The Death Eaters came closer, their wands raised, each picking their target and waiting with baited breath to be able to kill them or knock them unconscious.
"Wait!" Salai insisted, holding out his hands. "Wait, wait, wait. You don't want to do this." He insisted urgently. One of the Death Eaters smirked.
"Yes, we do." He insisted, aiming his wand at Salai.
"But, we want to join you!" Salai insisted urgently.
"What?" Another Death Eater asked confused.
"What?" Rhett asked immediately afterwards.
"What!" Vilandra exploded, overlapping with Rhett's question.
"Work with me, here." Salai muttered to them out of the corner of his mouth. He then spoke loudly again. "We know about Ronald Weasley being the King of Darkness—"
"You're either incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid for speaking his name aloud." Another Death Eater growled, interrupting Salai mid-sentence.
"Well, call me dangerous." Salai insisted in the cockiest voice he could muster. He was trying to sound like his father, evidently.
"I'd rather call you dead." One of the Death Eaters sneered, raising his wand. And suddenly, a voice boomed out so loudly everyone froze.
"Expelliarmus!" The closest Death Eaters all lost their wands, everyone looking around for the source of the voice. It finally became apparent as Dumbledore appeared, flying down on a broom and landing within the surrounded circle. Lupin, Snape and a few Aurors appeared in the circle as well, protecting the seven children. One of the Death Eaters hissed—actually hissed! Like some sort of cat!
"You will leave, now." Dumbledore ordered, narrowing his eyes dangerously. The students behind him had never seen him look so viciously menacing.
"And if we don't?" A Death Eater sneered. That was when everything disappeared and Vilandra found herself standing in the Ministry of Magic with Sterling.
"What the—" Snape stood beside her, releasing her arm. Seconds later, her cousins and the Malfoys appeared as well, all looking around confused.
"What happened?" Rhett demanded as he looked around. "Did we apparate?"
"Well done, Mr. Potter." Snape said in his usual snappy tone. "Follow me." He turned on his heel, his black robes billowing behind him, almost hitting Vilandra in the face. The seven of them followed their Potions professor, the others who had apparated them there disapparating back to Grimmauld Place. He led them all into a large office-like room and Vilandra's heart clenched. She knew this room.
"Have a seat." Snape motioned the chairs in the room and then left, closing the door behind him. Talak walked up to the desk and picked up the picture perched atop it.
"You look good, Lonnie." He said, scanning the picture.
"Thanks." She muttered, placing Sterling down on one of the chairs.
"Why is there a picture of us?" Sterling asked, frowning at the picture Talak was holding.
"Because, Sterling, this is mummy's office." Vilandra told him, bending down in front of him. He looked around the bare room and frowned.
"Mummy has more stuff on her walls at home." He commented.
"Yes she does." Rhett replied for Vilandra. "But at home she can do whatever she wants. This is where she works so she has to be professional." Sterling looked at Rhett.
"What's 'professional'?" He asked his cousin. Rhett screwed up his face, trying to find a way to explain it to the six year old. Sharka saved him by sitting next to Sterling.
"You know how at home, your mum can do whatever she wants because she doesn't have to impress anyone or earn any money?" Sterling frowned thoughtfully.
"Like making macaroni and cheese out of the box when it's just us but making it for real when people come?" He asked her. Sharka smiled.
"Exactly like that. Professional is like the real macaroni. People she needs to impress are there, so she can't do whatever she wants, she has to do it a certain way. With you and your family, she doesn't need to impress you because you all love her, and you know how her food tastes, whether it be from a box or from scratch. Understand?" Sterling frowned.
"I think so." They all turned to the door as it opened and Dumbledore came in.
"Are you all right?" He asked them, scanning all their faces for any signs of injury.
"We're fine, but professor, the Order members—" Dumbledore held up his hand, silencing Leroux mid-sentence.
"I am aware of the situation, Mr. Weasley. Fortunately, most of the Order members managed to evade the Death Eaters." Vilandra and Leroux shared a look. Not according to what they had seen. "I assure you, of the fifty or so people in that household, twenty were killed." Vilandra grimaced, looking at Sterling. She was pleased to see him with his eyes closed, his hands over his ears, humming his favourite lullaby in a low voice. She turned back to Dumbledore.
"Most of the people who weren't killed were taken by the King of Darkness because they're family." Rhett spat angrily. Dumbledore nodded.
"This is true, young Mr. Potter, but there are still some Order members who were able to escape. And we have more members here, in the ministry, not to mention abroad."
"But you need more people." Leroux insisted. "Why can't we join the Order?" Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but the door opened, interrupting him.
"Dad?" Sharka asked stunned.
"Thank Merlin!" He ran to Sharka and hugged her tightly, holding out his arm for Salai to join them.
"Because you were seen in the presence of the Potters and Weasleys at Grimmauld Place, I thought it best to extract your father from within the King of Darkness' stronghold. I didn't think it safe for him." Vilandra smiled at Draco as he hugged his two children, happy that at least someone still had their family somewhat intact. He pulled away and turned to Dumbledore.
"Where are the new headquarters, Professor? I think I should inform the remaining members of the new developments." Dumbledore nodded.
"Of course, Draco. Ackles has offered us his home as headquarters, so we shall all reconvene there." Draco nodded. "Before you head off, I wanted to ask what the effect of Vilandra and Sterling—as well as their cousins—missing had on the King of Darkness." Draco shook his head.
"I know for sure the war will not start until at least Vilandra and Sterling are with him. He was telling us that if the twins and Leroux aren't available for capture, he will begin the war and find them as he goes." Rhett cringed at this, but said nothing. Dumbledore nodded.
"Thank you, Draco." Draco inclined his head and turned back to his children, hugging them tightly.
"Be careful, Dad." Sharka whispered to him.
"You, too." He pulled back and looked at Salai. "Take care of your sister." He nodded to his father and Draco nodded back. He then turned and disappeared out the door, closing it behind himself.
"We can help you." Leroux insisted, continuing the conversation they had started when Draco had interrupted. Dumbledore sighed deeply, shaking his head.
"We cannot risk you being captured. I've already come up with a plan to keep all of you safe. There is one place we are certain the King of Darkness will not search."
"Where's that?" Talak asked confused.
-----
The five cousins and two Malfoys stared at the house that stood before them, having walked through the small town to reach it.
"Godric's Hollow." Rhett said, nodding. "Impressive. So this is grandpa Potter's house?" Rhett asked, turning to Lupin. Lupin nodded, a sad smile on his face.
"It is, Rhett." He turned to smile at the fifteen year old. "This is where your dad first defeated Lord Voldemort."
"Brilliant." Talak smiled. He walked towards the house and pushed open the old, rotting door, looking into the badly damaged house.
No one had lived in the house since the Potters. Their sudden deaths with no apparent cause had frightened the Muggles into believing it was cursed or haunted, so the house had been left to rot.
Talak walked into the house and recoiled, a look of disgust on his face.
"It smells foul." He insisted, covering his nose and mouth with his hand. Lupin smiled and stepped forward, waving his wand. The house immediately lost its stench and waving his wand a second time, the entire house restored itself, as if nothing had changed since the day Lily and James Potter had inhabited the little cottage. He turned back to the seven children he knew so well.
"You're all to stay here. I'm going to cast a Fidelius Charm on the cottage. It'll be just like Grimmauld Place. You'll have a special password that you'll need to think in order to see the house and enter it." They all nodded—except for Sterling, who still wasn't entirely sure what was going on. Lupin nodded.
"All right, then. All of you, inside. I'll cast the spell and inform you all of the password." They nodded and entered the house, Talak leading the way. He looked around curiously, knowing that this house was like a historical site to the witches and wizards of Voldemort's time.
Vilandra headed up the stairs with Sterling, wanting to find a room for him so he could take a nap. Sleep usually helped Sterling deal with problems. It was his positive output—not that he really put anything out, but it was better than Chaim and his rebellion, or Vilandra and her silence.
She entered one of the room and looked around. There were two beds, each large enough to fit two people. She assumed this would be her room with Sharka, and Sterling would probably want to stay with her. She put Sterling down on the bed and he stared at her as she let out a long breath, lying down beside him.
"What happened to the people in the other house?" He whispered. "Are they—dead?" Vilandra grimaced and turned to Sterling.
"They went to a better place, Sterling." She replied, not wanting to flat out answer the question. Sterling stared at the ceiling.
"That means they're dead." He whispered. Vilandra cursed silently and turned onto her side, looking at her brother.
"Did you want to sleep?" She asked him. He shook his head.
"I'm hungry." He insisted, frowning. Vilandra smiled.
"Tell you what, you take a nap, and I'll make sure I have something ready for you when you wake up, all right?" He turned to her and nodded.
"Okay." She kissed his forehead and began to stand when he grabbed her arm.
"Sing it." He insisted. She sat back down beside him.
"Why don't you try to sing it?" She asked him, smiling sweetly.
"I can't do it as good as you." The six year old replied. Vilandra let out a loud and annoyed fake-sigh, turning back to her little brother.
"Fine. All right." She lay back down beside him. "But you have to promise me you'll go to sleep right away. Promise?" He nodded and got under the cover, closing his eyes tightly. Vilandra smiled. She loved how no matter how bad things got with their family, all of them could always deal with it in one way or another. Sometimes it took time, but not usually.
Vilandra ran her hand through Sterling's red hair and opened her mouth to begin singing when the door behind her opened. She spun around on the bed and Sterling opened his eyes as Lupin entered the room.
"I'm sorry for interrupting, I know you're trying to get Sterling to sleep, but I have to tell you the password, and I think little Sterling should know it, too." He smiled at the six year old and he beamed, happy that Lupin was telling him what he believed was a big secret. "Are you ready?" Sterling nodded vigorously. "The password is Minerva McGonnagall." Vilandra felt her heart wrench, but merely nodded.
"Who's that?" Sterling asked Vilandra. She turned to him, forcing a smile.
"She was a very wonderful woman at Hogwarts. She taught me a lot about turning objects into other objects, or even animals."
"The old lady that can turn into a cat?" Sterling asked. Vilandra nodded, hoping her smile wasn't scaring Sterling because it was so fake. "I liked her. When do I get to see her again?"
"I think it's time for your nap, little man." Lupin shot in quickly, saving Vilandra from the horrible topic. She smiled at him.
"Bye, professor." He smiled at her.
"You take care. Ministry officials will be by in a few hours to check up on you." She nodded and he left the room, closing the door behind him. She turned back to her little brother and he smiled, lying down again and closing his eyes. Vilandra sang him his favourite song, running her hand through his hair as she did so. By the time she finished, Sterling was fast asleep, and she stood up to leave the room. She spun around and almost cried out but managed to stop herself.
"Sorry." Salai said quietly, walking further into the room. "I didn't mean to scare you." Vilandra waved her hand, motioning it was fine and took his hand in hers, leading him out of the room. She closed the door silently and turned to Salai, smiling. "You have a beautiful voice." She blushed.
"Thanks. It's his favourite song. He sleeps more easily when someone sings it to him." Salai nodded and wrapped his arm around her shoulder comfortingly, walking down the stairs with her. They joined the others in the living room, the six of them sitting down on the couches provided. No one said anything for a long time.
"We owe you an apology." Leroux whispered, looking at the twins.
"Apology? Why should you apologize?" Rhett asked, feeling guilty about having lied to his two best friends.
"If you hadn't lied, we would've been in that house." Vilandra whispered, understanding what Leroux meant. "We would've been killed or captured." Talak and Rhett shared a look. They hadn't thought about it that way, and now that they did, they were grateful for having lied as well.
"We still feel bad about it." Talak whispered.
"Don't." Sharka insisted. "If you hadn't lied, like Lonnie said, we would all be dead or captured. That, and our father's cover would've been blown before he had the chance to get out of there. Personally, I thank you both from the bottom of my heart for saving me, my brother and my father." She kissed Rhett's cheek and he smiled slightly. They sat in silence once again.
"I promised Sterling a snack when he woke up." Vilandra finally said. "Is there any food?" Leroux shook his head.
"No, I checked the kitchen. There's nothing. There isn't even any running water." Vilandra let out a heavy sigh.
"Dumbledore said not to use any magic, just in case. So, what do we do?" Salai asked, looking at the four cousins. Vilandra looked at the twins.
"How much money do you have?" They frowned.
"Muggle money?" Rhett asked. She nodded. Rhett reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Um, I have about eighteen pounds." Vilandra turned to Talak as he counted.
"Twenty-seven pounds."
"I have about thirty-nine pounds." Leroux put in. Vilandra nodded.
"I think I have around twenty-something pounds. If we all pooled our money together, we could get some food from the village."
"You think leaving is a good idea?" Rhett asked, grimacing.
"Well, they're looking for you." Sharka said, everyone turning to her. "But they aren't looking for us." She motioned herself and her brother. "What if Salai and I went to get the food? I know we don't know much about Muggle life, but I'm sure we can handle groceries." The four cousins shared a look and shrugged. Why the hell not?
-----
"I can't believe I volunteered us for this!" Sharka grumbled as she and Salai walked through the town. She crinkled her nose disgusted. "This is absolutely disgusting. What kind of people live in a place like this?" She turned back to her brother just as someone burped right behind her. She cringed. "Disgusting."
"You volunteered us, remember?" Salai grumbled as they walked back towards what seemed like the best place to buy food. They'd kept walking to see if there was something better, but they'd soon found out that the store they'd passed was the only store. They walked inside and began looking at the food, crinkling their noses at certain items.
"We have to remember we're on a tight budget." Sharka reminded Salai. "We're not using dad's money."
"We're not using wizard money, either." He grumbled, not liking at all that they were in a Muggle store. Sharka held out her hand stopping her brother and turning to him.
"Salai, there's something you need to realize here." He raised a confused eyebrow. "You're dating a girl who's half-Muggle. I learned to like Muggles a long time ago because of Rhett, but if you can't manage it, then you're not going to be dating her for very long." Sharka continued down the aisle and Salai frowned.
"You really think she'd have a problem with me not liking Muggles?" He asked, following his sister.
"Her mother's a Muggle-born. She's half-Muggle. She won't appreciate you being arrogant and demeaning towards Muggles when she's half of one." Salai cringed.
"Right." He turned his head and frowned. There were two men at the back of the store, both of them watching Salai and Sharka, but trying not to make it look like they were. Salai wasn't very comfortable with this and he took Sharka's arm, forcing her to drop the cheese she'd been holding.
"What are you doing?"
"We're leaving." He turned his head slightly to look behind him as he continued pulling Sharka. They were still following. Salai cursed and bolted through the doors, pulling Sharka along with him.
"Salai, what—"
"Death Eaters! They've found us!" He exclaimed, looking behind them as they kept running. The two from the store were hot on their tail, and a few more had appeared as well, chasing the two Malfoys. "I know you blokes are lonely, but we don't want any new friends!" He exclaimed over his shoulder. He and Sharka continued running.
Don't think about the cottage, Salai ordered himself. Damn! He shook his head angrily. Telling himself not to think about the cottage was thinking about it! He had to distract himself.
"We have to get back to the cottage!" Sharka exclaimed panicked.
"Yes, I know, Sharka!" Salai spat bitterly, turning another corner. "Quick! In here!" He pulled her arm roughly, turning into a store and the two of them ducked behind the display, breathing hard. They hoped no one would come up behind them and ask what they were doing because the Death Eaters would find out that they were in there.
Don't think about James and Lily's house. Don't think about the password. Don't think about McGonnagall. Don't think about her. Don't! Stop it! Salai was getting angrier and angrier with himself. Everything he thought was getting the Death Eaters closer and closer to where the twins, Leroux and Vilandra were. And Sterling, too. Salai winced, not wanting anything to happen to the six year old. He'd already gone through so much.
The Death Eaters were nowhere to be seen and this concerned Salai and Sharka more than they felt it should.
"Why do you think they've left?" Sharka asked.
"I'm not sure." He frowned, and then turned to Sharka. "You didn't think about the password, did you?" Her eyes widened.
"I might have. Oh, God, Salai! We have to do something!"
"What!" Salai demanded, looking around the shop. His eyes fell on the back wall, where plastic brooms were being sold. He turned to Sharka who was looking back at him as well. They knew that Muggle brooms didn't fly, but one spell and they would be soaring through the air, headed for Hogwarts.
"Come on." Salai led the way to the back. They had to tell Dumbledore. They had to save the cousins.
-----
Ron walked confidently—without any Death Eaters—towards the small cottage that housed the remainder of his family. Just a few more, and the war could begin. He knew it was ridiculous for him to have waited this long, and he knew his Death Eaters were getting impatient, but he'd lost his family once because of who he'd become. He wouldn't lose them again.
He walked up to the door, the house now visible, and opened it without a moment's hesitation. He walked confidently into the house and came to the first room, where Leroux, Rhett and Talak were seated, watching the television. They all turned as they heard him approach and Rhett's mouth fell open. Ron's wand was up and aimed within seconds, firing off three blue blasts. The three boy vaulted over the couch, but Ron could tell he'd gotten all three of them. They would remain unconscious behind the couch until he called his Death Eaters inside.
He headed towards the stairs, knowing Vilandra and Sterling were upstairs, probably hiding. And that they were, for Vilandra had heard the commotion downstairs, and she knew the King of Darkness had entered their home. She hurriedly ran to Sterling's sleeping form and shook him awake.
"Wha—" Vilandra shushed him urgently, picking him up in her arms and running towards the second bed in the room—the furthest from the door. She hurriedly put Sterling beneath the bed.
"Sterling, I need you to crawl until you're against the wall. Do it, hurry!" The urgency in her voice made Sterling do it twice as fast as he normally would have, and as he crawled, Vilandra grabbed the blanket off the bed and shoved it underneath, covering Sterling with the blanket. She pulled out her wand and hurriedly tapped the blanket.
"Concealo." The second the word left her mouth, the blanket and Sterling disappeared, and she was staring at a wall, as if nothing was there at all. She hurriedly replaced her wand and began speaking in a hushed whisper.
"Sterling, listen to me. You have to promise me something." She turned to look at the door. She still had time.
"Okay." Came Sterling's frightened voice. She turned back to his invisible form.
"I need you to promise me that you'll be extra quiet, okay? You have to be very, very quiet." She was hyperventilating now, but she had to continue. "I want you to be quiet, and I don't want you to come out, not for any reason, you understand?"
"Yes." Came the six year old's timid voice.
"Don't come out unless Leroux, the twins, Salai or Sharka call you, okay? Only them, and Dumbledore. Nobody else."
"Why won't you call me?" Vilandra had to take a deep breath to steady her voice.
"Because I won't be here." She gasped as she heard a board creak down the hall. "Not a word." She hissed as she stood up, looking at the door worriedly. A tear fell down her cheek as she backed up against the wall. She began singing Sterling's favourite song, her voice shaking.
"Hush now, my baby. Be still, love, don't cry. Sleep as you're rocked by the stream." She let out a whimper as the footsteps stopped outside her door. "Sleep and remember my last lullaby, and I'll be with you when you dream." The doorknob turned, and Vilandra turned her face away from the door, shutting her eyes, hoping for a quick death. She heard a chuckle but still kept her eyes closed.
"I'm not going to kill you, Vilandra." She inhaled sharply, having forgotten about his ability to read minds. She immediately continued singing Sterling's lullaby in her head to avoid thinking about Sterling. River, oh river, flow gently for me. Such precious cargo you bear. Do you know somewhere he can live free. River, deliver him there.
Ron walked forward slowly, watching his daughter's face intently. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as he came up to her. He put his index and thumb on her chin and turned her head until she faced him, but her eyes remained fixed on the floor.
"Why are you crying, Vilandra?" He inquired. She looked at him with her eyes, his fingers still on her chin. Her eyes were full of pain, yet hatred was present as well.
"I wish I could wipe my tears on your lips so that you may taste the pain of my soul, and know why I am crying." He dropped his hand from her chin and smiled, despite the words she'd said.
"You turned out prettier than I ever imagined you would, Vilandra. And you're only fifteen." He smiled at her. "Someone as pretty as you must have a boyfriend." Vilandra's mind flickered to Malfoy slightly, but she forced herself back to the lullaby. It didn't matter, though, because that one thought went through to Ron, and his face hardened.
"A Malfoy, huh?" Vilandra flinched at the bitterness in his voice. "What is it with you and your mother?" He shook his head and Vilandra couldn't help but frown, confused. What was he talking about? "Hermione dated that snake, Malfoy, for close to a year after graduating. She finally dumped him for me."
"And what a stellar human being you turned out to be." The slap echoed throughout the room and pain shot through Vilandra's face, but she didn't make a sound. She wouldn't give him the pleasure.
"Don't talk to your father like that." Ron hissed in her ear. She turned back to him, unafraid of being hit once again for what she was going to say.
"I wouldn't talk to my father like that if he was here." Ron placed his hand gently against Vilandra's neck. He was in the perfect position to strangle her, but she kept her eyes locked on his.
"I just said you were beautiful, Vilandra. Don't make me change that." She turned away from him, unable to stand looking at him anymore. "Where's little Sterling? I've been dying to meet him. Haven't been able to get in touch with him." Vilandra closed her eyes, continuing the lullaby in her mind. Brother you're safe now, and safe may you stay. For I have a prayer just for you. Grow baby brother, come back some day. Come and deliver us, too. She heard a chuckle and looked back at Ron. "You're almost as stubborn as your mother, you know that? No matter, I'll find him. It won't be—"
Suddenly, the door slammed open behind them and Ron turned his head to see who it was. Leroux, Rhett and Talak were all at the door, the three of them with their wands drawn, looking furious.
"Get away from her!" Leroux hollered angrily, his wand shaking in his hand with rage.
"Well, if it isn't my nephews. I was sure I'd knocked you out. Guess I'm losing my touch." Ron waved his hand, sending a spell hurling towards them.
"Protego!" Talak hollered, a shield materializing before the three cousins and sending Ron's spell ricocheting into a wall. Ron laughed, shaking his head.
"Impressive!" He grinned.
"We're pretty fierce when it comes to our family." Rhett growled, stepping further into the room, his wand still aimed at Ron.
"Of course, you'd know that if you hadn't gone all evil." Talak spat.
As the boys distracted Ron, Vilandra was reaching into her pocket, trying to pull out her wand. If he was distracted with them, he wouldn't be expecting an attack from her. Maybe she could knock him out, and they could contact Dumbledore.
"Now, now. Don't think I had no interest in your lives. I know quite a bit about you. I tried to stay informed." Ron insisted to his three nephews, as if reassuring them.
"So you could use what you knew against us, right? What a stellar human being you turned out to be." Ron smirked at Leroux.
"You know, it's the second time someone's called me that today. Once more, and I might start to believe it." Vilandra aimed her wand at Ron and opened her mouth to cast a spell when he turned back to her, blocking the spell before she'd even finished the incantation. Ron's face hardened again, and his eyes narrowed at his daughter.
"That wasn't very nice of you, Vilandra." He released her neck and grabbed her wrist.
"Lonnie!" Leroux hollered as Ron and Vilandra disappeared from the room.
"Merlin, help us." Rhett whispered. Talak turned to his brother and cousin hysterically.
"What do we do? What do we do!"
"Calm down!" Leroux hollered, rubbing his face with his two hands, his wand still in his left one. "We need to think about this."
"Leroux, uncle Ron has his family! The war will begin any second now, and we're smack-bang in the middle of it all!" Rhett insisted.
"We're going to lose for certain." Talak exclaimed, running his hands through his hair and beginning to pace. "The Order is practically non-existent, no matter what anyone says."
"Not to mention the Ministry is still trying to get itself into order." Rhett grimaced as he spoke, knowing this war was going to be one of the shortest ever fought. Neither paid attention to Leroux as he sat on Vilandra's bed, his face screwed up. Something was missing, and he knew it, he just couldn't put his finger on it.
"We have to find Salai and Sharka." Talak exclaimed. "Who knows what happened to them!"
"Oh, God, he better not have hurt Sharka." Rhett exclaimed panicked. "He has so much power. He's going to win this war, we're all going to die! We're—" Leroux shot up from the bed, his eyes wide.
"Wait. Wait!" The twins both stared at him, stopping their nervous chatter. He looked at them both, a sparkle in his eye. "Where's Sterling?"
-----
A/N: Before I get people insisting that the Fidelius Charm works specifically so that only the caster can reveal the password, I would like to remind you that Ron is special. He can do anything and everything, hence why he found out where his family was. When he questioned Hermione on the whereabouts of his children, he knew they were at Grimmauld Place, he just needed Hermione to think about the password so that he would be able to get inside. The method which he got the password from Sharka and Salai is similar to the way he got the Grimmauld Place password from Fred.
A/N: "I wish I could wipe my tears on your lips so that you may taste the pain of my soul and know why I am crying." Quote from Marnel Karlson.