Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does.

LivingImpared – Thanks!

Brittney – Thanks to you too!

Mia – Thanks a lot! And don't worry about the long review, I love those.

Emily – Ah yes, it's a special ring…

High Serpent King – Yes, Ron (or is he?) is certainly acting very sneaky…

Dancerrdw – Thanks a lot!

Esrb99 – Yeah, I'm a guy, and there certainly seems to be a greater number of females out here although I imagine there are a good number of guys as well. Also, I'm reading snippets of your fic in bursts but frustratingly enough, exams/projects are keeping me busy, along with an upcoming trip which I will inform you about now…

Alright all readers/reviewers, my family's about to take a trip for Christmas and this includes me, so after this chapter, there won't be any chapters till early to mid-January. Sorry! Lastly, I'm slightly surprised that no one commented about Harry seeing the new HQ of the OoTP, but you know, whatever.

Chapter 34 – Phineas Nigellus

The Weasley family clustered nervously around the injured, bedridden Ginny Weasley, all on the verge of tears. Hermione Granger hovered around the edge, feeling awkward but still there at the insistence of Mrs. Weasley (Oh please stay dear, don't mind us! Please!). Of course, she knew she would feel horribly guilty if she left anyway, so she figured she might as well just stick out the atmosphere. Still it wasn't helping – all this talk of the attack and all the bright red hair was reminding her of a certain somebody who was supposed to be dead, but didn't seem to be and was now crashing through magic-proofed walls and turning off magic, invisible cameras with his hands! Not to mention she was feeling slightly left out of the loop because she had no idea if Harry, Lupin or Hagrid had found anything in the forest of Ron or whether he had just left or what.

The hardest thing, though, was being with a heartbroken family he didn't even know all of this about Ron.

I've got to tell them. Upon close reflection, though, she decided to just tell the Weasley parents and leave it to them to tell their daughter and sons – and abruptly realized that Mr. Arthur Weasley didn't appear to be present. Suppose I better just tell Mrs. Weasley.

"Um – Mrs. Weasley? May I have a word?"

Everyone looked at her strangely, Ginny especially giving her a piercing look, but Hermione fiercely avoided their eyes and looked at the floor.

"Why, of course." Mrs. Weasley gestured and Hermione followed to a secluded corner, and the rest of the family resumed talking to Ginny.

"Now, is there a problem? Are you all right?"

"Well – there's this thing about Ron. Today, after lunch – he came. Mrs. Weasley, Ron or someone masquerading as Ron is alive, and he was here. We didn't know whether it was him or not though, so we put him in this kind of cell – but then he broke through the wall and ran away to the forest and now Harry and Lupin are after him but I don't know where they are now and – I think Ron may be alive." Hermione paused, took a giant breath, and waited for Mrs. Weasley's response. To Hermione's shock though, Mrs. Weasley didn't seem surprised.

"Yes – before I came here, Arthur and I noticed that Ron's hand of the clock now pointed to alive and Arthur went to tell Dumbledore. Honey – does Ginny know?"

Hermione shook her head, weary.

"You mean – it's not an imposter? It has to be Ron?"

Mrs. Weasley nodded, and then Hermione finally noticed how deathly quiet it had gotten. Hermione, shocked, finally noticed that several Extendable Ears were lying at her feet and followed the lines –

Fred, George, Ginny, Bill, Charlie, and even Percy had heard every single word of their conversation.

Malfoy was in a very bad mood. He had returned to Hogwarts, puzzling over the problem of the blood-red ring, had gone to Dumbledore's office to deliver his report and he wasn't there. He had then proceeded to search the whole of Hogwarts, ask all the teachers and returned to Dumbledore's office, exhausted and tired. He had wearily conjured a chair and was reclining in it at the moment, still thinking about the ring and his father's harsh words. Finally frustrated to the breaking point, he started interrogating the pictures.

"You! Where's Dumbledore? I need to talk to him." Draco was pointing at a stately, well-to-do portrait of a Headmaster with a trim mustache and short, slightly graying hair.

"Couldn't tell you lad – perhaps he's gone on vacation?"

Many of the portraits, clearly thinking this humorous, chuckled and started chipping in.

"Oh yes, to the Bahamas…"

"Brought a swimsuit and everything…"

"Or perhaps he's gone to see a lady friend…"

This seemed to be a particularly funny suggestion as all the pictures suddenly started laughing uproariously – except for one. Draco read the nametag.

Phineas Nigellus. Have I heard that before?

"You! Over there! Where is he, this is important? I know you all were watching, tell me!" Draco slowly started approaching Nigellus, still feeling slightly like he knew this man. He even looked familiar. As he approached Nigellus, it looked like a sudden wash of recognition appeared over the portrait, and a slightly sad expression fled Nigellus's face and was replaced by cold fury.

"I won't tell you – you're a Malfoy! I'd recognize one anywhere – the blond hair! The eyes! You're a Death Eater – you're one of the reasons the Blacks are dead!"

"The Blacks? No – no it wasn't me! I'm not a Death Eater – I'm with Dumbledore -"

Suddenly, the trim-mustached man spoke again, in less of a joking tone this time.

"Say, how did you get in here?"

"He snuck in!" roared the furious portrait of Nigellus. "He works for him!"

And Draco, finally fed up, ran out of the office in retreat.

"Where are we?" Harry asked again. Lupin, Hagrid, Harry and Dumbledore had all been going to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. At first Harry had been deathly excited, but the fact that he had no idea where he was slightly dulled the wonder. It seemed to him that they were in the middle of absolute nowhere.

Abruptly Harry stopped talking and a hush fell over him because it suddenly they had reached something.

A suburban village lay before them, but it was unlike any he had ever encountered before. It was completely desolate and empty – no lights were on in the houses, the plants and grass were dead and withered, the house's wallpaper was all peeling – nothing was growing. Everything was dead, and the village's air even felt like it had death.

"Godric's Hollow. You see Harry, everyone who previously occupied this village left after Voldemort came, and it is now totally unoccupied. Godric's Hollow was actually the entire village, but it is now known simply as one house."

Harry gulped nervously. A slight feeling of déjà vu was coming to him as well.

"So – the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at my parent's house – where they died?"

Dumbledore grimaced slightly at the memories Harry's sentence brought back.

"Not exactly – it's more like the neighbor's house."

Harry nodded, relieved that he wouldn't have to visit his parent's house. Despite an intense, burning curiosity about it, he still wouldn't want to go to it – just yet, that is.

"So – which house is it?"

Dumbledore came up to Harry's ear and whispered "it is located at the number 23 Godric's Hollow Street."

For the second time in Harry's life a house materialized out of nowhere.

"Another Fidelius Charm?" Harry asked, unnecessarily. Lupin answered with a nod, and then the four of them set out towards the house.