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 and reviewing you all are great. To Spartan Ninja, I'm also glad that I didn't end up dead I mean after all that would kinda suck. To rb2312, I agree about letting some characters live while other's die. While I can't tell you who is going to live and die for a few reasons some of them being I don't exactly have a solid body count in mind right now. I can however tell you that my body count doesn't match that of J.K. Rowling's but I can honestly say, like I have before mentioned, everything is happening the way it is for a reason. While it might not make sense when it happens it will later on. As for Ron and his future significant other I already have in mind how that's going to happen and who it is so you'll just have to stay tuned.

Chapter 37: Friends, Frienemies, and Enemies.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron had just set down at kitchen table when they heard Mad-Eye's wards going off. After confirming that they were indeed not 'the greasy haired, hooked nosed, git who'd killed Dumbledore', Fred and George clamored down the stairs their arms loaded down with items from their store. "What have you got there?" Harry asked in curiosity as he set extra places at the table for the twins.

"Well we figured that you could always use more defense." Fred shrugged as he and George dumped the contents on their arms onto a nearby counter.

"These are some new products we just got done testing." George said holding up one. "This one sends out stunning charms in every direction."

"It's great if you're cornered and need to escape." Fred added.

"That's brilliant." Harry said.

"I just would be careful while using it." George said.

"Yeah we had a bit of trouble in development." Fred cringed; clearly something bad had happened when they were developing it.

"We're also working on an improved version of the Instant Darkness Powder." George changed the subject.

"After that git Malfoy figured out a way to see through it." Fred grumbled the fact that Malfoy had found a way around one of their products was a big sore spot for them.

"We also brought some of the other things we figured might come in handy." George said.

"We really appreciate it." Hermione said.

They chatted on for a bit, Fred and George gave them a rundown about how things were going in Diagon Alley and the Ministry of Magic. The wizards who did come into the Alley moved about like sleepwalkers. There wasn't the cheerful bustle they had all loved about the place. The streets were filled with strange wizards since Prius Thickness had been made Minister of Magic on top of that there were Death-Eaters roaming about to 'keep order'. People were encouraged by the Ministry to report any activity that might be caused by the Order of the Phoenix. Any mention of Harry Potter's name or that of Dumbledore was a sever offensive punishable by law. Any violators could earn themselves a three months stent at Azkaban Prison. Repeat offenders could be sentenced to death. What was more, was Witches and Wizards were also to report any and all of their neighbors, whose blood status was less than half-blood to the Ministry of Magic, where they were to be tried before the whole Wizengamot. It wasn't long before the ward went off again and the soft voice of Lupin sounded in the hall. After greetings were made they all set around the kitchen table. Lupin produced bottles of butter beer for everyone. "You know there are Death-Eaters in the street?" he asked.

Harry nodded, "We know-"

"I had to Apparate very precisely on the top step outside the front door to be sure they would not see me. They can't know you're here, or I'm sure they'd have more people out there; they're staking out everywhere that's got any connection with you, Harry." Lupin explained. "I want you lot to tell me exactly what happened when you left the Burrow."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione went on to give Lupin the details of what had happened. How they'd ended up in Tottenham Court and how the Death-Eaters found them in the small café.

"What?" Lupin asked nearly spilling his butter beer down the front of his robes.

"We were in a Café in Tottenham Court when they found us. We ducked in there trying to figure out what our next move would be." Harry explained.

Lupin couldn't believe what he was hearing, "But how did they find you so quickly? It's impossible to track anyone who Apparates, unless you grab hold of them as they disappear!"

"And it doesn't seem likely they were just strolling own Tottenham Court Road either." Fred said.

"We wondered," Hermione spoke up, "whether it was possible that Harry still had the Trace on him?"

"Impossible," said Lupin much to Harry's relief, " Apart from anything else, they'd know for sure Harry was still here if he still had the Trace on him, wouldn't they? But I can't see how they woul have tracked you to Tottenham Court, that's really worrying."

For the next hour or so they all set around talking about what was going on at the Ministry the changes that had been made. After a while Fred and George said their good-byes and Apparated out. They'd decided that it was for the best that they weren't seen leaving with Lupin the last thing they needed was more suspicion surrounding the Weasley family. Arthur was already being watched at work, The Ministry were undoubtedly hoping that he'd slip up and lead them directly to Harry."

After the twins departed they decided to move their little party up stairs to the parlor were a warm fire was burning. "So tell us what happened after we left, we haven't really heard a thing. Fred and George told us that Mum and Dad made them leave straight away as well."

"Well Kingsley's warning saved us." Lupin said, "Thanks to his warning most of the guests were able to Disapparate before they arrived. "The boy, Dean Thomas, was the only causality."

They nodded; they'd seen Dean fall and heard Ginny's heart wrenching cries before they'd been forced to leave themselves. "Were they Death-Eaters or Ministry people?" Hermione asked.

"A mixture; but to all intents and purposes they're the same thing now." Lupin explained, "There were about a dozen of them, but they didn't know you were there, Harry. Arthur heard a rumor that they tried to torture your whereabouts out of Scrimgeour before they killed him; if it's true, he didn't give you away."

Harry was surprised by this, he and Scrimgeour had never seen eye to eye about anything in the past. It had been a sore spot for the late Minister of Magic. "The Death-Eaters searched the Burrow from top to bottom. They found the ghoul, but didn't want to get too close-and then they interrogated those of us who'd remained for hours. They were trying to get information on you, Harry. The only people who remained were members of the Order and nobody gave away that you'd been there. After that they smashed into every home connected to the Order in the country. There haven't been any more deaths." He added when he saw the looks of horror on Ron, Harry, and Hermione's faces. "They were rough, they burned down Dedalus Diggle's house, but as you know he wasn't there. They used the Cruciatus Curse on Tonk's family. Again, trying to find out where you'd went after you visited them. They're all right-shaken, obviously, but otherwise okay."

"The Death-Eaters got through all those protective charms?" Harry asked.

"Harry the Death-Eaters have got the full might of the Ministry on their side now." Lupin explained. "They now have the power to preform brutal spells without fear of identification or arrest. They'd managed to penetrate every defensive spell we'd cast against them, and once inside, they were completely open about why they'd come."

"And are they bothering to give an excuse for torturing Harry's whereabouts out of people?" Hermione asked.

Lupin didn't say anything; he pulled out a folded copy of the Daily Prophet. They were all shocked at the headlining story, "Wanted for Questioning About the Death of Albus Dumbledore" below it was a picture of Harry.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other before looking at Harry. It was clear that he was beyond angry, he didn't say anything as he picked up the paper and tossed it into the fire. He didn't need to read it; he already knew what it would say. The only people who knew who truly knew how Dumbledore had died had been in the tower that night. And Rita Skeeter had made sure everyone knew that Harry had been seen running from the tower just after it had happened. "So the Death-Eaters have taken over the Daily Prophet too!" Hermione bit out angrily.

"I'm afraid so." Lupin said.

"Surely people know what's going on?" Ron asked.

"The coup has been smooth and virtually silent." Lupin said. "The official version of the story is that Scrimgeour's had resigned."

They went on to discuss what else was happening in their world, the Muggle-Born Registry and what it meant. It was something that nobody had saw coming, and to be honest nobody would have ever suspected that it could happen. Finally the conversation made a full circle and they were back to talking about the mission. "Do think it possible to let me in on the details of the mission?"

"I'm sorry Remus, I can't." Harry said, "The less people know the better."

The look on Lupin's face was disappointment, "I figured you'd say that. Still I could be of some use to you. You know what I am and what I can do. I could come with you to provide protection. There would be no need to tell me what exactly you were up to."

Hermione's brow wrinkled, "What about Tonks?"

"What about her?" Lupin asked.

"You're married," she frowned, "How does she feel about you going away?"

"Tonks will be perfectly safe, she's with her parents."

Harry could tell by the ton of his voice and the mention of Tonks being at her parents that something wasn't quite right. Something was weighing on Lupin and it was something big. Tonks had always been one to be right in the middle of the action she wasn't one to just stay at her parents' house.

"Remus is everything alright between the two of you?" Hermione asked.

"Everything is fine, thank you." Lupin said bitterly. "Tonks I going to have a baby."

"A baby, how wonderful." Hermione said.

"Congratulations." Harry said.

Lupin forced a smile to be honestly it looked more like a pained expression. "So do you accept my offer? Can three becoming four?"

Harry cut him off, "Just to be clear, you want to leave Tonks at her parents' house to come with us?"

"She'll be perfectly safe there, I'm sure James would have wanted me to stick close to you." Lupin said.

"I'm not." Harry said heatedly, "I'm pretty sure my father would have wanted to know why you're not sticking with your own kid, actually."

All the color drained from Lupin's face. "You don't understand Harry."

"You're right I don't." Harry agreed. "So why don't you explain it?"

"I never should have married Tonks. I didn't it against my better judgment and I have regretted it."

"I see, so you're just going to dump her and the kid and run off with us?"

Lupin nearly knocked his chair over as he rose to his feet and a wolfish shadow crossed his face. "Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and my unborn child? I should have never married her I've made her an outcast. You've only ever seen me amongst the Order or under Dumbledore's protection at Hogwarts! You don't know how most of the Wizarding world sees creatures like me! When they know of my affliction, they can barely talk to me! Don't you see what I've done? Even her own family is disgusted by our marriage, what parents want their only daughter to marry a werewolf? And the child-My kind don't usually breed! It will be like me, I'm convinced of it- how can I forgive myself, when I knowingly risked passing on my own condition to an innocent child? And if, by some miracle, it's not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father whom it must always be ashamed!"

Hermione had tears in her eyes, "Don't say that Remus, how could any child be ashamed of you?"

"I don't know Hermione I'd be pretty ashamed of him." Harry snapped. By the look on Lupin's face you would have sworn that Harry punched him. "If the new Regime thinks Muggle-Borns are bad what would they do to a half-werewolf whose father is in the Order? My father died trying to protect my mother and me, and you reckon he'd tell you to abandon your kid to go on an adventure with me?"

"How dare you?" Lupin said, "This is not about a desire for danger or personal glory, how dare you suggest such a-"

"I think you're feeling a bit daredevilish, you fancy stepping into Sirius' shoes-"

Hermione gasped, "No Harry."

Harry ignored her he knew exactly what he was doing, it needed to be done, "I'd have never believed this, the man who taught me to fight dementors- a coward."

With the blink of an eye Lupin drew his wand; Harry had barely a chance to reach for his before he was cast across the room and like that, Lupin was gone. Hermione ran over to Harry, "Oh how could you?" she asked helping him to his feet.

Harry dusted his jeans off, "I don't know I was pretty easy." He snapped. He hated being a dick to Hermione but he was still so full of anger.

"You shouldn't have said that stuff to Lupin mate," Ron said.

"He had it coming, parents should leave their kids, unless, unless they have to." Harry said his voice full of emotion. Hermione's tears fell down her cheeks as she rested her hand against Harry's shoulder to comfort him. "I know I shouldn't have called him a coward."

"No you shouldn't." Ron agreed.

"But he was acting like one."

"All the same…"Hermione started.

"But if it makes him go back to Tonks, it will be worth it, won't it?" he asked. The desperation in Harry's voice was enough to break Hermione heart. She knew that none of this had been easy him. He hadn't said those things to be a prick he'd done it because Lupin needed that push.

They were all distracted when they heard a crash in the kitchen. With wands at the ready the headed down the steps into the kitchen. They were all surprised when they saw Kreature in the kitchen with a firm grip on Mundungus Fletcher. "Kreature has returned with the thief Mundungus Fletcher, Master."