A/N Dunno if I'll be able to update at the rate I have been recently. Work is interfering horribly with writing (smile) I'll still try to update as much as I can.

"Do they have enough resources and manpower to start attacks?" Severus asked, feeling strange for not knowing what was going on in the Death Eater camp.

Draco sighed. "Not just Lucius escaped. It seems that the Dementors actually released several prisoners from Azkaban and handed them back to Voldemort. Ten. Only ten, but the most dangerous. Half the Inner Circle. The ones that hadn't been Kissed."

"They will be weak, though," Harry mused, "and will probably need time to recover. However, we need to start planning…and we need to know what is going on…" he said, staring in the distance.

Draco groaned. "Harry, no, you can't."

Severus looked at the boys. "What's going on?"

The blonde Slytherin sighed. "Harry mastered Occlumency shortly after your arrest. He also mastered Legimency. He can close his mind to Voldemort, but he can also purposely open it…and invite those visions."

The Potions Master paled. "Those visions knocked you out years ago."

"They still do," Harry admitted, "but its our best way of getting information, straight from Voldemorts head. He doesn't even know I do it."

Severus nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. Tell me, have you heard of a mindlink?"

Both boys stared at him.

"I am capable of linking my mind to others," Severus said, "it's a branch of Legimency. I could link to you as a sort of bodyguard. I would see the vision but not endure the pain, and I can help you through it so you won't loose consciousness. That means you can put up your Occlumency shields immediately after the vision ends."

Harry looked like Christmas had come early. In a subdued sort of way.

"But isn't it dangerous for you, Severus? If he saw you?"

"He won't see me," Severus reassured, "Besides, you just said he doesn't even know YOU are there, let alone me."

They sat on the floor, surrounded by pillows that Draco was stuffing behind them.

"Draco," Harry complained, embarrassed.

"I just don't want you to fall backwards and damage that single braincell you have," Draco retorted.

Harry snorted. Severus took a deep breath.

"You need to let me in, Harry. You don't have to lower your shields for that though, you can just grant only me access, like you would do with wards."

Harry obeyed.

"I can sense you," he said.

"Yes. I'm going to link now."

Harry gasped, and Draco looked concerned, but seconds later, they both opened their eyes.

"It worked. Good. Now, as you notice, I'm not actually seeing your memories as I would in Legimency. I'm there as a companion. Take some time to get used to me before you open your mind to Voldemort."

Minutes later, Harry's body convulsed as the vision began.

Severus also seemed to be struggling, but the more he focused, the more Harry calmed. It didn't take very long. Harry panted for breath, but remained conscious and alert.

"He plans to kill you, Draco."

Draco shrugged. "Of course."

"No, he actually plans to kill you. During the Quidditch match next month. He thinks your death will scare the Slytherin students into joining him."

Draco ran his hand over his face.

"That could pose a problem, yes, because Slytherin really needs to do well on that match to have a chance at the cup…"

"DRACO!" both Severus and Harry yelled.

The young Lord Malfoy glared. "Don't you think I've by now had some experience with being on his wanted list? I'm glad we discovered this, but I refuse to panic! If nothing else, I can find a replacement to referee that match."

"That is not all we saw," Severus said, "You are a target, but you are mostly a decoy. A secondary objective, if you want."

Draco looked decidedly insulted.

"The primary objective is the Ministry."

"Not the Department of Mystery again?" Draco asked. Harry lowered his eyes at the memory.

"No. It wasn't very clear what Voldemort has in mind. Decimating the Auror force seems to be something he relishes, but I wouldn't say that this is a very wise move to make."

"Well, the easiest thing to do," Draco said optimistically, "is to make me part of our forces that will defend the Ministry."

If looks could kill, Voldemort could have scratched the secondary objective from his to-do list immediately.

"How about we sent Moody into the fray on his own?" Severus suggested kindly.

Harry and Draco snorted. "Good idea. See how this constant vigilance thing works out for him. No, we will have to inform the Order and discuss the best course of action. We'll call a meeting for tonight."

They stood up and walked towards the floo.

"I've been training," Severus said, "I can help."

Harry nodded, taking Draco by surprise.

"Harry, you can't seriously…"

The Gryffindor held up his hand. "No, Draco, it is his choice to make. But you know very well that you aren't strong enough yet, Severus. We won't decide on whether or not to take you into battle until next month. We have time still. Meanwhile, we are of course in urgent need of very sophisticated potions and Bill Weasley isn't up to making them."

Severus nodded, not entirely happy.

"Fine. But if I'm well enough next month, I'm coming."

Harry grinned. "We're counting on it."

At Hogwarts

Dumbledore had fully recovered and was now fulfilling his duties as Headmaster again. He looked up as Harry flooed in.

"I have urgent news, Headmaster," the young man said.

"I suppose it has to do with the escape of Lucius and his fellows?"

Harry nodded in confirmation.

"I induced a vision and found out what Voldemort's plans are. He means to attack here, at the Slytherin-Gryffindor Quidditch match next month to take out Draco, but that is only a decoy. Most of his forces will be attacking the Ministry. Getting Draco out of the way is easy enough, of course, now that we know about it, we just have to spread the word that he won't be refereeing the game."

"But the Ministry…" Dumbledore said, stroking his beard in thought.

"Yes, that will be more of a problem. We can outnumber them, but these are the most dangerous of all Voldemort's Death Eaters."

"I will alert everyone and start making plans."

"Very well, I will help with that. I'm having a good supply of potions brewed, Bill and Poppy should start brewing a good supply of healing potions as well."

The headmaster hesitated.

"Harry…we have had a few discussions on what to do with Alastor…"

The Boy Who Lived frowned. "He will not take part in this attack. We will deal with him before then. I know he is not a Death Eater, but we have no reason to trust him."

Dumbledore sighed. "I agree with you, Harry. All I want is the chance to ask him why."

"You will get that chance. I suggest we proceed with the plan I had in mind."

Order Meeting, later that day

"…so this is the situation. We have, for once, time to prepare ourselves and I intent to use that to the fullest."

Albus Dumbledore glanced around the room. The Order nodded.

Alastor Moody, sitting between Harry and Arthur Weasley, spoke up.

"I am curious, Albus, why you have assigned Harry to plan this attack. No offence, boy," he grunted to Harry, "but I am much more experienced."

Dumbledore was paler then usual, Arthur Weasley was looking grim, and Harry sent an encouraging glance at the leader of the Order.

"You will not be joining this mission, Moody."

The old Auror raised an eyebrow…what was left of it, at any rate. "Moody? Why so formal, Albus?"

Dumbledore shook with rage. "Because my first name is used only by my friends, not my betrayers…and even worse, someone who has betrayed my son."

Moody paled. "Albus…"

Harry stood up, as Arthur Weasley.

"Give him the Veritaserum."

"Now wait a minute!" the man protested, "what is going on?"

"Oh, I think you know quite well," Dumbledore said in a near whisper, "I suggest you take the Veritaserum willingly, Moody. Or we will force you."

The Auror reached for his wand, but before it was even in his hand, he felt the tip of a wand against his neck. Minerva McGonagall, who had been sitting on the opposite side of the table, kept her wand steady, eyes blazing.

Harry administered the potion.

"Your name?"

"Alastor – Mad Eye- Moody."

"Are you guilty of the charges laid at your door by Albus Dumbledore?"

"Yes." The room gasped.

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"No; never. I only co-operated with them this time."

"Why?"

"To get rid of Snape."

"Why did you want to get rid of him?"

"I hate him."

"You believed him to be a traitor."

The Auror snorted. "No, I knew full well the boy couldn't be a traitor. He would never betray Albus' trust. He considered the man his father. He'd die before betraying him."

"But you did."

"Yes. To get rid of Snape, I had to sever Albus' attachment to him. I read about the Traitor's Liquid and it was perfect. Nothing less then that could have undermined Albus' faith in that brat. The story gave me the idea of the Rogue Quill."

"Where did you get the potion and the quill?"

"Mundungus gave them to me. I told him it was for a mission. The idiot believes anything as long as you buy him a firewhiskey."

"So you withheld information about the attack."

"Yes. Lucius Malfoy, knowing how much I hate Snape, offered me to get rid of him this way. I agreed."

"Molly Weasley and four of your former students died in that attack!"

"Their deaths were necessary to remove Snape."

"Even if he was a valuable spy? Even though you knew Albus loved him like a son? That several of us risked dying?"

"It did not matter. I do not care about them. Snape had to go. I wanted him dead. I hate Harry Potter for preventing the Kiss. Once he has fulfilled the prophecy, I will kill him for it."

At this point, Arthur Weasley, ashen faced and looking grim, was holding back his twin sons while Charlie and Bill held back their youngest brother and sister, all of whom had launched themselves at the Auror.

"Let us go! We'll kill him! He killed Mum!"

Tonks had a look of disgust on her face. "Kingsley died. You were his mentor for years, and you threw his life away like it was nothing!"

Harry called for silence.

"We can't kill him. I have already made arrangements; he will be transported to Azkaban to the maximum security prison. Considering what he did to Molly, Kingsley and Severus, I can't imagine a more fitting punishment," Harry added, with a feral sneer directed at the traitorous Auror.

Harry's Mansion

Harry arrived home that evening, tired and sickened with the events of that meeting. He found Severus still up, brewing a potion he had never encountered before.

"What's that, Sev?"

"One of my inventions. It enhances your stamina and reflexes. In itself it doesn't do much, but it can give you the precious seconds you need in a battle. I've started brewing early so I can make enough of this for everyone who will be attending the battle."

"That is absolutely great, Severus! It'll give us quite a bit of an advantage when used well."

"Emphasis on those last words. It's still the drinker who has to do the actual work, remember that."

"Of course. Are you nearly done?"

"Yes, I need to stir ten more times and then leave it to simmer for a day."

Half a minute later the potions master turned the fire down and put a lid on the cauldron. He followed Harry to the livingroom.

Harry went to the cupboard and took out a green bowl.

"A Pensieve?" Severus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have put only one memory in there, Severus. One of mine, from tonight, in fact. I think you should see it."

Severus hesitated for only a fraction of a second before plunging in.

When he came back, Harry had left the room. Severus slowly walked up to his own bedroom, spending the entire night tossing and turning as he tried to come to a decision.