Disclaimer: This wonderful world belongs to JK Rowling; it is not mine. Just my playground. Trust me, if I owned Remus Lupin he'd never leave my sight.

A/N: I apologize for the delay in updates. It obviously did not go as planned. Things are still crazy here, but I'll try to do better.

Chapter 29

Stasis

Dumbledore faced the wall, eyes unblinking staring vacantly, no remnant of the twinkle that was so often seen there. Fawkes trilled softly trying in vain to ease the burden of thoughts weighing so deep on the old man's mind. He couldn't help but wonder how things had gotten so out of control. What was worse there was no closing the Pandora's Box Harry had inadvertently opened.

The Boy-Who-Lived's statement ion the Quibbler had been unforeseen, as had the public outcry it had caused. It was almost as if no one had really considered that it was possible to appeal this decree beforehand. Moreover, the fact that the students could form Patronus' had not gone unnoticed. Mothers were swarming the ministry building lobby demanding their children be protected and allowed to protect themselves. Owls were delivering letters, for and against repeal, to the building so often that one of the muggle London news affiliates were reporting a disturbance in owl behavior. Fortunately, they were blaming a construction company's building site on the outskirts of the city.

Fudge had been so angry on the morning of the article he had come straight to the school to confront Dumbledore. He demanded Albus contain his charge immediately otherwise he would again be facing charges at the ministry. He was so irate that during his tirade, he had suddenly lost consciousness and spent the night in St. Mungo's under observation. The Order members had not acted much better.

The chaos that was Harry Potter becoming far more standard practice at number 4 Grimmauld place then anyone cared to admit. They were stunned at his blatant disregard for his own safety. First he pops up at St. Mungo's and now he all but took on the Ministry. He was playing a dangerous game especially with Fudge who lived and died by public opinion. They screamed, looked, and pouted at each other waiting for answers that they knew no of them had. As the owls flew in the window, they all held their breath. Could it get any worse?


Tonks popped into the now familiar clearing of the Black Lineage Cabin. She was surprised to find the clearing and porch vacant on such a beautiful day. She entered the cabin only to be surrounded by the wizards with wands drawn. She raised her hands, "I give up! I give up!"

Remus chuckled as her posturing. "Hello Tonks. We weren't expecting you to come right away."

"Ah, well, rather here then there at the moment. I think they've all gone mad." Tonks' hair turned a furious strain of blood red to emphasize her point.

Harry stifled a giggle. He knew his response would cause a bit of commotion. He wouldn't even say he didn't welcome it a bit. When he had regained control he smiled innocently at Tonks. "So, what brings you here?"

Tonks couldn't help it, she laughed. "Well, ya know, just in the neighborhood. Thought maybe I could fetch some breakfast…"

Harry smiled wryly continuing the banter. "Well ya know, Moony here make the best Pancakes this side of London."

"Really?" answered Tonks in mocked surprise. "Well then I guess we must be off to the kitchen to collect some…" She linked her arm in his and they waltzed into the kitchen as if nothing had occurred the previous day.

Harry and Tonks did manage to cajole Remus into making said pancakes. After breakfast, they adjourned to the living room. Just as Tonks was finally getting to the reasons behind her visit, she was startled by an anguished cry. She turned about only to find Harry crouched on the ground, holding, no cradling, his head. Remus' tortured moan "not again" was barely audible, as he pulled the boy onto his lap. Gone was the assured teenager that had been sitting with them; the small boy lying on floor looked more like a small abused child.

Harry groaned as he looked at the scene before him. Wormtail cowered on his knees on the floor in obvious pain in front of Harry.

"My Lord! I ... I had no way of knowing. I brought it to your attention as soon as"

"Do not lie to me!" Hissed Harry in a voice not his own. "I can always tell, Wormtail! You flinch every time you are in my presence but when you lie, the right eye ticks ever so..."

"No! My devotion to you has not wavered ..."

"Liar," breathed Harry. "You would not be here if you had anywhere else to go… Silence!"

Wormtail, who had been stammering incoherently, fell silent at once.

"All I need is a little information from you, Wormtail ... you will find out how he contacted this paper and why this particular paper, unless you wish to feel the full extent of Lord Voldemort's wrath ..."

Wormtail muttered something so quietly that Harry could not make it out.

Harry opened his eyes very slowly. "Moony…"

"I'm here, Cub."

"He's angry, so angry…" Harry fell asleep then. Tonks, on the other hand, had never seen this. She stared in awe as he slept. She doubted she would sleep anytime soon.


Mr. Lovegood was ruing the day his daughter became friends or at least acquaintances with one Harry Potter. True, he had done more for sales of the Quibbler then any marketing campaign possibly could, but this was something he had never bargained for. The office had been entirely filled with post at least 4 feet high. He couldn't help but stare in shocked surprise that there were even that many owls in all of England. Had he been able to look through the letter, he would have realized there was not. The letters were from all over – England, Ireland, Scotland, even one from Egypt. He also wondered when the Quibbler became an editorial piece as apparently everyone and anyone had wanted to put in their two knuts about Harry's statement.

Although the Quibbler had not been able to put out extra editions due to their flooded offices, they had made quite a bundle on the rights to the statement. If fact, one antiques dealer had offered 50,000 galleons for the original in Harry's hand. Mr. Lovegood had given that offer quite a bit of thought, but decided if that was what it was worth now, then perhaps he would tuck it aside for a rainy day.