A/N: So now that HP7 has completely rendered this story AU, I'm sure some of you are wondering if I'll change any of the plot. Simple answer: No. Okay, that was all. Now go read my sad attempt at an action scene!

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Chapter 25 - The Not So Golden Trio

Harry wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do first: Yell at Brooklyn or punch Malfoy.

It was when Malfoy put on his sweatshirt that he walked right to the wall and banged his head against it. He now had to play nice with Malfoy and wasn't looking forward to it. Though he was certain the feeling was mutual.

Malfoy had a look of disgust on his face as he eyed the frayed end of fabric that was in a small knot. "Honestly Potter, aren't you supposed to be rich?"
Harry glared at Brooklyn, who just rolled her eyes. "I am." He was actually quite insulted by the remark.

Malfoy flicked the string out of his fingers, continuing to grimace at his attire. Harry studied Malfoy carefully, noticing that the only place he would look besides his attire was at Brooklyn's feet. It was then Harry noticed something wasn't quite right. And what wasn't right was that Brooklyn seemed perfectly okay given what she was standing right in front of. Harry grabbed Malfoy by his own sweatshirt and dragged him a few steps away.

"Do you know who did it?" He hissed lowly.
"You're going to have to be a little more specific." Malfoy sounded bored.
"Who killed…" Harry motioned his head toward Brooklyn.
"Oh that." Harry's grip grew tighter. "Relax, it wasn't me!"
"Malfoy…" Harry warned.
"I believe it was Lestrange on that assignment. Bella that is."
"And she used that spell?!"
Malfoy shrugged. "You know the woman's mad. She probably heard about when you used that charming curse on me."
Harry released his hold on Malfoy. "I didn't know what it was."
"So I've been told."
Harry turned his head to check on Brooklyn. She was just staring impassively at them. "I need to get her out of here." He added as an aside.
"And where are we going?" Malfoy asked.

Harry groaned as he sensed the underlying forge of a new trio.

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Headquarters of The Order of the Phoenix once again resided at 12 Grimmauld Place. This time around nothing was sacred, no meetings behind closed doors or information kept from others. All sat or stood around the long table, room stuffed to capacity. Even the most loyal members of the DA were present, Neville, Luna and Ginny. Malfoy quickly became the main focus as he was brought into the room by Lupin, who had his hand placed on his shoulder.

Malfoy looked at no one as Lupin offered him the chair he had been occupying before leaving to get him. He was now sitting right across from Harry.

"Draco Malfoy." Mad-Eye grunted. Malfoy raised his head to acknowledge his name, but did not make eye contact. "Why are you gracing us with your presence?"

Malfoy wasted no time and divulged what he claimed was everything he knew or overheard. Some members of the Order, however, wanted to know why Malfoy had the change of heart and why he suddenly fled.

Malfoy didn't answer for a moment, but seeing as he was being treated as though this was a trial, he was prompted to answer. He responded with four words.

He killed my parents.

Then it was pointed out that that didn't answer the latter part of the question. This time he quickly responded with four more words.

I knew too much.

Harry tried to hide his uneasiness. Malfoy definitely knew too much about him. He just hoped that the Order wouldn't pry the info out of him. Harry noticed Malfoy was staring at him with the slight hint of a smirk. Harry was ready to lunge across the table if he so much as breathed a word about his personal life.

"Knew too much?" Shacklebot inquired.
Harry dug his nails into the fabric of his pants as Malfoy responded. "I was assigned to spy on Potter after the mu-Granger's death."
"You've known his location all this time?" Tonks asked incredulously. Malfoy nodded. "And You-Know-Who has known as well?"
"I held off as long as I could." He turned to Potter. "Which happened to be when he decided to vacate the place, so it threw the Dark Lord off for a few days."
"But what could you have thought was so vital that you had to leave?" Shacklebot pressed on.
Harry stared nervously at Malfoy, who seemed to be enjoying his reaction. "I know everything he does. I caught word that the Dark Lord was planning on using Legilimency on me, so I ran."
Many stared at him skeptically. It was Lupin who spoke up in his defense. "The only reason I am alive is because of him and Severus' aid. I dare say that his words are trustworthy."
All eyes were on Harry now. He knew they were all looking for confirmation. "I…" He started, not exactly sure what to say. He could feel Mad-Eye's intense stare above all others. "I would take what he says as facts."

All was silent. Eyes shifted around the room, none settling on anyone in particular.

"Godric's Hollow you said?" McGonagall spoke in a low tone. Malfoy nodded. She sighed heavily. "Then it shall end where it began."

Solemn silence again coated the packed room.

Malfoy's eyes shot upward suddenly. Harry tilted his head, hoping that the barely audible creak he had heard upstairs was someone who had exited the room. Malfoy's panicked gaze fell to Harry.

"They're here."

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The overcrowded room became near impossible to move in as chairs and people we being shoved trying to get to the only exit. Harry's chair had him pinned to the table. He looked around frantically for Brooklyn, who had been standing near Neville during the meeting. Malfoy hadn't so much as moved.

"She's already out." Malfoy said dully.

Lupin grabbed Malfoy by the back of Harry's sweatshirt collar and dragged him toward the exit. Harry, finally being able to move, did so as well. Every reaction had been surprisingly quiet. All wands were drawn out, pointing toward the empty staircase. Harry, Malfoy and Lupin were still in the other room. They looked up to the ceiling. There was more creaking in what would be the ground floor.

Lupin pushed both of them out of the room, making Malfoy stand behind him and grabbing onto Harry so he couldn't go toward the front, where he thought he caught a glimpse of Brooklyn.

Silence ensued. Breathing quickened. The creaking had ceased.

Malfoy groaned in pain, grabbing his forearm. Harry's grey sweatshirt began turning red where Malfoy was holding. Lupin pulled back the sleeve to reveal the bleeding Dark Mark, that appeared to be carving an outline of itself quite slowly, and not so shallow, into his arm. And just as everyone had gotten distracted, apparition pops began to sound, black smoke accompanying each Death Eaters arrival.

"Stupefy!" Cried out from many in the Order.
There was one solid thud to the ground, missing spells being reflected, with some blasting holes into the walls.

Malfoy was quickly shoved back into the other room by Lupin and was about to do the same to Harry, but he ran forward toward the kitchen, dodging flashes of light as he went. He dove behind the kitchen counters, just missing a killing curse. Fred and George were also behind there, both trying to assemble something that was probably going to blow up a good portion of the house.

"MALFOY!!!" One of the Death Eaters screamed after casting a powerful shield charm, separating the fighting parties.

Fred and George stopped their assembly process. "Blimey, that's Percy!" Fred whispered.

All three of them peered over the countertop. Smoke was starting to settle, particles showing the shield in which halted everything. Harry caught a quick glimpse of Brooklyn, who, along with Neville, was aiming her wand pointedly at one of the few unmasked. Bellatrix Lestrange.

Fred pushed down on Harry's head so he wouldn't be seen. George had returned to assembling the mystery object.

"Now, now." Bellatrix started teasingly. "We just came to fetch my nephew."
"And what makes you think he's here?" Shacklebot ordered.
"I can smell my kind." She seethed through the shield. Then her tone became sickeningly sweet. "Little Dragon, come out, come out. Mummy and daddy are worried about you."
"The Malfoy's are dead!" Moody shouted.
Bellatrix laughed manically. "Well, in that case…he's about to join them." She screamed, "TRAITOR!" It echoed in the room. Then she said something quite unexpected. "Accio Dark Mark!"

Malfoy's scream of pain was instant as a chunk of blood dripping flesh came from the room. The shield disappeared and reappeared quickly to allow it's passage. Bellatrix grasped the severed Mark in her hand, blood oozing between her fingers.

"Unworthy scum!" She shouted toward the room.
"Alright it's done!" Whispered George.
Fred turned to Harry, "Really sorry mate. We're about to blow up your basement."

Fred stood up, contraption in hand, yelled a warning to get back and threw the hand sized object directly at the caster of the shield, who Fred believed to be Percy. Five more people dived behind the counters with them, others dove toward the room Malfoy was in. A loud explosion pierced Harry's eardrum as pieces of debris began to rain over his head. The counters fractured, but did not fall. The table and chairs went flying by, knocking people over. The air was thick with dust, making breathing unbearable. Groaning was heard from all sections of the basement.

"It's not over, Malfoy!" A Death Eater shouted before they disapparated.

Harry pushed the chair that had landed on his leg off, coughing in the process.

"Everyone all right?" Tonks' voice sounded unsteady.
"We need to do something!" Lupin yelled from the other room. "He's going to bleed to death!"

Everyone from behind the counter, stirred. All were dusting off rubble and dust out of their hair.

"Well, looks like it took out the staircase." Fred stated, being the first on his feet.
Harry used the countertop to pull himself up.
Luna was already standing behind him. "It rather looks like the whole side of the room is gone."

Harry turned to see Neville rising, picking up Brooklyn in the process. Under Brooklyn was Ginny. They had all huddled in the corner that a chair was now stuck in the wall right above their heads. Harry began to make his way toward Brooklyn. That's when he first noticed the pain in his leg. The chair that fallen on him left a gash, but nothing broken. As he limped over, Brooklyn dashed into the room Malfoy was in. Harry nearly got hit by a bag that came from the upper floors and whizzed by his head. He immediately recognized it as her bag of medical supplies.

By the time he reached the room, Brooklyn had stopped the bleeding and was preparing a potion to prevent infection. Malfoy was paler than he had ever seen him and looked on the verge of losing consciousness.

Brooklyn took Malfoy's arm again and examined it closer. Her expression grave. "I don't know if I can fix this." She looked to Malfoy. "It might have to be amputated."
He merely nodded.

Harry actually turned away when he noticed he could clearly see a good portion of bone. Brooklyn quickly mixed three different potions and had Malfoy drink them. He gagged with each one, almost not being able to swallow the last of it. Everyone stood and watched silently, though Fred and George could be heard whispering occasionally about how wicked it looked. It was then that Harry turned back, watching the wound slowly begin to mend itself. The potion must have been a form of what he had to drink when he lost the bones in his arm. Various muscle, joints, veins and tissue began to take shape until the skin finally closed and Malfoy was left with a scar similar to his own.

"Don't expect full use of it." Brooklyn stated as she put her things back in the bag. "There's still a chance that whatever Dark Magic was used is still there."
"So basically you still might have to hack off some of my arm." Malfoy stated.
Brooklyn nodded.
"You say you work for St. Mungo's, girl?" Moody asked suspiciously, while eyeing up the bottles she was putting away. Brooklyn shifted uneasily, quickly putting the rest of the supplies away as they bore the St.Mungo's logo. "They've said to been having blaggers stealing their medical supplies."
Brooklyn's movements stopped as she turned her head toward Moody, glaring. "If you're going to be accusing me of stealing, then come right out and say it."
"Alright then. You stole them, didn't you?"
Brooklyn began to stand, but Harry stepped in front of her. "I don't think you'd be complaining much if you were the one she was tending to."
"Yeah, I'm really not complaining over here." Malfoy interjected. "Oh I almost forgot, the Dark Lord occasionally takes some of their stores as well. Something about experimenting."
Moody grunted. "Your arm, girl."
"Mad-eye! Surely you're joking!" Tonks came to Brooklyn's defense.
"Can't be too careful." Moody said. "Your arm."
"She's not a Death Eater!" Harry yelled. "Trust me, I would know."
"You better take him on his word there." Malfoy said. "He really would know." Moody glared at Malfoy, who rolled his eyes. "She's not a Death Eater."

Harry somehow managed to not punch Malfoy, or Moody for that matter.

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After a quick discussion, Headquarters was being moved back to The Burrow where they would make plans for battle. Harry just wanted to get this over with. He had started to have this crazy fantasy of vanishing from the wizarding world after the war and living a normal life. He desperately wanted to know what normal was and his patience was beginning to wear thin. It was so close to attainable, yet the final obstacle threatened to destroy it.

Luna seemed to like Brooklyn, who she was currently asking if she knew how to heal attacks by a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Brooklyn looked utterly confused and handed Luna one of her books so she could search for herself. Luna was delighted and immediately plopped on the floor and was flipping through the pages. Neville just shook his head at her as he held open the bag Brooklyn was packing. Ginny stood in the corner observing.

Harry dropped his bag at the door and stood by Ginny. She didn't look at him at first, but she couldn't ignore the fact that he was staring at her from only a foot away for too long. Luna was reading a passage from the text aloud.

Harry grinned as he whispered to Ginny. "You don't have to avoid her."
She flushed pink. "Yes I do, I've been horrible."
"You were cursed, remember?"
"It's too awkward."
"You'll get over it."
"Plan on keeping this one around?" She asked teasingly.
Harry glanced over at Brooklyn. She and Neville had completely perplexed looks on their faces as Luna was explaining her theory of how one potion could work in the event of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack attack. He couldn't help but smile, "If she'll let me."
Ginny let out an exaggerated sigh. "Oh all right, I suppose I could try."
Harry thanked her. It did mean a lot to him. "So, how have you been? I know things have been really rough for your family right now."
She sighed dejectedly, lowering her gaze to the floor. "It's really mum and dad that are taking it the worst. Mum just isn't herself anymore. Dunno if she ever will be. Dad's just kind of there, going through the motions. Fred and George, you know, trying to lighten everything up, but I think they feel bad for doing it."
"And you?"
"Honestly? I feel numb." She grabbed his hand suddenly. "Tell me it gets better." Her eyes were pleading with him, seemingly begging for a lie.
He put his free hand on her shoulder and squeezed back. "In time."

She closed her eyes and nodded, trying to keep her composure about her. Harry did not break contact with her. He look to Brooklyn, half expecting a hex. Neville was zipping up her now packed bag while Luna was pointing out to her the five different pages she found possible remedies on. She seemed to be genuinely listening to her as she pointed out how the current tactic was only to be used on people that hallucinate from ingesting certain plants. Luna then moved on to the next one, hopeful as ever. Harry tried not to laugh.

Neville dropped Brooklyn's bag on Harry's feet and shrugged at his questioning look. "Well, she's your girlfriend, you carry it."

It was then that Ginny laughed genuinely for the first time in months.

And the first time that Harry noticed Malfoy watching discreetly from the darkened hallway.