A/N- Things in this story are really starting to move now. More of the differences from that one little choice of Ginny's will start to come to light. I would love to hear from you who read this story, either by PM or by review, and to know your thoughts on it. This has definitely been a difficult, though delightful, task to undertake. I want to thank you in advance for taking some of your time to read it.

Disclaimer- J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.

Chapter 5

Ginny could hardly believe her eyes. Her eldest brother was standing there before her. While it was clear he was relieved to see them, he was also angry. Very angry. She recognized immediately the glint in his eye, though it had a more feral cast now. Probably something to do with those werewolf scratches he sustained, Ginny thought.

The two men seemed to be healthy though maybe a little harried. Their robes were dusty and even Bill's were a bit frayed in some places. Their faces were drawn and their eyes constantly scanned the room as if searching for trouble.

Still, he had his arm around her and was holding her tightly. She knew his anger wouldn't hold out for very long. It never did, even when she really should have it coming. Ginny gave Bill a tentative smile as they all walked into the kitchen. She was as anxious to hear about what was going on as anyone. More so, she hadn't seen her Dad's patronus, but from what Hermione had said about it, things weren't shaping up all that well in the wizarding world.

Once they entered the kitchen and were seated around the table, Ginny reached out and took Harry's hand and at once she felt reassured. Harry tightened his grip on her hand momentarily. Ginny took that as a positive sign.

"So what happened? What's going on?" Ron asked at once, not waiting for any preamble.

Professor Lupin looked at Bill who looked back at the four young adults gathered around the old, beat up table. When Bill spoke, it was with a careful tone. Like he was trying not to cause any undue alarm. Ginny couldn't help but wonder why he was being so cautious.

"After Kingsley's Patronus disappeared, it was sheer pandemonium. Total chaos. The Death Eaters had broken through the protective spells and enchantments that we'd put in place to guard the Burrow. That much I think you know," Bill said looking around the table for confirmation. Everyone nodded their heads slowly.

Ginny was watching her eldest brother very carefully. The set of his shoulders, the tense look in his eyes, the way he flexed his jaw, there was something bothering him.

"What is it Bill?" she asked.

Bill sighed, "Everyone scattered, but not everyone got away. Several people were caught and taken in for questioning. Mum, Dad, Nymphadora, and a few others were all taken into the Ministry,"

At the shocked sound of the voices from around the table, Bill had to hold up his hand to try and calm them. It was Lupin who said firmly and loudly enough to carry over the noise, "They're alright! They're alright!"

Once things had quieted down again, Bill resumed his story.

"Remus is correct, they're alright. They're a little battered and bruised, but otherwise they'll be fine,"

Ron looked like he wanted to be sick. His face was white and he was breathing hard. Hermione had her face hidden behind her hands, tears were in her eyes. She reached out and put a reassuring hand on Ron's back.

"What did they want with Mum and Dad?" Ginny asked fearfully.

"The same thing that they wanted from Nymphadora and everyone else they took: Information on Harry. They were very direct about it too. Where he is, what is he doing? They didn't like being told that no one knew where you were. There's something else too..." Remus said looking sidelong at Bill.

"Before we get to that," Bill said looking back at Remus meaningfully and then at the group, "Tell us first what happened to you when you left, and how did you," Bill said looking soberly at Ginny, "Come to be with them?"

Ginny swallowed hard. So far they had avoided the subject of how she had come to join them after her outburst last night. Even then they had only really just barely touched on the subject. Everyone was staring at her now expectantly. Apparently it was her turn to tell how she came to be a part of the group. She felt Harry gently squeeze her hand.

"It was just before the wedding and everything happened, I was up in Mom's room getting ready," Ginny began quietly, "I was watching the boys play usher and getting people seated. I saw Harry down there with them. I couldn't help but remember what this last summer was like and that's when I decided that I just couldn't go through that again,"

Getting up at this point, Ginny went through the process of making tea by hand. While she worked at making the tea she went on with her explanations. Her voice was quiet, almost monotone.

"You and Fleur had said your vows and everyone was dancing. I decided that I wanted a dance with Harry. I didn't know when you lot were leaving but I wanted that dance. I was trying to make my way over to where you were and I noticed you sitting there talking with Auntie Muriel and old Elphias Doge. So that I could get over to you I left the marquis and worked my way around. I was just about to try and rescue you from that conversation you were having when the Patronus came that announced that the Ministry had fallen to the Death Eaters. When you and Hermione got up and started looking for Ron, I realized what was about to happen and that you were about to leave. I really didn't want to be left behind this time." Ginny finished looking at the floor.

When she looked up, there was defiance in her eyes. She looked first at Bill, then Harry, Ron, Hermione and Remus. "I'm not sorry I did it though and I'm not going back,"

"Ginny..." Ron began

"Yes you are," Harry said. Ginny's head rocked back as if she'd been slapped. Hearing that from him wasn't expected after his explanations last night. It was the last thing she'd expected.

"No, she can't." Bill said quietly. Remus sighed and looked at the floor.

"What?" Ron asked in shock.

"Why?" Asked Harry, looking at the two older men expectantly.

"How could you?" Ginny asked looking at Harry, "After everything we talked about? How could you do that to me, Harry?"

"Ginny...I...look..." Harry began but before he could go on Remus went on.

"Bill is right, Harry. For better or worse, Ginny is with you now. I understand that this puts a damper on your plans and I'm sorry for that, but believe me when I tell you it really is for the best."

Remus laid a copy of the Daily Prophet on the table where it made a soft slap as the parchment came in contact with the wood. It was the only sound in the room.

Ginny and Harry were looking intently at each other. Everyone else in the room was watching them as if they expect the two to get into some kind of a row. Ginny had never felt so betrayed. Not by Harry anyway. She felt tears coming to her eyes again. How could he? The git, he knew how she felt about him! He had explained the situation to her. She thought that he'd accepted her as part of the group now! Now, all of a sudden at the first chance here he was trying to get rid of her! Did he really want her out of the way so badly? What was he getting at?

"How?" Harry asked angrily, "How is that for the best?"

Slowly and deliberately, Bill gestured towards the copy of the Daily Prophet on the table. Harry's photo was on the front page. It was not his best photograph, it was from when he was in his fifth year in school. Just prior to his trial before the Wizengamot for using magic underage. Across the front of the picture in big, bold letters were the words "Wanted For Questioning in the Death of Albus Dumbledore."

Ron snickered at the sight of it, "You've got to be joking, right?"

"Unfortunately not, Ron," Lupin said quietly. He opened up the front page and pointed to another section. Hermione picked it up and read:

Wanted for Questioning in the Death of Albus Dumbledore, the deceased Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is none other than Mr. Harry J. Potter, 17, of Little Whinging, Surrey. Mr. Potter is known to have been with Professor Dumbledore in the last moments before his death due to a fall from the top of one of the towers at the school. There is evidence which suggests that the Killing Curse, of which Mr. Potter is the only known survivor, was used on Professor Dumbledore immediately prior to his fall from the tower...

"Yeah, evidence give by Snape!" Ron exclaimed loudly, he was immediately shushed by the others around the table.

Also wanted for questioning in regards to the whereabouts of Mr. Potter are Miss Hermione J. Granger, a known friend and close confidante of Potter and a Muggle-born (see pg 3 for more on Muggle-born Registration Commission), and Miss Ginerva M. Weasley, sister to known friend and confidante of Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, and who is purported to be dating Potter at the time of this writing.

Anyone who thinks that they might know of Potter's whereabouts are requested to report their knowledge immediately to the Ministry of Magic. Do not try to apprehend Potter as he is believed to be a danger to those around him.

The room was silent as Hermione finished. Everyone stared at the paper as if it was something foul.

"Why aren't I wanted for questioning?" Ron asked.

"You are, however right now the Ministry thinks you're at home with Spattergroit. Since it is highly contagious they are waiting to question you," Bill said quietly.

"The Burrow was searched very thoroughly. They found the ghoul. However, since no one but you and the members of the Order knew that Harry was there, and that it is actually a ghoul and not you in your bedroom, right now they are under the impression that they can question you once you are no longer contagious," Remus said.

The tea Ginny had made, which was momentarily forgotten, was now being poured. Ginny needed something to do with her hands while her mind raced. This wasn't going anything like she had planned. How could Harry betray her like that? How could he want to? It wasn't like she didn't accept the gravity of the situation. Far from it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Bill's next statement, "Harry, we know you want to protect Ginny and that's very admirable. The problem is that," He pointed to the place on the page where Ginny's name was printed.

"It won't take them very long to figure out that she's with you if they haven't already. As long as they don't know where you are, they don't know where she is. That is her best protection. Especially given the statements in that article. They know Ginny has a close connection to you. Don't you think that they would go to any lengths to get what they can from her? Would you put her through that?"

Ginny, who had been watching her brother speak and feeling a little fearful at what she was hearing, turned to Harry. Harry looked from Bill to her, she couldn't fathom the look in his emerald green eyes. There was defiance there but also something else. Was it defeat? Ginny couldn't be sure.

"No, I couldn't do that to her," Harry said quietly, "I don't even like to think about it."

"Harry, you may not have planned for Ginny to join you," Remus said taking a sip of his tea, "But whether you planned for it or not, she's here. So now that means that you make new plans. I don't suppose you can talk about what it is that you're supposed to be doing?"

"No," Harry said, "I'm sorry, but no. Professor Dumbledore was very clear about that. He left this to me. He only said that I could involve Hermione and Ron. He was very clear about that."

Ginny wondered why Harry didn't mention that he'd told Ginny about everything. At the request of Dumbledore even. Why wouldn't he say anything about that?

Remus looked at Ginny for a moment and back at Harry. His grey eyes seemed to scrutinize everything. It was clear what he was thinking, he seemed to think that Ginny must already know about it all, or most of it anyway. But he didn't say anything about that. Instead he sighed.

"Harry, whatever it is that you're planning, you need to plan it carefully. With Scrimgeour gone now the Ministry has largely fallen into the hands of the Death Eaters. This article proves that. You need to tread carefully."

"Are things really that bad do you think?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, and they're going to get worse. Read page three in that paper if you want to see what I mean," Remus said.

Hermione picked up the paper and began reading again:

"The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so-called Muggle-borns the better to understand how they came to posses magical secrets. Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when where Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding Ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggle-Born is likely to have obtained that magical power by theft or force. The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power, and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggle-born to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggle Registration Commission."

Immediately below the article there was a list of names printed. The list was of known Muggle-born witches and wizards. Hermione's name was on that list.

Ginny looked at Hermione and felt like she wanted to be sick. Ron didn't look like he felt any better. He and Hermione joined hands tightly under the table. Ginny only noticed it because Hermione's hands were shaking just a bit.

"This can't happen," Ron stated harshly.

"It is happening though," Bill sighed quietly, running his hand through his long hair. He looked like he felt the same way they did about it.

"People are being rounded up even now," Lupin added.

"What's happening to those that are being rounded up?" Harry asked carefully.

"From what we know, if they cannot successfully prove their Wizarding ancestry then they're accused of stealing their magic and must surrender their wand and suffer the punishment," Bill replied.

"Punishment?" Ginny asked, "For being Muggle-born? How do they work that out? What about squibs? Or children who show that they have magical powers when they're really young? How is a baby supposed to get their powers by force?"

"That's the real rub isn't it?" Harry said gently.

"How so?" Ron asked.

"Because the Ministry isn't afraid of children that age. What they're afraid of is Witches and Wizards who would stand against them. It's well known that the Death Eaters favor purebloods. If they round up the Muggle-borns and put them away it makes it that much harder for people to stand against them. That's what this is all about, it isn't it? I'd reckon that's also why they're enacting this as fast as they are too." Harry said.

"We think that's part of it, yes," Lupin agreed nodding his head.

"Which also means that you lot need to be very careful in what you're doing," Bill admonished them.

"You sound like Mad-Eye talking about constant vigilance," Ginny observed looking at her brother.

"It would seem that in these times his advice would be well met. We all need to be careful, especially you four. I cannot emphasize that enough," This came from Bill who looked at each of them in turn. His eyes stopping lastly on his brother and sister.

"Why? What else is happening? Where are Fred and George? You haven't mentioned them, or Charlie either," Ron asked fearfully.

"Or any of the others that were there. What about Luna and her dad?" Hermione added, tears coming to her eyes.

"We think the Lovegoods got away okay. We've not heard that they were caught anyway. Their home looks abandoned from a distance. We've not been there to find out for sure," Lupin replied.

"And Fred, George, and Charlie?" Ginny pressed fearfully. She had a cold lump of fear forming in her stomach.

Bill looked like this was the one question that had come up that he didn't want to answer, "We don't know. We think that they're probably alright and it's likely that they're in hiding. The consensus is that if the Ministry had them that Dad would have heard about it. Maybe using them as a way to coerce information about Harry out of them,"

"What about the Death Eaters?" Ron worried,

"It's not likely that the Death Eaters would have them and not announce it in some way. Their shop only has a sign on it stating that they're closed for a family wedding. There's no evidence that anyone has been in there since before the wedding yesterday. We think that if the Death Eaters had them, that they wouldn't waste any time making it known by wrecking the shop. Like they did with Olivander when he was taken," Lupin explained.

"Olivander was taken?" Ginny asked.

"Yes he was, by Death Eaters. They weren't quiet about it either. His shop is a wreck," Lupin answered. Bill sat quietly next to him staring at the fire in the kitchen hearth, his voice void of expression.

"So no one has heard from them?" Hermione asked, concern etched in her voice.

"No, not yet, and Mum and Dad are getting worried," Bill confirmed.

"We were rather hoping to find them with you," Remus remarked looking at Harry again.

"No, only Ginny has joined us," Harry said looking at the paper on the table.

"What would they want with Olivander?" Ginny asked the group at large.

"It's my wand I reckon. Voldemort's was destroyed when his came into contact with mine. I think he'd want more information about that. What happened? What could he do to stop it from happening again and all that,"

"Harry, we've been over this," Remus began patiently, but Bill interrupted them.

"So, now that you know what happened after you left the Burrow, what happened to you. Did you come straight here? How did you know that there wasn't someone already here?"

"We didn't," Harry answered him looking at Hermione.

"When we left the wedding we Apparated to London, Tottenham Court Road specifically. That's where we found out that Ginny had joined us," Hermione went on.

"How did you wind up here then?" Bill asked.

"We ducked into a pub and were attacked by Death Eaters," Ron said.

"WHAT?" Remus and Bill shouted together as one. Their faces matched the surprised and shocked tone of their voices.

Harry explained everything in more detail. He started with them Apparating to the middle of the busy muggle street, and ended with them going into the little cafe to decide what to do now that they were on their own and that Ginny had joined them.

Ginny listened carefully to Harry's explanation of things. He never once placed any blame on her or anyone else for anything that had happened. He simply laid out the events as they happened and only gave the facts.

"We even thought that maybe the trace could still be on me, or that maybe Ginny used magic. She says she didn't though," Harry finished.

"There's no way the trace could still be on you, Harry. It broke the moment you turned seventeen. That's wizarding law and they Ministry hadn't fallen by then. Even if it had, that's one law, one charm rather, that they would have a very hard time breaking," Bill said confidently. He turned his attention to Ginny.

"I didn't use any magic," she said defiantly, her chin coming up and a fiery gleam in her eye.

"Are you sure? That's the only way the Death Eaters could track you. You still have the trace," Bill was skeptical.

"No, I didn't even touch my wand until we were changing clothes in that alley and then I put it away again. I've not touched it since. This lot was very clear about that," Ginny scowled.

"They have every right to be, Ginny. Their lives depend on this every bit as much as yours does," Remus explained gently.

"I have not used any magic since yesterday. I am absolutely positive of that." Ginny stated plainly.

"This is not good," Bill said, deep in thought, "If what you're saying is true, it means that they might have some way to track you that we've not thought of."

"Were there any Death Eaters out there when you got here?" Hermione asked reasonably.

"Not that we saw. However if they are using a Disillusionment charm we wouldn't see them anyway, which is why we chose to apparate very carefully right to the top step. That way if they are watching this place they wouldn't be able to see us,"

"Why would they be watching here?" Harry asked.

"Harry, right now the Death Eaters want you very badly. They are looking for you everywhere. Any place that has any connection with you at all is being watched," Remus informed him.

"Still, that doesn't explain how they knew to find us in that cafe, does it?" Ron asked.

"No, it doesn't. And that is going to be something important to figure out too. If they're tracking you, Harry, then no where will be safe for you," Bill frowned thoughtfully.

"What about Ginny?" Harry asked.

"What about her?" Ron said looking carefully at his friend.

"Look, we all know that I don't think Ginny should be going. I'm not sorry about that. There's been too much death and stuff already. But if she is going to be with us, it would be really useful if she could use magic without calling the Death Eaters to us. Is there any way that the trace could be broken?"

Ginny felt the twinge at hearing Harry's rejection of her again. She was just about to make a retort to his comment when the reality of what he was asking struck her. Break the trace? It was a great idea but could it be done? She looked at her eldest brother hopefully.

"Break the trace? Harry, do you have any idea how many witches and wizards have tried?" Bill asked.

"But how many of those witches and wizards were adults? Grown up and out of school and not just a few blokes trying to break the rules?" Ron asked smiling at Harry's idea.

"It would be rather helpful," Hermione admitted thoughtfully.

"Helpful?" Ginny was incredulous, "It would be bloody brilliant!"

"I don't think it can be done," Remus said, "I know that James and Sirius gave it a go when we were at school, they didn't get very far..."

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"As I said they didn't get very far. They tried a few counter curses, aging potions, stuff like that. I know that when Dumbledore found out that he seemed to think it was humorous,"

"Humorous?" Harry asked.

Remus went into more detail about the story, "We were huddled in a quiet girl's bathroom, I think it was in our forth year. No one ever went in there because it was haunted you see..."

"Moaning Myrtle!" Harry and Ron exclaimed together excitedly, "We know that bathroom!"

"I'm not sure I want to know how my brother knows about a haunted girls loo," Bill smiled.

"...Anyway," Remus went on, "We'd been meeting there off and on for about a month when Dumbledore suddenly showed up. He didn't seem at all surprised to find us there, he just merely asked what it was that we were doing in the girls lavatory,"

"Did you tell him?" Ginny wanted to know.

"I didn't say anything to him, I was too intimidated. James and Sirius had no such reservations however. They not only told him, they showed him everything that they had done so far. It was something to watch. Professor Dumbledore didn't reprimand them or rebuke them. On the contrary, he seemed quite interested in what they were doing and in the progress that they had made. He had this smile on his face and a gleam in his eye, like he was proud of their efforts but knew that they would do little good, it was like he was sharing in the fun without encouraging them..."

"I've had that look directed at me a time or two," Harry remembered.

"For doing things that you shouldn't have been in the first place," Hermione commented severely.

"You know, I've often wondered about that," Ron said thoughtfully.

"Wondered about what?" Bill wanted to know.

"You would think, with all of the things that we've done and with all of the trouble we've gotten in over the years, that we would have been expelled a long time ago..."

"You mean it isn't obvious?" Hermione asked.

"What?" Harry interjected, his thoughts wandering down a similar path to Ron's.

"I think he was testing you, Harry. Testing you merit, testing your ingenuity and your skills. He above anyone else would have known what you would face eventually. Don't you think that Professor Dumbledore wouldn't have wanted to give you every opportunity to prepare for it?"

"You may be on to something, Hermione. It would certainly explain a lot of the free reign that you three had while in school," Remus added.

"So, where does that leave things now?" Bill asked Harry directly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're here, you have Ginny with you which is something you didn't plan for, what are you going to do now?"

"I think, at least for the next few days anyway, that maybe we should stay here and plan," Harry said looking at his two best friends who were both slowly nodding.

"I think that may be a good idea," Remus agreed, "May I suggest something?"

"What's that?" Harry asked him.

"While you're planning out what your next move will be, and I do agree that you should do that, however, speaking as your former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I also think that you should spend some time learning and perfecting new offensive and defensive spells. There is much you already know, but there is even more that you don't. You can be sure that the Death Eaters will be planning and they will be doing everything they can to find you as well. It wouldn't hurt to add to what you know so that when you meet them, as surely you will, that you will be as prepared for that meeting as you can be. If I can be of any help...?" Remus advised.

"Can you help me do magic non-verbally?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Or send a Patronus that can speak?" Hermione added.

"Or find a way to break the Trace?" Ginny asked, at this everyone else nodded.

"Ron?" Remus asked, "Do you have anything that you would like to add?"

"How to find food when you're on the run, I'm hungry!"

Everyone started laughing at this.

When the group retired to the living room to learn and practice new magic, Ginny remained in the kitchen. It was on the pretense of finding something to eat for everyone. Really it was because she wanted time to think.

She had felt betrayed by Harry and his actions when Bill and Remus had shown up, almost abandoned. It was a feeling she didn't like. Now she started really thinking about that and those thoughts she was having before her brother and old D.A.D.A. teacher showed up. She was thinking about her and Harry.

Harry didn't want her around for this little foray that they were going on. Ginny was sure that at least some part of it had to do with Harry being overprotective of her, just like he was with everyone else. Except there was last night and those dreams.

She had been only lying there with her eyes shut when Harry had first started talking in his sleep. At first it had startled her when he started speaking aloud. Then Ginny had realized that he was asleep and dreaming. After that came the horror of discovering what it was he was dreaming about.

The way he had cried in his sleep at the loss of Cedric. Then again at the loss of Sirius and his family. Ginny's heart had melted at seeing and hearing this. She had propped herself up on one arm when he really broke down. At that point Ginny did the only thing she could think of to do, she pulled him into her arms to comfort him. She'd held him tight as he let go of some of his pain.

When he woke up he was startled enough to pull away and look around at her. Then he had quickly let her take him back into her arms again. For Ginny those few moments were a mixture of horror, sorrow, shared grief, and even, she admitted guiltily, a little joy at being able to hold him again.

While Harry had never come right out and told Ginny that he loved her, she thought that he probably did. He either didn't fully realize it, or didn't want to admit it. Could that be why he was so reluctant to have her come with them? Was that why he was so deathly afraid of something happening to her? Ginny reckoned that it might at least be a little food for thought. Ginny finished putting together the meager dinner that she was working on of moldy bread, and old cheese. She then joined the group in the drawing room.

That afternoon Remus and Bill only stayed for an extra couple of hours as they taught the group more about offensive and defensive magic and how to use it. The first thing that they worked on was how to send a Patronus with a message. Harry, who was easily the best of the students at casting the Patronus, was also the first to cast one that held a message.

"The wand movement is a little different with this one," Remus had said.

"How so?" Hermione asked anxiously. She had never liked coming in second in anything, even with things such as this.

"It's more of a flick of the wand in the direction you want the Patronus to go in. Then with that flick of the wand you have to both have your happy memory firmly in your mind along with your message. The incantation is Verbosa Patronum," Remus advised.

They repeated the incantation a few times. Then they began practicing. At first it was just to cast the Patronus itself. Once they started mastering that, Ginny volunteered to go upstairs and be the recipient of the message. She would wait for it in the loo.

Soon enough there was a Patronus, a stag, that flashed through the door of the bathroom and filled the room with its bright blue light. Then Harry's voice emanated from the ethereal form saying; "Hi Ginny, this is really...weird..." before it dissolved away into nothing.

Hermione's otter Patronus appeared soon afterwards. It zipped around the tiny little room, bouncing around like it couldn't hold still. Her voice came from it saying, "Hello Ginny, thank you for helping us..." before it too disappeared.

Ginny's eyes had gotten used to the gloom of the room again before Ron's Jack Russell Terrier appeared. It walked through the door of the bathroom and sat down like it was expecting a treat. It looked at Ginny before Ron's voice said to her, "Er...thanks for helping, you can come downstairs now..." and it was gone.

Ginny blinked her eyes until she could see again and then she got up and left the loo to go back downstairs. When she got there the group was seated on the furniture and Harry had summoned a couple of chairs from the kitchen so everyone could have a place to sit. They were currently in a discussion about the magic that they had just learned.

"How far can you send a message?" Ron was asking when Ginny walked into the room.

"There's not really any set limitation that I know of. I would imagine as far as you might be able to apparate, give or take," Remus speculated.

"And you have to be careful of the messages you send. A Patronus won't give more than just a few sentences at a time. That's why it's used more for sending a message ahead to a group you're going to meet, or maybe to summon help or as Dad used his to warn people away," Bill added.

"The good news is the place where the Patronus came from cannot be tracked. You could send a message and never have it be traced back here. The bad news is you have no idea who might be on the other end to hear the message your sending. Like any other piece of magic, there are good points and bad points about it," Remus finished.

"If I were you lot though, I'd be particularly careful in sending messages to anyone except each other unless the circumstances are extreme," Bill Advised.

"Why is that?" Ginny was curious at her brother's warning and the tone he used to give it.

"Because we're being watched. If a Death Eater is in the house and a message from one of you suddenly comes that could really pose a problem. Someone could end up getting hurt."

On hearing this everyone in the group nodded. Ginny got up and got the bread and cheese she'd put together as a meal for everyone. She wanted to take a minute to think things through. To absorb everything that she'd heard since her brother had come today.

Things were really happening. The Death Eaters were quickly taking control of everything. It sounded just as bad, if not worse, than the stories she and Ron had been told growing up of when You-Know-Who was in power before. Before Harry, at one year of age, had taken away his power because of the love his mother had had for him.

That too was something the really resonated with Ginny. That selfless act of love that had cost his mother her life and had given Harry his. Now the hopes of everyone were pinned to this one man, and this according to that prophecy which she and Luna and Neville had helped steal from the Department of Mysteries. Too bad that they couldn't be here too. Except that Ginny knew that it would never happen. Everyone's reaction to her being with them was proof enough of that.

Ginny brought the simple meal in for everyone and served it to them. That was when Lupin showed them another useful bit of magic. While you couldn't conjure food out of nowhere, you could use magic to create more food out of what was already there. Hermione had commented that this had something to do with Gamp's laws of Magic. Ginny didn't care about that. What she did care about, along with everyone else in the room, especially Ron, was that instead of just a small chunk of break and bit of cheese, with a wave of his wand and a simple incantation to go with it, suddenly their plates were full.

As Lupin and Bill got up to leave, they promised that they would come back as soon as they could. They also promised that when they did return, they would bring more news and more food. Ginny reminded them about trying to find a way to help them break the trace on them, and they agreed. However their hearts didn't seem to be into it.