Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter/Wizarding World. They were all created by the genius that is J.K. Rowling.
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's reading glad you're enjoying it. Just a few things Chapter 16 was before the crazy flight to The Burrow. Chapter 18 picks up when Harry first gets to the Burrow after everything that happened. So for the most part it kinda moves in cannon accept Hedwig and the Firebolt survive. I attempted to throw my own flair into that particular scene but I couldn't make it work and I'm a firm believer in the fact that when something is perfect you don't mess with it.
Chapter 18: What Happens Now?
Harry's heart was pounding in his ears when he and Hagrid slammed into the ground outside of the Borrow. His wand still clutched in his shaky hand he pushed himself off of the ground his legs wobbly and ran towards the house. As soon as they were in the air they were ambushed by Death-Eaters. He didn't know what had happened to Hermione and Kingsley. He had a bad feeling he never should have let her do this. If anything happened to her….he quickly pushed the thought from his mind. He refused to think that. Hermione had been with Kingsley…she was safe….she had to be safe. He was almost to the door to the Burrow when it pushed opened and Ginny and Mrs. Weasley came out both with wands drawn.
After going through the standard questions to assure he was really Harry Potter, both Ginny and Mrs. Weasley both hugged him so tightly he thought they might have cracked one of his ribs. "Nobody else has arrived?" It was really more of a statement than a question. The grave look on both of the women's faces said it all. "We were attacked as soon as we were in the air. There were Death-Eaters everywhere not the few sentinels like Mad-Eye had expected. They knew that I was being moved tonight."
Before Molly or Ginny had a chance to say anything else the door to the kitchen was flung opened and Lupin came in half carrying George who's face and neck was covered in blood. Mrs. Weasley's face paled when she saw George. She didn't let panic take over her instead she had Remus lay him on the couch and she and Ginny started cleaning him up. Harry didn't have a chance to ask what had happened before Lupin slammed him against the wall and shoved his wand in his face. "'Eh…what are ya doin' let him go!" Hagrid snapped at Lupin.
"What creature sat in the corner the first time that Harry Potter visited my office at Hogwarts?" he said shaking Harry a little. "Answer me!"
Harry's mind was racing. "A-a Grindylow in a tank wasn't it?" he answered as quickly as he could.
Lupin let go of Harry who relaxed against the wall. "I'm sorry." He said.
"What the hell was that all about?" Hagrid asked.
"We were betrayed I had to be sure…I'm sorry Harry." He said again. "Voldemort knew that you were being moved tonight and the only one who could have told him was directly involved."
Harry nodded, "I know…but I don't think anyone who was there tonight none of the Order would have betrayed me. I think someone might have gotten careless with the date, he didn't know the details."
"How did he learn which was you?" Lupin asked.
Harry went on to explain what had happened with Stan Shunpike, how he was only acting under the Imperius Curse, so he disarmed him instead of stunning him. It ended up starting a slight argument between him and Lupin but when they heard a noise outside both Lupin and Harry headed towards the door wands ready.
Hermione and Kingsley had just arrived at the Burrow having barely made their Portkey and were followed shortly after by Mr. Weasley and Fred who went straight to the house to where George was. As soon as Hermione saw Harry running towards her she broke away from Kingsley and flung herself in Harry's arms tears pouring down her cheeks. Harry's arms went around her tightly and he lifted her off of the ground holding her tightly. Both of them had forgotten about the Ministry protocol completely. "Thank God you're safe.' Harry said.
"I could say the same." Hermione said raining kisses all over his face. "I love you so much."
"I love you too." Harry said finally letting her feet touch the ground. And lead her towards the house but kept his arm firmly around her. He wasn't ready to stop touching her just Harry and Hermione had been caught up in each other Mr. Weasley and Fred arrived and went straight to the house both were concerned about George. "How's George?" Harry asked when they were inside.
Mrs. Weasley was pouring them all a firewhiskey, "He's cleaned up now I'm not going to be able to do anything about his ear…not when it's been cursed off with Dark Magic like that." She said.
They were silent for a few minutes. Harry could tell that Lupin was trying not think about Tonks or the fact that she should have been one of the first ones back.
"George was hurt?" Hermione asked breaking the silence. She took a small sip of the whiskey and coughed.
"Snape hit him with a sectumsempera." Lupin said. "I wish I could say that I paid him back in full but I was trying to keep George from falling from the broom."
Nothing more was said on the subject there was a skidding sound outside and Lupin, Harry, and Hermione ran outside. "Remus!" Tonks called. Relief flooded Lupin's face when he saw Tonks he swept her up into his arms and kissed her hard.
"You're alright." Hermione said hugging Ron.
"'M alright," Ron assured her as Harry clapped his hand on his back.
"Ron was great," Tonks said her arm still wrapped around Lupin, "Stunned one of the Death Eaters, straight to the head. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."
"Amazing," Harry said mussing Ron's hair.
"Stop it." He smacked Harry's hand away. "Are we the last back?"
Harry shook his head. "We're still waiting for Bill and Fleur, Mad-Eye and Mundungus."
"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed from the porch. "I'll let Mum and Dad know you're here."
"What kept you up, what happened?" Lupin asked Tonks.
"That bitch Bellatrix." Tonks said. "She wants me quite as much as she wants Harry. Remus she was trying very hard to kill me." She said completely serious. "It held us up and then we'd missed Portkey and Ron's aunt Muriel was fussing over us-" Lupin's jaw was clinched but he didn't say anything just nodded.
"I should get back to the Prime Minister I should have been there an hour ago." Kingsley said. "Let me know once they arrive."
"I will." Lupin said.
"Why don't we go inside?" asked Harry when he felt Hermione shiver.
They didn't get a chance to make it in the door before Mrs. Weasley ran outside and hugged Ron tightly and then Lupin and Tonks. "Thank you so much…thank you for our sons." She said her cheeks soaked with tears.
"Don't be silly Molly." Tonks said hugging her back.
Just as they were starting towards the house they heard the cry of Thestral. They were all relieved when Bill and Fleur dismounted it though they were windblown they weren't hurt which was a relief. "Bill! Fleur! Thank God!" Mrs. Weasley cried running to them and hugging them.
Harry noticed right away that while Bill hugged his mom he was bearing bad news. "Mad-Eye is dead." He said. Nobody spoke, what Bill was saying was absolutely ludicrous. It wasn't possible for Mad-Eye Moody to be dead; the man was missing part of his nose, one of his eyes, and a leg. Of course the tears streaming down Fleur's cheeks as she nodded collaborating Bill's story said it all. Knowing that there wouldn't be anyone else to join them they all turned to go into the house.
Bill waited to say anymore until they were all inside seated around the table he finally spoke, "It happened just after we broke out of the circle. Mad-Eye and Dung were close by us, they were heading north too. Voldemort…he can fly….he went straight for them. Dung panicked, I heard him cry out and Mad-Eye tried to stop him but he Disapperated. Voldemort's curse hit Mad-Eye right between the eyes he fell backwards off of his broom. There was nothing we could do. We had half a dozen of them on our own tail-" Bill's voice broke and he graciously took the glass of firewhiskey Mrs. Weasley had poured him.
"Of course you couldn't have done anything." Lupin said.
Fred and George walked into the kitchen still laughing from their typical antics. When he saw the grave looks on everyone's faces his smile faded, "Who-?" he didn't get a chance to finish.
"Mad-Eye." Mr. Weasley said, "He's dead."
There wasn't a dry eye in the room but the hardest hit by the news was Tonks. She had been close to Mad-Eye, his favorite and his protégée at the Ministry of Magic. With Dumbledore dead and now Mad-Eye it was a hard hit for the Order of Phoenix. Bill after finishing his firewhiskey stood up and walked to the sidebar and pulled out another bottle he filled his own glass and then the glasses of everyone else. "To Mad-Eye." He said lifting his glass. The other's followed and the all drank to their fallen friend.
Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione pulling her against him and squeezed her shoulder gently. "So Mundungus disappeared." He said. It was no secret that he had no love for the fence not after the way he'd cleared out the house at Grimmauld Place after Sirius died.
"I know what you're thinking and I thought it too." Bill said. "They seemed to expect us. Dung couldn't have betrayed us they didn't know there would be seven Harrys. It threw them off the moment we appeared. Not to mention Mundungus was the one who suggested that bit of skullduggery. Wouldn't he have told them the essential point? I just think he panicked simple as that. He didn't want to come and Mad-Eye made him and You-Know-Who went straight for them. I would have panicked in his place."
Ron couldn't help but grin as he took a drink of his firewhiskey then looked down at the amber liquid left in the glass. "Yeah, Death-Eaters didn't see that coming. They were all scratching their heads…it must have been in a nice change for their ba-"
"RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley screeched, "I will not have you talking like that!" she said before boxing his ears.
"Mum!" Ron grumbled rubbing his ears.
Harry along with everyone else laughed. "Yes, and zaat eez all veery good," snapped Fleur, "but still eet does not explain 'ow zey knew we were moving 'Arry tonight, does eet?" Somebody must 'ave been careless." She glared around and everyone her face still tracked with tears.
"No,' Harry said loudly standing up his hands resting on the table, "We're not doing this we're not pointing fingers the last thing we need is for us to be divided. Anyone could have let the date slip up. Hell even I could have. We're not infallible right now the Death-Eaters are probably celebrating thinking that they've done us in. They've gotten rid of Dumbledore and Mad-Eye not to mention Snape's betrayed us. They think they have the upper hand and yeah alright they probably do. They think that they're without leadership we're all going to run away scared and hide. I'll be fucking damned if we let that happened. We are just as united as we were when they were with us. Hell probably even more because I know that we're not going to bloody well stand back and let their deaths go without justice."
"Well said Harry." Fred said.
"'Ear 'Ear." George said both he and Fred laughing to themselves.
"'Ey how come Harry didn't get his ears boxed?" Ron said still rubbing his ears. "I mean what I said wasn't nearly as bad."
Mrs. Weasley raised an eyebrow, "You want it again?"
Harry offered his hand to Hermione, "Come on." He said leading her out of the house.
