Chapter 15

            It was two days later that they got a lead. One of the papers was a note not yet sent to another holding area. This one was in Wales, and they had a name. Harry sent Hedwig to Arthur Weasley.

Dad,

            I know it's dangerous to ask for help like this. I wouldn't if it wasn't necessary, but I need a portkey for the Ministry of Magic office in Wales.

            Please do not allow any of your contemporaries to travel to that office in the next day.

Harry

P.S. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione say hello.

            Hedwig returned rapidly.

Son,

            You have no idea what joy it brings write that down, knowing it's for you Harry. Molly and I are both very proud of you and your friends.

            You left a map here over the summer, and I thought it best to return it to you with Hedwig. Owl Post is becoming unsafe Harry.

            I do hope the map gets you where you need to go, and return you back here to us. We have placed special wards up here at the Burrow, and only portkeys will let you in. It's unsafe to walk up to the house now, and disapparating is straight out. We are also no longer on the floo network.

Tell Ron and Ginny their mum and dad send their love, and that goes for you and Hermione as well.

            We expect to see you all soon.

Dad

            Harry read the letter and smiled. Arthur was certainly a crafty man. "Ok we have what we need. Let's pack up, we aren't returning for a few days." The nine Companions looked at him critically. "We have a dinner engagement," was all he would say on the matter.

            He pulled Ron, Ginny and Hermione aside and told them that Arthur and Molly sent their love, and that they were hoping to see them all soon. "They removed the Burrow from the floo network, and placed more wards up, it's dangerous to even walk up to the house now. The only way in safely is portkey."

            They prepared for the trip to the Ministry of Magic remote office in Wales. There they met three Aurors. "Harry Potter." The middle one spoke as they approached the doors.

            He nodded, and allowed a dampening potion to slide into the palm of his hand. "Yes."

            "Stand down. We are under orders from Minister Fudge that you ten are to be detained for questioning.

            "I do not answer to the Minister of Magic." Harry simply stated. "I answer to Albus Dumbledore, and the Order of the Phoenix."

            The leader stood his ground. "I do not recognize that authority. If you do not stand down Mr. Potter there will be trouble."

            Harry sized the three up quickly, either they were sorely under appreciating what the Companions were capable of, or there were others around, hidden.

            "As I state your name, step forward and surrender your wand." He glanced at a paper note in his hand.

            "Virginia Weasley" Ginny made no motion to surrender anything.

            "Ronald Weasley" Ron stood his ground, glaring at them.

            "Hermione Granger" She looked at him with an almost amused look.

            "You know, you can stop right now, and save yourself a lot of time." Harry finally interrupted the Auror. "We have no intention on surrendering or wavering from our task. Stand aside."

            The two leaders glared at one another, and Ginny slowly let out a breath she had not known she was holding until the desire to breathe burned in her lungs. Her attention focused on Harry and the leader of the Aurors.

            "It does not have to end in violence Potter." The Auror said flatly, though Ginny was sure she heard a twinge of something… Regret? Fear perhaps?

            "I agree there is no need for violence between us Auror. I am here to liberate one hundred and sixty Hogwarts students from the death eaters who have captured them and wrongfully imprisoned them. I will not leave without them, and those who need to be punished."

            "There are no children here." The Auror answered, though Ginny was certain now she heard doubt in his tone.

            "Your information is wrong." Ron spoke up for the first time. "I have documents here to prove it." He brandished the documents like they were the Holy Grail.

            The Auror held out his hand. "Let me see them." He spent a few minutes scanning over not only he documents, but also Ron's notes. He returned the documents to Ron, his shoulders sagged. "Your documentation is complete Mr. Weasley. Though I am hardly surprised, you are certainly Arthur's son. Please follow me."

            They walked to a small building just to the side of the ministry office building, and were lead into a small conference room. Two dozen Aurors were already assembled. "It would seem," the leader of the Aurors stated to the assembled men and women, "that we have been duped, and have been protecting a death eater."

            The uproar was almost deafening. A voice carried above the din. "What in the hell are you talking about McGivins?"

            McGivins, the Auror who had confronted them earlier glared out at his contemporaries. "Shut your hole Vonn. Potter brought documents that clearly show what's going on."

            The noise died down to a few errant whispers. Harry motioned for Ron to follow him. "Ron, please explain the findings from the last three sites."

            Ron cleared his throat nervously, and glanced at Hermione who smiled encouragingly. "We discovered these letters," he indicated a small stack of parchments he withdrew from his pack, "in the initial camp where the first group of death eaters had taken the prisoners." He passed them to McGivins. "They are written orders from Voldemort to the death eaters detailing where the students would be delivered, but not the means by which they abducted nearly a thousand students and almost one hundred faculty and staff."

            McGivins looked suitably impressed. "Go on Mr. Weasley."

            "Yes, well, in the second holding facility," Harry noted he deigned not to name Malfoy Manor, "we found these documents in a – a difficult to describe place." The documents had been on death eaters who were being serviced by the female students. "They, ahhh, they were not able to explain the situation to us any further as all were casualties." Ron's face was a mask of calm, but Harry saw the red rising in his neck.

            The documents were passed to McGivins who began comparing and contrasting the documents. "Please continue Weasley."

            Ron's eyebrow raised a bit at the casual comment from McGivins. "The third set was found in a prison camp along with a set of orders to a ministry official here." The third, much larger set of parchment was delivered to McGivins. This included the map they had managed to find of the interior of the Ministry offices.

            McGivins was suitably impressed with the detail and the work done on preparing them to fight their way into the Ministry offices. He suddenly blanched holding a parchment in his hands. Harry recognized it instantly. It was Ron's assessment of the strength of the Auror force.

"I'm sorry," Ron flushed in embarrassment, "I didn't mean for you to see that." He reached for the document, but McGivins held on to it.

"Is this really what you think?" His eyes narrowed at Ron and Harry.

"Yes Auror McGivins. That is my assessment of your forces here."

"How long did you monitor us before you came to this decision?"

"Twenty four hours. Some is conjecture, but that is explained on the other side."

McGivins flipped the parchment over. "You learned this in twenty four hours?"

Harry folded his arms over his chest. "The way I see it McGivins is either you stand down and let us do our job, attempt to fight us and we will still do our job, or assist us in doing our job. It's your choice. Either way you chose, we will leave with the prisoners today. I have suffered their captivity far too long as is I'll not wait any more." He turned to Ron. "Briefing is over Ron, collect your work." He turned to the rest of the Companions. "We leave in ten minutes."

McGivins looked at Harry mouth open at the sheer audacity. "I need some time to think this through."

"Think all you want, just stay here, and out of our way." He turned to Hermione and nodded gravely to her. "I'm sorry it's come to this."

Hermione threw the small vial into the air, shattering it against the ceiling. A small cloud of a finish silvery dust filtered down on the Aurors. Harry threw his dampening potion on McGivins who was already going for his wand.

McGivins lunged for Harry realizing the problem right away. "You dampened me!" He howled as he swung wildly at Harry.

"I'm sorry McGivins, I can't have you interfering. His foot struck out, and Harry heard the wet popping noise of a dislocated knee. McGivins fell heavily to the floor. "Ginny, Cho, set that, but don't heal him."

The rest of the Aurors stood frozen in place. Harry addressed them then, "the dust will wear off in an hour's time. We will be gone by then, with the captives. If any of you attempt to follow us to Hogwarts it will be seen as a hostile action by the Order of the Phoenix."

They filed out of the room. "Normal precautions ladies and gents. Grab robes from the closet, if they think we are Aurors, perhaps we can get fairly deep without fighting."

"Harry, best guess is that we will encounter problems before we reach the holding cells." Ron was again studying his map. He took another trip along the plotted path, and folded the map, placing it in his pocket.

"No prisoners, just information and students, understand?" They all murmured their assent. "Good, let's go."

Harry opened the door wearing the robes of an Auror over his Order robes. They entered the building and moved with practiced ease through the ministry officials who were ignoring the Aurors as they normally do.

They were stopped by three men wearing Auror robes. "Stand down, and present your hands."

Harry and his group aquised, and raised their hands palm out. "We were sent to check on a prisoner." Harry explained drolly, "McGivins said to bring in the crazy from last week; he wants to question him again."

Harry stood there as the three regarded them his body tensing to spring. These guys were no more Aurors then he was.

"Why weren't we told anything?"

Harry smiled to himself. "Perhaps you assume too much," the look of uncomfortable embarrassment was apparent on their faces, "for example, that you have a need to know anything."

This served to anger the men. "I don't know who you are, and until I hear from someone more senior, I'm not going to let you near the prisoners."

Harry focused on his anger; drawing from the well of power "You will open the door, and stand aside." The three stood aside and allowed Harry and his team to pass. He turned back to them, "We were never here."

Their eyes glazed a moment, and then returned to normal. "So, Rodger, you see the Quidditch scores from last night…" They had resumed normal conversation.

Hermione and Ginny rushed to Harry's side as his knees buckled. Ron softly shut the door. It took Harry a full minute before he could stand albeit wobbly on his own. "Harry, are you trying to kill yourself mate?" Ron asked worry etched in his eyes and face.

"No Ron, but I didn't want to fight them. We are here for a purpose, they are not Aurors, but I don't think they know what's going on down here." Harry stretched muscles and squared his shoulders. "Let's finish this."

They moved into the holding area, Ron stunned the only guard. A quick search of him revealed keys to the cell blocks. Harry frowned as they moved to the first cell.

Ron was about to fit the key. "Stop Ron."

Harry moved to the cell door, and placed his hands on it. He seemed to be concentrating on something. "This feels wrong somehow."

Harry had felt this before when they were trapped in Malfoy Manor, like someone was watching, waiting to spring a trap. In Malfoy Manor, it had been unfounded, but this time the feeling was intense. "Gather around." Harry grabbed Ron's wrist, and set the watch to take them back to Hogwarts. They felt a pull like they were moving through rapidly congealing gelatin. Then they were free and tumbling onto the ground in the Great Hall.

"What, Harry, in the name of all that's holy, what in the hell did you do that for?" Ron sputtered.

Hermione was still thinking on the reaction of the portkey. "I think Harry just saved our lives Ron."

Ron's eyes widened. "You mean that sickly slow start to the portkey?"

Hermione nodded. "The wards were being brought up slowly so as not to warn us." She turned to Harry then, "how did you know, and more importantly how long did you know about the wards?"

Harry held out his hands awkwardly. "I just felt them, like we were in a bag and someone was slowly closing the mouth." He couldn't explain it any better. "I knew as soon as Ron was about to turn the lock, something was wrong."

"You may have sealed their deaths Harry." Ron blurted out.

Ginny took two steps forward and belted Ron square in the jaw sending him over the Slytherin table.

Ron stood up his hand clutching his injured jaw. "What the hell was that for?"

Hermione glared at Ron openly. "You ignorant, moronic, insensitive, aggravating ass!" Ron's injuries were forgotten with Hermione's outburst, "I cannot possibly see what in the nine hells you were thinking when you opened your idiotic mouth Ronald Weasley!" Her face was turning red, either from the screaming or the anger; no one was quite sure which. "Harry does not need you being a selfish, insensitive fuck right now!"

The wave of anger crested and Hermione stumbled, and then fell into Susan's arms.

Justin spoke up. "Well, that's three for ten, anyone want to bet on whose next?" Followed by an "ooof" as Cho's elbow found a home in his ribs.

They made their way in uncomfortable silence to their common room. Hermione was laid on the couch, and a quick conversation with Dobby secured the food and drink Hermione would need.

Harry placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. "She'll be fine Ron," he smiled lopsidedly at his friend, "but I'd not get her brassed at you – just in case."

Ron couldn't help but grin back. "Look Harry, I'm sorry mate, I was just still keyed up and I had to vent somehow."

Harry's smile at his friend deepened. "I understand Ron, don't worry, I know what you feel like." He left Ron's side, and saw Ginny. A smile touched the corners of his mouth. She grabbed his hand and they left for their room.

Harry noted with some small amount of pleasure that at some point in the last few weeks, the house elves had seen fit to change the name plates. The couple slipped inside the room, the shiny brass tags reading "Harry Potter" and below it "Virginia Weasley".

They emerged into the common room a few minutes later, into a fit of chaos. People were screaming, and both Cho, and Hermione were unconscious now, though Hermione had apparently woken from the earlier experience, and was now was unconscious again. No doubt from the second use.

Harry sighed and smiled weakly at Ginny. "So when are you going to flip out on me?"

Ginny smacked his arm playfully, "you will regret that comment Potter." She was smiling warmly at him. "Should we break this up, or order a feast?"

"No, let them get it out of their system first. It'll be easier when they are all on the floor."

They moved to a pair of chairs, and Ginny brought out a set of exploding snap cards. "Fancy a game?"

Harry grinned, "Of course." She dealt the cards out, and they started building. By the time the last of the shouting (and shouting) was over, the cards were smoking dangerously, and Harry was glancing furtively around looking for a spot to place his card.

Harry looked up to see Justin slumping wearily over to them; Harry's hand was poised above the structure with smoldering card in hand. "I'd not hold the card so close Harry…" Too late, the entire thing went up earning Harry a singed fingertip.

Justin laughed at the two of them, the irony of the game being played out in the corner while the rest of them shouted and yelled suddenly struck him as the funniest thing he'd heard in a long time. Harry and Ginny joined in shortly, the three laughing until tears rolled from their eyes, and hands clutched at stitches.

"Oh god, that felt good." Justin remarked after the laughter finally died out. "I've not laughed like that in a while. He glanced over at the unconscious forms on the floor. "Suppose we should put them someplace more comfortable then." The three of them moved their friends closer to the fire, and Harry contacted Dobby, asking him to send a feast to their room. Dobby was, of course, all too happy to comply.

"So, all that's left is for you and Ginny to go off then." Harry said somberly once the food arrived.

Ginny slapped Harry on the arm. "Stop it, you prat." Harry noted the smile was not there this time, and he got an idea.

"Stop what? You act like the world needs to bend over and kiss your ass because you are sleeping with me?" Harry mentally prepared himself for the inevitable.

Ginny's jaw dropped, and the red flush came immediately as her eyes narrowed. "What did you just say Potter?" her voice was almost calm, but Harry could hear the dangerous undertone.

He prayed this would work. "You heard me, I may be a bit thick, but you finally got what you were after, you are shagging the Boy Who Lived, right?"

"Fuck you Potter." Ginny projected every ounce of hate she had into that phrase, she then wobbled slightly and sat down hard on the rug. She shook her head to clear the intense exhaustion, and a hunger unlike any she ever felt struck her, and she grabbed food and started eating. She was still brassed at Harry, but was too busy eating to deal with that right now.

Harry watched her dumbstruck. Why was she still awake?

            After consuming an unbelievable amount of food, Ginny wanted to sleep more than anything, but then remembered Harry's cruel words. She turned on him, but there was no more anger to fuel her. "Why Harry?" was all that came out.

            He looked at her for the first time since she had used the power. She still saw tears in his eyes and it struck her. He had done this to empower her, not to hurt her. She smiled. "Never mind, I understand." She cut off whatever he had intended on saying. "You are a sweet man Harry Potter, and I don't know what I did to deserve you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and found that love was filling the void left by the anger.

            Justin cleared his throat. "Get a room." He snickered and went to look over Cho some more.

            "Wow Gin, I had intended on you passing out, not staying awake. No one's done that yet." Harry still seemed uneasy about this. "I can't help but wonder why."

            "Because, you git, I love you, and my love is far stronger than hate." She leaned into his arms. "So you wanted me to pass out? What ever for Mr. Potter? To take advantage of me?"

            Harry uttered a small bark of a laugh. "Not bloody likely." Ginny glared at him. "I – I mean it's not like I'd have to get you unconscious he clarified. That's all."

            Ginny laughed. "You, Harry are a loveable prat, you know that?"

            He smiled goofily at her and nodded. "Only around you."

            Slowly the common room showed signs of people waking from the induced unconsciousness. Harry had been mulling over something, and finally gave voice to the assembled Companions as they ate. "What is this, this thing that happens, and why to all of us?"

            Hermione looked thoughtfully, or at least as thoughtful as one can while eating like someone denied food for days. She almost answered, but instead bit down on a chicken leg, while holding up her index finger, as if willing the hunger to take second place to knowledge. Knowledge was, however losing.

            "It's ok Hermione, I figured you could all think about it while you ate, and perhaps we can figure out not only what it is, but if there's more to it…"

            Hermione's head was bobbing frantically as she pointed to Harry, and then to her nose. Harry's look of almost pure astonishment was echoed by Ginny. "There's more to this?" More head bobbing. "How much do you know?"

            Hermione opened her mouth, and "Little." Was all she got out, Harry knew the feeling well, that she had said that much was amazing to him, he remembered each time vividly, the use of, whatever it was, apparently caused you to require huge amounts of food in take following it, and nothing you could do would alter that. Even now, that he could almost will it into being, he felt incredibly hungry, but it wasn't the all consuming hunger of the first time. He just wished they had had more time to train, learn things, and develop this slower. As is, he was afraid the consequences of one of his team mates passing out while outside of Hogwarts. Steps would need to be taken, and taken soon.

            After they had eaten their fill, the team members left the table, and sat by the fire, the food, and cheery fire lent to freer discussions Harry had noted than the table, where he felt obligated to lead the discussion. Now settled comfortably on a couch, with Ginny leaning against his chest, the discussion began on its own.

            "It's known as the Phoenixutum." Hermione stated as if saying that the fire was hot.

            "Care to elaborate for those of us not versed in dead languages?" Ron was always good at getting Hermione to explain things, Harry thought.

            Cho looked scathingly at Ron, "What she's saying is that it's er," her eyes unfocused as she was mentally reviewing something, "it means something like Orator of the Phoenix, or Sharp Wit of the Phoenix." Her glance to Hermione held an unasked 'Right?'

            Hermione nodded happily, "yes, precisely! The actual meaning is Orator of the Phoenix. It's a horribly misleading name, as there is much more to the power than the voice part, that's just the first stage."

            Harry unconsciously tightened his hold on Ginny. "Go on, what else?"

            "Well – depending on the amount of raw magic potential it could stop there, or continue to grow. The next step is the ability to, well, it's not documented very well, but it seems to be some form of protection, or shield. I'm not sure which, after that; there are vague references that are probably only half-truths anyhow." Her brow was knitted in concentration, as if in deep concentration. "They all do focus around one common theme though, as the user of Phoenixutum uses more and more of the power, they become more and more peaceful, I'd almost say passive, but when they use the power, they are almost blind with rage and literally stream power from them. At the most advanced stages, there is written text saying that witnesses actually saw the flow of magic around the wizard saying it looked like a golden fog, swirling, and eddying, but never dissipating until the wizard passed out."

            She took a sighing breath, "but that's all conjecture. It's not documented in any form that would be considered anything more than dubious at best."

            Harry thought a moment before he spoke, "Was there ever indications of more than one person having this, this…"

            "Phoenixutum, Harry. It's Latin, Phoenix with the suffix -utum meaning: of minds, as in sharp, keen, intelligent or of effective orators." Cho looked happy to be so useful in one of the meetings that she always felt left out of.

(Just a note here, as I look through the text it almost appears as if Ron, Ginny, Hermione and myself were the only ones who talked or for that matter did anything. It's simply not true. The book is written mainly from the perspective of Ginny and myself, and at times the others interjected how they felt, or what they were thinking. We used these passages for everyone who wanted to, or could, contribute. – Harry)

            "So is this something we should be doing to promote this? I don't want us somewhere and have you all dropping around me like sacks of cement."

            "Well," Justin spoke up "I'd wager we need to figure out the anger angle. It seems that each time the, er, Phoenixutum, it's been in times of stress or anger. So it would stand to reason that we would need to somehow control our anger, and 'store' it, for lack of a better word, allowing us to bottle it up and release it when we want to, not when it decides to explode out of us."

            Hermione glanced at Justin. "You haven't felt it yet, have you?" her gaze traveled to Ginny. "How about you?"

            Justin snorted. "Oh, she experienced it alright."

            Ginny blushed slightly, "I didn't pass out is all."

            Hermione's brow knitted again in concentration. She was balanced on the arm of Ron's chair, one arm around his shoulder, she made a move to get up, and Ron held her back. "Not now, now is the time for talk not reading," he whispered in her ear. She settled back.

            The discussion continued on, and the consensus was that it was a powerful tool that they should develop. Harry began to mentally plan their training, but how to anger people on cue? The night wore on, and they went to bed Harry still mulling the thought when Ginny slid into bed beside him. In short order, Harry's thoughts were all on the red head beside him, and anger was the furthest thing from his mind.