DISCLAIMER: See last four chapters…I'm sorry it's so short this time. I just had to cut it off there. GRINS …watch out ahead…: (…you'll find out


Secret Promise

Chapter 4: It's a Plan!

oOoOoOo

"We all carry around so much pain in our hearts. Love and pain and beauty. They all seem to go together like one little tidy confusing package. It's a messy business, life. It's hard to figure—full of surprises. Some good. Some bad."

Henry Bromel, Northern Exposure, the Big Kiss, 1991

oOoOoOo

Remus Lupin was in nearly utter shock when he saw Hermione drop down on Tonks, check her vitals, and then begin to give her artificial respiration. He stood there, unable to move, to breathe, to think, before his brain finally kicked in and he rushed to his former student and his limp girlfriend. He dropped down to his knees sharply, and stopped Hermione, who stared at him, jumping back when he whipped out his wand. He pointed it at Tonks saying firmly, gathering up his strength, "Efflopneum!"

There was a horrifying moment that he thought the spell hadn't worked and then another horrifying second when he knew it hadn't. Tonks lay there, seemingly unconscious and not breathing and his heart constricted in his chest. She had lost her color and her hair had gone mousy brown and her face had morphed just a tad, becoming pale and heart-shaped. Her powers had been messed up when she slammed her head he thought, trying very hard not to look at the blood that poured from the wound on her temple. Visions flashed before his eyes. He saw himself meeting her for the first time. She'd tackled Sirius and threatened to rip his head off bellowing that if he thought she was going to let him get away from the ministry, then he'd better think again. When he had claimed he was innocent, she immediately freed him and laughed, "Mum was Right!"

He remembered watching her, confusedly, throughout Order meetings, or friendly gatherings between her and Sirius. He didn't remember how they even came to become such great companions. He remembered first realizing he was falling in love with her. He remembered her coming into that bloody pub in London and how she'd gotten drunk and giggled and laughed before weeping into his shoulder. It was the first time she'd told him she loved him. He remembered feeling that rush of wonderful emotion then sadness because he could never be with her. He remembered carrying her home, kipping on the couch and leaving when Mad-Eye called, not wanting to, but having to. He remembered setting the gift on her counter, knowing she would find it. He remembered the next few months where she moped around and avoided him, and whenever she did meet him, pled with him, proving points, stealing sweet kisses, even smacking him once. He had wanted so much to break into her, to submit and just grab her up and hold her and tell her how he felt, but he couldn't. Then he'd gone on the mission and all thoughts of her had to be pushed back into the ends of his mind, but she had always been there. He remembered Christmas, and the pain of not seeing her. He remembered the hospital wing and trying to tell her in front of witnesses that they couldn't be together. He remembered Molly Weasley telling him that she didn't need a young whole person who could be broken, that if she loved him it didn't matter. He remembered his defenses rolling away and somehow, during the funeral, he'd slipped and he'd just…snapped. He remembered holding her, kissing her, whispering soft words to her, telling her he loved her a thousand times over. He remembered her softly smiling, and saying, "I never gave up," and returning his sweet nothings and words of love. He remembered how happy she had looked, even through her tears. He remembered feeling such ease, such…content and perfection that nothing else he could have done could ever have achieved. His heart ached for his Dora and he couldn't find her.

"Hermione…" She had already started respiration again, pumping breath into Tonks's mouth then pressing into her chest. "Hermione…"

"She's okay, she'll be okay." She managed as she lifted her head to push into her chest.

"Hermione." Remus's throat felt like a huge rock had been shoved inside of it. His insides were ripping; his heart felt like it might explode at any second. Little shards of glass were pricking it, stabbing it, tearing him apart. The monster within him raged, furious, howling to be free and to kill what had killed his mate. Tearing, searing pain that made him want to howl with rage and sorrow dug into every pore, every vein, every cell of his body. The urge to weep and the urge to kill coursed through his blood, the grief and shock numbed his thoughts. He couldn't believe it was happening. He couldn't believe it, but the part of him that understood, the part that had lost so many loved ones to death and war, the part that was cold and menacing, it knew, it just knew. It taunted him, screaming at him that he had never gotten the chance to tell her how he felt, that she was dead, and she was gone, and he could never do all the things he had wished he could with her, and it quenched his disbelief like a bucket of water over a single weakly flickering little flame of hope.

"No!" Hermione refused, tears coursing down her cheeks, "NO!"

"Hermione, stop." Remus felt his voice crack, quiver and snap. He wanted to retch, he wanted to die, he wanted Tonks, he wanted his Dora. "Stop."

But she wouldn't. She couldn't. She had to help her. She had to help Tonks breathe. She had to, she just had too…She had never had this urge before, the aching part of her SCREAMING at her to continue when there was no hope, the part of her that pushed at her very being, demanding that she save her, save her, it was the only thing on her mind.

In her haste to begin the chest pumps, she shifted and something cracked beneath her knee. She looked down, just for a moment and saw to her surprise, that Tonks's charm bracelet had snapped and slid off her wrist, probably sometime when they were pulling her out of the car. She shook herself, rushing back to the task at hand, but before she could she felt a sharp pain and then…nothing.

Remus watched Hermione collapse on top of Tonks, alarm racing through him. He leaned forward, picking up her limp form.

"Hermione!" Mr. Granger rushed to her, pulling her limp form off of Tonks, setting her out on the ground. People had gathered around them sometime before, and Remus felt exposed.

Then a sound made him turn from looking at Hermione to Tonks. She…she had gasped! He jolted, looking at her in shock, and, to his amazement, her chest was heaving up and down, her mouth was open and breathing in and out. Her hand flexed and she groaned, turned her head. Remus felt like he might have a heart attack when the wound on her temple began to heal. The blood…just, vanished, and the skin shifted back together until it appeared as if nothing had happened.

"Nymphadora!" He bent down, taking her face in his hands. Her eyes flew open and she forced herself up. A woman fainted, a man cried, "Praise the Lord Almighty!" and Kingsley, who had been looking on with a stony, sad expression, bellowed, "Great Mother of Merlin!" Everyone looked at him oddly and then, he sighed, before stunning each and every one of the Muggles, except for Jane and Walter. When they looked at him oddly, he said, "Procedure."

"Oh, Tonks. Oh, Dora." Tonks blinked when Remus pulled her tightly against him, cradling her like she was a broken doll, hugging her gently, as if she might shatter, yet didn't want to let go. She let him cling to her, gathered her breath and thoughts then gasped, pulling him up to look in his eyes.

"Remus…I…I saw a lady…oh my god, I think I saw Lily Potter!"

"What!" Remus cried hoarsely.

Tonks grabbed his shirt with one hand pulled him closer and bellowed, "I saw Lily fricken Potter!"

"Tonks…" His voice held alarm, and he looked at her as if she had gone insane. It wasn't possible, it had been a delusion.

"No, no, Remus, I saw Lily Potter!" She reached up her other wrist, shoved it in his face, "See, see, the bracelet broke! The bracelet! The charm! The heart! You never told me that it was something Lily gave you!"

Remus looked at her, confused then looked at her wrist, "She gave one to each of us. To James, Sirius, and I. Even one to Harry. I don't know where it went, but…she told me to use it as I thought right and I wanted to give it to you. What does the charm have to do with anything?"

Before she could speak, there were several pops and cracks as several ministry employees arrived.

"Darn." Tonks grabbed him, kissed him firmly once then pushed away, rushing to Hermione. "She got shocked, that's all." She told Walter and Jane, who were pouring over her, nearly in tears. Tonks waved her wand, "Enervate." And Hermione awoke.

"What happened?" She asked, after she had blinked several times.

Tonks sighed, "We'll be arriving at Harry's a little later than planned. The Aurors will probably question us all, unless Kingsley convinces them not to."

"Oh." Hermione rubbed her head, "I thought…"

"I got better." Tonks said, "Thanks to a certain redheaded woman."

"Ginny? Ginny's here?"

"No, silly!" Tonks giggled then whispered, "Lily."

Hermione looked at her, then back to Remus, then back to her, then to Remus once more. He sighed, putting his face in his hands.

"What?" Hermione asked again.

"Oh, phooey, you guys are so closed minded!"


"Sooo…"

"Yeahhh…."

"Got any muggle money?"

"Nope."

"Uh-uh."

"We're going to starve."

"No, we're not!" Ginny glared at him, rolling her eyes, "We'll just make a quick trip to Diagon Alley through Mrs. Figg's floo—"

"Ginny, are you insane?" Harry looked at her from where they each sat, Ginny perched on the single unbroken swing, Ron leaning against the frame of the swing set. He was settled in the sand, lounging with his legs out. No one else was seen in the play area but them. It was, after all, a little early in the morning.

"What?"

"Now I know why your mother was so against letting you come." Harry grumbled, rubbing a hand through his hair, "You're trying to get me killed."

"Oh, I am not, and remember, she didn't say anything about staying in Privet Drive, now did she?"

"No, but she probably meant to! And once she hears about this she's going to kill me. We're not going, we're staying here. I'll just send Hedwig to Gringotts."

"Are you mental! First of all, she won't hear anything of this, because no Order member is listening!"

"You know this…how exactly?" Harry asked, one brow quirked as he straightened his glasses unconsciously.

"I don't, it's just…I don't know."

She continued on, "Second of all…I guess that might work better." She grumbled, huffing and kicking sand in his direction, but not far enough to hit him.

Harry grinned in triumph, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"But," She began, "Hedwig is in her cage, in your room and do I recall somebody having made a promise not to go into the house until dinner."

Harry opened his mouth, paused. She had a point.

"We're going to starve." He deducted.

"We could ask Mrs. Figg…" Ginny began then said, "But that would make me feel bad."

"Why don't you have any muggle money on you Harry?" Ron asked, curious.

Harry looked at him, glared. Ron just lifted his hands in defense, shrugging, "Hey, just asking, mate."

"I usually don't get out much, Ron." Harry glared, "And what would I do with it?"

"I don't know…buy food?" Ron mumbled.

Ginny sighed, pushed forward slightly, so her toes skimmed over the sand. She looked at Harry, smiled at him, "Push me?"

He shook his head, nodded. Ron rolled his eyes when Harry ran a hand through his hair. He'd been doing that a lot lately. His best mate and his little sister, he was never going to get over that, never, he thought as he watched Harry grab hold of the swing and pull her back then let her go. Ginny laughed and Harry grinned and he could see the happiness on their faces. They made each other happy, and even though he might not act like it sometimes, Ron knew that in the end that would be enough for him to accept it.

"What are you, Harry, a sissy?" Ginny giggled and Ron rolled his eyes. She was a right annoyance.

Harry did the same, rolling his eyes, and pushed her high into the air, making her nearly squeal in surprise.

After Ginny tired of swinging, they finally decided to go to Mrs. Figg's. She heartily invited them in for breakfast of soggy cereal, milk and toast. Ron scarfed down most of the food and Harry and Ginny seemed to just eat the rest. As they ate, Harry noted worry on Mrs. Figg's face and it disappeared when she saw him looking at her. He'd come to deduct that she was a very good actress and something was up.

"Mrs. Figg, do you know where we can exchange some wizard money for muggle?"

Mrs. Figg looked at Ginny and just smiled wearily, "Why, of course. I'd be happy to exchange some."

Ginny went bright red, "I meant…"

"Don't be silly. I've been meaning to take a trip to Diagon Alley anyways."

Harry pulled his money sack from his pocket, which was rather light from the year at Hogwarts. He'd been carrying it around with him as well as his invisibility cloak, stuffed in a bag he'd grabbed on the way out of his room, and his wand, obviously, and Ginny tried to protest when he passed out portions of the money he exchanged with Mrs. Figg to her and Ron.

"Hush, Gin, there's enough for all of us until tomorrow." He told her. She stuck her tongue out at him and reluctantly slipped the money into her pocket. Mrs. Figg smiled at them.

"You'd all better go now." She said when a silvery figure appeared in front of her, and bowed it's head. It was a great tiger. She shooed them away very quickly.

"Was that?"

"A patronus," Harry said, stumbling onto the porch that Mrs. Figg pushed him onto. "What could it be about?"

Ron shrugged, "Dunno…can squibs see patroni?"

"I have no idea." Ginny pondered then sighed, then grabbed Harry's hand, "You have your invisibility cloak, don't you?"

"Well, yes."

"Let me see it." Ginny commanded.

"Ginny, no, we are not spying on Mrs. Figg." He tugged her hand and pulled her onto the sidewalk, she dug her heels into the sidewalk.

"Fine, you don't information, fine. I'll go without the darn invisibility cloak." Ginny slipped her hand out of his grasp, ducked Ron's outstretched arm and slunk quickly towards the window.

Harry looked around, cursed, and rushed up to her, the invisibility cloak halfway out of his bag. He raced up to her, threw it over her and himself, ducking down so his feet wouldn't show.

She looked at him, smiled very bigly then pulled two little devices out of her pocket.

"What are they?" Harry asked, holding one up curiously.

"Fred and George slipped them to me when they hugged me. I think they're a prototype of an improved version of the extendable ears. They told me about them last summer. Now hush, and listen." She slid it into her ear.

"They're gone now?" It was a firm, deep voice.

"Where have I heard that before?" Ginny hissed to him. Harry thought it was vaguely familiar as well.

"Yes, yes, I think so." Mrs. Figg came to the window peeked out. Harry quickly glanced behind him. Ron was sitting on the sidewalk, "Well, the boy won't be able to hear us at this distance at any rate. Harry and the girl are…close so I imagine they're off to do…other things."

"Perhaps," The voice replied, "McGonagall, Shacklebolt, and Weasley Senior have all called for an emergency Order meeting. You heard what happened?"

"Yes, yes, Kingsley alerted the ministry and Arthur Weasley immediately." Mrs. Figg's voice was hasty and worried, and she was wringing her hands, "We should tell the children."

"No one close to them has been seriously hurt." The other man replied, "The Granger girl and her parents are fine."

"Tonks—"

"—Has made a sudden and miraculous recovery from death in mere seconds. This concerns the Order greatly. She shall be here, along with her Werewolf friend and the muggleborn and her parents tomorrow. For now they are being questioned by the Ministry and then they will be held at a safehouse for twenty-four hours, under observation."

"Is that necessary?" Mrs. Figg asked.

"Aye, the Order requires it. What happened was very interesting, and I've convinced Minerva that it is necessary to keep them under strict borderlines for observation for twenty-four hours. Trust me, Arabella; I am knowledgeable in these kinds of things."

"Marvel—"

"I've said enough already, Arabella. It's time for me to leave."

"Wait—"

There was a sharp, minute pop and Mrs. Figg muttered, "Oh, that infuriating man!"

Harry and Ginny heard her slam a door and pulled away from the window. They each pulled the hearing device out of their ears and Harry suddenly felt at a loss of senses. He could have heard the clomp of an ant's feet with the hearing aid.

"Interesting…" Ginny pondered as they made their way towards Ron, "The man's name is Marvel. I think that's the name Tonks said at the train station."

"Do you think Tonks was seriously hurt?"

"It sounded like it. 'A sudden and miraculous recovery from death in mere seconds?' No one can recover from death!"

Harry looked at her. A chill shivered down his spine at the thoughts that raced through his mind. He hated not knowing these kinds of things, hated every single missing piece to his life. It irked him and he just wanted to figure this out, defeat Voldemort and figure out how to live his life peacefully.

"I don't like the way the Order's being handled. Recovery from "death" or not, no one should be held against their will for observation like that, as if they're…test subjects." Harry felt disgusted, and he knew that this 'Marvel' character was starting to look a lot like Voldemort himself. He was obviously manipulative; it was there in the sound of his voice.

"More reason to quicken the pace of starting up the DA." Ginny said, furrowing her brow.

"I think I'll take up that idea of sneaking into London, Gin." Harry said, placing a hand on her back, feeling the warmth of her flesh beneath her shirt. He liked that feeling, "We'll send out owls tomorrow, when Hermione gets here, and perhaps we'll have the meeting next week."

Ginny nodded, looking very triumphant, and then reached down, grabbed Ron's shoulder. He jumped high in the air, and spun around, and saw a glimmer of Harry's shoes.

"Merlin Almighty, Gin!"

"Shut it, just stand up and head down the street, back towards the park, okay?" She whispered to him.

Ron obeyed. Harry and Ginny followed him silently under the invisibility cloak, when they were sure no one was looking, they tugged it off and stuffed it back into Harry's bag.

They both explained the conversation to him. He looked bewildered and asked, rather pale, "Is Hermione okay?"

"The Marvel guy said she was perfectly fine." Ginny said.

Ron let out a huge sigh of relief, his shoulders slumping as he relaxed, before he looked away, his ears going red.

"Now all we have to do is wait until lunch, I think we'll walk into town, buy some food at a diner or the bakery, then some groceries right before dinner and head up to my room. How does that sound?"

"Peachy."


"Just to make sure, my ass!" Nymphadora Tonks kicked the door to the large room that the Order had tricked them into. She shouted off a few more obscenities, cursed every single member of the Order, and then plopped down angrily on the ground, crossing her legs and arms. Her hair had become a flurry of black tufts about her head, not unlike Harry's.

"This sucks ass!" She told Remus, who sat near by, perched uncomfortably upon a chair. She pouted and Remus shook his head, opened his arms for her, patting his knee.

She stood up, dropped into his lap, slid her arms around his neck, placed her cheek on his shoulder, and burrowed into him.

"There, there, darling." Remus stroked her hair and rubbed her leg, which had curled up like the rest of her on his lap.

"It's not fair." She told him then turned and yelled at the door, "WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING ANYTHING OF ANY IMPORTANCE UNTIL ALL YOU ASSHOLES HAVE FREED US!"

Remus looked to the heavens, sighed.

"I'm quitting the Order. It's gone to ruins." She told him.

Around them sat the others. Walter and Jane were looked slightly frightened and confused; Hermione was banging her head on the soft cushioned arm of the settee she was sprawled out on, on her stomach. Kingsley Shacklebolt looked right pissed from where he prowled the floor, pacing and pacing and pacing, eyes intent on the floor.

"Good," Hermione told her, looking up from her head-hitting.

Tonks raised her brows at the authority loving, butt-kissing Hermione and the bushy-haired teenager made an evil scowl, "You'll find out later."

"Ahh, so this is what was happening on the train." Tonks looked Hermione slyly. She had an idea what was happening. Oh, how she loved rebellious conspiracies created by willful teenagers.

"Hmm?" Remus asked, looking down at her.

"Nothing, Rem." She told him, sitting up quickly, throwing her legs over the arm of the chair so she wasn't so curled up. Remus was eye to eye with her now. She smiled at him, looked to the Grangers.

"I'm so confused." Jane Granger looked to her husband. He patted her knee, but didn't say anything.

"This isn't a very good way to show our world to you guys, is it?" Hermione told them. She had given up banging her head once more, but she still lay, defeated, on her stomach. Her head was cushioned by the arm rest.

"It's alright, dear. I imagine it's much like a observation room for quarantined patients with diseases." Jane Granger paled at her husband's words.

"We don't have a disease or a curse or anything like that, I assure you!" Tonks told her. She still looked horrified.

"Why did they take my book away?" Hermione asked, staring at the wall, still slumped against the settee.

"Is that why you're so depressed?" Tonks giggled.

"No, I'm angry!" Hermione said, glaring harder, "I'm pissed! They have no right to luck us up like this!"

"Hermione!" Walter turned to his daughter. She didn't look up at him, continued to stare at the wall.

"How long are they going to keep us here?"

"Who bloody knows?"

"I'm arresting them! They had no reason to place me here!" Kingsley bellowed.

"Oh, hush, Kingsley, we all feel your pain."

The bald, black man glared at her, continued his pacing.

"Everyone's so…morbid." Tonks said, smiling at them all.

"Yeah, well, we tend to be that way when we're held against our will!" Hermione shouted, before turning away from them all.

"Does anyone want to play down by the banks?" Tonks asked, paused, "Does anyone even know how?"

"Oh, fine." Hermione sat up, "You can teach me." She moved to sit up…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The world around them crashed and shook and Tonks was thrown from Remus's lap, Hermione from her settee. Jane and Walter managed to stay in theirs, but Kingsley lost his balance and fell to the floor with a crash.

"What the heck was that?" Tonks asked.

"It sounded like a bomb!" Walter said, holding his shaking wife to him.

"It's an attack." Remus said, helping Tonks up, "I can hear it."

"Hear?" Walter inquired.

"Werewolf senses." Remus told him, not even looking at him. He crossed the room, examined the door. He grabbed the handle and heaved heavily, with inhumane strength.

Jane had a look on her face that screamed 'We're locked in here with a werewolf?'

Somehow, he managed to pull it from its hinges.

"The wards must have shifted from the blast." Kingsley said, heading towards them. "We need to apparate out of here." He said, heading out into the hall as if to lead them.

"Too late." There was a flash of green and Kingsley fell, limp and dead, to the floor. Hermione screamed, horror spilling like acid into her belly.

"Why, hello, my sweets." It came from the shadows. A wand came into view, pointed at them all steadily.

They had nothing to defend themselves. The Order had taken their wands. Remus and Walter moved to cover Tonks, Jane and Hermione.

"Oh, no need for that gentlemen, I'm here to free you, you see." The man said, "That's what you wanted isn't it?"

"You fucking killed him!" Screamed Tonks, pushing at Remus to get through, "You killed him and you're trying to say you're saving us!"

"Who said anything about saving?" The man replied, soothingly, "I'm here to free you. Let's see how well you all can do without your wands in a chase of life…and death. There's no house, no road around here for miles, just forest, and I think you'll see that it won't be easy to get out of the woods."

"Ta-Ta…" He…disappeared.

"We're in deep shit." Walter said, shakily.

Remus nodded, grabbed hold of his arm, "We need to get out of here. Hermione, you take your father by side-apparition, Tonks can take your mother. I'll…I'll get Kingsley."

"Oh, hell. Oh, hell." Tonks whispered. Tears had come to her eyes, "He was a good auror. It just...it took him by surprise...He was the best..."

"He was." They moved to assemble their apparition, Tonks tried with all her might, but nothing happened, not even a twitch.

"Holy hell, anti-apparition too?" Tonks asked, furious.

"Those take weeks to prepare." Remus pondered, looking around, "Tonks…do you think…?"

"What? This is an Order safehouse! Nobody knows about it!" Tonks suddenly got a look on her face. "No…"

"An Order double-agent. Any one of the Order members." Remus looked haggard and care-worn.

"Snape?" Hermione asked, angrily.

"I'm not so sure." Remus replied.

Jane Granger bit her lip hard so she wouldn't cry.

"Mum, it'll be okay." Hermione rubbed her mother's arm.

They could only hope.


Claire Raleigh shuddered from where she stood, watching her younger brothers play Muggle football, a sport their muggleborn father had made sure that they learn and love. None of them were of the age to start Hogwarts, except Jeremy, he was in his third year. Christopher was ten, and Hadrian was eight. She had another sibling, a sister in her seventh year. Elaine was in her room, reading Witch Weekly and listening to the Weird Sisters.

Claire felt a chill course through her body, a sudden cold clam against her skin.

It was one of those feelings. The feelings she got when something bad was happening. It had happened during the incidents in her first year, with the Chamber of Secrets and people getting petrified. It had happened when Sirius Black had broken into the castle, but it had been dull then and since the publishing of his innocence by the Ministry she realized that was probably why, and another night later on in the year that she didn't know what it was about, all that she knew was the next day Professor Lupin had resigned. It had happened when Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory had disappeared from the maze, even during every single Defense Against the Dark Arts she had with Professor Moody and Professor Umbridge, when Professor Hagrid got attacked, her classes with Professor Snape always had one, since third year, and during the night of Dumbledore's death. She had never spoken up about them. She just ignored it and prayed that everything would be okay.

She felt a cold dread around her. It was a different feeling. The feeling that meant that it would be a long kind of disaster and not the quick jabbing pain of one that would be quick. A throbbing would begin in about half-an hour and she would have to lie down, lest she wish to faint as she had once before.

"Oh." She felt a little woozy already and sat down, shivering.

"Claire?" Jeremy asked, dropping the football he had dropped, intending to throw it away from the goal, "Claire?"

She shook her head, put it her face in her hands. She was freezing, and her body racked with shivers and chills. She couldn't think as she got flashes of a dark wood, several pairs of eyes, five silhouettes, a house surrounded by trees, a dark sky, a long, shadow…Oh, stop! She'd never gotten visions before, never…a flash of a color, but never visions…

"MUM! MUM! MUM COME QUICK"

"What is it?" Audrey Raleigh rushed outside after hearing two of her boys calling for her, one throwing the door open and crying for her. She saw her daughter, quivering violently, huddled on the ground.

"What happened to your sister?" She cried, running to her, dropping the wash-cloth she had in her arms and falling to her knees.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Claire cried. She recognized the bushy hair, and knew something was happening to Hermione. Neither Harry nor Ron was there. She had to tell them. She had to tell Harry. "Muumm….owl…owl Harry…"

"Harry? Who's Harry?"

Claire calmed her shakes, stood up, wobbling. She headed towards the house, but her mother took her arm, stopped her, "Claire, baby what's happening?"

"I have to get a letter…a letter to Harry." She said, "I'm fine."

"Sweetheart you're shaking like…like nothing I've ever seen before! You need a wool blanket and a bed while I call a healer!"

"No!" Claire ran as fast as she could to the house, felt her legs nearly give out, but she couldn't stop. She had to get to an owl she had to get a letter to Harry. She had to reach someone, anyone, she had to reach out for them, and she thought of red, Ginny, but before she could reach out, a racking blackness pierced her mind and she saw the face of a woman with dark eyes and a heart-shaped face and then the long shadow, a glimmer of a wand, a rush of fear, and she collapsed, falling to the ground, unconscious before her body even hit.


"Hmm, this is a very interesting piece…Exquisite."

"Thank you, sir." Justin Finch-Fletchley smiled slightly. He was dressed up nicely, in black Muggle slacks, a loose blue buttoned down t-shirt and a black jacket. His mother, on his first day back, had asked him to help out in her gallery while the usual Art Gallery Assistant, Christabel, was away. She had patted his head fondly and absently, and continued to work up in her office, shooing him away, trusting him to know what to do. Justin loved his mother, really he did, sometimes she could be the greatest mother in the world, but at other times she cared only for her business. Just like his father, his stepmother, and his stepfather.

"How much?" The man was portly, with a slender, ugly mustache and nearly no eyebrows, nor eyelashes. Justin recalled it being some kind of nervous habit and he fought not to shudder.

He told the gentleman the price of the painting and the man frowned. It took Justin several minutes to convince him to buy the piece, he achieved it of course, he had his father's sly tongue when it came to business, just not anywhere else, he thought to himself grudgingly, thinking about what had happened on the train with Claire.

His thoughts strayed to her. She was so darned pretty and she didn't even know it. All the long, beautiful blonde hair and her big, bluebell eyes, her perfect smile and the tinkling sound of her laughter. Growing up with an affinity of art to surround him, he knew a masterpiece when he saw one and Claire's beauty matched that of a inexpressibly breathtaking painting. He had liked her for a little while, ever since he had first noticed her in the common room a few months before. It was a wonder he had never seen her before.

"Hem-hem!"

Justin snapped back to attention, his reflexes thinking of Umbridge then realizing that he had kept his customer waiting. He apologized, several times then continued on with the transaction, jotting into the beautiful contraption that was the computer what address to ship the painting to, and such.

"Thank you, sir and have a good day!" He said, shaking the man's hand, and leading him out of the door.

"Great job." The receptionist, Aiden, smiled at him, broadly and Justin grinned back.

"Thanks." He sat down.

"You know, I never see you around here anymore, Justin." Aiden began, the phone rang and he rolled his eyes, lifted it up and said, "Finch Galleries please hold." He set it back down, "You're going to that school, what was it again?"

"Er, Hogwarts."

"Odd name, by the way, but whatever floats your boat! I thought your dad was sending you to Eton?"

Justin shrugged, "I like this school better. It's almost…magical." Was it safe to say that? Justin asked himself.

Aiden laughed, "Seems that way, huh? Lots a girls?"

Justin went red. Aiden chuckled, "Thought so."

"Well, there is one…" Justin said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and rocking on the balls of his heels. His mother always told him not to do that, that it made him look loose and unprofessional, but he ignored her most of the time, "Her name's Claire and she's just…great. She's really great."

"All women are great!" Aiden told him, laughingly, "It seems that way anyway, until you forget a birthday."

It was Justin's turn to laugh. His thoughts had once again turned to Claire and he wondered what she was doing. Sighing, imagining her sitting and laughing with her family. He wished he could hear her sweet giggles.

The door opened and he turned, greeted the customer, thoughts of Claire fleeing.


"Gin?" Harry looked back at Ginny. She had stopped suddenly on their way to town, in the middle of the sidewalk and just looked at him, with sad, pleading eyes. "Ginny, what's wrong?"

"Harry, I…" She shuddered, reached for her stomach, "I think I'm going to be sick…" Harry felt alarm and walked to her, took her arms, and let her bend over to breathe deeply. Ron had stopped as well, looking at her with a strange expression.

"Ginny?"

"Harry, something's wrong…" She squeezed her eyes shut. Her fingers dug into his arm as her hands gripped his wrists, and her body was quivering with effort. "Oh…nausea…"

"Gin, what…?"

She went weak, her legs gave out and she clung to him so she wouldn't tumble.

"Ron, I think she's sick!"

"No…no." Ginny told him, her voice low and fierce with weakening strength, "Claire…and Hermione…"

"What?"

"Harry, I think…I think Hermione got attacked…I don't know…" She shuddered, squeezed her eyes closed even more, moaned, "Ooooh…my head…"

"Ginny!"

"Mrs. Figg…take me to Mrs. Figg's, Harry..."

He didn't need to be told twice. He scooped her up and made his way towards Wisteria Walk as fast as he could, Ron following quickly behind. They got odd, suspicious looks by passersby, but Harry didn't even notice. He rushed into Mrs. Figg's house, setting off an annoying beeping sound.

"What in Heaven's name—"

"Mrs. Figg, I need Mrs. Weasley, right now."

"Oh, dear!" Mrs. Figg paled and nodded, rushed, her slippers dragging on the floor, to the living room and her fireplace.

"Ooo, much better." Ginny said when Harry spread her out on the couch, after following Mrs. Figg. Ron was rather pale and shaky. Harry looked like he might drop from concern. "No, don't." She said when he moved to pull away from her. She grabbed his hand, pulled him to her, set her face into his shoulder. He maneuvered his arm around her, tangled his fingers in her hair, stroking them lovingly. Ginny couldn't tell if it was just her, or if Harry was shaking as well.

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley rushed through the floo without taking a moment to stop. Fleur followed in after her, as well as Bill.

"The Brother Brigade." Ginny said, laughingly, but very weakly and she paled again, making a disgusting face, "Oh, stomach…"

"Ginny, dear, what…?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you…" Ginny looked at her mother, and a mischievous glint flew through her pain even as she made a slightly pouting face, "I'm preggers…"

"GINNY!"

"WHAT?"

Thud. Ron fainted.

"Harry James POTTER!" Molly rounded on Harry, who was looking at Ginny, his mouth agape.

"I didn't…Mrs. Weasley…we've never…you IMP!" He turned on Ginny, angrier than hell then saw how pale she was, the discomfort that flashed in her eyes, and it just disappeared with a pop.

"Oh, that was too…funny." Ginny gave a half-laugh.

"THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!" Bill bellowed. He had been about ready to strangle Harry with his bare hands when he'd heard the word 'preggers'. He was surprised he wasn't down on the floor with Ron right that moment.

"Ginny, it's not funny." Harry repeated, worry filling his own face, "You're sick and I don't…I don't know what to do…"

"Oh, Harry, I'm fine…" She said, touched his face, "I just…need a moment."

"Dear, let me." Molly Weasley could forgive her for the moment for such a terrible joke. She pulled out her wand and began to diagnose her daughter and came up with nothing. No fever, no curses, no nothing. She did check for pregnancy, just in case, and found that her daughter, thankfully, was still a virgin.

"Hey!" Ginny cried, shoving her mother's wand away, "That's not nice!"

"It is perfectly nice when you're daughter says something like that!" Molly told her, firmly, shaking her finger, "Imagine how you would feel if that happened to you!"

"Hmph, my daughter would be proud to give her grandmother such hell, and I would pat her on the back for such mischief!"

"Oh, no!" Harry said, looking at her, "No. She will not be dating until she's married."

He stopped, paused, surprised at himself. Bill gaped, Fleur giggled, Ginny smiled.

"Oh." Ginny said, lifting a hand to her mouth, she bent over and retched all over, getting it on Harry and the carpet. Mrs. Figg gave a cry of surprise.

"It's alright, it's alright." Mrs. Weasley cleaned up with a flick of her wand.

"I'm so sorry!" Ginny suddenly had tears in her eyes when she looked at Harry, "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry!"

"Its fine, it's all cleaned up." He rubbed at her cheek with his thumb.

"I know…but…Ooh…poor Claire."

"Claire."

Ginny nodded, looked at him, "I…I think I'm getting…vibes from her…"

"Vibes…"

"Don't ask me to explain it." Ginny shook her head, sighed, leaned against her boyfriend heavily, "I dunno…maybe she's a natural legilimens or something. But…somebody's in trouble…I can feel it. Somebody…I think Hermione…"

"What?" Harry asked. Bill was reviving Ron, who nearly pounced Harry until Bill told him Ginny had been joking.

"Hermione…woods…shadow…I can't figure it out."

Molly and Bill shared a look, one that was full of horror. Bill raced to the fireplace, threw floo in and stuck his head in, yelling a password, only to be blocked.

"Oh, damn." He said, "The only reason it would be blocked…"

"Is if the wards were shifted." Molly said, going very, very pale, "I knew they shouldn't have been placed there! I told them that it wasn't right to keep them there!"

"Oh, dear, they weren't attacked…?" Mrs. Figg asked.

"Oh!" Ginny cried, gasping. Sweat formed at her brow and she convulsed, grabbing at Harry, "My head!"

"It's alright, Gin, It's alright." He bent forward, kissed her cheek rubbed her shoulder, whispered soothing sounds, "Shh, it's okay. Let it pass. Let it pass."

She gasped then the jerking stopped, "No more. God, no more." She shook a little but it wasn't as bad as before.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt is dead." She whispered, tears forming in her eyes, "And the others are lost in the woods, and there's no way out or in."

"Then we'll bloody find a way in." Harry told him, gripping her hand in his.

She nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. "I'm going."

"You will not!"

Harry thought for a moment, staring at Ginny intensely, simply ignored her mother, "We'll need two wands, our brooms—"

"NO!"

"Mrs. Weasley, it is my best friend out there, and the only connection I have left to my parents, as well! Ron and Ginny know how to take care of themselves!" Harry yelled at her, the tension he'd been feeling snapping with anger.

Mrs. Weasley held her ground, "No."

"Yes. I'm sorry." Harry stood up, helped Ginny to her feet. "We need to alert the Order and gather a search and rescue team. And if the Order doesn't think we are qualified to go, then they're going to have to deal with the Chosen One."

Molly stared at him, wide-eyed, "You're…"

"Was there ever any doubt of that, mum?" Ginny asked, laughingly, leaning up against Harry.

Ron was grinning at Harry, "Show-off."

"Now, we're going, Mrs. Weasley. I can't do it without them."

She turned away, shook her head in fury and tears. "Fine. Fine, go ahead and die! Go ahead and throw away your life!"

"We're not, Mrs. Weasley. We're not going to die." Harry knew it was true, knew it in his bones, "I promise."

"You can't! You can't promise that! It's dangerous!"

"Trust me." Harry said it softly, "Just…trust me."

Mrs. Weasley stopped, looked at the messy-haired teen who here little girl was leaning up against for support, who stood tall and proud and ready to fight. She looked at her baby girl, who, although, weak, was willing to fight to rescue her friend. She looked at her youngest son, who had set his jaw and was standing by his friend and sister, showing where his loyalty was laying at the moment.

She sighed, "I'm going with you."

Harry gaped at her, "Mrs. Weasley…"

"I know my way around the battlefield, Harry." She told him, "I'm coming."

Harry stopped. It wasn't his right to dissuade people from taking their part in the war…not anymore. He nodded, "Then we don't need the Order. If we all can go, then that's all the search and rescue we need."

Bill and Fleur nodded, "We'll go as well."

If someone had told Harry a week ago that he would be joining together with a mother, a French half-veela, a man who had just been attacked by a werewolf, a small redheaded girl, and his trusted 'sidekick' to set out to find his best friend without thinking about just going by himself first, he would have thought they were crazy.

But now, it just seemed like a plan.


Okay, this just hurts. Two reviews? Just TWO? PLEEEEASE review? It helps so much! And a thank you to all those who HAVE reviewed! They were all great!

Sorry about the delay…technically I'm posting on Friday seeing as it's one in the morning but, I've had a busy, busy week. Just found out that I have to get braces for 2 years and then have Orthorthic Jaw Surgery…my life is so boring that I actually welcome this fact. School stuff (I'm preparing myself early, yay non-procrastinating Devan), tutoring, babysitting a cranky baby, blah, blah, blah. But anyways, happy reading!

Review…..please?