"Avea Apara." A shimmering orange dome sprung up around Harry and Charlie, and Harry baulked and jerked his wand tip down; his Stunner flashed harmlessly into the dirt beside his trainers.

An incoming spell hit the dome and bounced before whizzing off in the opposite direction. The dome wobbled slightly but otherwise showed no signs of weakening.

"You holding up all right?" Charlie asked, wiping his sweaty forehead.

"For now," Harry puffed, clutching his side. The original plan - to get Harry to the woods - had gone out the window almost immediately. They'd done fairly well together, him and Charlie, taking down two Death Eaters and leading three others on a chase that had spanned a decent amount of the campsite before they'd found themselves surrounded when another two Death Eaters Apparated in.

Harry ducked reflexively to avoid a spell that didn't even make it through Charlie's dome. A fireball followed and Harry flung up a hasty Protego but the fire simply melted down the side of the dome and then faded altogether.

"What is this?"

"Pretty cool, huh?" Charlie panted. "We use them at work - they can hold out against a dragon, if you'd believe it."

"Seriously?" Harry asked, then ducked as four spells hit the dome in the same place; their casters scattered as the spells bounced back at them. "Brilliant."

"Sort of brilliant," Charlie corrected, grimacing. "We can't cast out, which is a bit unfortunate, and we can't move, either." Harry stared at him. "But they can't get us."

The five Death Eaters had grouped together and were circling slowly. Harry turned, keeping them in his line of sight.

"Now what, then?" he muttered. "Wait?"

"'til I catch my breath, yeah," Charlie said.

One of the Death Eaters flicked a spell at them, casually. It bounced off and the Death Eater sidestepped to avoid it, then inched forward, head cocked.

"Can they Apparate in here?" Harry asked.

"Nope."

"So I suppose we can't either?"

"Good guess. Right, so my plan-"

Bright green blossomed at the tip of one of the Death Eaters' wands, and then shot toward Harry and Charlie. Charlie smelled smug, and Harry realised then that he wasn't going to move. He grabbed Charlie's arm and yanked him down into the dirt. The spell passed through one side of the dome, then out the other and left a scorch mark on a tent.

"What the-"

"Killing curse," Harry said grimly, already scrambling to his feet while Charlie gaped. Several of the Death Eaters had raised their wands, smiles visible beneath their masks, and Harry stepped between them and Charlie, hoping... The smiles wavered, and then the Death Eaters split up again, obviously planning to encircle the dome; Harry couldn't cover Charlie at every angle, and they all knew it. "And now that they know they can get those through…"

"We're in trouble, yeah," Charlie said. He jabbed Harry in the side with his wand, and Harry shuddered as an unknown spell crawled over his skin. "Anyone around that's not us or wearing a mask?"

Harry risked taking his eyes off the Death Eaters to look, and strained his ears for footsteps or voices.

"No-"

"Great. Finite." The dome vanished. Whatever the incantation to his next spell was was lost in the roar of fire it conjured. It wasn't fiendfyre, Harry was sure of that much, but the fire spurting from the end of Charlie's wand seemed alive in a way that normal fire spells weren't. "Move!" The fire curled into a ball and flung itself at the nearest Death Eater, who conjured a shield of water. Fire met water with a shuddering boom that shook the campsite, and the shield sizzled and steamed. One of the Death Eaters shouted something Harry didn't hear properly; he and Charlie were already moving toward the distracted Death Eater.

Charlie battered at the shield with a whip of fire while other tendrils curled in the air around him, swatting spells away and stopping anyone from getting too close. Harry would have liked to watch longer, but he was well aware he had to keep moving. He ducked under a stray spell and made his way around the water-shield, sending a Stunner into the Death Eater's side before they could try to combat it.

Another fireball went soaring, but was deflected off into another section of the campsite.

Harry heard a spell and ducked, knowing there wasn't time to try to block it. He tried to Disarm one of the Death Eaters closing in on Charlie, and missed. The other three Death Eaters had loosely surrounded Charlie, and were only paying attention to Harry when they had to block one of his spells, or, to flick something his way. Harry got the impression they were doing it to keep him distracted, rather than because they were trying to actually hurt him; he was sure one of the spells he blocked was a relatively harmless Jelly-Legs Jinx. But, harmless or not, the spells were doing what they were meant to; they were keeping him from being of any use to Charlie, and they were keeping him there, in the one place.

"Go!" Charlie shouted, and Harry wondered if he'd worked out the same thing.

It was the best option; Charlie's fire was brilliant, but he was obviously tiring, and Harry thought that was probably what they were waiting for. If Harry left, though, surely at least one of them would have to follow him and that would improve Charlie's odds. Harry knew all that, and yet, it seemed wrong to run, was frustrating that he didn't know any big, game-changing spells, or spells like Charlie's fire that would let him deal with multiple opponents at once.

"Harry, go!" Charlie said, more urgently.

Harry ground his teeth together, turned, and ran.


"... and you two and Ron showed up not long after," Ginny said, hugging herself. Marlene looked over to Fred, who was sitting very still while Dora traced her wand over his injured shoulder. George was holding his twin's hand in a white-knuckled grip, and Ron was sitting beside them, trembling slightly from the Cruciatus Curse he'd been under when Marlene and Dora happened across him.

Marlene had been young during the first war and her Order days. She'd fought then so that things would be better for herself and for her friends, had fought because what the Death Eaters were doing was wrong. She'd thought nothing of how young she was because she, like all teenagers, had been sure she was grown-up and mature enough to make her own choices. Looking at the four Weasleys - all pale and quiet, with tense, solemn expressions, and eyes that kept flicking to the dark trees, and fingers curled tightly around wands - Marlene knew she really had grown-up, if only because she felt sickened by the thought of these children having to fight. Even Dora, who was an Auror that had gone on to do a year of extra study, who was married and a soon-to-be-mother, seemed too young to be caught up in all this. And yet, she was older than Marlene had been during her Order days.

"How's that?" Dora asked, giving Fred's shoulder a gentle touch.

"Better," Fred said, though he still looked rather uncomfortable.

"Ron?"

"M'fine." Marlene raised her eyebrows rather than say anything, but Ron seemed to hear it anyway; he moved as if to shrug her disbelief off, then winced, and looked away.

"Not much more we can do here, anyway," Dora sighed, easing herself up off her log-seat. She pressed a hand to the small of her back and pulled a face, then made her ginger way over to Marlene. "Are the Anti-Apparition wards still up?" Marlene twisted, focusing on a spot a few feet away, and went nowhere. She nodded. "Bugger."

"You're not supposed to be Apparating anyway," Marlene reminded her.

"I'd risk it tonight," Dora muttered, and though she was scowling, Marlene knew it was hiding a large deal of worry; Dora had barely argued when Remus suggested she find somewhere safe in the woods while he helped out, and Dora had been visibly relieved when Marlene offered to accompany her.

"I'd let you," Marlene said, and got an amused look in return.

Then, several things happened very quickly:

Ginny and Ron both twitched and looked sharply toward the trees as a yellow spell streaked toward where Marlene, Dora, and Ginny were standing. In the split second it took for Marlene to realise she didn't recognise the spell and therefore didn't know whether she'd be able to block it and so decided to move out of the way, Ginny had already ducked, so Marlene reached for Dora and tried to pull her aside. Dora, to her credit, tried, but either couldn't move that way because of her belly, or couldn't move quickly enough. The spell caught her just above her heart and she toppled with a gasp.

Marlene didn't think. She lifted her wand in the direction the spell had come from, and, while there was no robed figure standing there, there was a slight warping to the air, like a bad disillusionment charm.

She cast.

It was not like the last time she'd cast the spell, down in the holding cells with Sirius all those years ago. Then, she'd been desperate and half-mad with old grief, but ultimately unconvinced. This time as her mind screamed about Dora and the baby and the Weasley kids, she was unwavering in her conviction.

Her spell was sickly green and deadly accurate. She heard a thump as their attacker hit the ground and didn't spare them even a moment's thought after that; she spun to see Ginny lying awkwardly under Dora, like she'd tried to catch her and not been strong enough.

Dora was convulsing and not breathing. Marlene left Ginny where she was.

"Finite," she said urgently. Dora arched, gasping, and then went very still. Marlene could see her breath misting faintly in the night air.

She flicked her wand and her silvery lioness burst into being.

"Sirius," she said, "send Kreacher to the coordinates on my Sidekick, now."


The boy ducked just in time for Dmitri's Stunner to pass above his shoulder, and spun, his own wand coming up. He didn't look like much - just another lanky, scruffy teenager, really - but Dmitri knew this was the boy who, through luck or skill or both, had thwarted his Lord and Wormtail several times. He was not to be underestimated.

That didn't mean Dmitri couldn't have a bit of fun with him, though.

"Hello, Harry Potter," he said, spinning his wand between his fingers.

"Dmitri," Potter said, sounding rather resigned. Dmitri's eyebrows twitched upward before he could try to stop them.

"Know me, do you?" he asked.

"Maybe," Potter said. "Or maybe it was just a lucky guess."

Not to be underestimated, Dmitri reminded himself. He took a slight step to the right, and the boy mirrored him, eyes as green and sharp as pine needles. There was an intensity to them that made Dmitri glad that Harry Potter wasn't going to live much longer; he was troublesome now, but in another year or two, he'd be a genuine problem.

Potter's eyes moved ever so slightly to something behind Dmitri, then back again. Dmitri ducked, then rolled as one spell streaked up from behind him, and Potter flung something red - perhaps a Stunner, perhaps a Disarmer. Dmitri rolled back onto his feet, swatting away a third spell:

The godfather had arrived, and he looked… displeased. Dmitri, though, was more displeased.

"Avada Kedavra." Black's wand twitched and a tangle of canvas and rope sprang up into the spell's path, then flung itself at Dmitri, who ducked it and then cast a quick shield to protect him from whatever Potter had just flung at him.

"You know," Black said, baring his teeth in a distinctly feral way, "it's frowned upon to have any important conversations with minors without their parent or guardian present." Dmitri flicked another killing curse in the man's direction, to show how little he cared about parents or guardians. "Sorry it took me so long," he added, glancing briefly at Potter, who waved a hand as if to dismiss the apology.

"Avada Kedavra," Dmitri said again, and Black twisted out of the way and sent something bright orange and nasty looking back. Dmitri conjured a wall of stone to take the spell for him, then shattered it and sent the sharp pieces back toward Black.

Black flicked his wand and they changed into water, which soaked him, but left him otherwise unharmed.

Potter muttered something and Dmitri swept his spell away before it go anywhere near him, then shot a Stunner, a Confundus and a Body-Bind at the boy in quick succession. The Stunner he blocked with a Protego, and the Confundus he darted aside to avoid, but the Body-Bind caught him in the hip and he went down. Dmitri's mouth curled up slightly, then he dove for Potter, intending to Apparate them both away, but Black seemed to have anticipated that; Dmitri's fingers were a mere inch from Potter's unmoving shoulder, when Dmitri was yanked into the air by his ankle.

He cursed, parried Black's next hex, and cast a hasty counterspell - Wormtail had used this one on him in the past, and he knew how to free himself from it. He landed- not gracefully, but on his feet at least, and Black's spell streaked past him, too low to be of much use at all.

"Gelius!" Dmirti barked, and the spell caught Black unawares. It was a pity that this was the one that made contact, and not one of the killing curses from earlier, but it was a good second; it hit Black's wand arm, and his wand clattered to the ground as his hand paled and froze. Black hunched over, presumably in pain, and Dmitri smirked, lifting his wand-

Potter dove in front of Black.

Dmitri felt his smirk curdle; it seemed Black's last spell had done something after all.

"Harry," Black said through gritted teeth, as Potter straightened, taking a distinctly protective stance. He didn't look as afraid as Dmitri would have liked, and there was something defiant in the set of his jaw. Black hissed and fumbled for his wand with his unfrozen hand.

Dmitri shifted his wand, and Potter shifted to block his godfather from sight again.

"Move, boy," he said. "I'll go through you if I have to." And he would. The Dark Lord wouldn't like it very much, but he'd come around; dead at Dmitri's hand would still be dead.

"No, you won't," Potter said. "Voldemort wants me alive-"

"There is nothing he wants less," Dmitri said, amused.

"He'd rather me be alive than killed by someone else," Potter said, arching an eyebrow. "It's only his mercy that's kept you alive these past few months, Dmitri." His voice was soft, and utterly unlike Dmitri's Lord's, but the words were the same, and they chilled him. "Do you really think he'd be merciful if you killed me?"

Dmitri snarled but he was cold inside, and he thought Potter knew it. He took some comfort in the fact that he wasn't the only one; Black's eyes were on the boy as well, and he looked unnerved.

There was movement behind Dmitri and he spun in time to block a spell from the Auror who'd just arrived, but then something hit him in the back. He went rigid and then he was falling forward.

A Body-Bind. It seemed Potter had a sense of humour, the little-

"Nicely done, Potter." Ropes wound around Dmitri, and a hand missing its smallest finger tugged the wand out of Dmitri's stiff hand. "All right, Black?"

"His arm…" Potter said.

"Gelius," Black said tersely, and there were footsteps and a sigh of relief. Dmitri's muscles relaxed long enough for someone to pull him into a sitting position, and then the Body-Bind crawled over him again. The Auror stepped back to look down at him.

"Who's this?"

"Dmitri Polkov," Black said, massaging his hand. It was very pink, Dmitri noted with satisfaction. He hoped it was hurting. "One of Voldemort's." The Auror made an unimpressed sound. "Nice timing, by the way." The Auror smiled wryly, then and withdrew something golden from his pocket.

He murmured something Dmitri didn't catch to open it, then said, "It's Robards - are the Anti-Apparition wards down? We've got one."

"Not yet." The voice on the other end sounded distinctly frustrated. "Weasley got here a few minutes ago and reckons he's nearly through, though, so-" But before Dmitri could hear any more the Auror - Robards - frowned at him and moved out of earshot.

"Don't suppose you want to make this easy for everyone and just tell us what the point of tonight was and where Voldemort is and what he's planning?" Black crouched down beside Dmitri and poked him in the cheek with his wand. At first, Dmitri thought it was an intimidation tactic, but then he realised Black had removed the Body-Bind from his face. He spat at Black, who hopped back out of the way, scowling.

"Tonight was to remind the world of the Dark Lord's power and influence," Dmitri said. "I would have thought that was obvious."

"And Harry?" Black asked. Behind him, Potter watched on with a stony expression. "What did you want with him?"

"He said it himself," Dmitri said, smiling at Potter. "My Lord wants him dead, and he wants to do it himself. I was going to facilitate that. He would have rewarded me beyond-"

"What do you reckon your reward for getting caught'll be?" Potter interrupted, cocking his head to the side.

Dmitri just smiled. He'd been caught, and he was sure to be reprimanded for it, but he wouldn't stay caught. Wormtail would free him before they could get him to the Ministry, or Crouch would free him once they got there. They didn't have a choice; he knew too much, and, while he'd be able to hold out against Veritaserum for a little while, he didn't like his chances long term. And if they brought a Legillimens in, which he was sure they were bound to, he could only last for so long… No, Dmitri knew too much to be left with the Ministry, was too important.

It was a heady feeling, and reassuring. Any of the other Death Eaters - save Wormtail, or Crouch - were disposable, but Dmitri had served his Lord well, had held his confidence, and therefore could not be left behind.

As if summoned by Dmitri's thinking of him, Dmitri saw Wormtail's head peer out around a tent several rows away.

His smile widened.

Robard rejoined Potter and Black.

"Wards'll be down soon," he said. "Then we move him."

"We'll see him to the holding cells," Black said, "but then we've got to get to St Mungo's." He rubbed a hand across his chin. Robards nodded, but Potter looked at him, apparently afraid, for the first time all night.

"Who?" he asked, and actually sounded like the child he was. "Not Charlie?" Black shook his head. "Padfoot."

"Dora," Black said gruffly. "Fred too."

"Dora- but-"

Wormtail hadn't moved from his place behind the tent. Dmitri wouldn't expect him to, necessarily; Wormtail wasn't known for taking risks, and one against two Aurors and Potter weren't odds Wormtail would like. But the way Dmitri saw it, he didn't have a choice; Wormtail either had to do something regardless of the odds, or he had to go and find a few extra people to even the odds.

"Robards." Robards had his golden contraption out again.

"They're down," the voice on the other end said. Dmitri looked to Wormtail; with his hearing, he ought to have heard that and would know it was now or never.

Sure enough, Wormtail was a row closer than before, and drew his wand even as Dmitri watched, expression grim.

The other three were facing Dmitri now, making their way over, and none of them had noticed Wormtail yet. Green bloomed at the tip of Wormtail's, and Dmitri's smile turned smug.

Black, or Robards? Dmitri wondered.

He died before he could realise Wormtail hadn't been targeting either.