A/N: Whew. Had to somewhat reorient myself in the world of Harry Potter. I've been so busy and I've fallen in love with anime again, so it was somewhat hard to bring myself back to the world of wizards and witches. But then I found dearest darling Oliver, and our favorite Keeper pulled me back!

Oliver: Write more you jerk! I'm still in Russia!

Me: Aw…but I don't wanna…you want to just stay here and watch anime with me? Come on, we're getting to the good part.

Oliver: No! I don't want to watch some of your stupid Muggle shows! (Drags author back to computer) WRITE!

Me: All right! Geez! (Glances longingly at the TV before beginning to write)

So that explains why I'm back. (Glares at Oliver who is sitting in corner) (Oliver glares back) Well, since our dearest, darling Keeper has put the omnipotent author in a bad mood, he just might be in for a little punishment… (Evil snicker)

Disclaimer: I cannot begin to compile a comprehensive list of the things that DO NOT belong to me.

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Angelina dashed through the Ministry of Magic. She had gotten herself lost in the winding halls and paths of the underground government and had no idea where to go. In her hurry she had neglected to check for a map. She cursed her hasty decision now, staring at a long hallway full of doors. "I don't have any idea where I am," she whispered, wandering down the halls. "I have no idea where I am."

She decided to open the next door on her right and ask for directions. After all, I'm not a man. I have no problem in asking for directions, she thought to herself with a grim smile on her face. Katie had bemoaned the fact that Muggle men had an obsession with not asking for directions many times.

Angelina walked to the door. She took a deep breath, raised her hand, and knocked firmly on the door. She winced, ready for some angry wizard to come and scream at her for annoying him. She was astonished when Percy answered the door.

"Percy," she said in surprise. It took a while before her natural annoyance and anger returned at seeing him. "I thought that you were some special assistant, or whatever."

"I am," he said, his face set in stone. He had become used to the anger and disgust of everyone when they talked to him. Angelina was no different from his family, his former friends…she was no different. "I needed to use the bathroom," he said, gesturing up at the restroom sign above the door.

Angelina looked up in embarrassment at the sign above the door. "Oh," she said, her ire gone. She felt her face growing hot, and thanked Merlin for her dark skin tone. No one would ever know when she was furiously blushing. "Well…ah…"

"What were you doing here?" Percy asked, looking at her sternly. "I can't think of any reason you'd need to be in the Ministry, let alone down here."

"I have very good reason for being here," Angelina defended herself, standing up straight to shield herself and her dignity. "And I don't mean to be here. I…got lost," she finished, her brave façade slightly fading. Percy looked at her, raising one eyebrow.

"Well, I have nothing better to do," he said, walking away from her. "Where are you trying to go? I can take you there."

"Your father's office," Angelina answered promptly. Percy stiffened and Angelina smirked. That was all of the reaction that he made. "I need to see him about something," Angelina said, watching to see if she could bait him into saying anything.

"Oh?" Percy asked, trying to sound casual. "What about? Unless it's prying," he said, trying to sound sorry and failing miserably.

"It's about Oliver," Angelina said, smug in her ability to make Percy stop. She had tried to faze him all during school and had failed. Now she finally could and she was going to take advantage of it. She sped up as she realized that while she dallied here with Percy, Oliver was still in Voldemort's clutches. Still…she thought to herself, with an evil smile, I suppose that as long as Percy's here I might as well torture him…

"What's wrong?" Percy asked, grabbing her arm. "Did you find him yet? Do you know where he is? Do you know what condition he's in?"

"Easy there Percy," Angelina said gruffly, not forgetting the hell that he had put the Weasley family through. "We don't know anything yet. I just need to find Dumbledore to tell him that we don't know anything."

Percy glanced back at her. Angelina could sense that he didn't believe her, but she didn't care. After he had refused to acknowledge his family, and had even gone out of his way to remind them that he didn't' care, he did not get any recognition. At least not for a while. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing what was going on with Oliver.

"Here's where the Aurors are," he said, gesturing down the hallway. "They can take you from here." He started to walk away and Angelina followed him.

"What?" she challenged, grabbing his arm. "You can't bring me to your father's office? You're too afraid to face them? Maybe the reason they're not talking to you is that you're not talking to them."

"I'm not going to give my family the pleasure of rejecting me," Percy hissed, jerking his arm away from Angelina. "Now would you please let me go? I'm a busy man."

"Try and talk to your family," Angelina said, suddenly converting this into her personal crusade. "They might miss you as much as you miss them." Percy looked at her strangely before walking away down the hall.

What was that look in his eyes? Angelina thought to herself as she stared after him. It was a look of longing, and confusion all at once. I feel sorry for him. He misses his family…I think…but he's too proud to say so. She shook her head and walked down to the Auror offices.

Kingsley looked up as she came in. he couldn't quite remember her name, but he did know that she had been in a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. "Hello ma'am," he said, keeping up a front of personal detachment. "I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt, why don't you come on in?"

Angelina followed him into the small cubicle. As soon as they were sheltered Kingsley dropped the act. "What's wrong?" he asked her, glancing around to make sure that they were not being eavesdropped upon.

"It's Professor Snape," Angelina whispered, forgetting to drop the Professor from Snape's name. "I don't know where he came from, but we just found him outside the Burrow. I think Lord…Voldemort tortured him." Angelina felt rather proud of herself. She had said Voldemort's name and she had not run away in terror or started screaming. "Alicia saw Professor Dumbledore this morning. I think she knows where Oliver is. Snape's still unconscious and we can't get any information out of him." Angelina stopped and ran through her head again, trying to see if she had forgotten anything.

Kingsley lowered his head and cursed. "Holy Hell," he said softly to himself. He raised his head and looked at her. "I'll take it from here. Go back to the Burrow. We'll all be there in just a few minutes." As Angelina was leaving he called her back. "You might want to go by Fred and George's shop and get them." Angelina nodded and left the Ministry of Magic.

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Angelina walked down Diagon Alley, searching for the twin's shop. She vaguely remembered the twin's shouting the address of their shop at the end of last year while they were riding away on their broomsticks, but she had not remembered. So now she was walking down the streets, getting jostled by many other people doing their shopping as well. "Come on," she hissed, searching for the shop. "Come on…ah-hah!"

She saw the small shop with the proud sign out proclaiming "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes". She smiled as she saw many children going into the shop. She watched them come out with their bags bulging before going in herself. She carefully pushed the door open, ready for any surprise that the twins could throw at her. She waited…waited…waited… "AUGH!" she screamed, jumping away from the puppet that had just dropped down in front of her.

"Welcome to our humble shop Angelina!" Lee Jordan said, sticking his smiling face out from behind a stack of fireworks. She stepped back and examined the puppet. "Surprise your friends and family. It has a Levitation charm on it that only lifts when someone comes in," Lee proudly said, watching the small puppet float up to the ceiling. "And if you'll look very closely at this dear puppet, you'll notice that it resembles someone quite closely…" Angelina squinted.

She began to laugh as she realized what they had done. "It's Umbridge," she said, holding her stomach to contain her laughs. "You made the puppet into Umbridge." She continued to laugh until Fred and George came out from the back room.

"Is that the delightful voice of one Angelina Johnson I hear?" Fred asked, cupping a hand to his ear. George repeated his twin's gestures. Angelina sobered up once she saw the twins and remembered why she had come here.

"Can I talk to you in the back?" she asked, with an apologetic glance towards Lee. "Sorry, but this is just kinda…it's…"

"Go on ahead," Lee said smiling broadly. Angelina rolled her eyes and inwardly groaned. He, Katie, and Alicia had always had a theory that Angelina and Fred were madly in love with each other and just afraid to show it. Their going together to the Yule Ball had only helped fuel this rumor, no matter how many times Angelina had tried to insist that they were just friends. Now Lee would never let her hear the end of it.

"What is it?" Fred asked, recognizing the serious look on Angelina's face. She closed the office door behind them, making sure that they could not be overheard.

"Snape came back today," Angelina said in a low voice. "He was beaten badly, and the popular belief seems to be that Voldemort tortured him. Alicia had a dream last night and now she thinks she knows where Oliver is. Snape's still alive, but he's unconscious, so we're not getting any information out of him. We're gathering everyone to the Burrow. It's time that you came with us." She waited for the twins' response.

She got it almost immediately when George stood up and walked out of the hospital. "Lee, can you handle things for us here?" he asked. "Something really important has just come up and Fred and I need to go take care of this."

"George, what's going on?" Lee demanded, going to stand with his friend. He tried to keep his voice quiet so that Angelina would not know that they were arguing. "I don't mind covering the shop for you, you can go whenever you like and I'll be here. I just want to know where you're going and why you need the secrecy. Is it…is it Him?" he asked, dropping his voice in fear. "George, what's going on with you, Fred, and Angelina? What's happening that you can't talk about it in front of me?"

"Lee…it's too dangerous," George tried brush it off. Lee would not be deterred. "IF I told you, you could end up getting killed or worse!" he finally said, raising his voice. "You think I want that on my hands?" he lowered his voice with an anxious glance back towards the office where Angelina and Fred were waiting. "Look Lee…one day…when it's not so dangerous…maybe I could tell you. But not today. Not today."

"All right," Lee said, setting his face in a stubborn look. George saw that look and he knew that he had just hurt Lee deeply. "You go on. You do whatever you need to do. I'll be here."

"Lee, you have to understand," George pleaded, stretching out his hand to clap Lee on the shoulder, but Lee moved out of his reach. George stared at Lee, but Lee refused to look at his old friend. George finally gave up and went back to the office. "Come on," he said, gesturing with his head. "We need to go."

"Goodbye Lee!" Fred called out as he exited the shop. Lee merely jerked his head in their direction, studiously fixing a display of trick candies. The door clanged closed behind them, and the three wizards set off down the street, their faces stony masks of determination.

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"They're not here yet," Hermione said nervously, looking out of the door. "Shouldn't they be here by now? What if Angelina couldn't find them?"

"Hermione, calm down," Ron said with surprising force. "Your going insane is not going to help anything." Hermione looked at him with a hurt look, but did not say anything else. "Harry, are you all right?" Ron asked, going over to his friend. Harry was sitting alone at a corner of the kitchen, staring straight ahead at Snape.

"Yeah, I'm all right," Harry said, looking anything but. They still had not moved Snape. Mrs. Weasley was hesitant to do anything without Dumbledore's permission and blessing. She might hurt Snape even worse than he already was.

"Someone's here!" Mrs. Weasley said, looking out of the door. "It's Tonks and Lupin," she announced to them and then pulled the door open for them. Lupin strode into the kitchen, his eyes immediately locking on Snape. Years of mutual loathing could not stop the expression of disgust from appearing on his face, but this time it was muted by worry and even a little bit of fear.

"Hello Molly, Hermione, Ron, Harry," Lupin said, nodding to each one of them in turn. They all nodded back, certain that everything would be all right now. Lupin had an air about him that somehow made you believe that everything was going to be all right. "The others are on their way, we just managed to get away first. Dumbledore's gone to Hogwarts to get Madame Pomfrey. He says that you did the right thing in not taking him to St. Mungo's."

"Are you sure we can trust Poppy?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "I know that she wouldn't willingly betray Dumbledore, but does she know what will happen when she knows all that we know?"

"Poppy knows full and well what she is getting herself into," Lupin assured Mrs. Weasley. "Do we know any of the specific curses that were used on him?"

"From what I can tell, it just looks like he was beaten," Mrs. Weasley said. "We were waiting for someone to come along. Your expertise is in the Dark Arts."

"Well, it is, but this isn't my area of specialty in the Dark Arts. You'd have to get Moody for curses. If it was a nice banshee or a Red Cap, then I would be invaluable," Lupin said, looking up at Mrs. Weasley with a slight grin. She nervously grinned back at him.

"Speak of the devil," Tonks said, looking through the door. She opened it up to let Moody in. His false leg clunked on the floor as he went and stood over Snape. The small kitchen was become quite crowded rather quickly. "We were wondering whether or not you could identify the curse that was used on him."

Moody made several noises in his throat as he looked at the unconscious Potions teacher. "I always thought that Severus would end up getting tortured by Voldemort," he said, rolling up Snape's sleeves to see the bruises on his arms. "I just thought it would be because he didn't perform his tasks well enough." Lupin coughed and gave a warning look to Moody. "Sorry," Moody said, not sounding very repentant.

The former Auror bent over the Potions professor, his nose barely an inch above him. He was muttering and talking to himself all during his examination. His fingers poked and prodded at some of the bruises, watching to see what colours they would turn when touched. He stood up after a lengthy examination.

"Well, it's obvious that he's been hit with the Crutacius Curse many times," he said matter-of-factly. Harry winced in sympathetic pain. Having been hit with that horror, he could appreciate what it felt like. "I can't pick out any other curses than that one, and it doesn't explain why he's been knocked around so much, or why there are so many bruises on him. For the most part, I think he was just thrown around by Voldemort. Not the most effective way of getting information out of someone, but very quick in administering pain."

"Oh, they're here!" Mrs. Weasley said, interrupting whatever else Moody was going to say next. He looked at her in annoyance and then let it go as Mr. Weasley and Dumbledore walked in. Kingsley strode in a second later. They all looked at Snape simultaneously.

"What do you think Alastor?" Dumbledore quietly asked, and the rest of them listened while Moody told Dumbledore what he had just told them. Dumbledore waited in silence for several seconds before speaking again.

"Well, it's obvious that time is running out for Mr. Wood," he said gravely. "Ms. Spinnet has had a revelation which I feel might prove helpful to our search. We know his general location from her. If Professor Snape would wake up, then we would know much more of the specifics but unfortunately, we cannot have everything that we desire."

"We could do a Locating Spell once we get into the general location," Tonks offered. "We couldn't do it before, because it wouldn't work in such a wide location, but once we get it narrowed down it might work." Dumbledore nodded in approval of that plan.

"We need to get a search party together and go for it that way," Moody growled. "I, of course, will be leading this expedition." Dumbledore looked at him, but didn't say anything. "I would have Tonks, Kingsley, and Lupin come along with me." He paused and looked around the rest of the room and focused on one person. "You, girl," he barked at Alicia.

Alicia stood straight up and looked at him in shock. "Me?" she questioned, pointing at herself in terror. Moody nodded and motioned to her.

"Come on up here," he ordered her. Alicia followed him without question, but with some trepidation. "If you managed to find out his general location, maybe you can help us find out his actual location as well," he said, speaking to Dumbledore rather than to Alicia. "You've come of age, right?"

"Yes," Alicia said, nodding her head fearfully. "But…I don't think I'll be that good…I never was much good at learning counter-curses and the like."

"Nonsense," Lupin said, softly but firmly. "You were in my class, and your grades were among some of the highest for your class. You've proved yourself quite adept at performing the proper counter-curses."

"But this isn't a class!" Alicia protested, thinking of her mother and father. "This is real life! What happens if we meet Death Eaters, and they throw a curse at me that I haven't seen before?"

"You're going to have to take that chance," Moody said gruffly. He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her. Alicia tried not to look at his false eye, but it was impossible. It was spinning around madly in his skull until it came to rest firmly on her. "You, Ms. Spinnet," he whispered to her, so softly that only she could hear him. "Do you want him to die?"

Alicia tearfully shook her head, biting her lower lip tightly. "If you don't help us, then you might as well kill him," Moody said. Alicia's head grumbled resentfully in the fact that Moody was guilting her into saving Oliver, but her heart was screaming in agony, imagining watching Oliver's dead body being lowered into the ground.

"Okay," she choked out, admitting defeat. "All right. I'll go with you. I'll go." Her shoulders slumped in defeat. Moody clapped his hands and turned to Tonks, Lupin, and Kingsley.

"I think we should go at once," he said, his voice sounding oddly gleeful at the prospect of fighting Death Eaters once more. "Dumbledore, what do you think is the best way to get there? Apparation, or a Portkey?"

Dumbledore paused in thought for a moment. "I think that a Portkey would be better," he said slowly to himself. "That way you would all end up in exactly the same place and not scattered here and there like you would be if you were Apparating."

"Portkeys it is then," Tonks said, reaching for a common household item. She was interrupted by Katie standing up.

"Wait a moment," she said, the steadiness of her voice belaying her true emotions. "Why should Alicia go by herself?" As if she had been summoned, Angelina walked through the door at that instant with Fred and George. Katie looked at her and then looked back at Tonks, Kingsley, Lupin, and Moody, squaring her shoulders bravely. "We came here as part of a team," Katie said, her voice trembling for the first time. "IF it's all the same to everyone else, we'd all like to go together and get one of our teammates back."

The members of the Order of the Phoenix looked at her uncertainly. Angelina went to stand beside Katie. She did not say any words. None needed to be said. The message was quite clear: as my team goes, so go I. Moody cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Fred and George stood up, ignoring their mother and father's looks. "If we're a team, then we should go too," George said, jutting his chin out stubbornly. Harry stood up and walked over beside Angelina, Alicia, and Katie.

"No, Harry, you can't!' Hermione said, her voice rising in panic.

"Hermione, we're a team," Harry said, not looking quite at her. "Oliver never gave up on us. We can't give up on him."

"If you're sure you want to do this, then let's go," Moody said, grabbing an ordinary dishcloth. "We'll have to use a Portkey since we have Ms. Bell and Mr. Potter along with us." He pointed his wand at the dishcloth and mumbled "Portus." The dishcloth glowed for a second and then returned to its normal hue. "Everyone grab hold now," he said, holding out the dishcloth.

"Fred, George, Harry, please reconsider," Mrs. Weasley begged, running up to them. "Harry, please think this over dear, you haven't come of age yet, you've been through so much already…" her voice trialed off as she watched her sons and Harry disappear as they touched the dishcloth. "No!" she screamed, tears running down her face.

Mr. Weasley came over to her and embraced her tightly. "Now Molly, let's remember that Harry's already been through many Dark trials already, and has survived."

"I know," Mrs. Weasley sobbed. "The twins though…they don't know what they're getting themselves into…they have no idea…"

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Yay! It's done! Huzzah for teams.

Happy Holidays!