AN: made some edits to the previous chapter so if things seem a bit disjointed, a reread might be necessary but I didn't change too much.

14th September 11:05

"Uh… so what's the plan?" Harry asked, looking at each of them in turn, his expression intense. Hermione noticed his hand was clenching the wand tightly. His pupils had also dilated, a muscle twitching in his cheek. The potions were having an immediate effect. He was practically radiating nervous energy, his eyes gleaming with determination.

"Simple really. We open the grate, use some Darkness Powder as cover and leave under the cloak," Ron explained. Harry turned to him, his head tilting a little to the side as he considered their plan. He gave Hermione a quick look.

"That pendant warned them that we're heading up?" He said. It appeared his mind was also energised. The transformation from how he'd been when they found him to now was remarkable.

Kingsley wasn't kidding when he said that Auror remedies pack a punch.

"They'll draw the fire from us, giving us an opening," Ron moved closer to Harry, "then we get out of the Courtroom and hopefully no one spots you."

"You don't think a sudden burst of black smoke will be suspicious?" Harry asked him, raising an eyebrow. "They might not be able to see me, but it'll be obvious that I'm loose."

His voice was a lot stronger. He took an unsteady step, a flicker of relief dancing over his bruised and battered face.

"Yeah… so we will have to run," Ron said, sounding uncertain, "you… okay to run?" Harry shot him a look and he nodded. He moved to take a step, but paused, looking back to them.

"You… really did clinch it, by the way," he said, eyes casting downwards, "if they got me back there… to… the Row, that would have been it."

Hermione's stomach twisted and she gave a little gasp, covering it by clearing her throat.

"So… thank you," he lifted his gaze, meeting Hermione's directly. She felt a strange thrill rocket through her as he looked at her, his eyes full of emotion and sincerity.

"Maybe wait until we're out of here before you thank us, mate," Ron said, patting him on the arm. "We still have a way to go."

"Since when did you become so pessimistic?" Harry asked, frowning at his friend.

"Since I…" he shook his head, giving a reluctant smile. "Well we've managed the hard part. We freed you."

Harry looked down to his wrists, flinching, swallowing. "Yeah… you did." Then his head snapped up, eyes widening with alarm. "I guess it would be pretty ungrateful of me if I got us all killed by dawdling. Let's go."

They set off, Harry walking between them. The first few steps were awkward, but he soon straightened as the remedies got to work. It was as if his muscles loosened, his joints easing into a more fluid motion. The tension in his shoulders dropped. Hermione could scarcely imagine how much pain he had been after days of being suspended by his wrists. His wrists alone were likely causing him agony, but then there was the rest… and the lingering effects of his torture.

There were likely more injuries that she couldn't see, not just to his body, but his mind. She knew full well that he was hiding the damage. Now he was striding a pace ahead, loping into that lithe gait he usually possessed as the pain seeped away from him. His pace halted as they reached one of the guards that had dragged him down into the passageway, but he said nothing, continuing on. He stopped at the steps, peering up at the grate.

"Huh… when I was here earlier, they opened it from up there," he said, glancing back. Ron climbed up the steps, unfolding the cloak from his arm as he did. Hermione opened her bag, summoning out the three sparkling blue-black crystals of Instant Darkness Powder that Fred gave her. She handed one over to Harry, who took one in his left hand. As he reached for it, she then saw his left forefinger. Also missing a nail. She gasped. Harry looked at her in alarm, then his gaze dipped, noticing what had caused the reaction.

She saw his jaw tense and his eyes shuttered for a moment. He palmed the crystal, moving to the steps. Hermione followed, pushing down her horror.

"Uh, Hermione… a hand?" Ron sounded alarmed. Worried.

She frowned, rushing up the steps to reach Ron. He looked to her, his eyes wide, glancing down to Harry.

"How do we open this?" He whispered. "There's no… lock."

"Have you tried Alohomora?"

"Of course I tried-," Ron stopped, holding back the rest of his outburst. "It won't budge."

Harry squeezed between them, his eyes zapping around the underside of the grate. Then he put his hand to the metal. He jumped back with a gasp.

"Ah… ow." He shook his hand, giving both Ron and Hermione sharp looks. His gaze settled on Ron, who shook his head. "Uh, I think it's shut with Dark magic."

"What?" Ron's eyes went wider.

"Well… they are Dark wizards," Harry said, stepping down a stair. "I could try parseltongue?"

"They're not going to seal it with a spell that you could break," Hermione said, under her breath. She reached out, fingers touching the metal. Now that Harry had said that it was Dark, she could feel something wrong, like dread. She took her hand away.

"Why don't we all use bombarda?"

"And blow ourselves up?" Harry said as a flash of light crashed the grate, making them all recoil back. Ron and Hermione both moved a step down, joining Harry.

Panic swept through Hermione as she stared at the grate. No…. we are not trapped. We haven't found Harry only to be stuck down here.

"There's probably a password," Harry said to them, "the door back there had one." He stepped up to the grate again. "Er… what was it? Oh… Deliverance." They all watched the grate. Harry pushed at it, hand flinching away from it again.

"Hmm… I guess it only works for that door then."

Hermione turned to Harry. "That's the password for the door into the Row?"

He retreated back down, going rigid when he saw the look she gave him. His eyes widened with fear.

"We're… we're not going there."

"If we can't get through here, the only option is to go… the other way," she said to him, "you know the password." Harry shook his head slowly.

"Getting in is not the issue," Harry's voice shook, "it's… getting out."

Hermione retreated down the steps, looking down the passageway. She could see the torches illuminating the long, dark corridor. She visualised the map that they'd used to plan the breakout. From what she assumed, the passageway was a short-cut to the Row. If they took it at a run, they'd make it there quickly. The Row's exit led out into a long hallway, but the breach was right at the end where the hallway met the entrance to the Courtrooms. If they were quick, they'd make it to the breach while the Death Eaters were preoccupied.

She pulled back her sleeve, exposing the retreat token tied to her wrist. Ron and all the others had a token like it, linked with another Protean Charm. The moment one of the Death Eaters were seen to press their Dark Mark and signal Voldemort, they were to activate the token, spreading the signal.

"Whatever we're doing, we have to do it now," Ron told them, jumping down to Hermione. "So what is it? We can't wait here. Not when they're up there. Everyone… my family."

Harry jolted at the word, a horrible pained expression briefly flashing on his face as he flinched around to look at Ron. Hermione winced, knowing that Ron had just said the worst possible thing. He reminded Harry of the cost. Of what was on the line. Harry's eyes shuttered, going blank for a moment as he walled himself up, then his shoulders dropped and he shook his head, giving a bitter laugh.

"Fine then," he said, his voice curt, stepping up to Ron. "We go to the Row and just hope… hope that we get another fluke… because everyone up there," he pointed up at the grate, "is doing a lot better than us right now."

He turned from them and, as he did, Hermione saw him cringe and she knew, just knew, that he was hiding his pain from them. Then he straightened and looked over at them. At the look on his face, she knew that the dynamic had shifted. The weight of the world had returned to sit on his shoulders. She saw the intense look in his eyes, the firm set of his jaw.

"Let's get moving."

Harry could see the far end of the passageway, a looming cutout of darkness at the end of the gloomy passageway. It was only really now that he had been reunited with his glasses that he realised how much of a hindrance his poor vision truly was. He took in all the details, his mind clearer and sharper than it had been for days. Too sharp, almost. His thoughts were fast and relentless, mentally berating him for not thinking that the grate would be sealed, that he'd wasted valuable time, that he was, yet again, risking other people's lives.

No time to think, only time to act.

His anger had been fast to return and he regretted his firm tone. Hadn't Ron and Hermione only just freed him? Snapping at them was a terrible way to show gratitude. If not for them, he would be potentially back in his cell, chained, likely being tortured, while everyone who had come for him would be rounded up, arrested… maybe killed…

No time to think.

Only time to act.

He tensed at the dreadful thoughts that were racing around in his mind. His chest was tight and his eyes felt hot, his fear clenched his throat, making it hard to breathe. His gaze moved to the motionless form of Sabor, mind reeling with memories of chains and silence, of being alone in the cell waiting for the scrape of his key. Key…

He has keys!

Harry turned back to Ron and Hermione.

"Let's get moving!"

Not waiting for their response, he pushed off at a rather wobbly run. His legs felt like lumps of clay, numbed by the potion that he'd imbibed earlier. While he now felt little pain, which was an immense relief, he felt strangely disconnected from his body. He heard Ron talking behind him, his voice low, muttering to Hermione. A stab of anger returned, but he didn't turn back and challenge whatever was said about him.

Likely angry at me for rushing off ahead again… or for my saving people thing… or the fact that everyone is in danger because of me… his family… no, why did you all have to do this? Why couldn't you just leave me?

No time to think, damn it!

He skidded to a halt as he reached Sabor, seeing Ron jerk to a stop right behind him.

"I… don't know which key opens what," Harry quickly explained, then he looked down at himself and the objects held in each hand, "uh… oh wait." He reached for the pouch at his neck, quickly tugging it open and pushing the crystal in with the other keepsakes, his fingers briefly touching the cold mirror shard, then he grabbed at the keys, ripping the ring from the unconscious man's belt.

"Brilliant, Harry!" Hermione gasped out when she saw him take the keys. "Is… that the head guard? The one you mentioned? Sabor?" Harry pushed off at a run again, but Hermione and Ron were right behind him, matching his pace.

"Yeah," he twisted around, pointing to his black eye with his wand, "he did this and… other stuff, so… not feeling too guilty for stunning him and taking his wand."

They reached where Ron and Hermione had rescued him, finding the shackles and the muzzle. Seeing them discarded so casually made him shudder, humiliating memories causing his face to burn, but he turned away, dodging them. He then swerved to avoid the other guard, the one that broke his nose. He wiped his chin and mouth with his sleeve mid-stride, clearing the blood from his face, grimacing, then set his gaze to the task ahead.

He put all his focus, everything, into running. He wasn't aware that he pushed into a full sprint, his paces lengthening. He reached the end, skidding to a halt. Then a sudden wave of dizziness hit him. He stumbled, losing his balance. Then pain stabbed into his head. He gasped out, hand catching the wall, arresting his fall while his scar burned fiercely.

"Harry?" Hermione's urgent, alarmed cry called for him. At the sound of her voice, cold fury clutched his insides, the emotion so out of place, it robbed him of his breath.

He went to turn to them, feeling so furious, so mad that someone had dared to call him. He felt the glare on his face, felt the angry words forming in his mouth as he went to hiss at them…

"Who has the audacity to call me, today of all days?" he hissed, turning from his previous state of quiet contemplation, his triumphant satisfaction shattered by fury...

Harry's shoulder bashed into the wall, returning him back into his own mind. Horror tolled in him and the fury retreated. He steadied himself from where he had stumbled, bringing his left hand up to feel his scar. It was hot under the touch, burning. He lowered his hand, the keys clinking.

No! Not him. Not so soon! The terror that he had been keeping at bay lurched against his composure.

"Was… was that him?" Ron reached him. Harry moved away, looking up at the steps and the wall in front of them, breathing heavily. He glanced at Ron, avoiding meeting his eyes as he gave him a nod.

"Someone called him," he told Ron, his voice low.

"Called him? What… you mean as in…?" Ron broke off, tapping his left arm with his wand. Harry nodded again. Hermione reached them, breathing heavily from the sprint.

"Was it-?" She asked.

"Yeah." Ron answered for Harry, who had already moved away from them, approaching the steps.

No time to think.

"He isn't here… yet," he told them, glancing down at the keys in his hand, then to the wand, "but we're… running out of time." He turned, steeling himself to look at his friends, to see the clear fear on their faces. He was acutely aware that, while they had faced Death Eaters together, neither of them had faced Voldemort.

It needs to stay that way. His gaze moved back and forth, taking in their presence. This was real. The threat was real. Any mistakes from here on… it wasn't his life on the line anymore. He couldn't afford to lose focus. The gravity of the situation settled onto his shoulders, fear blazing through his thoughts, but his focus remained crystal clear.

Protect them at all costs.

Hermione stepped up to him, pulling back her sleeve to show him a strange red disc tied around her wrist with black twine.

"We're to activate the signal if we need to retreat," she told him, "they've not triggered it so… we have time." She pulled her sleeve down. Harry met her stare, seeing the determination in her brown eyes. She then rested her hand on his arm. He sighed quietly, then jostled the keys in his left hand, pushing his hand through the ring and hanging them from his arm. Ron rushed up to the steps, holding the cloak towards Harry.

"Under the cloak?" He moved to throw the cloak over them. Harry shook his head.

"No… we move too slow under that."

"But…"

"We have to deal with the guards in there as quickly as possible and get to the door… open it, by some fluke, and then..." he stared up at the wall in front of him. By all intents and purposes, it looked like a dead end. He looked over to Hermione, his mind drawing up a blank.

"I take it you have some ideas about how to get out of here. I… don't have the best track record..."

"Yeah. We leave out the huge hole that we made that leads out the Ministry into Muggle London." Ron said for her. Harry gaped at him.

"That's what that explosion was?" He was stunned. "How…?"

"Fred and George."

"Oh." It was a pretty good answer. "Well… is it close?" He saw Hermione nod.

"We can definitely make it before he gets here."

At her confidence, he took a deep breath, steadying himself, flexing his wrist. His grip tightened on his wand. He pictured the hallway on the other side. Felt the ropes scratching his sore wrists, the floor sliding under his limp feet, the scrape of his chain on the smooth flagstones, the huff of his terrified breathing, the fingers digging into his forearms painfully. He let out his breath, shutting out the memories and focusing instead on the wand in his hand and the payback he was about to dish out.

"On three," he said, "I'll open the door and you throw the crystals."

"What are you going to do?" Ron frowned at him. Harry just shot him a look, eyes hardening. "Ah."

"Okay. One…" He saw Ron tense up, raising his left hand, the crystal glittering as he prepared to throw.

"Two…" Hermione shifted her grip on her wand as she moved into an attacking stance.

"Three…" He edged forwards, bending a little at the knees, preparing to dive through the portal.

"Deliverance."

The wall shifted towards them, the partition moving to swing inwards.

"About bloody time!" Someone shouted from the other side.

"Get him in here and we'll seal the doors."

Ron's throw was perfect. The crystal sailed through as the gap widened. There was a crack as it struck the ground. The door continued to swing open, revealing thick, black smoke.

"What the-?"

"Shit! It's them!"

A stunner ripped through the smoke. Harry shielded in time and the red jet of light ricocheted off. Hermione's crystal hissed out as she lobbed hers. There were shouts as the powder bloomed into the hallway.

"The door is this way!" He called to Ron and Hermione, throwing himself into the darkness, tucking himself into a roll as his shoulder hit the floor. His body protested at the sudden action, muscles pulling awkwardly. He sprung onto his feet, a little unsteady than he would usually be after the move.

"Confringo!"

Hermione's blasting hex roared out her wand in the direction Harry pointed out. He braced for the impact.

BOOM!

Panicked shouts surrounded them. Harry looked around in the darkness, placing the direction of the shouts. Then two stunners shot overhead, coming from behind.

"Expelliarmus!" Someone shouted. Harry shielded quickly as he heard the first syllable. He saw a spell impact his shield. Gritting his teeth, he rushed towards the voice of the man who had gone to disarm. As he emerged out of the blinding smoke, he stepped into the horribly familiar hallway. He picked out the two guards at once. They gaped at him.

"It's Pot-!"

"Silencio!" Harry flicked his wand at the man who had been about to give him away. His wand flashed, catching the man before he could finish his name. He turned on the other guard.

Stupefy. He cast it non-verbally, the stunning charm bursting out his wand. It hit the guard in the chest and he flew back, crashing down. Harry blinked in surprise at the wand. His spells were almost as powerful as they were with his own holly and phoenix feather wand. The mute guard gave him a look of terror. Harry felt a slight satisfaction at the sight of it. He stunned him, then retreated back into the darkness, backing into Ron.

"Stupefy!" Ron flashed a stunner in the direction of the door. Harry shielded just as a retaliation of stunners flashed through the smoke.

"They can't see us but… we can't see them." Ron hissed to Harry through his teeth.

"How many d'you reckon?" Harry said, moving ahead, wrist flicking out as he shielded over and over, protecting Ron and himself continuously.

"Five?" Hermione reached them, joining Harry with the shield charms, casting non-verbally. He twisted around, checking that his friends were okay. Then they both stiffened, clutching at their arms to draw back their sleeves. Both red discs were pulsing with red light. They met his look. His scar burned in response.

Mutual understanding shot through them and they burst out of the darkness.

"Shit… it's Potter!"

Hermione's guess had been spot on. He counted five guards. They had all moved from the door to intercept them, standing close to the edge of their dark cloud cover. At his appearance, all their wands moved over to him at once. Their priority was to apprehend him.

"Pils - go seal the door!" One guard staggered back.

"Get to the door!" Harry shouted at his friends as he was forced back, deflecting the stunners that ripped towards him at once. Ron ran to him to help, but Harry turned, throwing the keys at him. Ron rushed up, catching them.

"Levicorpus!"

The guard making his way to the door suddenly flipped upside down, yelling in alarm as he was held suspended by his ankle. Harry didn't care that Hermione had used one of Snape's spells. Her quick thinking saved them.

"Nice one!" He shouted at her, elated, then the four guards rounded on him. "Oh crap." He returned his focus to the matter at hand.

"Incarcerous!" It was repeated a couple of times. Ropes lashed towards him. He flicked out a severing charm, but one rope made it through, forcing him to dive out the way. He hit the floor hard, scrambling up, shielding quickly as they tried to stun him.

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione skidded over to him, disarming one of the guards, who yelled in surprise, rushing for his wand. Harry leapt on the opening, stunning him guard in the back, but in doing so, opened himself to attack and ropes rushed for him again. Hermione turned her wand on him and he was knocked back out the way. The ropes missed.

Ron reached the door, pulling at the handles. It was locked.

"Alohomora!" His wand flashed. He tested the door again. Still locked.

"It's locked!"

"Try the keys!" Harry shouted back. The guards turned, seeing Ron behind them at the door. They had been distracted by Harry and hadn't noticed him. Ron froze as wands turned to him. Hermione reacted, her spell striking one of the guards right in the face. He pivoted on his heel, pitching down, unconscious.

The last two, realising that they were now outnumbered, turned their wands to Harry.

"Drop them," Harry said, his wand training on them both, "it's over. We're leaving and… if you had any sense in those thick-skulls, you should be leaving too."

"Not a chance," one spat at him. They all stood, watching each other, waiting.

Meanwhile, Ron was testing the keys, mumbling curses under his breath as he fumbled with shaking hands. He eyed the keyhole, then looked at the bundle of keys properly. Seven of them looked the same and he noticed they were numbered. Cell keys. He rejected those, trying the five others. The keyhole was rather large, so he ignored a small key that looked like it was for a lockbox of some sort. He tested a bronze key, shoving it into the keyhole and twisted it. Nothing.

Harry's gaze zipped between the two guards, then he attacked, wrist flicking in the over-practiced snap of his favourite spell.

Expelliarmus! He thought clearly and knew instantly that he had mastered the non-verbal cast. A bright flash of red ignited at his wand. The guard staggered back as he was hit, the force of Harry's spell knocking him down as his wand sailed out his hand. The last guard barely managed to open his mouth before Hermione hit him with a stunner. He crashed down.

"I've got it!" Ron bellowed. "The door!"

Harry looked up in time to see Ron push open the doors. They swung outwards. It was a wonderful sight. Harry sighed in relief, nearly falling to his knees. He staggered, feeling a painful twinge down his back. He steadied himself, pushing back a twinge of alarm. Was he weakening? Were the potions wearing off? He looked down at his hands, seeing the tremors. He hadn't noticed that he was shaking. Pushing that aside as well, he jogged over to Ron.

He felt the chill at once. Sudden, intense cold rolled out through the now open doorway. He huffed out a breath, seeing it mist in front of his face. Ron watched in alarm as his own breath puffed out. Harry looked through to the wide corridor, recognising it from when he'd come into the Ministry all that time ago for his hearing.

How inconsequential that all seemed now, with the threat of his death being used to create a horcrux hanging over his head… and not just his death, his friends too. All those that had broken into the Ministry to free him - the Weasleys… Remus… Kingsley… all that was left of Order. The only chance there was against Voldemort…

He shook himself, pushing past Ron, and saw the Dementors. Screaming filled his ears.

No… not Harry. Please, take me.

The shaking in his hands worsened. Hermione was at his side, raising her wand, her face ashen. Ron's freckles were vivid as the blood drained from his face.

They came for me. They saved me… and now… I have to return the favour.

He raised his wand.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Everything went still in that moment as Rookwood's Dark Mark morphed from an ugly brand into something vivid black and pulsating, as if it had come to life. A second of stillness passed. There were no loud cracks as Death Eaters descended on them. The room wasn't suddenly filled with the deathly green blaze of multiple killing curses. What did happen was for Kingsley to set forth an almighty yell of impassioned fury unlike anything Remus had heard from the man. A tremendous burst of golden fire expelled out his wand, so bright it was near blinding.

Rookwood moved and his figure strangely morphed as his robes appeared to billow around him, cloth turning vaporous, tendrils of black smoke spreading out where they twisted around him, suddenly masking his form completely. Kingsley's fire curse struck and the black smoke burst outwards. Screams sounded everywhere.

"Boys! Get to the breach now!" Remus turned to Neville and Seamus.

He turned his attention to the twins immediately as fire and smoke battled in the centre of the courtroom. He went to shout a warning up, then saw a familiar flash of red-hair appear. This Weasley wasn't in the same black-and-gold attire as two holding the Minister hostage, but was dressed in formal Ministry robes.

"By the way, Minister, I resign," Percy Weasley said, then slammed his fist right into the Minister's face. Pius Thicknesse crashed into the lectern before his seat, flopping to his side, unable to get his hands out to arrest his fall due to his binds. Percy hopped back, wincing, massaging his knuckles. "Ow."

Kingsley's spell dissipated, golden sparks and flames curling and twisting on themselves where they vanished. The auror staggered forwards, his wand flicking around as he searched for Rookwood. The Death Eater had vanished.

"The bastard! He's disapparated!"

Remus recoiled in shock, turning around to where Yaxley lay, unconscious. He rushed over to him, gripping for his left arm where he wrenched up the sleeve. His Dark Mark stood out vividly.

"No!" He fumbled at his arm, reaching for his own sleeve and finding the token hanging from the cord. He cracked the disc, activating the signal, then straightened. "Retreat!"

He followed the two boys out the Courtroom. A weasel patronus zipped past him as he staggered out into the entrance way, feeling the chill of dementors despite the patronuses that were patrolling the corridor. People rushed past him and he spun around, wand raised, but the people were fleeing away from him, screaming and crying with fear as they rushed for the stairway that led up to the Ministry proper.

"No. Don't… the dementors!" He tried to warn them as he saw the dementors that had been pushed back, all the way to the stairs that headed up to the floor of the Department of Mysteries.

"Where's Harry?"

"And Ron?" One of the Weasley twins asked, reaching him in the hallway. Others were arriving, as well as two people in grey robes. One was a man near his age that he faintly recognised, with brown curly hair, the other he knew.

"Dean?" A surprised cry sounded. Dean looked about, his face pinched with exhaustion as he searched for who called for him, then he saw Neville and Seamus removing their masks. His face lit up.

"As I live and breathe! What the hell are you guys doing here?" He ran for his friends, laughing wildly.

"Where are they?" A Weasley twin demanded, joined with their elder brother who had rather dramatically returned to their side. Remus pulled out his pendant, showing them the glowing stone.

"They're together and they'll have the retreat signal." He told them, then lurched into a run, following the others back to the breach.

"Yeah so why aren't we going down that passageway and getting them?"

"It's sealed," Kingsley's deep voice joined them as he headed for Remus, saying in a lower voice so only he could hear him. "Yaxley… he woke and disapparated. He was gone before I could stun him."

"How long do we have?" Remus asked him. Kingsley shook his head.

"Hard to say. Minutes?" He gave Remus a pointed look. "How fast can you run?"

Remus gave a bitter laugh. "As fast as I can. You make sure the others leave."

"I'll get them out."

With Kingsley's assurance, he set off at a sprint. He rushed past the Gryffindor seventh-years, arriving at the awkward reunion as Percy and the twins joined with Charlie and their mother.

"Perce socked the Minister in the jaw. I think he's made it pretty clear to me-."

"Percy..."

"I... have a lot of making up to do, but maybe not here?"

"Everyone get into the breach!" Remus shouted as he passed them. "Now! There's no time."

"But Harry-?"

"He'll be here!" As he ran to the huge rift in the middle of the hallway, he skidded as he came up to Arthur and Bill, both of them guiding their patronuses, forcing the dementors back against the walls to keep the path clear.

"Bill, I need your help. And Arthur too," he said to them. He looked back, seeing the others now rushing down into the large hole that they'd blasted, feeling a bit of his tension ease.

"What is it?"

"I need patronuses for the way to the East corridor."

"East but that heads to the Row?"

"That's where I need them," he said breathlessly, struggling to breathe with the mask on. He reached up, tearing it off and wiping the sweat from his face. "Harry, Ron and Hermione are coming from that way. They were cut off."

"Cut off?" Bill looked horrified. "But that means they're trapped down there."

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Remus said firmly, then looked to Arthur, whose kindly face was now set with fierce determination.

"You're certain they went that way?"

"They wouldn't have a choice," Kingsley replied, moving in earshot as he stood at the lid of the breach, wand at the ready to defend against any straggling Enforcers. Remus just realised that no one had attacked them as they retreated. Had they really neutralised all the Ministry's security at the level?

"I went to check before leaving. It's sealed with Dark magic… likely only one with a Dark Mark can lift it."

"What if they sealed the Row with the same ward?" Bill asked, looking between them. Remus and Arthur exchanged looks. "Oh… bad question."

"Go, Remus," Arthur said, giving him a light nudge in the direction of the East corridor, "we'll cover you."

"Make sure everyone gets to the Apparation point." With that, he took off at a run again, his breath rough in his throat. As he ran, his shoes slipped on rubble as he climbed over the devastation that they had caused. He looked back at the breach, shock rattling through him.

That was really us… we blew a hole into the Ministry of Magic. We endangered innocent lives for this… our lives. The whole Weasley family.

He realised the dementor's chill was gripping him as he bounded forward, heading for the junction where the East Corridor started. Dread sunk into his bones as the chill got colder and colder. A bright, silvery weasel bounded past him, warmth rushing over him. A larger patronus followed, one that resembled his own. A wolf.

He looked over his shoulder, seeing the Weasley senior and his eldest son. He gave them a grateful nod and jumped down onto the flat, unbroken floor behind the breach. His heart was starting to quake with the exertion, but adrenaline was giving him all the drive he needed. In his mind, his thoughts went to a memory, one of a quiet, contemplative boy that listened to him attentively, holding a bottle of butterbeer as Remus described the dementor's kiss. Harry had nearly spat out his drink.

And they sentenced him to that fate… for fake murder charges...

Anger blazed through him, wishing he had strangled Yaxley with his own hands when he had the chance. He turned around to the East corridor and came face-to-face with a bright, brilliant stag. He froze.

"Prongs?"

The stag moved towards him, a crown of silver antlers looming over him, the sight so bright, it stung his eyes. The patronus approached him, pulsing power radiating from it, the strength of the charm tingling his skin. Overcoming his shock, Remus stepped up to the patronus. Movement behind the stag distracted him as a figure in pale grey robes appeared, wand pointed directly at Remus's face.

Remus stared at him, held fast by disbelief. For a second, he thought he was staring at a ghost. The glasses, the messy, black hair, the stag patronus that had announced him…

"Remus?" Remus not Moony.

He blinked. It wasn't James Potter. It was his son.

"Harry?" He took a shaky step towards him, ranging his gaze up and down. He could barely believe his eyes. The last time he glimpsed Harry, he'd been bound, dragged helplessly by those bastard guards, unable to move or speak. Now he stood, holding a wand, standing beside his patronus, radiating power unlike anything he'd felt or seen Harry accomplish before. As if to prove that he was the patronus's master, he waved the wand. The brilliant stag approached his young master, bowing his magnificent head. As the stag moved aside, Remus caught sight of Hermione and Ron. The first of which was gunning right at him.

"Get back from him, you-!" She practically snarled, then she skidded to a halt. "Remus? I thought you were a Death Eater!" She squeaked.

"Did you say Remus?" Ron asked. "Sweet Merlin!" Then he approached with trepidation. "Where… are the others? Are they safe?"

Remus thawed from his shock. He swallowed, focusing on Ron's pale, insistent face.

"Everyone's back at the breach. It's just us, Arthur and Bill." Ron nodded, relief palpable on his face.

"What about the dementors? The guards?" Hermione asked, moving up to him, glancing cautiously over to Harry. "The Death Eaters."

"The coast is clear… for now," Remus explained to them, glancing at Harry who was still standing back, his patronus now patrolling, protecting them. "And as for the Death Eaters… they're gone. Disapparated."

"That's… good right?" Ron asked, glancing nervously around.

"No. It means they've gone to Voldemort," Harry said hoarsely from behind them. He took a few steps towards them, his wand still raised as he kept the patronus charm active. As he moved close, Remus saw his face properly for the first time, seeing the blood smeared over his face and the vivid bruising around his right eye. His stomach lurched, not wanting to take in the other injuries, not wanting to confront his failure to protect his friend's son just yet.

"Harry, the taboo!" She gasped.

Harry gave a shrug, closing the distance between them. "It's the least of our worries right now." He finally looked up to Remus. As their gazes locked, Remus felt his heart seize. Harry's eyes were completely flushed with cruciatus scarring. Remus had only seen damage like it once before and that wasn't a pleasant memory. Alice and Frank never recovered from their ordeal.

The focused, composed look on Harry's face fell away. Guilt, sorrow, pain, regret… a multitude of agonies screamed out of those eyes and he stepped towards Remus, his patronus disappearing with a swirl of silvery mist.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, "for everything I said."

"Harry…"

"You were right," he continued, "I was in over my head… I was careless… and I nearly cost us everything." He drew in a sharp breath. "Might still cost us everything."

Tears formed in his eyes. Remus felt his chest seize at the sight of them. Remus came up to him, drawing an arm around him and pulled him into his embrace.

"We both said things we regret," he said, bringing a hand up to Harry's head and hugging him properly for the first time, "but you were right too. We have to stay close to those that matter to us. No matter what." He felt Harry shudder, thinking for a moment that Harry would draw back at the sudden intrusion, but he felt the boy lean into him. He could feel him shaking.

"I'm sorry that it takes having to break you out of prison for me to tell you this," he continued, his breath ruffling Harry's hair, "you matter to me."

"I thought… I'd never see…" Harry's voice broke on a sob.

"It's going to be okay," Remus removed his arm from around Harry and he gently put his hand under Harry's chin, resting his hand against his face. Harry closed his eyes at the touch, sighing. "Let me get you out of here, alright? We're so close."

"Okay," Harry said softly. He opened his eyes, his green irises appearing almost luminescent against a backdrop of red.

"Come on. It's not far now." Remus lowered his hand from Harry's face. Harry straightened, rolling back his shoulders and he nodded.

AN: Hi! This chapter has been through editing hell but I think I'm finally happy with it. There used to be a chunk at the end that was Harry POV but I've moved it for the next chapter as it split the flow too much. There was another cliffhanger and it was lazily done so it got the boot. This is much better. Next chapter coming soon!