room as everyone abruptly ceased their conversations and turned to stare as if she'd gone completely mental. Sure, they were giving her their complete attention now, but only while they determined the best way to check her into St. Mungo's mental ward, without her creating a scene.

"Ah, Miss Tonks… why don't you come away from that ledge and retake your seat?" Dumbledore asked, finally breaking the silence and indicating the chair she'd vacated earlier. He smiled at her wearily, his patience wearing thin. He just couldn't deal with one more unhinged person right now, Molly was quite enough to handle.

"Once you're seated, we need to wrap up this meeting. Further histrionics will get us nowhere, and we're all tired."

Tonks didn't move.

She sat there grinning at him absurdly, as a wave of relief washed over her at the steady beat of a pair of wings in the distance. She hadn't been wrong! Just then, a stately grey owl flew in the open window to land gracefully on the sill next to Tonks. He was one of the largest and most impressive owls she'd ever seen, one that she'd seen many times at Hogwarts. He was Professor McGonagall's personal owl Mercury, formerly known as Icarus.

'Hooottt!' Mercury nuzzled Tonks appreciatively at her use of his new preferred name.

"Icarus!" Minerva gasped in shock at seeing her owl. Not only had his wing mended, and he was flying again, but also he went to Tonks instead of to her? "How…? What…? Why…?"

"Why'd he come to me? Because I called him by his name," Tonks said, relishing the shock on everyone's faces.

"You're wrong. His name is Icarus. However, he hasn't responded to it in days,"

Minerva countered.

"That's because someone, you won't let me mention, gave him a new name… 'Mercury', and he seems to like it better. Don't you?" Tonks crooned at the bird who responded by fluffing up his feathers to look even more important and more regal than normal.

Tonks leaned down and whispered to the owl, "Our Little One's going to be very happy to find out you're alright, he's been worried about you."

Mercury let out a mournful hoot at the mention of the young wizard and turned a stony glare on his mistress.

'Hooottt… if you'd have just listened to me earlier, we could have rescued him already! Hooottt!'

"But why would someone give my owl a new name?"

"Perhaps because it fits him better," Tonks said casually, nonchalantly swinging her dangling legs, and looking quite like the kneazle who caught the snidget. "You can go now Mercury, you need your rest. I can take it from here. But thank you for helping me get their attention, Little One and I both appreciate it."

'Hooottt… anytime… however, if you don't need me, I've rested enough. I'm going to go check on Hedwig and the owlet myself. Hooottt.'

The magnificent owl gracefully took to wing, and with a slow and steady beat, headed for Surrey.

"Miss Tonks! Explain!" Minerva demanded in her sternest schoolteacher voice.

"Well… his feathers are rather a beautiful silver colour, like liquid mercury, and he flies with a purpose like the winged messenger in roman mythology, seems to me a natural choice for such a majestic bird," Tonks shrugged, purposely misunderstanding and drawing it out as long as possible. They ignored her and then treated her like a child. Now they can pay for it.

"That isn't what I meant young lady!"

"Oh really? That's not what you meant? So sorry, Professor. Guess I wasn't listening to you either. Is it the pink hair? Is that it? Would you listen to me if I looked more like my Aunt Bella instead myself? Would any of you give me any respect then? Do I need to 'Silencio' the great lot of you, to get you to quit talking and listen to me for ONE BLOODY MINUTE?"

Tonks angrily hopped down from the sill. Coming forward, she put her hands on the back of Remus' chair and leaned forward to glare at the entire room as her hair grew heavy, long and black, and her facial features turned into the spitting image of the infamous Death Eater Bella Lestrange, right down to the brilliant blue eyes.

She wasn't good at confrontation, and really preferred it when everyone just got along and was happy. That was probably the Hufflepuff in her. However, she did have a spattering of Gryffindor courage and this was important. They needed to understand that. They needed to listen to her. If throwing a monumental tantrum would get her the help she needed to save her Little One, she would do it - and she'd do it with flair!

Having Tonks come up so close behind him roused Remus from his introspective thoughts. Glancing up, he saw his pink haired pixie hovering over him as she morphed into Bella Lestrange, looking for all the world like she was about to take on a room full of Death Eaters by herself, with nothing but her bravado and her wand. From the sparks in her eyes, he'd place a large wager on her winning the fight. While he was very glad he wasn't a Death Eater, it looked as if, in her estimation, that being a member of the Order of the Phoenix wasn't much of an improvement.

"I'm sorry… Miss, you're very right. We weren't listening to you… 'Tonks' is it?" Remus apologized to the irate pixie, his hazel eyes meeting her azure ones. "I don't know about the rest of this crowd, however, I'd very much like to hear whatever it is you have to say."

Then to Albus, he added, "I know it's very late and we're all tired, but I think we can take the time."

Tonks looked at the man sitting in the chair in front of her, and actually saw him for the first time. It was the man from the restaurant! She blushed to the roots of her ebony hair, remembering the hamburgers and chips she'd appropriated from him. She'd never thought she'd run into him again, and yet here he was, and he was actually listening to her, Tonks - the pink haired girl, the one that no one ever takes seriously! Gazing into his eyes, and seeing only honest trust and encouragement, Tonks fell head over heels in love.

While all this was going on, Mad-Eye Moody had been standing silently in the back of the room, leaning against the wall with his arm crossed. If no one else had spoken up in support of Tonks, he would have eventually himself, as he was extremely curious about her date. However, it was better that she found her voice on her own, it was the only way she'd be able to command the respect she was due from the other members of the Order, and the only way they'd quit treating her as a junior member.

"I second that," Moody concurred, giving Tonks a wink and a confident nod. "It's about time we listened to the pink haired girl for a change. And by the way Tonks, I for one, do prefer that to the Bella look-a-like model,"

Tonks broke her gaze with Remus and looked around the room. Seventeen pairs of eyes locked on hers as she changed back to her favourite bubble-gum pink hair and dark sparkling eyes.

"Thanks Moody… and I apologize for the tantrum. It's just that this is SO important, and the question really isn't why someone gave your owl a new name, Professor McGonagall. The question is… who gave it to him," Tonks said, pausing for dramatic effect.

The anger was draining out of her, now that she finally had their attention, however, she was still a little too miffed at their earlier attitude towards her, to answer the question outright. After all, payback is payback.

"WHO!?" the entire room shouted in unison.

"Harry Potter… that's who. I saw him not an hour ago. Messy black hair, green eyes, lightning bolt scar on his forehead," she said nonchalantly, as she studied her nails intently.

If the crowd was quiet before when she let out her whistle, it was nothing compared to this. Even the portraits were holding their breath, and the perpetually moving silver trinkets stopped in mid twirl and beep, suspended in nothingness as if time had stopped and the world had frozen over.

"Er… do you mind if I sit here?" Tonks asked, but then didn't bother to wait for an answer as she plopped down in an empty chair next to Remus and smiled at everyone demurely.

"Um… are you… are you serious? Because if you're not…" The flicker of interest in Remus' eyes turned once again into pain at the thought of what he'd lost.

"Yes, I'm - dead serious. I said Harry Potter, and that's whom I mean. He's the one that renamed Mercury. And a fine job he did too," she said, smiling fondly at the thought of her Little One.

Severus Snape snorted. "Your prank is failing to amuse. You should've listened to your boss and not arrived late to the meeting. Obviously, you've missed the entire point."

"What do you mean?" Tonks asked, her eyes narrowing at his dismissive tone.

"As we've been discussing all night, Harry Potter is dead. Professor Dumbledore's going to announce it on September first."

"With all due respect, I don't know where you or the Headmaster got your information, but it's a tad premature. As I have been trying to say ever since I got here, Harry Potter's not dead - at least not yet," Tonks challenged him, jumping to her feet too fast and getting dizzy from her concussion.

"OW! That smarts!" she said, dropping back down heavily and missing her chair, landing instead in the lap of a very startled Remus.

'I could really get used to this,' he thought as he grabbed her around her slim waist to prevent her further fall.

"And why do you think that our information is incorrect, when far more experienced wizards than you have investigated and found it factual?" Severus sneered.

"Because I had a date with Harry this very evening, and I think I would've noticed a little something like him being dead. It would've been a trifle hard to miss," she retorted.

A familiar scent roused Remus from his funk as he held Tonks. There was that scent again! The same one he smelled at Gringotts. Glancing at the pixie on his lap, he saw the brownish red smears littering her attire - blood! Familiar blood! He hadn't been imagining it, but how'd it get on this very furious young woman? Could it really mean what he thought it might?

NO! He shook himself back to reality. He didn't want to start down that path. It'd hurt like hell to get his hopes up again if it turned out to be a prank as Severus suggested. However… if there was even a glimmer of hope, he had to risk it. He owed that much to James and Lily.

"Ah yes… your 'date'. Wasn't he the reason you stole my dinner?" Remus asked with a sardonic little smile on his lips. Damn, it was a prank, he thought as he remembered it was a large man in the shadows of the porch, not a young boy.

'YES! YES!" Tonks yelled and threw her arms around his neck in a hug. Someone was finally paying attention! He was her knight in shining armour! As his question broke the floodgate of her pent up words, they started tumbling out a mile a minute.

"Ineededtofeedhim - Theywerestarvinghim - IfoundhimyesterdaywhenIfollowed - wellthatdoesntmatterrightnow - maybeitdoes… butIdonthaveanyproof - whatImeantosayisthat - Ifoundalittleboy - atfirstithoughthewasamuggleboy - withgreeneyesandblackhair - andalightningboltscar - sowhoelsecouldhebe? - Hesintrouble - Itriedtokidnaphim - togethimoutofthatplace - buthehadthis - metalbandaroundhisneck - withrunesetchedonit - Itriedtotakeitoff - andinsteadIalmostkilledhim! Ineedhelp! Heneedshelp! Pleasehelpme - SaveLittleOne! PLEASE!"

Tonks stopped for breath and looked into his eyes, but only saw bewilderment. Taking a glance around the room, no one seemed to be understanding the importance of immediate action either. No one was moving!

"Weneedtomakeplans! Weneedtogetgoing! NOW! WHYISN'TANYONEMOVING!?"

"Miss Tonks?" Tonks looked over at the Headmaster. Gratefully he was the only one that didn't seem the least bit confused by her story. If anything, for the first time that evening he suddenly looked alert. "Might I inquire… who was it that you were following?"

"The toothache and the toad."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows questioningly at that description.

"Excuse me, I mean Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge," Tonks said, with venom dripping off from every syllable of their names.

"Ah, I see," Albus Dumbledore said knowingly, leaning back in his chair and steepling his hands together on the desk in front of him. "I'm now in agreement with Remus. I believe we'd all enjoy listening to a much slower accounting of your 'date' with Harry."

"Then you think it might be true? Harry might not be - dead?" Remus asked with hope once again alive in his expressive eyes.

"As the young lady said - she would have noticed a little thing like that," Dumbledore said, a small smile reappearing at the corner of his mouth once more.

Tonks rose out of Remus' lap and took the floor.

"Where do I start?" She said aloud, pricking Moody's conscious at cutting her off the day before when she asked him the same question. In response, he'd given her a bad time about dating a muggle. Perhaps he should've taken his own advice and listened to her then.

"I always found the middle to be a good place to start practically anything," Albus replied sagely.

"The middle? Most people say to start at the beginning - or at the end," she said, throwing Moody a look saying that she hadn't totally forgiven him for that one either.

"I find if you start in the middle you can go either way. If you start at the beginning, it could be too long a journey, from the end - far too short."

"Okay then, the middle it is - yesterday I met this little boy and I promised I'd come back to see him again. So tonight…" Tonks dove into her tale after taking a deep breath. Finally, having everyone's undivided attention, she told them all about her Little One and everything that had happened that night.

When she finished, she was totally drained and her head had started throbbing again.

'At least,' she thought with relief. 'I finally have the help I need to save my Little One. They're finally listening to the pink haired girl! At least I think they are. It's a little hard to tell with a head injury.'

Tonks frowned slightly as she looked at the various reactions on the faces around the room.

'Nancy Ann Tonks - Metamorphmagus Magnificent, Hogwarts Hufflepuff Class of 1990 Summa Cum Laude, Prankster Extraordinaire, Amazing Auror, Esteemed Member of the Order of the Phoenix, Order of Merlin First Class,' she fantacized a little dizzily.

'Ha-ha! That last bit's a little premature, but the rest is accurate. I mean - not THAT exaggerated anyway. My name could've been 'Nancy Ann'. It means 'graceful', and I'm graceful… sort of - at least I was in the garden tonight and it's much better than 'Nymphadora Andromeda', which means "Gift of the Nymphs'. Besides, this is my delusion is it not?'

Tonks chaotic thoughts rambled on as she waited for her story to spur the rest of the Order into action.

'Maybe that bump on my head was a little harder than I realized, but they don't seem to be doing anything, or are they? Everything in the room seems to be a bit woozy and out of focus. Perhaps they're moving and I just can't tell. Oh look! Is that a crumple-horned snorkack? No - just Professor Snape looking at me like I'm a blibbering humdinger.'

Unfortunately, while Tonks story received many reactions, it didn't get the one reaction she'd been counting on the most - immediate action with a full-blown all-out massive assault on Number 4 Privet Drive. Instead, the reactions from around the room were a mixture from one extreme to the other.

Kingsley was shaking his head in disbelief. Not disbelief over her story, he thought all along that something was fishy about the whole Privet Drive setup. No his disbelief centred on how pigheaded and intolerant he'd been toward his new employee. He'd accused Albus in his mind of not being an effective leader, and not listening to the advice of others. However, he was no better. Tonks had tried to tell him several times what was going on, and what she had found, but he never listened to her once.

Molly was sobbing loudly again. Her volume and pitch only surpassed by that of Hagrid's moans. This time, however, a very pale faced and remorseful Arthur was holding her in his arms comforting her. Both of their boys looked shaken at the turn of events. They'd just come to grips with the knowledge that the boy who lived was dead, and now to find out he was alive - but abused, was hard for them to fathom. Neither of them had ever known of child abuse in the real sense. They'd heard rumours that it existed from their muggle-born schoolmates, but their tales were nothing like this. It just couldn't be real! Tonks had to be making it up!

Minerva McGonagall had clenched her teacup so tightly it had shattered, sending droplets of tea everywhere. The droplets transformed as they fell into little red-hot cinders that burned holes into everything on which they landed. If she'd only known what those muggles had really been capable of, she would've gone with her gut instincts. She had wanted to hide and stay behind, and then steal baby Harry off the doorstep after Albus left. However, what was worse was that she did know. She did know they were the worst sort of muggles imaginable. She knew, and yet she did nothing. She'd never forgive herself. She supposed the ministry had been right - she didn't have a maternal instinct after all.

Arabella sat next to Minerva trying to dodge the burning embers, which were threatening to set fire to her cherished bits of cardboard. She wasn't surprised in the least by Tonks revelations of her appalling neighbours.

Remus frankly, had stopped listening completely as soon as Dumbledore answered his question in the affirmative. All he could think about was his cub still being alive. Harry was alive! Alive! Alive! Alive! The word, roared in his ears, blocking out everything else. Harry was alive and his beautiful, intriguing, and thoroughly wonderful in every way pink haired pixie was the reason. He'd been drowning in sorrow, and she'd thrown him a life preserver. She'd pulled him back from the cliffs of despair just as he was about to jump. She'd put out the fire of anguish, which had been consuming his soul.

At that moment, Remus vowed he'd forever do anything Tonks ever asked of him. He'd be her slave for life - wait a minute - slave? Remus frowned - where'd he just hear that word? Tonks story started to slowly seep into his foggy brain.

Meanwhile, Severus Snape looked highly sceptical about the whole account. He remembered Tonks and her antics at Hogwarts. She was always imaginative, but he never thought she'd go this far with a prank, or be this cruel. He'd never have thought it of her.

The rest of the order had been left confused, speechless, stunned, surprised, shocked, or a combination of all of them. On the other hand, Dumbledore's reaction was unique among the group. It was one of pure unadulterated joy.

"Ah! But this is utterly delightful!" the old wizard smiled broadly, his eyes twinkling madly. In his relief, he momentarily forgot there were others in the room who might not appreciate his description of the news. He was painfully reminded of their presence when a pair of hands suddenly flew across his massive desk and closed around his throat in a vice grip. The weight of his attacker knocked him from his chair with a tremendous crash to the floor, scattering lemon sherbets along the way like little bits of solidified sunshine.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT ALBUS? WHAT ABOUT ANY OF THIS IS EVEN REMOTELY DELIGHTFUL!?" Remus snarled at him as he straddled the very stunned wizard and proceeded to throttle the living daylights out him. "TELL ME RIGHT NOW. WHERE. IS. MY. CUB?!"

It took every man in the room to battle Remus' werewolf strength and break his grip on Dumbledore throat. Kingsley, Mad-Eye, Sturgis and all three Weasley men, finally managed to pull him off and thrust him into Hagrid's grip to restrain him.

Though none of them would admit to it later, each one of them secretly wished it'd been their own hands around his throat. Nor would they own up to the momentary delay they each had in responding to help the old wizard, although they all knew that was true as well. Somehow, seeing Albus choked in the same manner that Tonks had just described Harry choked by the band around his neck, seemed entirely appropriate.

"SOMEBODY TELL ME RIGHT NOW WHERE HARRY IS OR I SWEAR I'LL KILL THE OLD COOT! KINGSLEY! ARTHUR! YOU HAVE THE ADDRESS! I KNOW YOU DO! YOU'VE BEEN THERE! GIVE IT TO ME RIGHT NOW!"

"Remus! Remus! Please! See reason!" Elphias tried to rationalize with the best of intentions, as the temperature in the room was just below 'incendiary'. "Albus is just an old man - human like the rest of us. Are you saying you never made a mistake that cost someone else dearly?"

'BE CAREFUL OLD MAN OR YOU'RE NEXT! THE ADDRESS - NOW! OR SOMEONE'S GOING TO REGRET IT, AND IT WON'T BE ME!"

Remus struggled against Hagrid's grip, punching him as hard as he could in the stomach in an attempt to free himself. The half-giant barely noticed.

"Remus - drink this now!" Suddenly Poppy was standing in front of him, thrusting a vile of calming draught into his hands, and demanding his instant obedience. Conditioned from years of her administering monthly wolfsbane treatments, he instinctively downed the vile at her command in one gulp - without even thinking about what it might be.

"Thank you for alerting me Hestia. I think he'll be fine now," the mediwitch said, seeing her patient start to relax as Hagrid eased him into a chair.

"Will you watch him for me please Hagrid?"

"Yes Ma'am. I'll make sure he behaves himself," the half-giant assured her.

"Well, that's fine now. Unless someone else needs a draught, my work is done," Poppy looked expectantly at the crowd. Spying the pink haired Auror among them, she smiled broadly. "Tonks - you're back! I didn't see you earlier. How'd your date go? Since you didn't bring your little muggle friend to visit me, may I assume all went well?"

Madam Pomfrey was completely unprepared for the reaction this simple question received. Remus started to quietly sob with his face in his hands, while Molly started another round of wailing that set Minerva and Emmeline to sniffling into their handkerchiefs, even a few of the men blew their noses loudly. Tonks stood in the middle of the chaos she'd created, thankful that there was at least one calm head in the room. She could always count on Poppy.

"I can see my work here isn't done after all, and I'm not sure I brought enough calming draught to go around. Headmaster, what do you want me to…" Poppy looked around, puzzled to not finding the object of her question in sight. "Can anyone tell me where the Headmaster is?"

"Right - (cough) - here Madam Pomfrey. Just - (cough) - catching my breath." The top of the Headmaster's tousled head popped up over the massive desktop. "I believe we'll all be fine now, you may retire if you wish."

"If you're sure, I think I will," she said and after a final nod from Dumbledore she left the room. As soon as she was gone, Dumbledore remorsefully turned his attention again to the still enraged Remus.

"I apologize to you Remus, for my unfortunate choice of words. I was merely relieved that all's not lost and Harry's still among the living. I in no way meant to condone the circumstances."

"I SHOULD HOPE NOT! AND I'm STILL WAITING FOR THAT ADDRESS!" Remus growled out baring his teeth. He was just as incensed as before, but this time in a slightly lower volume thanks to the calming draught.

"Harry's still living? But Headmaster, didn't you just say that Harry Potter was dead?" Hestia Jones asked confused.

"Try to keep up Hestia," Emmeline said kindly, patting her hand.

"Apparently, that debate is once again open," Severus said with scepticism. "Miss Tonks seems to have a difference of opinion on that matter."

"What do you mean Severus? Someone tell me - is he alive or not?"

"According to Miss Tonks, that would be a yes. However, I've yet to hear compelling evidence to support her claim - only a wild tale, with as many holes in it as Remus' socks."

"What is it Snape? Are you just not man enough to admit you might've made a mistake?" Remus taunted.

"Mistake?"

"Yes - with brewing the veritaserum. If Tonks is right, then that means you must've botched it."

"I 'botched' nothing," the Potions Master intoned, his face a perfect mask of indifference.

Severus Snape knew the brew had been perfect. He couldn't have botched it. However, in the back of his mind, he remembered the locator spell he'd tried twice. Both times, it first seemed to be working, and then it found nothing. No Potter. Could it have been those added levels of wards that Kingsley mentioned? Could they have both, thrown off the locator spell and so obscuring the boy's presence in the house, and interfered with the effects of the veritaserum, thus allowing Dursley to lie about it?

It was the only rational explanation he could think of. It certainly wasn't his potion - that was impossible. If Potter was alive, and he supposed there might be a remote possibility, then he needed to have more proof than the say so of a flighty Hufflepuff, before he'd believe it.

"What do you want Snape - confirmation?" Kingsley spoke up.

"That would be desirable. I for one would rather the facts validated, preferably scientifically, before we go off half-cocked to 'rescue' someone who may not even exist. However, I would accept a second corroboration from a more reliable source."

"Mad-Eye - when you left the office, you indicated that you might be going to - how shall I put this - ah - check up on Tonks tonight," Kingsley Shacklebolt hedged. "Can you confirm her story? What did you see?"

"You mean you followed me?" Tonks said incredulously. It only now dawned on her how it was that Moody came to be standing over her when she woke up.

"I just wanted to make sure you had… backup," Moody said a little sheepishly, his magical eye looking everywhere but at Tonks.

"Let me get this straight Moody - you followed me, you saw what was happening - you saw Dursley hit me over the head - you saw him drag Harry back into that godforsaken house - and you DID NOTHING!? How was that even remotely BACKING ME UP?" Even though Tonks was a good half a meter shorter than he, Moody was feeling pretty diminished by her wrath as she stared him down.

"Back off there girl, I certainly would have done something, if I'd seen what was going on. I wasn't…"

"You weren't what Moody? You're the one always spouting Constant Vigilance! You weren't WHAT?"

"I wasn't there…"

"What do you mean you weren't there? You were there when I came to, did you follow me or not?" Tonks asked rubbing her head again. Feeling lightheaded, she leaned back to find herself suddenly supported by a pair of warm strong arms belonging to Remus Lupin. He'd jumped up to catch her when she started to sway, and then sat back down with her once again securely on his lap.

"I did - at first, however, I later found myself interviewing two muggle law enforcement chaps. I was otherwise occupied, right up until I found you unconscious in the flowerbed of that deserted house."

"You were doing what?" Kingsley questioned sharply.

"I was - er - okay, okay, I admit it - I slipped up. The great Alastor Moody, Senior Auror, terror of Death Eaters far and near, blew it. I didn't think tailing Tonks on a date with a muggle would be such a tricky proposition."

"So what happen? You can't tell me you planned on, how'd you put it? - 'interviewing' - a couple of muggle police officers all night long. Did they get the drop on you?" Kingsley interrogated him with narrowed eyes.

"Oops," Remus said under his breath, but Moody caught it anyway.

"What do you mean - 'Oops'? Explain yourself Lupin," Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye was boring a hole through him.

"It's just that after I - uh - 'donated' my dinner, I followed the young lady here, thinking of course that she might need some ketchup for the chips, and I - um - had a hunch - that someone might have been tailing her, so I followed her and I…"

"You what Lupin?"

"I alerted the muggle police."

"YOU WHAT?"

"I was concerned about the young lady, so I called in reinforcements," Remus said, defending his actions.

"And may I ask, what concerned you so much since you were only 'guessing' that she might be being tailed?" Severus probed.

"Well - (ahem) - She said she'd a 'hot date' and I was…" Remus stopped dead. There was no way on earth he was going to admit he accidentally sent the muggle police after Mad-Eye because he was jealous. Luckily, Snape saved him by butting right back in without letting him finish answering.

"Ah - I see. So this is really all about Miss Tonk's love life, after all," Snape observed dryly.

"I DON'T HAVE A LOVE LIFE!"

Tonks blushed scarlet as she realized what she'd just shouted aloud. Then she blushed even deeper as she realized that Remus was now looking at her with obvious relief and a hopeful expression in his soft hazel eyes. Her heart did a flip-flop. She wondered if the hope she saw there was only for Harry, or if a little smidgen of it could possibly be because she'd just declared to the world that she was very much available.

Taking an uncharacteristic shy glance at him one more time, she saw the hope in his eyes turn into realization as he stood up suddenly, letting her drop rudely to the floor as he made a mad dash for the fireplace. He knew where Harry was! He'd been there earlier that night when he followed his pixie! He'd been within meters of his cub, and he never knew it. Well, he was going to remedy that right this minute!

"Remus! Where are you going?" Albus Dumbledore called out, alerting Hagrid that he'd been lax in his duty of watching the distraught wizard. Stepping quickly in front of him Hagrid blocked Remus' way to the floo.

"HAGRID, GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

"Where are yer going? Don't yer want to help save Harry?"

"THAT'S WHAT I'm GOING TO DO! IF YOU'D JUST GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Arthur rose and tried to put a calming hand on his shoulder, but Remus roughly threw it off.

"Remus, I understand. I'd be right there with you in a heartbeat, but I saw those wards. They're nothing to fool around with, Kingsley's right. They're even stronger than the ones here at Hogwarts. You won't do Harry any good by yourself. We need to plan."

"Arthur - if you don't want Molly to be a widow, I'd advise you to move - now," Remus said evenly.

"Hagrid, can't you control him?" Snape asked impatiently.

"Well wha' yer expect me to do? Yer know I'm not supposed to do magic."

"Then. Sit. On. Him."

"Oh!" Hagrid said, surprised at the idea. "I can do that."

"Then do it," Snape clipped.

"Excuse me for interrupting again, but could you explain something I still don't understand – If the people he's living with abused him, why didn't Harry's accidental magic protect him?" Emmeline asked, looking questioningly at Tonks. "I've always heard that no magical child could ever be abused! Their accidental magic would protect them. Your little friend can't possibly be Harry Potter."

"That's my question as well," Severus agreed.

"I can't explain it Emmeline, but it's true, I saw the scar on his forehead. It's Harry. I know it. I think maybe I even knew it all along, and that's what made me keep going back to try and help."

"I think I can explain," Kingsley spoke up and the room silenced once more. "It's those blasted wards. The same wards that suppressed Dudley's magic, so we didn't know he was a wizard, would have suppressed Harry's as well, since he's of the same blood line."

"But why would such a provision even have been added to the wards?" Hestia asked. "Accidental magic's there for a reason, it should never be restrained. It's part of a magical child's normal development. It would be very detrimental to suppress it!"

"I'd bet it was included at the request of Harry's aunt and uncle. From what I can remember of them, they hated magic, and probably didn't feel prepared to deal with it," Molly spoke up for the first time since crushing Arthur's hand. "I never did like that horrid woman!"

"But that brings another question to my mind. If the wards suppressed Harry's magic, as well as Dudley's, why didn't the wards alert Albus when Harry was in danger, the same way they'd have alerted him for Dudley?" Sturgis asked.

"I think they did - in a way," Kingsley said, frowning and flipping back open his notepad. "Remember those minor fluctuations I mentioned? The Ministry claims they only indicate the wards are active and working properly. When I was there on Thursday morning, I witnessed one of these fluctuations shortly before the alleged abuser exited the residence. According to Tonks' report, when she first saw Harry on Thursday night he'd been recently abused. It makes me wonder if the two incidents aren't connected."

"How often were these 'spikes' registered?" Arthur asked Kingsley with trepidation.

"Several times…" Kingsley hesitate before he added, "… a day."

"For how long?"

"Since the day after the wards were installed. The first one approximately six a.m. - the same time listed as the time of death on the death certificate. Dolores Umbridge personally investigated that particular spike. The notation in the log as to the cause was marked down simply as a 'normal deviation'. Their regularity from that point forward was probably one of the reasons the Ministry continued to classified them as 'normal'. According to the watch commander, they only would get concerned if there wasn't at least one spike a day."

"Did that happen often - when there were no spikes?" Molly asked hopefully.

"Sadly no. The few times it happened, it was escalated up the chain. Investigators only notated the Dursleys were on vacation. As soon as they returned, the wards miraculously spike again, almost immediately."

"But I still don't understand completely," Sturgis remarked, still struggling to reconcile all the bits and pieces of the puzzle. "Why wouldn't they have alerted Albus via his magic mood marble? I still think they would have."

"I believe it was because the marble was tied to the magical core present in the wards, which was solely Dudley's, and only used the wards to amplify the signal to reach here to Hogwarts. On the other hand, the ward alarms used the blood of the aunt, which was in both boys. However, since the primary protection of the wards was set for Dudley, Harry's danger only showed up as minor spikes and fluctuations."

"But you said the wards would prevent harm to the magical child," Hestia added. "Even if the wards prevented accidental magic of both Dudley and Harry, so they couldn't have protected themselves, wouldn't that provision have done that for them?"

Scanning back through his notes for reference Kingsley finally nodded with understanding. "I believe I can explain that too. The request specified only to protect the magical child 'from outside harm'. Unfortunately, no provision was made in the request to protect him from harm from those already 'within' the home."

"So all this was allowed to happen because of another 'unfortunate choice' of words!" Remus growled as he made a move towards Albus, only to find himself once again restrained by Hagrid.

"And that would be my fault entirely," Albus Dumbledore said, sadly fingering the glowing marble out of habit.

Kingsley almost felt like forgiving the old wizard when he saw how deeply depressed he was at the monumental mess he'd caused with all his clever words - but not quite.

"So it would seem Albus. Besides not protecting the child from his own guardians, the other thing the request didn't specify was exactly 'which' magical child to protect," Kingsley finally pointed out. "Your request just said 'the' magical child assuming there was only one. However, since there were two, Umbridge authorizing the setting of the wards to Dudley Dursley instead of Harry Potter, would've been a natural mistake, as he was the son of the owners of the house and in residence at nine p.m. when the wards were being set. Harry Potter wasn't there until after the fact. You can't really blame the Ministry that Dudley wasn't the child intended, when you didn't specify Harry by name. Can you?"

"I could," Minerva McGonagall said firmly, answering for Dumbledore. "Dolores Umbridge knew exactly who that protection was meant for. She was the one that insisted he had to be placed there. Using Dudley instead of Harry couldn't have been a mistake on the Ministry's part, it had to have been done on purpose, and I can draw my own conclusion from whom she got that idea! And there's no way you can convince me otherwise."

"While that may be true Minerva, there's no way to prove it," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "I'm just as culpable for the abuse Harry suffered as I was when I felt responsible for his death, even though we know now that wasn't true."

"But it was true!" Arabella piped up for the first time all evening.

"There, there, my dear," Minerva patted her hand patronizingly. "I know it must have been difficult for you to keep up with the conversation, but we've come full circle on that one. Harry's alive, not dead."

"I'm a squib Minerva - not an idiot," Arabella returned. "And all I'm saying is that Harry did die, Kingsley saw the death certificate, and I've the clippings to prove it right here in this scrapbook. Besides Albus, I don't understand why all of this is coming as such a surprise to you."

"What do you mean Arabella?" Dumbledore asked with obvious bewilderment as he caught her eyes and stared deeply into them.

"You've been making yearly visits to the Dursley's. You can't tell me that you never once noticed, in almost a decade, that they were abusing him as Tonks described."

"I've only been there once since I left him - last Wednesday evening for dinner. Remember? Severus and I saw you on our way through."

"I was not talking about last Wednesday night. I'm talking about every November first when you show up like clockwork, and waltz into Petunia's house like you own it."

Looking even deeper into Arabella's eyes, Albus probed around her memories.

"Ah - I can see that I did indeed. What was the purpose of my visit? Did I say?" Dumbledore asked as he continued to covertly rummage through her recollections, wading through bits of fluff and the occasional fur ball, to find the images of himself he was seeking.

"No, you never stopped in. I tried to catch you a few times, but never succeeded, even though I'm sure you saw me trying to get your attention."

"I can see that now. That was quite rude of me wasn't it? However, I can assure you that it wasn't me whom you saw my dear. I'm afraid I have been impersonated."

"I'd know you anywhere Albus that was definitely you!"

"It was and it wasn't Arabella, I suspect polyjuice potion."

"Polyjuice!?" Minerva breathed, "But whom…? How…? Why…?"

"I can deduce the whom, and possibly the how, but I'm at a loss to explain the why."

"Okay, who…?" Aberforth asked while adding in the back of his mind '… are you going to blame it on this time?'

"I should think that's quite obvious. Ask yourself this: Who'd have something to gain in casting culpability for his less than honourable deeds elsewhere?"

"Oh! I know! I know! The toothache!" Tonks shouted as she stood up and waved her hand in the air as if she was back in class. "In fact, I'm almost sure I heard Vernon Dursley mention Fudge after I was hit over the head."

"Very good Miss Tonks, it seems the blow didn't entirely addle your brain. Ten points for Hufflepuff. Do you want to try for twenty and explain the how as well?" Severus granted generously.

Tonks glared back at the sarcastic man, the intensity of her stare in the brightly lit office causing her to wince slightly.

"I think the how, is a bit more convoluted Severus," Albus said, getting up and starting to pace. "Once again, I believe I have been the cause of my own folly."

"Explain please," the Potions Master asked intrigued, long since forgetting his cherished bubbling brews below in the dungeons.

"Kreacher - the Black family house elf. He had access to my personal quarters, and could have gathered up my stray hairs and sold them to Fudge."

"That's insane! House-elves have no use for money," Mundungus countered. He should know. He'd tried several times to bribe Kreacher to allow him access to plunder the Noble House of Black.

"Normally true, however Kreacher isn't known for his sanity. In addition, he possesses an unusual sense of loyalty. Lastly, is the not so insignificant fact that the Ministry's been paying the property taxes for the House of Black from the Potter's vault. Perhaps it wasn't an error in accounting after all, but payment for services rendered."

"But why would Kreacher do that, knowing the detrimental magic that can be done against a wizard with a single strand of his hair. It'd be totally irresponsible! Not to mention disloyal!" Minerva stated categorically.

"Alas, I'm afraid that even though he regards Sirius as a traitor to the House of Black, he is nonetheless still a Black, and Kreacher's master. Kreacher holds me personally responsible for Sirius being in Azkaban and for shaming the Black family name, and had made no pretence otherwise."

"Nevertheless, that isn't what worries me. What I'm concerned about is the why of it. I feel that that's the crux of the issue. Why would Fudge visit the Dursleys disguised as myself? What would he gain by the deception?"

Albus Dumbledore was normally very good at reading between the lines, he not only read between the lines, he could lift them off the page, and turn them into string art. He was a veritable maestro at it. On the other hand, when presented with a puzzle that wasn't of his own making, it had a tendency to occupy his every waking and sleeping thought until he could fathom out the intricacies. This particular conundrum was going to plague him if he didn't figure it out. He just knew it.

"Er - I suppose in light of what Miss Tonks has told us - that maybe - well perhaps…" Remus hesitated.

"Spit it out," Severus snarled. This was getting to be an exceedingly long meeting and he was starting to lose his well-known patience.

"I will Snape, just give me a minute. This isn't easy for me. It's just that perhaps what I found at Gringotts - maybe it does have something to do with Harry after all… but I hope not.'

"What is it Remus?" Albus inquired. "Frankly, I've been quite curious, however, I didn't want to pressure you to report something you didn't feel comfortable disclosing."

"What? You didn't want to pressure him? More special treatment for the Marauders?" Severus sniped incredulously, thinking back on all the times he'd felt pressured by Albus for a lot less.

"Not at all, but where Gringotts involved, there are definitely other factors to take into consideration," Dumbledore said, dismissing his Potion Master's obvious irritation before turning back to Remus once more. "Why don't you tell us what you found?"

"As I said earlier, I was shown in to see Gringott himself about the Potter vaults. I felt as if he was interrogating me instead of the other way around. After I left his office, I realized he'd never answered any of my questions, and instead manipulated me into doing exactly what he wanted."

"That's what I always heard Gringott was like," Bill added nodding his head knowingly. "What was it he wanted you to do?"

"After reading the poem on his door, warning against making idle claims - I did everything I could to make sure I didn't ask for any information I shouldn't. Which was hard because everything I had to ask was something I thought I didn't have any business knowing. However, by the end of the conversation he had me requesting to inspect the Potter vaults to make sure everything was in order. Two of his goblins took me down, and then it felt as if they were not going to let me leave until I discovered whatever it was that Gringott had sent me down there to find. The only problem was that they wouldn't say what that was. They just kept blocking the door every time I started to leave and would only answer in riddles."

"That'd be in keeping with Gringott's code of ethics," Bill acknowledged. "The goblins always stick to their moral high road, and their policy of not meddling in the paltry affairs of wizards. But they're definitely not above influencing a situation if it suits their needs."

"Bill, do you think the Goblins are working with the Ministry on whatever is going on?" Arthur asked his son.

"I wouldn't think so. If they were backing the Ministry in whatever it is, they would've just fed Remus to the dragons and been done with it. They certainly wouldn't have been trying to help him find something without divulging anything more than their confidentiality rules allow. From the sounds of it, that's exactly what they were trying to do. Seems to me Gringott did everything but spell it out for you Remus. I've never heard of any of the goblins bending the rules that far," Bill said in awe.

"Other than the goblins acting strange and spouting riddles, and… what did you say earlier? Oh, yes… 'grinning' at you - what did you find down below?" Severus asked nonchalantly. He was really extremely curious as to what would be so all fired important in his nemesis' vault, that Gringott himself would come back from the dead to handle it. Thankfully, however, his spy training helped him hide the majority of his true thoughts.

"This," Remus said as he reached in his pocket and pulled out the miniaturized box. Holding it in the palm of his hand, he cast a re-enlarging spell. As it grew back to normal size Dumbledore's eyes grew wide along with it. Putting on his half moon spectacles, he rose and took the box from Remus' hands.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"No, it's only a copy. The goblins wouldn't let me take the original out of the vault."

After studying the runes that covered every surface of the ornately carved box, Dumbledore opened it and rifled through its meagre contents.

"Is this all that was in the original - the one sheet of parchment, and the ledger, nothing else?"

"Yes, that was all. What else did you expect to find Albus?"

"Probably nothing of importance, however, after reading the runes, I thought for a moment that - No, I won't speculate. Let me take a look at these documents first and then we'll discuss it."

Dumbledore sat back down at his desk and started reading through the contract. The farther he read the deeper the furrows on his brow became. Then he picked up the ledger and thumbed through it as well.

"This can't be!" he breathed and slammed the ledger down on his desk with disgust. Getting up, he went to his bookshelves and took down several ancient and dusty volumes. Pouring through them feverishly, he finally located the information he was seeking in a small black leather bound book, whose pages were crumbling with age.

Sitting back down in his chair, he looked as though he'd aged another hundred years in a matter of seconds. The hope that he'd still be able to fix everything, the hope that'd been growing ever since Tonks said that Harry was alive, started to wither. If what he suspected was true, then he'd little hope of making amends to the boy. He'd condemned him to a life worse than death.

"What is it Albus?" Minerva asked, rushing to his side. "Get Poppy! I think he's having a stroke!"

"No need for that, I'm quite all right. I'm not the one to be worried about," He waved them away. "I'm afraid that Tonks report was all too accurate."

"Which part of that obviously highly embellished tale are you referring to?" Severus asked.

"The part about Harry believing himself to be a slave," Albus answered in a drained voice.

"Surely you jest! That was the most preposterous part of her yarn. The wizard slavery statutes have been wiped off the books for hundreds of years, so unless you're referring to the Dark Lord and how he treats his minions, I'm not buying it," Severus snorted.

"But if you'd just listen…" Tonks interrupted, just to have Severus put up his hand to quiet her.

"Alas, you're very correct Severus. All the slavery statues were repealed in the name of common decency - with apparently a tiny exception," Albus handed him the book and pointing out a passage.

"What's that?"

"They missed one," he said simply.

"They what?"

"They missed one," Albus repeated. "I can see how it could have happened - it was in a book of Elvin laws, however, at the time it was written Wizard, Elvin, and Goblin law was all one. The document that Remus found is a slavery contract from an extremely barbaric period in our history," Albus said, with palpable sorrow in his voice. "In essence, it forced the parents to condemn their first born son, within 500 days of birth, to be bound irrevocably into slavery in repayment of a life debt owed to another.'

"But what parent would ever do such a thing to their newborn child?" Emmeline gasped.

"The statute didn't give the parents much choice. If the one owed the debt, insisted that the debt could only be satisfied with this method of payment, and the parents didn't agree, then they forfeited not only their own lives but the life of the child as well, in compensation of non-payment. So as appalling as it may seem for them to agree to it, at least this way the child would live, and the parents could hope to persuade the one they owed the debt to, to relent the method of payment.'

"But how could they relent, you said it was irrevocable?" Hestia questioned.

"I believe I can answer that one, if I may," Elphias wheezed and he joined the conversation. "Much to my family's disgrace, we had a particularly nefarious ancestor hundreds of years ago, Ferreus Doge, who made use of that particular statute several times. The key to remember was that it was normally just used as a blackmail threat, to control other wizards to do their bidding, and the child was never actually made a slave, but the threat alone was enough to bend most parents to his will."

"Ferreus would contrive a situation where he'd in essence 'rescue from certain death' an adversary and force them to sign the contract outlined in the statue. The provision of which, condemned their child to be raised as a slave. A paid trainer normally took care of the slave's upbringing. The trainer would then turn the boy over to Ferreus when he became of age, or when the training was deemed sufficient, whichever came first."

"At that time, Ferreus would have to complete the binding ritual described in the contract to make it irrevocable. If he hadn't completed it by the time the sun rose five hundred times after the child's coming of age, the child was once again free of the parent's debt. In addition, until the binding was complete, the parents had the hope of convincing Ferreus of accepting another form of payment and releasing their child. The parents lived for this hope."

"In the meantime, Ferreus would bleed them dry of their money and estates, and in truth, making them slaves themselves. They'd do whatever he requested of them, in return for delaying sending their child to the training camps, which were designed to be particularly brutal - again for the fear factor. Many new parents would go into hiding for the first five hundred days of their firstborn son's life to avoid become victims of the statute."

"But how could this contract possibly be about Harry?" Remus pleaded in horror of the ramifications of what Elphias was saying. "James and Lily would never have done it! Besides, the Dark Lord killed them. They owed no one a life debt. It couldn't possibly be - could it?"

"Sadly, yes. Don't misunderstand me Remus - I'm not saying James and Lily would have accepted this," Albus said in explanation. "What I'm saying is that I don't believe it was James or Lily's life debt, but that of Harry himself."

"What do you mean Albus? Harry lived through the attack."

"The Dark Lord's attack, he did. However, according to the muggle coroner, he didn't live though my benign neglect the night I left him on his relative's doorstep - he died of hypothermia. From the articles I've been reading in Arabella's scrapbook, I suspect that what happened was that it was somehow reversed."

"Hypothermia! That would explain it," Kingsley agreed. "Hypothermia causes the bodily functions to slow to a point where the heart stops. For muggles this would mean certain death, even though in the case of cold water drowning, even muggles have been known to be brought back to life, if they're attended to soon enough. However, in the case of a wizard, his magical core would have prolonged this window of time. Harry could have been brought back to life after the muggle coroner pronounced him dead, if his aunt and uncle brought him in where he could thaw out. If so, then Harry would have been the one who owed the life debt to his relatives. For even as a wizard, you can't stay frozen forever without it causing permanent damage or death."

"But Harry - he was already a year and a half - he wouldn't have fit the criteria - would he?"

"Again, yes. By my reckoning, on the day I left Harry, he was four hundred fifty eight days old. Forty-two days shy of being safe from the statute," Dumbledore confirmed.

"Still - with James and Lily dead - they couldn't have signed Harry into slavery!"

"True, but remember the Ministry placed custody of Harry with his aunt and uncle, giving them all the same rights as parents. If they were the ones who bound him to the contract, and also the ones to whom the debt was owed," Albus continued sadly, "then there was no one to object to the method of life debt repayment - other than Harry himself. And I believe that Harry's blood on the contract did, as muggles like to say - 'seal the deal'."

"But why would anyone ever write such a statute to begin with? What would the purpose have been?" Molly wailed clutching the hand of her own eldest son tightly. Her heart going out to all those mothers who'd lived in fear for their children so long ago, and wondering what this meant for her almost son.

"In the dark times centuries ago, many things that shouldn't have been, simply were, because someone wanted it so," Elphias answered. "They had a saying - 'So it is written, so it shall be done.' Many things were written that shouldn't have been, so unspeakable things could be done. It would be difficult now, to name the original author of the statute, or to divine his motive for doing so, but I dare say it had to be one of greed and power. I can think of no other reason."

"But why didn't the parents just take the baby and run anyway, even if they'd signed the contract? Molly persisted. "I would have."

"In the dark era during which this statue was devised, the laws governing all magical creatures were more blurred. Wizards, goblins and elves lived by the same codes, all with equal status, instead of the divided worlds we have now. Part of this ancient text is Elvin, and the box is definitely goblin made. Elves were notorious for their ruthless tactics towards their adversaries, and goblins known for their cleverly wrought magical items," Albus told them.

"Much of the wording of how the master was to enforce the contract is true to the Elvin culture, and for their part, the goblins provided a magical device through which the master could control the slave no matter the distance. If the parents were to run off with the child, the master could punish the child for it and the parents would have no way of stopping it. The child could even die. There was no way to escape it," Albus finished with a long drawn out sigh.

"I know what magical device you're referring to Albus," Snape commented. "I've heard tales as the Dark Lord had been very keen on laying his hands on one. However, even if one did still exist, or could be located, both of which is highly doubtful, it'd be illegal. Just having one found in your possession is an automatic sentence in Azkaban on the same level as using an unforgivable curse."

"Yet, I fear that one does exist, and according to the runes, it should be in this very box," Albus said shutting the lid.

"No one would be foolish enough to risk it. I still say the whole scenario is suspicious. While I don't trust Dursley, and I'm certain there's something wrong in that house - slavery? I highly doubt it. How would a muggle have come across such an item, one that an entire legion of Death Eaters couldn't locate? Even if he did, he wouldn't know how to use it. If the boy Tonks claimed she saw was Harry Potter, I'm certain nothing like that was going on, it was probably just a ploy on his part to gain sympathy. Potters were always good at that."

"What do I have to do to convince you?" Tonks asked in exasperation stalking up to Snape and poking him in the chest with her pointed finger. "We can't just sit here and talk all night! Remus is right, and if you won't let him go, I'll go back alone. I'm not sitting here another minute doing nothing. I want my Little One!"

"Would you submit to Legilimens?"

"If that's what it'll take," Tonks said, gritting her teeth.

"Very well, concentrate on the events of tonight - 'Legilimens'…"

Snape said the spell and looked deep into Tonks dark eyes. Sorting through her memories was a little like rummaging through a tag sale. No wonder she always had such inconsistent grades! Her mind was a scrambled mess. He had told her to concentrate, so the memories he was seeking should have been right there in front, but they were not. Finally seeing the memories of a young black haired boy peeking shyly out from behind those of a wizard dressed all in shining white armour and riding a thestral (and looking uncomfortably to Snape like Remus Lupin), he latched on to them quickly before they darted out of sight again.

Sorting through them, he could find no deception. He saw as Tonks touch the lightning bolt scar. He saw the brilliant green eyes of his Lily looking back at him out of the pale dirty face of a frightened and hurt young boy. He saw as an older version of Petunia Evans standing on the porch and screeching at the 'freak', the same way he remembered the younger version shouting after Lily as the Hogwart's Express pulled out of the station. He saw Vernon Dursley pulling the boy inside the house by a chain attached to a collar around his neck. He witnessed everything.

'Thank you - Nancy Ann,' Snape thought to Tonks as he pulled out of her mind. Aloud he said, "I apologize, but it was - necessary."

"Did you find what you needed to see Snape? Can we get on with this now? I have muggles to kill," Remus challenged.

"Remus, sit down," Severus snapped at the werewolf. "There will be no need for you to kill any muggles after all."

"What do you mean Snape? Is he or isn't he?" Remus asked, his roller coaster hopes, which just a moment before had been riding so high, once again plummeting into his stomach.

"I mean that you won't have to kill the muggles, because they'll already be dead. I intend to do it myself," Severus stated as he headed for the floo, only to have Hagrid block his way.

"Sorry, but no one's leaving 'ere until Dumbledore gives the word. Now sit down Professor, or do you want me to sit on you too?"

"It won't be necessary to sit on anyone Hagrid. However, I thank you for the offer," Albus said calmly. "Gentlemen, I believe we're finally all in agreement then?"

"Only if the agreement you refer to ends with Vernon Dursley in pieces," Severus Snape said smoothly, receiving an agreeing nod from Remus.

"Bite size pieces," Remus corrected.

"As deserved as that sounds, regrettably it would probably not be the best course of action - at the moment," Albus compromised.

"And why not?" Remus returned.

"While you all have been hashing out whether or not to believe our highly credible Miss Tonks, I've been going back over the statute and the contract, and reading the fine print. The contract's genuine, and I'd surmise that the smudges on it are blood, more than likely Harry's, but without the original document to test it'd be impossible to say with one hundred percent certainty."

"Albus, when I opened the original box at Gringotts I smelled the blood, and it smelled familiar. It's the same blood that I smell on Miss Tonks frock, so if…" Remus trailed off.

"So we can assume that it is indeed Harry's blood," Albus continued, "which would make the contract enforceable under the statute. Although the box is a copy, it's definitely a copy of a goblin made item. However, there's something missing from the box and I hesitate to say this Severus, but from your reaction after viewing Miss Tonks memories, I believe you may know where it is."

"Yes Albus, I do."

"Then I think you understand my position on this."

"Well are you bloody hell going to tell the rest of us? You've been talking in code for the last hour," Aberforth butted in. "Are we not part of this meeting anymore? What happened to 'nothing held back'?"

"Please forgive me. You're right of Aberforth," Albus apologized to his brother and the rest of the Order members. "As you will recall, Miss Tonks mentioned that Harry had a metal band around his neck, and this statement was verified by Professor Snape viewing her memories. Knowing the nature of the contract in the goblin box, I can only surmise that the metal band's actually a goblin made slave collar, of the same sort used by Ferreus Doge to control his slaves. If that's in reality the truth, then taking into account the boy's reaction when Miss Tonks tried to remove the band, then Harry's been at least partially, if not fully bound to the contract."

"So what? Why does that mean I can't kill Dursley? Seems to me that would be the perfect solution," Remus growled. "He deserves it for everything he's done. And if I were Fudge I wouldn't be going into any dark alleyways either."

"Yes, he does deserve it Remus, and I dare say he deserves it for even more than you realize…" Albus stopped unable to go on.

"Elphias - there's something that Albus isn't telling us about all this. You know what it is - I can see it in your eyes. Tell me?" Remus pleaded with the old wizard.

"It's the binding ritual."

"What about it?"

"It's - I'm sorry Remus, and please forgive me ladies, but I don't know how to put this any other way than bluntly - in this case 'ritual' is actually just a euphemism for rape."

"Oh Merlin! No! That does it! I'm going to kill that monster!" Remus cried out.

"And we'll help you," Arthur declared, jumping up, Bill and Charlie by his side.

"Oh no you won't boys! SIT DOWN!" Molly roared.

"Mum?" they asked, taken aback.

"My sons willnot be killing anyone. That's a mother's prerogative, and I claim that privilege myself," Molly declared whipping out her wand dangerously.

"Everyone! Please! Please! Calm down! Listen! There's more to it than that. You cannot kill Vernon Dursley!" Albus pleaded.

"Explain Albus! What else is there? Are you trying to say he doesn't deserve it?" Remus demanded to know.

"No, quite to the contrary! However, you must listen! To complete the contract, the binding must be done three times, if all three have been completed, and for Harry's sake we must error on the side of caution and assume it has, then if you kill Vernon Dursley…" Albus stopped again dropping his head into his hands.

"Merlin! I'd forgotten about that part," Elphias said in shock, picking up where Albus left off. "Albus is right! You can't touch Dursley. If he completed the contract, then when he dies so does Harry. It was the ultimate protection again retribution by the parents, or retaliation by the slave."

"Merlin, NO!" The Order erupted in cries of dismay and tears.

"Calm down!" Tonks called over the din, trying her best to be heard. "No worries everyone! Calm down."

"What do you mean NO WORRIES CALM DOWN!?" Remus lashed out angrily. "That animal could be attacking him right now!"

"I mean, that's one thing I can guarantee that Dursley's NOT doing right now," Tonks said with certainty.

"How can you be so sure?" Remus asked frowning.

"Because right before Dursley dragged him over the threshold, I hit Little One with a spell - at least I think I did - I was passing out at the time."

"Your aim was true," Snape assured her. "I saw it hit him dead centre, but what was the spell?"

"Repello Muggletum" Tonks smirked with smug satisfaction. "Vernon Dursley can't get within one meter of MY Little One unless I say so. And I don't intend to say so."

At that moment if he hadn't already been utterly smitten with his pink haired pixie, Remus Lupin would have hopelessly fallen in love. His heroine! As it was, it was all he could do to not pull her into an embrace and kiss her thoroughly right then and there - right on those beautiful lips, and on the tip of her pert nose, on each lovely eyelid, and down her delectable neck, and…

"Remus? Ah… Remus?" Albus repeated.

"What? Oh! Yes Albus?"

"I was saying we need to plan," Albus said briskly, once again taking charge. "What we need to do now is to neutralize Vernon Dursley as a threat, secure Harry's ongoing safety, and finally find a way to release him from the contract, if it has indeed been completed."

"I can mobilize the Aurors immediately," Kingsley offered much to a thankful Tonks approval.

"No, drawing attention to the problem of Harry's slavery wouldn't be the best idea. There are many on the Dark Side who may try to take advantage of the situation, and unless we're careful, we won't be able to prevent it. Since we can't prove the Ministry's role at this point, asking for help from that source wouldn't be prudent. In addition, someone will most certainly notice a full-scale magical assault in the centre of a muggle neighbourhood. We must come up with another way. I put it to the floor. Does anyone have a suggestion on how we can get past the wards?"

"Um…?" Arabella started tentatively.

"Yes Arabella, do you have a question?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"No, a suggestion."

"A suggestion?"

"You were asking for suggestions were you not?"

Dumbledore sighed. They really didn't have time for this, however, his brother had already reminded him once that he was leaving people out of the meeting, and Aberforth was right. They were all valued members and he'd ignored Arabella far too long as it was. He'd just have to be patient, give her a few minutes now and let her have her say. He'd let her make her suggestion, placate her, and then they could get on with the serious plans they needed to make.

"Go ahead Arabella, you have the floor."

Snape gave the headmaster a questioning look at this obvious waste of time, but Dumbledore just nodded that he meant it. Kingsley and Arthur, however, snickered a bit under their breath at the trying looks on the other two men's faces. They knew what Arabella was about to suggest. They already had their tickets to the Garden Fête securely in their pockets and couldn't wait to see how this little show would play out.

The mousy little squib got up and walked to the centre of the floor, a narrow strip of brightly coloured cardboard unrolling behind her as she went.

"I've tickets for sale if anyone would like one," she said, holding up the strip. "Only four bob a ticket or for a pound you get six - oh right, I forgot where I am - let me rephrase that - only seventeen Knuts a ticket, or six for three Sickles."

"Tickets my dear? Whatever for?" Dumbledore asked patiently.

Kingsley was having a hard time controlling his laughter behind his unreadable poker face. Biting his tongue, he thought, 'Yes! Dumbledore deserves this. Far be it for me to hurry it along.'

In his impatience to do something, Remus started to interrupt Arabella. Arthur stilled him and whispered in his ear. Both men sat back to listen, with Remus scratching his head as to why Arthur wasn't as impatient as he was, and what he meant by 'just sit back and enjoy her show'.

"The Garden Fête of course. We're raising money for the Little Whinging charity fund. What'd you think I meant?"

"Of course," Dumbledore nodded wisely as if he had a clue about what she was talking. "Garden Fête?"

"Yes, of course. Would you like to buy a ticket?"

"And why would I want to do that my dear? The problem before us is how to get past the wards."

"I really don't see why you're having a problem with that at all Albus. After all, I'm willing to sell you a ticket," the feisty woman countered.

"Ah yes, a ticket - to the Garden Fête."

"Yes, exactly."

"Exactly. And again - why?"

"To go to the Garden Fête of course, exactly as I've been trying to tell you Albus. Don't you find my suggestion valuable? I know it isn't as complicated as the plans you come up with, however, there's something to be said for occasionally being more simple and direct, wouldn't you say?"

"I really can't be the judge of that Arabella."

"Oh! That reminds me, I need a couple of judges too. Of course, they'd still have to buy a ticket."

"Here we go again," Snape snorted.

"Get all snippy with me Severus, and I won't sell you one."

"As if I'd want one."

"Well, don't you?" Arabella asked a little hurt. "And I thought it was a good suggestion…" she trailed off.

"SUGGESTION FOR WHAT!" Snape yelled his patience snapped in two.

"To get past the wards of course, what else have we been talking about?"

"I've no clue what you're talking about."

"If you can't understand something so simple, let me explain it to you again," Arabella rolled her eyes.

"I wish you would," both Albus and Severus said in unison.

"If you want to get past the wards it's really very simple, at least into the garden, but as I may've mentioned before, the house is another matter. I didn't? - I was sure I had - well then, I'll say it now - the house itself is another matter. I have never been able to talk myself into that one, but as I suggested the garden's a cinch."

"HOW?" both men yelled simultaneously.

"No need to shout gentlemen! It's just that by my watch, it's Saturday morning, and you did want to do something about Harry today, didn't you?" Arabella said, as if that explained everything with crystal clear clarity.

"Yes, my dear, which is why we need to get back to the subject at hand," Albus said as patiently as he could but with a noticeable edge of annoyance to it.

"Fine, be that way, Albus, no ticket for you."

"I'll take eight Arabella," Arthur finally spoke up, "I believe I'd like to make this a family outing."

"But Arthur! That's a lot of Sickles and we still have some school supplies yet to buy…" Molly started to protest.

"We'll manage the cost Molly. Just bear with me. You'll want to go."

"All right, but then don't we need nine Arthur?" Molly asked, puzzled as to why her husband was planning a family outing in the middle of a major crisis.

"No my dear, I already have one, but wait a minute – Arabella, make that nine after all. Remus would you like to go with us?" Arthur said, giving him the high sign to go along with whatever he said.

"Um - okay - sure - I'm in."

"Oh goody! I'll give you The Family discount then!" Arabella clapped her hands and started counting off tickets. "Let's see you already have one, plus nine more is ten - and they're six for three sickles, so six sickles will get you twelve less two would be five sickles. Less ten percent for the family plan - and you already paid for one. There're twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle - so how about four Sickles for the rest?"

"Well worth it. Thank you Arabella."

"I'd like two more, Arabella," Kingsley spoke up to the delight of the little squib who was busily tearing off squares of the colourful cardboard and making change. Handing one each to Tonks and Moody, he said "My treat, I've one already."

"Anyone else?" Arabella asked revelling in the attention.

Hestia and Emmeline looked at each other and shrugged. If was going to get the meeting back on track, it was worth the seventeen Knuts. As they too bought tickets, the rest of the order decided the same thing. Soon everyone in the Order had a square of the colourful cardboard, with the exception of Albus and Severus.

"Are you sure you don't want one too?" Arabella asked the last two men. "It's the last chance at this price since I need to leave soon to set up the booth."

"A booth for what Arabella?" Dumbledore ventured to ask, gathering another glare from his Potions Master at having the nerve to resurrect the pointless conversation once again.

"For the Garden Fête of course, what else have we been talking about all this time? Haven't you been listening?" she said in exasperation.

"I've found they have an issue with that myself," Tonks piped up.

"ARRRGHHH! What in Merlin's name is a Fête?" Severus finally asked in frustration.

"A fancy name for a party. That's what Petunia insists on calling it to make it sound more high class. In this case, it's really just the Little Whinging's annual neighbourhood garden show. The one I've been selling tickets too. I'm treasurer you know," she said proudly. "Of course I don't have a chance of placing. Petunia always wins. Her garden's the best by far every year, but at least I know now to whom to give the ribbon. I always knew it wasn't Petunia doing the work. I've never seen her lift a finger in the yard. However, Harry now - he does a lovely job. The roses are just…"

"Excuse me for interrupting Arabella, but did you say Petunia? As in Petunia Dursley?" Dumbledore asked, his interest finally piqued.

"Yes, remember I just live two lanes over? No? Well, maybe if you'd bothered to visit more often you would've."

"And Petunia…?"

"As I was saying, she's the defending champion."

"And so the tickets are for…?"

"The Garden Fête, of course - just as I've been saying all along. For the price of a ticket you get - excuse me for saying this Albus, but perhaps you should have Poppy give you a check-up after all."

"A check-up? For what?"

"Forgive me for insinuating, but you can't seem to follow a simple conversation anymore. I must have explained it at least a dozen times already and it's getting annoying, I'm a busy woman you know."

"Ah…"

"So out with it all ready! And for the price of a ticket you get what?" Snape interrupted.

"You get an invitation to enter any garden that is entered in the competition, of course - including Petunia's."

"I see. Of course," Albus said, the light dawning along with the rising sun. "And they were, how much again?"

"A galleon a piece."

"I thought you said seventeen Knuts each," Dumbledore said, frowning severely at the little squib.

"That was the early bird special. The price just went up gentlemen, along with the sun," Arabella said sweetly. "Too bad you were so slow to take me up on my offer. Maybe next time you'll just listen instead of asking so many twisty questions that don't lead anywhere."

At that, Kingsley and Arthur finally let loose with their pent-up laughter. After the stress of the all night meeting, it was good to have a release. It was even better that it was Albus and Severus at the end of the joke this time.

"I still need two impartial judges for the panel, would anyone like to volunteer?"

Arabella jumped back as everyone in the room raised their hands.

"Oh my! I don't need that many - just two! How about you draw straws?" Arabella pulled enough straws out of a broom, with two extra long ones, for the group to draw from. As the Order members started to pull straws, Molly held Arthur back until they were the last two to draw. Miraculously somehow the last two straws were also by far the longest.

"It looks like we have our judges!" Arabella clapped her hands in joy. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I haven't had this many visitors the whole time I've been in Surrey. Maybe while you're there, a few of you might like a nice little kneazle?"

Her suggestion was met by many doubtful looks.

"No? Well, think about it! They make great pets! Every life deserves nine cats! Well, I have to go now and start getting set up my booth. Don't forget it starts at noon, and you're all welcome to use my floo. Oh, and Arthur and Molly - be sure to be an hour early so I can go over the judging rules with you," Arabella waved goodbye as Elphias guided her into the fireplace and activated the floo to send her home. "See you sooonnn…!"

"Molly - not that I mind, but how'd we get the long straws?" Arthur asked pulling his wife away from the crowd. "I was sure that it was Emmeline and Mundungus who had gotten them."

"Arthur, there was no way on earth that I was going to let someone else get that job instead of us. I'm going into that garden, no matter what. You said the family clock had Harry in mortal peril. As a judge, whatever plans Dumbledore comes up with in the next few hours, I know it'll include you and me rescuing Harry. And both Remus and Tonks seem a little too - possessive - of OUR son."

"It was your mother killer-instinct kicking in again wasn't it? You cheated! Didn't you?" Arthur asked admiringly.

"Why, yes, I did," Molly admitted unashamedly, then kissing him soundly to end the conversation.

"Okay everyone, now that we have a way in, we need to make a plan of attack. Please, everyone take your seats. We haven't much time before noon," Albus called the group back to order. "Miss Tonks, if you don't mind going over everything again. This time from the very start, and don't leave anything out. There may be some clues there that will help."

"Certainly Headmaster, anything if you think it'll help my Little One…" Tonks stopped suddenly as wave nausea swept over her. Both Bill and Charlie moved to catch her as she crumpled to the floor, only Remus was closer and he swept her up in his arms.

"Quick Remus! Take her to the hospital wing," Moody ordered, concerned for his protégé. "She must have gotten a head injury from that blow Dursley gave her."

Remus carried her to the infirmary and gently placed Tonks on the nearest bed, calling for Poppy to wake back up.

"Will she be alright?" he asked worriedly as soon as the mediwitch ran a few diagnostics spells.

"She has a concussion and a subdural hematoma. However, we caught it in time." Raising her patient carefully she tipped back her head and poured a ruby red potion down her throat causing her to rouse, coughing.

"What - (cough - cough…)?"

"Relax Tonks, you'll be fine. You just passed out from one too many taps on that thick head of yours. Take one more swallow for me - there that will do it. Proper dosage for potions is critical. You know everyone always thinks 'more is better'. Tsk, tsk. Shame on them. You seldom need to need to drink the whole bottle. That a girl, all taken care of now. Lay back down. You need to get some rest."

"But I have to go!"

"You're going nowhere young lady. You're confined to bed for the next twenty-four hours."

"But I have a ticket and everything!" Tonks wailed in protest, a piece of cardboard in her clenched fist.

"I'll just take that, thank you!" Poppy said briskly, confiscating the colourful square.

"But…"

"No more 'buts'," Poppy admonished. "Head trauma is nothing to trifle with. Yes the potion's stopped the internal bleeding in your brain, but you have to give the swelling time to go down or you could do yourself permanent damage. Now sleep."

"Yes, Ma'am," Tonks replied frustrated. She punched her pillow and flopped her head back down, putting an arm over her eyes to block out the early morning sun dappling in through the tall windows. Everyone was going to rescue Little One – everyone but her! Except that she was the only one that he knew – he'd be so frightened!

Taking Poppy aside Remus asked, "I thought you weren't supposed to sleep with a concussion, shouldn't we keep her up and talking?"

"That's only with muggles. The potion I gave her has taken her out of danger. The best thing for her now is rest. So perhaps you better be going."

The order will be plotting and planning for the next few hours, Remus thought, reluctant to leave Tonks. It'll drive me crazy watching them methodically think everything out, when all I want to do is storm the house.

"If you don't mind Poppy, I'll just stay here and watch over her for a little while. You've had a long night. Why don't you get in a nap yourself?"

"Thank you Remus. You know you were always one of my favourites - always so considerate, always so sweet. Goodnight, or rather good morning," she smiled and started to retire to her own quarters which were just off the infirmary.

"Do me a favour Remus?" she asked, pausing, and turning back for a moment.

"Of course, what is it?"

"Watch out for that one," she said, nodding at Tonks sleeping form.

"After what I saw tonight, I don't think the young lady needs any help. She seems quite capable."

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh?"

"I meant to make sure you don't break her heart."

Remus gulped. What could she mean?

"Don't look at me with those big soulful eyes. After all these years dealing with six and seventh years, I know love when I see it, and you, my lad, are head over heels in it. Just be careful. Tonks is one of my favourites too, and if you break her heart, I'll hunt you down. Whether you're in season or not," she added with a chuckle.

"I'll remember, and I'll be careful Poppy. I promise."

Returning to Tonks' bedside, Remus sat down and absent-mindedly brushed the hair off her cheek.

She opened her eyes and looked at him thoughtfully.

"What's going to happen now?"

"Dumbledore's going to figure out what's going on, and we're going to get Harry out of that house."

"But… when I tried to take Little One off that chain - that collar choked him and I had to leave him behind! You can't get him out!"

The tears that had been threatening to fall for the past several hours started flowing freely. Remus once again swept her into his arms and held her close.

"It was so horrible - his lips went so blue and I thought I'd - I'd - killed him. It was entirely my own fault! I knew the words were important. I was just so close!"

"Tonks - what do you mean by the words being important?" Remus asked thoughtfully.

"The words - how the rules were worded - it mattered. That was how I got him to talk to me in the first place - it was all in the wording."

"Explain! How did you get him to talk? This could be vital!" he asked urgently.

"Well - when Dursley left Little One chained up in the garden tonight, he told him that he 'better not hear a single sound out of him', where the night before he just said that he better 'not make a sound'."

"How's that any different?"

"Don't you see? I pointed out to Little One that as long as Dursley didn't hear him this time, he could make as much noise as he wanted. Because he hadn't ordered him not to make any sound at all, just not any sound that Dursley could hear. So I put a Muffliato spell around us just to be sure."

"Very clever!"

"Thanks," Tonks said, blushing at the praise. "But I didn't change the rule – that creep Dursley did. I just took advantage of it."

"Still, very clever."

"That was also how I got into the garden, and how I got him to come out where I could see him, and to eat. It was just that the sky was starting to lighten and I knew Dursley's time limit was almost up, and I - I - OH MY GOD!"

Tonks stiffened and sat up straight. Her eyes had flown wide open, her face had gone pale. Her mouth was open, but words were no longer coming out.

"What's wrong Tonks? Are you all right? Is it your head? Do you want me to get Poppy?"

"The chain! I tried the wrong end! The words! It would've worked if I'd just tried the other end!"

"What're you talking about?

"Dursley said 'and don't even think about trying to get off that chain'. What I did was pick the lock and took the chain off the collar - exactly what Dursley ordered Little One not to do! If I'd just undone the other end - the one attached to the stake in the middle of the yard - the one Dursley undid when he dragged him back inside - it wouldn't have been breaking the rule! Don't you see? He wouldn't have been off the chain, but he still would've been loose from the stake. I could've scooped him up in my arms, and run away with him right then! I - I - I could've saved him - but I left him there instead. I locked the chain back on his collar and I - just left him there. I let him down."

Her eyes filled with despair as she realized her mistake, and she let out a small sob as Remus gathered her back into his arms in a crushing embrace.

"Shush now. It's all right. Shush. You didn't let him down. You came for help, and he's going to get it. You did everything you could. You did more than most would have. We're going to get Harry out of there, and it's only because of you. Everyone else had given up all hope. I know I did. I can't thank you enough."

Remus held her tight as she sobbed, rubbing small circles into her back until she calmed down. He just hoped his assurances weren't in vain and Snape was right when he said Tonks last minute spell had done its job. When she finally calmed, Remus could make out that she was now mumbling something about 'the mud being important too'. However, before he could ask her about it, the combination of potions and lack of sleep finally defeated her fight to stay awake.

Easing her head onto a pillow, Remus sighed, remembering the promise he'd made to Poppy not to break Tonks heart. That was a promise that was all too easy for him to keep, for Poppy was wrong - dead wrong. Tonks was in no danger of him breaking her heart, as his heart already belonged to her forever. He gave it willingly. He only hoped that she wouldn't break his too badly, as was bound to happen. She was still so young, just a teenager, not really all that much older than his lost cub, and he was almost twice her age. What could she ever possibly see in him? He was an aging werewolf, with no money, and no prospects. Tonks could do much better. He'd just have to keep his distance and love her from afar. He wouldn't risk her being hurt. Not after all she'd done to help his cub.

Giving up the hope of a family with Tonks, reminded him even more deeply of his desire for a family with Harry. Fingering his own little square of cardboard, which represented his last chance, he vowed that before the day was over he'd have that family.

He'd have his cub back and no one, and nothing, was going to stop him this time.

Anyone who got in his way - if he couldn't kill them, he'd at least make them wish that he had - the full moon wasn't that far off.

That was also a promise he intended to keep.