Chapter thirty-one:

Hindrance

The table that Snape laid eyes on was nothing but empty chairs and Victoria's folders that held her teaching work - something she always found herself getting ahead of in preparation before the new school year. But no Victoria. This was a relief to Snape although he had hoped she wasn't returning to her house anytime soon.

The home that belonged to Snape's fiancé was very quiet despite the light tapping from the pendulum clock that hung on the wall, with solid dark brown oak, a gold pendulum swing and silver numbers with gold trim around the inner clock. Continuing to quickly search the house, Snape marched up the stairs to the bedrooms, not finding anyone in either room before making his way back down to the living room, finding Lucius returning from the backyard.

"Empty." Snape stated before he began marching towards the front door. Lucius gave the house a last disdainful look before following Snape out to the front gate and apparating from the neighborhood. Of course Snape found himself back to the area of attack, meeting Voldemort while they hid, moments before the attack would begin.

"No sign of Potter or his relative at the other residence." Snape reported. Voldemort trusted Snape despite Bellatrix's attempts to sway his mind into doing the opposite. "I suspect...we are in the precise location of where Harry Potter will be." Voldemort replied briefly. Their conversation was cut short due to spotting several people from the Order - and what it seemed to be Harry riding with them away from the house on Privet Drive.

Snape flew off on the broom he had left when he went to search Victoria's home and joined the attack in the air. There were dozens of flashing lights - red, blue, yellow and even green, though they were missing the targets - coming from spells and curses being casted from the wands of the order and the death eaters throughout the clouds.

There were multiple Harry Potter's up in the air but Snape had a hand in this situation indefinitely, using the confundus charm on Mundungus Fletcher during summer break in order to hatch our a plan to keep Harry safe while at the same time keep Voldemort's trust by exposing the exact day that Harry will be moved. Yes, using Polyjuice potion to make multiple Harry Potters was Snape's plan - and it was going according to plan.

Snape noticed Lupin on a broom with what looked to be Harry Potter being chased by a fellow death eater. Looking to his surroundings, Snape had decided to help out Lupin for the sake of the Order. Pointing his wand in their direction, Snape had difficulty in keeping up with the pace that the broom Lupin was on as it swerved in and out of clouds with the death eater, before he casted the spell, his own spell, in hopes it hit the death eater and sever the death eater's hand and if it would, Snape could blame it on their opposition if need be.

"Sectumsempra." Snape casted towards the death eater but Lupin with George Weasley on the broom, disguised as Harry, swerved right in the direction of the curse, causing George to lose his left ear instead. Snape fled the area out of guilt before fighting some within the clouds until the Order had left the scene. Madeye Moody was killed by Voldemort while Mundungus quickly apparated from the scene in fear before Voldemort was in the trail of the real Harry Potter that was with Hagid, unknown to Snape.

Snape noticed Victoria wasn't in the mix of the attack to his relief which kept his worry at bay momentarily. Snape knew that he held the counter curse for the curse he hit George Weasley with mistakenly, but it would only expose his position to Voldemort if he were to heal it before the war was over. Once the scene became suddenly empty, the death eaters fled back to the Malfoy manor, unknowing to soon hear about Voldemort's failure to get Harry Potter once more.

"We have once again, failed, to defeat Harry Potter..." Voldemort stated in disgust, tossing the shredded wand that he had forcefully borrowed from Lucius Malfoy to the floor, not far from Lucius himself, who felt insulted but too fearful to stand up to Voldemort. Voldemort clenched his fist in front of himself in an attempt to hold back his anger that arose inside of him before dropping his fist, scanning the room of death eaters.

"We will not fail the next time. This next time, we will infiltrate not only the ministry of magic...but the school itself." Voldemort pointed out. Snape had an iffy feeling that he would be having a big hand in this plan of Voldemort's to infiltrate Hogwarts in order to trap Potter. Voldemort turned to look at Snape, knowing that Snape had the tolerance and capability to run Hogwarts since he was already teaching there all these years.

"The school needs a new headmaster...since Dumbledore is dead. Severus...you will be taking that position." Voldemort ordered. Snape wasn't fond of the idea, knowing that if in fact he was going to be the new headmaster, Voldemort would be watching every aspect that goes down in the school involving other death eaters to roam the halls of Hogwarts. Snape gave a firm nod to Voldemort, showing that he had understood the order he was given.

"I will have several others assist you inside the school. Harry Potter is bound to return to the school..." Voldemort stated. Once the meeting finished, some of the death eaters went their own way as Snape left the manor, stopped by his home to gather things to Hogwarts and made his way to infiltrate Hogwarts with a few other death eaters trailing behind him. Snape knew it wouldn't be safe for Harry to return to the school - if he was intending to anyhow - or safe for Victoria either. Snape knew he had to keep her away from the school and he knew exactly how he was going to do that.

Victoria found herself at the burrow, where Molly and Ginny had been waiting for the others to arrive back from the attack. The three of them were nervous about Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and the rest of the Order, hoping they would come out of it unscathed. There was little talk between the women, silence filled the room with worry, clinking of dishes in the background from Molly trying to distract herself and thoughts Victoria had attempted to push to the back of her mind for the meantime.

"When they begin to arrive, we need to keep caution..." Molly advised. Victoria furrowed her eyebrows, a little concerned about the words Molly has spoken. Of course Victoria knew that there could be death eaters following back if possible to attack further but it shouldn't be that difficult to differentiate between those they knew and those they didn't. Poly juice potion could play a number too if they were smart enough or fast enough to snatch a hair.

Then after an hour, there was a noise coming from outside, the sound of something crashing into a swamp of water just outside of the burrow. Victoria wanted to rush out to see if Harry had made it but the gut feeling she had caused her to first glance out the front window. Once she spotted a soaked Harry walking out with Hagrid towards the burrow, she knew it was him and not a death eater by the familiar body movements that was just Harry.

Victoria knew her nephew after being his guardian for over four years. Opening the door, Victoria stepped out onto the front grass with Molly and Ginny trailing behind. Victoria immediately embraced Harry with a relieved hug, not concerned with getting her own clothes wet before pulling back with a warm smile. "I'm glad that you're alright! I was worried sick." Victoria stated.

Harry flashed a soft smile in return but before he could respond, Ginny had interrupted with her own quick hug before Harry looked around to see that there was nobody else around. No one else was back yet. Harry could read the news written all over Ginny and Molly's faces, having been glad he was okay but still worried about their on family.

"Is nobody else back?" Harry asked in a baffled tone, looking from Molly to Ginny then to Victoria. Hagrid felt a little saddened that none of the Order was back but them, but felt bad for Molly, who looked worried sick. "They were on us from the start, Molly. The Death Eaters, even You-Know-Who as well." Hagrid explained.

"Well, thank goodness that you two are all right." Molly stated. Molly was grateful but was hoping to see her family safe. Victoria walked over to Molly and placed her left hand onto Molly's right shoulder to comfort her. "I'm sure they will be here shortly, Molly." Victoria consoled. Molly gave a discouraged nod as she kept her eyes on the view ahead of them, waiting for the others to come back to the burrow.

No more than a moment later, there was a blue flash from apparation and it was Lupin half-way carrying George, who had a bloody, damaged left ear. Spotting the wound, Molly was fiercely worried. "The house! Quickly!" Lupin urged. Harry ran up immediately to help Lupin carry in George to the burrow. Victoria stood by the front door while Molly and Ginny consoled George who now laid on the sofa, before overhearing Lupin quickly pin Harry against the wall, becoming paranoid of an undercover death eater under the Poly juice potion and repeatedly asked a question about a creature that was in his classroom when Harry first visited his office four years ago.

"Are you mad?!" Harry shouted back, obviously in a panic, confused why Lupin would be turning on him, especially at this dire moment after the attack. Victoria stepped one foot into the burrow, keeping her hand wrapped tightly around her wand that she held in her right hand, ready to cast a spell if this situation made a wrong turn. "What creature!?" Lupin demanded. Victoria remembered what Molly had warned an hour prior.

"A grindylow!" Harry answered quickly, catching his breath from the tense situation. Lupin stepped back after loosening his grip on Harry's shirt, causing Victoria to relax and look back outside to see yet another blue flash from the sky. "We've been betrayed. Voldemort knew you were being moved tonight. I had to make sure you weren't a death eater disguised." Lupin explained.

Who betrayed them to Voldemort? Those were words that caught Victoria's attention. Kingsley and Hermione showed up next and then not a moment later, so did Ron and Tonks. Kingsley immediately tested Lupin to make sure he wasn't an imposter as well. "The last words Albus Dumbledore had spoken to the pair of us?" asked Kingsley. Lupin parted his lips immediately to answer. "Harry is the best hope we have. Trust him." Lupin replied.

Victoria watched as Harry ran up to both Ron and Hermione, glad that they were back before one more flash of blue light appeared and it was Arthur and Fred. Arthur noticed everyone was back but didn't see his other twin son, George. Looking at Victoria, Arthur looked for answers since he didn't spot Molly. "Where's George?" Arthur asked, pausing to listen in hopes there wasn't any bad news.

The family and others went inside to check out George's injury and talk over what happened that night. Harry had been worried not only about the fact that Madeye was killed in the attack, in which everyone mourned briefly, but that he had lost his owl, Hedwig, during the fight. Victoria was still wondering who betrayed the Order but as tense as the room was, she became hesitant to ask. She walked over to Harry to console him for the loss of Hedwig and hoped in time that he would heal, losing another that he cared for right after losing Sirius a couple of years back.

By the next day, Molly and some of the others were attempting to plan the wedding that would happen on first of August, which would be in a couple of days. Victoria helped with the decorations and in the kitchen with Molly to cook up the food preparation before the day of the wedding when Ron's tiny little owl named Pigwidgeon, whom was a gift from Sirius to Ron back in their third year when he lost his pet rat due to animagus circumstances, flew in from the open window in the dining room and perched himself on top of one of the chairs.

Noticing the formal letters in the owl's mouth, Molly recognized it was letters from Hogwarts. This time, the Hogwarts letters wouldn't be signed off by Dumbledore. Victoria curiously watched on as Molly took the letter from Pigwidgeon and turned it around to spot the wax seal. Harry and Ginny walked in when Molly broke open the seal from one letter before getting Ron and Hermione. Ginny took her letter and opened it, reading along with Harry beside her when Molly opened the other letter to read aloud:

'Dear Mr. Weasley,

We are writing to inform you and all of the qualified students that are required to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry carefully read the list of course books needed for the year on the second page of this letter.

All students are REQUIRED to attend school and all staff are REQUIRED to be at the school on 1 September, with the exception of muggle borns.

Muggle borns are not allowed on the school premises and IF found, there will be severe consequences.

There will also be severe consequences to those qualified, who choose not to arrive to the school.

Sincerely,

Severus Snape

Headmaster'

When Molly finished reading the letter, Ginny and Harry looked wary towards the direction of Molly and Victoria. Hearing the letter and the specific words in it stung. The words muggle born and Severus Snape stood out the most because Victoria was a muggle born and now knowing she wasn't able to return to teach History of Magic at Hogwarts this year, she didn't know what she could do. It was plainly obvious that Harry and the Order didn't want her involved because she looked like her twin sister, Lily and it would put her in a dangerous position since she was close to Harry.

"Looks like I won't be teaching this year." Victoria stated in a disappointed tone. Hermione realized she wouldn't be back at school either and Harry knew he would definitely be walking into a trap if he dared to go back to school. "I cannot attend either." Hermione pointed out. Ginny left the burrow to go tell the others outside that were setting up the tent about the news they received while Ron looked from his mother to Harry and Hermione. "Bloody hell, I'm not going." Ron explained.

"We're going to help Harry." Hermione pointed out. Harry gave a puzzled look towards Hermione, not certain at what she was trying to say. "Find horcruxes. What you were talking about during Dumbledore's funeral this summer." Hermione explained. Molly folded up the letter and shook he head gently, not fond of the idea of either of her children going to the school if it would be run by death eaters but it was required. "No, absolutely not. It's too dangerous." Harry clarified.

"You cannot do this all on your own, mate. I can figure out a way to not go to the school and not have them come to the burrow." Ron pointed out. Victoria didn't want Harry to be on his own either, she worried about his safety. "Harry, I rather you not do this by yourself. It'll make me worry. If they don't go with you, then I will." Victoria stated firmly. This alarmed Harry and he knew that he couldn't risk his aunt being with him doing a dangerous task such as finding and destroying horcruxes, knowing that he's the primary target for death eaters.

"Fine. But how are we going to get Ron out of going to school? They will notice Ginny there but not her brother." Harry pointed out. There was a sudden sound of a bang on the pipes coming from the attic, causing Victoria and Harry to look up towards the attic. "That's just the house ghoul, pay no mind to him." Molly stated before she walked off to exit the burrow and speak with Arthur outside. The house ghoul - that gave Ron, Harry and Hermione an idea.

The trio had decided to make the family ghoul look like Ron, so when the time would come for when the trio would leave for their journey, Ron would be covered. Arthur, Fred and George turned the ghoul into looking like Ron with Spattergroit, then would later inform the school that Ron couldn't attend school due to having Spattergroit. It is such a contagious disease in the wizarding world no one would risk being near someone with it. Of course, Victoria knew Snape had been working on a cure for it but had no idea if it successfully worked yet.

It was now the day of the wedding. Walking over to the front yard, Victoria watched as most of the men put together the tent for the reception when she spotted Lupin walk out with the tables, helping the Weasleys. Victoria couldn't go another day without the thought of the person who betrayed them that night of the attack, not wanting to burden Molly and Arthur since they had a lot on their minds with the wedding and George's injury, neither did she want to remind Harry of that night, that's if Lupin had told Harry about it. Victoria walked into the now set up tent and over to Lupin, moments before Lupin noticed her approach.

"Ah, Victoria, how is the food prep coming along?" Lupin asked, making small talk. Victoria had been helping Molly with prep for the reception dinner but Molly had taken over the rest of the prep, particularly making the wedding cake. Victoria looked back at the burrow for a split second before looking back to Lupin, who had suspected something was bothering her. "It's going well, Molly just...wanted to take over the cake making and decorating..." Victoria trailed off.

"Is everything alright, Victoria?" Lupin asked in curiosity but was a little concerned, being a werewolf also made it easy for Lupin to detect if someone is nervous, frightened and so forth due to the sweaty scent and the heart palpitations. Victoria didn't want to bring up the negativity from the night or the attack since they had lost Madeye Moody to the death eaters and George had lost his ear, but Victoria was determined to know, in case she would ever come across this person who had betrayed them.

"Yeah, everything is fine...well, sort of. I hate to bring up the night of the attack again but, I've been wondering...who did betray us that night?" Victoria asked curiously. Lupin hadn't discussed it in front of Victoria and it was for good reason because Lupin knew that she was in a relationship with Snape. This was a moment that Lupin had hoped wouldn't happen and hoped that she would've forgotten the statement for her own good. With a sigh, Lupin arranged the last table with his wand and turned to face Victoria, his expression was as if he were to tell bad news.

"This is exceedingly hard to explain...because, I trust Dumbledore and Dumbledore trusted this person. I can only assume the worst due to the situation but one can only know the real reason why..." Lupin explained, hoping Victoria wouldn't make him spill the name of the person who betrayed them, exposing their plan to move Harry that night. Victoria attempted to detect the words Lupin was explaining, knowing someone that Dumbledore trusted.

There were many people that Dumbledore had surrounded himself with and according to Harry, Dumbledore trusted him too but of course it wasn't her nephew. But who? Madeye died, could it have been him? Madeye was extreme so Victoria couldn't imagine Madeye betraying the Order. Of course, there was one person Victoria had no idea that was in the Order and that person was not there at the burrow or there that night to return from the attack, it was a secret.

"Who was it, Remus?" Victoria urged, wanting the truth no matter how harsh it would be. Lupin sighed, looking at the ground for a moment before locking eyes with Victoria, knowing this wasn't intentional to make her think less of Snape but had to tell her the truth of who betrayed them if that was what she wanted to know. Lupin just had hoped he wouldn't bear the responsibility of how Victoria would act when she finds out it had been Snape. Lupin parted his lips to speak just as Harry stepped out from the burrow after speaking with Scrimgeour, the acting minister of magic, with Ron and Hermione to spot his aunt talking to Lupin.

"It was Snape who betrayed us." Lupin stated with a look of empathy on his face. Victoria listened attentively to the words Lupin spoke to her, but more precisely the name of who she knew quite well - or thought she knew quite well. Victoria didn't know that Snape was part of the Order, she had second thoughts going through her mind. What if they were just guessing? Or maybe they were flat out lying about Snape being part of the Order and betraying them completely? Despite remembering what both Dumbledore told her and Snape informed her on their engagement night about Snape having to do things with a reason and to not be mad at him, Victoria felt her heart sink slightly.

Why would Snape endanger Harry like that? After all, if there was a specific reason for everything she witnessed before the summer, what was the purpose of betraying them on the night of the attack? Lupin noticed the look on Victoria's expression and that was something that he dreaded to see when she would find out it was Snape. Did he know the two were engaged? Not exactly, but he knew they were romantically involved when he went to teach at Hogwarts nearly four years ago.

"Are you sure it was Snape?" Victoria asked reassuringly, laying her emerald green eyes on Lupin. Lupin sighed, giving a quick glance towards Harry who had approached them before looking back to Victoria. "Yes, it was Snape, Victoria. I'm absolutely certain." Lupin clarified. Lupin paused for a second before deciding to walk off back to the burrow to check on Tonks, feeling a little out of place at the time and leaving Harry there with his aunt. Victoria sigh, not sure what to do about the issue especially since she hasn't heard from Snape since the encounter when he left the school.

"I'm sorry...I tried to keep it from you, didn't want you to find out and be-" Harry explained in sympathy, feeling bad that Victoria had been hurt, knowing the feeling all too well. "-be hurt? Harry, no need to worry about me. It's you I need to worry about." Victoria pointed out, referring to Voldemort trying to kill him and so on. Of course, Victoria was trying to divert the fact that she was hurt and not wanting all the attention on her, to not have her nephew worry about her because he has so much to worry about as it was.

"There's m-" Harry was beginning to explain further, about there being more before he was interrupted by Molly rushing out of the burrow, happy about the wedding being close to beginning. "The food is prepared, let's get the decorations in order...come on, everyone. Fleur and Bill are getting ready for their big day, oh come on you two, hurry up!" Molly exclaimed, urging those outside to get ready in their dress clothes for the wedding.

Victoria sighed and placed a half-hearted smile on her face when Molly urged everyone to get ready for the ceremony while Harry kept the look of concern on his own expression. "We better get ready, Harry." Victoria said in a calm tone and forced a gentle smile on her face before heading into the burrow to get dressed in a dark purple, long sleeved and knees length dress paired with her black heels.

Walking off to the area where the guest sat to watch the ceremony, Victoria took a seat at one of the tables near Lupin and Tonks, watching the vows while Harry sat with Hermione, Ron and the twins. Victoria noticed the obvious of Harry's direct attention was on Ginny who was standing near Fleur, being her bridesmaid. Victoria began to think about her own wedding in the future with Snape - well, if it was still happening.

Victoria didn't exactly know where she stood with her fiancé right now. She still loved him but she also felt confused - confused by his actions and by the secrets he had apparently kept from her, such as being part of the Order for example. But, Victoria found herself thinking back to what Dumbledore warned her about years prior. The sound of fierce claps interrupted her thoughts, causing her to give gentle claps along with the rest of the guests as the bride and groom entered the tent where the reception started immediately.

Victoria mingled with the guests as everyone else had soon after Bill and Fleur had their first dance, then the cake was cut. It had only been about forty-five minutes into the reception when a glowing, blue light entered the tent, interrupting the celebration and causing everyone's attention to be drawn into the glowing cat-like image, a patronus of a lynx. A moment later, the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke from the glowing patronus that floated in th middle of the crowd.

"The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead. They are coming...They are coming."

It was only a second or two later when the patronus vanished and everyone began to scatter. Victoria knew that the voice had referred to the death eaters, especially when they began to pop up in the tent amongst the panicking crowd of guests who apparated away one by one. Victoria saw Harry worryingly looking around in the midst of his friends calling for him.

"Harry!" Victoria called her nephew's attention quickly. Harry quickly looked over at her when Hermione found him and clung to his side, calling for Ron. "Leave! Harry, now!" Victoria urgently pushed. She knew Harry wouldn't want to leave Victoria behind at this moment of danger but she needed Harry to be safe. A second later, Ron rushed over as Lupin urged them to go too. "Harry, Go, go!" Lupin exclaimed. Then the trio vanished, apparating to a random location unknown to Victoria l when Victoria drew her wand at one of the black cloaked death eaters.

"Stupefy!" Victoria casted, causing the death eater to fly into one of the tables, snapping it in half, being left temporarily unconscious. Victoria had a little worry about being recognized as Harry's guardian and relation to her late twin sister, but she could only hope that these death eaters had no familiarity with that situation. There were ongoing fights around her with death eaters verses the Order before it became overbearing and they were outnumbered at the current moment, eventually being held captive.

The death eaters immediately began interrogating each member of the Order and the remaining adults that had been left fighting during the ambush. Victoria was tied to one of the kitchen chairs, her wand still remained in her pocket but unable to reach it when one of the unfamiliar death eaters approached her. "What's your name?!" the death eater, Walden McNair, asked maliciously.

Victoria had a feeling if she were to give her real name, they would quickly identify her and she would be in grave danger. Noticing they checked every inch of the burrow and everyone's belongings, especially for identifications, Victoria was thankful she had forgotten her own I.D. back at her house, with her purse that she forgot to take with her when she had to immediately apparate to the burrow that day of the attack. When the death eater asked her this question, the other members of the Order watched for What she would say.

"Ruby Weasley." Victoria replied quickly. Victoria has ginger hair and it would make it convincing to strangers that she was a Weasley just by that distinction. Molly and Arthur knew it was a facade to hide her identity for protection and decided to go along with it. "She's my younger cousin." Arthur clarified, giving Victoria encouragement. McNair let out a snarl before looking at fellow death eaters for reassurance that she was telling the truth, but one of the death eaters shrugged. "Haven't found identification of her anywhere in this bloody place." Rodolphus Lestrange stated in a disgusted tone.

"Get back to interrogating the others! I'll handle this one...we need to know Potter's whereabouts." McNair stated. The death eater turned back to Victoria, still uncertain if she was a Weasley but there was no proof otherwise and why would it matter, as long as he would get information from any of the captives about Harry Potter.