A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers - your patience is much appreciated. Apart from being away on holiday, I also had a bit of writer's block with the last chapter, which is why it took so long to be updated. But we're in the final stretch now . not long to go before the end! Enjoy, and don't forget to let me know what you think! PepperImp

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing - it all belongs to JK Rowling.

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Within what seemed to be an unbelievably short time, Harry found himself sitting in Dumbledore's office. Professor McGonagall listed to his story, then whisked him away to the protests of Ron, Hermione and Ginny, who also wanted to come.

"If we need you, we'll call," she said firmly, hustling Harry out of the portrait hole.

"But ." spluttered Ginny, starting to object, but was silenced by the Transfiguration teacher's gimlet glare. She shrugged apologetically at Harry and slumped despondently on the sofa.

Five minutes later, Harry was facing Dumbledore, Snape, Lupin and Tonks, while Professor McGonagall conjured up a tray of tea.

"Another vision, Harry?" said Lupin, watching him with narrowed eyes. "I thought it was quite dangerous for you to use Legilimency on Voldemort - especially after what happened last time?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, aggrieved. "When I try and use Legilimency on him, he knows I'm there. But when he's emotional about something, it just kind of happens by accident, and there's not much I can do about it."

Lupin looked appraisingly at him, and then nodded.

"Well, Harry?" said Dumbledore. "What did you see this time?"

Harry took a deep breath. "He's using the Dementors to soften up his targets, so that they're weakened by the time the Death Eaters arrive," he said, staring at the floor between his feet. "The victims will be too weak to fight anyone off, so it makes them easy pickings."

Tonks stared at him, new understanding dawning in her eyes. "That would explain it," she whispered softly.

"Explain what?" Harry asked, confused.

"Why there was no sign of any fighting or resistance at the sites where people died tonight," she said, looking horrified. "I don't know why I didn't think of it before - Dementors had been there first."

Dumbledore was nodding. "Yes, you're right, Tonks," he said. "That makes sense. I'll advise the Ministry immediately - they must send out an urgent message to the wizarding community to be on their guard. Also, all the Aurors must hone up their Patronus skills - they will certainly be needed."

Heading towards his fireplace and taking a handful of glittering Floo powder, he nodded to Harry. "Well done," he said simply, and then stepped into the fireplace and was gone in a flash of emerald flame.

***

Within days, sightings of Dementors were seen all over the country. Poring over the Daily Prophet, Harry was pleased to see that Percy, in his new role as editor, was publishing the details and not keeping them hushed up.

"Quite a different attitude to last year," said Hermione at breakfast one morning, nodding towards the open newspaper. The main headline of the day was "Aurors battle Dementors in Newcastle - no casualties reported".

"Yeah," said Ron with pride. "Looks like Percy's doing what he said he would - reporting the truth."

Things had calmed down slightly at Hogwarts, and the students were once again allowed to eat together in the Great Hall. However, no-one was permitted to move around the castle without an escort, and this was starting to put strain on them all.

Neville trotted across towards them from the staff table, beaming.

"I've just spoken to Tonks, and she says the DA meetings are back on again as from tonight," he said, helping himself to a slice of toast from the towering stack in the centre of the table and buttering it rapidly. "Apparently Dumbledore has given us special permission to meet again - feels our training is more important now than ever."

"Excellent," said Harry, with feeling. He'd been rather bored for the last week, locked up inside the castle and with few distractions. The only good thing was that he'd been getting through his homework really fast, as he'd had little else to do.

There was a rustle from above, as two owls swooped in and sped towards the top table.

"That's odd," said Hermione, watching them as they landed in front of Dumbledore. "I wonder why they didn't come with the other owls when post arrived this morning?"

Dumbledore took the letters from the owls and read them quickly, his expression becoming graver by the minute. He leaned over and whispered something to Professor Sprout, and handed her a note. As she read it, her face dropped and she looked up at Dumbledore with anguish in her eyes. He nodded somberly at her, and then glanced at the Hufflepuff table.

Taking a deep breath, the Herbology professor got to her feet. Dumbledore stood with her, and they descended from the staff platform and headed towards Ernie Macmillan, who was enthusiastically tucking into a plate of scrambled eggs on toast.

"Oh, no," said Ginny softly. "I hope this isn't what I think it is ."

Ernie hadn't seen the teachers coming, so he jumped when Professor Sprout put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up, startled, his expression changing to worry when she spoke quietly to him and motioned for him to follow her out of the Hall.

The news spread rapidly that day. Angus Macmillan, Ernie's older brother, had been killed the night before in a scuffle with Death Eaters. An Auror in training, he had been called in to assist with the defense of a Muggle-born wizard couple who had been targeted in Edinburgh. Desperately short of Aurors, with attacks happening simultaneously all over the country, the Ministry had resorted to using half-trained Aurors.

"But apparently he took out two Death Eaters before he died," confided Hannah Abbott, who was quietly telling the story before their Transfiguration class. "Ernie's devastated - he adored Angus."

Ron was looking ill. "I know how he feels - I don't know what I'd do if something happened to my brothers or Ginny," he said, swallowing hard. "Poor Ernie - is he going to go home?"

"No, apparently it's even more dangerous now because his brother killed those Death Eaters," said Hannah, stooping to pick up her book bag before going into the classroom. "The Ministry is worried that You-Know-Who's supporters will target the Macmillans to get revenge - even his parents have gone into hiding. The safest place for Ernie is here at Hogwarts."

Harry sat through the Transfiguration class in a fog. It was happening - it was really happening. Having lost loved ones himself, he keenly felt Ernie's loss as though it was happening to him all over again. He felt a huge surge of sympathy for his classmate . and realized, with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, that it probably wouldn't be the last time that a Hogwarts student would receive sad news. Not while Voldemort was alive.

That evening, Professor McGonagall arrived at Gryffindor tower shortly before eight, to escort her students to the DA meeting. Harry, still dazed, discovered on the way there that he had inexplicably forgotten his wand.

"Damn it!" he said, frantically searching all the pockets of his robe. "I can't believe it!"

"Hmm?" said Ron, who was appreciatively watching Hermione walking in front of him.

"I've forgotten my wand - I'll just go back and get it quickly," hissed Harry.

"Are you nuts? McGonagall's right in front of us!" whispered Ron back urgently.

"Well, I can't very well go to a DA meeting without my wand, can I?" mumbled Harry, irritated with himself. "Cover for me, Ron - I'll be back as fast as I can."

He slipped away from his place at the back of the line, and hurried back to the Tower. There, on the table in front of the fire, was his wand. He pocketed it quickly and then rushed off to catch up before anyone noticed he was missing. Remembering a shortcut from the Marauder's Map, he ran up a flight of stairs and along the third floor corridor past the hump-backed witch that guarded the secret passageway to Hogsmeade. Skidding around a corner, he ran full tilt into Malfoy, knocking them both to the floor.

Harry got to his feet, dusting himself off. "Sorry . didn't see you," he panted. Then he noticed something.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Malfoy glared back at him, brushing himself down. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, maybe the fact that you're wearing your cloak and carrying your broom?" said Harry sarcastically. "Come on, Malfoy, whatever else you may think of me - you know I'm not an idiot. What are you up to?"

Malfoy looked sullenly at the floor and refused to answer. Suddenly, it dawned on Harry.

"You're not going on a little outside jaunt, are you?" he said angrily. "Planning to bring in more Death Eater friends, to clean up Hogwarts? I don't believe you, Malfoy - this time, you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say Floo. Dumbledore won't put up with this again!"

There was a pause, and then Malfoy looked at him, grey eyes blazing. "Actually, Potter, I've got better things to do than scare schoolchildren," he said, his voice getting louder. "Family business."

"What family business?" said Harry, also getting louder. "Your Dad's been held hostage by Voldemort, isn't he? He should be just safe where he is!"

Suddenly, defeat seemed to fill every pore in Malfoy's body and his normally arrogant posture sagged.

"That's just it," he said, sitting heavily on a nearby plinth. "He's dying. I need to go and get him out of there, and the timing couldn't be better - what with the Dark Lord's followers all over the country. Their defenses will be weak . I need to go and get him now."

He paused and looked desperately up at Harry. "Before it's too late," he said softly, and looked back down at the floor.

"But ." floundered Harry, momentarily lost for words. "What about your mother? Can't she help him?"

"She's being watched around the clock," mumbled Malfoy. "I've got a few informants that I've been paying to keep me up to date with what's happening, which is why I know that my father's in bad shape."

Harry stared at him. "Well, where's he being held?"

"In a village called Little Hangleton. In . in Riddle House," said Malfoy hesitantly. "It's Unplottable, but I know where it is. I've been there before."

For a few seconds, Harry was shocked beyond speech. "Voldemort's family home," he breathed in horror. "But . that seems so obvious!"

"Exactly," said Malfoy, nodding. "It's so obvious; everyone thinks they'll never go back there. That's the beauty of it. The Dark Lord's not there, of course - no-one except his closest circle knows where he is. But the centre of operations is there, and that's where my father's been all this time."

This thought seemed to galvanise him, and he suddenly stood.

"Potter, I know you don't owe me anything - in fact, you probably owe me some trouble, if nothing else," he said, some of his former arrogance returning. "But just pretend you never saw me, and I'll be gone. Come on, Potter - this is my family."

Harry was torn. Years of slights, torments, fights and trouble were hard to just shelve, especially when it was someone who had been your enemy for what felt like forever. He didn't know what to do, and then it came to him. He remembered Lupin, regarding him over his mug of tea at Christmas, when they were discussing Harry's new abilities: "You'll never have to use Veritaserum - you should be able to pick up if someone's lying to you or not." Well, let's see if this power's any good at all, Harry thought grimly. He closed his eyes and let his defenses down.

Malfoy's emotions assaulted him. Fear, worry, and not a small amount of anger, tinged with genuine anguish. And there wasn't one bit of subterfuge, or deceit, that Harry could detect.

"What are you doing? Potter?"

Harry came back to earth with a crash, breathing heavily. He stared at Malfoy, then turned and banged his head against the wall.

"Potter?"

Harry did it again, and was going for a third time when Malfoy grabbed his arm. "OK, Potty, I've always known you're a bit nuts, but I didn't put you down as a masochist," drawled Malfoy, looking vaguely amused for the first time. "What the hell are you doing?"

Harry sighed, and then rubbed the red spot on his forehead. "Everyone tells me I've got a hero complex, so I was trying to knock it out of myself," he said wryly. "Didn't work."

Malfoy stared at him. "What are you talking about? Have you concussed yourself and gone completely insane?"

Harry shook his head. "Very possibly. I'm not letting you go, Malfoy."

Furious, Malfoy drew himself up to his full height and pulled out his wand, pointing it at Harry's head. "Try and stop me, Potter!"

With lightning reflexes, Harry reached out and pulled Malfoy's wand out of his hand.

"What I should have said, Malfoy, is that I'm not letting you go alone. I'm going with you."