DISCLAIMER: The lawyers served me up some papers yesterday informing me that I was not, in fact, J.K. Rowling and did not own Harry Potter. There was also something on there saying that Sirius was not mine. Bummer.

A/N: Since you guys like my EVIL CHAPPIE OF CLIFFIES so much, I decided to do it again. Lol, don't worry, it won't be in this chapter. It might not even be in this story. I just had to get to urge to do cliffies out of my system. But since I tortured you guys so much, I decided to tell you something many have been wondering for a long time. Intrigued yet? Read to find out what I reveal.

Italics show what happened in the last chapter…

Chapter 22:

But suddenly he stopped and motioned for them all to get down. They hunched behind anything that could hide them and waited. Distantly, the sound of hushed footsteps and the rustling of cloaks over fallen leaves could be heard. They were getting closer….

The footsteps rushed past the group as they squatted behind trees and bushes, trying to hide from view. Mad-Eye gave Harry and Bill a sign and the two quickly slipped invisibility cloaks over themselves. They followed at a safe distance behind the figures, wands drawn ready for any surprises.

The figures approached a cave and the two Order members dived behind a tree to watch the men. They walked silently towards the cave entrance where the two men had disappeared and listened as laughter rang out throughout the cave, echoing softly off the cave walls. (sound familiar : P )

Suddenly, Bill gave Harry a jab to the ribs.

"What?" Harry whispered.

Bill pointed to the other side of the cave where a black dog was lurking closer to them. The dog looked intent on getting closer to the cave.

Harry smiled as he realized who the dog was. With quick steps, he engulfed the dog in the safety of the invisibility cloak and pushed it back towards the bushes.

The dog suddenly became a man again and glared at Harry. "What did you stop me for?" he asked quietly but with anger in his voice.

"I stopped you because you surely would have been caught if you would have just went on in there," Harry answered back angrily. "Your animagus form isn't exactly a secret."

"Who says I would have been caught?" Sirius retorted.

"Who says you wouldn't have?" Harry returned.

Bill appeared beside them. "Look, it sounds as if they're having some sort of meeting in there. Maybe we can save the fight for later and just try to sneak a little ways in under the invisibility cloaks of course."

Harry glanced at his godfather who looked as if he would rather them stay out and him go in. "Yeah," he said determinedly, "that sounds like a plan."

"Fine," Sirius growled, "let's go."

He stayed under Harry's cloak and they silently made their way into the cave towards the source of the laughter. They reached a large room where about ten cloaked figures were gathered around a large, glowing fire. They were laughing over a story one of them were telling.

"So anyways," one figured boomed, "we gave 'em the slip back in Derbyshire and I says to 'em, 'you be a fool to go against us', and that fool thought he could curse us. He and that faulty wand of 'is blew up half the house!"

Another round of laughter rang around the small cave. "So Conley," another figured said, "when are we going to meet up with the others?"

"Whenever he calls us," another figure answered. "I reckon it can't be that long now. What with the recent failed attack on that mudblood and that other boy. They were only supposed to get the girl but the boy was with her. Messed up a lot of plans the Dark Lord had. Quite angry he was but with his recent prize," he joked and everyone laughed, "he's formed another plan. Hopefully those dolts of his don't mess this up too."

"Why did he want the mudblood?" The first figure, who had told the story, asked.

The figure they assumed was Conley only shrugged. "He didn't say but he was pretty determined to obtain her. We do not question his plans. He wanted her for a reason."

Harry glanced over to where Sirius was standing beside him clenching his fists at his side. His face had gone rigid and he was glaring at the figures around the fire.

Bill lightly poked Harry in the side and motioned towards the exit. Harry, in turn, nudged Sirius and pointed towards the exit. Sirius did not argue and they made their way out.

Only when they were back with the other members of the Order and away from the cave did they pull the cloaks off of their heads. The other members looked shocked as they saw Sirius.

"Sirius?" Tonks questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Hermione," he replied tersely. "I've been following two guys since they left a pub down in the village."

"Was she there?" Emmeline asked.

Harry shook his head. "No, only Death Eaters. They were talking about getting followers."

Bill nodded and spoke, "They were also talking about my brother's murder. Like we suspected, his murder wasn't planned. They only wanted Hermione."

"But why?" Sirius asked softly and everyone looked at him.

"Well we don't have time to stand around and get caught," Mad-Eye growled. "Let's get back to headquarters, yes Sirius you too, and tell Dumbledore about what we found out."

They nodded, Sirius too, and apparated back to the Black House. They apparated back and found an unsuspected house guest.

"Sirius?" The man asked.

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The sound of the front door shutting down below broke them apart. Ginny drew her wand, Dumbledore had warned them about protecting themselves more than ever since they did not know who the enemy was, and walked stealthily to the door. She peered down the stairs. Her mouth fell open as she saw who was standing there. It was….

"Professor Lupin?" Ginny asked, her smile appearing on her face.

"Remus," he reminded her, "I am no longer your professor."

"I think you will always be a professor to us," Ginny joked lightheartedly.

From the door Ginny just exited, Sirina gave another loud cry. Remus looked at her questionably. "Who's that? Better yet, who's child is that?"

Ginny sighed. "Why don't you let me fix you a cup of tea and explain. It might take a while."

Remus shrugged. "That sounds fine." Then he looked around the empty house. "Er…Ginny? Where is everyone? Isn't Harry and your family staying here?"

"They're out looking for Hermione," Ginny told him.

"Hermione?" Remus repeated, his eyes wide. "Is she back."

"She was, but I'll explain in due time. Tea."

She left Remus in the living room while she went to retrieve two cups of tea. She returned, handing one glass to Remus and keeping one for herself.

"Okay, first off, after you left, Hermione returned. She moved back here but she wasn't alone when she came," Ginny said truthfully.

Remus glanced up and then back at Ginny, his mind slowly putting two and two together (and getting 5). "The baby?"

Ginny nodded. "Sirina, her daughter, is hers and Sirius' child."

"Bet you that came as a nasty shock to Padfoot," Remus said truthfully, taking a deep sip of tea.

Ginny smiled ruefully, "Yeah, just a little."

She took a sip of tea and glanced up as Sirina gave another cry. "Anyways, when she came back, he immediately figured it out and they had a few rows before finally working it out. They just got back together and he's living with her now."

"So why are they out looking for her?"

"There's a new Dark Lord," Ginny said as tears began to slowly well up in her eyes. "We got the information too late to do anything…"

"Ginny," Remus interrupted, "what happened?"

"Hermione was tricked into going to the outskirts of Diagon Alley where a group of Death Eaters were going to take her. But she…she wasn't alone," Ginny said tearfully.

"What do you mean?"

"Ron was with her. They…they killed him."

Remus placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as she cried softly. "I'm so sorry Ginny," he said earnestly, remembering the boy he knew.

"They took her," she said softly. "They can't find her and we don't even know who this new Lord guy is. He won't show himself. And now Sirius is gone…"

"WHAT!"

"After he found out they took her, he left. He told Harry that he lost her once and he wasn't losing her again. He left Sirina with us to look after."

Remus paced around the room muttering things like "stupid mutt" and "the idiot" under his breath. Finally he stopped and gazed out the window.

"He always had a soft spot where Hermione was concerned," Remus said softly. "Even when they were staying here before their 5th year and Hermione kept going on about Elf rights, Sirius tried for her to be nice to Kreacher but in the end…."

"We just got him back," he continued softly as he turned to face her, "and now we might just lose him again but this time…"

He stopped, unable to finish. He walked over and looked down at Ginny. "I'd like to see this baby of theirs. I bet she's beautiful."

Ginny smiled brightly. "Oh she is, but she's a bit cranky. She's missing her parents."

Remus nodded and went to open his mouth when six loud 'cracks' sounded. He looked to where they came from, his wand drawn, and his mouth fell open as he saw one of the people in the group. "Sirius?"

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Carefully, he slit the letter open, the contents spilling out onto him. He gave a small gasp and….. (er…had a hard time going from there so he collapsed and now let's go to Snapey-poo! Answers will be given to any questions you might have)

Snape walked down the long, cold corridors to the dungeons, his black robe billowing behind him. Thoughts raced across his mind. The Headmasters words raced through his head, causing him to think of anything but that during his walk from Albus' office.

The old man's age had finally caught up with him. Maybe it was the war that caused it, or maybe it was Minerva's death. Whatever it was, Snape thought, it was bringing the old man down.

Potter. That name stirred up emotions in Snape that he'd rather not discuss. He had been a thorn in the Potions Master's side, much like his father. To think that he saved the wizarding world! Snape snarled as he thought of the praises sung to the boy.

Granger. She had saved him from hell a long time ago. Because of her, he had seen the errors of his ways and was able to get out before it was to late. He owed her his life or at least his help.

The Dark Lord. Snape wondered who had taken up where Voldemort had left off. It had to be someone that had been in the inner ring while Voldemort ruled to already have so many followers behind him. He also had to be someone that had a grudge against Hermione or wanted her for some specific reason...

Snape stopped mid-step. How could he had been so stupid? The answer was so obvious!

Dumbledore! Snape spun around and ran back up the corridor to the gargoyle statue. He screamed "Fizzing Whizzbees" long before he even reached the gargoyle. He ran up the spiraling staircase and burst through the headmasters door without knocking.

The sight that met his eye pulled him to a stop. (I thought about killing Dumbledore but I thought that I've already been mean enough on the killing scene…for now anyways…: P )

Dumbledore was grasping his right arm in his left hand and was staring down at the pussy stuff running down it.

"Albus?" Snape questioned.

Dumbledore looked up at him. "Undiluted bubotuber pus," he informed the younger man.

"Who sent it?"

Dumbledore motioned towards the letter lying opened on his desk, some pus still oozing over it. "I believe it was meant to be a threat."

"From who?" Snape asked, a brow raised.

"From our new Dark Lord," Dumbledore answered solemnly.

"Well Albus," Snape said slowly, "that's why I came back. I think I might know who the new Dark Lord is."

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Hermione shook her head slowly, wishing for a way to escape as he loomed threateningly towards her. "No….You're dead…," she whispered.

He chuckled, "No Hermione, I'm very much alive and I have a little present for you."

He motioned towards the door where the two idiots that came to check on her every day entered dragging something or someone behind them. Hermione's eyes widened and her breath caught as she saw that it was….

"Draco?" she asked attentively as she crawled over to his unconscious figure where the two goons had thrown him. He did not wake.

"Yes, he has always been a disappointment," the Dark Lord said casually.

Hermione glared at him, her eyes ablaze. "He's your son!"

Lucius smirked. "Yes, and for that he's still living though for how long…"

He let the sentence trail off and shrugged. Hermione was fuming but she was more worried about Draco to fight but she would get answers. She checked to make sure he still had a pulse and only then did she turn back to Lucius.

"How are you alive?"

He smirked, "I never died. I refused to go back to Azkaban so I faked my death, a little trick I picked up from Wormtail."

"That scum? I heard that he hid out during the war. What, were you and him hanging out with the rats?" Hermione bit out angrily.

"No, I did not find him till after the war," Lucius answered casually. "He was hiding in Albania and I just happened to pass through and meet him."

"How fortunate for you," Hermione said sarcastically with a bite.

Lucius laughed. "Indeed. He has been quite the loyal servant…"

"That's because he's too weak to do anything else," Hermione interrupted.

"Why, my dear, he is quite capable of performing a killing curse. You saw that first hand."

Hermione stared at him, trying to understand and as she did her eyes grew wide. "Ron?"

"You always were a smart girl," Lucius purred, stepping closer to her.

Hermione pulled herself closer to Draco's body as Lucius loomed closer. "Why?"

Lucius shrugged and looked at her, his gaze piercing hers. "I admit it wasn't in our original plans for him to die but he got in the way. You were supposed to come alone."

Hermione looked down, guilt over Ron's death hitting her. If it hadn't been for her insisting on him coming….No, she chided herself, she could not think like that.

"It's not my fault," she whispered to herself.

"You keep telling yourself that, my dear, and maybe you'll believe it," Lucius purred.

He stepped closer to her and leaned against the wall. Hermione focused all her attentions on her blond-haired school mate lying on the floor. She remained aware, however, of the figure looming near her.

Lucius smiled evilly at her. "How is that daughter of yours?"

Hermione raised her chin defiantly and glared at him. "Don't go near my daughter."

Lucius laughed. "I wouldn't be issuing threats if I was you Hermione. You are in no position at the moment to carry them out in case you haven't noticed."

"I don't care what you do to me," Hermione growled, "just don't touch my daughter."

Lucius studied her. "Oh but Hermione, I'm not going to do anything to you…yet. You see, that's the other great thing about my son being here: Every time you disobey me, he will be punished."

"What do you want with me?" Hermione asked, close to tears.

Lucius walked back towards the door. He opened it and turned back with the Malfoy smirk in place. "We still have unfinished business."

And then the cell went dark again. The only sound heard was Hermione's quite bone-racking sobs.

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A/N: Okay, lost my internet for a while and I started a new job...BABYSITTING! Oh the joys of munchkins! Finished the book in about 6 1/2 hours after getting it, though towards the end I kept shutting it and opening it...that was awful! Oh my, I had my suspicions but I can't believe I was that close to the truth. Blaze called me from Ohio after she finished it and we complained about it to each other. Spirit, the slow reader, has yet to finish it so I can't talk to her about it. But...This is a spoiler so don't read it if you haven't read the book...Tonk and Remus::does a little jump of joy while singing Hallaluah: That made me SOOOOO freakin happy there!

Okay, movin on...

Anyways, no one got the trivia questioned. I think I made it too hard. The children's show was one of mine and Spirit's favorites and we still watch recordings of it so I, in my naivety, thought everyone else would love that show too. So, I'm going to give you so extra clues. Let's review the question…

Q: What actor 'danced' his way into children's hearts playing a news anchorman in a 1992 children's tv series and later became a "king". (Of course you realize not really, really a king.)

And now the clues…

1) When I said king, he played the voice of a king on a cartoon movie. Think… pineapples!

2) He's the man with the perfect hair…

Hope that helps! Anyways, please review! Please! Please!

Cheers!

Amaya