Hello, Everyone. Good News! No (it's not the Dacia Sandero). No more trips for a while! Anyway, sorry for the delay. Time to get the story moving forward, so it's mostly an action chapter, but I think you'll enjoy the surprise at the end.

As usual, none of the work for this fiction is my own, but rather, it belongs to Rowling.

Chapter Thirteen: Escape to Grimmuald Place

The gathered guests lingered quietly as Kingsley's Patronus disappated. No one moved or said anything. Time had stalled to a crawl as everyone looked to one another as if seeking silent confirmation of Kingsley's words. The cold silence spread from the tent and lingered in the fields. And then they heard them.

Several screams came at once from every direction of the tent as the ministry wards fell in quick succession. Guests Disapparated away while Order members returned wand fire upon the dozen Death Eaters who'd arrived. In a matter of seconds the wedding tent became a battlefield.

Instinct took over as Harry grabbed Hermione by the shoulder and pushed her down onto the dance floor as streaks of red and green flashed over their heads.

"We've got to grab Ron and get out of here, Harry," said Hermione. They pushed their way across the dance floor as they fought against the tide of frantic guests sprinting away from the battle. Harry gripped Hermione firmly by the hand so they would not be separated, all the while calling out for Ron. They were joined shortly after by Remus and Tonks, both having put up a combined shield charm to deflect the rays of red shot in their direction.

"Harry, Hermione, you need to get out of here," said Remus, stunning one of the masked Death Eaters.

"I can help," said Harry as he shielded them from another stray stunner.

"No can do, kiddo," said Tonks. "Get to Ron—he was still with the twins near the refreshment bar—don't hang back. Hurry."

"We'll look after the guests, Harry. We will leave once everyone has gotten out safely. Now go!"

Hermione pulled on Harry and lead him toward the refreshment bar as they ducked behind overturned tables, using only shielding charms to not draw attention. After several minutes of slow progress, they found Ron with the twins returning stunners at an impressive rate.

"Oy, you lot, get over here," said George hitting a Death Eater in the face with a stunner.

"I'm not leaving while my family is in danger," said Ron defiantly.

"Sorry, Ronny-kins, no choice in the matter," said Fred as he shoved Ron down onto the dance floor. After a return volley of stunners, Fred and George dropped and joined the trio on the floor behind a turned table.

"Be ready to Disapparate," said George.

"We'll cover you—"

"Don't worry about the family—"

"We'll get you word when we're safe—on the count of three, alright?" Harry gave a quick glance to Hermione and Ron before nodding to the twins. Before Fred started to count however, the air turned to a familiar frosty cold.

"Dementors," whispered Harry, readying his wand again.

"We'll handle it," said the twins simultaneously.

"You get out of here, you understand," said George as he peeked a glance over the turned table. "Most of the Order can produce a Patronus. Looks like half a dozen or so, shouldn't be a problem." Harry attempted to protest but Fred shook his head.

"Harry, the whole point in hiding you was so that Death Eaters wouldn't know you were here. Voldy-shorts might suspect it, but he doesn't know it for certain. Everyone knows your Patronus form—you'll only give yourself away and put our family in danger for harboring you. Not that we care about that mind you, but it would make our life a bit more difficult."

"He's right, Harry, we can't let your attendance be known," said Hermione. Harry reluctantly agreed.

"Alright, count of three," said Fred. "Ready—one—two—three!" In one fluid movement, Fred and George stood and fired several stunners toward a small cluster of Death Eaters making their way into the tent area. The trio stood with Hermione in the middle who had a firm grip on both boys and turned on the spot. All sight and sound was oppressed by darkness pressing upon them that Harry recognized as the familiar sensation of Apparation.

"Where are we," asked Ron. Harry opened his eyes. They were standing in an ally way with brick buildings on either side of them. A few meters away was a busy street crowded with cars and pedestrians passing by, their shadows dancing in a hurried pace beneath the store-front lights.

"Tottenham Court Road," said Hermione in a quiet but rushed voice. "Walk," she said as she lead them from the ally out into the busy sidewalk. "We need to find somewhere for you to change. Harry's Polyjuice won't last much longer."

"Hermione, just what are we supposed to change into," asked Ron with a hint of impatience in his voice. Harry was equally frustrated, but not at Hermione or what she said, but rather for his lack of preparedness. How could he be so thick as to not anticipate a possible attack on the Burrow?

"Of all the times to not have my Invisibility Cloak," said Harry cursing his shortsightedness and stupidity.

"I have your cloak, Harry, remember," she said, waving her little handbag. Harry smiled.

"Of course," said Harry. "Brilliant as usual, Hermione."

"Will someone please explain to me what you two are on about," asked Ron.

"Sorry," said Hermione. "It's an Undetectable Extension Charm—look," she reached into her bag until the length of her arm had vanished inside. Ron's mouth hung open slightly. Hermione then withdrew the silvery cloak.

"Get under your cloak, Harry," said Hermione. "You're bound to change back any moment." Harry did as he was told and slipped beneath the cloak.

"That's bloody brilliant," said Ron, his mouth still hung open in disbelief.

"Yes, well, we can talk about my brilliance later," said Hermione as she continued to blaze a path through the oncoming pedestrians. "For now, we need to find a place to wait out the last of Harry's potion." She led them on for several blocks more before coming to an abrupt halt at a rather neglected café. Harry followed Ron and Hermione as they took one of the many available booths. Harry slid in next to the wall with Hermione seating herself next to him. Ron took the opposite side, his back facing the door entry.

A minute passed while they waited in silence for the barista. During that time, Harry could feel the waning effects of the Polyjuice Potion. First his vision began to grow blurry, followed by the odd sensation of his hands constricting back into their original size. He then felt his nose snap into place and shoulders narrow slightly. Finally, the potion's effects had run their course as his vision worsened significantly. Harry quickly reached into a pocket of his now baggy pants and withdrew his glasses. His vision restored, he quickly took in the surroundings.

"It's finished," he whispered next to Hermione. Hermione gave a discreet nod as the barista came to their table.

"Whatcha be havin' this evenin', dears," she asked. Hermione ordered a pair of cappuccinos. Once the barista had returned to the kitchen, Ron spoke.

"You know, the Leaky Cauldron isn't far from here."

"Ron, we can't go there—it would be suicide," said Hermione quickly, but keeping her voice down.

"Not to stay, I know that," said Ron. "But we need to find out what's happening."

"We know what's happening! Voldemort's taken over the Ministry. Do you really need to know anything else?"

"Aright, alright, fine," said Ron holding up his hands in defeat. "It was just an idea."

"I know," said Hermione, relaxing into silence once more. A minute passed before the door of the café opened once more and two disgruntled looking workmen entered. They seated themselves into the next booth. Harry eyed them curiously for a moment as Hermione dropped into another whisper.

"I say we need to find a quiet place to Disapparate—head for the countryside—set camp and send a message to the order."

"Can you make that talking Patronus, then," asked Ron. Hermione flashed a quick look of frustration before nodding.

"We could just go to Sirius's place for now," whispered Harry. Ron gave a bewildered look.

"Sirius had a place?"

"Harry, he doesn't know yet," said Hermione. "Fidelius Charm, remember?" Harry sighed. They hadn't had the opportunity for him to tell Ron about the location of Grimmuald Place. Another minute passed silently as the barista emerged from the kitchen with their order.

"Here you be, dears," she said setting down the drinks before rushing over the two gentlemen to take their order. Harry was passively observing the pair when the larger of the two men—the blond one—waved her away rudely. And that's when he saw it. The man's left hand under the table was holding a wand.

"Let's get going, then, I don't want to drink this much," said Ron, his face sporting a rather bitter look as though he'd just consumed his own dose of Polyjuice Potion. "Hermione, have you got Muggle money to pay for this, because I sure don't." Hermione was about to reach into her bag when Harry gripped her forearm rather hard and whispered.

"Get ready—they have wands—on my move." Hermione nodded and shot Ron a look and gestured with her eyes in the direction of the work men. Ron quickly saw the concealed wand without being obvious and nodded. Harry gave Hermione another squeeze and jumped to his seat, the cloak slipping off as he fired his first spell.

"Stupefy!"

The jet of red hit the blond Death Eater in the face, sending him backwards into the other Death Eater who lost his balance and slipped beneath the table. Ron followed suit with a stunner of his own while Hermione waved her wand, uprooting several tables from their floor anchors and placing them between the Death Eaters and themselves for cover. The still conscious Death Eater deflected Ron's stunner and Disapparated, reappearing seconds later behind them. The Death Eater then conjured black ropes from the tip of his wand, quickly binding Ron from head to foot. Before Harry or Hermione could react, the Death Eater then fired another spell towards them, this one having no visible light. Harry grabbed Hermione and forced her to the ground as the tables behind them exploded.

The barista, hearing the commotion, barreled out the kitchen doors, shrieking in response to the destroyed interior of the café. Without hesitation, Hermione flicked her wand the barista was sent flying back through the kitchen doors and out of harm's way.

"Stupefy," shouted Harry as he made to stand, but again the stunner was deflected by the Death Eater's shield charm. Hermione, however, was a master of non-verbal spells and with a swish of her wand, the Death Eater's arms bound to his sides just as his legs fused together and he toppled forward, face first into the tile flooring. Hermione then gave her wand another flick and Ron's ropes split apart. Harry helped him up and then stepped over the debris where the blond Death Eater was sprawled.

"I should have recognized him the moment he came in," said Harry. "He was up in the tower the night Dumbledore died—name's Rowle. Hermione stunned the dark haired Death Eater before turning him face up toward to the ceiling.

"Dolohov," said Hermione, her face turning to stone. "He's the one who got me at the Ministry—but never mind who they are—how did they find us?"

"Dunno," said Ron.

"Ron, get the lights," said Harry. Amidst the panic, his mind jumped into overdrive. "Hermione, lock the doors—quickly." Ron withdrew his Deluminator and gave it a click, plunging the café into darkness. A second click told him the door was locked and then there was another swishing sound of the blinds dropping.

"Lumos," whispered Harry, giving a small radius of light around them and the unconscious Death Eaters.

"What do we do with them," asked Ron. "They'd kill us given the chance." Hermione shuddered at Ron's insinuation, taking a few steps back and putting distance between her and Ron. Harry shook his head.

"We wipe their memories," said Harry. "If we killed them it'd be obvious we were here. We can't start off on the run—we have to dictate the terms or we won't make it."

"You're the boss," said Ron. "But have either of you ever done a Memory Charm?" Harry shook his head again.

"No," said Hermione simply.

"What about your parents," asked Harry.

"It's different," she explained. "This is wiping it from their memory, like it was never there. I put several Confundus Charms on them to modify their memories. Their memories are still there, Harry, just buried deeply under a lot of false ones. The Obliviation Memory Charm isn't temporary, Harry. It's permanent. That's why you have to have Ministry Certification in order to do it in the first place. The charm isn't even in the Hogwarts Curriculum."

"Do you know it," asked Harry, regretting what he was about to ask Hermione to do. It wasn't who the charm was going to be performed on that bothered him. No, he knew how personal it would be for Hermione, having already modified her parent's memory in such a similar way.

"I do," she said. "I think I can do it. It's not really a complex spell to be honest." She drew her wand upon Dolohov and pointed it at his forehead. Once more, Harry marveled at her mastery of non-verbal spells as Dolohov's eyes became unfocused.

"I think it worked," she said, moving from Dolohov to Rowle and repeating the spell.

"Brilliant," said Harry, giving her a small pat on the shoulder. "Ron and I will fix the place up while you check on the waitress. You'll probably have to wipe her memory too, unfortunately." Hermione nodded and disappeared into the kitchen as Ron and Harry repaired the damage. It took them a couple minutes.

"You know, Dumbledore could've fixed this place up with one flick," said Harry as Hermione came back from the kitchen.

"Yeah, but he was a hundred and fifty or so years old, mate," said Ron.

"We still don't know how they found us," said Hermione, interrupting with the change of subject.

"You don't reckon Harry still has the trace, do you," asked Ron.

"It's wizarding law that it breaks at seventeen," said Hermione.

"Besides, the Minister himself took the trace off before my birthday," said Harry. Ron gazed at Harry with a lopsided look.

"Why'd he do that?"

"Kingsley said it was for my best interest," said Harry.

"But what if the Death Eaters found a way to put it back on," said Hermione franticly.

"Look, we need to get out of here, we can figure this out later," said Harry. "Ron, come here, I need to tell you something." A bit bewildered, Ron complied with the request. Harry leaned in and told him the location of the Grimmauld Place.

"Wicked," said Ron, his face glowing in understanding. "It all makes sense now. I knew I'd once know the location of the Order, but then I completely forgot. I suspect the new Fidelius made me forget."

"Alright, let's get out of here," said Harry, nodding to Hermione. Once more, she took her place between them.

"Put your cloak on Harry," she said.

"What about you two?"

"You're more important."

"Fine," said Harry, knowing how this argument would end. "But can't you at least put a Disillusionment charm on the two of you?"

"Yes, I suppose I can do that," said Hermione. She tapped her wand on Ron's head who immediately camouflaged into the surroundings of the Café interior. Satisfied, Hermione did the same to herself. She then took each boy's hand and twisted on the spot.

And then they stood at the foot of the stone stairs of the long-neglected Grimmauld Place. Once they had made sure they were not followed a second time, they raced to the top of the stairs. Harry tapped his wand on the door which was followed by several slicks and a chain clanging against the aging wood. The door swung open with a horrendous creak as they hurried inside.

"You sure this is safe, mate," asked Ron in a whisper, wary of the portrait of Mrs. Black.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Best to be sure, though," said Hermione. She flicked her wand once, speaking the incantation this time.

"Homenum Revelio." After a few strained moments with no apparent thing happening, Ron interjected.

"Well, never thought I'd see a spell Hermione didn't do right the first time," he said in a shocked voice. "Just what was that supposed to do?"

"For your information, Ronald, it worked perfectly," said Hermione in a matter-of-fact tone. "That spell is used to reveal human presence, and we are quite alone."

"You scare me sometimes," said Ron as he made his way toward the kitchen. "Any food in this place, Harry?"

"Yeah, in the pantry," said Harry as he shared an amused look with Hermione. They followed Ron in to the kitchen and sat down at the table. Just as Ron emerged from the pantry, his arms burdened with a large pile of food, a silver Patronus hovered into the kitchen from the hallway they'd just left. Solidifying, the silver weasel climbed to the top of the table and stood in front of them, speaking in the voice of Arthur Weasley.

"Family safe, do not reply; we are being watched." Its message relayed, the Patronus dissipated.

"They're safe," said Ron, his voice sounding detached.

"One less thing to be occupied with now," said Hermione. Her face too showed visible relief. Harry nodded in agreement.

"We can rule out the trace," said Harry, after a minute. "Otherwise they would be at our doorstep."

"Maybe," said Hermione. "It's possible they followed our Apparition, but I'm not sure how. I'm not aware of being able to follow another wizard or witches Apparition destination unless you're in physical contact with them."

"Well, maybe they've figured something out," said Ron. "I mean, doesn't You-Know-Who have the ability to Apparate to his followers?"

"Yes, but that's the Dark Mark he's using as a reference, Ron," said Harry. "I think it's time for me to read this letter from Dumbledore—I'll just be in the living room."

"I should come with you," said Hermione immediately, but Harry shook his head.

"I'll tell you about it after I've read it, okay?" Hermione looked as though she wanted to protest, but nodded after a few seconds. Without another word, he excused himself from the table, leaving Ron and Hermione in the kitchen.

Once he made sure he would not be disturbed, Harry took the envelope from inside his robe pocket. Hands shaking slightly, he pulled back the wax seal effortlessly and unfolded the parchment within.

Harry,

I hope this letter finds you well and in the company of your dearest friends. I do hope you will forgive the brevity of this letter as it does not contain the information you are undoubtedly expecting. The deception was necessary to ensure that this information was passed to you and you alone. Additionally, the theatrics would only help to give Scrimgeour pause in any forceful action he may try to take to get you into his fold. Assuming you are reading this letter now, I must be assured that the deception worked as intended.

I have three vials of memory prepared for you, and likewise Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley. They will appear once you have read the contents of this letter. Each is labeled appropriately. My only directions as of now are as follows:

Firstly, these vials are enchanted to glow in a blue light when they are to be viewed. As such, the vials cannot be opened until such a time. I will not divulge why in this letter, but everything will be made clear in due time.

Secondly, these memories are only to be viewed by the one who the vial names. Therefore, when a vial indicates it is time to be viewed, either you, Miss Granger, or Mr. Weasley must do so alone. The memories are enchanted to prevent anyone from entering the memory unless it is the person for whom it is intended.

Lastly, as I indicated in my will, I owe you more than simple platitudes. The first memory is for you and will glow once the vials have been presented. I want you to view it as soon as you can.

Albus Perciful Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

Finishing the letter, Harry returned his attention to the empty envelope, his confusion growing by the minute. He picked up the envelope to find surprisingly that is was no longer empty. Inside three glass vials appeared. He looked at each one in turn, finding that the three of them had been addressed to one vial each. Hands still shaking, he leapt from the couch and raced into the kitchen.

"Here it is," he said, his voice louder than he intended.

"What is it, Harry," asked Hermione. Harry didn't' respond immediately, but rather, thrusted a vial into Hermione and Ron's hand each.

"From Dumbledore," said Harry. "They're memories, one for each of us."

"Brilliant," said Ron. "Er, how are we supposed to watch them?"

"With this," said Hermione, reaching into her extendable bag and withdrawing the Pensieve.

"Where did you get one of those," asked Ron. "Those are rare, they are."

"Dumbledore," said Hermione. "Well, Fawkes delivered it, but it's from Dumbledore."

"Blimey," said Ron with wonder. "So what are we waiting for?"

"Just a second, Ron," said Harry. "Dumbledore's instructions state that the memory will glow blue when it is time for you to watch your memory."

"You mean, these aren't for all of us to see," asked Hermione. Harry shook his head.

"No, Dumbledore made it perfectly clear that only the one whose name is on the vial is to watch it. Also, you won't be able to open the vial until it glows blue."

"Harry," shrieked Hermione suddenly, pointing at the vial in Harry's hand. "Your vial—it's glowing!"

"Right, well, I reckon I should take this into the other room," said Harry, picking up the Pensieve from the kitchen table. "Wish me luck."