She had lost them, the fools from the Order and her target: Harry Potter. She was in a towering rage at having her quarry escape her -- and for a second time, at that! How could a mere child be so accursedly lucky? Bellatrix ground her teeth just thinking about this and watched the house that Harry had called home, #4 Privet drive: it had been as Lucius had informed her. Having Fudge as a contact seemed to have had its advantages after all if it gave the location of Harry Potter to one Lucius Malfoy ... and in turn, to her.

She knew that Harry was gone, having watched from the shadows as they had Apparated away from the home. Now all she could see were a couple of lights on in the home; she knew only Harry's uncle and cousin remained in the home. That half-breed werewolf and the Muggle-lover were nowhere to be seen. Bellatrix smiled wickedly to herself as she moved through the shadows of the houses to Harry's home. She may not be able to get to Harry now, but she knew she could settle for a little Muggle-torture in the mean time.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Arthur leaned against the outside wall of Mrs. Figg's house, having finally spotted and re-grouped with Remus. They had first insured that Moody had indeed left to St. Mungo's with Mrs. Figg and that Bellatrix was not within the home. They knew Bellatrix was still in the area, Arthur having borrowed a few magic-detectors from the ministry. It may not be able to tell you who was casting the magic but it could detect what spells were being cast in the area. Arthur's non-wand hand was resting on the very detector that had told him that the children had Apparated away, and which was now silent and still.

"Well, this house is secure, Arthur, but we should make sure the Dursley's place is clear as well before leaving," Remus said, nodding toward number 4.

Arthur nodded in agreement and they began their walk toward the house. Cautiously looking about to make sure they were not taken unaware. The house was within sight when Arthur's detector started going off; magic was being performed. They feared that they knew whom it was who was doing the magic. They both wordlessly broke into a run to the house.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Bellatrix laughed at the dangling adult Muggle she had hanging in the air. She knew this was Harry's uncle and the little fat boy she had now cowering a corner to be Harry's cousin. Vernon's face was going red with blood rushing to his face and patches of pale fear.

"Now, now there is no need for such language out of your fat little mouth you pathetic Muggle," Bellatrix said in a dangerously silken manner. She lazily drew her wand across Vernon's face.

"P-please we've done nothing to you, leave me and my son alone!" Vernon's voice shook between rage and fear. "Muggles were such bizarre creatures," Bellatrix thought to herself.

"There is much I can do to you, Muggle, if you do not tell me what I want to know," Bellatrix said, eyeing Vernon now with a malicious smile. She spun around and pointed her wand at Dudley.

"Cruicio!" She screamed with laughter and Dudley was on the floor screaming in pain.

"Stop! Please STOP! That's my son!" Vernon bellowed his arms swinging uselessly trying to reach out to his son.

"Tell me where the boy is then, tell me where Potter has gone!" Bellatrix's voice cracked as she looked up at Vernon demandingly.

"I don't know! With his freakish friends for all I care! I've nothing to do with them or the rest of YOUR kind!" Vernon spat stupidly.

This part Bellatrix knew or rather figured was what had happened; however, she didn't know precisely where they went. They could be at the Weasley's home or elsewhere if they had been smart enough to hide now that the Dark Lord had risen again. She needed to know more and wanted to see if the fat little Muggles had heard anything. It was beginning to look as if they really had no idea. However she was having too much fun watching them scream to stop just yet.

"Filthy Muggle! Don't you talk to me like that!" Bellatrix moved her wand from Dudley to Vernon now. Dudley was now whimpering and gasping on the floor unable to move from where he lay now. Bellatrix moved back from Vernon as she began to wave her wand. She heard running feet toward the house and with her wand pointed for Vernon to fall toward the door. The trick had worked as Lupin and Arthur entered the door, Vernon fell at their feet nearly knocking them over.

Bellatrix ran for the back door when Lupin raised his wand and shouted out.

"Incarcerous!"

Ropes struck out and began to wrap around her arms and legs causing her to stumble. Bellatrix swung her wand at the ropes muttering "Diffindo!" and the ropes were cut.

Vernon was struggling to get away and pushed at Lupin who knocked into Arthur who sent off a stunner that went wide of its target. Bellatrix laughed and pointed her wand at Lupin.

"Sectumsempra!" Bellatrix cackled; the spell hit Vernon as he was still in front of Lupin, who was trying to get him out of the way. Vernon bellowed in pain and fell back with blood covering his chest.

"Stupefy!" Arthur yelled pointing his wand at Bellatrix and moving away from the flailing Vernon. Lupin was now holding Vernon and looking up at Bellatrix.

"Protego!" Bellatrix intoned as the stunner flew at her, the shield charm knocked it back at Arthur who just barely dived out of its way.

Dudley was watching his bleeding father with terrified tears rolling down his cheeks.

Bellatrix began to turn, sending a stunner at Lupin who sent up his own shield charm. Bellatrix was again running for the back door; Arthur on his feet now and just a few steps behind her.

"Don't let her get away!" Lupin called out.

"Colloportus!" Arthur shot his spell at the back glass door as Bellatrix tried to open it. She screamed, turning to face Arthur, pointing her wand at him.

"Stupefy!" she screamed at him and the spell hit him full force, too close to dodge or block it. Arthur fell stiffly to the floor from the spell. With a victorious cry Bellatrix turned her wand at the glass door and shattered it with a stunner.

Bellatrix rushed through the now-open doorway when a fist came out from darkness to connect with her face. She was knocked back and fell back into the house on to her back. Kingsley stepped in over her, pointing his wand down at her.

"Petrificus Totalus" Kingsley said and grimly smiled at Bellatrix's arms and legs snapped rigidly together, her face a frozen sneer. He moved immediately over to Arthur and used Ennervate' to undo the stunner spell. Kingsley helped Arthur to his feet.

"Moody sent me to check on you both; thought you might need some back up," Kingsley said gruffly. Arthur nodded his thanks and they moved back into the living room where Lupin was able to slow the flow of blood from Vernon's wound.

"We got her Remus; we better get them to St. Mungo's quickly," Arthur said indicating both the wounded Vernon and the still shaking and sobbing Dudley. They both looked like they were going into shock. Remus gave the kitchen a dark look, seeing Bellatrix lying there helplessly.

"Remus and I can take them to St. Mungo's, Arthur; you can take Bellatrix to the ministry," Kingsley stated.

"Right; you better hurry then, it looks serious," Arthur spoke, still feeling a bit winded from the short battle. He turned away as Lupin and Kingsley floated Vernon into the air and out of the house. Dudley was led out by Kingsley's firm hand moments after.

Arthur walked over to the prone Bellatrix on the floor, looking down at her; Arthur knew why he was the one to take Bellatrix in: Remus would perhaps be too tempted by the idea of getting vengeance on Sirius's killer. Arthur, like Remus, knew this woman's history and knew she was beyond redemption; it wasn't his place, however, to pass judgment on her. That was for the Ministry to deal with. He floated her body out of the house and they Apparated to the Ministry.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry ran up the steps to the door of the girls' room, where his Aunt Petunia was now. He hadn't just said it in passing to Ginny; he really felt the need to make sure his Aunt was doing all right and not causing too much trouble for the Weasleys. He also felt pained with the way the conversation had been going. He needed to know she was safe and couldn't allow himself to lower his guard around Ginny. Especially not if Voldemort had been rummaging around in his mind again.

He didn't know how to deal with this fear that Voldemort would find out about Ginny coupled with the fact that Snape or Draco may have told him about it. He couldn't let himself become too comfortable with this; he couldn't risk her like that. They had no idea if Voldemort knew about her and Harry wasn't going to give him any more opportunities to do so. Ginny did have a good idea with him trying Occulmency again, just in case he had to give it a try.

Entering the room, he saw Petunia sitting in a chair with her back rigidly to him as she looked out the window. She didn't turn around to see who had come in to the room and was very intent on not looking at anything in the room at all. It was as if Aunt Petunia was really some statue that Harry had come across and not an actual person.

"Aunt Petunia?" Harry started taking a few more steps into the room. He still felt some hostility toward her for her attitude and her current approach of ignoring her surroundings wasn't helping things.

"What is it?" Aunt Petunia said bitingly still facing resolutely forward.

"I just wanted to know why you-"

"Why I hid the truth about myself?" Aunt Petunia interrupted him. "Because I have always despised it, what it could do and what others could do with it. I hated it when it first happened, when I first did," Petunia seemed unable to even say the word.

"What happened?" Harry asked unsure his Aunt would reply to this.

"There was this girl when I was much younger, just a child and I was angry with her. She wouldn't stop calling me names; a stupid schoolyard fight it was. I couldn't get away from her; I couldn't shut her out and then, it happened." Aunt Petunia stopped and actually looked away from the window at a spot somewhere on the bare wall.

"What?" Harry pressed needing to know the answer.

"She-" Aunt Petunia started again and sounded shaken. "Her mouth was gone; I couldn't hear the names anymore and she couldn't say them anymore. I could see the terror in her eyes and I knew that I had done it; that it was my fault. I didn't know how I had done it; Lily said it was normal and that she had done it herself once. I begged her not to tell anyone; no one could know, I didn't want to be like those witches in all the stories I had read. I couldn't understand why she would, my own sister want to be like that?" Petunia said, shaking her head now. Harry slowly walked around to her side watching her cautiously.

"Then the letter came for her; she was the oldest so I suppose that's why she got it first. I didn't want mine when she said I would receive one the next year. I couldn't stand thinking that I would and that everyone would know, that I was different, a freak," Aunt Petunia said with a sharp bite. She looked hard at Harry now her eyes boring into him.

"I refused to go; I refused to admit that the letters were there; I threw them away and then he arrived one day." Petunia said

"Dumbledore?"

"Yes! I told him I didn't want to be a witch; I didn't want to be-" Petunia seemed to think better on this seeing the annoyance crossing Harry's face.

"He told me that he could block it somehow that I didn't have to do magic if I didn't want it. Told me it was rarely done, but he would do it if that was what I wished. So he did, told me that I would be -- a Muggle." Aunt Petunia finished and looked away from Harry and out the window.

"But now he's gone," Harry couldn't quite say the words, not to his Aunt at least. It would reveal too much of his pain and he didn't want to share that with her.

"He is isn't he? I can't believe it," Aunt Petunia said tersely.

"What do you care? I read the letters; you didn't care about anything but yourself," Harry retorted bitterly. It still stung on a deep level that he was so abhorrent to his own Aunt that she had to be threatened to take him in.

Aunt Petunia looked pointedly at him now her head shaking slightly with that lip curl she reserved for dirt on her kitchen floor.

"You're wrong; I care for my family," Petunia stated boldly.

"Yes and you've made it clear that I'm not a part of it and I couldn't be happier about it! You've always hated me, just like you've always hated my mother!" Harry found himself yelling that last sentence and on some other level felt as if he was saying this to someone else as well.

"Shut up!" Petunia snapped at him.

"Why? I'm not under your roof anymore; you can't tell me what to do!" Harry's fists clenched at his side.

"You weren't there, you don't know-"

"Don't know what? That you were as horrible to my mother as you are to me?"

Aunt Petunia looked furious; she had never looked this angry before.

"Just get out and leave me alone! I wouldn't be here at all if I any choice but you're going to keep me prisoner, aren't you?" Aunt Petunia shot at him scathingly.

"Oh yeah, like you did to me? That wasn't horrible at all, was it? It was just a big barrel full of laughs for you, wasn't it?" Harry yelled back at her and was getting up to leave stalking across the room. His Aunt didn't say anything further but he she was watching him leave as he opened the door and nearly ran into Hermione and Ron. He closed the door behind him and was still looking rather distraught from the looks on his friend's faces.

"We didn't mean to-" Hermione began but Harry just shook his head.

"Don't worry about it; it's all right, really," Harry stated, stepping away from the door. He wasn't angry with them and wasn't going to take it out on them no matter how annoyed he was with his Aunt now.

"Dad's not back yet, but he sent a message to us that he's fine and that they captured Bellatrix," Ron said, and Harry looked at him.

"Well, that's one good bit of news then; listen, let's go to your room, Ron," Harry suggested, not wanting to talk out in the hallway.

They entered Ron's room, which was currently Ghoul-free; Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage were there waiting for him. Harry walked over to the trunk looking at the Hogwarts coat of arms on his trunk. Thinking how he was never going back there, now that Dumbledore was gone. An ache he hadn't let himself feel, while talking to his Aunt, was welling up now in his throat thinking of Hogwarts without his mentor.

"So they captured her, the one that killed Sirius," Harry said, looking up from the trunk to his friends. "She'll be going to Azkaban then, with the rest?" Harry asked Ron now.

"Yeah I expect so but-"

"So who's guarding the place now that the Dementors are gone?" Harry asked, interrupting Ron.

"I dunno; Dad never tells us," Ron said shrugging

"Something much more dependable then Dementors, I expect, Harry," Hermione interjected.

"Yeah, but there was something else in the message Harry. Your uncle and cousin were sent to St. Mungo's; I think Bellatrix hurt them pretty bad if they needed to be sent there," Ron said.

Harry wasn't sure how to feel about that news; part of him was stunned and never wanted that to happen to them. He felt guilt in his stomach; already people were hurt because they knew him and the Dursleys were certainly on the bottom of his list of people to care for. What would happen once Voldemort moved up that list?

"What else did he say about them?" Harry asked.

"Not much; just that they were fine," Ron said simply. He was sitting on his bed with Hermione next to him, her hand resting on his shoulder. Hermione was looking at Ron in a consoling way. Ron's hand soon joined Hermione's; Ron didn't even seem to realize it was doing it, either.

Harry watched them for a moment, thinking back to when he had moments of comfort like this with Ginny. He tried not to think about it, but it was a lot more difficult to remove your one source of comfort when it was so much closer to you.

"So what's going on with you two?" Harry said to them with a small smile. Ron started and removed his hand from Hermione's. Hermione grinned but looked away from Harry.

"Nothing; what makes you think anything is happening?" Ron said awkwardly and looking nervous.

"It's all right, Ron; nothing wrong with it," Harry said now grinning.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ron said, standing up and walking away from the bed. Hermione was stifling a laugh and looking at Ron with amusement.

"I think you do, mate, and it's about time, really," Harry said looking between the both of them. "You shouldn't hide it."

"Hide what? We're not hiding anything," Ron said.

"Ron, he knows," Hermione said, still watching him with a big smile.

"Knows? How can he know?" Ron said.

"Ron, I've been yours and Hermione's best mate for years now and you actually think I haven't noticed anything in that time?" Harry said with an amused smile.

"Well it's not like we did anything, I just said that-," Ron said, looking embarrassed now. "Just asked her to dance with me at Bill's wedding is all," Ron said, looking a bit sheepish now.

"Ooh so you learned your lesson from the Yule Ball then?" Harry quipped with a wide grin. Hermione was openly laughing now.

"Shut up Harry; it's not funny," Ron said despite the grin on his face.

Harry really didn't know where he would be without his two best mates with him. He was glad to see that at least Hermione and Ron could be happy together even if they were taking their time to get there. It made him think how he could be downstairs holding Ginny's small hand in his right now. Wasn't that why he was doing this? So that he could insure that he would be able to do just that with her ... without the threat of Voldemort hanging over their heads.

"Hermione, I was wondering if you could help me with something actually," Harry said seriously; both his friends stopped their smiles and listened.

"I want to try to learn Occulmency again, but I don't have anyone but you two to help me with it. I can't risk anyone else in the Order seeing about the Horcruxes in my mind. You're the only two I trust with this and I think Hermione is the best for this -- no offense, Ron," Harry said, looking between the two of them. Hermione nodded slowly and Ron frowned at him.

"Why can't I help? I'm just as good as Hermione," Ron stated a little indignantly; Ron didn't like being left out of anything.

"Ron don't be thick," Hermione said, giving him an exasperated shake of her head. "You've never done the spell required and let's face it, I am a quicker learner. Besides-"

"There are things I don't want you to see, Ron; if you go rummaging around in my head, what happens if I can't force you out?" Harry stated for Hermione.

"What sort of things don't you want me to see? There's nothing that would bother me, Harry," Ron said, and Harry was regretting asking this in front of him like this.

"Ron," Hermione said in that admonishing tone, "I think he is talking about Ginny," Hermione said spelling it out for him.

"What about her?" Ron said, and then comprehension dawned on him, quickly followed by a look of disgust. "Oh, Harry, I don't want to know about that!"

"Well then, is it alright if Hermione helps me with the Occulmency and you can stop complaining about it?" Harry said grinning now.

"Alright, alright; sorry I asked," Ron said, waving his hands.

"Good," Harry said, joining in with the laughter; truly, he felt lucky having these two with him and knew that he could never leave them behind. He just hoped that they would not have to pay for his need of them. Harry went over to his trunk now and opened it to check its contents. His hand touched something sharp and he recoiled; there, under one of his books, was a broken piece of mirror... Sirius's mirror. Harry picked up the piece of mirror and stared at it.

"Harry?" Ron called to Harry, coming over to him with a frown. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing; just a broken mirror," Harry started, looking up at Ron. He wasn't sure he really wanted to tell Ron about the mirror; it still hurt too much.

"Well, you shouldn't keep that in your trunk; it could damage stuff. Look, here's another.," Ron said, picking up a second piece of mirror from the trunk. "We should throw this away-"

"No!" Harry said before he could stop himself; a part of him didn't want to throw something away that had belonged to Sirius. Ron frowned at him and Hermione came over to the trunk as well.

"It was Sirius's; he gave it to me before, the Christmas before last," Harry said slowly.

"Why would he give you a mirror, Harry? Was it magic?" Ron said with a slight frown but curious to see if Harry had been given more magic things besides that knife Harry had used in the Department of Mysteries.

"Yeah," Harry looked down at the mirror, not wanting to see their reaction. "Sirius and my dad used it to talk to each other during their detentions."

Harry didn't look up right away and the silence that followed this statement made him wonder if they hadn't left the room. He looked up into their faces and was surprised to see a mixture of pity and sorrow in their faces.

"Harry, I'm so sorry," Hermione started shaking her head.

"You're sorry? I'm the stupid berk that didn't open the package until it was too late," Harry said. His arms shaking, he bowed his head and rubbed his forehead with his right hand; his left still holding the mirror, he began to clench the broken mirror in his hand.

"Harry!" Ron said, seeing Harry cutting himself with the mirror.

"What, Ron?" Harry said looking over to Ron now, not noticing the slight glow around the two mirror pieces.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped and pointed at Harry's hand.

Harry looked down at his hand to see Ron's face in the mirror piece.

"Wicked, Harry; your face is in this piece," Ron said holding up the mirror in his hand.

"The magic still works; that shouldn't be if the mirror had been broken," Hermione remarked at seeing the mirror reflecting Harry's and Ron's faces.

"Must be a strong spell then; hey Harry, we can use these, I bet!" Ron said excitedly. Harry had to agree it did seem a better way to communicate than even the coins.

Harry went rummaging through the trunk to find the remaining pieces and found seven in all. They experimented with each piece to find them fully working and Hermione created a rubber edge to the mirrors to cover the sharp edges. They were just finishing with the mirrors when there was a loud banging on the door.

"Oh Ronnikins, are you in there?" Fred's voice came from behind the door.

"Your dear brothers would like a word with you," George's voice said.

"You can't keep hiding from us Ronnikins" Fred said.

"Oh brother," Ron sighed.

"Seriously Ron we know your in there," George said.

"And were not leaving until we have our little chat," Fred said.

"Yes so be a good boy and open up will you already?" George said.

"We better let them in.," Harry said. "They might break the door down."

"They wouldn't mum would go ballistic!" Ron said, panicked now.

"Oh Ron, they won't hurt you I'm sure," Hermione said, standing up and going to the door. Harry put the mirror pieces into the trunk and closed it.

Hermione opened the door to see Fred and George standing there quite congenially with two identical grins.

"Why hello, Hermione; we had no idea you were in here," Fred said with an amused grin and starting to enter the room.

"There was no need for all the threats the door wasn't locked!" Hermione said, exasperated.

"We would never intrude into our brothers room, unannounced and uninvited like that," George said in mock outrage as he entered the room.

"Now that we have Ron here, you two should go downstairs; Ginny wants a word with both of you. Also Dad's back and wants to talk to Harry," Fred said, sitting next to Ron.

"Dad's back?" Ron said, beginning to stand up. Fred grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back down into the sitting position. George moved over and joined them.

"Don't worry, Ronnikins; Dad knows that we need to have a conversation he doesn't mind seeing a little later," George said, patting Ron hard on the back.

"And a little shorter, who said you could grow as tall as us?" Fred said with a sincerely wicked grin; Ron looked pale.

"Not to mention the little thing with the howler, really Ron we're going to have to start calling you our new Percy." George said dangerously.

Harry and Hermione left the room and went down the stairs to where Arthur and Ginny were sitting in the living room.

"Dinner will be ready shortly. I'm sorry for the delay; I wanted to wait for Arthur to be here," Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.

Harry and Hermione joined Arthur and Ginny in the living room; Hermione sat next to Ginny and Harry across from them. Harry and Ginny exchanged a long look in which Harry forgot anyone else in the room for a minute before he heard Arthur speak up.

"Harry, did Ron tell you about your Uncle?" Arthur asked, watching both Harry and Ginny.

"Yes, but Ron didn't say how bad it was," Harry said looking at Mr. Weasley now.

"Yes, well, it was serious for both of them; Bellatrix did a number on them. The healers, and I agree with them on this, Harry, think it best to have their memories of this event modified. However, we wanted to get your permission: in this instance, we would be able to erase what your Uncle saw your Aunt do tonight; I'm sure he would take her back then." Arthur told this to Harry.

"Maybe you should tell this to my Aunt; it seems to be what she wants. Would they be safe back on Privet Drive?" Harry asked Mr. Weasley.

"I can't promise you that, Harry; all I can promise is that your uncle and cousin would no longer remember what happened tonight, that they would go on as if nothing ever happened," Arthur said in a reassuring way.

Harry partly wanted that, but the sound of as if nothing ever happened' seemed to curdle in his stomach. He didn't want the Dursleys to just forget him and pretend he didn't exist; he didn't want them to ever forget. It wouldn't be right for them to just go on living and acting like he was just some bad dream that was never there.

"Can you make him just forget about my Aunt's abilities? Just that and nothing else," Harry said rather coldly now.

"Harry, they've experienced a lot of pain tonight; wouldn't it be better if they didn't remember?" Arthur said consoling.

"What do I care what pain they've felt for what they did to me and for what my Aunt did to my mother," Harry said, his voice trembling; he felt a pain in his chest and didn't know why. "I mean, how can my aunt reject what she was and who her sister was like that?"

"I don't know Harry, people can be strange sometimes; I wish I knew what to say." Mr. Weasley was at a loss for words. He just looked sadly at Harry now; Hermione looked pained and Ginny stood up and walked over to Harry and sat next to him. Ginny just sat there near him and Harry didn't mind, didn't want to mind. Just having her near was keeping him from really losing it and he couldn't really say why.

"And then Dumbledore just blocks her magic and makes her a Muggle. How could anyone want that? How could Dumbledore even do that?" Harry asked pleadingly while Mr. Weasley looked even more distraught now. He looked at Harry with a frown now. Harry's left hand had unconsciously found its way to Ginny's right and was holding tightly to her hand.

"Blocked? Are you sure, Harry? I've never heard of such a thing happening," Mr. Weasley asked.

"Well, that's what my Aunt said," Harry stated simply; holding Ginny's hand felt really good on his temper.

"Perhaps, Harry, it was more of it being in her mind then actually having her magic blocked. As I said I've never heard of such a thing happening, though I have heard that some can give it up personally if they so choose to," Mr. Weasley said, nodding with a look of searching his own thoughts.

A memory was recalled to him then, something Dumbledore had told him. That Merope, even though a witch; had given up her powers once losing Tom Riddle Sr. and let herself waste away. Could his Aunt have done that? Convinced herself that she was a Muggle and that she never could cast magic, to the point that it was as good as a spell?

"Some people, Harry, would rather live in denial of something rather then face the truth of the matter. We learned that with Fudge in your fifth year, denying You-Know-Who's return. Your Aunt is the same way, I think, about her abilities" Mr. Weasley said.

"You know, Harry, I've read things like this too in Muggle books; it's all about Psychology. People can make themselves believe in anything sometimes, unreasonable fears, and even ignore things that are happening right in front of them." Hermione said looking at him strangely as she gave a glance to Ginny and then him. Harry just gave a frown at her.

"Well, Harry, your uncle and cousin are being taken care of at St. Mungo's," Mr. Weasley said as they heard steps coming from the stairs. "They should be fine but the question of their memory, let's sleep on it before making a final decision."

"What's wrong with Vernon and Dudley?" A voice spoke from behind them. They turned to see Mrs. Dursley had come down stairs. She looked afraid and tense from what she had just overheard. Mr. Weasley stood and went toward her; Mrs. Dursley looked even more frightened and backed up a step.

"They're was an attack on your home by a follower of You-Know-Who."

"Who? Voldemort?" Petunia said quizzically.

Mr. Weasley was the only one in the room to flinch at the name.

"Y-yes, they were hurt and we had them brought to our wizard hospital to be taken care of. They are fine, let me assure you of that," Mr. Weasley said soothingly.

"They hurt them? Now your-" Mrs. Dursley seemed to be searching for some word she couldn't find. "Your filthy, freakish ­"

"Shut UP!" Harry was on his feet now, seething at his Aunt. Ginny and Hermione were also standing and glaring at Mrs. Dursley.

"No; I won't! Now you see, don't you? My husband and son both hurt because of this magic. Now you see why I won't have anything to do with it!" Mrs. Dursley shrieked back at him.

"Yeah you won't have anything to do with it unless you're forced to, I just don't understand how you could hate your own sister and me so much," Harry shot at her.

"You don't understand anything; I didn't hate my sister. I just didn't think she should lower herself to being a freakish witch!" Mrs. Dursley yelled. Mr. Weasley looked at a loss at how to stop the yelling; no one seemed to be listening to him.

"Oh, and how is calling my mother 'freakish' NOT hating her?" Harry said, breathing hard now; Ginny had placed a placatory hand on his chest. Moments later before Aunt Petunia could say anything further Mrs. Weasley stormed in.

"Now that's enough, really! Harry, you should know better then this; you're practically an adult now and the those that ARE adults should know better then to throw insults in their host's home," Mrs. Weasley had bellowed. "Now everyone come into the dining room; we're going to have supper and it will be civil."

Mrs. Dursley did not join them at the dinner table but returned upstairs, where Mrs. Weasley had food sent up to her later. The Twins and Ron joined them shortly into the meal; all three of the boys looked gravely at Harry but didn't say anything. Harry noted that Fred was giving Ginny darkly significant looks. The meal passed rather quietly after Arthur told everyone at the table about how Bellatrix was captured. There was general small talk around the table; however, there was a lack of real desire to talk.

Later, after dinner, Harry headed up to bed too tired to talk about plans. He lay in bed, thinking of the fear of Voldemort entering his dreams. He focused on removing all thought from his mind; it was something he was never able to do before. As he drifted off to sleep his dreams were still haunted by visions of Voldemort towering over a prone and lifeless Ginny.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Draco was sitting in a dark room within his family's manor, poring over plans. A pile of unopened letters from Pansy lay on the floor; Draco didn't feel the need or desire to read them now. He was too intent on his newest mission to even worry about his love life. He couldn't allow anything to distract him; he hadn't quite failed last time but he didn't fully succeed either. The Dark Mark on his skin still tingled and burned slightly to remind him that any further failure would mean his life.

His mother had been arguing with his Aunt earlier this evening about some hunt that his Aunt was going to do. They wouldn't let Draco in on that little row -- told him to go mind to his mission. He wondered what it was that his Aunt had gone to do, no doubt dangerous and something for the Dark Lord. His skin crawled at the mere thought of that aberration, those unnatural red eyes just boring into his soul trying to dig out every last bit of him.

He was tired now and didn't know how many hours had passed with him locked up in this room going over what seemed to him pointless maps. He was trying to find the location of the Burrow, which he was sure up to a week ago, was quite accessible, but this was apparently no longer the case now. None of his family's records held its location, which was most bizarre to Draco. He had nearly flogged one of the House-elves to death in anger over it. He had tried to get the worthless little bugger to help him but their kind didn't seem to be of much use other then to abuse.

The door gave a click and then swung open to admit his former potions teacher, Snape. Draco leaned back in his chair and gave him an insolent glare and crossed his arms.

"What do you want?" Draco said flatly.

"I've brought some news, bad I'm afraid," Snape said with a bit of a grin.

"What?" Draco said with his eyes narrowed.

"It seems your dear Aunt Bellatrix has recklessly attacked where Harry Potter was staying and is now on her way to a cell in Azkaban like your father," Snape said coldly.

"How do you know that?" Draco frowned and looked doubtfully at Snape.

"Suffice to say that I DO know Draco, your Aunt did something very foolish and tried to bring Harry to the Dark Lord herself; she failed," Snape finished simply.

"Really? Where is Potter staying?" Draco asked a little more eagerly then he meant to. No one had ever told him where Potter lived, they always told him to stay put here at his home. He wasn't going to have any more of that; he needed to do things on his own to prove himself.

"Do you think you could succeed where your Aunt failed?" Snape said with a raised brow. He looked highly amused now at Draco. "Or do you have some other" Snape said looking down at the papers sprawled over Draco's desk. "Plans?" Snape finished.

Draco didn't like this intrusiveness that Snape kept displaying; it was getting beyond an annoyance now. If what Snape said was true and his Aunt had been captured, this set things back for him. He had been counting on his Aunt's abilities to help him. He didn't trust many others besides her and his mother. With his father locked up he didn't have anyone else; Snape was an interloper now.

"Does my mother know what you told me?" Draco asked changing the subject.

"Of course; she was the first I told and naturally she is quite upset," Snape said totally unfazed by this conversation.

Draco bowed his head over his desk looking away from Snape; he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that this troubled him greatly. Draco had his emotional walls up and he wasn't going to let that greasy-haired Snape into his mind.

"I think, Draco, that it is time that you started listening to me again. You see by example what reckless plans get you: a nice cozy cell in Azkaban and useless to any cause you might have," Snape said, walking over to Draco who was still sitting in his chair. Snape looked down at Draco who did not look back.

"You may be able to hide your thoughts from me Draco but I do know you have a new mission and a new plan. You might want to consider my help this time Draco; there is little room for error. You may lose far more then your life and family; you think that this is all for you to lose?" Snape asked Draco, this time the boy looked up at Snape.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked with a frown.

"The Dark Lord has been devising new punishments for those that fail him. Just an hour ago he used an Dementor to use its kiss on one of his faithful followers who failed him and then turned that failed follower into an Inferius: not a pleasant fate, I should think," Snap said looking down his hooknose at Draco.

"Well, I won't be having to face that because, I'm not going to fail," Draco said shaking his head ... though his voice was shaken at the imagery of being drained of a soul and turned into an Inferius.

"Perhaps ... though, Draco, I know the real reason you hesitated on top of that tower and failed to follow through with your mission. I know what lurks in your mind even if you don't show it to anyone. The Dark Lord suspects, but is testing you, testing your resolve. Tell me, Draco: do you have the resolve for this?" Snape asked.

Draco stood up looking straight into Snape's eyes, almost daring him to try Legilimens on him.

"You don't know what my mission is and yes I have all the resolve I need," Draco said boldly to Snape.

"I should hope so Draco, because this isn't going to be about proving yourself or saving yourself," Snape stated firmly to Draco.

"What is it about then? Choice between what's right or wrong? Some rubbish like that?" Draco snorted his disdain for such terms.

Snape just smiled at him.