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CHAPTER EIGHT: Safe House

Grimmauld Place was in chaos, people dashing about everywhere. Harry and Hermione stood at the eye of the storm with Rose, Martin and Emily, going over plans. Michael called to them from the other side of the room. "The next evacuation group's ready!"

"Okay." Harry looked around. "Luna, you go with them."

Luna nodded and smiled. "Of course, Harry, it would be my greatest pleasure. All right, everyone, follow me." She confidently led them towards the Floo Network.

"Do we really need panic stations?"Emily asked.

"We just attacked the Ministry,"Hermione pointed out. "That's not something they tend to forgive."

"Ron will be sending Aurors to raid this place as soon as possible,"Harry noted. "If they're not already on their way."

"So we have to get out of here,"Rose concluded.

Martin was checking over the list. "As long as we've got enough places to send people."

"Good job we made all those contacts as soon as this blew up,"Harry replied. "We know where they'll be safe. You and Susannah go with the next group."

"What about you?"

"I've got something rather unconventional in mind for us."

There was a commotion in the hall which drew their attention. Harry and Hermione hurried out to find Owen and Victoire pointing their wands at two new arrivals. "Friend or foe?"Owen demanded.

Harry looked from the one of the newcomers to the other. Hagrid being there was surprising enough. But the other one was Kingsley Shacklebolt, looking oddly vital for someone pushing a hundred. "Friends, I hope." Harry nodded to the two guards. "Put down the wands."

Victoire nodded. "Up to you, Harry."

Hagrid marched up to Harry and gave him an enveloping hug. "I'm with you, Harry. I may not be much use but anything I can do, you know that."

Harry disentangled himself and smiled. "Thanks, Hagrid."

Hermione gave an awkward bow to Kingsley. "Minister."

Kingsley smiled at her. "Not any longer, Hermione. Not for a long time now. But I wish I were." He turned his attention to Harry. "When I ordered the Purification Device to be kept intact and studied, I never imagined anyone would use it. I wish I'd destroyed it while I had the chance. So now we must seek that chance again. Whatever I can do to help you, Harry, I will."

Ron was sat on his desk, Parvati tending to his wounds. "How's Padma?"he asked her.

"Recovering." Parvati shook her head. "I can't believe Harry did that."

"There's a lot of things I can't believe Harry's done."

"What are we going to do now?"

"It's pretty much already done. Harry's a fugitive and so's anyone that assists him. I suppose we'd better alert the Aurors."

Scorpius entered, with Seamus, Anthony Goldstein and Imelda Creevey. "Already done,"he announced. "The Aurors raided Grimmauld Place but there was no-one there. Pretty much every member of the Order that hasn't supported the Ministry has disappeared."

"And they're not the only ones,"Imelda admitted. "My parents have disappeared as well."

Ron sighed. "Looks like it's going to take a long while to even work out just how many enemies we've got, let alone find them." He glanced at Anthony. "Well, at least I've got one ex-Minister on my side."

Anthony gave a thin smile. "I warned you that straying too far from what the traditionalists expect would get you in trouble one day."

"Guess you were right. I just didn't expect it to get me in trouble with Harry and Hermione. They were the ones always pushing for reforms when I was happy to leave thing as they were."

"Either way, you're still the Minister. If anyone's attacking you, that makes them the criminals."

Nymphadora, Gemini, Bradley, Beverley, Maxwell and Flavia were all sat together at the Gryffindor table. When James came and sat with them, it drew a lot of stares: Teachers sitting with students was almost unheard of.

James spoke in a low voice. "Dad and Hermione haven't come back. I don't think they're going to."

"What do you mean?"Nymphadora asked anxiously.

"There's been no official announcement yet. But rumours has it that the Order of the Phoenix attacked the Ministry yeserday. No-one was seriously hurt and no-one was arrested, but it seems that's because they escaped."

"They'll arrest them if they find them?"Maxwell asked.

"That's what it sounds like."

"Who exactly was involved?"asked Beverley.

James sighed. "It sounds like it's not as simple as that. Order members have gone into hiding, even ones that didn't take part in the attack. It seems like they're all being regarded as co-conspirators." He gestured to Maxwell. "Your grandparents are among those missing." He looked at Flavia. "And your parents." He looked at Gemini. "And your mum."

"But not my dad?"Gemini checked.

"No, he's sided with the Ministry. So did your parents, Bradley. But your grandmother didn't."

"What about Emily?"Nymphadora asked.

James looked as nervous as they'd ever seen him. "By the sound of things, she was part of the attack."

Nymphadora looked bewildered. "What the heck is happening?"

Harry, Hermione, Rose and Lily were being shown through the corridors of a large house by two more of Harry's Hogwarts contemporaries. One was Astoria Malfoy, Rose's mother-in-law. The other was Astoria's brother-in-law, Blaise Zabini. "Are you sure no-one knows about this place?"Harry asked.

Hermione was concerned as well. "I hate to point this out, but both your sons have sided with the Ministry."

"It's an old Greengrass family estate,"Astoria explained. "With no male heirs to claim it, it's largely fallen into disuse. Scorpius and Apollo don't know anything about it."

"Never thought we'd be grateful for purebloods not knowing what they own,"Lily commented.

"Just as we never thought we'd be relying on the Order of the Phoenix to defend our rights,"Blaise returned. "But here we are."

"And while we will not openly support you,"Astoria continued,"places such as this are at your disposal."

"I'm keen to keep our people dispersed,"Harry noted,"but this would work as a decent base camp."

Astoria looked at Rose. "I'm surprised you didn't support the ministry."

Rose shrugged. "I know Dad's trying to do the right thing but he hasn't thought through the legal implications. We can't use the Purification Device the way he plans."

Astoria nodded. "Well, I'll let you get settled."

Harry and Hermione headed into one of the bedrooms, their daughters doing the same. Hemione looked around. "Well, it's not ideal but…" She noticed her husband sink down onto the bed, looking weary. "Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry shook his head. "I never thought it would come to this. We're at war."

"We've been at war before,"Hermione suggested tentatively.

"Yes but before it's always been against Dark Wizards. This is our own people, our friends and family. Light wizard against light wizard. A wizarding civil war. And I'm the one who's started it."