AN: Sorry, I lied, this isn't the last chapter. There will be one more that will be posted after I finish the fifth chapter of 'To End All Wars'. Oh, yeah, and sorry for the wait.

THE NEW ORDER

By

Padfootjr24

Chapter Twenty Five: Retaliation

As everyone that had met them could tell you,the Dursleys prided themselves as being a normal law-abiding family. That is one of that major reasons they were so happy now that it seemed that their nephew, Harry Potter, was gone and wasn't going to come back. In truth they were a little surprised when he seemed to disappear without leaving word of his departure but the fact of the matter was that they couldn't possibly care less where he was or even if he was still alive.

For the most part their daily lives didn't divert very much from what they used to be. Vernon still enjoyed to yell at his many employees while taking time to savor the elation he felt when he fired at least two a week. With Harry gone Petunia felt that her sister and her freakish ways were finally out of her life forever. The only thing they were sorry about was that he wasn't around for Vernon and Dudley to push around anymore.

Vernon had decided to leave work early today and the Dursleys were currently sitting around the kitchen table eating a late lunch when a sudden loud chime echoed loudly throughout their home. Petunia jumped out of her chair in fright while Vernon nearly choked on the chicken leg he had stuffed into his mouth. Dudley's reaction however was far more amusing. The diet that Smeltings had insisted he adhere to was obviously having no effect as he was now nearly the size of his father. Startled by the unexpected noise caused him to jump slightly in his chair which seemed to have been too much for the finely crafted wooden furniture to handle and it splintered in several places sending the large bully crashing to the floor.

"What was that?" Dudley asked frightfully as he tried to climb to his feet as quickly as possible. As sudden as the noise had come another quickly followed only much louder and accompanied by what felt like a small earthquake. The two elder Dursleys quickly joined their son on the floor and backed against the countertop for some measure of cover in case someone charged in ready to attack them. Although they had rarely witnessed magic firsthand they had no doubts that the strange noises and shaking were the result of such unnaturalness. Unfortunately for them they didn't realize that the noise came as a result of an attack on the wards protecting their home and the violent shaking announced that said wards had failed.

"Vernon, what do we do?" Petunia asked in a frightened tone as several curses were fired through the kitchen window, the shattered glass falling to the floor. Vernon jumped slightly at the sudden intrusion of words into his already panicking mind and he turned his head to look at his wife so fast that his neck cracked loudly and for a brief moment a look of blissful relief showed on his face before the fear returned. As he took note of her question he quickly realized that he had no real answer to give.

"Wait here." Surprising even himself, he tried to avoid the broken glass as he crawled into the hallway where he could get a relatively good view through the windows into the back yard. Once through the kitchen he climbed back to his feet and pressed himself into the alcove just outside the kitchen doors, well, he pressed as much of himself as he could into the alcove. We're dealing with limited space here.

What he saw as he peered out the window was not reassuring in the least. He could see three figures, all dressed in black 'freakish' clothes and some kind of masks that sort of look like the faces of human skulls. Knowing that all this noise and activity couldn't possibly go undetected, he hoped that the freaks would be concentrating on the back of the house so he might be able to find a way out trough the front. After all, if someone were committing a crime they would hardly do it where they would be in plain sight of an entire neighborhood.

Slowly creeping down the small hallway step by step Vernon couldn't help but thinking about how this attack had happened or why it was taking place. He knew that there were people that sought to harm his nephew but if they were competent in the least they would have known that he hadn't been in his home in two months. Then again the people attacking could very well be the ones that wanted to protect Potter, the ones that threatened him with harm if anything happened to the boy while he was in his care. Shaking his head vigorously in a halfhearted attempt to banish these thoughts he poked his head around the corner and gasped as his face turned pale.

Outside in the street he could clearly see almost a dozen other men and he was pretty sure that there were others that simply weren't in his line of sight. Everyone of them were just standing about doing nothing thus far as they seemed to just stare at the house in front of them or chat quietly with the person next to them. They had them vastly out numbered as well as unarmed so what were they waiting for. Vernon was pulled out of his confusion when he heard his wife scream and his son whimper from the kitchen. Spinning around he looked back down the hall and saw three unknown individuals and a familiar shock of pink hair and his fear and confusion quickly gave way to rage.

MMM

Petunia suddenly looked up from her position on the floor when she heard what sounded like a loud rush of water. She gasped loudly when she spotted four people standing in her kitchen that certainly weren't there just a moment ago. All of them had their 'sticks' in their hands. The one closest to her was an older man, probably in his mid to late seventies but judging by his posture and calm demeanor she figured that he was much more formidable than people would give credit to one of his age. The man standing on his left was a very sour looking man. He was tall and thin with pale skin and black greasy looking hair. Petunia shuddered slightly as she looked at his dark eyes as he gazed out the window. This was definitely not a pleasant man.

She did however recognize the third individual. She couldn't possible forget the ridiculous short crop of pink hair that belonged to one of the freaks that had threatened her and her husband. Although she was sure that she had never met the final person he still seemed somewhat familiar somehow but she just couldn't seem to put her finger on it at the moment. He was about average in height with black hair that just barely reached his shoulders. But his face was one she would never forget. The fact that he was obviously missing an eye was one reason and the jagged scars that marred his face showed that he was no stranger to pain. On his shoulder was perhaps the most beautiful bird she had ever seen in her life but the fact that it was clearly 'unnatural' took something away from it.

"What are you doing down there?" Harry asked in a slightly amused tone as he looked down at his aunt and didn't flinch a bit as two curses sped through the now broken window and missed his head by mere inches. Harry was a bit surprised when she looked at him in fright for a moment before screaming loudly, Dudley moaned in panic as well although it sounded more like some barnyard animal than a human. The sudden influx of noise succeeded in gaining Vernon's attention. Looking through the kitchen door, Harry saw his uncle eyeing Tonks with anger and loathing as he seemed to pay little to no attention to the three others that were with her.

"I think he remembers you, Tonks." Harry chuckled for a brief moment before stepping back out his uncle's sight and moving towards the doorway. Tonks stood with an impassive look as she watched the large man lumber towards her with shear hatred in his eyes.

After casting a small shield charm over his right hand Harry waited for the last possible moment before making his move. Just before Vernon entered the doorway Harry planted his right foot and used it to push forward as fast as he could as he swung his fist right into his uncle's path. His knuckles connected right in between the man's eyes. With his body weight moving one direction while Harry's punch moved another his head and upper body was thrown back some but since his feet were moving forward he had nothing to keep his balance and he toppled to the ground. Whether it was the punch or the back of his head hitting the floor that did it, Harry didn't know or care, but Vernon seemed to be out cold.

"You know, you could have just stunned him." Tonks commented with a smirk.

"True, but this was a lot more satisfying." Harry replied as he released the shield on his hand before turning towards his aunt and cousin that who were looking at him in terror. Without saying a word both Snape and Stevens left the kitchen to place some wards and charms on the front door and windows. They wouldn't be able to hold the Death Eaters off for long but it should buy them enough time for Albus to get there.

"Now, listen very carefully. We are here to protect you from the men outside so you will do exactly as I say when I say it, is that clear?" Petunia just nodded silently as she pulled Dudley, who was pale and shaking, to her chest as she stroked his flabby cheek. Harry chuckled softly to himself as he turned away from them. Despite his change in appearance he was just a little surprised that they hadn't recognized him. He simply couldn't wait to see their reactions when they found out that it was him.

"Anything yet?" Harry asked Tonks who was keeping an eye on the Death Eaters that were watching the back yard.

"Nothing. I don't think they saw us arrive and it looks like their only reason for being there is to prevent escape. Firing those curses in through the window let the Dursleys know that they were out there so that they would stay inside."

"That doesn't make any sense at all." Harry started in confusion. "If they tried to escape out the back they would be easily captured and they wouldn't have to waste time on a frontal assault so why would they want to prevent that?"

"I don't know but it looks like that is exactly what they are doing. Apparently they're hoping that the Dursleys will put up some kind of fight to make it more interesting. That means a violent attack and an even more brutal death. It's either that or these Death Eaters are just stupid." Knowing the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters like he did Harry couldn't really decide which of Tonks' ideas had the most merit so he certainly wasn't going to rule out stupidity.

"The front is sealed up pretty good, it will take at least ten minutes for them to get through." Stevens informed them when he reentered the kitchen ahead of Snape. Harry glanced out the back window wondering what was taking Albus so long when he suddenly felt like smacking himself upside the head for his stupidity.

"Dung where are you?" He spoke into his portkey. Stevens looked at him curiously, wondering what he was doing.

"We're moving along the fences of the homes right behind your relative's. We should have the Death Eaters taken care of in a few minutes. Your family wouldn't happen to have anything worth drinking would they?" Dung's voice echoed back although Harry, Tonks and Snape were the only ones to hear it.

"Not unless you like cheap brandy." Harry replied as he picked up a bottle that was sitting atop the china cabinet and smelled it. "And I mean real cheap. You couldn't even start a decent fire with this stuff." Despite her fear of the situation Petunia looked greatly insulted at Harry's remarks.

"Well when you have a liquor cabinet like yours Harry you can afford to be choosy. Not to mention all that stuff stockpiled in your cellar." Tonks said with a smile. Thinking back to the meeting they just had with Dumbledore she had a feeling that she was going to need a serious drink.

"Harry?" Petunia asked quietly in confusion though she was saying it more to herself then anyone else. Seeing the perfect opportunity Harry couldn't resist.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." He spoke up sweetly as he grinned at his mother's sister. Petunia looked confused for a moment before she finally caught on. She gasped loudly as she brought her hands up to her mouth and looked at him with wide eyes. Dudley of course looked as confused and stupid as ever. Obviously knowing what had her so shocked Harry simply smirked slightly as he wave to the right side of his face.

"The price of fame and fortune I'm afraid. But I would say it was worth it, given the alternative, although I still miss my right eye something fierce from time to time." Tonks slapped him playfully on the shoulder as she tried to keep from laughing. Snape just shook his head in despair at being associated with such childishness. "How's it going Dudders?" Harry said happily as he took in his cousin but that happiness quickly turned to confusion. "That diet just doesn't seem to be holding does it?" He asked curiously as he leaned down to poke the boy's belly. That was too much for Tonks and she nearly fell to the floor laughing even Stevens looked like he was enjoying the interaction and although he would never admit it to anyone Snape would be smirking if it wasn't for his pride.

"Harry?" Dudley asked stupidly in a shaky voice. Harry and Tonks looked down at the boy in bewilderment. Did it actually take him that long to figure it out?

"Apparently his diet isn't the only thing that's slipping." He muttered to himself before turning away to go check on the Death Eaters up front.

"Ms. Tonks, if I may ask, how is it that Mr. Potter was able to communicate so easily with the others?" Stevens asked curiously. Tonks and Snape looked at each other for a brief moment before they both shrugged and she explained their portkeys to him in a whisper so that Petunia and Dudley couldn't hear her.

Harry stayed in the small hallway and just leaned slightly into the sitting room where he could see out the window. He chuckled slightly when he saw many of the Death Eaters throwing curse after curse at the windows. Apparently none of them had any knowledge about wards. They just tried to overcome them with power. While that will eventually work it is hardly subtle and it takes away a great deal of your magical energy. Shaking his head in disgust at such ignorance he turned away to rejoin the others with a plan.

"I've got an idea!" He said as he reentered the kitchen. Tonks suddenly looked at him sharply and Snape seemed to grow tired. Stevens of course was interested but was confused by the others reaction.

"Potter every time you get an idea it turns into some monster that you couldn't possibly hope to control." Snape sighed wearily.

"Hey, everyone of my 'monster ideas' have so far worked out just fine. And besides this is nothing like that. All I was going to do was suggest we take either one of three possible courses of actions."

"And they would be?" Snape asked as he massaged the sides of his head.

"Option one: When Albus and the others get here we simply use our portkeys and Fawkes to leave. Option two: We wait for the Death Eaters to enter the house and ambush them. I don't really recommend this one due to the risks as opposed to option three. Option three: The others will neutralize the Death Eaters out back and we take them for questioning while leaving a trap here to kill the others that will come in the front." Snape and Tonks weren't all that surprised but Stevens was a bit shocked to hear him talk of killing with so little emotion.

"What sort of trap?" Tonks asked with interest.

"Simple. When they brake through the charms and enter the house they will fan out and look for anyone to torture and kill. We simply put a few time delayed charms about the house and after they are all inside the house will seal up, locking them in. After that we can go about it any number of ways. We can burn the house down, collapse it, suck all the air out, take your pick."

"THIS IS MY HOUSE, YOU WILL NOT…" Petunia's screeching was quickly cut off as Harry cast a silencing charm on her.

"Petunia, you would gladly watch all of us die a slow painful death if it meant nothing in this house was harmed, so I'm afraid your opinion on the matter means absolutely nothing. Besides, you have insurance that will pay for any losses."

"It's an interesting idea, if not a bit barbaric. But these are Death Eaters we are dealing with, we will never get anywhere if we're not prepared to get our hands dirty." Stevens commented after thinking it over for a moment. "If I might make a suggestion," Harry nodded for him to continue. "I would suggest collapsing the house. It will certainly take care of the problem without imposing too much risk to the surrounding homes." Stevens set about laying out the appropriate charms where needed since Harry, Snape an Tonks had neither the knowledge or experience with such things, something they were planning on correcting as soon as possible. Not but two minutes later Dung casually walked in the back door with the others close behind him.

"Those Death Eaters are now sitting in our holding cells, where's that brandy?" Dung asked in an upbeat tone. Harry looked at the man oddly for a moment before reaching behind himself and picking the bottle up before tossing it to the old drunk. Twisting the cap off he wasted no time and took a quick gulp. "You want some?" He asked as he held the bottle back out to Harry.

"No thank you," He raised his hand and responded immediately with a slight shake of his head. "I'll wait until we get back to my place. That stuff smells like mold wine that's been pissed out by a yak."

"Colorful." Snape sneered as many of the others looked a bit sick at the description.

"You just have a prejudice against liquor that was bottled less than three hundred years ago. You know you really should stop being such a bigot." Dung snapped back in mock anger as he held the bottle tenderly as if its feelings were hurt.

"As, um, enlightening, as this line of conversation is, we do have other business to conduct." Albus spoke up while looking between the two in bewilderment as he wondered if they were always so, playful, with enemies so close by. "What happened to him?" He asked as he pointed down to Vernon's still body.

"He ran into my fist." Harry answered simply before he filled the new arrivals in on their plan. The Raiders, Moody and Remus were in agreement, even James Potter was nodding in approval while Lily seemed reluctant. Albus was staunchly against it but he was overruled by his 'grandfather' who said he was too young to make decisions like that. Obviously Nicholas was very enthusiastic about the idea.

"Albus, you take the Dursleys and head over to Grimmauld Place with Fawkes and the rest of us will head to different locations before we all meet up again in your office at, lets say seven, that work for you?"

"Why are we going to go to different locations?" Stevens asked curiously.

"Well the Aurors are certainly going to show up and they will pick up the trace of our portkeys and the fact that we didn't travel together. We have several locations that we have been using that are unplotable to prevent them from following us everywhere we go. Fudge may be gone and I have a lot of respect for both you and Madam Bones but I still like to keep the Ministry confused."

"Is it wise to send your, family, to Grimmauld Place?" Tonks asked seriously.

"Probably not, but they can't go to Hogwarts and they certainly aren't staying at my house. With my luck they'll try to take me to court to get it placed under their name. This way they're both alive and far away from me. Tootles." He finished with a small wave before activating his portkey, the other Raiders quickly followed. Fawkes flew over to land on his shoulder and Dumbledore sighed lightly before looking down at Petunia and Dudley and shaking his head. With a flick of his wand Vernon's body floated over to him. Grabbing the fat man's wrist as he leaned over and placed a hand on Petunia's shoulder. She tried to move away but the bulk of her son was holding her down and she gasped loudly and Dudley shrieked when Fawkes burst into flames just before they vanished. Only then did a sudden thought come to Remus.

"Um, do any of you happen to have a portkey?" He asked as he looked between Stevens, Nicholas and Moody, plainly ignoring his two former friends. With a smirk Moody reached into his pocket and removed his watch.

"It will only carry one I'm afraid." He chuckled as he activated it just before a small thud was heard.

"Damn, the shields are about to drop." Stevens cursed. "Um, run." He said before he shot out the back door with the others right behind him. With his enhanced strength and speed Remus quickly got ahead of him and literally ran through the back fence making a hole for the others. Despite the path Remus had cleared for them, Nicholas still chose to 'throw' himself over each fence that blocked his path and the others found it incredibly annoying that the man was giggling like a schoolgirl while they were running for their lives. After they were sure they were clear of the anti-apperation wards they hid behind a shed so that they were out of sight before apperating away.

MMM

Twenty minutes later Harry, Tonks, Blaise and Dung were entering the 'Most Nobel and Ancient House of Black' simply for the pure enjoyment of seeing the Dursley's reactions, Snape chose to decline. Apparently he had enough of the Dursleys the moment he laid eyes on them. The others would have liked to see the show but unfortunately they were not members of the Order so they could not enter the house. The four of them crept in the door quietly so as not to wake the portrait of Sirius' hag of a mother. Looking around at the bright pink that covered walls, floor and furniture the other three looked at Dung in disgust. Even Tonks looked unnerved by that much pink. The lot of them spun about quickly when they heard the door open again but relaxed when it was only Remus whose eyes lit up when he saw them.

"Harry, I just had an idea." He whispered as he crept passed the portrait. Seeing the confused look on Harry's face he draped one arm over his shoulders and led him back towards the door where he spoke to him in quick words. The others looked just as confused as Harry had and strained to hear what was being said but were unable to discern the words. After a few minutes the two rejoined the others with wide smiles but refused to answer any questions.

Turning the corner into the sitting room they stopped suddenly when they saw Dudley sitting stiffly in a high backed chair as he cast frightened glances all around him. Petunia was kneeling on the floor beside the pink threadbare sofa where her husband was laying. He seemed to be waking up although he was very groggy. Molly Weasley was standing nearby with her wand clutched in her hand while she had her hands on her hips and glared at the family with undisguised loathing. Getting an idea Harry motioned to the others to keep quiet while he cast a disillusionment charm on himself. Taking the hint the other four grinned and quickly did the same.

Taking Tonks by the hand so that she didn't trip over him, Harry led her around the room while Blaise, Remus and Dung followed their faint outlines so that they had an unobstructed view. Luckily Mrs. Weasley seemed to be to preoccupied with her feelings regarding the new 'houseguests' to be alerted to their presence. In fact she had quite a smirk when she looked at Vernon's two blackened eyes. Petunia had 'tried' to help her husband sit up as he clutched his right hand to the side of his head. In the end it took Dudley's help to get his father up and he was currently sitting up with his head in his hands as he tried to keep the room from spinning.

"What happened to me?" The man slurred. Petunia looked apprehensive for a brief moment before speaking.

"Potter hit you then he had us sent here." As soon as these words were out of her mouth Vernon's pounding headache seemed to vanish. His head shot up from his hands and he looked at his wife with rage.

"POTTER?" He spat as he jumped to his feet. "When I get my hands on that boy it will be months before he gets out of the hospital." He threatened as he looked around. Ignoring Mrs. Weasley he began stomping towards the door intent on beating some respect into his nephew. Hearing his words Molly grew enraged, no one messed with one of her kids. She fully intended to put the fat slob in his place but someone else beat her to it.

"You wanted to speak with me, Uncle?" Harry asked in a scathing tone when he suddenly appeared in Vernon's path as he removed the disillusionment charm. His uncle stopped in shock at his sudden appearance and took a step back when he noticed all the scars. Taking no notice of his pervious threats Harry took several steps towards the man.

"Do you really think you could hurt me, Vernon?" Harry asked curiously before smirking. "I can assure you, I am in no danger from you. But I am here to talk business." With a slight flick of his wand Vernon was knocked back on to the couch.

"There are people in this world that want you dead simply because you are related to me." Vernon looked about ready to yell again but Harry's next words shocked him into silence. "I was all ready to let you and your pathetic little family die today, but unfortunately, cooler heads prevailed. So, you will be staying here for the foreseeable future. Of course you will not be permitted to leave incase you are seen."

"I HAVE NO INTENTION OF REMAINING IN A HOUSE FULL OF FREAKS. I HAVE A COMPANY TO RUN AND I…"

"That is where you are wrong, Uncle." Harry interrupted with a grin as he sat down in a chair opposite the fat man. "You see, when I said I had business to discuss, your job, or rather lack there of, is what I meant. I am sure you have heard of Smith & Sorenson Inc.?"

"Of course I have heard of…

"Glad to see we are on the same page, that corporation of course owns Grunning's." Harry said for the benifit of the others in the room that had no idea where he was going with this. "You see, I recently discovered that my family is the sole stockholder in that corporation. Jackson Smith and Desmond Sorenson are merely figureheads that represent my family's, or rather, MY interests in the muggle world. Judging by the rapid loss of blood to your face, I'm sure you now understand the gravity of the situation." It took a lot of effort, a whole lot, but Harry actually managed to keep a straight face and a professional tone as he spoke.

"It has also come to my attention that your employment with Grunning's was done at my mother's behest, a foolish decision on her part. Despite how Petunia felt about her, she didn't want you unemployed with a baby on the way. And what did you do with this opportunity? You nearly drove the company into the ground by either firing or driving good employees to quit. I find it pathetic that you never realized that you were purposely left in that position. Any other company would have fired you almost immediately. So," He continued as he stood back up. "Due to your incompetence, lack of respect for those that work under you, and for being an overall bastard, I'm afraid that I will be getting in touch with Desmond Sorenson later today about finding a suitable replacement for you. I'm sure you understand. This is, of course, pending an investigation into any possible criminal activities that may have been committed over the course of the last sixteen years. Oh, and incidentally, don't come to me looking for a reference." Harry couldn't take it anymore and began laughing hard as he walked out of the room with Tonks at his side.

"Well, that was fun." Tonks laughed as they walked into the hallway.

"Yes, it certainly was." Harry agreed as he suddenly bent her backwards and engulfed her lips with his in a passionate kiss. It didn't take long for the young woman to return the favor and with their focus solely on each other they were oblivious to what was going on around them. That is until…

"NYMPHADORA!" They heard a female voice gasp out. Harry looked over towards the kitchen door and saw a shocked man and a woman that he didn't recognize, but Tonks obviously did.

"Mum, Dad." She said nervously.

"Mum and Dad?" Harry said out loud in confusion before his eyes shot open wide. He instantly released his hold on Tonks and stood up straight with his hands behind his back, much like a child would do when caught getting into something. Tonks fell the short distance to the floor and let out a soft grunt when she landed on her back. Tonks' parents seemed quite amused though they did look a little haggard.

"Um, hi." Tonks greeted her parents as she stood up.

"Hello, dear, who's your friend?" Andromeda Tonks asked with a grin as her husband tried to play the angry father as he leered at Harry but he didn't pull it off very well.

"Well, ah, this is Harry." She answered nervously as she closely examined a warped piece of paneling along the wall. Her mother raised an eyebrow before she seemed to work it out and her eyes flew wide open.

"Harry Potter?" She asked in shock as she looked him over. Harry just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. "My Lord!" She said respectfully as she inclined her head. The two elder Tonks' watched in interest as Harry's left eye began to twitch.

"Please, don't call me that, my ego isn't exactly fragile. I get enough of that from those blasted goblins." He grumbled in annoyance.

"The goblins find it amusing to use his titles as often as possible just to annoy him." Tonks explained when her parents looked confused at Harry's remark. "So, what are you doing here? This was the last place I would have thought to see you." She asked in hopes of steering their attention away from the position they found her in and it seemed to work as they both seemed to grow worried, something both Harry and Tonks picked up on immediately.

"I met your mother for lunch about half an hour ago and we were attacked by Death Eaters. We just barely escaped but the restaurant was almost completely destroyed. Professor Dumbledore just left and is there now trying to get things under control. At least thirty people are dead that we know of." Tonks looked absolutely horrified at the news. Although both her parents were technically part of the Order, neither had been particularly active in the magical world since they moved into muggle London when Nymphadora was born. They fact that Andromeda had married a muggleborn wizard infuriated her family and they feared for their daughter's safety with Voldemort growing more powerful. With little contact with other witches and wizards in over twenty years it made no sense that the Dark Lord would target them now.

"But why would they make the effort…"

"DUNG, REMUS, GET OUT HERE!" Harry shouted causing the small family to jump. Unlike Tonks, he obviously had his suspicions. Almost immediately the two men came running out of the sitting room with looks of both confusion and worry.

"Remus, take Blaise and head over to Hogwarts now. When you get there find McGonagall and the younger members of the Order and don't let them out of your sight for a moment until Snape gets there with the Marauder's Map so you can do a sweep of the school. GO!" Remus nodded sharply before getting Blaise out of the sitting room and heading to the fireplace to floo to Hogwarts.

"Dung, get to the Ministry, find Arthur and bring him back here. While you're at it get Percy as well and keep them here." Dung left quickly without question. "Tonks please get Albus back here immediately."

"But Harry, they may still need him at that restaurant."

"Tonks, those people are already dead, we need to worry about the ones that are still alive." Harry snapped. "TWINKLE."

"Yes Harry?" The elf asked as she popped in next to her master.

"Get back to the manor and tell everyone to go check on their families. If everything is alright have them start setting up a way to evacuate them if it ever becomes necessary and tell Snape to get my map and head over to Hogwarts to meet Remus." Twinkle nodded and popped away as Harry made to use the fireplace in the sitting room but remembering that Mrs. Weasley was in their with the Dursleys he chose to use the one in the kitchen instead. Moving swiftly across the room he grabbed some floo powder off the mantle and threw it into the fire.

"Weasley Wizard Wheezes." He called out before sighing and rubbing his face in frustration. Looking back up he could clearly see that the flames had not changed. His eyes grew wide as he realized that someone must have been blocking the connection.

"GOD DAMNIT!" Harry roared before stepping into the flames and calling out 'Diagon Alley', leaving behind two wide eyed adults that were clearly thinking that the boy certainly didn't act like a normal teenager.

"What's all this shouting about?" The two spun around to find an annoyed Molly Weasley standing in the kitchen doorway with her hands on her hips.

"I'm not exactly sure really." Andromeda lied, there was no sense in worrying the woman about her family if it turned out to be nothing. Molly eyed the two suspiciously before turning around and leaving once again. Mr. and Mrs. Tonks looked at each other for a brief moment before nodding and rushing over to the fireplace. They didn't know much about the young man but they could clearly see that their daughter cared for him so if they could help him they intended to do just that.

Harry had to fight his way through the large crowd that occupied The Leaky Cauldron and his rising anger must have been apparent as those in front of him began to literally throw themselves out of his path. Surprisingly the archway behind the tavern opened on it's own as he rushed out the back door but he didn't pay it any mind as he charged down the ally with his wand clasped tightly in his hand. More than one person was knocked to the ground as he ran right through them with his eyes locked in the direction of his friend's joke shop.

Finally he stopped just across the ally from the brightly colored shop and looked around intently for any signs of danger. Using his magical eye he could see inside the building but found nothing but a shop full of enthusiastic children and equally excited adults as they browsed the shelves of varying and unique joke items. Lee Jordan and an unknown girl stood behind the counter while either Fred of George shuffled through the back room. There were no signs of aggression anywhere in the building. Breathing a sigh of relief Harry holstered his wand and took a step towards the door.

Without warning the front of Weasley Wizard Wheezes exploded in a ball of fire. The shockwave of the blast threw Harry forcefully back through the front window of the junk shop behind him. His battlerobes protected him from the charmed glass that could not withstand the force but they did little to protect against the blunt impact of the various shelves and bins that he came crashing down upon.

He had no idea how long he laid on that floor in a daze but as he stumbled out of the shop with blood coming out of his ears he watched the scene of utter panic and chaos with a sort of emotional detachment. He couldn't hear a thing but people were screaming and crying and running in every direction. The explosion had nearly destroyed Weasley Wizard Wheezes completely as well as the shops on either side. From what he could see through the haze of black smoke there were at least two dozen bodies lying in the street with an uncounted number that had been in the effected buildings.

Ted and Andromeda Tonks had just made it through the crowd just in time to see a billow of smoke and fire explode into the afternoon air. They looked on in absolute horror as the flames and wood and stone projectiles claimed one life after another. Andromeda reacted only a split second before her husband as she moved forward with her wand raised to help those on the outer edge of the blast area that were trying, without success, to extinguish the flames that were consuming their clothing and bodies, all the while trying to keep from being sick at the nauseating smell of burning flesh.

There are few, if any, in the Alley that day that would not wake up in a cold sweat with the images of the dead and dying flashing through their heads for years to come. The memory of the pain and fear would always be with them and in the silence of the night they will always hear the screams.

Harry finally came out of his daze when one of the Weasley twins grabbed him by the shoulders and began screaming at him with a look of pure anguish on his face. He couldn't hear a word he was saying but the meaning behind them was clear. He knew that his brother and best friend were in their shop and the chances that either of them had survived was very small. Not even bothering to try and explain to the man that he couldn't hear a damn thing, Harry drew both of his wands and with two streams of water he did his best to put out the fires in the buildings enough to get inside without killing himself. The redhead and several others joined him almost immediately and soon groups of people from further down the Alley were able to get through to help the wounded but sadly it seemed that most were dead.

"BECKLE!" Harry shouted loudly as he stumbled through the debris. The little House Elf was at his side immediately and her eyes went wide in horror and she coughed through the smoke and stench before instantly vanishing again. She was only gone for a moment before she returned with five other elves that had at least a little training and quickly set about working on the wounded.

MMM

An hour and a half later Harry was walking down a nearly deserted corridor in Saint Mungo's Hospital, grimly taking long purposeful strides towards the wing for long-term spell damage. Those few people he did come across quickly got out of his way due to a combination of his infuriated expression and his haggard appearance. Although Beckle had healed his ears he still had dried blood running down the sides of his neck due to his eardrums bursting. His robes were an absolute mess, covered in soot, grime and blood. They were once again open because the wound on his chest reopened when he was thrown through the front window of the junk shop.

The explosion at Weasley Wizard Wheezes was an absolute disaster. In total thirty nine innocent people had lost their lives, most of them children, with at least two dozen more injured. Although he was seriously injured, the Weasley family caught a break when George was found among the rubble. He had been in the storeroom at the time of the blast and the extra wall and stacks of crates offered him some measure of protection. Most of the right side of his body was covered with second and third degree burns and he had an assortment of broken bones and internal injuries but the healers expect him to make a full recovery with minimal scaring given the proper treatments and time.

When they learned of the attack on Diagon Alley the Weasleys were infuriated when Dung informed them that they would not be able to leave Grimmauld Place until they knew it was safe. They had attempted to go through him but, anticipating this reaction, he had bullied Dumbledore into granting a few other Raiders access to the Order's headquarters to make sure they stayed put. When the two hooded individuals, Susan and Marietta to be specific, as well as several Order members suddenly appeared just behind Dung the three Weasleys present had faltered slightly and became resigned to the fact that they would not be leaving, although Arthur gave serious thought to the idea of facing their 'guards' head on and Molly certainly wasn't going to take their confinement quietly.

Percy, however, found this to be the perfect time to point out that they would never be in that position if they had just listened to him the year before and cut all ties with Potter. He spat the name as if it were something foul that deserves to be vilified. His rant was cut off suddenly when Fred entered the room to collect his family and upon hearing the young man's words he punched his older brother so hard that he went crashing into the far wall. Not sparing Percy another glance he reassured his parents that he was fine and that George was alive. Without waiting for an explanation Molly and Arthur made their way to the fire place to floo to Saint Mungo's. A few Order members made to stand in their way until Dung snapped at them to get out of the way. Within seconds the Weasleys were gone with the three Raiders right behind them. Now that they knew that George was alive and in the hospital they could better protect the other Weasleys should the need arise. It was much easier to control the situation within a public building than out on the street where thanks to the Death Eaters fear and panic dominated nearly everyone present.

"Can I help you, Sir?" Harry was snapped out of his thought as the stern and suspicious voice registered. Look up he was met with the piercing gaze of a mediwitch that was sitting behind the counter at the entrance to his target ward. She showed no outward signs of fear but her penetrating eyes were clearly regarding his as a possible threat. Only one of her hands was visible so it was probably a foregone conclusion that she was gripping her wand just in case.

"Yes, Ma'am, I'm looking for John Anderson." Harry replied respectfully while he was inwardly relieved that she either didn't recognize him or, judging by her expression, more likely that she just didn't make a big deal about it. Yes this woman was just a bit much like McGonagall for his comfort. A brief look of pity appeared on the woman's face as she realized who he was looking for.

"He's just through there." She informed him with much less hostility as she pointed to a door that was just across the corridor from the ward where Neville's parents were currently 'resting'. With a brief nod Harry walked through the door after taking a deep breath as he tried to prepare himself for what he would find on the other side.

The room was just like any other hospital ward you were likely to find the world over. The walls, ceiling and floor were all a crisp white and even the air had a sterile scent to it. Along each of the side walls, five beds were positioned a few feet apart with freshly cleaned sheets and blankets. There were only two differences between this room and all others in Saint Mungo's. The first was that there was only one occupied bed and the second and most important in Harry's opinion was that the walls were decorated with various drawings and paintings that were obviously done by children.

Steeling himself for what would undoubtedly be the worst experience of a very eventful day, Harry quietly strolled over to where John was sitting with his back facing the door. He was still wearing his battlerobes but had since not bothered to raise his hood. Not that it mattered much anymore. The purpose for hiding his identity was now all but gone entirely. As Harry reached his friend's side he could only stand in silence since he certainly couldn't trust his voice at the moment.

John looked on to the face on his eleven year old daughter as he held her hand tight and tears fell freely from his face. She looked much like any other young girl with the exception of her deathly pale completion and the almost dead look in her eyes as she stared up at the ceiling blankly, obviously not taking notice of anything going on around her. Harry's eyes welled up with tears and he was forced to look away so that he could keep complete control over his emotions.

"She was going to be spell crafter, you know." John spoke up in a monotone, almost emotionless, voice. Apparently despite his grief he was still well aware of his surroundings and who was with him. "What eleven year old knows exactly what they want to due when they grow up. She even started making plans, figuring out what classes she would need and how well she would need to due. She found the idea of creating new spells amazing." He continued as he gently moved some of her hair aside, out of her face. "She is very intelligent for her age, mature too. And, and so very beautiful." He gasped out with a sob.

Harry could no longer keep his tears at bay and they streamed down his face as he reached forward to grip the older man's shoulder in a comforting way. At this point John broke down completely and gave into his grief. Harry stood there silently as the man cried over the empty shell that used to be his daughter. As looked down at the young girl once again his rage began to reach new heights. Voldemort and his Death Eaters like to claim that they are some kind of noble crusaders that are trying to save the wizarding world, there is nothing noble about torturing anyone to such a point, especially a child. Someone was going to pay, and pay dearly for this.

"Is everyone else alright?" John asked several minutes later when he was able to regain control of his emotions.

"No." Harry sighed. "Steven's wife was attacked and killed. He and Juan are currently destroying my house. Tonks' parents were also attacked, both escaped unharmed but the Death Eaters managed to kill close to a dozen innocent muggle bystanders before they left. Remus and Snape caught two unmarked Death Eaters trying to enter Hogwarts in order to kill McGonagall. And finally, the Weasley twins were attack, or more specifically their store was attacked.

"The entire front of the store, as well as the two on either side of it, was blown up almost two hours ago. As of now thirty nine people are dead with dozens more wounded, unfortunately most of those are children. Fred wasn't at the store at the time but luckily George managed to survive though he is severely wounded and will probably be spending much of the next month or two here in the hospital."

"How could they have known about us? It doesn't make any sense."

"The Weasley twins could have been targeted for any number of reasons but considering the fact that the attacks were directed at the families of various Raiders I suspect that they found out about Bill's involvement. No one bothered to inform me until about an hour ago that Professor Flitwick figured out his identity when they were working on the wards at the Parkinson's home so it is perfectly within reason that Millicent Bullstrode noticed their conversation. As for you and Steven, well there are only two people that had any knowledge of your involvement and I intend to have a lengthy discussion with them as soon as I leave here."

"I'M GOING WITH YOU!" John roared as he jumped to his feet when he realized who Harry was talking about. Harry looked at the man cautiously for a few moments before nodding in acceptance. He was a bit worried that the man wouldn't be able to keep his feelings under control but this was about his family and Harry wasn't going to stand in his way. He certainly wouldn't let anyone stand in his way if their rolls were reversed so he had no right to be hypocritical.

"Alright, I'll also have Steven and Juan join us as well, they have every right to be there as well when we get our answers." John nodded stiffly before turning around and giving his daughter a soft kiss on the forehead before tearing his red watery eyes away from her and stalking out of the room with Harry right behind him.

MMM

As soon as Harry and John made it to the main lobby of the hospital Harry was bombarded with question after question regarding the attacks that had occurred over the course of a very long day. For the most part the two just tuned these questions out as the tried to wade through the crowd of reporters that had surrounded them. A few of the smart ones had hung back when they got a look at the grim determination on the young man's face but unfortunately the vast majority decided to risk life and limb in getting what could potentially be a great story.

"Mr. Potter, what do you think of Rufus Scrimgeour?"

"Who?" Harry asked in confusion at the seemingly unrelated question about someone he had never even heard of before.

"Rufus Scrimgeour! After the attack on Diagon Alley all available Department heads and the Wizengamont convened to expedite the selection for the next Minister of Magic and he was selected by a majority vote." The reporter informed him and awaited his response.

"I have never heard of the man before and I don't have the time to dig through the false fronts of petty bureaucrats to find out what kind of man he truly is. He just better stay out of my way."

Half an hour later Harry, John, Steven and Juan were escorted into an ornately decorated office that was a far cry from the rundown warehouse the building appeared to be from the outside. The two men escorting them were both large and had a no nonsense quality about them. They both wore dragon hide vests over stylish muggle cloths and had their wands in their hands although they weren't trained on them at the moment.

The office was large and was furnished with high quality and beautifully crafted furniture. Many priceless antiques were scattered about the room but what stood out the most was the massive mahogany desk that was positioned in the exact center of the room. Even with magic it must have taken months to craft that piece without ruining the flawless artistry that was carved along the edges and the center of the various panels.

With the exception of themselves and their 'guards' there were only two other occupants in the office. One, who stood in a shadowed corner of the room, had a face that looked more like a rat than even Peter Pettigrew though the shine in his eyes clearly told all those present that he was far more intelligent than the former Marauder. He was also a good deal taller and in much better shape than Wormtail. The other person was the man that was currently sitting behind the desk.

He appeared to be somewhere around eighty years old or so with short white hair and a finely trimmed beard. His deep blue eyes screamed of his wisdom but it was also clearly evident that he could be cold and merciless if the need arose. He regarded his guests with a calm although intrigued expression.

"Leave us!" Harry snapped at the two men that had brought them in. Both stared at him incredulously for believing he could give them orders but the old man nodded his consent and the two left without a word. After placing several privacy charms Harry and his three companions sat down in the chairs their host had conjured for them.

"So what is it that you need today Mr. Potter, another favor perhaps?" He asked with a small smirk which only served to irritate them further.

"You have done me no favors. If I remember correctly, I paid you a great deal for that information. No, our reason for coming here is much more personal. I simply wish to know why you sold out my companions here, and their families, to Voldemort and his Death Eaters." The reactions he received were much like he expected. The man in the corner stiffened slightly while his boss narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Excuse me?" He asked in a dangerous voice. Clearly he didn't like be lumped into the same category as Death Eaters. Without a word Harry drew his wand swiftly and before anyone could react his curse was on its way. Almost instantly the rat faced man dropped to the ground with a painful cry as all the bone and cartilage in his left knee was shredded.

"My point is this, outside of our group the only people alive that knew of their affiliation with me were the two of you. Given the fact that their families were attacked today I have no choice but to come to the conclusion that one of you saw an opportunity to collect a little money. I know perfectly well that you are not a stupid man. You would never approach Voldemort yourself so the only question that remains is whether or not that piece of shit on the floor was acting on your orders." Harry growled. With every word that was spoken the rage that John and the twins were feeling was becoming more and more evident. As angry as they were however it couldn't even begin to match the utter fury radiating off of the old man in front of them as he glared down at his second in command.

"I can assure you that that information did not come from me."

"That is good enough for me." John snapped as stood up and approached the man gasping in pain. After stunning him John grabbed him roughly and dragged him out of the office with Steven and Juan right behind him. Despite his anger at the situation the old man was surprised that they had actually taken his word without much thought. Not very many people would simply accept his denial of guilt, he was often guilty of such crimes after all. Seeing his confusion Harry explained.

"Sir, to put it bluntly, you're a criminal. The purpose of your business is to make money. Men in your position are having the same problems the goblins are currently experiencing and that is a decrease in revenue. Voldemort's war is bad for business. You can't exactly blackmail shop owners for a percentage of their profits if the shops themselves are being destroyed. At present the Ministry is concentrated almost solely on Voldemort, only a fool would bring their attention back to you by selling information for a handful of galleons. As I said before, you are not a stupid man, you wouldn't risk making enemies of people that having been paying you quite handsomely with the prospect of gaining more. Well, we got what, or rather who, we came for so I will bid you good day." Harry finished as he stood and made his way to the door.

"Mr. Potter, out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with Charles?" He asked while hoping that whatever they did to him would be a great deal more painful than what he himself would have done had John not gotten to him first.

"I'm not entirely sure yet but I can guarantee that the man has seen his last sunrise." Harry replied in a cold voice with a positively evil look in his eyes.

MMM

At seven o'clock that evening Harry, Tonks and Snape climbed the stairs up to the Headmaster's office to finish the meeting they had begun that afternoon. As a result of the disastrous afternoon most of the Raiders had chosen to skip the meeting in favor of either relaxing in solitude or spending time with their families. Due to the threat to their families Harry had gotten copies of the land holdings for both the Potter and Black families and had Blasie going through them to find a suitable place for them to evacuate their wives and children should the need arise. As they stepped into the office they found everyone else already present and looking grave.

"First off, I have one thing to say," Harry began, cutting off Dumbledore before he could say anything. "I want to hear nothing else about this story Ravenclaw gave on her death bed."

"But Harry…"

"I don't want to hear it Albus!" Harry snapped angrily. "I have had my entire life dictated to me in one way or another all my life by people that never had that right. I'll be damned if I will allow the chance of a normal family life later on be taken away from me as well. That will be the end of it. Now, moving on." Dumbledore sighed in resignation but it was clear to everyone present that this would NOT be the end of it although both Tonks and Lily Potter seemed immensely pleased at Harry declaration.

"Very well, Harry. First I would like to inform you of a few problems you will undoubtedly have with our new Minister, Rufus Scrimgeour."

"What, is he as bad as Fudge?"

"No, Harry, he is nothing like Cornelius. He is one hundred percent against Voldemort and all those that support him. He is highly intelligent and has the nerve to allow the Aurors and Unspeakables some leeway in dealing with any threat."

"Ok, so far I'm not seeing any problems here." Snape said in confusion at where this was going.

"The problem, Mr. Snape," Stevens began. "Is that Rufus is a believer. He believes that the power in this country must come from the government. He is convinced that it is the Ministry's responsibility to combat threats such as Voldemort and that anyone that takes matters into their own hands, short of self defense, are vigilantes and will be tried and convicted as such."

"Ah, so you expect him to come after my colleagues and I because we acted when the Ministry wouldn't."

"That is a certainty. Unfortunately, due to this fact it will be next to impossible to keep your status as Unspeakables a secret for much longer." James, Lily and Jacob looked at Harry in shock at finding out that he was an Unspeakable and Harry didn't feel like informing his parents that it was merely a technicality. Harry just sighed and shook his head. He really hated politics.

"Fine, we'll deal with that when it comes up. Have any of you been able to get any information on the attacks today?"

"I received an owl from our spy within Voldemort's inner circle about an hour ago. Apparently these attacks were merely a way of venting his anger as opposed to trying to save face in the eyes of his allies as we originally suspected. Shockingly enough he seems to want to win your, or rather Acerbus Grimm's, respect for some reason. He plans on launching a large attack, that he will lead himself, within the next month to achieve that goal. Unfortunately he wont tell anyone what the target is."

"Well why can't Harry send him a message himself and prod him for information?" Jacob spoke up.

"Because at the moment I have the position of power in this 'relationship' and I can't give it up. Tom was told to contact me when he got his priorities straight. If I break and contact him first that balance will shift in his favor and if I try to worm information out of him he will certainly get suspicious."

"There is one more thing Harry." Dumbledore began uneasily as if he were not looking forward to his reaction. "The man that informed the Death Eaters about a few of your colleagues is a man named Charles Durity. He is the right hand man of a wizard that controls a great deal of organized crime in the London area known as the Dragon. It would appear that he has allied himself with Voldemort." Of all the reactions he was expecting he was expecting he did not entertain the idea that Harry, Tonks and Snape would find amusement from his concerns.

"I assure that this is no laughing matter. The Dragon has a great many dangerous men working under him and could pose a serious threat. He should not be underestimated."

"I have a suggestion Albus. Before you automatically begin thinking of someone as your enemy maybe you should get the whole story. Why don't you just run down to London sit down with the man and ask him if he is a Death Eater, surely you will be able to tell if he is trying to be deceptive."

"That might be one possible solution," Madam Bones began sarcastically. "Except for the fact that no one knows who he truly is or where he is based. We have tried to get people close to him for years and met with no success."

"Well then it's a good thing that we have access to his headquarters, isn't it? And he assures me that Durity was acting for his own interests and I believe him. After all, he's getting a great deal more money from me than he would from Voldemort." Harry watched with a smirk as everyone looked at him with shock. Not even Dumbledore could keep his normally calm expression from dropping.

"WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Stevens gasped out loudly.

"Where do you thing we got all that information for our raids in Knockturn Alley. Surely you didn't believe that those shop owners would allow any smuggler or black market slipshot know where they stored their more valuable goods." Snape replied smugly.

"How could you associate with such people?" Remus asked with a strange mixture of shock and awe.

"We're not Aurors Moony, and though technically we are Unspeakables, we do not answer to the Ministry. Voldemort is our ONLY objective and if we have to work with some unsavory types to achieve our goals then that is what I will do. He isn't going to help me free of charge and I'm certainly not going to aid him in his endeavors but I won't hinder him either as long as he doesn't resort to Death Eater tactics. As long as he sticks to smuggling, blackmail or attacking other men like him he can do whatever he wants to his hearts content for all I care. Joining Voldemort would be a big mistake on his part. It would be bad for business and it would paint a big target on his forehead when the Ministries attention is elsewhere."

"Well what of the other guy…" Remus began as he tried to remember the man's name.

"Durity?" Tonks asked helpfully. "He's dead." Once again everyone was shocked at both her statement and her emotionless tone of voice.

"How, how did he die?" James asked quietly.

"Very painfully." Harry answered as he stared his father down with hard eyes. Seeing that Dumbledore was about to speak up, probably to announce his disappointment, he quickly continued. "Tell me Albus, have you ever met a young witch named Sara Anderson?" Looking confused, he thought for a few moments before shaking his head.

"No? Well now you will never get that chance. She is just an eleven year old girl but right now she is occupying a bed in Saint Mungo's and it's highly unlikely that she will ever leave it. Her father John also lost his wife and elderly mother today. Katherine Ramirez was also killed. Do you think these people don't deserve justice? The facts of the matter is that what Charles Durity did was not a crime, he can not be sent to prison or even fined for it but his conscious action resulted in the deaths of four people and the torture of a small girl, results that he KNEW would occur. Do you honestly think that he should have gotten away with that? Now, if you gentle people can do without me, I'm going to turn in early. It's been a very long day." With that Harry walked over to the shelves against the side wall and took down the egg that Hagrid had given him before sweeping out of the office before activating his portkey but groaned out loud when he appeared in the entrance hall of his home only to find Blasie standing there with an anxious look on her face. The change of expression when she saw him made it clear that she was waiting for him.

"Harry I've got something you have to see." She began as she held up the file that held the Black family holdings.

"Oh, did you find a suitable evacuation point already?"

"No, this is much more important. When I was going through the various transactions in recent years I found one in particular that stood out."

"And that would be?" Harry prompted, hoping that she would get to the point.

"Seventeen years ago a vault was open for Bellatrix Lestrange with monthly deposits of five thousand galleons. There was only one condition put on the contract and that was that it remain hidden from her husband. These deposits were made on schedule until she was arrested and her assets were frozen."

"Ok, and this is important how? Big deal, the Blacks were funneling her money, that doesn't seem to unusual."

"I would agree except for the fact that at that time Sirius Black had already assumed full control over all Black family assets."

"WHAT? You must have made a mistake."

"I didn't, and there's more. The day after Lestrange escaped form prison last year Sirius personally went to Gringotts and open another vault for her. Since then the five thousand galleon deposits have been made on schedule every month."

TBC