Chapter 14:

Harry it seemed was either impatient or overconfident about Kreacher's return, he prowled the house all morning waiting for Kreacher to return as Alicia cooked breakfast and they ate it in the very large kitchen.

"It's weird eating down here, it was always filled with noise…" Alicia mumbled as she looked around. "They only time it was silent was when we were waiting for news on Mr Weasley." she sighed "I miss Mrs Weasley yelling at the twins or scowling at Mungungus." Along with Sirius' barking laugh at it all.

"I miss her shouting at you." Ron smirked and she chuckled as she finished her breakfast.

"We're gonna need to do something about food, I think I've got enough to make some lunch but I'm running out of stuff." she confessed

"I thought you were duplicating it all?" Ron said

"I was, but I didn't bring a whole library of food like Hermione did books. Even duplicating it wont do much." she confessed thinking "I could try summoning it…"

"Where would you summon it form?" Hermione asked as Harry was constantly looking around as though expecting Kreacher to burst in any moment.

"Depends, if it has to fly through the air to us I can't can I… but if it moves from one place to another, I was thinking the Hogwarts kitchens." she admitted "After all I know they've probably got what ever I want." she smirked slightly.

Much to Harry's displeasure, Kreacher did not turn up the following day, or the day after that.

"You've got to remember that Moody kinda died cause of Mundungus, he's probably gone deep underground so both the Order and Voldemort can't find him." Alicia said "It's gonna take a bit of time.

As well as Kreacher's lengthy return, two cloaked men had appeared in the square outside number twelve, and they remained there into the night, gazing in the direction of the house that they could not see.

"Death Eaters, for sure," said Ron, as he, Alicia, Harry, and Hermione watched from the drawing room windows. "Reckon they know we're in here?"

"I don't think so," said Hermione, though she looked frightened, "or they'd have sent Snape in after us, wouldn't they?"

"I bet they reckon someone's in here." Alicia said "Maybe the same way they knew we were in Tottenham Court Road, can find us, but not, us specifically… I wondered if they—" Alicia paused "Taboo!" she said gasping

"What?" Ron and Harry asked

"Taboo, it's a curse, it's usually put on a word." Alicia explained and she turned back to the Death Eaters. "Bet you the tabooed something and that's how they're finding us."

"You mean every word we—"

"Oh Ronald." Hermione said "It's not on every word, just one."

"Problem is which one…" Alicia said "If they wanted to find Harry I'd put it on your name, they'd find us so easily that way, if we're with you we'd always say it."

"So we can't say Harry's name?" Ron asked looking stunned

"It might be anything." Alicia shrugged "But I bet that's how they know someone's in the house. Could be any of the order though, I bet if they knew it was us there'd be many more Death Eaters and, like Hermione said, they'd have sent Snape."

"D'you reckon he's been in here and had his tongue tied by Moody's curse?" asked Ron.

"Yes," said Hermione, "otherwise he'd have been able to tell that lot how to get in, wouldn't he? But they're probably watching to see whether we turn up. They know that Harry owns the house, after all."

"How do they — ?" began Harry.

"Wizarding wills are examined by the Ministry, remember? They'll know Sirius left you the place."

This increased the gloom of the house.

"But then we shouldn't speak if there's a curse on a word." Ron said to Alicia

"There's no point in that, they can't taboo every word, it'd be only one…" she mumbled as she looked over her pensieve in thought "It'll be something specific too." she waved it away. She had her mirror sitting beside her, which she'd never put back in her bag since Fred's call and her baby owl sleeping soundly beside it. Unfortunately, there had been no more news since then. It seemed Fred was too busy to call and check in on her, Ron had snatched the mirror at some point to yell at it but Fred never appeared. This made Ron restless and irritable, and he had developed an annoying habit of playing with the Deluminator in his pocket: This particularly infuriated Hermione, who was whiling away the wait for Kreacher by studying The Tales of Beedle the Bard and did not appreciate the way the lights kept flashing on and off, leaving Alicia's face the only thing illuminated in the darkness by the pensieve.

"Will you stop it!" she cried on the third evening of Kreacher's absence, as all light was sucked from the drawing room yet again.

"Sorry, sorry!" said Ron, clicking the Deluminator and restoring the lights. "I don't know I'm doing it!"

"Well, can't you find something useful to occupy yourself?"

"What, like reading kids' stories?"

"Dumbledore left me this book, Ron —"

"— and he left me the Deluminator, maybe I'm supposed to use it!"

Unable to stand the bickering, Harry slipped out of the room, likely to go back to the kitchen he continued to visit. Alicia paused, having heard something over the two's bickering and turned for the door.

"Shut up!" she snapped at them both and they turned to her annoyed before noticing her expression. She'd heard the dust figure arise and then another voice.

"It was not I who killed you, Albus," said a quiet voice.

Someone else was in the house.

Alicia was up from her spot, wand in hand and left the room as Harry's voice sounded loudly.

"Don't move!" His shout awoke Mrs Black and she began to scream as Alicia joined Harry. There was an unknown man there, completely covered in a travelling cloak as Hermione and Ron joined the twins. The man had his arms raised in the hall.

"Hold your fire, it's me, Remus!"

"Oh, thank goodness," said Hermione weakly, pointing her wand at Mrs. Black instead; with a bang, the curtains swished shut again and silence fell. Ron too lowered his wand, but Alicia and Harry did not.

"You're gonna have to prove it." Alicia said as Harry said

"Show yourself!"

Lupin moved forward into the lamplight, hands still held high in a gesture of surrender.

"I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Moony, one of the four creators of the Marauder's Map, married to Nymphadora, usually known as Tonks, and I taught you both how to produce a Patronus, Harry's which takes the form of a stag and Alicia's an owl."

"I think that covers it." Alicia nodded looking at Harry

"Oh, all right," said Harry, lowering his wand, "but I had to check, didn't I?"

"Speaking as your ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, I quite agree that you had to check. Ron, Hermione, you shouldn't be quite so quick to lower your defences."

"Anyone could have said they were him." Alicia said to them nodding before she ran down the rest of the stairs first. Wrapped in a thick black traveling cloak, Lupin looked exhausted, but pleased to see them.

"No sign of Severus, then?" he asked.

"No," said Harry. "What's going on? Is everyone okay?"

"Yes," said Lupin, "but we're all being watched. There are a couple of Death Eaters in the square outside —"

"We know —"

"I had to Apparate very precisely onto the top step outside the front door to be sure that they would not see me. They can't know you're in 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."

"That seems likely." Alicia nodded

"Let's go downstairs, there's a lot to tell you, and I want to know what happened after you left the Burrow."

They descended into the kitchen, where Hermione pointed her wand at the grate. A fire sprang up instantly: It gave the illusion of coziness to the stark stone walls and glistened off the long wooden table. Lupin pulled a few butterbeers from beneath his traveling cloak and they sat down.

"I'd have been here three days ago but I needed to shake off the Death Eater tailing me," said Lupin. "So, you came straight here after the wedding?"

"No," said Harry, "only after we ran into a couple of Death Eaters in a café on Tottenham Court Road."

Lupin slopped most of his butterbeer down his front.

"What?"

They explained what had happened; when they had finished, Lupin looked aghast.

"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 down Tottenham Court Road at the time, does it?" said Harry.

"We wondered," said Hermione tentatively, "whether Harry could still have the Trace on him?"

"Impossible," said Lupin. Ron looked smug, and Harry felt hugely relieved. "Apart from anything else, they'd know for sure Harry was here if he still had the Trace on him, wouldn't they? But I can't see how they could have tracked you to Tottenham Court Road, that's worrying, really worrying."

"Alicia suggested a taboo." Ron said

"Unfortunately we got no idea what word they'd jinx." Alicia mumbled "What ever it is it seems this house stops it or I'm sure Snape would be here." though her expression didn't show she believed that at all.

"Tell us what happened after we left, we haven't heard a thing since Ron's dad told us the family were safe and Fred didn't tell us much besides that either."

"If he's being watched I don't blame him." Alicia said

"Well, Kingsley saved us," said Lupin. "Thanks to his warning most of the wedding guests were able to Disapparate before they arrived."

"Were they Death Eaters or Ministry people?" interjected Hermione.

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

"Wow…" Alicia said "And after we pissed him off so much. I'm glad he didn't let personal grudge get in the way." Harry looked at Ron and Hermione as she spoke, the three clearly as shocked and gratified as she was.

"The Death Eaters searched the Burrow from top to bottom," Lupin went on. "They found the ghoul, but didn't want to get too close — and then they interrogated those of us who remained for hours. They were trying to get information on you, Harry, and even Alicia as they believed you together, but of course nobody apart from the Order knew that you had been there."

"I'm gonna kill Fred for not telling me that. Damn him for trying to protect us from the truth." Alicia hissed. "He's in so much trouble." but she looked down at her ring regardless, frowning slightly.

"At the same time that they were smashing up the wedding, more Death Eaters were forcing their way into every Order-connected house in the country. No deaths," he added quickly, forestalling the question, "but they were rough. They burned down Dedalus Diggle's house, but as you know he wasn't there, and they used the Cruciatus Curse on Tonks's family. Again, trying to find out where you 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

"What you've got to realise, Harry, is that the Death Eaters have got the full might of the Ministry on their side now," said Lupin. "They've got the power to perform brutal spells without fear of identification or arrest. They 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?" asked Hermione, an edge to her voice.

"Well," said Lupin. He hesitated, then pulled out a folded copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Here," he said, pushing it across the table to Harry, "you'll know sooner or later anyway. That's their pretext for going after you."

Harry smoothed out the paper. A huge photograph of his own face filled the front page. The headline over the top read WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Alicia looked at it shocked and then angered.

"I said you'd become Undesirable No. 1 didn't I." she grumbled as Ron and Hermione gave roars of outrage, but Harry said nothing. He pushed the newspaper away. Alicia figured it was the only thing they could think of, after all, nobody but those who had been on top of the tower when Dumbledore died knew who had really killed him and, as Rita Skeeter had already told the Wizarding world, Harry had been seen running from the place moments after Dumbledore had fallen.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Lupin said.

"They're not targeting Alicia for that too?" Ron asked

"I come down the tower with the cloak on still." Alicia said "No one knew I was there, no one saw me leave it, no one saw me till I took it off at the bottom of the tower." she said "And the first person who did see me, was Snape."

The four all turned to her shocked and she instantly knew she'd opened some flood gates.

"He what?" Harry questioned

"Well yeah, he came out the front doors with Draco and saw me."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing. Stared at me for a moment, looked a bit surprised and then left."

"And you did nothing!" Harry suddenly shouted at her

"I'm not going to explain myself to you, Harry, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you." Alicia said simply and he looked at her furiously "Nothing I say will do anything since you're so bottled up with hatred."

"And you're not!?" he demanded

"No."

"You don't hate Snape?" Lupin asked her

"No." she repeated and he watched her for a moment as though curious.

Hermione seemed to take this opportunity to stop Harry shouting again.

"So Death Eaters have taken over the Daily Prophet too?" asked Hermione furiously.

Lupin nodded.

"But surely people realise what's going on?"

"The coup has been smooth and virtually silent," said Lupin.

"The official version of Scrimgeour's murder is that he resigned; he has been replaced by Pius Thicknesse, who is under the Imperius Curse."

"Why didn't Voldemort declare himself Minister of Magic?" asked Ron.

Lupin laughed and even Alicia did.

"He never wanted Minister of Magic Ron, being as brilliant as he was at Hogwarts and with top marks and all he could have gone straight there without all of this if that was his desire." Alicia admitted

"He also doesn't need to, Ron. Effectively he is the Minister, but why should he sit behind a desk at the Ministry? His puppet, Thicknesse, is taking care of everyday business, leaving Voldemort free to extend his power beyond the Ministry.

"Naturally many people have deduced what has happened: There has been such a dramatic change in Ministry policy in the last few days, and many are whispering that Voldemort must be behind it. However, that is the point: They whisper. They daren't confide in each other, not knowing whom to trust; they are scared to speak out, in case their suspicions are true and their families are targeted. Yes, Voldemort is playing a very clever game. Declaring himself might have provoked open rebellion: Remaining masked has created confusion, uncertainty, and fear."

"And this dramatic change in Ministry policy," said Harry, "involves warning the Wizarding world against me instead of Voldemort?"

"That's certainly part of it," said Lupin, "and it is a masterstroke. Now that Dumbledore is dead, you — the Boy Who Lived — were sure to be the symbol and rallying point for any resistance to Voldemort. But by suggesting that you had a hand in the old hero's death, Voldemort has not only set a price upon your head, but sown doubt and fear amongst many who would have defended you. And no one will turn to Alicia for head because she's always at your side and always with you.

"Meanwhile, the Ministry has started moving against Muggleborns."

Lupin pointed at the Daily Prophet.

"Look at page two."

Hermione turned the pages with much the same expression of distaste she had worn when handling Secrets of the Darkest Art.

" 'Muggle-born Register,' " she read aloud. " 'The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so-called "Muggle-borns," the better to understand how they came to possess magical secrets.

" 'Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggle-born is likely to have obtained magical power by theft or force.

"'The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power, and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggle-born to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggle-born Registration Commission.' "

"What a load of rubbish, Muggle-borns, just like those from wizarding families have their name written down for Hogwarts the moment they're born. If they stole it that wouldn't happen." Alicia said "If you ask me Muggle-borns are evolutions way of not letting Wizards die out, otherwise we might have." she said

"People won't let this happen," said Ron.

"It is happening, Ron," said Lupin. "Muggle-borns are being rounded up as we speak."

"But how are they supposed to have 'stolen' magic?" said Ron. "It's mental, if you could steal magic there wouldn't be any Squibs, would there?"

"I know," said Lupin. "Nevertheless, unless you can prove that you have at least one close Wizarding relative, you are now deemed to have obtained your magical power illegally and must suffer the punishment."

Ron glanced at Hermione, then said, "What if purebloods and half-bloods swear a Muggle-born's part of their family? I'll tell everyone Hermione's my cousin —"

Hermione covered Ron's hand with hers and squeezed it. "Thank you, Ron, but I couldn't let you —"

"You won't have a choice," said Ron fiercely, gripping her hand back. "I'll teach you my family tree so you can answer questions on it."

Hermione gave a shaky laugh.

"Ron, as we're on the run with Harry Potter, the most wanted person in the country, I don't think it matters. If I was going back to school it would be different. What's Voldemort planning for Hogwarts?" she asked Lupin.

"Attendance is now compulsory for every young witch and wizard," he replied. "That was announced yesterday. It's a change, because it was never obligatory before. Of course, nearly every witch and wizard in Britain has been educated at Hogwarts, but their parents had the right to teach them at home or send them abroad if they preferred. This way, Voldemort will have the whole Wizarding population under his eye from a young age. And it's also another way of weeding out Muggle-borns, because students must be given Blood Status — meaning that they have proven to the Ministry that they are of Wizard descent — before they are allowed to attend."

"So he's ruining the dreams of eleven year olds and making Hogwarts a place of fear…" Alicia mumbled. But something else passed through her mind at the same point.

"You're memory is as sharp as ever. Do not fret Alicia, the safety of the students of Hogwarts has always been my prime concern, and I have made the arrangements to have it all sorted."

"While Voldemort's in charge?" Alicia said surprised but it came to her as quickly as she asked. "Professor Snape." Dumbledore nodded.

Snape… but then… Alicia understood.

"It's… it's…" Harry muttered, struggling to find words that did justice to the horror of his thoughts, but Lupin said quietly,

"I know." Lupin hesitated.

"I'll understand if you can't confirm this, Harry, but the Order is under the impression that Dumbledore left you a mission."

"He did, in me and Alicia," Harry replied, "and Ron and Hermione are in on it and they're coming with me."

"Can you confide in me what the mission is?"

Harry looked into the prematurely lined face, framed in thick but greying hair.

"I can't, Remus, I'm sorry. If Dumbledore didn't tell you I don't think I can."

"I thought you'd say that," said Lupin, looking disappointed. "But I might still 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 exactly what you were up to."

To everyone's surprise Alicia had slammed her hands on the table and stood up with absolute rage in her face.

"Abso-fricken-lutely not!" she shouted at him. "Did nothing I say do anything!?" she demanded of him

"Alicia—"

"Don't Alicia me." she snapped "How can you do this! Run away like a coward, your tail between your legs! And what help would it be for you not to be there! It's gonna happen anyway you cannot run away from your responsibilities like that!"

"Um… Alicia…" Hermione said confused

"I am absolutely repulsed, here my parents died for me and you're running from something insignificant." Lupin stared at her

"What is she going on about?" Ron questioned. Lupin glanced at him and then to Alicia who gave him a hard look.

"Tonks is going to have a baby."

"Oh, how wonderful!" squealed Hermione.

"Excellent!" said Ron enthusiastically.

"Congratulations," said Harry but he was watching Alicia as she fumed beside him.

"So… do you accept my offer? Will four become five? I cannot believe that Dumbledore would have disapproved, he appointed me your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, after all. And I must tell you that I believe that we are facing magic many of us have never encountered or imagined."

Ron and Hermione both looked at Harry.

"Just — just to be clear," he said. "You want to leave Tonks at her parents' house and come away with us?"

"She'll be perfectly safe there, they'll look after her," said Lupin. He spoke with a finality bordering on indifference. "Harry, I'm sure James would have wanted me to stick with you."

Alicia scoffed.

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

Lupin's face drained of colour. The temperature in the kitchen might have dropped ten degrees. Ron stared around the room as though he had been bidden to memorise it, while Hermione's eyes swivelled backward and forward from Harry to Lupin.

"You don't understand," said Lupin at last.

"Explain, then," said Harry.

Lupin swallowed.

"I — I made a grave mistake in marrying Tonks. I did it against my better judgment and I have regretted it very much ever since."

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

Lupin sprang to his feet: His chair toppled over backward, and he glared at them so fiercely that for the first time ever, the shadow of the wolf was upon his human face.

"Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and my unborn child? I should never have married her, I've made her an outcast!"

Lupin kicked aside the chair he had overturned.

"You have 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 — the child —"

"You have no proof!" Alicia shouted "I already told you! There is no evidence that it'll be like you Remus! And you can come here to two people who have no family and tell them you wish to ditch your own out of fear. It doesn't matter what other's want! All that matters is what you and Tonks want!"

"Alicia, my kind don't usually breed! It will be like me, I am 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 is not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it must always be ashamed!"

Alicia felt like she was going to explode and she had to walk away from the table, throwing her chair aside as she did.

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

"Oh, I don't know, Hermione," said Harry. "I'd be pretty ashamed of him." Harry was on his feet as well, his anger mirroring that of his sister's.

Lupin looked as though Harry had hit him.

"If the new regime thinks Muggle-borns are bad," Harry said, "what will they do to a half-werewolf whose father's 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 us?"

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

"I think you're feeling a bit of a daredevil," Harry said. "You fancy stepping into Sirius's shoes —"

"Harry, no!" Hermione begged him, but he continued to glare into Lupin's livid face.

"This isn't about being a daredevil, is about fear! You fricken coward! How dare you believe leaving your child is for the best! He'll grow up in a house hold where Tonks, who loves a werewolf, will show him that you are not defined by that! He will not be ashamed of you and you should be there to show him he has no reason to be!" Alicia shrieked so loudly that it awoke Mrs Black again her screams echoing down towards them, but none moved to address her.

"I'd never have believed this," Harry said. "The man who taught me to fight dementors — a coward."

Alicia's hand was on her wand and the protection charm stopped the loud bang from affecting her as Lupin drew his wand so fast it was barely seen. Harry however didn't react and was sent flying backwards into the kitchen wall. Alicia watched, ignoring the ache in her back she'd received from Harry, as Lupin turned for the door and ran out.

"Remus, Remus, come back!" Hermione cried, but Lupin did not respond. A moment later they heard the front door slam amongst Mrs Black's shrieks.

"Harry!" wailed Hermione. "How could you?" she looked at Alicia who huffed merely.

"It was easy," said Harry as he stood up.

"He needed to hear it. I cannot believe him." Alicia snapped

"Don't look at me like that!" he snapped at Hermione.

"Don't you start on her!" snarled Ron.

"No — no — we mustn't fight!" said Hermione, launching herself between them.

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

"He had it coming to him," said Harry. "Parents, shouldn't leave their kids unless — unless they've got to."

"Harry —" said Hermione, stretching out a consoling hand, but he shrugged it off and walked away, his eyes on the fire Hermione had conjured.

"I could never face Tonks if we let him come with us, how dare he even suggest something like that." Alicia whispered as she sat herself back down.

"You knew Alicia?" Hermione said

"I worked it out when Tonks and Lupin came for our birthday, and I spoke to Lupin at the wedding about it." she admitted looking angry.

"I know I shouldn't have called him a coward." Harry said as he turned back to Ron and Hermione.

"No, you shouldn't," said Ron at once.

"But he's acting like one."

"All the same…" said Hermione.

"I know," said Harry. "But if it makes him go back to Tonks, it'll be worth it, won't it?"

"If we didn't say it then there'd be another child out there fatherless." Alicia said looking at them. "With all the deaths and disappearances… how could we take Lupin with us when knowing something like that. He needed to hear the truth and he needed it to make him realise the severity of what he was doing. If this child is like him, it'll need him, and if it's not, well Tonks fell for him despite it, and I've no doubt her influence will allow the child to see it too." Alicia said "Nothing else we were going to say would have made him leave here." Hermione and Ron shared a look and nothing they said could contradict Alicia.