Disclaimer: The characters that look familiar to you belong to J. K. Rowling. The ones you cannot find in any of her books are mine. I don't intend to make any money out of this. I'm just having some fun.

The Fuocciris

"Nooooooo!"

Harry awoke swimming in sweat. He wasn't sure if he had cried out loud or not, but Ron's sleeping form told him he had probably only screamed in his dream. The nightmares had been less frequent since Sirius had returned and he felt secure at Headquarters, but when they came, they were always very real. He touched his forehead. He was burning, and his scar hurt a bit. The bluish light coming in through the window told him it was almost daybreak, and he was sure sleep wouldn't come back again that night anyway, so he got out of bed carefully so as to not awake Ron and went to the kitchen in search of some cool water. From the stairs, he could see the light in the kitchen was on.

"Ginny?" Harry greeted the girl, surprised at finding her there so early in the morning. The redhead choked on a piece of toast she had been eating.

"Harry! Don't scare me like that!"

Harry laughed a bit. "Who were you expecting me to be? Voldemort?"

Ginny coughed a bit more, still trying to swallow the piece of toast. "Very funny," she commented dryly. "What are you doing up so early?"

Harry shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

Ginny looked at his tired and sweaty face. "Nightmares again?"

"Yeah," Harry said with a grimace.

"Here," Ginny said, patting the chair next to her, "sit down and have something to eat, it always cheers me up." She proceeded to put some toasts, honey butter and roses jam in a dish for him, and then poured him some hot chocolate.

Harry was going to reject her offer, but then he realised he was hungry, so he joined her. "Are you leaving already?" He asked her while buttering a piece of toast.

Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "No, please! I just came a few minutes ago! Whatever Grace says, my stomach is never going to get used to eating lunch at 3 a.m. I just had some coffee and a piece of strawberry cake at St. Mungo's, and now I'm starving!"

Harry laughed at the expression in her face, but Ginny just ignored him and went on munching her breakfast. Or was it lunch? Or dinner? Well... whatever, food.

"I'm glad I found you here, we haven't seen much of you lately," Harry said. It was true. Since Ginny had started her training at St. Mungo's, she was out of Black Manor most of the time, and when she came back she went straight to bed or to the library. Harry had the suspicion she was trying to avoid them because of Ron's and Hermione's jealous reaction.

"I know," she said, and looked wistfully around. "I guess you must be having fun, all together... But I'm really happy about the training, you know? Being a healer is even better than I had always thought. We've had some rough cases this week, mind you, but still, healing people is so... I don't know, rewarding. I really like it, Harry, and I want to make the most of this chance. Susan told me that Madam Pomfrey has let slip that she might let us help her at Hogwarts too during the school year, you know. I guess she wants to be ready in case the school is attacked."

"Do you think Hogwarts could be attacked?" Harry had always thought the old castle was the safest place in the world.

Ginny thought for a moment while she swallowed some chocolate. "Not really," she finally said. "But better be prepared. Anyway, if we are given the chance, I'm surely interested, not only because of what I could learn, but also because of the money. Although I'm not sure they will pay us while we are at Hogwarts." She took the buttered toast from Harry's hand and bit it hungrily. Harry just shook his head and smiled at Ginny's cheek. She had definitely changed a lot in the last year or so. He went back to the subject at hand, though:

"Aren't you worried about the time you will loose? You'll have your OWLs next year." Harry said, while buttering another toast.

"On the contrary. My practices will help me prepare for my OWLs. I feel more confident now with my spell work and my potions, and I've had to learn so many herbs and plants' names that I doubt there can be many more in the world."

Harry smiled. At least someone optimistic. That's all he really needed. The mood had been a bit tense at Headquarters lately, as the visit of the fuocciris was getting closer.

"Today is the big day," Harry said. Ginny looked at him seemingly confuse. "The fuocciris come today, had you forgotten?"

"Oh, no!" Ginny exclaimed. "I had completely forgotten! And I'm so tired! Do you think the fuocciris will be offended if I fall asleep when bowing?"

"Hmmm, only if you fall on one of them, I guess," Harry joked. During all that week, Professor McGonagall had insisted so many times in how they had to bow, keep their eyes on the floor and not look the fuocciris in the eye -because it was a sign of disrespect for them- and how they should answer in case of being addressed by one of them, that they were too nervous to even breath in their presence. Harry had the bad feeling the meeting was going to be a disaster. He was curious to see the fuocciris, but he was also worried that he would offend them somehow and then the meeting could have disastrous results.

"How was that bow thing again?" Ginny asked annoyed. "Bow-nod-bow or nod-bow-nod?"

"Bow-nod-bow," Harry said, "but it's easier said than done. My body seems totally incapable of such a greeting. Too complicated."

Ginny laughed. "You're right. This is going to be a mess. I was very excited about the fuocciris' visit at first, but now I'd rather stay hidden in my room and just sleep through the meeting."

"You've read my mind," Harry agreed. "Do you think we could stay upstairs without anybody noticing?"

Ginny smiled lopsidedly. "Well, I might stand a chance, you know. With so much red hair in the house, they wouldn't probably miss me. But you, Harry... you and that scar of yours..."

Harry sighed. "I guess you're right. I'm probably gonna be stared at for as long as this meeting lasts."

They remained silent for a moment, and then Ginny finally said, after stifling a huge yawn: "Well, Harry, it's been wonderful to talk to you again, but I should really go to bed now or I will really fall asleep in the middle of the fuocciris' visit."

She stood and started clearing the table. Harry rapidly stood too and held her arm. "Oh, come on, I'll do it, you are too tired, and I have nothing better to do until someone else wakes up."

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked.

"Completely," Harry said.

"Thanks, Harry, you are a dear," the girl said, and then kissed his cheek briefly before gathering her books and heading upstairs.

"Ginny!" Harry called her. "Just a thing. I wanted to ask you if you are going to join Lupin's Defence classes. You are in our list, since you were part of Dumbledore's Army, but as you're busy with your training at St. Mungo's..."

"Oh, that's ok," Ginny said, "I wouldn't miss Professor Lupin's classes for anything in the world."

"But won't you be too tired?" Harry asked.

"Better tired than dead, Harry," Ginny said with a half-smile. The attack on the Burrow was still fresh in her mind.

"Ok, then, I'll tell him," Harry promised.

"Thanks! Good night!" She said.

"Good night!" Harry laughed.

He stayed there clearing the table and doing the dishes muggle-style. He didn't want to abuse using his wand, and he used it pretty often during Lupin's training sessions. While he worked, he thought in Ginny and how much she had changed now that she no longer fancied him. He was glad to be her friend.

***

That day turned out to be the craziest and funniest Harry had ever experienced. The chaos had ensued when Professor McGonagall, in preparation for the fuocciris' visit that evening, had decided that, to practice their greetings and correct reactions, that day they would all talk to each other as if they were ashanriis, so everybody kept on bowing and nodding ridiculously all over the house. This fact only confirmed the Dursleys' suspicions that wizards and witches were nothing more than a bunch of nuts, and even the Grangers had to agree to some extent, although they laughed more at everybody's behaviour and criticised it less. After lunch, Professor McGonagall sent them all to their rooms to put on their best robes.

Contradictorily enough, the sourly Potions Professor wouldn't be there for the meeting, which Ron found highly suspicious, since he was one of the few who seemed to have met ashanriis before and apparently knew how to behave in their presence.

"He cannot be there, Ron," Ginny said absently while painting her fingernails, "the ashanriis can see Voldemort's mark on the Death Eaters."

"WHAT?" Harry, Ron and Hermione asked in unison.

Their shout made Ginny jump and she ended up painting almost all of her finger, and not just the nail.

"Look what you have done!" She complained pouting, before taking her wand and cleaning her finger.

"Are you sure about that?" Hermione asked.

"About what?" Ginny asked, looking around at their disgruntled faces.

"About the ashanriis being able to see the Dark Mark on the Death Eaters' arms!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yes, I'm sure," Ginny answered a bit offended. "Grace told me, she is a dansarine, so she should know."

"Grace?" Ron asked.

"Ron, do you ever listen to what I say?" Ginny asked annoyed. "Grace is Ms. Guillaume's first name. She is the healer in charge of my training at St. Mungo's. Do you remember I'm following a training at St. Mungo's at all or should I explain it again?"

Ron didn't look too pleased at her little sisters' tone, but Hermione didn't give him the chance to protest.

"How can they see it, did she tell you?" She asked.

Ginny thought for a moment. "Well, I think they can feel dark magic or something like that. As the Dark Mark is cast with dark magic, they can feel it, or more like sense it, if you want."

They all pondered this for a moment, and then Ginny added as an afterthought. "Grace told me dansarines can sense a werewolf's presence too, but the other ashanriis can't, so Professor Lupin should have no problem with the fuocciris."

"They can sense werewolves?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Ginny said, and then explained: "A couple of days ago an old wizard who had been bitten by a werewolf was brought to St. Mungo's by his relatives. Grace knew he was there before even seeing him, and she could sense him moving around his hospital room, and we weren't even in the same floor. She was very nervous all of the time. She told me she doesn't like werewolves much."

"Wow," Ron said, "those skills could come in handy, don't you think?"

Harry and Hermione had to agree with him. Now they started to realise for the first time how important this visit really was. If the fuocciris joined their side, they would be able to know who was a Death Eater and who wasn't. The Death Eaters' masks would be useless. The three of them started practising their bows and nods frantically, but Ginny just shook her head and went back to paint her nails.

At 5 p.m., all the people who wanted to be there to meet the fuocciris had congregated in the room where Bill had been healed some days ago. Some of them looked nervous, others eager. The room had been expanded with magic and now was a large rectangular piece with golden candelabra hanging from the high ceiling. Two large rows of comfortable chairs extended along the longer walls, facing each other. In between, low tables were covered in mountains and mountains of sweets and pastries. On top of some of them there were coffee and tea pots, milk, sugar, lemon, honey, cinnamon and other spices. They were supposed to wait standing in front of their respective chairs in the row to the right, and when the ashanriis had sat themselves in the chairs in front of them, they would take a seat too.

Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Weasley and Tonks were supposed to serve the drinks and offer the pastries to the ashanriis, and then Dumbledore would do the talking.

"Ok," Minerva McGonagall said. "You'll notice I've left a little note on every chair to indicate where everyone is going to be seated, and please, no complains. After you've checked where you are going to be seated, we'll practice the greetings for the last time and review Professor Snape's list of dos and don'ts before taking our places in front of the chair assigned to each of us.

There was a scramble while everybody tried to see where they were going to be seated. Then, everybody joined Professor McGonagall in the middle of the room and faced someone else to practice the welcoming bows. "Bow-nod-bow," she intoned, and they more or less managed to follow her orders. Then the old witch took off Professor Snape's list, cleared her throat and recited clearly and loudly:

Things you must DO:

1. When the ashanriis enter the house, bow and keep your head down until they are all seated.

2. While you're bowing, look at the floor or at your feet.

3. When the ashanriis are seated, keep your eyes away from their faces.

4. If an ashanrii addresses you, bow-nod-bow, look at her for a second and then turn your eyes away from her before answering her.

5. If you want to say something to an ashanrii, take one short step, look at her and nod-bow-nod, then straighten and keep your eyes away from her and tell her whatever you have to say.

6. If you ask something to an ashanrii, when she answers you, bow once to thank her.

7. Keep your eyes from them as much as possible.

8. At all times, keep your wand out of the way.

Things you must NOT DO:

1. NEVER look an ashanrii in the eye. It's a sign of challenge and they will probably be offended.

If for any reason you happen to look at an ashanrii...

2. DO NOT stare.

3. DO NOT let your mouth hang open.

4. DO NOT gape.

5. DO NOT whistle.

6. DO NOT utter a sound.

7. DO NOT kneel at her feet.

8. DO NOT go over to her.

When she finished reading, Professor McGonagall looked at them all and suddenly shouted: "BOW-NOD-BOW!"

Nobody was expecting the order, so some didn't follow the right sequence, some started too late, and some didn't even react. The result was absolutely disastrous. Most people had hit their partner's head. Some of them had cried in shock and others were shouting now, angry at Minerva's idea or because they had hurt themselves.

Dumbledore watched amused from his chair in the centre of the right row while Professor McGonagall tried to calm the infuriated people, who were checking themselves or their partners for injuries. Tonks healed Lupin's nose, which she had broken accidentally while straightening herself, and Hermione was checking if Ron had still all of his teeth. Ginny and Penelope, who had been partnered together and had followed the instructions correctly, were finding the scene highly entertaining until Percy got everybody's attention when he shouted: "The window! Look at the window!"

They all turned their heads in that direction, and saw the most fascinating thing in the world: a Chinese Fireball dragon hanging in mid-air and... laughing hysterically. They all stared at it. None of them had ever seen a dragon laughing, not even Charlie Weasley. The dragon obviously noticed the sudden silence in the room, because it stopped laughing abruptly and then flew through the window, which was closed. It didn't seem to mind, though, and crossed the glass as if it wasn't there. In fact, the glass didn't brake at all, it was as if a ghost had crossed it and not something as solid as a dragon.

The dragon landed smoothly inside the room, a little bit apart from the people gathered in the centre, and suddenly it was gone, and in its place there was a beautiful girl with thick black hair reaching to her shoulders, smiling apologetically at them. "Sorry I laughed at you," she said, "I didn't mean to, I just couldn't help it."

"Samako Sam!" Bill exclaimed. He had immediately recognised one of the girls who had saved his life a few days ago in that very same room. The girl smiled at him and then at the other people she recognised from the other day, fixing her gaze finally in Dumbledore.

"I've come to check that everything is ready and to put some extra wards on the house. Princess Yokiro will be here in a moment. Don't worry too much about the niceties. She would be satisfied when seeing that you've been trying to please her, perfection is not required. I'll go back to the escort now." She turned to the window again, but then seemed to think it better and turned once more to say in her sweet voice: "I'm really sorry I laughed, please, don't be offended."

"No offence taken," Dumbledore assured her, and the rest of the people congregated there confirmed it with their heads and hands.

Samako then transformed again in a dragon and flew out of the window, leaving the glass once more intact.

"Everybody to their chairs!" Professor McGonagall ordered, and they all hurried to take their places. They only had to wait for a moment, but to Harry and all the others it seemed an eternity. Harry took the time to look around. He was very close to the door, together with Ron, Fred, George and the other Weasley men. The women present in the room were in the centre, Dumbledore in the middle of them. And after the last woman -Professor Sprout-, there were the other men members of the Order: Moody, Mundungus, Shackebolt, Sirius and Lupin.

Finally they could see them coming. In the distance, the escort of red dragons looked no bigger than a squadron of mosquitoes, but as they grew nearer, they could discern their forms perfectly, and also what looked like a small palanquin carried by two of the dragons.

The visitors came in through the window, as Samako had done a few moments ago, and landed gracefully in the middle of the room. The dragons surrounded their Princess protecting her, and stared menacingly around. One of them suddenly turned into a woman, who gave the others the order to transform themselves and help their Princess descend her royal seat, still supported by two dragons that, in this case, seemed to be just that: real dragons. All the women were very beautiful and, to the untrained eye, very similar, because they were all wearing their hair in a similar fashion and similar clothes, the only difference being that some of their kimonos were pink and others red. Only the young Samako stood from the rest, because her hair was much shorter.

Disappointment filled the room as the Princess of the fuocciris finally alighted. It was simply unbelievable that such a short small woman could be so powerful. She was definitely smaller than Harry, although the wrinkles on her face showed that she was no child. The only magnificent thing about her was her kimono, which seemed to be made of pure gold. She gave some graceful short steps to stretch her limbs after being sitting down for so long and then looked around, surveying the strangers for the first time. They were all dutifully looking at the floor. In seeing the chairs readied for herself and her warriors, the Princess made them stand on formation at her sides and then waited patiently until the English realised she was ready for their greeting.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat -the signal-, and they all performed the so many times practised movement: bow-nod-bow. It wasn't perfect, but the Princess looked satisfied, so she sat gracefully. The other fuocciris took a sit on the floor instead of in the chairs, surrounding her protectively, then she clapped her hands once, and three of the fuocciris stood and started putting on the small tables even more food, basically chocolates and caramelised flower petals. The three girls went then over to the wizards and witches' row and started serving them roses tea with cream.

Harry looked around the room discretely, trying to avoid the fuocciris' gaze. A young girl was serving tea to the Weasley boys. She looked his age, maybe a little bit older. There was an older girl serving tea to the witches surrounding Dumbledore, and another young girl serving the men to their right. Harry looked at the cup the girl offered him, it seemed to be made of solid gold, and small red dragons made of brilliant stones decorated the handle and the dish' border. Everybody seemed to be drinking already, so Harry took a sip, and immediately a comforting sensation invaded his body. It was the most delicious thing Harry had ever tasted. This was bliss.

Mrs. Weasley chanced a look around too. She could see Samako clearly, three places to the right of the Princess, dressed in pink and looking around royally. She searched for her older sister, Yamiko, but she didn't seem to be there. Just then, a voice at her side asked: 'Tea?' And when she turned, she realised the woman who was serving the tea was none other than Yamiko herself. "Yes, please," Molly whispered, and Yamiko complied with a smile, and then moved on to serve tea to Professor Dumbledore.

Once everybody had some tea and sweets, Mrs. Weasley, Professor McGonagall and Tonks rose and repeated the ceremony of serving the tea and the pastries to their guests. Then the Princess finally talked.

"Thanks for your invitation, Mr. Dumbledore. I've heard stories about the legendary white wizard since I was a child, and I'm glad we've finally met."

"The pleasure is mine, Princess Yokiro, and let me express you my most heartfelt thanks for accepting my invitation, specially in these dangerous days." Dumbledore said from his chair in front of the Princess.

"Before we talk about more important matters," the Princess said, "I'd like to make a little request." Dumbledore inclined his head in acquiescence. "Not all of my warriors speak your language, so I'd rather speak in Chinese, and we can ask one of my fuocciris to translate, so that everybody understands what we are saying."

"Of course," Dumbledore conceded politely.

"Samako, please," the Princess said, and Samako Sam, the young girl who had helped save Bill's life, stepped to the middle of the room and took a seat on the floor with her legs under her. From that moment, the Princess of the fuocciris spoke only Chinese, and Dumbledore answered in English, while Samako translated their words, so that everybody in the room could understand what was being said.

Dumbledore explained what he knew of Voldemort's return, how Fudge had made things more difficult for him and his people, that there had been already many attacks, and how he feared the war was imminent.

The Princess listened to everything carefully, taking a sip of her tea now and then. When Dumbledore finished his speech and Samako her translation, she thought for a moment before answering. Then Samako translated her words into English: "Last time Lord Voldemort attacked the wizarding population, he threatened the ashanriis too, or so some elders think. The problem is that we are not sure he was the real instigator of our enemies' attacks. You know giants, werewolves and dortors are not easily controlled. I find it difficult to believe a single wizard could have controlled them all. You know the fuocciris are a military society. We are always training ourselves, just in case we are attacked, but what we cannot do, what we will not do, is attack in the first place."

"But Princess, you've been attacked already, haven't you?" Dumbledore said. "I've been told that giants have attacked some fuocciris recently."

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. "Who told you that?" The Princess asked in a rather harsh tone.

Dumbledore looked a little bit taken aback. He hadn't expected the Princess to get angry at that. "I'm afraid," he said with difficulty, "that I cannot reveal my sources."

The Princess didn't look happy at this. Her lips became a very thin line. Harry thought she didn't look so beautiful any more. Then she turned to her right and fixed her eyes on the woman who had been serving the tea, Yamiko, now seated two places to her right, and looking intently at the floor. After a tense moment, the Princess turned to look at Dumbledore.

"Yamiko Sam's home was attacked by giants a couple of weeks ago, but sporadic attacks from the giants are something usual in our community. Sometimes they quarrel between themselves and the losers have to run from the mountains. They inevitably come to a town or another, and wreck havoc, since they are usually very angry and hungry. This time, a group of giants happened to come across Yamiko Sam's house. They had been thrown away from their caves by a new leader, and they were in a very bad mood, so they tried to destroy something, just to have some fun. Unluckily for them, Yamiko Sam is one of my best warriors, and none of them survived." The Princess paused here, and turned again to Yamiko before going on. "As this is the only attack we have had in a very long time, it's definitely not representative of a general organised attack on my people. There is no reason to believe the giants were attacking on Lord Voldemort's orders."

Everybody was now looking at Yamiko, the young fuocciri who had healed Bill, but she didn't seem to care. She looked perfectly calm, and simply went on staring at the floor. Her sister Samako couldn't disguise so well her nervousness, though, and her voice trembled a bit when she had to translate the Princess' words. She had paled visibly too.

Sirius was putting things together in his head. So, if this woman had been attacked a couple of weeks ago and there hadn't been any more attacks recently, she must be the mother of the two little boys who had appeared in Sandrine's flat while he was still there. He was sorry for her, it was obvious her Princess wasn't pleased that the news of the attack had reached Dumbledore, and that was his fault. It had been him who had told the old wizard.

Finally, Dumbledore spoke again: "I happen to know for sure that the giants are willing to follow Voldemort's orders again. Some of my people witnessed how Death Eaters, Voldemort's followers, negotiated with the giants. We don't know exactly what he has promised them nor what they are supposed to do for him, but you know, Princess, last time the fuocciris were 'the prize'. The giants hate you because they've never been able to defeat you, and they hold a grudge against your people which is centuries old. If the giants join Voldemort, you can be sure that the fuocciris won't be safe."

The Princess stood before Samako could translate everything Dumbledore had said. An incredible amount of energy seemed to radiate from her. "The fuocciris do NOT fear the giants. We've always defeated them in the past and we will do it again if we have to. But the fuocciris don't kill willingly, and unless the giants attack first, and unless it's obvious that they are planning a general attack on us, we won't invade their territory."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and answered in a calm voice. "It's not my intention either to attack the giants, Princess. In fact, the people who witnessed the negotiations between the Death Eaters and the giants were there as my emissaries, trying to win the giants support or, at least, their neutrality in the war. I regret to say that we were too late. I don't expect the fuocciris to attack anybody, I just ask you to be on the alert, not to protect the Death Eaters who might try to hide in your territory and, specially, not to help Voldemort, whatever he might offer you. He is only interested in himself, and won't share anything with anybody, nor his Death Eaters, nor the giants, nor any other allies he might get on the way." Dumbledore finished his speech with a very pointed look at the Princess which she understood only too well.

"We are definitely not going to join a mad black wizard who thinks he is above everybody else if that's what you are pointing at, Albus Dumbledore," the Princess replied harshly, "but we cannot prohibit his followers nor himself entrance to our territory. That would be a very big offence, and he might see us as his enemies. We have nothing to do in wizards' business, Albus Dumbledore, you know that, and we are not gonna interfere."

Dumbledore nodded respectfully, although it was obvious he wasn't happy. "I won't press the matter, Princess," he finally said, "but if you ever reconsider your position, I'll be glad to join forces with the fuocciris."

"Of course," the Princess said haughtily, "who doesn't?" She then took her seat once more.

"May I at least ask you a small favour?" Dumbledore almost begged. It was strange for all the witches and wizards congregated there to see him so dejected.

"Do," the Princess said condescendingly.

"This house has been our Headquarters since Voldemort's return, but now it's not safe any more. If you could let us stay at a place under the fuocciris protection... it doesn't need to be very big, anything would do."

The Princess looked at her escort. Some of them moved nervously in their seats, others remained quiet, the rest, basically the older ones, shook their heads and said something in Chinese Samako didn't translate. After much deliberation, the Princess turned to Dumbledore:

"I'm sorry, but if I were to do that, then Lord Voldemort could say I was siding with you, and I have all the intention to remain neutral."

"You seem to care a lot about what he says, Princess. May I ask if he has tried to contact you yet?" Dumbledore asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I don't care at all about what Voldemort or any other wizard has to say, I just want to be fair to both sides. And not, he hasn't contacted me yet and I seriously doubt he ever will. He didn't even try in the last war. He knows that the fuocciris don't like black magic."

Dumbledore nodded. "Very well. Thanks for taking your time to visit us." After that, they all bowed many times, but none of the wizards and witches in the room seemed to feel very much respect for these aloof women who couldn't so much as spare a room for them.

Before the fuocciris left, Mrs. Weasley tried to catch Samako or Yamiko's eye, but she wasn't lucky this time. The girls left -looking not very happy themselves, that is true-, but still they didn't even turn once. Sirius couldn't catch Yamiko's eye either. Of course, she didn't even know him and there was no reason why she should look at him -'apart from being a very handsome Wizard,' Sirius thought modestly-, but he felt he owed her an apology for babbling about the giant's attack to her house, and he also wanted to ask her how were Sandrine and the others.

***

That evening, after the meeting with the fuocciris, Dumbledore asked anybody who could to stay at Headquarters. He also ordered that, from that night on, they taked turns to guard the house at night, because after the visit of the fuocciris, it wouldn't take Voldemort long to discover them.

"This evening's events don't change many things. It's true that the fuocciris' help would have ensured our victory and a very short war, but we knew there was the possibility they would choose to remain neutral, as they seem to have done." Dumbledore explained tiredly. "Now, the only problem is that we need to move as soon as possible. Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout and myself will go back to Hogwarts and try to ready one of the alternative places I had thought of during the night. The fuocciris' power will have left a magical trace in Grimmauld Place, and if Voldemort notices it, which he undoubtedly will do soon enough, his Death Eaters could be here before we can move. So you'd better be ready. I want two people on guard on every floor of the house during the night. During the day, you can go on with your life as usual."

Mrs. Weasley tried very hard to control her tears and just put her arms around Ginny and Hermione. Everybody in the room looked suddenly very scared. Dumbledore's lack of energy obviously affected all of them.

After the old wizard left, they all split. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Hermione went to pick up the Grangers and the Dursleys and tell them how things stood. Tonks and the younger boys went to ready a big room, where they would all try to sleep together. The twins conjured up some orange sleeping bags while Tonks, Ron and Harry started putting up some extra wards around the room. While they were at it, Hermione came in followed by her father, and Vernon and Dudley Dursley. All the men carried very heavy books in their arms. Everybody in the room froze for a moment. That Mr. Granger might want to read some books about magical herbs or potions was ok, but that Vernon or Dudley Dursley would have an interest in magical books -'in any book, in fact,' Harry though- was certainly unexpected. Harry approached his uncle tentatively and looked at some of the titles the men were carrying: Wendelin the Weird's 'Workbook About The Wizarding World', 'A Thousand Ways And More to Kill a Muggle', by Trementin Tremendous, 'Painful Deaths for Mudbloods and Mugglelovers', by Florean Floripondium, and 'Ways To Purify Your Blood', by Coletus Alcoholetus. Harry's eyebrows disappeared under his fringe.

"What are you looking at?" Uncle Vernon suddenly roared. "Did you think we were just going to sit and wait until those fanatic freaks come and get us? Ah, no! They won't touch my family while there is something I can throw at them!" Harry looked at Dudley's and Mr. Granger's put faces, and then turned to Hermione.

"I tried to convince them that they should just keep a low profile, because books might not be of much help for them this time, but they just wouldn't listen," Hermione explained resignedly. "My mum and your aunt have gone downstairs with Mrs. Weasley in search of a good frying pan or a pot they can hit the Death Eaters with."

There was a very stunned silence in the room. Finally George asked: "What did mum say about it?"

"She said in any case the books and the pots could be a good shield against a curse," Hermione answered in a tone that showed she wasn't convinced in the least that would be right.

Tonks sighed. Very well then, come over here." She said to the Dursleys and Mr. Granger. "Your sleeping bags are the ones in the centre. You'll have wizards all around you, so try not to hit someone on our side, ok?"

Mr. Granger nodded, but Uncle Vernon looked offended at the girl's words. What did he care which side was the wizard on? There couldn't be good weirdos, could there?

*****

Thanks for the reviews!

Thanks all for reading and reviewing!

Now, the meeting was a little bit disappointing, wasn't it? Oh, well, don't worry too much, maybe the fuocciris will change their mind yet. I made some attempts at humour in this chapter, I hope you smiled at least. Next chapter should be funnier, we'll see some people's reactions to the fuocciris' visit.

hermionegreen: Very good question, which means, of course, that I cannot tell you yet. We'll see why Benjamin didn't look too happy in Chapter 17.

ilovechocolate: I agree with you, but you must take into account Sirius and Harry are too conscious that they are cursing Lupin, while he is more used to duelling only as an exercise. You can be sure that if they had to fight against Death Eaters they wouldn't be so easily caught. I think they are too relaxed. I have to agree with you too about the characters, the problem is that all of them are going to play an important role in the story sooner or later, so I have to introduce them little by little. It's my wild imagination's fault. ;-)

goddesgaia: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.

Makalani Astral: You're probably right about Molly. I thought she'd probably call him Professor, because that's what her children call him at home, but I'll have to think about it again. I might go back and change it. Thanks for the hint!

Lily Skylo: Thanks! I got your review of Chapter 12 when I had already posted Chapter 13, so I'm answering now to your last two reviews. ;-) First of all, I'm very sorry to tell you that Edvard has suffered a small delay and won't be back until Chapter 17 or 18. :-( As I try to update quite often, you shouldn't have to wait too long, though. Secondly, I'm glad you enjoyed Lupin's class, I tried to put some action into the story, but also making it funny.