Author's Notes" First of all I do want to mention this. I read every. single. review. Even if I don't reply to them all, I've only got so much time if I want to get any writing done. What am I saying here? I appreciate your feedback, keep it coming, I am reading it. Next up, do any of you know some good Harry/Tonks ticsbesides Summer of Change? What else? uhhh... right... I can't remember, there was something but now its gone. grrr. This is what we call Attention Deficit, HEY WHAT'S THAT OVER THERE!

Right, I remember now. This is the last chapter for this bundle, come back next month, (if your not following already) and well have some more for ya.

Couple last things, as ever I am willing to help out with other peoples projects, just give me a call. Second, check out the challenges on my profile. Let me know if you're gonna take a run at it.

Chapter 9: Upheaval

The party, which had made their little raid on Diagon Alley, all trooped through the door into Grimmauld, doing their best not to clatter too loudly. It was all for naught, as they could see from the entrance hall that the Kitchen was fit to burst with the number of people gathered there. Dumbledore had seen fit to summon the entirety of the Order.

Hermione, who was bringing up the rear, noted Harry looking to Tonks and giving her a brief nod. Okay, if i'm reading that look right, he just told her it was time. Time to put on your big girl pants Hermione, this might get ugly. She thought dryly to herself as she followed them down the hall.

The plan as she knew it, was to catch the accused out, either by finding a dosed meal or drink, or by finding the potions while being distributed. The plan called for Harry to actually intentionally dose himself by eating suspect food to make their case air tight. Hermione wasn't too pleased by that last part of the plan. She knew just how harsh a substance Amortentia could be, but if this was to be a sting, she would do her part, which was to mostly stay out of the way and to keep the suspects from fleeing. Suspects…I'm already thinking of them as criminals. Hermione lamented in her head as they entered the kitchen.

Dumbledore was pushing to his feet, a serious expression on his face. But Harry was ahead of him, gesturing to the one chair remaining in the room once she and the others were seated. "I suppose you intend for me to take the defence stand?" He asked derisively, something twisting his lips slightly in an expression she couldn't quite identify.

Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, this is not a court room, we are merely here to address some concerns." He chided, "We are all worried about your wellbeing, nothing more." He said spread his hands in a peace offering.

Harry sighed. "I can tell you right now that's basically a falsehood since Snape is here," He noted jerking his head at the potions master who sat at Dumbledore's shoulder.

"Professor Snape," the headmaster corrected instinctively.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Snape, had hated my guts since I've stepped into the school, in all likelihood he's only here in the interest of putting the boot in while the rest of you work me over verbally," he argue sarcastically. He took a plate of food handed off by Molly. To those not looking for it they would not see the subtle grimace he got when he examined the plate. He put it on his lap taking a cup from Ron and shrugged at the old man "As for the others? Many of them are here are probably only here because you called them. They don't really know me after all." He argued, then took a swig of the drink. Hermione stiffened a little and began watching him closely. This is it, the game is afoot dear Watson. She thought to herself darkly.

Dumbledore glared somewhat significantly at the smirking potions master. "We truly are all concerned for you Harry, even Professor Snape…" he offered, she noted a small bead of sweat form at Harry's hair line and drip down his temple. Surely it couldn't be affecting him already? She wondered.

Harry smirked giving that statement the respect it deserved. Hermione noticed a slight tremor in his shoulder which he rolled, causing it to stop. Bloody hell, I think it is. She snarled internally.

"Sir, all Snape see's when he see's me is the man who tormented him as a boy," Harry sent a pointed look at Sirius who winced. "He hates me, so let's not have you shovelling anymore propaganda on that subject shall we." He said clenching his fist and releasing it over and over again, seemingly idly as he looked at it in interest. He looked up and his eyes flicked quickly to the edge of the room and back. "But then again…" He said staring into the old man's tired eyes. "He's not the only one here under false pretences today," He said smiling grimly.

Dumbledore merely looked confused, Harry rolled his head slightly to look over his shoulder at Tonks, making eye contact, and made a quick nod. She pushed to her feet. "Tonks, if you would? The way I'm feeling right now I'm not sure how much longer we have," He said smiling thinly. Hermione felt her pulse speed up in anticipation, she looked to Kara who stood on the other side of the door. Kara nodded back, her lips set in a grim line.

Tonks paced to Harry's side, many interested eyes on her. She looked uncertain as she slowly pulled her wand holding it loosely at her side. "You certain Harry?"

"Nymphadora, perhaps you could explain what's going on?" Dumbledore suggested.

"Yeah Nymie, what gives?" Sirius barked from his seat across the room suddenly tense.

"I told you not to call me that Albus," She said distractedly aiming at Harry's chest. Harry nodded giving her a droll look. She grimaced. "Very well, Stupefy!" She barked and a bolt of red-white light slashed out and hit Harry, causing him to slump immediately.

Several people were immediately on their feet and reaching for wands. "What the Hell Nym!" Sirius snarled.

Tonks rolled her eyes, her hair shifting between pink and purple and back again in agitation. "Weren't you paying attention Sirius? He asked me to do it." She snapped.

Dumbledore was on his feet now, admittedly not as quickly as his younger cohorts, "Would you care to explain why Harry would desire himself stunned?" He said ominously.

She jerked a nodded and started pacing her wand lowering to her side. "Yeah sure, Harry knew he was likely to be potioned by someone in this room. He knew he couldn't trust himself under its influence so he directed me to stun him when he started losing control." She explained tiredly, she paused to check Harry's pulse was strong before returning to pacing.

"Surely not Ny—Tonks," Dumbledore protested as several yelps of protest were heard about the room. "Why would he suspect such a thing?" He asked uncertainly at the young woman's glare.

"I could perhaps get us some proof if you'll allow me?" Tonks offered, she looked to Hermione briefly, offering a quick and grim smile before turning her attention pointedly to the wary Potions Master who stood at the headmasters shoulder. Hermione noticed Molly and Ron suddenly looked hunted.

Snape briefly looked to his employer, who nodded quickly in agreement, Snape stalked forward and put his hand on Harry's shoulder pushing him more upright in his chair. He pulled up the edge of Harry's shirt sleeve and began working his wand over the pale skin there.

It took a minute, during which Hermione sat tense chewing on a strand of hair nervously, The moment of truth… She thought as light began to blink and runes began to draw themselves in the air above the wand.

Snape blinked surprise at whatever it was he was seeing, "Amortentia, Loyalty Curative and an array of mild aversion mixtures." He reported turning his startled eyes to the Headmaster, who was looking suddenly thunderous.

The Headmaster turned his attention to the still pacing metamorph. "Do you know who has done this?" He asked urgently.

Tonks shrugged non-comital. "I have some idea's…I could test my theory?" She suggested. Dumbledore only had to think a moment before giving a sharp nod.

Tonks nodded almost absently then her wand arms snapped out lightning quick. "Accio Potion Vials!" She barked.

Hermione couldn't decide whether or not to laugh or cry when Molly and Ron both gave a jerk as the vials secreted about their bodies promptly answered the summons and started flying across the room. It was in this somewhat confused state, as outraged cries rose throughout the room, that Ron panicked and bolted for the door, at which point, Hermione standing quickly, and stepping between him and the door, and punched him square in the jaw. The boy crashed to the ground in a heap and silence fell. Molly doubtless would have made a commotion had this happened at any other time, the cow usually couldn't keep her mouth shut to save her life. However she was currently cowering under the wands of half a dozen suddenly murderous Order members.

Snape snarled from where he still crouched beside Harry. "As entertaining as this diversion is, I must inform you all that Potter's blood toxicity is critically high." He reported urgently.

Kara spoke up for the first time in the meeting. "Harry took a purgative when he started noticing the symptoms…" She offered.

Snape looked to her briefly nodding thoughtfully. "That would likely remove any resistance the boy has built up overtime, this dose was intended for someone who was used to fighting the effects over time…" He shook his head, clearing distracting thoughts. "Regardless, the boy need's to go to Saint Mungo's immediately Headmaster," He explained.

Dumbledore was already nodding. "Then that is where we shall take him, Tonks?" He called to the Auror who was working to get one of Harry's arms slung over her shoulder, "Severus and I shall provide any statement you need for the DMLE, on that you have my word, but first we have this to attend to." He said firmly and she nodded. He turned to Sirius who looked panic stricken "Sirius activate the Floo, let's see if we can't save your godson."

—

Harry blinked, and moved a hand to shield his eyes against the glare that was coming at him from above. For a moment he thought he was back in the afterlife, waking up in that barren waiting room. Then his other senses started to kick in. He was being propped up by two people, each with a shoulder under his arm, and the whiff of an anti-septic environment automatically suggested a hospital. How the hell'd I get here?

He looked about causing someone to give a start as he started moving. The room they were in was definitely an admitting room for a hospital. The medi-witch across from them, who was filling out the forms was looking worried about something, though he couldn't tell what. Must be Saint Mungo's. The two under his arms shifted him, and dropped him gently into a seat where he sagged a bit, until he caught a binding spell and was suddenly trussed up like a prized hog. He was too tired to ask, but later he'd learn that Tonks had bound him so he didn't get it into his head to go looking for Ginny.

The medi-witch came over a minute later looking hesitant. At the murmured permission of one of those guarding him she started running chem tests on his blood. Eventually the witch seemed satisfied and got them to lift him again. He was finally with it enough as they half-dragged him to the examination room, to recognize who it was holding him up. Hermione and Kara. He wondered where Sirius had wandered off to as he contemplated how he'd likely ended up in this situation. Probably chewing out Dumbledore…

He was eventually laid out on a bench but he opted, in defiance of the scolding looks he was getting from the others, to sit up on the edge of the bed.

Tonks was looking uncertain as the Medi-witch left. "Harry I have to stick with you for now, but who else do you want in here?" She asked.

Harry's still potion sizzled brain threw up the obvious answer. "Ginny?"

She smirked darkly. "Afraid not Harry, try again?" She suggested.

He nodded, disappointed, "Hermione and Kara," He eventually forced past his confusion.

"Are you sure Harry?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

He bobbed his head, "Yup, I trust you two." he said happily enough, kicking his legs idly as they dangled over the edge of the bed. Kara looked to Hermione and shrugged, they ended up pulling up some chairs.

The Healers who checked on them a few minutes later had to argue protocol for a minute or two before they let Tonks stay, before leaving again. Finally a different Healer entirely arrived and got to work.

He was perhaps five years out of Hogwarts at most, a man who was average in just about every way. Average height, average build, average looks…He smiled in a friendly way when he arrived in the room, and stepped forward offering his hand to Tonks who was the only other adult in the room, and thus presumed to be in charge. "Good afternoon, I'm Healer Cooper. I hear our friend here has been potioned." he noted, smiling a touch ruefully to those in the room.

"That's right, Amortentia, Loyalty Curative and mild aversion mixtures." Tonks reported.

He looked at his clipboard and read the report flipping through a page or two. "Yeah, that's what our chem scan shows alright." He agreed, he looked at Harry speculatively. "How you doing Harry?" He asked, then chuckled as he looked over the bindings Tonks had him in. "Or is that a stupid question?"

Harry shrugged. "I feel fine, but I suspect that's mostly the potions," Harry agreed.

The man checked a stat on the papers and whistled. "Yeah, they've got you flying high as a kite with this kind of dose, what kind of moron thinks its a good idea to put that much potion in someone's food?" He asked himself rhetorically, and grimaced. "This kind of dosage can have long term consequences. Arrhythmia of the heart, organ degradation, that sort of thing…Luckily for you it was caught before it went that far."

Harry nodded. "You might want to check out Hermione over there, we're pretty positive she's been dosed in the past too." He noted. The Healer looked up and at the nervous girl speculatively, and sighed, before stepping over and pulling his wand, he started running the tests.

"You know I seriously hate people who do crap like this, you'd think people would learn but no…." Cooper grumbled. He checked his test results and scowled. "Yeah, she's been dosed within the last week or so. Her levels are dropping steadily enough. Still…The number suggests her dosage was just as bad as yours," He explained.

Hermione was shaking with anxiety, and Harry wished he could get over to her and give her a hug. "What…what's it doing to my health?" She asked worriedly.

"Don't know for sure, I'll have to do a full workup scan on you two." Cooper admitted, twirling his wand. "But that'll just tell us about the physical side of things, you'd have to see mind healers about the mental stuff, that's not my bailiwick." He admitted.

"I'm serious gonna kick some arse when I get my hands on those two," Tonks snarled from the sidelines. Cooper smiled grimly nodding in agreement.

"I might have to join you," he agreed. "Which one of you wants to get the full workup first?—Oh wait I should get you on some purgatives first Harry," he said giving a start before hurrying over to the cart and pulling some small purple vials from it.

Harry drank them back with a little help from Kara, as his hands were still bound. "Probably best you do Hermione first, give the purgative time to clear the potions," He pointed out. The healer nodded agreement and hurried back over to the girl in question.

Cooper chewed his cheek a bit as he considered the girl, "Miss Granger isn't it?" He asked, she nodded. "Do you want your scan reported here, or would you prefer we take you to another exam room?" He asked.

Harry couldn't know it but Hermione was thinking about the way he had trusted her enough to have her in the room with him, she decided to repay that trust in kind.

Cooper spent the next couple minutes running a series of scans on her. "Okay, mostly it's just a couple general health advisories, eat less red meat, that sort of thing, wouldn't hurt to get a bit more exercise, you'd think they'd encourage physical fitness considering the effect it has on your bodies ability to generate and channel magic." He noted sourly. "Otherwise, you're a fine specimen of a teenage female, developing nicely, because of the potioning just come in occasionally for examinations so we can keep an eye on your reproductive system, there's a small chance the amortentia could stunt development in that area." he warned her and she blanched, then nodded agreement.

He moved over to Harry as Hermione massaged her abdomen idly a worried expression on her face. "Now then, lets see what's going on with you Harry," He started a scan, only to pause a minute in and restart scowling, but got the same result. He looked up at concerned faces around the room. He chewed his lip thoughtfully, then blew out a breath nodding to Tonks, "Auror? Do you know what a case Orange is?" He asked carefully neutral.

Tonks blinked, and clearly concentrated looking back through her memories. But when she finally hit upon what he was talking about she paled, the colour draining from her face like water from a bottomless tub. She groaned and sagged. "Aw Bugger…Really?" She asked grief etched on her face. Cooper nodded solemnly loosing the bindings on Harry.

Harry didn't like these reactions, "Uh, someone want to fill me in?" He asked uncertainly.

Cooper looked to him sympathetically. "I'm sorry Harry, but we're going to need you remove your shirt." He explained. Harry froze immediately, a reaction which grabbed Hermione's attention immediately.

"Why?" Harry asked his voice carefully neutral.

"Because when we get an alert in our scans like the one I just got for you we're required by law to examine and report….With or without your consent." Cooper admitted regretfully. "This is seen as being done in the interest of the public good."

Harry growled in frustration, Hermione was watching him intently from across the room. "It doesn't sound like I have any choice in the matter, fine…give me a sec." He replied tensely pushing to his feet. He stood for moment facing the nervous Doctor and Auror, then reached for the edge of his shirt. He hesitated then pulled it over his head.

—

Madam Director Bones, was sitting at her desk working on filing the paperwork she had generated in regards to the handling of the two Weasleys arrests. She wasn't clear on the details yet. She knew they'd been arrested by her Aurors in response to a confirmed potioning attack, and that Dumbledore himself and Severus Snape would be by later to provide testimony…worrisome.

She was just finishing up signing off on the temporary incarceration forms, when there was a chime from the Floo, and the face of her personal assistant appeared. "I apologize Director Bones, but we have a request for your presence at Saint Mungo's?" The face reported, a concerned look furrowing her brow.

Amelia's immediate and panicked conclusion was that something had happened to Susan, and was about to demand details when the person continued. "Auror Tonks is the source of the request? She says it has to do with Harry Potter?" The person noted uncertainly.

Amelia gave a start. Harry was at Saint Mungo's, considering the scope of the last disaster he was involved in she reckoned it had to be bad. She pushed to her feet and approached the Floo. "Clear the Floo please, I'll be right through," She instructed and the face nodded before disappearing.

She was through a minute later, standing in the head physicians office with the chief security officer for the hospital. "This way ma'am," he noted and led her from the room.

He led her through the winding corridors of the hospital for a good minute before they reached their destination, they had to wait a minute to get past the security cordon the chief had raised around the examination room. A very surly looking Chief Warlock was seated outside, he scowled when she was let through without a second thought.

"Dumbledore," She greeted as she passed the guards.

"Amelia," He nodded back. "I hope you can find out more than I did, they won't let me through to see the boy," He noted sourly.

"Privileges of being head of the DMLE Dumbledore." She said dryly, before stepping into the room and closing the door.

Tonks was standing across from Harry, who was stripped from he waist up. Her hand was fisted and pressed against her mouth, a dark look in her eyes. It took a moment for Amelia to see what it was that had her so tense, and the bushy haired girl in the corner in tears.

Harry was heavily scarred, and she new immediately why she'd been called. Harry was the subject of a case orange. He had deep gouges in places and line-like scars crisscrossing his chest, a large circular scar right over his heart, and a ovoid on his forearm.

"Auror, report!" She ordered turning to Tonks.

"Ma'am Harry was potioned earlier this evening by a pair from the Weasley family. We brought him here for treatment, and during the full work up we discovered…this." Tonks explained gesturing helplessly at Harry, who was staring at the floor.

She stepped up beside the healer and looked the boy up and down. He looked up briefly smiling wanly. "Hello Madam Bones." he greeted sadly.

"Hello Harry, having a rough week aren't we?" She noted gently.

He chuckled, a dark unhappy sound. "Yeah, you could say that,"

She nodded understanding, then looked to the Healer, "Healer, would you help me catalogue all these injuries?" She requested, gesturing to Harry. Healer Cooper, as his name tag read, nodded agreement.

"Got a camera to help you do just that," He agreed. Hefting the device.

"Good," She looked to Harry, "I'm going to have to ask you some questions Harry, let us know when you're ready."

He shrugged. "It's all in the open now anyways, I see no reason to delay." He noted dryly. "Go ahead Madam Director."

And so it began. Her pointing to wound and him detailing it. She pointed to the circle on his chest. He shrugged. "I forget, It's been there for a long time," He admitted and she grimaced.

She pointed to the razor thin lines which crisscrossed his chest.

"Belt." was the simple answer. Cooper was busy photographing and measuring the wounds. She circled him and gasped quietly as she saw his back, which was a thousand times worse than his from. Many of the wounds were obviously from a belt, but the first one she asked about was a long corded welting of a scar which wrapped over his shoulder along the edge of his collar bone, "Chain…they had to stop with those when they almost killed me," he admitted.

"And who was it who did all this Harry?" She asked, feeling the scar able to discern where each link had bit into his skin.

He paused, then sighed. "That'd be my relatives," he finally confessed.

Amelia looked up and around when she heard a moan from the corner. Hermione Granger was weeping openly. "Harry, why didn't you tell me about this?" The girl asked. "I would have helped, I swear…"

Harry didn't seem to have an answer for that, he looked uncertain and tired, so Amelia returned to her inspection. She was most disturbed by the clearly ritualistic pattern in the centre of his upper back. A circle of seventeen star like wounds around a cross. She directed his attention to them as the doctor snapped photo after photo. "The "stars" are from a heated poker, the cross was re-etched each time with a heated knife." he explained.

Hermione spoke again, "Harry…They tortured you!" She gasped out between sobs. "Why would they do something like this?"

Harry was grim. "Because they hated me Hermione, I was the magical freak they had dumped in their lap, they didn't want me, but they couldn't get rid of me. So they did this. If I remember right, they got the idea for the cross and such from a travelling priest. Something about burning the devil out of me…or some such nonsense."

At this point Amelia had to interview the others. Tonks clearly wished she could go find the people who did this to the boy, but Amelia couldn't allow it of course. Kara, the American, admitted she was relatively new to the area and so didn't know enough to really help. Hermione of course was a wreck, she'd just learned her friend had been torture, as there truly was no better word for it, and had said nothing, she was struggling to understand why he had kept it secret from her. That was something Amelia would have to let him answer for himself.

Finally she stepped back as the last marks were catalogued. "Alright, here's what we're going to do. First of all, Tonks? Consider yourself reassigned, you're now on bodyguard duty for Lord Potter, until ordered otherwise, understand? That's after you get a full report on this incident to me in the morning." She said sternly to the pink haired woman. Tonks nodded, determination shining in her eyes. She wasn't going to let something like this happen again. "As for your relatives, I'm going to handle this personally, this is too delicate a situation to leave to anybody else," She admitted. "The Ministry is politically unstable right now, we can't have this mismanaged…But I've got some other questions for you Harry, first of all who put you in the care of your relatives?" She asked.

He hesitated. "That'd be Dumbledore ma'am, he seemed to believe the blood ward would be the best protections available for me." He explained watching her cautiously.

Amelia stared at him for a minute and shook her head. "Blood wards are powerful, but that level of protection doesn't justify this…I'll be having some serious words with the old man as soon as I leave this room."

Hermione was having a hard time keeping it together, she couldn't believe she'd missed abuse so extensive, the scars were everywhere. Some of them had literally been branded into him by the sick monsters that were his relatives. She was having trouble keeping the tears under control. She was therefore surprised when she suddenly found herself being engulfed in a hug by her best friend. She could hardly believe him, everything he'd been through, the ways in which she'd failed him and still here he was comforting her, hugging her tightly.

She felt his bare chest against her and she could feel his scarred back under her palms. She couldn't believe someone could do this to her Harry, to the sweet boy who was more concerned about her distress then his own suffering.

Tonks was spitting mad across the room from them, "Harry, I'm so sorry this happened to you," The older woman lamented.

Harry shrugged, "You didn't know," was the simple reply.

Hermione could hardly fathom something like this happening to him. How anyone could do something so vile to anyone was beyond her. Let alone to her Harry. Which sparked a thought, a quiet voice in the back of her head, Since when has he been "My" Harry? It asked curiously. This caused most of the other voices in her head to come to a thunderous halt. She thought back, to all the times they'd spent together, all the things he did for her big and small. And she honestly couldn't say when she'd begun to think of him as hers, and wondered how she was only now noticing the way she thought that. My Harry, Mine…Like…I—

Her mind struggled to accept what her brain was trying to tell her, that she had feelings developing that went beyond that of best friends. That she might just be starting to fall for him.

He'd always been courteous, and tried his best to be kind, even when he was obvious exasperated with her, he'd always stood up for her against the Malfoys of the world. But it went beyond that, he protected her from a Troll, had sought to avenge her against the Basilisk…Her own personal white knight.

Oh boy Hermione, I've got it bad…Now what do I do about it?

—

Emma and Daniel Granger, were like many somewhat conservative and god fearing people their age, simply sitting in there living room that evening when the call came. Dan had been watching the evening news, Emma had been reading a book, when they were startled by the fireplace flaring to life and the flames within glowing green. A voice soon emanated from the grate. "Mr & Mrs Granger?" The voice asked.

It wasn't that they had no experience with such odd things considering their daughter was a witch, but they were hardly common place. They glanced at each other dubiously before Dan cleared his throat and answered. "Uh—Yes?" He asked hesitantly.

The voice chuckled slightly. "Your daughter is currently at Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, would you please come over, we'll send you an emergency port key?"

This obviously engendered panicked running about and the eventual arrival of two very concerned muggles in lobby of hospital close to fifteen minutes later. They were led from the lobby and up a couple stories to a room which had a very disgruntled old man waiting outside it getting verbally shredded by a woman in a trench coat. They didn't wait for the argument to end merely pushing on and into the room.

The room was, to their vast relief much more tranquil than the hallway. Four people generally milling about waiting. A girl they didn't recognize reclined in a chair next to the door, she waved a greeting, her lips thin as she sat watching the others. A woman, with purple hair stood against the far wall pacing agitatedly. And finally they found their daughter lying on the bed clutching tightly to a young man who appeared to be deeply asleep. A young man who was obviously lacking a shirt they noticed.

"Hermione," Emma murmured in relief, hurrying over to her daughter.

"Hey mum, glad to see you could make it…" Hermione murmured whipping tears from her eyes and disentangling herself from the young man and dropping to off the bed. "I asked them to call you." She explained.

"What's happened honey what's going on?" Dan asked stepping up beside them.

"More than I can explain quickly," His daughter admitted, casting her eyes about looking totally at a loss. "Do you think we could all get out of here? We need to get clear of everyone else for a while…" She asked tiredly.

Her parents didn't hesitate. If their daughter was well enough to leave then the emergency had passed, "Everyone or just you?" Emma asked looking to the others.

"All of us I'm afraid Mrs. Granger," The purple haired woman confirmed. "Your daughter is right Harry needs to get some distance from things, and your daughter wants him to come with her. I've been assigned to guard him and Kara over there has nowhere to go without him so…" The woman explained.

"What kind of trouble is he in?" Dan hedged, uncertain he wanted to invite trouble into his home.

"He's not, others are though, and the old man outside is looking to control his life," Kara explained. "He figures he knows best and Harry disagrees."

They parents nodded, not entirely understanding, but accepting it none the less, at least for the moment. They finally agreed, and led the party from the room, after waking the boy and allowing him to get dressed. Emma winced when she saw his scars. Sure enough the grumpy old man tried to speak with the boy, but the guard woman stepped in between him and the boy. "Dumbledore I think It'd be best right now if you let him be for now, he's in no mood to follow you anywhere. We'll see about arranging a meeting between you two in a couple days." She told him sternly. Something in her voice must have convinced him because the old man let them leave unopposed after that.

Hermione was holding onto her friend. "Come on Harry, we'll take you home to my place okay?" She murmured.

"Thanks for this Hermione, I really didn't feel like facing the Order again tonight." he thanked their Daughter. And so only about ten minutes after arriving they were headed home. However they were left with a boat load of questions. Emma and Dan hoped their Daughter had some acceptable answers.

—

Dumbledore was sitting in a state muggles referred to as shell shock behind his desk. The day, which had started out so well with a delivery of Lemon Drops but had rapidly devolved into a seriously depressing state of affairs. Dumbledore couldn't remember the last time he was so tired…Actually that was a falsehood, the last time had probably been after his final battle with Grindelwald. Of all the times in his life he'd been wrong that one had rankled the worst. It had just been surpassed by today's events.

He'd entrusted himself with the care and guidance of a single youth, for the purposes of ensuring the greater good. And he'd failed catastrophically, the allies he'd trusted implicitly with the boys welfare had betrayed his trust and sought to subvert and overthrow the boy's mind in self serving greed.

That betrayal had only been revealed in the wake of Harry's temporary disappearance. It wasn't so much that Albus disapproved of the boys actions in particular, he just couldn't fathom why the boy now refused to consult him. Harry Potter was by nature, loyal and dutiful, so where had this contrary streak come from? Harry's Occlumency Shields were increasingly formidable. While Dumbledore had no doubt he could pierce them if push came to shove.

The Order was now in chaos, the incident with the Weasleys today, and Harry's disappearances, had shaken their faith in the organization, and worse in him. Tonks and Sirius were all but openly revolting against him, and several others showed signs of doubting. Could they not see how desperately they needed a firm leader at the helm? It was highly disturbing to watch supposedly mature and reasonable adults rallying around a boy who barely knew where his own feet where taking him. The fact that they were all striving towards the same goal seemed to be irrelevant.

Fawkes cooed at him balefully at him, hopping uneasily from foot to foot, before chirruping what was almost certainly a query. Albus was about to reply after some fashion when he was distracted. Namely by every one of the devices monitoring the blood wards around Number 4 Privet Drive shrieking alarms and then exploding in series of dull pops.

A minute later following some cautious observation Dumbledore picked himself up off the floor and dusted himself off. That was the problem with blood magic, it was temperamental at best. Amelia had undoubtedly just arrested the Dursleys, thus ending the protections layered upon that house. It said something about Dumbledore's luck lately that small metallic objects exploding in his office was not the worst thing that had happened that day. He sighed frustration and noticed a smouldering ash pile with a confused phoenix chick sitting where Fawkes had perched. One of the metallic fragments must have prematurely ended the phoenixes current incarnation. Dumbledore hurried over to the chick picking it up carefully and dropping him into one of his cloaks pockets before turning to survey the room. It was a small disaster zone. He sagged sighing. "Ah sod…Come Fawkes, let's go get some dinner."

—-

Xenophilius Oddment Lovegood, was perhaps not the most observant individual on the planet. A severe handicap for a man who dedicated his life to tracking and proving the existence of many strange and quite possibly fictional creatures. But even he could tell something was off with his daughter today.

She'd been uncommonly quiet since Lord Potter's visit, and had been even more vacant and absent minded than usual. She was staring off into space while frowning in intense concentration about something.

He put down the cut of tea he'd been steeping with his wand and looked at her seriously, or at least as seriously as Xenophilius ever managed, "Little Moon?" He ventured gently. "Is something the matter? You haven't been yourself today." He noted.

She blinked surprise and looked at him with a vaguely dazed expression. "Who else have I been today?" She asked confused.

He sighed. "I meant to say you seem distracted and unwell, is something bothering you?" He elaborated.

She blinked at him for perhaps half a minute before nodding slowly. "I saw another Angel today papa." She explained sadly.

Xenophilius cringed inwardly. She had been doing so well recently, he wondered what had set her off this time. "Of course dear, Angels are all around us." he agreed smiling weakly.

She nodded sadly as though he'd just disappointed her and paced out of the room. He shook his head, it had been this way ever since Pandora had passed, Luna could be fine one moment and completely mad the second. He comforted himself that at least she had him to protect her.

—-

Across the country, in a grand manor house on the cliffs, Draco Malfoy was worried. It was not a state of being with which he was accustomed. Until recently, his place in the world had been certain, his rights, many and varied were the envy of the wizarding world. Until just over a day ago that was.

Draco owed his position in the world to his father, not something he had truly appreciated despite how often he threw that fact, and his weight, about. Now, with his father imprisoned, found guilty of voluntarily associating with a Dark Lord, his house of card came crashing down. Right on top of his son.

Draco knew his duty, and had carried it out without hesitation at the time, he had declared a blood feud with the one responsible for his father's downfall, as his father would have expected him to. Sadly the victory was already proving to be a hollow one. First and most pressingly at the time of his declaration. I turned out that cutting ones hand open with a dagger, really bloody hurt, and had required a visit as quickly as his pride could allow to the apothecary for a skin sealing draft. Then had come his other problems, with his father imprisoned, it turned out getting the money together for…anything, was a massive undertaking. His father, suspicious and calculating man that he was, had prevented his wife and son from withdrawing more than paltry sums from their accounts at Gringotts. In short their funding was getting rather tight almost immediately.

Gringotts itself was always a joy to work with, the Goblins, subhuman animals that they were just didn't appreciate the power a pureblood wizard such as himself should wield. Apparently they had become rather friendly with his foe in recent times and promptly booted him from their establishment. Little barbarians.

Sadly these were just the beginning of his troubles, needless to say, the Dark Lord was displeased, but had only been able to vent his spleen at them via messenger or post owl due to the way he was now excluded from entering the property by the wards, which until his incarceration had been controlled by the Malfoy Patriarch. Again due to his suspicious nature, the wards had fallen by default to the ministry rather than to his mother or himself. This meant, that there was no way they could alter the wards permissiveness without him.

Oh they were still allowed into their home, it's just that because of his father's mistakes, they now couldn't let anyone else in except the Aurors.

The cherry on top of his utterly horrific day, was that his mother had completely lost her mind at the implications of his father's and his own actions. First of all she had just been cut off from all semblance of wealth and prosperity her husband had afforded her. Second, she was now under threat of being disowned by the newly exonerated Lord of House Black. Third her family was now embroiled in a blood feud with a new political powerhouse. Forth his marriage contract with the girl he'd always liked most, Pansy Parkinson was under review by her father, a result of his father's association with Death Eaters. Ironic considering her father was a Death Eater himself. Finally and most disturbingly for young Draco, had apparently taken leave of her senses and had now taken to streaking about the ground in her knickers, screeching epithets at him whenever he approached. She was doing it right now, apparently having gotten into one of the unwarded liquor cabinets on the upper floors.

He sighed and called for one of the house elves, he needed them to fetch a calming draft and a sobering up potion for his mum…and possible a tumbler of whiskey for him.

Author's Notes: Rate, Review, Comment, Message, predict, and question.