Disclaimer: All of this is based upon the lovely J.K. Rowling's work. I own nothing except Salazar's wife, son, and various other original characters. This story is an AU of sixth year, but it will contain a few spoilers from Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. However, it will still seriously diverge from canon.


"blah": dialogue

'blah': thoughts

"blah" : Parseltongue

"blah": Legilimency/Telepathy

Italics: excerpt from a book /newspaper or any other written form

Bold: a word or phrase that is emphasized

Italics, Underlined, and Bold: location/date of a scene in the story


Chapter Nine: Secrets within the Secret Headquarters

Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place (Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix), The Kitchen: July 29th, 1996

Molly Weasley was not happy. Not happy at all. Resembling a saber-toothed tiger more than she did a woman.

And she roughly swirled the batter in her bowl as she silently fumed. 'The nerve of that man,' she growled to herself angrily, stirring the cake batter harder. 'Telling me that we can't even send Harry birthday gifts, making that poor boy wait, making him believe that we've forgotten. Oh, I think not!' She furiously poured the extremely well-mixed batter into a baking pan and placed it in the oven. The task complete, she all but threw the now empty bowl and the matching spoon into the sink.

Minerva McGonagall, who had just walked in, was rather surprised by the redhead's display of temper. "Molly," she inquired, "what by Circe are you doing?"

"Fixing supper. What does it look like I am doing?" she asked tartly as she flung dishes onto the counter and proceeded to search out ingredients.

The professor's eyes widened in slight shock since she had not entered the kitchen expecting to be sniped at. "It looks like you are more interested in destroying dinner than serving it," she quipped. "Whatever is the matter?"

A cool and somewhat calculating look was her only reply.

"Is it something to do with Arthur?" the Transfiguration teacher asked suspiciously, the possibilities whirling in her mind. She moved further into the kitchen, finally leaving the relative safety of the doorway. When she received no response, Minerva questioned further, "Or is it about the children? Harry," she uttered suddenly. "Did something happen to Harry?" Fear was rising in her belly.

Molly, taking pity on the now extremely worried professor, answered, "No, nothing happened to Harry or to anyone for that matter." She sighed. "It's what he is trying to do to poor Harry that I am so angry about. Imagine," she huffed to both herself and to Minerva, "not sending the boy something for his birthday. By Morgana, he'd probably think that we had forgotten it entirely. Not send him something indeed," she mumbled to herself, turning back around. She flung open a cabinet, reaching for cups. Her brown eyes were blazing.

A minute passed in silence before she spoke again. "'The owls can be traced,' " the Weasley matriarch mimicked fiercely, whirling to face the older woman. "I told him, you know. I told him that we can simply give Harry's gifts to the guards to give to him. I know that Tonks passes letters to him that way," Molly stated. "We won't even have to owl them then – not that Errol could survive the flight as it is," she continued blithely on her little rant, oblivious to Minerva's obvious confusion.

"What are you talking about, Molly?" the older woman demanded in bewilderment, her lips thinning dramatically. She marched right up to the redhead, grabbing her former student by the shoulders.

"Dumbledore!" Molly all but shouted. "He doesn't want us to send Harry anything for his birthday, not even a note." She sniffed sharply and stared into Minerva's cool, grey eyes. "He said that any owls we send might be intercepted or tracked." She threw her hands up into the air spectacularly. "What utter rubbish! We've been owling him all summer with no complications. I don't see why we should stop now! And another thing…" She finally paused for breath before carrying on, "We could just give his gifts to the guards to deliver. I believe that both Tonks and Alastor have shifts that day, either one of them could do it. I'd trust them not to steal or break his things." She grumbled then, mumbling something that suspiciously sounded like "Mundungus Fletcher that good-for-nothing ruffian."

Minerva though for a moment, belatedly releasing her hold on the other woman. Her current expression was one her students would immediately recognize, one that would most likely send many of them fleeing in terror. Her own Gryffindors especially.

"Why would Albus not want us to send anything?" She gazed at her friend intently, not at all liking her expression. "I do not believe for a second that he is being honest in his reasoning. Like you suggested, there are other ways to ensure the presents are received by Harry."

Molly shrugged. "I don't know why, but I most certainly didn't believe him when he offered excuses. He's up to something, I tell you, and I am going to find out what!"

The two lingered in relative silence after Molly's blunt statement. Minerva drifted over to the table and began setting down plates, having to magic several back together along the way. The Weasley matriarch continued cooking, adding several items to the already baking dishes. Finally, after starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, she shifted.

Molly cast her mind in search of a new topic before smiling with mock innocence. "So, what's this I hear about Filius and you in a secret relationship?" she inquired sweetly.

"A secret relationship?" Minerva asked wide-eyed. She forcefully pulled a chair out from the table. "Who told you that?"

Molly smirked. "Poppy, who is ever the hopeless romantic. She thought that you might be--"

"We are most certainly not!" the brunette stated vehemently, interrupting the other woman and flinging herself into the chair.

The redhead actually chuckled then. "Oh, I know that and told her as much. I figured that you must have your eye on someone else." She emphasized the last words. Clearly, she had that someone else in mind.

The professor sniffed severely and gave an uncharacteristic scowl, one odd reminiscent of Severus Snape. "There is no one else," she asserted.

"But what about--" Molly began but was cut off by the other woman.

The Transfiguration professor sent a harsh look at the redhead. "For Merlin's sake, Molly, he used to be one of my students."

"But he's not now," the other retorted, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "And you, both of you, deserve to be happy." She smiled wickedly. "Don't deny that you fancy him. I know that you do. I have seen the way you look at him when you think no one is watching. It's exactly the same way he looks at you."

The Transfiguration teacher gifted her with a stern look, trying to mask her mounting hope, and she cleared her throat rather nervously. "Regardless of whatever you might perceive our feelings to be, we have a strictly professional relationship." She fixed a suspicious glare at Molly. "I don't want any of your meddling. I know how you are. You forget, Miss Prewett, I taught you, too." She lifted her chin and sniffed disdainfully. "I do not want any part in your matchmaking. I saw what you were trying to do with Archimedea Vector and Kingsley Shacklebolt."

Molly actually smirked then, an expression that wouldn't be out of place on the faces of her twins. "I have you know that I did not try to match make Kingsley with her. She's not really his type, if you know what I mean." She winked dramatically, further emphasizing the likeness to her twin sons and Bill, for that matter.

The professor's eyebrow rose significantly. "Really? I didn't know that." The suspicious gleam returned to her eyes. "Still, don't try anything. I really just cannot face this right now," she added with a faint whisper.

Molly eyed her and finally nodded in acquiescence. "Fine." She breathed exasperatedly and rolled her eyes.

"Good," Minerva announced with a note of closure. "So," she asked, leaning toward the redhead slightly, "what's for dinner?"


Grimmauld Place, Second Floor Hallway: The Same Day

He roamed the hallway, pausing to open doors and look inside. 'Where are they?' he wondered as he ran a hand through his vivid red hair and shrugged dejectedly. 'Where is everyone?'

He knew that his mother and McGonagall were in the kitchen, talking about Merlin only knew what. But where was everyone else? Where were his brothers and sister? Where was Lupin? Where were the Aurors and other Order members? Where was Hermione?

He shook his head in exasperation. 'They've all been avoiding me,' he thought dejectedly. 'Maybe they just don't want me around anymore.' Listless blue eyes were filled with sadness.

"Are they mad at me? Did I do something wrong?" he murmured to the empty hallway, pausing to wait for a reply.

But none answered. No one was even there.

After several moments, he breathed heavily and continued his meandering path to various rooms. 'Nothing has been the same since the ministry. Since Sirius…' His thoughts trailed off as they became far too painful.

'Everything has just been so… off lately. Everything just seems wrong.' He considered the idea for a minute. 'But nobody else seems to notice. Or at least, they aren't saying anything about it.' A strange and sudden idea formed in his mind. 'Maybe something is wrong with them. Maybe they're all sick or something.'

A dreadful and horrible thought unexpectedly occurred to him. 'What if nothing's wrong with them?' He paused, the implications sinking in. 'What if something's wrong with me?'


Grimmauld Place, Third Floor Study: The Same Day

"Are you insane, Hermione!?" Ginny questioned loudly. Without a doubt the presence of Silencing spells was the only thing preventing the entire household from hearing her. "Invite Draco Malfoy to join us? What are you thinking? Have you bloody gone mad? This isn't some little adventure."

"No, I have not," Hermione answered hotly, her eyes taking on a particular gleam, the same one that was present when she started talking about SPEW. "I think it would be a grand idea. He seemed different this past year, like he was only spouting off that stuff for show." She sniffed loudly. "I think it was all an act."

"And a damn convincing one," George inserted very smoothly. "He sure had me fooled. Didn't he, brother?" He turned to his twin for confirmation, but the still shocked Fred could only nod in agreement.

Hermione looked around, searching for additional support. Her hopeful gaze landed on Bill, who was already a convert. She had convinced him early on that it might be wise to approach Malfoy and maybe a few of the other Slytherins. That only left Charlie and Remus, for she had yet to hear their opinions. She glanced at her former professor for a moment, but he seemed to be thinking it over. Instead, the Prefect turned to Charlie, who was sitting in a chair to her left.

"What do you think, Charlie?" she inquired with obvious hope.

"Um…er…" was he intelligible reply, and his face showed clear confusion. "I don't really know him enough to judge," he evaded.

Hermione sighed and looked at the others. Ginny looked torn between anger and absolute horror. Bill was doing a blank face, which was his cover for pondering. Fred and George looked like a cross between bemusement and shock. It was the exact same look they had given when one of their pranks had backfired last year and turned Filch into a purple dancing hippogriff.

Even Remus, the ever reasonable one, was eyeing her with trepidation. "Perhaps we should adopt a wait and see policy," he suggested softly, sinking in his seat even more. The most recent full moon and the loss of his last remaining packmate had taken a heavy toll on him, and his eyes were practically drooping as he tried to remain awake. "Just in case," he added slowly.

This statement seemed to instantly appease everybody except Ginny, who merely humphed and sank down in her seat.

Remus breathed an almost unperceivable sigh of relief, and he gave a weak smile. "Any other suggestions for who we should bring in?" At the shrugs and head-shaking, the werewolf continued, "So far the people in this are those in this room, as well as, Harry, Neville, Luna, and Athena." The former professor paused, his hands quivering faintly. "Ginny, has Dean hinted that he might join us?"

Their youngest member was still glowering but mumbled an affirmative. She shot a guarded look at Hermione.

"So he's with us as well then?" Remus questioned gently, receiving a nod. "Any other suggestions?"

"A few," Ginny replied, finally ending her ire. "I think that when we are back at school I might approach a few of my year-mates in Ravenclaw, Charlie Darwin and Greg Mendel. They seem to be pretty trustworthy, and they are the only Ravenclaws in our year that don't harass Luna." She thought for a moment. "Athena said that she might try a few of the Hufflepuffs. Aries, the seventh-year Prefect, is her older brother."

"Wait, who did you say for the Ravenclaws? Was it Darwin and Mendel?" Hermione interrupted, looking at Ginny. "Weren't those the two that Luna wanted to bring to the DA if we start it up again?"

"Yeah. She said that they are actually quite nice and that they stick up for her in the Common Room and everything," Ginny stated, a hint of anger returning to her voice when she addressed Hermione. "Is it alright to talk to them about everything?" she asked. "I figured that they'd be better than some."

"Seems to be fine, especially if Luna will vouch for them," Remus replied tiredly, his head resting on the back of his chair. "Are we still going to approach Tonks and Kingsley?" he asked the group, an odd note of hope in his voice. He received a round of affirmatives as a reply. He hesitated before continuing, "I say we should ask Alastor. Even though he's friends with the headmaster--"

"We agree," Fred and George put in rather unexpectedly. This statement was rather surprising as the twins had had a bit of a pranking war with Moody the summer before.

"He's trustworthy," George stated bluntly.

"And he's dead knowledgeable." Fred added.

"And I think that he--"

"--suspects that--"

"--the Ministry and the rest of the lot are up to something," they finished together.

Remus blinked a few times before continuing his earlier train of thought. "I take it that Moody should be included also."

"Sure."

"That's fine."

"Of course."

"Yes."

"It looks like everyone is in agreement then," Remus concluded. "Now, on to the next order of business." He paused, eyes flicking about, and added, "The headmaster… what have you discovered?"

"Not much," Bill stated flatly. "Hermione and I haven't really had the time; we've been working on the counter to Avada Kedavra." He finished with a shrug, noting everyone's shudder at the mention of the Killing curse.

"Not much for us either," Fred answered, indicating George and himself. "We've had too many experiments going to really have time to spy on Dumbledore." He glanced at his twin. "But we have noticed something. When he was here the other day, he had this odd gleam in his eye… other than the usual twinkle."

"Yeah," Charlie stated, "I noticed that, too. I overheard he and Tonks talking about guard duty, you know, for Harry." His face suddenly hardened. "I think he was asking her to do something with or maybe to Harry." He exhaled sharply. "Dumbledore, it's like he knows something really important that he's not telling us. Something about Harry," the man finished.

"Yes." Hermione nodded in concurrence, bushy hair swishing. "It's like he's holding something back, something really important." She hesitated and glanced at Bill, brown eyes meeting dark blue. "I think that it might have something to do with the prophecy from the Ministry." She tried hard to repress the shiver that always came when thinking about the Department of Mysteries.

Everyone paused, considering what had just been revealed.

Ginny finally spoke up after a second, "That's not all either. I have noticed that he has been pushing us to do stuff lately, things we normally wouldn't do." She looked about the room. "He keeps pushing us in certain directions. It's like he wants us to do certain things, but he won't even give us a reason for it. He keeps guiding us toward a particular path almost like he's trying to control us or at least what we do." She sighed. "It's getting pretty bad, especially when it comes to Harry or the Order or even just the members of our family." She snarled slightly, "He didn't even want us to send Harry birthday presents this year, Maker only knows why." She scowled menacingly.

"That's right," Fred interrupted. "I heard him telling Mum that, something about not wanting owls to be tracked to Harry's house." He rolled his eyes at the thought. "Mum didn't look convinced though; she said that it was rather stupid as the Order is standing right outside his house and can simply hand-deliver the gifts. I think that was what she was planning on doing anyway since the flight would probably finish Errol off."

Almost everyone, even George, seemed completely taken back by what Fred had just said. Ginny, however, looked downright furious. She had taken to defending Harry with a passion that clearly stated she no longer fancied him but now viewed the dark-haired teenager as a Weasley in disguise.

"I know that he is the head of the Order, but he has no right to dictate our actions!" she declared angrily. "We aren't his pawns to be maneuvered about the chessboard. He can't completely control our lives--"

"Oh, Merlin! Do you realize what you just said?" George suddenly uttered, turning to his twin. A silent conversation passed between them in mere seconds, and Fred's eyes widened in sudden understanding.

Ginny, who was not privy to the quiet twin-talk, demanded, "What?" Her eyes were rapidly narrowing in suspicion. For such a pretty and petite girl, she was fast resembling Molly Weasley. A very scary thing indeed.

Everyone else simply sat in relative silence, watching the proceedings like a Muggle tennis match.

"It's just that--" George began somewhat nervously. In his opinion, and his twin agreed with him, Ginny was becoming a bit too much like their mother.

"--I never thought I would say this--" Fred continued in what he thought was a winning tone.

"--especially about him--"

"--but I believe that--"

"--well, as far as Dumbledore goes--"

They finished together, "--Percy was right!"

And their statement was met with complete and total silence.


Grimmauld Place, First Floor Parlor: The Same Day

She had violent, violet hair and a heart-shaped face. And currently, she was giving Alastor Moody dirty looks.

"Come off it, Mad-Eye." She rolled her eyes, one red and the other green. "I don't think that Hermione and Bill are having an affair. Illicit or otherwise."

"I agree," Kingsley Shacklebolt chimed in. "There might be some sparks, but Bill is far too honorable to trying anything while she's still in school." A smirked tugged at his lips, as though he was secretly laughing at something.

"Plus, Molly would kill the both of them since Hermione is quote 'far too young and naïve for her own good.'" Tonks made air quotation marks with her fingers, and she again rolled her eyes. "I think that Molly is the naïve one if she believes that sixteen is too young for a boyfriend."

A gruff mumble was the only reply from Moody.

Kingsley chuckled at her. "I seem to recall that the young and naïve comment was actually directed at you, and it had nothing to do with boys but rather your unnatural obsession with changing your face at the dinner table."

Tonks ignored both the statement, going on blithely, "I know that Hermione and Bill have been sneaking off lately and have been acting quite peculiar." She paused, as though thinking. "But I don't think they are… well… you know."

Kingsley smiled at the female Auror's ever visible embarrassment. "Yeah, I think that we know what you mean." His smile widened as she fixed him with a mean stare. "But other people have been acting odd lately as well. The twins and Ginny have been spending a lot of time shut up in one of the rooms on the third floor. I have no idea what they're doing up there, but knowing the dynamic duo, it's nothing good. At least, nothing good for whomever they decide to prank."

Moody gruffly spoke up next. "Lupin has been acting rather dodgy as well. At first, I thought it was because of Black."

Both Tonks and Kingsley winced at the name and the reminder of one they both missed.

"But I am just not sure about that anymore," Mad-Eye finished, his beady eye narrowing. In turn, his magical one rolled about his skull before fixing at a point above and to his left. "He's up there now with the Weasley kids and Granger. Looks like they are talking about something."

There was a brief pause of silence as all three Aurors wondered what was occurring upstairs.

Kingsley cleared his throat and spoke in his normal albeit deep voice, "Is Ron with them?"

Alastor's eye swiveled about for a second. "No, he's wandering down the hallway on the second floor." His magical eye turned to Kingsley. "Why do you ask?" he inquired suspiciously.

The dark-skinned man inhaled sharply and began to look distinctly nervous… or as nervous as one such as himself ever really became. "He's another one that has been off lately. He's been going off by himself a great deal. I have no idea where he goes. Plus, the other kids seem to be avoiding him."

"Maybe they've had a row," Tonks suggested helpfully, running her hand through her now bright and very blue hair.

The bald Auror considered the comment. "Maybe, but there have been a few other things I've noticed as well."

"Like what?" Moody asked abruptly.

"Like the fact that he has only written Potter once. I know that the others must have written a dozen times all told, but Ron only wrote one letter and a rather short one at that." Shacklebolt stated, "And… well, I wasn't supposed to say anything, but Arthur asked me if I had noticed anything funny about him. He said that Ginny mentioned something about him acting really peculiar at school just before term ended." He exhaled heavily and ran a hand over his hairless head. "I told him that it probably had to do with the Ministry battle, but that we should still watch Ron."

"Hmm… yes, we should watch him. Constant Vigilance, you know," Mad-Eye commented absentmindedly; he was clearly thinking deeply about the information the his fellow Auror had just revealed.

"Arthur seemed really worried, but he didn't want me to mention it to Molly. He figured that she has enough to fret over." Kingsley smiled slightly at the mention of the mollycoddling Molly Weasley.

"Good advice," Moody murmured to himself.

Both Tonks and Kingsley chuckled at the comment. Regardless, the female Auror suddenly sobered and shook her head in slight disgust.

"It's just weird that so many people are… well, acting weird."

Alastor grumbled with vigorous agreement, "Hell, even Albus has been strange recently. He keeps asking me to use my eye to spy on Potter every time I'm on guard duty." He made a gruff sound that might have been a sigh if coming from anyone else. "Sure I look in every now and then just to make sure he is still there and is safe, but it's not all the time. Constant vigilance is one thing, but I am not in the habit of being a voyeur. Merlin only knows what teenage boys do in their room when they're alone. I told him as much, but he insisted…" Moody's rant drifted off when he noticed the looks on both of his companions' faces.

Tonks, who seemed like someone had just told her Severus Snape was secretly a ballet dancer, spoke first. "That is--" She shivered violently. "I won't even finish that statement," she asserted. "Though, come to think of it, Dumbledore has been asking me to do some pretty dodgy things as well." She blinked before carrying on, "He asked me transform into one of Harry's friends and spend the day with him. You know, try to talk to him and find out what's been going on at the Privet drive front."

Shacklebolt, whose eyes had been as round as galleons at Moody's blunt announcement, stated, "I assume that Potter wouldn't know it was you in the guise of one of his friends." Tonks simply nodded. "Well, Dumbledore hasn't asked me to do anything to the boy directly, but he did want me to use my Auror clearance and check all of Potter's Ministry files." He paused, dark eyes gazing at his companions. "Even the confidential ones and the ones that aren't supposed to exist, like the ones detailing all of his tax and financial information--"

"Hold on," Tonks interrupted, eyes blazing and face bristling. "Why, by Rowena, would Dumbledore want to know about Harry's money? We all know that he is loaded, so why worry if he has enough?" She sniffed indignantly. "And you can't get into those files anyway. Only people with Gringotts' approval or that work in the Tax Division can see those. Even then, you'd have about twenty Privacy and Confidentiality charms placed on you."

The dark-skinned Auror fixed her with an agreeing glance. "You know that. I know that. Hell, Dumbledore should know that, but he still asked." He sighed again and ran a hand over his bald head once more. "I had to tell him no. There's just no way I can get access to that kind of information. Even Fudge can't access stuff like that."

"Are there any other odd requests from the headmaster?" Tonks inquired shrewdly.

Kingsley shook his head no, but Mad-Eye nodded. "He asked me to check the defenses of Hogwarts, not the wards themselves but the structure of the building and the surrounding area. I suppose the two of you will help me." The grizzled, old Auror made it more a statement than a question.

"Yeah."

"Of course."

Moody smiled in a charming manner, something unusual in and of itself. "Good. Which parts do you suggest we see to?" he asked, testing the skills of the other two Aurors.

"Gryffindor Tower," Shacklebolt suggested. "Wait scratch that. All of the House dormitories… even Slytherin. Not all of them are bad."

Tonks thought for a moment before replying, "The Hospital Wing." She smirked naughtily. "Ginny told me that Harry practically lives there during the school term."

"Yes, the dormitories and the Hospital Wing, especially with how often Potter ends up there," Alastor concluded, looking oddly pleased at the thought.

Both Tonks and Kingsley studied him intently, fighting back smiles.

Finally, the metamorph could not resist anymore. "Check out the Hospital Wing, eh?" She looked like she was trying not to laugh. "Maybe Kingsley and I should do that instead. I think that you are more interested in scoping out the nurse than the hospital."

A faint hint of red could be seen in Moody's scarred cheeks. He did not bother to comment and merely settled for glaring at her with both eyes.

"Come on, Mad-Eye," Tonks continued with a noticeable smirk. "We know you're just looking for another excuse to return to Hogwarts and ogle Pomfrey."

"Just like you ogled the new Defense teacher when we were there earlier this week," Moody shot back gruffly, his magical eye bulging out. "Don't deny it. I know that you and he were having a little stare-fest on the fourth floor just outside the new dueling area." He grinned nastily, showing that there were several gaps in his teeth.

The female Auror looked somewhat taken back by the comment. "How could you possibly know that?" she murmured more to herself than to her companions. "You were at least three corridors away from us." She glanced at his magical eye and then immediately scowled. She opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by the third occupant of the room.

"That's enough, Nymphadora," Kingsley put in smoothly, trying to break up the argument before it even had a chance to start.

Moody's smirk immediately widened, but it quickly vanished when the bald Auror turned to gaze at him.

"I think," the dark-skinned man continued easily, "that we should get back to the topic at hand." His gaze flicked back and forth between the other two. "Now, what other places do you suggest?"


AN: This chapter is basically a meant to lighten the mood a bit and add some depth to certain aspects of the story. There are a few hints to future chapters and side plots in this chapter, so it does have some purpose. But really, I just felt like doing something different.

To everyone who reviewed: Thanks!

Special thanks to Hobbit-Tabby for the beta.

Chapter Ten: Through the Looking Glass, Part Two


Ever Hopeful,

Azar

Updated and Edited:

05/31/08