The heavy rain drummed against the shield that Hermione cast to keep them dry from the deluge. Around them, the grass meadow was fast becoming water-logged. The rain just would not let up, determined to cast down the entire bounty of water down upon them as they waited for twenty unbearable minutes. The turbulent sky rolled with heavy, dark clouds, the mood of the weather suiting the atmosphere that hung over them.
Tonks, Hermione, and Bill had remained outside the wards. Ron had protested firmly, wishing to wait outside on guard with them, but the stunning charm that struck him during their flight had left him dizzy and wobbly on his feet. Molly refused outright, his brothers firmly sitting him down in front of the fire in the sitting room. The eldest Weasley took the spot instead.
The first ten minutes were still, as if they were holding a collective breath. But then as the time neared deadline, the restlessness kicked in. The desolation that came with it as they dared to consider the possibility… they would have to leave them behind.
Hermione would not let herself think it as she checked her watch again. Three minutes…
Her hand gripped her robe as her thoughts wandered back to the tunnel. The surging, rushing miasmic form of Lord Voldemort surrounding Harry, the tired, resigned look that he gave her, the green irises of his eyes bright as if glowing, then the other eyes that appeared behind him, the menace in them… the threat… and then they were gone. She was ripped through suffocating darkness and sent plunging into rain-soaked grass and bitter defeat.
Why didn't he run? Why didn't he save himself?
She knew the answer, of course. Two words. The same two words that they managed to get to Michael Berrick the day before during a risky gambit, cornering him outside his London home, disguised and covered with Harry's cloak. Two words.
Moral fibre. Moral bloody fibre. Typical Harry Potter and his saving people thing. The moment that incarcerous spell ensnared her and Ron, she knew what would happen. She heard the Death Eaters shouting Harry's name when they spotted him and knew that he would do something incredibly reckless. And then there he was, springing over them, protecting them from the two Death Eaters that had tormented him for the past four days, throwing away his chance of escape. For them.
Two minutes…
Hermione risked a glance at Tonks. Her shaggy black hair of choice was so like Harry's, it made her hard to look at. Her expression was faltering as the strong, composed look that she'd painted upon her features was slipping, showing her fear and her grief. Her hand was pressed to her stomach. Hermione didn't have to guess what she was thinking and feeling. She wished there were words of comfort that she could say, but there was nothing. Silence spoke enough.
Crack.
All of them jumped into action at the sound, wands snapping out to the figures that had suddenly appeared a few yards from them. Two people. One dropped down to the ground, to his knees, with a wet thud. Two other figures then popped into being near them.
Hermione was stumbling after Tonks, moving automatically, the rain immediately drenching her as she moved out of the cover. Behind her, the heavy, splashing footfalls of Bill followed her. One figure approached them, his strides uneven, veering off course as he made his way towards them.
"Dad!" Bill yelled, lumbering towards the approaching wizard, raw emotion in his voice.
"I'm alright.… I'm… alright," he sounded out of breath. "Kingsley got to us in time… we're all alright. Harry-."
At his name, the figure on his knees suddenly collapsed face-first in the wet grass. Hermione recognised him at once through the sheet of heavy rain. His grey robe appeared darker, now soaked through. Remus was right there with him, now on his knees beside Harry. His alarmed voice reached them.
"Merlin, he's attacking him."
Hermione tore across the rest of the distance, reaching Tonks and Kingsley, catching Kingsley's baritone voice.
"It was close… too close. We have to get clear of this location as soon as possible."
But then she heard Harry's voice clear through her shock and panic.
"Get out of my head!"
"He's possessing him," Hermione said breathlessly as she moved by Tonks, her eyes wide. Behind, the voices and shouts of the others were reaching them as they emerged out of the wards, having clearly heard the apparating cracks. Hermione stopped, the rain drenching her, her shock numbing her more than the cold rain, as she watched Remus gather Harry into his arms and rock him back and forth, like he was his own child.
"Come on, Little Prongs…" she heard Remus faintly through the rain. Her eyes were fixed on Harry. He was rigid, as if in a full-body bind. His thin robe was soaked through, clinging to him like a second skin. Every muscle was tensed, locked in a spasm. Remus pressed Harry's face to his chest, shielding him, protecting him. Helping him to feel safe…
Hermione distinctly heard someone telling the others to give them some space. If Hermione hadn't heard Harry shout, she'd assume that this private moment was something of a relief, but it wasn't. A battle was taking place.
Then… Harry won. Immediately, he reached his arms up, returning the embrace. A wand fell from his hand, rolling onto the grass. Hermione thawed out her shock, stumbling over. Tonks moved with her.
"I can't… lose you…" the agony in Harry's voice nearly made Hermione stumble. He sobbed the words out, struggling to speak as the emotion took over.
"I'm right here," Remus sounded equally emotional as he gently released Harry from the embrace, angling his face up to see who was watching them. Then Harry moved his head from Remus's chest. He peered upwards, seeing the sky, the rain falling onto his face and looked over, seeing Hermione and Tonks, the others.
"He's gone," he said quietly, "I'm free." Hermione practically threw herself down onto grass, the water soaking her knees through. She didn't care. Her eyes were fixed on Harry's, his glasses flexed with rain. He was blinking slowly.
"You did it, Harry… you did it." Remus told Harry, running his hands over Harry's face, brushing the wet strands of hair from his brow and eyes.
Harry turned towards her, blinking, focusing on her. He reached out to her.
"Hermione," he said, his voice so soft, it was nearly lost under the sound of the rain. His eyes focused on hers. She went to take his hand, her tears hot on her face as they mixed with the rain. Her fingers grazed his palm. Both of them jerked their hands back.
Hermione gaped, her fingers coming away bloodied from where she touched him. Her focus sharpened on his hand as he upturned it, revealing blood pouring from a wound down the centre of his palm, the skin around it shiny and red, burned. Rainwater washed down his arm, thinning the blood, reducing it to thin streaks of red. He was gasping out short, sharp breaths, but not ones of pain. He twisted weakly in Remus's arms, his tired face pinching with panic.
"Is it here?" He asked, voice peaking up. "The wand."
Hermione found the wand in question at once. It hadn't fallen far from Harry's hand.
"Right here." Remus told him, but there was something in his voice that alarmed Hermione. She glanced up at him, seeing his grimace. Her attention went back to the wand and saw the traces of blood on the pale wood. Blood from Harry's hand. She instinctively went to pick it up, not thinking, only wanting to reunite Harry with a wand, something that would surely reassure him after his ordeal.
"No...I don't want to see it," he said instead. Her hand froze, hearing the anguish in his voice. "That I touched it… used it… I can't..."
Hermione stared at the wand, feeling incredibly cold. It wasn't the wand that Harry had been using before. That wand had been dark, shorter. This wand… it sent a thrill of dread down her spine as she watched the rain wash away the blood.
"I understand. We'll keep it hidden," Remus said. Harry sighed, his relief palpable.
"Th… thank you."
A few steps back, the Weasleys were reuniting with their father.
"We're alright," Arthur said to them once he'd grabbed the twins in a quick embrace, glancing back to where Harry and Remus were, "a lot… happened but it's not for out here." Ron was supported by Charlie, his face ashen and peaky.
"Harry… is he…?" He couldn't finish the question. He was about to ask 'okay' but the question felt incredibly redundant.
Harry then blacked out, sinking into a deep faint as his body went completely limp. Remus sighed, easing Harry gently down on the ground.
"He's burned out?" Tonks asked in a hushed, worried voice. Remus gave a nod.
"It looks that way. We have to get him inside now," he heaved in a deep breath, doubling over. Tonks moved to him, eyes wide. He glanced at her. "I'm not hurt. Just… drained."
"Everyone, get inside," Kingsley said to them all. "It is incredibly dangerous for us to be out in the open as it is." Ginny made to head over to Harry, but Arthur rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Listen to Kingsley. Get inside."
Tonks helped Hermione up to her feet, but her eyes were fixed on the wand resting so innocently on the grass. Her horror pulsed through her as she made the connection. It could be no other wand. Nothing else could have made Harry react like that, and the wound on his hand…it looked as if he had been gripping a red-hot poker in his palm, not a stick of wood.
The Weasleys were reluctantly being ushered back under the protective charms and out of the train by Arthur. Kingsley now came to join them.
"We have to regroup and move as soon as possible," he said, coming over to Remus, offering a helping hand. Remus looked up at him wearily, nodding, and taking it. He groaned as he moved to stand. Remus drew his wand out, conjuring out a length of cloth, and stooped down, grimacing as he used the cloth to pick up the wand. As he straightened, he caught Hermione's stare, a haunted look entered his weary gaze, sending a bolt of fear down Hermione's spine.
Harry took Voldemort's wand… and used it. But...how?
Kingsley levitated Harry off the ground. His head lolled to one side, his glasses nearly slipping off. Hermione immediately stepped over, taking them off his face.
"Go in with Harry," Tonks said, moving up to Hermione. "We're right behind you." Hermione nodded, walking alongside Harry as Kingsley levitated him towards the wards. Hermione glanced back, watching as Tonks threw her arms around her husband and they both kissed. Hermione looked back in front, cheeks pinking.
She could hear the din of voices coming from the open door way. Bill was waiting for them. He popped his head back inside. "Clear the way. Back up… give them some space. Yes, Ginny, that means you too."
Hermione looked down at Harry, her tears dewing in her eyes at how his ribs were protruding from his rain-soaked robe. The cloth was near see-through and she could see the dark bruising through the thin material, marring his chest and shoulders.
"Harry wouldn't want to be seen like this," Hermione said quietly to Kingsley.
"Good thinking, Hermione," Remus and Tonks joined them. The remark came from Remus. "We should cover him with the cloak." Kingsley unfolded the cloak that he had hung over his arm.
"It's a damn good Invisibility cloak," Kingsley remarked, "there's no way we would have made it out of there without it."
"We wouldn't have made it out of there without you, Kingsley," Remus corrected, then his face fell. "Or without Harry."
Hermione helped him cover Harry, gasping as she touched Harry's bare skin. He was frozen. Remus's expression tightened as he moved to gather Harry in his arms, straining under the weight of a seventeen-year old boy. They all entered the cottage, multiple voices bombarding them.
"Harry's right here. Don't panic!" Remus called out to them as he staggered inside. "Hagrid… actually, could you take Harry into the kitchen? He's covered with his cloak. We thought it best." Hermione squeezed inside, watching Remus hand Hagrid an invisible load. Hagrid nodded, mumbling that he'd be careful.
"Clear the way!" Fred called out as Hagrid cradled the invisible, unconscious Harry Potter to the kitchen where they had prepared a healing station. Remus followed. Hermione was met by a sea of pale faces, most of them freckled Weasley faces. Her gaze caught the most familiar of them. Ron rushed up to her, moving to grip her upper arms, his expression fearful.
"Hermione… what's wrong with Harry? Why is he-?"
"You saw what he was like…," she dropped her tone, seeing Ginny hanging off every word. "Do you think he'd like people seeing him like that?"
Ron's eyes widened and he watched Remus retreating with Hagrid into the kitchen, Tonks placing a steadying hand on her husband's back. Kingsley was the last inside, shutting the door and casting more enchantments on the door, layering up the security.
Ron then moved closer to Hermione, his voice now dropping low.
"My dad… he said that his wand was snapped," he said. Hermione stared at him, mouth falling open.
"How…?"
"He didn't say much else," Ron's face was so pale, "we should all be relieved that they made it out. That's Harry's here, with us, but it feels… wrong somehow," He felt a wave of dizziness and stumbled into Hermione.
"Easy, Ron," Bill was there, steadying him. "Take a seat." Ron settled down into one of the chairs, not protesting. Hermione noticed that everyone was watching her, waiting. Her gaze drifted over them, seeing Arthur settled in a chair by the fair, head in his hands. Charlie and Molly standing with him, speaking in low voices. Fred and George stood with Percy. Then she spotted Neville and Seamus with Dean, hovering awkwardly as they watched the scenes, their relief and fear mingling together. Fear of Harry's condition, but relief… relief that they had all made it out. No casualties. No losses.
Hermione shivered, realising that she was still soaking wet. She dried her robes with a charm.
"We must leave this location within the hour," Kingsley announced, causing gasps of surprise and worry, "what we did today - there will be dire repercussions. Most of us are now marked. We must go into hiding. Perhaps as far as exile."
Hermione edged out the room, glancing down to the kitchen.
"Go," Ron whispered to her. Hermione edged around Kingsley, trying to not catch too much attention as she slipped away to the kitchen. It didn't go unnoticed. Ginny immediately went to follow. Molly moved to intercept.
"Remember what we talked about," Molly said to her quietly, "give him space. Hermione was with him so she knows what state he's in."
"He needs me."
"He needs rest and care, and privacy. Merlin knows what he's been through."
Hermione was glad to leave that discussion behind, not wanting to deal with Ginny's accusatory look and those heated words. The tension between them had been high enough before the breakout. Hagrid was leaving as she arrived, audibly sniffing, blowing his nose in his huge handkerchief.
"Oh Hermione," he saw her, "what did they do ter our Harry?"
"They can't hurt him anymore, Hagrid," she said gently, patting his arm as she approached him. He gave a growl.
"Those rotten, miserable, evil monsters… not a bit of good in them, Hermione, to do that to poor Harry." He turned from her, sniffing, "but you got him out of there. He's going to be okay." He patted her on the shoulder, nearly knocking her into the wall before he awkwardly squeezed down towards the living room.
She stepped into the kitchen. The table had been turned into a makeshift bed, pillows set upon it with a cosy tartan blanket covering them. Harry lay on the blanket, facing the ceiling while Remus was standing over him, waving his wand. Tonks was finishing summoning bandages which were wrapping around Harry's left wrist. They had worked fast. Harry's right hand was heavily bandaged, covering the hideous burned skin and the wound on his palm. Hermione could smell Dittany, the potion's scent extremely distinctive.
Remus looked up, spotting Hermione. She hesitated, worried that he'd tell her to leave, but he didn't. Hermione stepped in, looking down at her hand where she still held Harry's glasses. She pocketed them, then she crossed the room, moving up to Remus, noticing that he had fixed Harry's nose. It was no longer broken, but his face was bruised where that man had kicked him in the face. Her stomach twisted as she remembered the casual brutality. Remus had cleaned away the blood. The skin that wasn't bruised was so very pale.
"Is he…going to be okay?" Hermione asked them both.
"In time, yes, he needs a lot of rest. Burnouts are pretty uncommon but I guess Harry's situation was pretty rare." Tonks replied.
Hermione frowned, confused. "A burnout?"
"Well that's what we call it in the auror office. It probably has some fancy official name."
"Severe Magical Exhaustion," Remus said, sighing, as he took a step back from Harry. "He's been fighting off the effects of Dark magic for days with his own, unable to rest properly and recharge properly. The remedies you gave him provided some sustenance and energy, but when he burned through them, he was left with only his reserves and he used everything he had left."
Hermione stared at Harry in shock. There was something unnatural about how still he was. He wasn't just unconscious. It was as if he had been stunned, petrified even. The only sign of life was the slow rise of his chest as he breathed.
"We've cleaned and dressed Harry's wounds, but he needs proper healing and a lot of rest to make a full recovery." Remus continued, raising his head, wiping at his bow. "I think it's best for me and Tonks to stay with you three in hiding, at least until Harry's recovered. Then your mission comes first."
"Remus." They all jumped, turning to see Kingsley in the doorway. He stepped in, purposeful, giving Harry a searching look before turning his attention to his quarry.
"We have to change our strategy. Placing Harry in our only remaining Order safehouse is too dangerous." The original plan had been for them to hide out in Bill and Fleur's house, somewhere that had not been compromised thanks to Harry having no knowledge of its location. Once Harry was recovered, they would then return to their mission.
"What other choice do we have? His condition is bad, Kingsley," Remus spoke in a low voice, not wanting to be overheard, as he began to pace, clearly restless and agitated. "His core is depleted and his curse damage is significant. He needs healing. Rest. Like this, we'll be hard pushed to protect him during a raid. That they haven't found us already is a miracle."
"I'm considering Fleur's offer," Kingsley said, causing Remus's pacing to still, "she was persistent about it being remote and off-the-grid." Remus stared at Kingsley, his haggard face shocked.
"You… you're serious?"
Hermione recalled what they were talking about, her mouth dropping open. Fleur had been very vocal about her family wishing to pay Harry back for his actions during the Triwizard tournament, his moment of madness when he believed Gabrielle to be in mortal peril and went to save her. She told them that, if needed, her family has a residence in the South of France that is empty at present. It's unplottable, a private residence for them to retreat from the noise of magical Paris.
At the time, the Weasleys had struggled to contain their amusement at the thought of Harry holidaying in the cote d'azur like a muggle celebrity. Hermione had kindly told Fleur that it was a well-meaning gesture, but Harry wouldn't want to endanger her family with his presence. Kingsley had agreed.
"I am," Kingsley replied, turning now to look at Harry, "until he's recovered and able to decide for himself, the best thing is for him to disappear completely. And frankly, it is the last place anyone would look. The property is registered under a fake identity for privacy reasons… it already has enchantments to conceal it from view. If we cast a fidelus charm and add more layers of security, I believe it's the best choice."
Remus stood for a moment, sighing, following Kingsley's gaze to Harry, who was still deep under, the only sign of life was his steady breathing.
"I'm struggling to think of a different option, but then… I'm struggling to think at all." He pinched his nose. Kingsley glanced at him, frowning, then ran his gaze down him.
"Have you taken anything?" He asked, his voice low. Remus blinked at him, confused for a moment. "For the curse."
"No. Thanks to you, it was brief. It's more… the shock." He admitted. He turned to Kingsley. "If you hadn't come back, we'd be dead. Harry included. We owe you our lives."
While they spoke, Hermione moved to Harry's side, gently putting a hand on his arm. His robe was dry now, but still dirty and stained. She frowned, moving her hand up to his face and resting her hand lightly on his forehead. He was ice cold. She noticed how pale he was.
She turned around, searching for a blanket, anything to keep Harry warm. She found a blanket like one Harry was laid upon and summoned it to her. Tonks helped her cover Harry, hiding his grey robe and battered body from view. He didn't stir, remaining completely out of it. She grabbed a spare pillow and gently lifted Harry's head, putting it under to support him. He looked as if he was sleeping, almost normal if not for the slashes of broken skin across his cheeks, the bruising across his nose and his black eye.
"I… expect you have a lot of questions about what happened," Remus was saying to Kingsley, "I don't even have half the answers. I can hardly believe that it was even real. But… until Harry's able to share with us what happened himself and trust us with that information…"
"Understood. What I saw was enough to prove to me that we made the absolute right call in risking such a direct attack against the Ministry and against the Dark Lord. Harry has my respect, as a man and a powerful wizard, not just for what he represents. I would have never even made it past the Dark Lord without Harry holding him back. Even under the cloak. When Harry told me to go to you and leave him - I didn't hesitate."
Hermione straightened, staring at Kingsley, stunned. It was high praise indeed from Kingsley - who they'd all thought was the strongest out of them and the biggest threat to the Death Eaters. To hear that he actually accepted Harry's order without question, a wizard who was unqualified and only just of age, it was astounding.
"I'll find out what the rest plan to do," Kingsley said after a moment of quiet contemplation as he looked down at Harry, thoughtfully. "Unless you can think of an alternative, I will inform Fleur that you'll be her guests."
"Very well," Remus said reluctantly. Kingsley gave a nod and turned, leaving the room. Hermione watched him go, her heart racing while her mind struggled to keep up.
Remus gave a weary sigh.
"I should go with him…" his gaze traveled to Hermione, seeing how attentive she was. He glanced at Tonks, noticing her smiling at Hermione knowingly before she looked over to him.
"Go - Harry's in good hands," she said, her smile widening. Hermione jumped a little at the remark, coming to her senses. She looked down and noticed that her hand was still resting on Harry's head, but now her fingers were lost in his hair. When did that happen? She hadn't been paying attention. She removed her hand from Harry's hair, her cheeks flaming.
What am I doing?
While Kingsley spoke with Remus and the others, the living room was alive with voices lacing over each other. Ron groaned as his mother argued with Fred and George, putting his head in his hands.
"It isn't safe!"
"Mum, what do you think we were doing this whole time? Broadcasting Potterwatch from the Leaky Cauldron? We know how to lay low and avoid detection. Funnily enough, we know how to avoid trouble."
"That was before-."
"I'm pretty sure they were mad with us before we blew a hole up in the Ministry. We were the ones that spread the news about Harry's capture before they could frame him."
Ginny was pacing in the space between the living room and kitchen, shooting looks down to where Kingsley had disappeared. Neville rose from his group, moving through the throng of Weasleys.
"Ginny… why don't you sit with us? We're thinking about our next move against Snape." She hesitated for a moment, giving the kitchen entrance a longing look, but then her shoulders sagged.
"I guess my fight is still at Hogwarts…"
"We need you. The D.A. needs you."
"I thought it was the P.A."
Ron fingered the horcrux that he now wore around his neck, having put it on a few minutes before Kingsley achieved the impossible, accepting that he and Hermione would have to continue the mission without Harry. He was still numb, still unable to grasp that Harry was alive, that his dad was alive.
His wandering gaze caught Percy and he stomached his instant anger. Percy hovered with Fred and George, the only two that somehow immediately forgave him. He hadn't spoken to his brother yet, not ready to heal that betrayal. His switch of sides, his cowardice… there was too much for him to answer to. Arthur had accepted his presence begrudgingly, too much in shock over his experience to collect any real thoughts.
Ron looked over to his dad, still sitting by the fire. The look on his face made Ron turn away. His dad was hurting, that much was clear. Charlie was at his side.
"It's no problem at all, dad. Right now, we need to get the hell out of here and get safe. You and mum are always welcome to stay with me in Romania, and the others too. Percy… well…"
"Perce is welcome with us," Bill shot across to his younger brother, who blinked in surprise. "Yeah, he fucked up - sorry mum - but this is hardly the time to value grudges over family. We need to focus on what's important. Keeping each other safe. Percy threw in his lot for us and Harry. That's good enough for us."
"Bill, I…" Percy went to say. He put his hand up to his glasses, closing his eyes a moment. "I'll make it up to you. I've been meaning to make it up to you all. Especially after Penelope… when they took her..."
"Penelope, as in Penelope Clearwater 'Penelope'?" George frowned. "Wait, isn't she-."
"Muggleborn, yes," Percy said, his face pink, "and then when she…" his eyes were tearing up, "when she was gone, I didn't know what to do, not until today at the trial and I saw what they had done to Harry. Then you all turned up and well, it made sense."
Everyone had gone quiet.
Kingsley then reappeared, hesitating as he caught the mood. Ron surged up from his seat, his arms wobbling a little. Bill moved to intercept him.
"Harry, is he-."
"He's stable," Remus strode around from behind Kingsley, meeting Ron's gaze, "but he needs healing and… we can't treat him here, on the run. There's a change of plans." He looked over to Bill and Fleur. "And… well… Fleur… this depends on you, and your generous offer. I can't stress enough the danger that this will bring to you and your family." He crossed the room. She straightened, having gone the whole conversation quiet as she listened to her new family during their crisis. She swept her stunning silvery hair behind her as she moved from Bill's side.
"My family are in this room, but if you mean my mozzer and father… and my sister, I assure you, they know how to avoid attention. Being part-veela brings a lot of unwanted attention and we have become well accustomed to laying low," she ran a fond hand down Bill's arm, "I suppose I may be the exception to the rule, now married to a fugitive." Her french accent was a lot more subtle now that her English had improved tremendously. "You may use our house for as long as you need. Please… it is the least we can do for 'Arry."
"Wait… what?" Ron froze. "You're saying that… we're leaving the country?"
"It's the only choice," Kingsley said to him, "we have to put as much space between Harry and Vold- the Dark Lord as possible while he's in such a vulnerable state. Whatever plans you had will have to go on hold. It is simply too dangerous to be out in the open. Not while the Dark Lord is personally hunting Harry down."
"But he's always personally been hunting him down."
"And he has come very close to killing him on multiple occasions." Remus pointed out, wearily, "right now… if V- you-know-who got his hands on him, there would be no chance. His core is depleted and he's injured. For his safety, and yours… exile is the best choice." Ron digested this in shock. "Especially after what Harry did down in that blasted tunnel."
"His core is...what?" Ginny gasped.
"What happened?" Ron turned to look at his dad, who had gone pale and shared a look with Remus. Silence fell in the room.
"Some details… are painful to relive and please respect my wishes to protect Harry's privacy," Remus said, "everyone here knows Harry's history with you-know-who and knows how guarded Harry is about it. Unless he himself is comfortable with the truth being known, I will not divulge any more than I have to. It's out of respect for what you all risked today that I… I'm even going to share as much. And spare Arthur from having to do the same."
Arthur's eyes shone with gratitude. He inched himself up from the chair where he'd been slumped in ever since.
"After Bill took Ron and Hermione, you-know-who caught Harry and...and I tried to get to him, but I was caught in the process," Remus jaw tightened, his eyes darkening, "we were put together while you-know-who gave orders to his Death Eaters, all of us disarmed and restrained. We had a few minutes together which was when we got the signal, but we didn't know what it meant… you could have been attacked or followed, or were warning us. Then he came to assess his prisoners," Remus's face was grim and he turned from the audience, putting his hands over his face as the image played out. He continued, his voice turning expressionless and staccato. "We were separated and Harry was held back. You-know-who knew me, my history with the Potters and my being 'Dumbledore's pet dog'. He didn't know Arthur… and…"
"I told them about the wand," Arthur said quietly, "about him snapping it and… marking our family as traitors. Although we've been the biggest blood traitor family for years, he just made it official." He tried to give an amused smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"Now this is where… I have to be light on details. Harry and you-know-who had a confrontation, in English and in...parseltongue. Whatever was said caused you-know-who to make his mind up about what to do with me, and I suspect Arthur as well. But before he could act on it, Harry managed to get his hand free and summon a wand." Everyone was shocked. "They crossed wands and Kingsley made his arrival. Between the pair of them, they caused enough chaos and… well… we made it out. Just."
"That's… omitting out a few details," Arthur said hoarsely when silence fell.
"I know but… I don't understand most of what else happened, and anything else is Harry's business," Remus said, sounding very weary, "so I suppose that will give you some indication of how close it was."
Ron was moving, edging around Remus, wanting to see the proof of this story for himself. No one questioned him as he made his way to the kitchen. Turning the corner, his gaze fell on Harry immediately, tucked up in a blanket and appearing fast asleep. Hermione jerked around at his arrival.
"Ron, did you hear? We're having to leave the country with Harry."
Ron just stared down at Harry, picturing how energetic he had been moments before when he tore through the hallways of the Ministry as if he hadn't been tortured for days. Now the real condition he was in was plain to see.
"I'll give you two some time alone with him," Tonks said quietly, gently brushing Hermione across the back in a comforting gesture and she left, giving Ron a small smile. "If he starts to wake, call for Remus, though I think if you let off a whole crate of fireworks in here, he wouldn't wake. He's getting some well-earned shut-eye."
Tonks slipped out, leaving Ron standing like a statue, frozen in the doorway. Hermione shifted awkwardly, watching him.
"Ron, are you okay?" Hermione sounded timid as she asked, "is your dad okay?" At the mention of his dad, Ron thawed out his shock and took a step inside, then another, blinking.
"Yeah this… this just doesn't feel real," he reached her, fumbling for the horcrux, "I keep playing it back over in my head. Falling down and hearing them notice Harry, only for him to then suddenly be there, helping us and shouting at me to get up." His eyes were blank, staring as his memory played over, the shock wearing off as the realisation of what happened began to creep in. "Then you-know-who arriving..."
"I know," Hermione said in a hushed voice, "it's like it's on a loop, going over and over." Ron nodded, swallowing thickly.
"Bill told me that Harry pushed you back… that you tried to get Harry to go with you. Why… why didn't he come with you? He could have…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
"I'm not sure he could have made it, Ron," she said in a hushed voice, hands gripping her robes and wand as now she was replaying the memory in her head. "He was… trapping Harry somehow, that form he took when he came for him… it was surrounding Harry and he just… stopped," she shook her head, a tear falling down her cheek, "and he said he was sorry. I think Harry knew that he couldn't outrun him, so he put his effort into giving us the chance to leave." Ron listened, his face grave, hand dropping from where he was playing with the locket absent-mindedly.
"Remus told us about what happened after Bill disapparated us." Hermione's eyes shot up to his face in surprise, "well… he kept some things back. Some of it sounds like Harry, like him mouthing off to you-know-who, but there's other stuff. Him summoning a wand and then fighting you-know-who, that it gave Kingsley the opening to get them out. I mean, I know Harry's done some crazy stuff before, but it doesn't sound… possible."
He moved to Hermione's side, pulling out one of the stools to sit next to her. It felt weird to be watching Harry sleeping - and sleeping so soundly. Usually he was fidgeting all over the place.
"It matches with what Kingsley said," Hermione told him. "He said that Harry was 'holding back' you-know-who, but for him to somehow summon a wand? It's impossible to summon a wand out of its master's hand. It has to be disarmed."
"Maybe it was on the ground," Ron muttered, frowning, "but then… he would have had to cast it without a wand. How could he do that?"
"I don't know," Hermione answered, but knew that she had more information. She held her tongue, thinking of Harry's anguished voice when he spoke about the wand he brought back with him.
"It sounds like mum and dad are going with Charlie to Romania," Ron said, his voice low, bringing Hermione out of her thoughts, "Bill and Fleur are staying behind. Their home is uncompromised so they're remaining in Cornwall as a safehouse."
"Is it safe for them?" She asked, glad to have a distraction, taking her mind away from Harry's ruined hand and the bloodied wand.
Ron shrugged. "Not really, but they're determined. Fred and George are going to keep doing what they're doing. They seem convinced that they can evade capture. They've managed it so far." Hermione noticed a tremor of unease on Ron's face. "I hope there's a radio in the Delacours' place. They might be our only way of finding out what's going on here. It was bad enough before… and now we've really pissed off the most powerful Dark wizard in history." Hermione glanced at the horcrux, horror itching at her mind.
"He will learn about that soon," Hermione said quietly, nodding at the locket. "If he hasn't already." Ron's hand went up to touch it, a grim look on his face.
"How are we meant to find the others if he knows we're after them?" Ron asked, voicing the question that Hermione had been scared of ever since they learned of Harry's arrest.
"We're just… going to have to try," she said, speaking the answer that she had told herself repeatedly. She found her gaze wandering back down to Harry, her breath catching.
Harry is going to be carrying a lot of blame and guilt for telling Yaxley about the horcrux. It wasn't his fault, but he's not going to feel that way.
"We can't do anything from France..." Ron's voice wasn't bitter, but there was a hint of irritation.
"We can survive," Hermione said to him, astounded by his tone. "Harry needs to recover and we need to hide him under every defensive enchantment that we know between us. If you-know-who got his hands on Harry in this state-."
"Survival is what matters the most right now. Hermione is right." Remus had returned. He strode into the kitchen, looking more forlorn and haggard. He was absolutely exhausted, but he remained focused.
"I expect that you-know-who is personally leading the search for Harry as we speak," he continued as he walked up to them. "He tried and failed to possess Harry the moment he got away, and judging from the fact that we are all still alive, he didn't learn where we are. But even so, it's too dangerous for us to linger. We need to leave as soon as possible and I think the others want to come and say goodbye."
He appeared lost in his thoughts for a moment, worry and fear at war on his face, but then he relaxed a little and looked at Hermione.
"Do you have his Invisibility Cloak?"
"Yes, it's in my bag."
"Good - and you have… everything?"
Hermione nodded, giving him a smile. "I've got everything set. I had a feeling we might be leaving in a hurry."
Remus's shoulders dropped and he regarded the pair of them, a smile creeping onto his face properly. He trudged behind them, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.
"I'm going to… put on my professor hat one last time and just tell you both that you should be incredibly proud of yourselves. If it wasn't for you two, your loyalty to your friend, your creativity, your talents and your sheer courage… none of this would have happened. A thousand points to Gryffindor." He gave them a smile that changed his appearance completely. Then he sobered. "Professor hat now off… I want to thank you. You saved my best friend's son's life."
Hermione found herself crying now, her cheeks pink. Ron's ears were bright red. At that moment, there was a gentle knock at the door frame. They looked over. Neville hovered in the doorway, joined with Ginny. Hermione wiped at her face quickly.
"Are we… okay to come in?" Neville asked cautiously. Of course, Neville knew how to be respectful. He had the perfect bedside manner, knowing it all too well having spent so much of his life in St Mungo's visiting his parents. Ginny radiated a different energy. Where Neville was worried about overstepping, she wanted to barge in, but she held herself back. "We know you're leaving soon and… well we want to catch you before you disappear."
Behind them, Seamus peeked over Neville's shoulder and Dean hovered awkwardly, wearing a borrowed jacket over his prisoner robes.
"Where will you be going?" Hermione asked, stunned, standing from her stool. Ron joined her.
"Back to Hogwarts," Seamus answered, "safest place for us right now, right under Snape's hooked nose."
"The Room of Requirement really came into its own for us. We can hide out there - as long as we don't get any sneaks." Neville smiled at Hermione and she blushed at the memory. "And we were never spotted without our masks so no one knows we were at the Ministry. As far as they know - we're just truants, but we'll be careful."
Ginny then sighed harshly, crossing her arms, hugging herself as she absorbed the scene in the kitchen. She raised her head, meeting Hermione and Ron's gaze.
"I have the trace, whether I want to accept it or not, so the only place I can do anything is at Hogwarts," Ginny said, the bitterness leaving her voice as she continued, "but… I think it's the best place for me to be. I can carry on where you three left off, teaching those that want to fight back how. We can. Those of the D.A. that are left. It's why you started it in the first place, right? To fight back?"
Remus edged back into the scene, looking at his former students. "Alright, you lot, come in."
Ginny entered first, moving straight for Harry's head, looking down at his motionless face, gasping as she saw the bruises, her hands coming up to her mouth. Hermione glanced over at her and felt… irritation.
What is bringing this on?
Ginny moved to touch Harry. Hermione had been about to snatch her arm away, but Ginny caught herself in time. She gave a sad sigh, bending down, moving her mouth close to Harry's ear.
"Where you go next, I can't follow. You tried to tell me before… and I didn't listen. But I'm listening now." She said quietly, her voice barely a whisper. She glanced around, then kissed Harry on the forehead before retreating away. "I will always remember you too, Harry Potter."
She stepped back, not before giving Hermione a strange look. She paused for a moment, glancing over at Ron, then she gave herself a nod.
"Look after them both, Hermione. You know they're hopeless without you," she said, then went over to Ron, giving him a quick hug. "Bye Ronniekins."
Meanwhile, Neville neared, looking very pale. He approached Harry next, not quite unable to look at his face.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Harry," he said quietly, "I'm just… really glad we got you out before they did to you what they did to our parents."
Our parents. One set insane, the other dead. Harry was due to be both.
Hermione caught it and walked up to him, ready to give support. He shot her a quick glance to show that he noticed, but he was attentive to Harry now.
"When you're ready to fight back, we'll be waiting in Hogwarts." He said, then moved to leave, Ginny following. Seamus entered cautiously, appearing awkward as he saw Harry's prone form. Dean, however, made a beeline straight to Harry, moving down to his knees, peering at Harry's face with an uncharacteristic intensity. While they had known each other, shared a dormitory, they had never been close. And after the past year, Harry had been less than warm towards him, but that all seemed forgotten. Dean paused for a moment, just staring at Harry's bruised face.
"They didn't know who I was, just that I was a registered mudblood, being processed for transfer to Azkaban, both me and Dirk. They didn't say what they wanted or where we were going, they just dumped us in the middle of the Courtroom." Dean spoke quickly, quietly. His story was as much for the others in the room as it was for Harry, who couldn't hear him.
"Then they brought you in and…" Dean kept staring at Harry, his eyes shuttering as he remembered, "I hoped for a moment that it was a double, but when they dragged us over and that man told you to sign or… he'd kill us, I knew it was really you." Dean sighed. "They really were going to bury you with lies… but then these lot saved us both."
"That we did, mate," Seamus said, clapping him on the shoulder, "we went to pluck Harry out of prison and ended up scoring you as well. Two for one."
"Yeah but Harry's a bit more important…" Dean's gaze travelled up to Harry's forehead, his scar on full display. Hermione felt a surge of protectiveness and had an urge to cover his scar. She knew he hated people looking at it and now he couldn't stop them.
"He didn't think so," Remus pointed out, "he signed that confession."
"Yeah, he did." Dean sobered then, straightening. "Well… anyway, um." He appeared embarrassed as everyone looked at him. "We're going to keep the fight alive at Hogwarts." Neville and Seamus nodded whole-heartedly at this.
"Snape's never going to have a peaceful night's sleep ever again," Ginny said fiercely, her eyes hardening. "And neither are the Carrows."
After a few more suggestions about how they were going to make the Death Eater professors suffer, Remus reminded them that they had to leave soon, gesturing at Harry. They quietened and said their farewells. Ginny lingered a little, watching Harry for a moment. She was joined then by Molly and Arthur who had come to see them off. Charlie guided Ginny away, giving his parents some privacy as they entered the kitchen. Hermione felt incredibly awkward as Arthur's eyes filled with tears. She glanced over to Ron, seeing his face reddening and his eyes watering.
Molly crossed the kitchen, sighing and putting a hand to her mouth to control her reaction to seeing Harry in his current state. Arthur stooped down, putting a hand up to Harry's cheek as he had when they reunited earlier during the rescue. When he straightened, he appeared to want to say something, but he decided against it, sighing instead. Molly watched Arthur, tears in her eyes as she saw her husband's pain. She put a hand on his back, supporting him.
Hermione and Remus left the kitchen so Ron could speak to his parents alone. Hermione lingered for a moment, feeling a cold stabbing in her chest as she looked back, seeing Molly embracing Ron. The pain of her own parents' absence felt sharp and hard, unrelenting. She turned away, seeing Remus joining Tonks, slipping an arm around her as he ran a hand over her bump. Fred and George then found her.
"Mum and Dad saying goodbye?" George asked. She nodded.
"Make sure Ron doesn't do anything stupid," Fred said to her, "I know… pretty impossible. Taking down you-know-who is a breeze in comparison, but try would you?"
Hermione smiled, grateful for the words and the meaning behind them. Both twins gave her rather muted smiles, not their usual crooked grins. Then they went to see their other brother and their parents.
The stabbing in her chest intensified as she saw Bill and Fleur sat together. She dragged her gaze away, looking instead to the table where Charlie was standing by the table, listening to the radio. It was still issuing the emergency notice, announcing the country-wide lockdown that they were responsible for. Remus parted from his wife and moved to Kingsley. Hermione watched Remus, marvelling at how he was still focused, still moving, despite having come face-to-face with mortal peril. His drive was inspiring. It reminded her of how Harry had been in that passageway as he pushed aside all else, focusing only on the objective ahead.
"How are we getting there?" Hermione asked as she drew up to Tonks, "portkeys will be picked up by the Ministry."
"We'll have to apparate," Tonks said, "In groups of three… Fleur's the only one who knows the location so she'll have to be in the first group."
They stood silently. Everything seemed to feel surreal, slow, as she felt the adrenaline finally wearing off. She tucked her hands under her arms, hiding the shakes that had just started. Tonks noticed and she put a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you alright?" She asked her quietly, "you're very pale."
"I don't know," she admitted. Tonks took her hand and pulled her around, having a look at her. Then she gathered Hermione in her arms, hugging her. Hermione was stunned by the affection, feeling Tonks rubbing her back. She let out a breath and relaxed, realising that this was exactly what she needed.
"Is that better?" Tonks asked her, letting her go. Hermione gave her a grateful smile.
"Much."
Kingsley called Fleur over to him and Remus. Everyone was watching the exchange. Tonks and Hermione looked over.
"It looks like they're planning to apparate to the place now and scout it out," Tonks remarked. Hermione looked at her in surprise. The woman gave her a smirk. "Auror sense. I know when Kingsley has that 'case-a-joint' look about him. Why don't you head back and tell Ron that we'll be leaving soon?"
"I… think I should give him some privacy with his family," she said awkwardly. Tonks put a hand on her shoulder and was about to say something when Remus appeared, looking even more tired than before. He was working on fumes now.
"I'm going with Kingsley and Fleur," he said, his voice tired. Tonks frowned, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"You're exhausted," she told him, "why don't you stay with Harry and I'll go with Kingsley and do what I do best?"
"Dora-."
"You'll end up splinching yourself if you apparate while tired. I thought you were meant to be the responsible one." Hermione almost smiled at the chastised look that flashed in Remus's eyes.
"You'll stay there though, don't apparate back."
Tonks rolled her eyes. "Fine. Fleur and Kingsley can have the honours of ferrying you lot back and forth. I'll use the time to top up my tan." As she said that, her skin bronzed, cracking Hermione a grin. Hermione responded this time. "Go on and get Harry ready for travel. It shouldn't take us long… unless this place is the size of Hogwarts."
Remus gave his wife a disgruntled kiss. She beamed at him, zipping over to Kingsley who only looked moderately surprised by the change. Hermione quickly looked over to the others in the room. Her gaze rested on Neville, then Seamus and Dean, then onto the Weasleys. Everything was so surreal. It was mostly quiet, the emergency notice still blaring out over the radio.
As they entered the kitchen, the three Weasleys stopped their conversation. Arthur was sat by Harry's head, staring impassively into space, while Ron and Molly were standing. All looked over.
"Dora and Kingsley have just gone with Fleur. They'll be back soon and we have to all leave when they come back," Remus said, wearily pacing back into the room. He stopped for a moment, staring at Harry, then made his way to Arthur, who rose to his feet, wincing.
"We'll be leaving for Romania soon after you leave," Arthur told him, "but it's only until we know what's going to happen here. What his response will be." He stopped, glancing back to his wife. "If we can find a way to return to the country and help our children in the war, we'll return. I know Kingsley wants to stay in hiding and make contact. He'll be our source of information in the days to come."
"It will be easier for you to stay undetected outside the British Ministry's influence, but I know that you-know-who has sympathisers in the French Ministry. The floo network may be tapped. And we will need to communicate," Arthur's voice was firm, "The war… resisting you-know-who and his regime… that's our mission now. The Order's mission. It's why we sided with Dumbledore in the first place."
Remus rubbed at the back of his neck, thinking, stealing a glance down to Harry, then over to Hermione, then he turned back to Arthur.
"Owls across that distance will be suspicious… and patronuses are short distance."
"Then we will have to communicate in person… I know, it's risky." Arthur said, putting his hands up when Remus went to protest. "We need to keep in touch. We're all that's left of the Order of the Phoenix. We have to keep it going… not just for Dumbledore but for everyone else that's been lost. Molly's brothers, Harry's mum and dad… Sirius." Remus didn't say anything for a moment, but then he turned, grabbing Arthur's arm in a firm embrace.
"You're a brave man, Arthur Weasley." He said. Arthur gave a smile, his eyes starting to sparkle like they used to.
"As are you," he said back and smiled, "it was an honour to be at your side today."
They parted, holding each other's gazes, a lasting bond now formed between the two men.
"Although, how much use I'm going to be without a wand…"
"I have a wand!" Hermione suddenly burst out. It exploded out of her as her mind raced, as quick as lightning. Everyone turned as she grasped at her bag, thrusting Harry's glasses in with his cloak and rummaging for the wand that Tonks gave her before the breakout. She found it, snatching it clear and zipping her bag shut. She handed it over to Arthur, who blinked in surprise.
"It was meant to be for Harry," she explained, "but he managed to… um…"
"Steal a wand before we got to him," Ron finished, "he did say about the wand in that man's belt…"
"Hermione… thank you," Arthur said, holding the wand and cast a shower of sparks. "Hmm, doesn't respond too badly. It'll do for now."
As Hermione reached for the spare wand, touching it, she remembered the wand that had fallen from Harry's hand. The pale, thin stick with traces of blood washing off in the rain. Her eyes trailed to Remus, to his robe pocket where she knew that wand was currently held. Her breath froze. All this time, Lord Voldemort's wand had been in the room with them. She felt a surge of revulsion.
She felt her hands starting to shake and she reached for her own wand for comfort. Her eyes darted down to Harry's right side, where his bandaged hand was out of sight, and her nausea mounted. She turned around from the group sharply, her heart racing. Someone touched her shoulder. She looked over, seeing Remus, his concern.
"Hermione…" She glanced down to his pocket, making sure he noticed. She saw his hand jerk to his pocket and saw the tensing of his jaw.
"We'll talk about it later," he said to her quietly, "I take it… you've worked it out," his mouth quirked up, "still the brightest witch of the age."
"How… how did he-."
"Not here. Later," Remus said firmly, then gave her a soft, kind look. "When we're somewhere safe and can talk about this while not in a hurry." She looked around, noticing Ron's confused frown. She looked back to Remus and gave him a nod. He patted her on the shoulder, his eyes alight with gratitude at her understanding. She felt Ron move to her side.
"What… was that about?" he asked her, still frowning.
"I just… it just all felt real," she said to him, going to lie, but then she was suddenly overcome with real emotion as her tears spilled out. Ron gaped at her, then awkwardly put an arm around her.
"He's going to be okay, Hermione. Look," he moved his arm so she could see what he was gesturing at, "Harry's right there. He might be asleep, and in need of fixing up, but he's alive. It could have been so different. We could have lost him… but we didn't."
Hermione followed his gaze, seeing Harry's motionless body. It made her feel worse, seeing him so lifeless. She moved towards Harry without thinking, sniffing, reaching out a hand, wanting to feel the proof that he was alive.
She rested her hand so very softly on his forehead, just to check. His skin felt warmer than it had done. She let out a breath, relieved. He was recovering. Then Harry's head moved. He huffed out a breath through his nose, turning his face in her direction by a tiny amount. His face was immobile, no emotion, no movement, other than the huff of his exhalation. She froze, looking for Remus for answers. He was smiling.
"Good… he's starting to come out of his burnout," he whispered to her, "I think he felt that." She withdrew her hand.
A loud thud ruined the mood completely. Hermione jerked violently in shock at the sudden sound, wheeling around, wand in hand, only to see Charlie stumbling as he recovered from skidding into the doorway in his haste.
"Fleur's returned," he announced, and his eyes found Hermione and Ron. "She said she's apparating Ron and Hermione. Kingsley and Tonks are setting up charms now."
"Go on, you two." Arthur said, going to usher them. "We'll get Harry ready. You just worry about getting to safety."
Hermione could feel Ron's gaze on her, his blue eyes narrowed, a question burning in those eyes. She swept her gaze around the room, desperate to see green eyes. Instead, she smiled her goodbyes to Arthur and Molly, unable to form words. Then she faced Ron, meeting those blue eyes, dipping her gaze down to the horcrux, then back up to his face.
"Are you ready?" She asked him. He dipped his chin in a nod, the hard look in his eyes fading as he looked over to his parents.
"We'll see you soon. Go." Arthur told him. "Go."
Together, Ron and Hermione left. Between them, as they walked into the living room, saying quick farewells to those waiting, there was a gap. Something had happened, a change between them, that forced this gap. No one saw it, but Ron felt it. As he clapped his brothers on their shoulders, wishing them luck, trying to not think about the weight on his heart, of not knowing when he'd see his family again, he felt that void at his side. He looked, expecting Hermione, but she wasn't there. She was across the room, standing with Fleur, waiting for him with her bag slung over her shoulder, her wand in her hand. He looked at her, having not really looked at her during the whole ordeal, and saw the tension in her face, the dirt from the tunnel, the redness around her eyes. Her hair bulged from the braid, escaping the knots, appearing more wild than it did when there was no effort to tame it.
He crossed the distance between them, wanting to close the gap. The absence of Hermione was different from Harry's absence; it hurt in different ways.
Something had changed. The chain around his neck itched.
"Exile it is then," Hermione said to him, her brown eyes skating over his, "at least, for now." Ron gripped at the horcrux at his neck, his hand feeling cold, the metal feeling warm.
"It may feel like exile now, but I assure you, our villa is a retreat, not a punishment," Fleur assured them, the door opening out into the rain. "This terrible weather…pah! Blue skies, blue sea, c'est parfait! It will be just what you need. Time to adjust, not just for 'Arry, but for you two as well."
They trudged through the grass. Fleur dried the path, not wanting to get her robes wet. Overhead she had already shielded them with water-repelling charms.
"Oh no," Hermione suddenly gasped. Both Ron and Fleur spun around, alarmed.
"What?"
Hermione looked at them both, her hands grasping at her bag, expression desperate. She stopped, putting her hand to her head, closing her eyes.
"I… I didn't pack any summer clothes!"
Ron stared at her and gave a snort.
"Your priorities…"
"Do not fret, 'Ermione, the villa has everything you need. You have enough to worry about, non? Now come… let us leave this dreary place and mood."
They reached the edge of the wards. Fleur faced them both, her hair appearing a lot less shimmery under the gloom of the rain. Her hand grasped Hermione's, who looked around, taking Ron's and met his gaze. Something had changed between them.
Before there was any chance to think more about it, Hermione was pulled through into the constricting darkness once more, feeling as if her heart was being pulled in two directions while her body was being pulled in one.
Allo
I don't really know what I feel about this chapter. There's a lot to cover and some bits are likely very OOC. It's a bit of a mess with so many POVs and important characters in the room. I hope that it's not too shambolic. If it is, sorry! I might rewrite and calm it down. It will depend on how things go when I sink my teeth into the next phase of the fic.
Oh - yes, I changed something. I realised as I was writing this chapter how flipping dumb it would be for Tonks to risk her life and her baby's, so I changed the story and put her in the sidelines. The changes are really small but more sensible.
Thank you for reading!