Everything seemed fuzzy, slow. Harry and Hermione jumped to their feet and drew their wands. Many people were only just realizing that something strange had happened; heads were still turning toward the silver cat as it vanished. Silence spread outward in cold ripples from the place where the Patronus had landed. Then somebody screamed.

He shook his head to come to his senses, realising that his wand was already in the air, poised and ready. Thank Merlin for highly honed instincts. They were literally lifesavers.

Dora also had these instincts, her wand was last raised and she was looking all around them, trying to figure out what exactly was happening. Which was hard to do considering everyone was running around as if they were half possessed. Not that he could exactly fault them for that, their lives were in danger after all. There was more screaming and even more chaos as people trampled every which way.

'CRASH'

There went one of the tables and a whole bunch of chairs. Dust was rising as things got damaged, making it hard to see. Or was it spells from an outside source? Either way, it made people panic more. Remus was struggling to stay steady as they all rushed past him.

Then he saw flashes of light which could only mean one thing. Remus looked down at Dora to see her looking in the same direction.

They raised their wands and in unison shouted, "Protego!"

Just in time too because something flew at them. A piece of furniture? A spell? It was hard to see with all the dust and debris flying around but whatever it was it bounced harmlessly off their combined shields. Right. That was good.

He saw Harry and then he didn't but there was no time to think on that as the cracks of apparition filled the air.

"I've got the front," Dora said, running in that direction.

"I'll stay here," Remus said.

He wanted to go with her, be by her side. Of course, he did. But that wouldn't be any good at all. If they split up, they could protect more people and fend off more attacks. Without trying to keep an eye on each other. They couldn't let their relationship cause problems in situations like this.

And that was the last coherent thought he had as he pushed past people l, trying to get them out of harm's way. These were Arthur and Molly's family. Fleur's family. They weren't Order members. They had to be protected.

"Engorgio!" He fired at a tree stump as a masked Death Eater tried to leap over it.

Not your normal battlefield spell but handy just for the element of surprise. The stump grew about ten times its size which ensured that the Death Eater smacked right into it. Forgive him if he didn't feel any sympathy for the crunching sound the masked man's face made against it.

Shouts and spells filled the air as people fought, trying to escape. Thankfully there were fewer and fewer people after each passing second as they managed to avoid the Death Eaters.

"Remus!"

That was Ginny. She was standing in front of some small redheads and was that a blonde? A Delacour? It didn't matter. These were children and none of them looked like they were Hogwarts aged yet. Ginny had managed to disarm two Death Eaters as well as hit one of the with a slicing hex. A nasty cut appeared down the man's cheek as his mask fell in two. Remus petrified him for good measure and shot a hex of his own at the Death Eater coming from behind. Between the two of them they ensured that the trembling children weren't harmed. Traumatised? Almost certainly hut physically unharmed.

There was a 'crack' from behind him and Remus turned, wand raised and a spell on his lips.

"Aunt Amy!" Ginny said in relief.

"Mum!" Two of the children chorused.

"Anne! Gregory!"

The two children automatically ran for their mother and the other three hung back, looking longingly at the reunion despite the terror that was going on around them. Though, things seemed to be quietening. Were there fewer Death Eaters around or was it just him? They were probably all around the front.

"I'll take them all," this Anne person was saying. "I'll get them out of here."

Remus looked around and grabbed George. How easy it was to identify them now one of them had one ear.

"Wha-? Remus!"

"Help your Aunt," he ordered.

George would at least know where Anne wanted him to go. The redhead took one look at the children and nodded.

"To yours?" He asked his Aunt

Remus made sure all the children were safely away before returning to the fray himself. Not that there looked to be a lot of it.

In fact, there weren't any of them at the back of the house at all. He ran around to the front only to almost collide with his heavily panting wife. No Death Eaters here either.

"They just left," she said. "We didn't chase them off."

"Probably called back," Remis said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just let me get my breath."

Remus didn't know whether or not to be thankful that the Death Eaters didn't stay. They were obviously looming for something. Someone. Harry.

The area was in shambles but surprisingly the house was still standing, even if it was a little scorched.

"Is everyone alright?" Arthur asked, running around the corner, crunching on broken glass and Merlin knows what else. "Is everyone ali-safe?"

Remus heard that catch in Arthur's voice. Like he was fearing the worst. So was Remus if he was being honest. Surely after a surprise attack like that there had to be some casualties? He refused to think of the chance of fatalities.

"Here," said Fred.

"I'm 'ere," Fleur shouted through a bleeding nose.

One by one all of the Weasleys were accounted for. And the Lovegoods. Apparently, they had stayed to fight.

Everyone sort of fell into each other in relief. Letting loose nervous laughs and a few tears. Remus put a finger to his lips, quietening them. He had seen something.

"Remus?" Dora whispered.

He nodded off to the right, shaking his head when Fred tried to look. No, don't make it obvious! Dora knew what to do, her eyes flitted to the side, her breath catching in her throat, before flitting back to him again.

"Someone's still there," she said, gulping slightly.

Everyone froze at that revelation, not knowing what to do.

"What do we do?" Charlie asked, wiping at a gash on his arm with his torn robes.

That snapped Molly out of her stupor as her mothering instincts kicked in.

"What we're going to do is get you all healed up," she said. "All of you."

"Molly-"

"No, Arthur. If there's someone watching our house that means they're not attacking it which means I am going to heal my children and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me."

Arthur blinked at her while everyone else looked at the Weasley matriarch warily, wisely not moving. She glared around at them.

"Well?" she demanded, hands on hips. "Get moving, then. Into the kitchen!"

With mutters and sidelong glances, all the Weasleys did as they were told.

"You two, Remus and Tonks," Molly said sharply as the two of them started hanging back.

They exchanged looks with each and decided that the best course of action was to do as their told.

"Let us do a sweep of the property, Molly," Remus asked. "Then we'll come in."

"We're not injured except for some scrapes," Dora added.

Molly pursed her lips but nodded in acquiescence.

"You come right in after, do you hear me?"

"Of course."

Then suddenly it was only them and Arthur outside. Bill and Fleur's objections to wanting to help brushed aside by Molly.

Arthur shook his head as he took in the destruction. There was a lot of it.

"At least were all alive and the house is still standing." He said, a glimmer of his old smile on his face.

"And Bill has a hell of a wedding story," Dora added.

Arthur actually laughed at that. "That he does."

The three of them carefully checked the property, making sure that there was no one around who shouldn't be. Nope. Just the presence Remus and Dora saw in the distance.

"He hasn't moved," Arthur said under his breath.

"What does he want?" Remus wondered.

"Probably waiting to see if we contact Harry," Dora said.

They tried to do some tidying up and repairing but they were soon called back in by Molly. Mugs of sweet tea were thrust into their hands as everyone tried to process what happened.

"Mum and Dad," Dora said in a hushed voice after swallowing her tea.

Remus gulped. Of course. The Weasleys would not be the only one who were targeted. It would be all prominent Light Families and Blood traitors. Maybe even all their safe houses.

"We'll go now," Remus said hoarsely a very familiar feeling of fear coming over him.