Annabelle yawned, stretching her arms over her head and over the back of the couch. Aslan was asleep on the couch with her, his head on her lap and his blankie tangled around him. June was mere hours from coming to an end, and Anna was trying to mentally convince herself to get up and go to bed.
"I should put him to bed." Wren noted, entering the living room. Anna nodded, letting her mother take her little brother from her and carry him upstairs.
The room settled into a comfortable silence once again, the only sound being the crackle of the fireplace. Anna was lounging on the couch, her father sitting in the armchair nearby. He had a bottle of butterbeer in one hand and his eyes were fixed on the fireplace.
The silence was cut short by a flash of light shooting through the window. Sirius dropped his bottle in shock and Anna sat bolt upright as the large, silver creature twisted into existence on their coffee table. It was lean with shaggy fur, four long legs, and pointed ears. The wolf patronus's jaws parted and Remus's voice emerged.
"Sirius, you need to get to Hogwarts now. The Death Eaters attacked. Dumbledore's dead, and Bill is injured. We're in the hospital wing, McGonagall said you can enter through her fireplace."
A small gasp made Anna look toward the stairs, where her mother was standing. Wren's face was pale and her lips parted in horror. Anna was sure her expression was similar. When she turned her head toward her dad, he looked just as horrified.
"I need to go." Sirius stated unnecessarily, crossing the room to his wife. He gently took hold of her upper arms, looking down at her. "Will you-"
"I'll be fine here. I need to stay with Aslan." Wren stated quietly. "Go. Just make sure to tell me what's going on soon."
"I will." Sirius promised, kissing her forehead. He turned to his daughter, who was still standing by the couch. "Do you want to stay with your mother or-"
"I'm coming with you." Anna insisted instantly. "Let's go. Now."
Sirius nodded once before they both approached the burning fireplace. Sirius took a pinch of Floo powder off the top of the fireplace, tossing it into the flames. When they flashed green, Sirius took Anna's hand and they stepped into the fireplace, getting swept away.
They stumbled out of another fireplace into what Anna recognized instantly as McGonagall's office. Without stopping, Anna and Sirius bolted from the room and down the corridor toward the hospital wing on the same floor.
As they rounded a corner, Anna saw three people just ahead of them, running like their lives depended on it. The red hair told Anna the people in the front were Molly and Arthur, and the silvery-haired woman behind them was probably Fleur. Knowing they were worried about Bill, Anna didn't call out to them, she just continued with her father toward the hospital wing.
The trio ahead reached the hospital wing several seconds before Anna and Sirius, throwing the hospital wing doors open until Anna heard them bang against the walls from down the corridor. Anna reached the same doors several seconds after them with her father. They had slowly started to close again after bouncing off the walls and Anna pushed them back open much more gently than the Weasleys had.
Molly and Arthur had seemingly just reached Bill's bedside, and Molly was kissing his bloody forehead. Anna caught a glimpse of his bloody, mangled face from around their shoulders and her stomach clenched at the sight.
"You said Greyback attacked him?" Arthur asked Professor McGonagall in a distracted voice. "But he hadn't transformed? So what does that mean? What will happen to Bill?"
"We don't yet know." McGonagall answered, looking helplessly over at Remus, as if hoping he'd provide some answers.
"There will probably be some contamination, Arthur." Remus admitted. "It is an odd case, possibly unique…We don't know what his behavior might be like when he awakens…"
Harry approached Anna and Sirius, and Sirius instantly wrapped the young boy in a tight hug. Anna dazedly moved closer to where Dora was standing nearby, but her eyes remained fixed on Bill's bloody face. Molly had just taken from ointment from Madam Pomfrey, and it's vile odor was drifting towards her from the distance.
"And Dumbledore…" Arthur continued. "Minerva, is it true…Is he really…?"
Anna glanced over in time to see her former Transfiguration Professor nod her head.
Unable to keep her eyes from Bill for too long, Anna looked back toward the eldest Weasley child. She couldn't imagine the pain his family was in. Then, her eyes were drawn to the light-haired half-Veela that was proposed to marry said injured redhead. Fleur appeared to be frozen, staring down at Bill with a face much paler than her usual flawless complexion.
Molly began to cry over her son, and Anna heard her speaking, but her eyes remained fixed on Fleur, wondering if this would break the French witch. War was a difficult time for everyone, and she wondered if Fleur couldn't take seeing her fiancé like this. Just the thought of seeing Fred in that bed, face bloodied and ravaged, made her feel physically ill.
"Of course, it doesn't matter how he looks…It's not r-really important…but he was a very handsome little b-boy…always very handsome…and he was g-going to be married!"
"And what do you mean by zat?" Fleur demanded, snapping out of her trance. "What do you mean ''e was going to be married'?"
Anna's mouth fell open while Molly looked up at Fleur with a startled, tear-stained face.
"Well-only that-"
"You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?" Fleur demanded. "You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?"
"No, that's not what I-"
"Because 'e will!" Fleur declared, pulling herself up to her full height and tossing her mane of silvery hair over her shoulders. "It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill loving me!"
Anna and Dora exchanged a wide-eyed glance while Molly stuttered slightly over her response.
"Well, yes, I'm sure, but I thought perhaps-given how-how he-"
"You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or perhaps, you hoped?" Fleur continued, her nostrils flaring angrily. Anna half expected her to transform into one of those scary sharp-beaked creatures with scaly wings the Veelas at the World Cup turned into. "What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for the both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave! And I shall do zat!" she ended fiercely, practically shoving Molly out of the way and snatching the ointment from her.
Everyone fell into a tense silence as they waited for what would happen next, hardly daring to move or even breathe. Anna felt sure that Molly would explode, her face a purple that usually only the twins could get from her. But she hoped she wouldn't. Fleur was currently dabbing Bill's bloodied face so tenderly, it was clear that the half-Veela truly loved Bill.
Molly was leaning back against her husband, watching Fleur closely for several silent moments.
Finally, the silence came to an end when Molly decided to speak.
"Our Great-Auntie Muriel has a very beautiful tiara-goblin-made-which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair."
Anna couldn't help the fleeting memory of Fred telling her about their great-great aunt, Muriel. She could guess the elderly woman wasn't fond of the twins, seeing as they once set off a Dungbomb under her chair at Christmas.
"Thank you." Fleur responded stiffly. "I am sure zat will be lovely."
And then, in the blink of an eye, both witches were hugging and crying on each other. Anna blinked and actually reached up with both hands to rub her eyes to ensure she wasn't hallucinating; it was very late, after all. But no, it was really happening. She glanced around to see that Ron and Harry were both shocked, and Ginny and Hermione were exchanging startled looks. Sirius rolled his eyes, as if to say 'women'.
Short hair suddenly whipped Anna in the face as Dora spun around. "You see!" she shouted in a strained voice.
Anna followed her gaze to see her staring at Remus, who was standing with Sirius.
"She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!"
"It's different." Remus argued quietly, his lips hardly moving and his expression tense. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely-"
"But I don't care either, I don't care!" Tonks shouted, crossing the short distance between them and grabbing the front of Remus's robes in her fists. "I've told you a million times…"
"And I've told you a million times," Remus argued, his eyes fixed on the floor to avoid her eyes, "that I am too old for you, too poor…too dangerous…"
"I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus." Molly spoke up from over Fleur's shoulder, patting the young witch's back.
"I am not being ridiculous." Remus argued easily. "Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."
"But she wants you." Arthur pointed out with a small smile. "And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so." he added, gesturing sadly to his eldest son in the bed.
"We're in a war, Moony." Sirius pointed out from his best friend's side. "Everyone's going to come out of it a little older and less whole."
"This is…not the moment to discuss it." Remus argued, looking around to avoid everyone's eyes. "Dumbledore is dead…"
"Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world." McGonagall stated curtly.
"You and Dora are good for each other." Anna stated, staring at Remus even though he avoided her eyes. "She needs someone mature and level-headed, and you need someone fun and stubborn to get you out of your comfort zone."
Remus narrowed his eyes at the floor, his jaw tensing as he clenched his teeth.
The hospital wing doors opened in that moment as Hagrid walked in. His face behind his beard and hair was wet and swollen from his tears, a large handkerchief in his hand.
"I've…I've done it, Professor." he announced in a thick voice. "M-moved him. Professor Sprout's got the kids back in bed. Professor Flitwick's lyin' down, but he says he'll be alrigh' in a jiffy, an' Professor Slughorn says the Ministry's bin informed."
"Thank you, Hagrid." McGonagall said, standing and turning to look at the group surrounding Bill's bed. "I shall have to see the Ministry when they get here. Hagrid, please, tell the Heads of Houses-Slughorn can represent Slytherin-that I want to see them in my office forthwith. I would like you to join us, too."
Hagrid nodded and turned to leave the room again while McGonagall looked down at Harry. "Before I meet them I would like a quick word with you, Harry. If you'll come with me…"
Harry murmured a goodbye to his friends as he stood and followed McGonagall from the room. Just as they stepped out of the doors, two more people raced past them and into the room in their place.
Anna's back instantly straightened and she stopped herself from rushing to Fred and George as they laid eyes on their older brother. Their faces were pale and eyes wide with terror as they stared at Bill from around their family.
"Oh, boys, you're here!" Molly exclaimed, pulling away from her hug with Fleur when she saw her other sons.
"Is he…?" George trailed off, looking ill as he stared at Bill.
"He was attacked by Greyback." Arthur admitted quietly, waving his hand to gesture his sons closer. "But since it's not the full moon, Greyback wasn't transformed. We're not sure what'll happen to Bill, there might be some contamination, but it's unlikely he'll be a full werewolf."
Both twins nodded dazedly, Fred swallowing as they slowly approached the bed their family was surrounding. Anna crossed her arms over her stomach, her eyes switching worriedly from one twin to the other. She was unsure if she should approach them and offer some level of comfort. She wanted to, desperately, but she also didn't want to intrude.
"So,…Dumbledore's dead?" Fred finally asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the wing.
Remus, Arthur, and Ron filled the twins in on everything they'd missed while Anna stayed off to one side. After a while, she slowly took a step closer, feeling as if an invisible cord in her chest was yanking at her to approach the twins, especially Fred.
Several minutes, and three steps, later Fred finally glanced around the room while Remus explained a few details of the battle. When Fred's brown eyes landed on Anna, his worried expression softened with relief and he raised a hand, holding it out to her.
Smiling slightly, Anna closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his middle, Fred's arm dropping over her back and holding her close.
"What are you doing here?" he asked quietly, his voice muffled as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"Remus sent us a patronus, and me and my dad decided to come. I was worried." she admitted, squeezing Fred gently and laying her head on his chest.
Fred kissed her again, this time more on her forehead. "Well, I'm glad you're here."
"Of course." Anna's eyes shifted slightly to look at George, still standing next to his twin. His face was still pale and he was staring at Bill's slightly-less-bloody face. Releasing one arm from her hug with Fred, Anna stretched her arm to gently take hold of George's hand. He glanced at her and she gave him a sad smile. He returned it shakily, tightening his grip on her hand until it was almost painful.
Pomfrey seemed to forego her six visitor limit in light of the night's events. They pulled several chairs around Bill's bed. Fleur sat closest to Bill's head, still gently wiping away the dried blood from his face. Next to her sat Ginny and Hermione, the two girls seeming to have a friendly conversation with Bill's fiancé. Anna guessed Fleur's display of devotion to Bill turned Ginny's opinion around. Ron was sitting across from Hermione, Arthur was sitting next to Ron, and Molly was sitting near Bill's head, across from Fleur.
Anna sat on the bed next to Bill's, behind Molly, Arthur, and Ron. Dora was on one side of her, Fred and George on the other. Remus and Sirius were talking quietly nearby. Anna suspected her dad wanted to stay longer to check on Harry.
"Can't believe Dumbledore's dead." Anna breathed quietly. Most of the room were lost in their own conversations, so no one was really paying any mind to her. "It was like…he was our only hope. Without him…"
"We'll manage alright without him." George whispered from Fred's other side. "We've still got Moody and Kingsley and…and the whole Order. We'll be alright."
"I guess." Anna murmured, staring dazedly at the bed sheets of Bill's bed. "We'll have to go to a funeral. I've never been to a funeral." she murmured in a sudden realization. "Have any of you?"
"My granny." Dora whispered.
"We went to both our grandparents' funerals." George admitted, glancing at Fred and then past him to Anna. "Our dad's parents."
"Well, we also went to our uncles Fabian and Gideon's funeral. But we were only a few years old. I don't remember much about it, do you?" Fred asked, turning to look at George.
George tilted his head for a moment. "Vaguely. There weren't very many people there, since it wasn't a Weasley family thing. The Prewett side was always much smaller. Plus it was during the war. I think it was raining?"
Fred nodded. "Yeah, it was."
"I suppose I shouldn't say I've never been to a funeral." Anna admitted, the twins' reminiscing triggering her memory. "I think I went to Lily and James Potter's funeral. But I don't remember much about it. Like you guys, I was only about three years old."
The others nodded, silence falling over them in the dreary hospital wing.
There were a few big events that lead up to this war, at least in Anna's opinion. The day Voldemort returned in the Triwizard Tournament, when the wizarding world finally acknowledged his return after the battle in the Department of Mysteries, and now this.
The day Albus Dumbledore died.
If the war hadn't officially began already, it sure seemed like it had now.
XXX
Fred and George both released their breath in a long whoosh as they slipped out of their black dragon skin coats.
"I told you those things would be miserable in the summer heat." Anna told them, grinning slightly before they all headed further into the Burrow.
"Shut up." they groaned, both wiping sweat from their foreheads.
They'd just left Dumbledore's funeral. It had been an…interesting affair, in Anna's opinion. There were hundreds of people there, some she recognized, but most she didn't. Most of the Order attended, and Anna arrived with her parents and Aslan before joining the twins. Dora and Remus arrived together, Anna's cousin's hair bright pink and the new couple holding hands. Fleur also supported Bill, who was still a bit shaky but was on the mend. The whole of Hogwarts seemed to attend, too, and Anna saw Harry sitting with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. People Anna was less than pleased to see included Fudge, Rita Skeeter, and Umbridge. Though Umbridge appeared to have developed a fear of centaurs from her last encounter, given she nearly panicked at the sight of Firenze standing near the lake. Minister Scrimgeour was there, as well, with Percy and a few other Ministry officials.
The mermaids of the Black Lake sang a song in their language, which Anna much preferred over anything the Ministry might have tried to throw together. It was beautiful and sad and Anna thought Dumbledore would've appreciated it immensely.
Hagrid had carried Dumbledore's body up the isle to his tomb, wrapped in purple velvet sheet sprinkled with golden stars.
While Anna hadn't been as close to Dumbledore as some of the others, she couldn't help remembering the great headmaster from all her years at Hogwarts. His interesting speeches, his devotion to the school and the safety of those within it, his sense of humor. Anna had smiled sadly during the funeral when she remembered how Dumbledore had enjoyed the twins' antics and pranks. And she couldn't forget how Dumbledore had believed in her father's innocence and helped her and Harry prove him innocent.
Hagrid had placed Dumbledore on the table at the front, tears streaming down his face and soaking his beard. Hagrid's giant half-brother, Grawp, who Anna hadn't met before, was also at the funeral. Hagrid sat next to him after placing Dumbledore at the front of the crowd.
After a long, droning speech, Dumbledore's body burst into white flames, which caused several people to scream. However, when they cleared, Dumbledore's body was encased in a white, marble tomb.
The centaurs also gave tribute by shooting their arrows into the air before returning to their forest home.
After the funeral, several members of the Order were invited to the Burrow for dinner, as a sort of after party.
Molly and Wren had already set out several flagons of cold drinks and dishes around every flat surface of the kitchen.
"Anna!" Aslan called, waddling across the room at a running pace toward the front door where Anna and the twins were still standing. When he neared them, he lifted his little hands toward his sister. Anna smiled and scooped her little brother up, setting him on her hip.
"Hi, Aslan. Where to? The kitchen?" she asked him, already heading toward the kitchen where everyone was gathered.
"Well, it was certainly a lovely funeral." Molly stated thickly, setting another plate of something delicious-smelling on the counter. "Dumbledore would've loved it."
"Especially the mermaids and centaurs." Bill agreed in a weak voice. He was sitting at the kitchen table, leaning heavily on his elbows with a glass of water between his hands. Fleur was sitting next to him, gently tucking his long hair behind his ear as she pushed a plate of food closer to him.
"Does anyone know what Scrimgeour spoke with Harry about after the funeral?" Arthur asked, sounding mildly concerned. "I didn't get the chance to ask."
Anna frowned worriedly, still holding her brother on her hip. She, too, had noticed the Minister pulling Harry aside to speak, and he hadn't looked very happy when he walked away from the young boy. She guessed Harry hadn't been in the mood to keep up polite pretenses with the grizzled old man.
"I spoke to Harry briefly before we left." Sirius admitted, wrapping his arm around Wren's waist and stopping her from getting any work done. "Scrimgeour just wanted to speak to Harry about showing support for the Ministry to boost morale in the wizarding world." he explained with an eye roll, which several people echoed. "Safe to say Harry made his opinion very clear."
"I just hope the Minister doesn't retaliate." Molly fretted, fluttering around the kitchen to check a few more dishes.
"He wouldn't dare do anything." Fred declared.
"Harry's got a good portion of the wizarding community behind him. If the Ministry tried starting anything like they did the last couple years, they'd have hundreds of people rushing to defend Harry. They don't need that kind of bad rep." George agreed.
Anna nodded in agreement, but she noticed a few people's expressions suggested they didn't completely agree.
"Well, enough talk about the Ministry." Wren declared firmly, grabbing a plate and beginning to serve herself. "This isn't about them. It's about remembering a great man who did a lot for us, Hogwarts, and the whole wizarding world."
Everyone murmured their agreement and started moving to grab their own plates. Anna set Aslan on the ground, took his little hand in hers, and lead him toward the counter where the plates were.
"Okay, you need to show me what you want, okay?" Anna told the almost 23 month old toddler. She went through the line with her brother and made up a plate for him and a second one for herself. She then sat him on her lap and set their plates next to each other so he could eat from his while she ate her own food.
"So, what's the plan for getting Harry out of his aunt and uncle's house?" Anna asked, directing her question at Kingsley across the table from her.
"We're still working out the details, and the plan itself may end up changing drastically by the time it actually happens." the large wizard admitted in his deep, calming voice. "All we know for certain is that it must happen before Harry's birthday, because the protective magic surrounding the house will vanish at that point."
Anna nodded in understanding. So, it would have to be before July 31. "Well, I want to be apart of it, if I can."
Kingsley nodded with a smile. "Duly noted."
Anna felt the small body on her lap twist around suddenly. She then felt a small finger poke her cheek. Looking down, she found Aslan looking up at her, food smeared across his mouth and cheeks. Anna glanced around on the table by her plate, grabbing her napkin to wipe the food from his face. He whined and tried to lean away from her, but she managed to get most of the food off before he could get away.
"Moony." he told her.
"What about Moony?" Anna asked him.
"Want Moony." Aslan repeated, wiggling and trying to get down.
Anna glanced around and didn't see Remus in the kitchen. So she looked past Fred and George into the living room. She saw Remus and Tonks sitting closely together on the couch. Sirius was sitting on the chair across from them. They were all beaming widely at each other and seemed excited about something. Then, Sirius leaned forward and clasped Remus's hand in his, pulling him forward into a kind of man-hug.
Anna tilted her head curiously. When her father pulled away from Remus, he then moved to hug Tonks.
Aslan chose that moment to tug on Anna's shirt. "Moony." he whined.
"Alright, alright." Anna lifted Aslan off her lap and placed him on the ground. She pointed around the table toward the living room. "He's in there."
Aslan ran from the kitchen into the living room, his little legs making him waddle adorably. When he neared his godfather, he squealed, "Moony!"
The three adults turned and smiled wider at the little boy who threw himself at Moony's legs. Remus laughed, easily lifting the little boy onto his lap. Anna didn't realize she was smiling as she watched the group interacting. Tonks was smiling warmly at Aslan, glancing between the little boy and Remus. There was a pure joyfulness in her expression as she looked at Remus, as if she couldn't be happier than in that moment. Her hair had returned to it's bright pink color, and there was life in her expressions now. And there was something similar in Remus, though he wasn't quite as obvious about it.
"What are you staring at?" Fred asked, making Anna jerk back to the present. She yanked her eyes from the group in the living room to find Fred staring curiously at her. George was deep in conversation with Kingsley and Bill.
"Oh, nothing, sorry." Anna laughed lightly, turning back to the remains of her food to continue eating.
XXX
"You got married and didn't invite me?!" were the first words out of Anna's mouth when her mother opened the door to allow Dora into the house. "Nymphadora Vulpecula Tonks! Or I suppose it's Lupin now, right?"
"Are you gonna sulk or do you wanna see pictures?" Dora smirked at her as she stepped through the doorway, Wren closing the door behind her. "And seriously? Not only did you throw the first name at me, you had to throw in that monstrosity of a middle name, too?" Andromeda wasn't very good at naming, apparently, since Dora hated her middle name even more than her first.
"Consider it payback for not inviting me to your wedding. Maybe I should leave you and Remus off the invite list when me and Fred get married." Anna threatened. Her eyes flicking to the large envelope in her cousin's hand, she struggled with herself for a moment before sighing in defeat. "Oh, alright, let's see 'em."
The three women sat on the sofa, Dora in the middle so she could show them the magical Polaroid photos.
Dora and Remus had apparently gotten married just a couple days ago, but they hadn't told anyone. Well, they told Sirius. They wanted to have a witness there that they both knew and trusted. So, the three of them picked a Saturday in the middle of July, took off to Northern Scotland for the day, and had a small, quiet ceremony in a local tavern. That evening, Sirius returned home with the announcement of their marriage, explaining they'd wanted a very small ceremony because of the prejudice against werewolves in the wizarding community. Anna was still a little mad that she hadn't been invited, even though she did understand to a point.
"Lovely dress robes." Wren commented when they saw the first photo. Remus and Tonks were in a dingy looking pub, and Anna wished the photo wasn't black and white. It was clear Tonks's dress robes weren't white, but she had no idea what color they were.
"They were bubblegum pink and silver." Dora explained with a small smile. "I thought they'd be fitting.
"Sounds like you." Anna laughed quietly. Figures her cousin wouldn't wear a white dress. Of course, she always was unique.
There weren't very many photos, considering the ceremony was short and sweet and there obviously wasn't a reception afterwards. The other photos included a couple of them slipping the rings onto each other's fingers, their first kiss as a married couple, and Sirius toasting them both with shots at the tavern bar.
"Of course Sirius's most important job was toasting with a shot of booze." Wren laughed, holding the picture to look at. Anna and Dora laughed in agreement.
"What'd I do?" The three women looked up to see Sirius reaching the foot of the stairs carrying Aslan in his arms. He set the boy down and Aslan scurried toward the couch.
"Tonks! Tonks!" he squeaked. Dora had just enough time to pass the folder of photos to Wren before the little boy threw himself into her lap. He had to kick and climb in order to make it fully onto her lap, but managed it with little help. He turned himself and sat sideways so he faced his cousin and sister. "Duck!" he exclaimed, pointing a little finger in Dora's face before moving it to Anna's. "Duck!"
"What do you say?" Anna prompted in amusement.
Aslan pouted and made his green eyes big and cute. "Pwease?"
Anna refrained from laughing-barely-and looked at Dora, who returned the look. In unison, they turned back to look at Aslan and gave themselves duck beaks, one of Aslan's favorite faces.
Aslan squealed in laughter, clapping his hands excitedly.
"So, have you heard the latest plan for getting Harry from his aunt and uncle's house?" Dora asked, passing Aslan to Wren while her and Anna's faces returned to normal.
"Moody filled us in on a couple details." Sirius answered. "It's set for the 27th now, right?"
"Yep." Tonks nodded once. "And we're setting up a few different modes of flight, since we can't use certain kinds of magic, thanks to the bloody Ministry. Like brooms and things like that. Other than that, Moody wants to keep most of the details under wraps until the last possible moment."
Anna and Sirius nodded in understanding.
"And Harry's going to be taken to the Burrow?" Sirius checked, sounding a bit subdued. Anna couldn't blame him. He'd probably been hoping for Harry to have more time to actually live with them.
"Yeah. They figured it'd be easier there." Dora explained gently in understanding. "Bill and Fleur's wedding will be there soon, and it's just easier if we put all the protective enchantments on one place."
XXX
The blurriness of the several Disillusionment Charms disappeared as the several people landed in Harry's backyard. Hagrid got off the giant, flying motorcycle that Sirius had leant him, and everyone else dismounted their brooms and thestrals.
The back door flew open as Harry practically flew into their midst, causing several people to call out their greetings.
"I wasn't expecting this many of you!" Harry exclaimed, looking around at them all. Annabelle could understand his surprise. There were fifteen of them in total, and Harry would make sixteen. It almost seemed a bit over the top just to collect one boy, but they couldn't be too careful with this particular mission.
"Change of plan." Mad-Eye growled, holding two bulging sacks in his hand. "Let's get under cover before we talk to you about it, though." he continued, his magical eye spinning around frantically, as if expecting an enemy behind every bush.
Harry lead them all into the house and into the kitchen, where everyone took seats in chairs or on the countertops, or leaned against the walls or counters. Several people were chattering among themselves, some calling across the room to each other. There was Mad-Eye, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Anna, Bill, Fleur, Arthur, Dora, Remus, Sirius, Kingsley, Hagrid, and Mundungus Fletcher.
"Alright, Alright, we'll have time for a cozy catch-up later!" Mad-Eye roared, causing the chatter to fall silent. He then proceeded to fill Harry in on the change of plan. They'd had to throw out Plan A mainly due to Pius Thicknesse, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, being put under the Imperius Curse by the Death Eaters. Because of this, he'd made it impossible for Harry to leave the house by any magical means of transportation. Plus, Harry would still have the Trace on him until his birthday. So, they would be using any form of transportation that the Trace couldn't detect: brooms, thestrals, Hagrid's motorbike, and Buckbeak.
Anna had been hesitant to fly Buckbeak in this mission, due to the possible danger it presented, but she made sure to put a few different protective spells and shield charms on Buckbeak, just to be safe. She only hoped they worked.
Everyone would be paired up and they would fly to a different house.
Of course, when Moody pointed out the key fact in the plan, that there would be eight Harry Potters in the sky, and pulled out a flask of Polyjuice Potion, Harry flipped out.
"No!" he exclaimed. "No way!"
"Told you he'd take it well." Hermione stated to the room as a whole.
"If you think I'm going to let seven people risk their lives-"
"-because it's the first time for all of us." Ron agreed sarcastically.
"This is different, pretending to be me-"
"Well, none of us really fancy it, Harry." Fred told him earnestly. "Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky, scrawny gits forever."
Anna elbowed Fred in the ribs, but nearly failed to suppress a grin. Harry was clearly not amused.
"You can't do it if I don't cooperate, you need me to give you some hair."
"Well, that's that plan scuppered." said George. "Obviously there's no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate."
"Yeah, fourteen of us against one bloke who's not allowed to use magic; we've got no chance." Fred agreed sarcastically.
"Ms. Granger." Moody stated. Hermione instantly stepped up and ripped a few strands of Harry's hair from the back of his head.
Harry grabbed the back of his head in pain. "Blimey, Hermione." he groaned.
Fred, George, and Anna snorted.
Hermione approached Moody and put the hairs into the flask, which Moody had popped open for her. The muddy potion frothed and smoked before turning into a bright gold.
"Ooh, you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry." Hermione spoke up quietly, which everyone heard in the silent room. Anna raised her eyebrows, pursing her lips to fight a smile while the twins both looked at the bookworm with suggestive expressions. Hermione glanced around at them and Ron, who had also raised his eyebrows at her. She blushed. "Oh, you know what I mean-Goyle's potion looked like bogies."
"Right, then, fake Potters line up over here, please." Moody ordered.
Ron, Hermione, Fred, Anna, George, and Fleur lined up in front of the sink immediately. Hagrid lifted Mundungus up by the back of the neck and plopped him down with them. Dung clearly didn't want to be part of this plan, especially being one of the Harry clones.
Moody poured some of the Polyjuice into several small cups and passed them around.
"Altogether, then." he told them.
Anna grimaced slightly before throwing the potion back and swallowing. She gagged slightly, shuddering at the disgusting taste. Then, her skin began to bubble and change, much different from how she changed with her own metamorphic powers. Her body grew a bit and filled out, her hair darkened only a few more shades to reach black and shot up into her skull until it was short and messy like Harry's.
The feeling was quite a bit different from what Anna was used to and she found herself breathless for a moment from the feeling.
Fred and George turned to look at each other from around Anna. "Wow-we're identical!" they exclaimed. Anna glanced between them and laughed. They were slightly blurry, though, and Anna guessed that was because of Harry's eyesight that she was now seeing with.
"I dunno, though, I think I'm still better-looking." Fred continued, looking at his reflection in a kettle. "What do you think, love?" he asked flirtatiously, turning to Anna with a smirk. But it looked very weird given it was Harry's face.
"Don't talk to me like that when you look like Harry." Glancing toward the kettle to take in her own reflection, she continued, "And when I look like Harry."
"Bill, don't look at me," Fleur spoke from nearby, looking at her reflection in a microwave, "I'm 'ideous."
"Why'd you have to take the Polyjuice?" Ron asked, squinting at Anna from down the row of Harry clones. "Couldn't you have changed on your own?"
"Yes, but then I'd have to focus on keeping my disguise up." Anna explained. "And I may need all my wits about me. I don't want to lose my focus and have my cover blown."
Moody then set out all the things they'd need for their Harry disguises. Anna felt slightly awkward stripping and redressing in the previously-decided-Harry-clothes, especially with so many people in the room, including her dad and fiancé. It also felt very weird to look down and not see her own body.
"Harry, your eyesight really is awful." Hermione informed him, putting on a pair of glasses that looked like Harry's. Anna also put a pair on and the world went clear again.
Once dressed, all the fake Harry's took rucksacks and owl cages with fake owls from the second bag Moody had set out. When everyone faced him again, Moody continued on to the next phase, "Good. The pairs will be as follows: Mundungus will be traveling with me, by broom-"
"Why'm I with you?" the Harry nearest to the back door complained.
"Because you're the one that needs watching." Moody growled. "Arthur and Fred-"
"I'm George." the Harry who Moody pointed at interrupted. Anna, however, rolled her eyes because she could tell by his voice that he was, indeed, Fred. "Can't you even tell us apart when we're Harry?"
"Sorry, George-"
"I'm only yanking your wand, I'm Fred really-"
"Enough messing around!" Moody snapped. Anna reached over and yanked on Fred's temporarily-black hair to warn him to behave himself. "The other one-George or Fred or whoever you are-you're with Remus. Miss Delacour-"
"I'm taking Fleur on a thestral." Bill interrupted. "She's not that fond of brooms."
One of the Harrys, who Anna guessed was Fleur, moved to stand next to Bill and looked up at him with a soppy, love struck expression that looked very disturbing coming from Harry's face.
"Miss Granger and Kingsley, again by thestral." Moody continued. Hermione looked relieved and exchanged a smile with Kingsley. Anna remembered Hermione never did feel comfortable flying on brooms.
"Miss Black and Sirius, by hippogriff-"
Anna took a deep breath and felt Fred squeeze her hand.
"Which leaves you and me, Ron!" Dora exclaimed, knocking over a mug tree when she waved.
This left Harry with Hagrid on Sirius's old motorbike, since very few things could take Hagrid's enormous weight. Part of this reasoning was that the Death Eaters would expect Harry to be on a broom.
Left with only three minutes before they were due to leave, the large group headed out the back door into the dark garden.
Anna saw her dad clap Remus on the shoulder before heading toward Buckbeak, who was waiting anxiously near Hagrid on the motorbike. Anna glanced around quickly, her eyes scanning the sea of Harrys, trying to determine which one was Fred.
"Looking for me?" a familiar voice asked at her shoulder. Anna spun around and threw her arms around Fred, keeping her eyes closed to pretend temporarily that he didn't look like her godbrother.
"Be careful, Fred." she whispered, burying her nose into his shoulder.
"I will." he whispered back, for once not joking around. "But you've got to do the same. Got it?"
"Got it." Anna agreed. Knowing time was short, she took a long sniff of his neck and sighed. If nothing else, he still smelled like Fred. Of gunpowder and the woods.
Pulling away from him, she hurried over to Buckbeak. Sirius was already perched on the gray hippogriff's back. He offered Anna a hand and pulled her up onto Buckbeak, behind her father. Scooting up, she wrapped her arms around her father's middle.
Everyone mounted their brooms, and Hagrid kick started the motorbike, causing the engine to roar. Anna glanced over at it and saw that Harry was crammed into the tiny sidecar with all his things.
"Good luck, everyone!" Moody shouted. "See you all in about an hour at the Burrow. On the count of three. One…two…THREE!"
Anna tightened her hold on her father as Buckbeak's large wings spread out on either side of them. Then, with one great flap, Buckbeak leapt into the air. They soared straight up, brooms and thestrals all around them as they rose up into the dark night sky. Anna almost couldn't hear anything over the whistling of the wind in her ears.
Then, suddenly they were surrounded. Anna caught glimpses of floating, black-cloaked figures-at least thirty-surrounding the Order on all sides in a huge circle.
It was chaos. Screams pierced the air, bursts of green light flashed from every direction. Anna almost tumbled over the side of Buckbeak when he suddenly lurched to one side to narrowly avoid another flash of green.
"Hang on and get your wand ready!" her dad yelled over the noise. Anna pulled her wand out of her jacket pocket, clutching it tightly in a white-knuckled grasp as her eyes tried to take in the panic.
She saw a couple pairs on brooms flying off into the distance, and Hagrid's bike had made it a good distance, though they already had four Death Eaters pursuing them.
She saw a couple Death Eaters turn and fly after her and her father. Remembering many of the defensive spells Harry had taught them in the DA, which she'd been practicing the last few days, Anna turned her wand and pointed it at the pursuing Death Eaters.
"Stupefy!" she screamed, aiming at the Death Eater on the left. It barely missed and the witch or wizard countered with the Killing Curse. "Protego!" Anna easily used the Shield Charm to defend against the curse.
With Buckbeak flying fine on his own, Sirius also began firing spells at random over his shoulder. He managed to hit one of the Death Eaters with a Stunning Spell, causing the masked wizard to fall into the darkness, most likely to his death. Unfortunately, another Death Eater showed up in time to replace him.
Remembering a spell the twins had shown her recently, Anna pointed her wand at the one on the right and yelled, "Hircum Perorum!"
The Death Eater's broom lurched up and then started bucking uncontrollably. Due to this obstacle, that Death Eater was soon left in the dust.
"Faster, Buckbeak!" Anna screamed before aiming at the remaining Death Eater, "Petrificus Totalus!"
Her spell missed, and the Death Eater managed to catch up. Anna and Sirius continued firing spells, which the Death Eater continued to counter. Unfortunately, he also managed to gain speed somehow, gradually gaining on Buckbeak. The wind also seemed to have blown the Death Eater's hood back, revealing his face. Anna was only able to recognize him when he was several feet behind them.
Rabastan Lestrange, the brother of Rodolphus and brother-in-law of Bellatrix.
Rabastan continued firing curses at them, all of which Anna and Sirius barely managed to defend against.
"Stupefy!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Anna's spell flew toward Rabastan's chest, but she didn't see if it connected because suddenly her view was blocked by a wall of gray feathers. Buckbeak rolled in the air and Anna felt herself and her father start sliding to the side. Green light flashed in the corner of Anna's eyes, but suddenly she was airborne, her and Sirius falling in the dark toward the ground hundreds of feet below.
XXX
I was finally able to put in another cliffhanger! I can't remember the last time I was able to put a cliffhanger in this story! Review and let me know what you all thought please!