Time goes by too fast during happy times. And though the inhabitants of Number 12, Grimmauld Place were happy, the shadows of the coming war hung over them. In an Order meeting around the middle of September, they were all again reminded how much they and those they loved stood in the first line of what was to come.

It was near the end of the meeting when Severus Snape gave his report. "There are a number of Death Eaters who have come together in the Lestrange Manor on the border to Wales. Avery, Goyle, McNair and the Lestranges are all there at the moment."

"Can we attack there?", Harry asked.

Snape sneered. "You certainly can't, Potter. The Manor lies in the forest, and while it isn't protected by the Fidelius, it is highly warded. They'd have apparated away before we could have destroyed the ward."

Bill Weasley looked up. "Is there just one ward?"

"Yes- but that doesn't make it easier. No human not carrying the Dark Mark can cross the line, and the ward was invented by the Dark Lord himself."

The discussion went on for some time. Suggestions included asking the centaurs for assistance, but they probably wouldn't agree. It was nearly twenty minutes later when Sirius had an idea. "What about Animagi?"

Dumbeldore thought for several moments. "It could work, but we don't really have enough Animagi. There are at least four people in the Manor and we'd need animals that are expected to be there."

"What do you mean by that?" Sirius interjected.

"Well, you could go- a stray might live in the forest, but Minerva for instance is registered and would surely be recognised."

"So, we'd need at least one more person who is a forest animal and not registered"; Harry summarized, before turning into a stag.

He was himself again moments later, the other staring at him, seemingly unable to believe what they'd just seen. The decision that Harry and Sirius would leave tomorrow at dawn was made fifteen minutes later, after a lot of protests from Molly. Narcissa was glad that Ginny and Hermione hadn't attended the meeting. They'd wanted to stay in the Potions Lab, since Hermione was busy and Ginny saw the meetings as waste of time and attended only half of them.

Quietly, so that only her aunt could hear, Tonks whispered. "Ginny and Hermione are going to kill everyone here. First the boys, then Dumbeldore, then us for not preventing it and everybody else for good measure."

Narcissa agreed. Both of the girls would have certainly put their lives at stake, but leaving the mean they loved go on a dangerous mission was something else completely. And it was far more dangerous than anyone in this room dared to admit, since no one was sure how many Death Eaters would be there.

Sirius and Harry seemed to make the wise decision of disappearing for a bit. Narcissa knew that she should probably tell the two girls herself; since they might say something the others shouldn't hear, otherwise.

She regretted her decision after Ginny started screaming. Blimey, that girl had a temper that made her mother look like a saint. It took some time for Narcissa to calm both girls down. "You know that they're doing the right thing. You'd do the same."

"Oh, bloody hell, "Ginny said. "I know you're right, but I still don't want them to go." She gave a small smile. "You have convinced me not to kill them right away though, only if they don't return."

Hermione didn't say much during the day, which didn't surprise Narcissa. Her friend didn't let it all out like Ginny, but bottled her fear up instead. Well, it was a way to deal with life and she had done the same for years as well. Narcissa sincerely hoped that Harry and Sirius would come back well; she didn't know how the others would survive otherwise.

Narcissa was the last to go up that night and was surprised to meet Hermione in the hall. "What are you doing here?"

The brunette did her best to look innocent. "Um…getting a drink of water?"

"Yes and I'm a Death Eater. That's the worst excuse I've ever heard- you can conjure water, you know."

"Trying to seduce your cousin."

Narcissa wasn't really surprised. She saw no sense in trying to persuade Hermione to not do what she planned, because she knew that her friend wouldn't listen anyway. Besides, why not? "Good luck with that. Don't get pregnant."

Hermione chuckled as Narcissa made her way to her room. She was really one of a time and briefly Hermione wondered what would happen if Narcissa ever met one of her children like this. Then, she continued her way towards Sirius's room. Hermione had made her decision as soon as she'd heard that they would leave tomorrow. She'd been planning on doing this anyway, sow why not now.

Hermione took a deep breath before opening Sirius's door.

Sirius Black had always been a light sleeper, and years on the run caused him to wake up during the slightest sound. So, when he heard the door open he turned around immediately, expecting Death Eaters to see his girlfriend standing there. He was surprised to say at the least. Not that he hadn't been in this situation before, but normally with boring, blonde seductresses not with his sweet, beautiful, clever girlfriend who looked damn sex in that dressing gown.

"Hermione? What the hell are you doing here?"

She shut the door. "Well, what does it seem like?"

"You're too young."

"I'm of age."

"Not in the Muggle world." Okay, stupid argument, but it was kind of hard to come up with anything proper when she looked so sexy.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a witch."

"I'm your teacher."

"Technically, only from September first on."

"We've only been together for a month."

"Well, it was more like five months with a short interruption for me."

"Ginny will notice."

"Oh really, Ginny hasn't spend a night in our room the whole summer."

"Okay, that was too much information. Harry's my godson. Are you just doing this because we're leaving tomorrow?"

No, I'm not. I was planning on doing this anyway and since you're leaving tomorrow, I'm doing it today. But not because of that, but because I love you." Her last words were spoken with such sincerity, that he really couldn't say much more, especially when she slipped of her dressing gown to reveal matching, brown-lace underwear.

She looked like a goddess, he noted. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Narcissa stood on the balcony of the drawing room, watching the sunrise. She'd been here for some time now and had watched two men leave the house and apparate away a moment later. She turned slightly when she heard footsteps behind her to see Ginny Weasley approach.

The other woman joined her in her silent vigilance for several minutes, until her voice broke the silence. "They're gone now, aren't they?"

Narcissa merely nodded. How many times had she watched her husband leave? She hadn't loved him, but she hadn't hated him at that point. She could only imagine how painful it was for the young girl next to her whose love was so very strong.

Hermione woke up in and empty bed, but not in her room. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked. Why was she here? Then, she remembered yesterday evening and the hours of love-making that had followed. It had been amazing, wonderful. She was glad she'd made her choice yesterday and she didn't regret it. She turned around slowly, to see a beautiful red rose lying on the bed next to her. But he was gone. She left quietly, returning to her room in case someone came by.

Tears were running own her face and she remembered his words that one can never truly forget during war. Lat night had been the most wonderful night of her life, but now all she had left was the hope that everything would be alright and the beautiful rose she was carrying.

The day went by miserably for all of them. You could feel sadness and bad moods over the house and Ginny and Hermione had shut themselves away in the Potions Lab with Narcissa.

Molly distracted herself with cooking, and when Remus told her that Narcissa, Hermione and Ginny wouldn't come for lunch, she commented. "Yes, Ginny certainly seems very miserable that Harry is gone. Well, she is still so innocent and she has had a crush on him for sometime."

It took Remus is whole control to comment. "She is still young after all." Remus had a pretty good idea of sleeping arrangements in Grimmauld Place, due to his watchful observation and an enhanced sense of smell as a werewolf, but if Molly wanted to pretend that her daughter was a little girl, he'd let it be. It was her way of coping, acting as if those who'd fight in the first line where still children.

On the border to Wales there is a small village called Llainvair Waterdine. The inhabitants of said village knew nothing about the old mansion in the middle of the forest. It wasn't as large as those its owners had in other places, more like a weekend home if you wanted some peace and quiet.

A stag and a large dog were running through the forest, towards said mansion. They slowed when they approached it, keeping their eyes open for guards, but none were there. They crossed the ward without problems, stopping shortly to give a smile) or as much of a smile as a dog and a stag can give) of relive that they'd crossed the border.

They continued on towards the house, turning back into humans when they'd reached the door. Harry Potter and Sirius Black gave each other a look of understanding, clearing up if they were ready to fight. Then, they pulled their wands in almost identical movements while the older man suddenly had a knife in his other hand. He opened the door quickly, and they entered the house.

The hall was empty, so they opened the first door. Behind it seemed to be the library, where Rodolphus Lestrange stood. He whirled around when he heard them. "Sirius! Bella will be so pleased to see you."

It were his last words, for Harry's curse struck him a moment later, killing him. Sirius was mildly surprised. He'd killed his fair share in the first war, but sill. That moment he knew that his best friend's child wasn't a kid any longer and probably hadn't been for a long time. It had been the right thing to do of course, if they'd stunned or captured him, Rodolphus would have been free before long.

Quietly, they left the library, to open the next door, behind which the dining room lay. McNair and Goyle were the next victims, killed before they had time to pull out their wands. But two Death Eaters remained and Bellatrix Lestrange and Avery wouldn't be quiet so easy to kill. The woman's cackling laughter was heard throughout the house. "How stupid of you to come here, cousin Sirius. Now I can kill you without having the trouble finding you."

She quickly ducked when Harry sent "Sectumsempra" at her. "Well, baby Potter all grown up." She shot a Crucio towards him. "I see you can cast the killing curse now. Tell me, how it feels for", she cast a shield against the bone-shattering curse he'd sent, "for you. Do you like it? Inflicting pain or murdering coldheartly." They exchanged more curses, shielding themselves, dodging and ducking.

Bellatrix shot another Crucio at her opponent, hitting him and making him fall to the floor, writhing in pain. "Yes, you feel the pain. But do you like giving it?" He rolled away from her next curse, shooting a killing curse towards her. She dodged it, her cackling laughter cruel and already full of triumph.

Next to them, Avery and Sirius were duelling. Avery managed to throw a stunner at Sirius, but was hit with a stray killing curse from Harry's and Bellatrix's match just a moment later.

Harry turned towards them when both men fell towards the floor, giving Bellatrix the time for yet another Crucio. He lost his wand when he fell, making Bellatrix laugh again.

"Now, baby Potter, what will you do? You're disarmed and when I'm finished with you, I'll get to my dear cousin."

AN: Sorry about the cliffie, but it seemed good to end it here. And the chapter is a bit shorter, but I updated fast.

I just wanted to point something out to you guys: First of all, the house in which Lily's family stays has been warded and they have emergency portkeys. Second, Lily doesn't leave her family behind. She has been going to Beauxbatons (see Chapter "Paris"), so she'll only change schools, and she doesn't leave her family or sees less of them. She can visit them in the holidays as much as she did in Beauxbatons and owl them. She won't see her friends at school that often anymore, but, hey, people move and have to make new friends. They can still stay in contact. Thank you to pstibbons for pointing out to me that this might have been understood incorrectly.

So, I hoped you guys like this chapter and now please review. Thanks to my previous reviewers pstibbons, amrawo and googlibear. Reading your reviews is really great for me.