From here on out, there will be a lot more Wizarding War plot. I'd really love some feedback about what you think so far! Hope you stick around :)

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Ch. 23 - The Homecoming

Dumbledore's voice spoke through the patronus. "Get to the Minister for Magic's house. Hurry."

Remus and Emmeline instantly disregarded their conflict and dashed to grab their wands.

"I don't know where-"

"I do," said Remus, taking her arm and disapparating.

They arrived on the front lawn of a large country estate, darting under a nearby topiary as a curse was hurled at them.

They'd shown up in the middle of a battle. Aurors from the Ministry and members of the Order were attempting to breach the death eaters' besiegement of the Minister's house. Skirmishes were taking place both in the air on broomsticks and on the ground around them.

"Damn it, if I'd known I would've grabbed my broom!" Emmeline lamented, peeking out to watch the conflict overhead. She saw Sirius and Marlene apparate nearby, and called them over to their hiding spot. Remus covered them as they ran.

"What's going on?!" Sirius asked, ducking Marlene under the topiary before diving under it himself.

"Their homecoming," Remus quipped darkly.

"Behind you!" Emmeline shouted, motioning for Sirius to duck as she threw a jinx at the oncoming death eater.

"Thanks, Em."

"Can you see what's happening around the house?" Remus asked.

Marlene stuck her head out from behind the topiary to look. "Just fighting."

"Can you see Minister Minchum?"

She pulled her head back in time to dodge a stray curse. "No."

"We're wasted just sitting here, they need our help." Sirius was anxious to join the fray, but Marlene held his shoulders to keep him from getting up.

"There's too many of them flying over us to make a run for the house. They have an aerial advantage."

"You three run to the house," Emmeline suggested. "I'll distract them."

"Out of the question. I'm not leaving you," Remus declared.

"Just trust me. When you reach the front, you can cover me as I come meet you." Before Remus could protest, she stood from her crouching position and pointed her wand at another topiary farther from the house. "Confringo!"

An orange burst shot out from her wand and blasted the tree to fiery pieces. This momentarily distracted the death eaters flying overhead.

"Go!" Emmeline shouted.

Sirius pulled Remus up by the collar and dragged him up into a full-on sprint towards the mansion. A stupefied death eater fell from their broom and landed beside Remus as he ran - likely Emmeline's doing. More still scampered to intercept their dash, only to be petrified by Sirius and Marlene before they had a chance to raise their wands.

The trio made it to the covered veranda and hurdled over the waist-high railing before taking shelter behind the stone columns. As Emmeline raced to meet them, Remus and Sirius barraged the death eaters in the air while Marlene cleared the ground for her friend's approach. It wasn't until Emmeline was halfway across the lawn that the unmistakable green flash of a killing curse coming from the roof narrowly missed her.

"Up above!" shouted Sirius. Remus jumped back over the railing to attack whoever had tried to curse her from the roof, but just as he aimed, the death eater fell to the ground next to him. He looked back up to find that James had knocked them over with a leg-locker curse.

"Prongs!"

"Moony, get down!" He lobbed a curse at another death eater flying overhead. As she ran past Remus, Emmeline grabbed him by the hand and they jumped back over the railing.

James cast a summoning charm on the broom of the death eater he'd just knocked off, then flew down off the roof to join them. "Where is everybody? I haven't seen a third of the Order."

"Something tells me they're inside," replied Marlene.

Just then, a group of four death eaters flew down across from them and began their assault. Remus blocked a curse from hitting Marlene as James cast a shield charm. "Get in the house!"

"Bombarda!" Sirius broke the tall window nearest them, helping Marlene and Emmeline inside before climbing in himself. After fending off the death eaters, James and Remus came in behind them.

A few other hooded figures came rushing down the large staircase when they heard the window shatter, but the quintet was able to disarm and stupefy them fairly quickly. They must have been young, inexperienced wizards.

James kicked their wands out of reach and turned back to the group. "We have to find the Minister."

"You think they're holding him in here?" asked Remus.

Marlene surveyed the house. "What else would they be doing here?"

"They came from upstairs, I'll bet that's a good place to start," said James.

"Lily alright?" Emmeline inquired.

"She's fine, I told her to sit this one out at home."

"It's not normal for them to attack during broad daylight," Sirius remarked, following James up the staircase. "What do you suppose they're up to?"

"Nothing good." Remus motioned for Marlene and Emmeline to go in front of him so that he could cover their backs. "They wanted people to see. It's a statement."

Winding stealthily through the hallways of the ornate house, they searched for Minister Minchum and other members of the Order. When they heard a band of patrolling death eaters approaching nearby, the group dashed into a nearby office. As soon as they entered, someone grabbed James's shoulder from behind. He spun around ready to stupefy Alastor Moody, who had his index finger raised to his lips. They waited for the footsteps in the hallway to pass out of earshot before speaking.

"Where's the Minister?" James whispered.

"The Minister is safe, but they've got the Longbottoms and the Prewett boys. I haven't seen Bones, either...Pettigrew's not with you?"

"No, what do you mean they've got them? Where are they keeping them?"

"Well if I knew that information, I wouldn't be in here with you lot, would I Black?"

"How can we help?" asked Remus.

"Let's split up," Alastor ordered. "In pairs. Black and Lupin, go search the second floor. McKinnon and I will stay on the first. Potter, I want you and Vance to check the cellars - door to the left of the stairs. I've already been around the ground floor. If any of you see something, send a patronus to me."

"You haven't taught us how to do that yet," Marlene pointed out. "Perhaps-"

Just then, a blast from the ongoing battle rattled the exterior of the house and shook the group back into focus. Time was short.

"No time for a lesson, lass. You're all bright as day, so...figure it out, I suppose. 'Mon now, we've no time to lose."

Remus looked at Emmeline apprehensively. She gave him an assuring nod as she followed James back towards the staircase.