Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Queen Rowling. Everything else is mine. This is also my first fic so please be nice if you review. Thanks!

Chapter 5

Arthur Weasley had just finished a tedious meeting discussing new methods of muggle baiting and yet his colleague would not stop talking his ear off. He smiled to himself; George would approve of his joke.

Arthur sighed in frustration, "I quite understand what you're saying Wakanda, but I'm afraid I cannot be party to – " He noticed Runcorn and broke off, not wanting to give him anymore ammunition against him. Instead Arthur turned his attention to Reg.

"Oh, hello, Reg, isn't your wife in for questioning today?" Arthur eyed Reg's robes curiously, "What's happened to you? Why are you so wet?"

"Y-Yaxley's office is raining," Reg answered, quietly, addressing Arthur's shoulder. Arthur thought this was strange behaviour from the genial Reg Cattermole but attributed it to his worry about his wife's trial that morning. Instead he advised Reg on the raining offices and was left perplexed when Reg ran out almost calling him the wrong name. Arthur did not have much time to dwell on it however as Percy entered the lift shortly afterwards. Everyday this happened, and neither of them got any better at handling the interaction. Too many things had been said, not enough things had been said. Arthur was, in equal parts, angry and sad at Percy's attitude. He sincerely hoped Percy would come to his senses before it was too late. Arthur sighed as Percy dashed out of the lift, realizing that Runcorn was directly behind him.

"One moment Runcorn," Arthur began, as Runcorn made to exit the lift, "I hear you laid information about Dirk Cresswell." Someone had to stick up for him.

"Sorry?" Runcorn blustered. Arthur could not believe that Runcorn had the audacity to look so dumbfounded.

"Don't pretend Runcorn, you tracked down the wizard that faked his family tree, didn't you?"

"I – so what if I did?" Runcorn defended. He crossed his arms in a strangely belligerent way that was oddly familiar to Arthur, but he could not place it.

"So, Dirk Cresswell is ten times the wizard you are, and if – "

"Arthur," Runcorn interrupted, "you know you're being tracked don't you?" What?

"Is that a threat, Runcorn?"

Runcorn raised an eyebrow, again with a familiarity that Arthur could not place. "No, it's a fact. They're watching your every move –" Runcorn paused, letting that statement settle in. The elevator doors pinged open and he stepped out, shooting Arthur a 'look' over his shoulder as he went. Still puzzling over the bizarre encounter, Arthur got out at the next level and walked down the corridor to his tiny cupboard-sized office. Was that really true? Were they being watched? Molly was worried enough as it was. That felt like a warning, but a hostile one? Arthur wasn't sure. Arthur couldn't put his finger on why the exchange had felt so strange – he wished Runcorn had just directly threatened him.

He decided to put it out of his mind for now, when not an hour later, Yaxley had come charging into his office.

"Weasley!" Arthur looked up, shocked, from his report on shriveling teacups.

"Yes, Yaxley?" Arthur replied, with feigned geniality, "How can I help?"

"We very nearly apprehended three intruders. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" Arthur's heartbeat tripled.

"Intruders? How? Who? Do we know what they were looking for?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. Your son is friends with Harry Potter, is he not? And your son is not at Hogwarts at the moment, nor is Harry Potter, is he not? Are they together Arthur?"

Arthur looked worried, "I'm not sure where you're getting your information Yaxley. Yes my son, Ron, has been friendly with Harry," There was no point denying this, the lie would be easily detected, "however, Ron is ill at home with Spattergroit. Wherever Harry is at the moment, he did not take Ron with him, and Ron could not tell anyone about it if he wanted to." Arthur contemplated for a minute. "I would be happy to introduce you to him, if you would like to check for yourself. I would have to take you myself of course."

Yaxley eyed Arthur suspiciously, "Ok Weasley, meet me downstairs in ten minutes." He exited Arthur's office and Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. He sent a Patronus to Molly to warn her about his visit and then walked down to the Atrium to meet Yaxley.

The Atrium was in absolute chaos. Arthur noticed the fountain had a large crack down the center of it. All of the fireplaces, save one, were sealed off and there were leaflets and Daily Prophets littering the floor; Harry's face stared moodily up at him. He spotted Yaxley pacing angrily by one of the fireplaces. Arthur walked over to greet him with a stiff nod. Yaxley gestured for Arthur to step into the fireplace first, shooting up out of the toilet into a cubicle. Arthur stepped out of the cubicle and, once Yaxley had grabbed hold of his arm, twisted on the spot. Darkness engulfed them, along with the sensation of compressing bands and with the sensation of being pulled out of a tube, they landed just outside the boundary of The Burrow.

Steeling himself, Arthur led Yaxley down the garden path and in the front door.

"Molly, love, are you home?" Arthur called. Molly walked into the kitchen, holding a large cauldron, and wearing a large hooded robe, rubber gloves, shoe covers. She looked like she had a large fish bowl on her face. Spotting Arthur and Yaxley, she gave a jolt, put the cauldron down on the stove, swiftly removed the robe, shoe covers and gloves and put them in the cauldron. She then poured disinfectant potion into the cauldron and pointed her wand at the stove, putting the heat on high. She turned to Arthur and Yaxley and started to speak, but only succeeding in make mumbling sounds. Molly rolled her eyes, then pointed her wand at herself and removed the Bubble Head charm she had placed on herself.

"I'm so sorry, I was with Ron. I'm sure you've heard, Yaxley, our youngest son Ron is very sick with Spattergroit. If you want to see him, you'll need to wear a bubblehead charm and decontaminate your clothing before you leave. Arthur, I have replaced his shield charms as well so it's best you just view him from a far right now, if you want to say 'Hi' before you leave. How can I help?" Yaxley looked suspiciously from Molly to Arthur.

"This is not over, Weasley!" Yaxley glared at Arthur, "Mrs. Weasley." He nodded at Mrs. Weasley in farewell. He walked out the door, down the path, out the gate and apparated away.

"Phew," Arthur exhaled, "Nice touch with the robes and the bubblehead charm."

"Thanks for the warning. Arthur, what's going on?" Molly worried.

"There was a break in at work. Three intruders. No one is sure what they were looking for – Kingsley might know, the Auror Office might be involved now. Yaxley thinks it might be Ron, Harry and Hermione under Polyjuice and so wanted to check Ron is really sick. We should call an Order meeting." Arthur snapped his fingers as though remembering something, "I've just realized – I had a really bizarre conversation with Runcorn in the lift today. I thought he was threatening me, but looking back, I think he was warning me. There was something so familiar about his mannerisms, I didn't place it at the time obviously, but I think Harry was polyjuiced and warning me. Molly, we're being Tracked, we need to be careful. Oh! I bet Reg was Ron. Reg wouldn't look me in the eye and almost called me the wrong name. I thought that was weird." Molly just looked at him, incredulously.

"I best get back Molly. Can you call a meeting tonight?" Arthur asked. Molly nodded and kissed him on the cheek. Arthur apparated back to the ministry without another word.

Later that evening, the remaining Order members sat gathered around the table in the tiny kitchen in The Burrow.

"So Kingsley, Arthur; what have you heard? What's going on at the Ministry?" Asked Remus.

"What we know for sure," answered Kingsley in his deep baritone, "is that three intruders gained access to the Ministry by impersonating three ministry employees – Reg Cattermole, Mafalda Hopkirk and Albert Runcorn - using Polyjuice potion. Witnesses claim that they caught glimpses of them mid-transformation whilst transforming back into Harry, Ron and Hermione. In addition, muggleborns awaiting trial were freed from the dementors using a STAG patronus. Plus, there were certain…products littered all over the ministry" He gave a pointed look at Fred and George, who grinned at each other.

"Excellent!"

"Nice to see our products are being put to good use."

"That can't be what they were there for though, surely? I mean, it's a worthy cause, but it's an awful risk to take." Molly exclaimed.

"We don't think that was their goal, it was too rushed. We think that they were looking for something else and saw the muggle-borns and rescued them as an afterthought." stated Tonks.

"Typical" Bill rolled his eyes.

Mundungus shifted in his seat. "What is it Mundungus?" asked Remus.

"Well, a couple o' weeks back I saw 'em. I was getting followed by that bleedin' house elf." The others leaned in curiously, "turns out Potter 'ad ordered 'im to grab me. 'E wanted to ask me questions 'bout the stuff I was takin' and sellin' from Grimmauld Place. 'Ad wands in my face and everyfin'. There was me thinkin' 'e was just pissed that I was stealin' but turns out 'e only cared 'bout some dumb locket – 'ad some sorta snake on it. Anyways, they was really interested in who I sold it too – I told 'em about that ministry bag who more or less nicked if off me. Simperin old toad, bow on her head…kept coffin." He scratched his bristly chin.

Those who worked at the Ministry sat up straighter and looked at each other.

"What? Do you know who she is?" Asked Bill

"So you're telling me that they broke into the Ministry of Magic to steal a locket from Dolores Umbridge?" Arthur asked, incredulously. Mundungus shrugged and took a sip from his hipflask. The others had long ago decided never to ask about the contents of said hipflask.

"Why didn't you tell us you had seen them?" Asked Remus. Again, Mundungus shrugged.

"It was only a couple a days after the weddin', I didn't fink it mattered that much. 'Sides, I know when to keep me mouth shut…I'd already 'ad wands in me face, I didn't want no more trouble."

"This makes sense." Mused Tonks as the rest of the table looked at her questioningly. "Ever since the summer, Umbridge has had Mad-eye's magical eye fixed on her office door to spy on her workers," she sniffed and Lupin put his arm around her, "It's missing and she is really mad and confused about it. It seems like something the three of them would do right? Steal his eye?" The rest of the table nodded.

"Absolutely" agreed Remus, "Harry would deem that completely disrespectful and has probably buried it somewhere more befitting of Mad-eye."

"Like a huge lake" suggested Fred.

"What? Why would Moody like to be buried in a Lake? I'm disappointed in your suggestion. I bet it's more like some really old, gnarled tree," suggested George.

"Has that hole in your head gone right through to your brains? Why would a tree be any better than a lake? It's…"

"Boys that's enough!" interrupted Arthur. "Do we know if Dolores has noticed the Locket, assuming that's what they are looking for, is gone yet?"

"I've heard nothing yet," said Kingsley, looking to Tonks who shook her head. "However, it is possible that she may not have looked, or one of them may have cast a Geminio jinx on it, she may not have noticed yet. Indeed, if they are looking for this locket, it clearly has magical properties that Umbridge probably does not know about. Therefore, she may not even notice the difference between the fake locket and the real locket."

"Great, how lovely that we've figured out what they are looking for." Snapped Molly, "The question is, can we try and help them now?" The table quieted as they processed this.

"I think" said Remus slowly, considering his words carefully, baring in mind his argument with Harry several weeks prior "that Dumbledore gave them a mission, and if he had wanted the Order to help, he would have left instructions for one of us. I think we must accept that they are not children anymore."

"I raised those children! We have no idea where they are, what they are doing, no way to contact them or if they are even alive!" Molly screeched.

"I don't like it anymore than you do Molly, but they have each other. They have relied on each other for years and probably already have a plan, or at least a semblance of a plan. If we were to interfere we may disrupt that. Besides, we don't know where they are, how can we offer them help? Harry is a lot wiser than you realize Molly," Lupin reached for Tonk's hand, she squeezed back reassuringly. "And despite his upbringing, or maybe because of it, he has a very defined moral compass."

"Arthur! Surely you don't agree with this ridiculousness!" She turned to her husband.

"I don't like it either Molly but I have to agree with Remus." Molly looked murderous; "I fully believe that if they are in anyway dead or injured, it will be published in every newspaper, magazine and radio station available. Voldemort will want the public to know their 'hero' is dead."

"Mollee," interjected Fleur, who had stayed silent up to this point, "we can 'elp in ozer ways. Zey no where we ar, so if zey make contact we weel offer zem a bed, food and 'elp wiv zer task eef zey want eet. Zey no we care and zat we want to 'elp. Zey no zey only 'av to ask." The others nodded in earnest and Molly looked slightly mollified.

"So does anyone else have any news or updates?" Asked Bill.

"Well, I'm going on a date with a muggle girl who lives in the village – she is very impressed with my card tricks." Smirked Fred.

"How on earth did you manage that? You know you're not supposed to confund them into going out with you." Replied George.

"Oh and you're so much better, Mr 'oh I was in an accident a few weeks ago, make me feel better'…"

"I guess not then," muttered Bill as the others moved around clearing up paperwork, goblets and saying their goodbyes.

"Oi Fred, come here" George beckoned his twin over to the sofa, surreptitiously holding a gold galleon in his hand. "We should keep Ginny and the DA updated; I doubt this news will get through screening nor will the Prophet print it."

"Great idea. What message shall we send?"

Ginny was sitting cross-legged in the center of her four-poster bed, reading Quidditch through the Ages, flicking her DA galleon up and down in the air, when she felt it burn and vibrate. She yelped and dropped it in surprise. Scrambling to pick it up, she turned it over and read the inscription, grinning as she jumped up and ran out the door. Ginny ran up the stairs towards the boys dormitories and knocked briefly on the door to the 7th year dorm, before opening the door anyway and storming right in.

Neville and Seamus yelped in surprise, "What the fuck, Weasley?!"

"We could have been naked in here!"

"Oh boohoo, you're in your pajamas! Don't get your boxers in a bunch, so am I" She gestured to the oversized quidditch jersey and boxers she had on. "I've got 6 brothers, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Besides, this is way more important – check your coin. Fred and George just sent a message, there's been an update on the outside…" Ginny cast a few silencing charms and locked the door so that they could chat freely, before moving to sit on one of the spare beds. Neville dived into his trunk to search for his coin, whilst Seamus came to join her on the bed.

Ginny showed Seamus the engravings as Neville sat up, coin in hand.

"They broke into the Ministry?" Neville asked, in disbelief. Ginny nodded

"No fecking way" Seamus countered. Ginny nodded again.

"But…why? What was the point?" Neville asked. Ginny shrugged

"They were obviously looking for an object or information. I know that Dumbledore gave them some super-secret mission that no one else knew about, not even the Order. It most likely has something to do with that."

The lateness of the hour and the varying states of undress were forgotten as the trio continued to hypothesize.

The inner circle of Death Eaters gathered around the table in Malfoy Manor, their bodies facing towards the head of the table. Lord Voldemort sat upright and still, as he listened to Yaxley's report of the Ministry break in.

"There were three intruders, you say?" Voldemort asked, his voice barely above a whisper. As he spoke, Nagini slithered up his chair and across his shoulders. Voldemort caressed her head lovingly.

"Yes my Lord." Yaxley answered, quickly "Potter and Granger were spotted mid-transformation, the third had not yet transformed back. We suspected the youngest Weasley boy. However, I checked the Weasley residence not half an hour after the incident and he was still unwell. However, there is a possibility that there is an illusion of sorts."

"And yet they escaped."

"Yes my Lord, I was able to grab onto the Mudblood's sleeve before they apparated out but she shook me off with a stinging hex. However, they took me within the boundary of the Order's headquarters. We searched it earlier and found their plans for the break in. The plans were rudimentary but there was no indication of what they were looking for. We don't think the place has actually been used as Order headquarters since Dumbledore died – there was nothing there that linked it to the Order. Just the old house elf, he told us nothing useful, even under torture, so we sent him back to Hogwarts." Yaxley fell silent. The rest of the room held their breath as Voldemort processed this news.

"I am not concerned about this, Yaxley. Potter is a puppet and nothing more. The break in was messy and amateur. Even so, continue to look into what they were looking for."

"And the Weasley boy?"

"If I may, my Lord?" Snape interjected. Voldemort nodded, accepting the interruption. "I believe that it would be in our best interests to do nothing to the Weasleys at present." There was a general muttering around the table from the other Death Eaters. "If we storm their house and attack now, we gain nothing except the knowledge that Potter and Weasley are together. Whereas if we continue to track the whole family, we can monitor if Potter, and possibly the youngest Weasleys, get in contact in anyway."

The other Death Eaters watched Lord Voldemort ponder this, "We move forward with this. I have more important things to concern myself with." He dismissed, watching as he slowly twirled his wand between his fingers.

"My Lord," Bellatrix whispered, reverently, "if we can assist in any way…we so desire to help your Lordship."

"Silence. I grow weary of this discussion – you have your orders. Now, bring me Ollivander."

Dun dun dun…It's all heating up now. Did you like Molly in her magical Hazmat suit? I cracked myself up when I thought of that.