DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own anything Harry Potter affiliated. If I did, I would be sending this off to a publisher...not posting it online.

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE: MOMENTS OF BATTLE

"Alright," Remus said, "here's how it works. Tap your wand three times against the place you want to go, but make sure-"

"Make sure that you are zoomed close enough in to be certain of the exact location you are going to appear in," Ron said, cutting the man off. "You've told us this a hundred times Professor."

"And everytime you try it," Remus retorted, "You land a full room away from where you were aiming."

Ron ignored the laughs that the rest of his group was giving him as Professor Lupin left the room. Turning to the other three present, he said, "You would think that two hundred percent would be good enough-"

"Well, it's not, and you need to remember that or you'll ruin the entire operation." Hermione, who had the unfortunate luck of being Ron's partner, was getting tired of being lectured about how to use the portkey system of the new maps. She, unlike Ron, had gotten it right the first time. (Were you expecting anything less of her?)

"It's just like being in Hogwarts," Harry joked.

"We are in Hogwarts," Ginny said, "but you're right. It's just like all of the other adventures that the three of you have been on."

"Except," Ron said, "now our team consists of four people. Not three."

"Yes, and it always will be the four of us, sharing our adventures together," Harry spoke, taking Ginny into his arms and hugging her tightly, then placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"You know," Ron laughed, holding Hermione around the waist, "I would think that for a couple about to embark on a mission to save their newborn children from the Dark Lord, that you would be more passionate."

Hermione, confused by his meaning, took a step back, and gave him a questioning glare, "What do you mean by that?"

"Think about it Mione," he said, again closing the distance between them, "they've got children. If this was a normal situation, they'd be doing a little more than giving and receiving kisses on the forehead."

"Funny Ron," Ginny said, "really funny."

Harry thought about what his best friend had said for a moment, "Isn't it ironic?"

"Hardly," Hermione responded, "based on the circumstances, it's perfectly logical as to why-"

"Hermione," Ginny interrupted, "it was a joke. Please don't take it any farther than that."

"I was just saying that-"

Hermione, thankfully, was interupted by a sudden beeping. "Team one, here." Harry spoke, not to anyone specific.

"Harry, is the rest of your team ready to go?"

"We've been standing by for our orders from you," Ginny responded.

"Use your maps to relocate to headquaters for somelast minute training."

"We're on our way," Harry said, removing his map from his pocket.

"You know," Ron said, unfolding his map, "it's going to be hard to get used to hearing your aunt's voice in my head."

"Well, it's the only thing that the Dursley's can really do to help, since they aren't witches or wizards."

"Still Harry," Hermione added, "It's going to be weird having all of our orders relayed to us by them."

"Trust me," Harry said, "You'll get used to it."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

One by one, the four teenagers appeared in the headmaster's office, also known as 'Headquaters.' There, sitting at Dumbledore's desk was Petunia, with a large box on the desk's surface infront of her. It was covered in buttons of different colors, each with a name beside it. An alarm sounded, similar to the beeping that the teens had heard earlier, and Petunia reached over to a blinking button labeled 'Observation Team 3' and pushed it.

A voice filled the room, and was recognized as Percy's, speaking in a military style. "Observation Team 3 reporting," he said.

"What have you found out?" Ginny asked.

"The shift changes are still the same."

"And what would that be?" Ron asked, not knowing what 'same' meant exactly.

"None."

"Wait a second Percy," Harry said, "What do you mean by 'none?'"

"I mean that they don't change posistions, or rotate guards." Percy was using 'his tone' that he used whenever he was trying to be superior. But, he used it so much, that everyone who knew him, recognized it right off the bat, and tuned most of the things he said out. "Every once and a while another will come and join the Death Eaters that are already standing guard, but for the most part everything stays the same. Haven't the four of you been keeping up with all the reports?"

"The children," Dumbledore replied as he closed the door, "are not being giving reports."

"Why not?"

"Because Mr. Weasley, the only thing they are to be concerned with is retrieving the twins and returning to headquaters. Keep up your watch and keep us posted on any new information."

"Yes sir." At Percy's last words, Petunia pushed the button, returning the room to silence.

"Professor," Hermione asked, "Why exactly aren't we being informed of things that are going on out in the field?"

"As I told Percy, you are only to worry about the information that concerns you. If we were to give you more information, then you would be mostlikely to use it," Dumbledore said, glancing specifically at Harry, Ron and Hermione, then turning to one of the Order members who were standing by to give the group their final orders.

"Are you kids ready?"

Ron took the opportunity to speak for everyone, "Let's just do this and get back here."

"Now, there is one last thing that I must express to you," the man said. "There is only one mission that you four should be concerned with, and that is saving those infants."

"We know all of this," Hermione said, "we've been told over a thousand times not to deviate from the plan."

"What I'm trying to say is that those twin are the only rescue mission than any of us are concerned with. That means that who ever gets to the twins first, gets them out. There won't be any showboating going on. If you fall behind, you get left behind."

"So you're saying that we shouldn't stop for anything?" Ginny asked.

"That's right."

"Well," Harry said, "what are we waiting for?"

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A/N: Sorry about the HUGE delay. The holidays are so hectic, and now basketball has started I'm spending two days out of the week at games taking stats. PLUS, as if this list couldn't get any bigger, I've been working on my scripts at FictionPress.com, preparing one of them for submission into a writing award. So, to make a long story longer, I've been working harder than hell to make time for this story, but with winter break coming up, teachers are trying to get all of the tests and reports done in the next two days. Life is a little stressful right now, but I'm relaxing, knowing that I've finally found some time to write, and that I'm going to have two weeks off to reherse my music and finish writing this story. Yes, that's right, I hope to have this story done before the new year. (Notice how I said HOPE.) Thanks for all of the great reveiws. Your support really keeps me going.