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

Chapter 8

The next morning everyone woke up early and with a purpose. Again it was Ginny who prepared a light breakfast for everyone. This time it consisted of some poached eggs on toast. Hermione set out first learning then perfecting the Disillusionment Charm while Harry and Ron talked about various spells that might come in useful. They even discussed how best to go about trying to practice non-verbal magic.

It took Hermione only an hour to get the basics of the Disillusionment Spell down. Once she did and felt like she was adept at performing the charm competently, she began the process of teaching it to Ron and Harry.

With their minds and hearts dedicated to the task at hand, not to mention a grim determination to learn it quickly; the two boys only took a short time to learn the spell and not much longer to become as proficient in its use as Hermione was.

They were practicing the charm on each other when Ginny entered the room looking much happier than she did the day before. When Harry looked up at her, she smiled sweetly at him and then announced to everyone; "Breakfast is ready,"

Trouping into the kitchen, they all sat down at the table. This time it was Harry who waved his wand and everyone, after a couple tries, had a breakfast plate with food on it in front of them. It was piping hot and smelled delicious.

"Not bad, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed as she kissed him on the cheek.

Harry's cheeks went red but he smiled back at her, "Err...Thanks!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head at the two of them. Ron was looking studiously at his plate, ignoring his sister and best mate.

"It looked like you lot have the Disillusionment Charm down pretty well," Ginny commented as she took a bite of egg.

Hermione nodded, "We're getting there. I think we could do with a bit more practice though. Maybe after breakfast..."

"...After breakfast we need to make another trip back to Hogsmeade," Harry interrupted her.

Ron's eyes opened wide in surprise, "So soon? What about what happened yesterday?"

"What about it?" Harry pressed him.

"Harry, don't you think its just the tiniest bit mental to go tromping off to Hogsmeade so soon after we were nearly caught?" Ron was looking at Harry as if he thought he might be a bit mad. The expressions on the faces of Hermione and Ginny mirrored Ron's.

"Really Harry, are you mental?" Ginny was outraged. She looked like she was building up to something fast.

"No, it's just something we need to do. I understand that you don't want to do it, neither do I. Look, I'll go alone if I have to but still, it has to be done. Otherwise we won't know what's waiting for us..."

"...When we get there," Hermione finished looking resigned and unhappy about it.

"You're not going alone!" Ginny said furiously, her eyes blazing.

"I'll go with him," Hermione told her. At hearing this Ron's head turned towards her so fast he got a crick in his neck.

"What? Ouch!" Ron rubbed his neck looking at Hermione.

"Don't you think I can take care of myself Ronald? Is that it?" Hermione's voice was testy.

"Now let's not start this again! I know you can take care of yourself. You've proven that and I get it. I just don't like the thought of you being in danger is all," Ron looked at Hermione pleadingly.

"Ginny," Harry began ignoring his other two friends, "I think you need to understand something. Sometimes there are going to be things that need done that are going to be dangerous. Sometimes those dangerous things might be something that one of us has to do alone. There's no getting around it,"

"I know that," Ginny was looking less and less happy as the conversation progressed, "I just don't know why you have to go off and do these dangerous things now. Couldn't you wait a day or two?"

"Maybe we could but that would only be putting it off," Harry said as he finished his breakfast.

Looking forlorn, Ginny took Harry's plate with her own over to the sink. Harry watched at her as she worked at cleaning them, her head bent low over the task. Seeing her like this, Harry understood that she was scared that something was going to happen. Maybe it would, there was no real way to tell. He understood why she was upset, there just wasn't much to be done for it. Except maybe waiting a little to give her a chance to get used to the idea.

Getting up from where he sat, Harry sighed as he walked over and said quietly to her, "Maybe it could wait a day or two after all,"

Ginny's eyes were a little swollen when she looked back up at him. She gave him a tentative smile. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome," he smiled back at her.

"So," Ron asked as he looked at Harry and his sister, "Are we going to wait then?"

Harry nodded. It was not without reservation that he'd made the decision he did. He lay his hand on Ginny's shoulder for a second. Then something else he had mentioned the night before came to mind. Thinking about this he left the room.

On his way out he picked up a book that Remus had sent about breaking charms and curses: The Curse-Breaker's Companion; One Hundred and One ways to break reluctant charms and curses. by Agnes Fracture. Taking the book into the drawing room, Harry sat down on the overstuffed chair and began to flip through it absently. He let his mind wander over the conversation he'd just had with Ginny.

There wasn't a lot that he could do about the task that lay ahead of them. They had to find the Horcruxes and they had to have a way to destroy them. There was just no way around it. He knew that she wanted to help and honestly having another able person who could use magic would be most helpful indeed.

His thoughts turned to the book in his hand. There must be a way to break the Trace that was on Ginny. If he only knew how that trace was put on a person, then maybe they could find a way to disable it. Was there such a thing? Harry felt certain there had to be, otherwise how could it be made to break at seventeen?

Ron and Hermione entered the room and Ginny followed just a few moments later. Taking a seat next to each other on the couch, Hermione was watching Harry closely. It was clear that he wasn't actually reading the book, only staring blankly at the pages, seemingly very deep in thought.

Ginny, who had been watching Harry since she entered the room, looked at Hermione and raised her eyebrows inquisitively. Hermione could only look back at her and shake her head.

Since her brother and best friend were on the couch, Ginny squeezed into the chair with Harry who absently put his arm around her.

"Harry?" Hermione asked,

"Hmm?" Harry's eyes never left his book.

"What is it Harry?" Ginny asked him.

His eyes came up and looked around the room. He seemed surprised to see his friends gathered there with him. It was otherwise quiet as everyone was looking at each other expectantly. With the morning sun streaming through the curtains, chinks of light fell upon the carpet like beams from a flashlight.

"Nothing really, just thinking..." Harry answered absently as his fingers toyed with the pages.

"That doesn't appear to be 'nothing' to me," Hermione prodded him, "What are you thinking about?"

Closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, Harry looked at Ginny as he answered; "Trying to find a way to break the Trace. I figured if we're going to be sticking around here for a couple of days, we might as well be productive about it,"

Ginny's eyes lit up at hearing this, "Do you have any ideas?"

"Not a single one," He admitted grudgingly.

It didn't seem as if Ginny was entirely able to keep the look of disappointment from her face. Harry couldn't blame her. It had to be hard to be the only one of the group who was capable of using magic but couldn't for fear of giving away their location to the Death Eaters.

"I think it would be important," Hermione said thoughtfully, "If we start by what we know about the Trace. Maybe by determining what we do know, it can point us in the right direction when it comes to breaking it."

"Well, we know that Harry was tried before the Wizengamot just before fifth year when he used his Patronus against those Dementors," Ron began.

"I remember that," Ginny said, "But we use magic all the time at home and never get so much as a notice from the Ministry,"

"I wonder why that is," Hermione was looking at them speculatively, "You know, people are using magic all the time at school or on the Hogwarts Express too..."

"Don't forget Dobby," Harry added.

"Who?" Ginny's face was curious at the mention of this name.

"Dobby," Harry told her again, "He was Malfoy's House Elf. He was the one who tried to stop Ron and me from getting to school in second year. The first time I saw him, he used a Hover Charm to float a dessert in my house on Privet Drive. He dropped the dessert on a guest of my Uncle's and I got blamed for it."

"You did?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, I got an official notice from the Ministry and everything. Although..." Harry said turning to Ron, "I wonder how come nothing was said when you and your brothers flew your Dad's car to come and get me..."

"I don't know, and nothing was ever said when we came to get you for the Quidditch finals either. We used loads of magic then," Ron answered.

"I suspect its because the Ministry knew that there was at least a possibility of Magic being used at that time. Wasn't your Aunt and Uncle's place connected to the Floo Network so you could get to the Burrow?" Hermione asked.

"It was," Harry nodded, "And I never heard anything when the Order came to collect me before fifth year. Though that may be because I was already in so much trouble already, that the Ministry didn't think another charge would amount to much,"

"What about when you blew up your Aunt?" Ginny giggled.

"The Ministry overlooked that, on account of Sirius' break out of Azkaban. They certainly knew about it though," Harry replied thoughtfully.

"Hermione..." Ron looked like he was thinking hard, "On the train to school in first year, didn't you say that you had tried some spells that had worked for you?"

Harry and Hermione were staring at Ron looking amazed. Ron's face turned red to the tip of his long nose, but he pressed his point; "Well, didn't you?"

"T-that's true, you remember that?" Hermione looked impressed. Harry turned his head to one side, hiding his grin.

Ron nodded, turning an even darker shade of crimson. Ginny looked at Harry and they shared a knowing smile. He tightened his arm around her briefly for a moment before going on, "Did you ever hear anything about it from the Ministry?"

With a brief shake of her head, a dazed and confused looking Hermione turned back towards Harry, "No, I didn't."

"Harry, remember when we were learning how to ride brooms in first year? Didn't Malfoy say that he'd been doing it for a long time? I don't think he would've been allowed to fly around if he was going to get a notice from the Ministry for doing it," Ron added.

Harry smiled at the memory, especially the part where Madam Hooch had told Malfoy that he'd been riding his broom wrong for years.

"Didn't you once set a Boa Constrictor on your cousin?" Ginny asked looking at Harry.

"I did, about the same time I got my Hogwarts letter too..."

"And you didn't hear anything about using magic underage then, did you?" Ginny pressed.

"No,"

"But he wouldn't have," Hermione said, "He was in a house of Muggles. No one there would have known anything about the decree for not using magic while being under age, let alone about the Ministry of Magic or even the Wizarding World,"

"So what does that mean?" Ron asked looking a little confused.

"I don't know," Admitted Hermione reluctantly. It was obvious that she didn't like not knowing anything about the Trace. Harry privately thought that the fact that there were things out there that Hermione didn't know about was probably very good for her.

"Well, we know that underage witches and wizards don't have the trace on them yet," Harry stated confidently.

"That we know of," Hermione said, "We can't be sure of that,"

"I don't think that the Trace is as accurate as the Ministry would have us believe," Ginny turned towards Hermione, "Otherwise they would have known that it was that Dobby elf that used magic, not Harry,"

"Ginny's right," Ron agreed, "I don't think they even have it for younger wizards,"

"Which suggests that the Trace is placed after a witch or wizard begins attending school..." Hermione speculated.

"Could it be at school where they put the Trace on us?" Ginny asked.

"It's possible and it would explain a lot," acknowledged Hermione reluctantly.

"So, lets work on that assumption for a moment," Harry sat forward, "If that's the case, then who would've put the trace on us? Our Head of House? Or perhaps the school Headmaster?"

"But when would they do it?" asked Ron looking skeptical.

"At the feast that first night," Hermione said, "Professor Dumbledore stands up before the entire school. Everyone is gathered there in the Great Hall already. It would be easy to cast the charm then and no one would be the wiser,"

"Okay, so let's say that it was Dumbledore who put the trace on us. What kind of charm is it? How would we go about breaking it?" Ron asked incredulously.

Harry looked down at the book he was holding and a thought struck him. What if... "Hang on," Harry exclaimed, "What if that's what Lupin was trying to tell us when he sent us these? What if he's trying to point us in the right direction?"

"He certainly would have been in a position to know. He even mentioned that Dumbledore was interested in the steps that your dad and Sirius were taking to try and break the trace too!" Hermione added excitedly.

"Could these be their old notes?" Ron's excitement matched Harry and Hermione's.

Looking over at Ginny, Harry could see the hope in her eyes. He knew that this was something that she desperately wanted. His own hope was that they could figure this out for her.

"Wouldn't it be a great present if you could use magic without having to worry about the trace before your birthday, Ginny?" Ron was asking her.

"Bloody Hell, Yes!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly.

It was with a vigor unlike any they had had before while at school when they all went to the stacks of books Lupin had sent them and each took volume or two and set about studying it carefully. For many hours that day, they spent it quietly together searching and researching every book they had for some scrap of information that they could use. The book stacks in the sitting room was growing more and more as each hour passed.

Hermione got out her beaded bag and pulled out more parchment and her quill. She studiously made notes from what she read and also from what everyone else was learning. When they broke for lunch, she had several inches written out in her neat, hurried script.

Lunch that day was simply cold tinned tomatoes on toast. While certainly meager fare, no one wanted to break any more than they had to from the studying that they were doing.

It was Hermione herself who had come across the most notes they had found thus far in the research regarding the Trace. It was from a note Remus had tucked in a book called: Protecting Our Young- Fail Safe Charms and Spells for the Safety of Young Witches and Wizards; by Hercule Shield.

"What's this?" Hermione asked as she held up the note.

"What's what?" Ron asked around a mouthful of food.

"Hermione?" Harry was looking at her as she read the note. Her face was turning red, "What is it?"

"Never mind. It would never work. No one would ever go for it," She hastily tried tucking the note in her pocket. Harry however was too fast for her.

He whipped out his wand, pointed it at Hermione, and exclaimed, "Accio note!"

The parchment in question tore out of Hermione's grip and flew through the air into Harry's hand. Hermione, after a moment's look of irritation, settled down with the book grinning smugly. Harry read the note with Ginny looking over his shoulder. Almost as one they both turned bright red.

"Y-yeah, b-better to leave t-that alone f-for now!" Harry said shoving the note in his pocket. He was avoiding eye contact with Ginny as he did it.

He immediately started looking at the book he held, but his eyes weren't reading the page. Ginny, whose face was still crimson, watched Harry with a strange look on her face. Ron looked more bewildered than ever.

"What is it?" He asked, "What am I missing?"

"Nothing!" Ginny told him.

Hermione started shaking now with repressed laughter. Harry, turning more and more crimson by the moment, got up and left the room. As soon as he did, Hermione burst out laughing.

"Would somebody tell me what is so bloody funny!"

"Remus found a way to break that Trace,"

"Hermione, don't!" Ginny warned looking fearfully at Ron.

"It serves Harry right, he shouldn't have taken the note like that!" Hermione giggled.

"Hermione..." Harry called from the next room, warning in his tone.

"What is it?" Ron demanded, "Ginny?" "Oh no! You're not getting this one out of me! I'd rather face Mum than discus this idea with you, thank you very much!"

"Face Mum about what? What could be so bad?" But Ginny had left the room. Now it was Hermione and Ron who were alone together in the drawing room.

It was only a few minutes later when the explosion came. Harry and Ginny were sitting in the kitchen waiting for it. Neither one was looking at the other. Harry was looking into the fire place. He had sweat on his brow and kept fidgeting with his fingers on his wand. Occasionally it would emit red sparks or sometimes smoke would waft up from the end of it.

Ginny was watching the door. Her hand too was near her wand and she was studiously ignoring Harry. Or was trying to. Every now and again she'd glance over at him and see him fidget.

"WHAT?!" Ron roared from the next room.

"Calm down, Ron!" Hermione was trying to placate him, "Remus only said it was an idea that would work! Besides, we don't know anyone that could do it anyway!"

Angry footsteps could be heard coming towards the kitchen. Both Harry and Ginny tensed up at the row they knew was coming fast. They glanced at each other knowingly.

"Over my dead body! Getting married! Mum would have kittens if she knew about this!" He burst into the room then. Ron's eyes found Harry immediately. "YOU!"

Ron looked like he was ready to charge at Harry like an enraged Hippogriff.

"Hang on!" Harry jumped to his feet, his back to the kitchen hearth.

"If you think for one minute I'm letting you..." "What are you getting mad at me for? It wasn't my idea!" Harry exclaimed as he took a nervous step back.

Ginny however was not to be intimidated by her brother. She stood up and looked him dead in the eye. The hostile expression on her face brought Ron up short and fast. He stared coldly at his sister and she just as coldly stared back.

"I don't know what business it is of yours, Dear Brother, if Harry and I get married or not. Its not as if it would be you who would be the one to go through with it!" Ginny told him.

"But...but...you're too young!" Ron shouted at her.

"I'm only just about to turn sixteen. If I got married to Harry and it broke the trace, where's the harm? It's my decision, isn't it? It's not like its something that would never have happened otherwise..." Ginny glanced at Harry as she said this. Harry's eyes popped open wide when he realized what it was that Ginny was saying.

Hermione was cautiously watching the two siblings. Harry, as red as he was, took a tentative step forward. "Do you mean it? You'd...you know...err...m-marry me? Like a real wedding and everything?"

"I've spent time thinking what it would be like, yes," Ginny's face was turning red again. "Don't you think about it? What it might be like?"

Before Harry could answer however, Ron seemed to calm down a little and sat down. "It's not like it's going to happen though, is it?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked him, looking defensive.

"Who is there that could do it? Mum and Dad would have to give their blessing, which they wouldn't. Not now, not while you're under age. Then there's the fact that we don't have anyone around who could perform the ceremony and the binding spells that go with it. We're just going to have to find another way to break the Trace," Ron explained.

Ginny looked at her brother for a minute. She looked like a balloon that had suddenly had the air let out of it. Harry too looked a little deflated at what Ron was saying. He was right of course. They were too young and who was there that could perform the wedding ceremony? But the thought of it, getting married to Ginny, had some appeal.

It kind of felt a little like a small, tiny, brilliant spark of light at the end of a very long, dark, dangerous tunnel. For a moment he let his mind wander over what it would be like. He could kind of imagine it even. Him an Auror; Ginny doing something that appealed to her, maybe playing Quidditch or working in the Ministry of Magic. He could even imagine their children. One of them might even have his mother's eyes. Another might have his untidy hair...

"Harry?" It was Ginny. She was looking at him tenderly. Her face was expectant. Harry realized that she still wanted an answer to her question.

Chancing a nervous glance at Ron, Harry returned her gaze with one of his own; "I was kind of thinking about it...you know...what it would be like..."

Ron started to stand up, but Hermione's hand on his shoulder held him down. "Stop it, Ron," She chided him, "You're behaving like an immature troll. Harry's allowed to have his thoughts and dreams and Ginny is too. You can allow them that much,"

"Fine, if anyone wants me, I'll be upstairs," Ron huffed as he stood up again, turned around and left the room. Hermione smiled apologetically at the couple and followed Ron out of the room. She discretely made sure the door was shut behind her.

A few hours later, Ginny and Hermione were going about the task of making the evening meal. Harry and Ron were sitting together in the sitting room. Neither was talking for the moment, seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

Harry's mind drifted over the wonderfully enlightening conversation he and Ginny had enjoyed over the course of the afternoon. Ron's face was as intense as the thoughts he was having. Every so often he would glance at his mate and then look away again. Finally he sighed loudly and said,

"I guess it wouldn't be so bad,"

"What's that?" Harry asked though he thought he knew. He looked up at Ron and found Ron's eyes looking back at him.

"You and Ginny...you know...getting married. It's not as if she'd never thought of it. Mum and Dad already love you. Well, who wouldn't?"

Harry didn't know what to say. His mouth hung open in surprise. He quickly closed it and then asked his best mate and oldest friend, "You'd really be...alright with it?"

Ron's ears turned a little red, but he answered; "I'm not saying I think you should get married now, but after all this is over? Yeah, I think I'd be alright with it. I just didn't expect the idea to suddenly drop in my lap today..."

He could only nod. Harry understood all too well what Ron was talking about. The idea had been dropped on him rather suddenly too. He should have just let Hermione keep the note. At that moment, Harry resolved that next time something like that happened, he would just leave well enough alone. It wasn't worth the aggravation of having the entire house in an uproar over something like that. Things were hard enough already. They didn't need anything to make it worse.

Dinner was ready not long after this conversation. Harry and Ron got up and went in to set the table. The two girls had prepared a rich French Onion soup and served it in tureens with slices of sharp Cheddar cheese and thin wedges of fresh apples. It smelled absolutely delicious.

Just as they were tucking in, there came a very loud "POP!" from the direction of the door. Before anyone else could do more than blink, Harry was on his feet with his wand in his hand. He had look of grim determination about him as he left the kitchen and went into the hall that led downstairs to the entry way.

Ron followed him just moments later tailed by Hermione and Ginny. Their faces were mixtures of curiosity, fear, and concern. When they caught Harry up at the base of the stairs, he was already ducking out of sight of the door. His wand pointed towards it and his hand was steady.

Slowly the door opened and in stumbled Mrs. Weasley followed by Mr. Weasley and Remus Lupin. Mrs. Weasley managed to choke out a half scream as the Dust-Dumbledore formed out of thin air, raising its long, bony finger and crying out in Mad-Eye's voice; "SEVERUS SNAPE?"

"It was not we who killed you, Albus," Remus said quietly.

There was something about the look of all of them that brought Harry up short. Something wasn't right. In fact, by looking at the three of them, standing there recovering from the tongue tie jinx, it was clear that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

For once, the portrait of Walburga Black didn't fly open and cast epithets at Grimmauld Place's newest guests and Harry was intensely grateful. Still, he knew that it would be unwise to take any risks.

"Stay where you are! Identify yourselves!"

Remus looked at Harry and nodded at him, "I am Remus John Lupin. I was your father's friend and your teacher at Hogwarts. Your mother, Lily, was one of the kindest people I've ever known. It was I and Bill Weasley who were here two nights ago, and when I was here we talked about what had happened when you left the wedding party. You told me about how Ginny came to be with you and how you were nearly caught by two Death Eaters whose memories you Obliviated."

"Good enough," Harry said looking at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"I am Molly Weasley. Mother to Ginny and Ronald Weasley. I made you sausages on your first morning in the Burrow the night my son's Fred, George, and Ron went to rescue you from your Aunt and Uncle's home in Little Winging. Later that morning you helped them de-gnome the garden," Mrs. Weasley's voice sounded wrong. It was trembling. The hair on the back of Harry's neck started to stand up when he heard it, a feeling of dread filled his stomach.

"And you?" Harry said turning to Mr. Weasley.

"I am Arthur Weasley. It was you who tipped me off to Dark Magic artifacts that Lucius Malfoy was keeping hidden in his home. I also followed up on another tip you gave me regarding Draco Malfoy. You were the one who caused me to be rescued after seeing You-Know-Who's snake attack me in the Department of Mysteries. It was also me that warned you about Sirius Black and the fact he was looking for you when he escaped from Azkaban,"

Harry lowered his wand, "Sorry, I had to check," he mumbled.

Remus looked long and hard at Harry for a moment. "Yes, you most certainly did." He sighed.

"Mom?" It was Ginny, her voice was fearful.

Harry immediately saw why. Mrs. Weasley was as white as a sheet and was being held on her feet now by Mr. Weasley and Lupin.

"Harry, may we?" Remus asked him nodding towards the stairs and the kitchen.

"Err...Of course," Harry stepped out of the way. He noticed that Ron's face was now a perfect mirror of Ginny's. Both were clouded with worry and more than a little fear.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked quietly.

"There's been a terrible accident," Mr. Weasley informed them. Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. Something had happened, Harry knew it. Something had gone horribly, desperately wrong.

By the time they got into the kitchen, Ginny and Hermione's eyes were watering and Ron's didn't look far behind. Mrs. Weasley was a mess and Mr. Weasley was looking more pale and withdrawn than Harry had ever seen him. Even Remus didn't look much better. He was pale, worn, and looked exhausted.

"What is it, Professor?" Harry asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Harry, do you have any of that Mead we sent you?" Lupin nodded towards Ron and Ginny's parents who were slumped over in their seats. Mrs. Weasley was still sobbing and now Mr. Weasley had slow tears running down his cheeks.

Hermione ran to get the mead and some glasses. Ginny however was close to losing it; "Would somebody please tell me what the Bloody Hell is wrong?" she shrieked.

Harry looked at Hermione who was staring at Ginny and her parents. Remus took a deep breath to answer her, but it was Mr. Weasley who spoke; his voice barely under control.

"It's Charlie and Percy. They're gone; dead. It happened just a few hours ago...at the Ministry..."

"WHAT?" Ron exploded.

Ginny ran forward and into her parents arms. Ron was backing up to the wall shaking his head vigorously. "No, it can't be! How? How did it happen?"

Harry was in shock. He'd always liked Percy least of all of Ron's brothers, but that didn't mean he wished him any harm. Charlie though was very likable and in the short time that Harry had known him, he'd developed something of a fondness for him. He didn't know what to think or how to feel.

"I can only tell you what I know, or what has been told to me," Mr. Weasley went on in answer to Ron's question, "Charlie had gone to the Ministry to try and talk some sense into Percy. As near as we can tell, they were talking rather loudly and got the attention of some Death Eaters that were nearby; probably looking for Muggle-borns or members of the Order. They recognized Charlie right away and a fight broke out. Percy, to his credit, tried to help Charlie. They both ended up getting killed in that fight. No one knows exactly who it was that killed them; the Death Eaters were wearing their masks."

Mr. Weasley finished this last statement with a sob. Mrs. Weasley started sobbing even harder. Ron, unable to take anymore, ran forward and joined his family who accepted him quickly. It was a sad scene in the kitchen that evening.

Remus sat at the table, his untouched Mead before him. His head was bowed his eyes staring into his lap. Hermione had moved to where the Weasley's were, doing her best to comfort them all. Her eyes were as wet as theirs. Her pain, though shared through those she cared about, was just as real.

Feeling like an intruder to a private, family moment, Harry didn't know what to do. He waved his wand and conjured some of the hot soup into bowls and laid it out on the table though he doubted anyone would want to eat it. Not knowing what else to do, Harry started quietly walking past the grieving family to leave the kitchen. He would leave them to their sorrow and grief.

A hand shot out and grabbed his arm, the grip was like a steel trap. Harry looked down and noticed that the hand belonged to Ginny. He stopped and looked down at her as she pulled him into first her own arms, and then into the family's embrace.

"You too, Harry," Mrs. Weasley snuffled almost unintelligibly, "Yes, you should be a part of this. You're family,"

Harry didn't know what to say. He was feeling more and more awkward as Ron's family was clutching onto him and holding him. It was only in that moment that Harry started to recognize that the Weasley's had accepted him as one of their own. He was beginning to understand that in many ways, they always had.

"W-what about Fred and G-George?" Ginny asked suddenly. Harry looked up and saw the fear in her voice mirrored in Ron's eyes.

"They're fine. They're with Bill and Fleur right now. We came here tonight because we felt...well...I'm sure you understand," Remus said.

And Harry did understand. He knew immediately that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would want to see their youngest children. They would want to be the ones to break the news and to be there for them. They would want to grieve together as a family.

Resolve filled Harry in that moment there in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Charlie and Percy's deaths would mean something. It would not be in vain that they died. He would see to it. He would bring down Voldemort and end the need for more moments like this one. He would even do it alone if he had to.

After a time the embrace loosened and Harry was able to stand up. He nodded at Ron and saw Ginny looking at him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley picked up and began to nurse their glasses of Mead.

"I'll go make up some beds for tonight," Hermione said quietly as she left the room. Harry watched her leave, she still had tears in her eyes.

"If you think this changes anything," Ginny said getting his attention and looking directly at Harry, fierce determination in her eyes, "it doesn't,"

"No, it doesn't," Harry whispered back to her with an equally intense gaze of his own, "I didn't expect that it would."

Remus looked up at Harry and Ginny speculatively for a moment. His grey eyes studied them closely. He looked like he was going to say something, then shook his head. It would wait, whatever it was.

Mrs. Weasley took a sip of the mead, swallowed it, then took another, longer one. Everyone else seemed to take this as their cue to do the same. When they had finished, Mr. Weasley took the flagon of mead and poured himself and his wife another glass.

They sat quietly together for a spell, leaning on one another for support. Ginny left her parents embrace to be held by Harry alone. For a long moment, no one seemed to notice. Then Mr. Weasley looked up at them and smiled sadly. Harry got the distinct impression that the Weasley patriarch approved of him being with Ginny. It was oddly reassuring to know this.

Hermione came back into the kitchen now and picked up her glass of mead. She sat down next to Ron and sipped it slowly. When Ron didn't acknowledge her presence immediately, she reached out and put her hand on his arm and Ron put his hand on hers.

"The beds are ready," Hermione said quietly.

"Thank you, Hermione," Remus said, acknowledging her efforts. Then he turned towards Harry, "Thank you too, Harry. This food smells wonderful," Turning towards Ron and Ginny's Mum and Dad; "Molly, Arthur, why don't you try and eat something. It will help you sleep,"

"Oh, Remus," Mrs. Weasley sniffled quietly, "I don't think I could,"

"Come on, Molly, just a few bites. You've hardly eaten anything today, and this Onion Soup smells wonderful." Mr. Weasley coaxed his wife.

She nodded and started to tuck in. Mr. Weasley followed her as did Remus. Harry and Ginny, still holding on to each other, stood their watching them. Ginny lay her head on his shoulder. Harry pulled her in tighter. It felt wrong that this was the only thing he could do. The only comfort he could give. That started his mind thinking along another track; How many more families would be broken like this? How many more had to die?

A strong need to leave overcame Harry. He wanted to be out there, doing something, anything, to bring down Voldemort. The next step in that task, having a way to destroy the Horcruxes when they found them, clearly lay ahead. They only had to go about it.

Hogwarts, that was the key. The Basilisk lay dead in the bottom of the Chamber of Secrets. It's teeth would do for destroying Voldemort's Horcruxes. They just needed to get into the school and get them. Maybe, if the opportunity presented itself, they could look around the school to see if there were any Horcruxes around that they might find. A plan started forming in Harry's mind.

That night, when everyone had eaten and the last of the bottle of Mead had been consumed, everyone went to bed. Harry and Ron continued to share the room they used as did Ginny and Hermione. Hermione had made up a bed for Remus in the bedroom that had belonged to Regulus Black. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were back in the room that they used when the Order of the Phoenix occupied Grimmauld Place back during Harry's fifth year at school.

After they changed into pajamas, Harry and Ron climbed into bed. Sleep was a long time coming for both of them. Neither one of them spoke; each was lost in their own thoughts. Harry reckoned that Ron was probably thinking about and missing his brothers. He knew that the deaths of those two weighed heavily on his own mind.

It was because of this that Harry was lying there in the dark, his hands behind his head, his mind working out the details of the plan that had begun forming earlier. He knew what it was he wanted to do. He knew roughly what it would take to be able to accomplish it. Knowing that a large majority of the people he loved most in the world, loved more than any other and the three that he loved most of all, were all lying together in Grimmauld Place tonight gave Harry the motivation he needed.

While he waited for Ron to finally go to sleep, Harry refined his plan. When at last Ron's snores started coming from his bed, Harry silently got up. Dressing quickly and quietly, it only took Harry a few moments to get himself ready for what it was he was going to do. He made sure he had his wand, his Marauder's Map, and his Invisibility Cloak then as silently as a whisper, he left the room he shared with Ron and went downstairs.

Once at the bottom, he turned towards the door when another idea struck him. He detoured towards the kitchen where the trunk, crates, and boxes that were sent by Bill and Remus were being kept. Harry knew exactly what he was looking for and precisely where to find it.

In the kitchen Harry set his things down on the table and turned towards the trunk. He opened it up and removed some of the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. He had no clue what he would be facing at Hogwarts, but there was no sense in not being as prepared as he could possibly be. Harry stashed the powder he'd taken in one of the pockets of his robes.

Turning back towards the table, Harry was picking up his wand and his Invisibility Cloak when he heard a noise coming from upstairs. Hurriedly he turned and ducked out of the kitchen and down the hall. Silent as a cat, he ran down the hall. When he came to the door, Harry paused only long enough to put on his Invisibility Cloak before opening it and stepping outside. It was at that moment he realized his Marauder's Map was sitting on the table in the kitchen.

Harry was at a loss. He couldn't go back into the house without alerting everyone that he was up to something. However if he didn't have his map, he'd have no way of knowing who might be stalking the halls of the school. He really didn't want to chance an encounter with anyone if he could help it.

With a deep sigh from under the Invisibility Cloak, Harry set off down the street. The Death Eaters, still encamped across the street from Grimmauld Place, seemed none the wiser to his presence. Harry took that as a good omen, however he couldn't shake the feeling that he was really setting himself up for trouble by not having the Marauder's Map.

He also knew beyond any shadow of a doubt, that when he returned to Grimmauld Place that he would have a lot of people mad at him, not to mention a lot of explaining to do. Harry felt it was worth the risk. No one would be expecting him to show up at Hogwarts in the middle of the night. No one would be looking for him to be alone. In fact, Harry felt certain that the Death Eaters would be celebrating the deaths of the two Weasley brothers as much as he was mourning it.

An idea crossed Harry's mind in that moment. He knew it was reckless and stupid, but at the moment that was exactly what he felt like being; reckless and stupid. Under the concealment of the Invisibility Cloak and confident in what it was he was going to do, Harry turned and crossed the street to the same side that the Death Eaters were on.

Stealing up on them like a mouse trying to sneak past a hungry cat, Harry got up very close to them. He pulled out his wand and aimed it at the two men who were lounging on the sidewalk, in a stupor from lack of sleep.

"Imperio" Harry whispered at them. Their faces blanked and the two men stood still. Waving his wand and gesturing down the way, Harry gave both Death Eaters a very strong impression that they had been ordered to follow a muggle to his home in Devon. They set out on foot tracking a muggle that no one else but them could see.

Satisfied with himself for the moment, Harry turned and started walking down the street again. He figured he would have about four hours to get into Hogwarts, get the fangs from the Basilisk skeleton in the Chamber of Secrets, and get back to Grimmauld Place before his absence would be discovered. When he was a few hundred paces down the street, Harry ducked into a side alley and Apparated to Hogsmeade. He felt hopeful that this plan would work. Even though he still couldn't shake the sense of dread that wanted to overwhelm him.