DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, I am in no way affiliated with JK nor the Harry Potter franchise.

Chapter 4: Back

The night was a warm, sultry one, the kind of nights that only existed near the end of August. The table had been brought out once again into the backyard, only this time it had doubled in size to accommodate all of the guests. Harry sat discreetly at the right side of the table, looking out over the assembled witches and wizards. Mr. Weasley sat at the head of one side of the table, Mrs. Weasley on his right hand side, Bill and Fleur were next to them, then Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and himself. On Harry's left was Mad Eye Moody, next to him Shacklebolt, and at the other end of the table was McGonagall. On her right was Tonks, who was laughing with Remus Lupin who was next to her, beside him was the woman who'd knocked into Harry earlier that day, Melony. Melony's right hand side was taken up by Mundungus, she didn't look too happy about that, and then three witches that Harry didn't recognize, and finally, on Mr. Weasley's left was Professor Trailwey. Trailwey had apparently been spooked by Voldemort's reemergence since it was her prophesy that had named Harry as Voldemort's equal. Harry wondered briefly whether or not she really understood what her prophesy meant to Harry's life. How much weight had been put on his shoulders.

"You outdid yourself, Molly." Remus spoke up over the din.

"Here here!" Shacklebolt raised his glass.

"Here here!" Everyone echoed. Mrs. Weasley blushed. All around the table there was the sound of cheerful chatter as everyone dug in with a passion. The food was wonderful.

"C'mon, Harry, you have to eat something." Ron coaxed him encouragingly towards the meat pies.

"Not hungry." Harry replied honestly. He hadn't been hungry much over the summer, now wasn't an exception. He knew he should eat, but he couldn't bring himself to it. He'd been feeling nauseous. He hadn't slept much, because of the dreams, so he was always tired, but more then that he'd just been, for lack of a better word, depressed. Dumbledore was gone... What hope did they have?

Hermione and Ron exchanged a worried glance, but didn't push him. Ginny and Fleur seemed to be in a heated discussion about--seating arrangements. Harry took a moment to reflect on the inanity of it all. He didn't know how they could be worried about things like that when so much was going on. He didn't know how anyone at the table could be so cheerful.

Harry's mind wandered, he looked out over the grassy field and towards the dark trees. He blinked. He could've sworn he'd seen something moving in their shade. The shadow? Why was it following him?

But upon closer inspection Harry concluded that he was just seeing things and turned back towards the others.

They were interrupted by a familiar voice floating through the summer air. "Sorry I'm late, I apperated but for some reason I ended up three miles away. I think that maybe you have a dragon's nest under your house, it makes a place untraceable, you know? Father thinks there's a dragon's nest under Hogwarts." Luna walked up to the busy table. "Oh, is it dinner time already? Maybe the dragon changes the perception of time...how interesting."

"Luna?" Hermione asked, surprised, looking over at Ron. "I--didn't know you were coming."

"Oh, I talked to your mother, Ron, she said it wouldn't be a problem, since we live so close. My father is moving to Ireland to avoid the war. If I had gone with him he would've wanted me to go to school there. But, as you know, Harry, he's a big supporter of yours. I told him that you might need me this year so he let me come back to Hogwarts." She smiled wistfully. "It's all terribly romantic."

Romantic? Ron mouthed towards Harry.

"Uh, thanks, Luna." Harry said uncomfortably.

"Come, dear, you must be hungry." Mrs. Weasley pulled up a spare chair. "Eat, we've got enough for everyone!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I've only just eaten." Luna smiled serenely. "Father and I have been really careful about what we eat lately, what with the sneekits out this time of year."

"Sneekits." Ginny repeated flatly.

"They're bugs, they burrow into food. If you eat one then you'll turn green and sprowt horns. Mungo's full up with people with Sneekit poisoning. It's in all the papers--or the Quibbler at least. But I brought sandwiches." she indicated her bag. "Enough to last to the end of summer--or if I conserve--partway through the school year! One can never be to careful."

Mrs. Weasley looked between shocked and angry. She was looking at her carefully prepared feast. Harry wondered if she was looking for Sneekits.

III

Jack plugged her nose, squeezing her eyes shut and gulping down the disgusting potion. She felt like she was going to retch, but luckily, she had a strong stomach. When you spent ten years of your life on a steady diet of alcohol of all kinds one learnt how to hold disgusting things down.

There was a burning feeling all over her body. She felt like her insides were on fire. She buckled onto the carpet, squeezing her eyes shut, feeling her bones popping in and out of place like a jigsaw puzzle, each piece finding a new place. She lost some of the muscle mass, her body becoming thinner, but shorter, her eyes setting farther back in her head, lips shrinking, her hairline pulling forward on her head.

Finally it stopped, she breathed a sigh of relief, rolling onto her back and closing her eyes. Finally she pulled herself to her feet and moved over to the mirror, looking at the foreign woman in it, the woman with heavy-lidded eyes and strong, stubborn jaw. She smiled.

III

Jack slipped into the restaurant, moving through the thick, smoky room to the very back where fifteen or so men and women who were hunched over a small table. They looked up at her when she entered. "LeStrange, I didn't know you were joining us." a man named Burak indicated a chair at the end.

"Plans change." Jack replied evenly, scanning the faces present. "The Dark Lord wants me to look after this incursion--personally." she indicated the waiter over. "Creol Wine." she ordered Bellatrix's drink.

"Understandable." Burak said slowly. "We are attacking the Order head-on." he took a sip of his drink. "However, it begs the question, does the Dark Lord not believe in our abilities--or does he not trust us?"

Jack smiled darkly, her long, dark hair hanging in her face. "Does it really matter what he wishes? Of course not. Only that he wishes it." she looked up at Burak warningly. "Do you question him?" she asked sharply.

"Of course not." Burak replied. "Only your identity." he held out a hand.

Jack smiled, reaching into the pocket of her robes and producing a small ruby, handing it over. Burak waved a wand over it and it glowed deep blood brown. Satisfied he returned the token to her. "When do we attack?" she asked.

"Tonight, three hours from now. Our intelligence is sound, but then you know that." he looked at her again, scrutinizing her. Jack stared back at him, her eyes decidedly uninterested.

"Good." Jack replied, taking a drink from the glass just delivered. "They will bleed." she whispered.

"For the Dark Lord." one man raised his glass.

"For the Dark Lord." they all murmured.

III

Harry rolled over, not able to sleep. He wanted desperately to be downstairs with the Order; he didn't understand why McGonagall was being so strict with him. When Dumbledore had lead the order-- Don't think about him. Harry chastised himself. He knew that if he started thinking about Dumbledore he'd have the nightmares again. Not that not thinking about him would help. He thought darkly. The nightmares usually came anyway. Severus' face, twisted in rage and hate, the flash of green light, Dumbledore tumbling over the tower wall and disappearing into the night. And Harry, all along, frozen, unable to help.

He rolled over again; he saw Ron's sleeping form only a few feet away from his. He was curled up on his bed, snoring, while Harry was camped out on the floor. He wondered if Ron had nightmares.

Finally, giving up on trying to sleep, Harry slipped out from under the orange blanket and tiptoed out into the dark hallway. He'd spent enough time in the Weasley home to know where to step if he didn't want the floors to creak. He made his way to the stairs, skipping the seventh, eighth, twelfth, and fifteenth one, as they were very creaky. Down in the living room he walked towards the kitchen, where the Order was meeting. He pressed his ear to the door but found that the Order had put a silencing charm on it. He couldn't hear a damn thing. Angry, he thought about barging in and demanding to be allowed to attend. But somehow he didn't think that was the best way to gain McGonagall's trust.

The sound of the door being pushed open behind him almost didn't register. Luckily, someone hissed a warning to someone else. Harry spun, thanking the darkness, when he saw the silhouetted figures of fifteen men in black robes. They'd been found.

Harry slipped into the darkest corner of the family room, going through the opposite door into the back hall and out the door. He walked around the house to the other entrance to the kitchen, seeing the forms of Lupin, Tonks, McGonagall, Moody, Bill, Shacklebolt, Mr. Weasley and a few others huddled around a table. He tried the door handle but it was locked. Panicking, he ran to the window, trying to get their attention.

Of course it was Moody who saw him. Both of his eyes snapped up and the others turned around. Lupin rushed to the door, pulling it open. "Harry, what in god's name are you doing--"

"Death Eaters!" Harry exclaimed. They're here!"

That was enough, all of the members jumped to their feet, unsheathing their wands.

"Where?" Moody growled.

"They were in the entry hall. They're probably right outside the kitchen trying to listen in!" Harry said, rushed. "Or--" his eyes widened when he realized that the rest of the house was open, that his friends, that the other members of the household were open to attack.

"We're going to have to surprise them." Moody said strategically. "Everyone, outside, we'll come 'round front and surprise them from behind." He pushed past Harry, the others followed, although Mr. Weasley looked as though he wanted to go right out of the kitchen and take the Death Eaters head on.

The lot of them marched around the Burrow to the front door, which was ajar. Pushing it open quietly, Shacklebolt entered first.

All hell broke out. People were yelling spells and curses at one another. Harry ducked around the attackers and made it to the stairs. He hadn't brought his wand so he wasn't much help. He took the stairs three at a time, intent on waking up Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Mrs. Weasley.

But they were already awake. Ron poked his head out of his room, his eyes wide. "What's goin' on?" he asked groggily.

"They're here!" Harry exclaimed, pushing past his friend and into his room, grabbing his wand off the bedside table. "The Death Eaters."

"Crikey!" Ron exclaimed, fumbling for his own wand. "We've got to get Hermione and Ginny!" they both ran up some more steps to another landing. Ron banged on the door and a very wide-awake Hermione opened it. "Death Eaters are here!" he explained, out of breath.

"Oh no!" Hermione said, Ginny and Luna running up behind her. They both wore nightgowns, Ginny tugged on her own in the presence of Harry, who wasn't really paying attention. "Alright, we've got to go down and fight." Hermione said, resigned.

The five of them made it to the stairs in time to see a Death Eater ascending towards them. A sick sort of smile crossed his face. "What've we got here? The kiddies?" he couldn't see the five of them very clearly.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Ginny exclaimed, the Death Eater went rigid.

"Sectumsempra!" Harry hissed before he thought about what he was doing. Instantly large wounds opened across the frozen Death Eater's chest, he toppled down the stairs, unable to move and bleeding profusely.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "You could've killed him! That's--that's Snape's spell!" she reminded him.

"And now we're going to use them on his own kind." Harry said icily. "Come on." He lead the way down the stairs, the others followed, exchanging glances. "And for the record--they're Death Eaters. We kill them before they can kill us." Harry reminded them.

The fight wasn't going well. Even with the teenage reinforcements, the Death Eaters outnumbered the Order members. Harry tripped over a body at the foot of the stairs; he recognized it vaguely as an Order Member named Flipilius.

The rest of his friends flew into action, Harry, however, was scanning the onslaught, looking for any sign of the hook-nosed, greasy-haired ex-Potions Master. He almost hoped that he'd be there.

Unfortunately the masks prevented further identification, but Harry was relatively sure Snape wasn't among the attackers. Coward. Harry couldn't help thinking. He turned on a nearby Death Eater who was making his way towards him. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted, his opponent's wand shot out of his hand. "Sectumsempra!" Harry shot again. The Death Eater went down. Harry dove towards him, ripping his mask off and finding an unfamiliar face. He'd hoped it'd be Snape. He desperately wanted to use that spell on him.

Mr. Weasley yelled from across the room, Harry spun around in time to see him fall. "No!" he yelled, pointing his wand at the man standing over him. "I'm right here!" he yelled. "Don't hurt him, I'm right here!"

Someone grabbed him around the middle, hauling him into the vacant kitchen. He was tossed back against the wall. "What are you, stupid?" the person who'd grabbed him was a Death Eater, a mask over her face. "Don't go yelling at them like that, they might actually hear!"

"Geroff me!" Harry pushed her arm away, pointing his wand at her. "Sectumsempra!" He yelled.

She waved her hand, as if swatting off a fly. Harry had seen Severus do the same thing to his spells the night he'd killed Dumbledore. "Idiot!" the woman exclaimed. "Stay!" and then she turned, stalking back into the hallway. Harry ran after her.

"Crustacio!" She yelled at a Death Eater very near her, he fell, screaming and twitching, releasing a hassled-looking Tonks. She looked up at her savior in surprise. "Stupify!" she cast at the man about to kill Mr. Weasley. Then, very suddenly, her hand slid into the front of her robes, a gun (what would a Death Eater have a gun for? Harry was stunned, he'd never seen a gun in the wizarding world) was produced. She aimed with ease, hitting a man across the room, fighting Shacklebolt, in the head. He went down with a yell. Her leg lashed out and she kicked another man in the face, causing his mask to crack. He yelled in pain, covering his nose and his eyes that were both bleeding profusely. She grabbed him around the neck and snapped it easily. "Diffindo Capitis!" she pointed her wand at another Death Eater. To Harry's horror the man gave a blood curdling scream, his head lolled back and then seemed to roll right off his shoulders. She shot off another round of her gun, hitting a Death Eater in the shoulder as he was raising his wand against Hermione. "Well don't just stand there, boy, you want to help? Help!" she roared back at him.

Harry jolted, realizing she was talking to him and that he was just standing there, open mouthed.

The woman jumped onto the coffee table, it groaned at the force of her hitting it. She aimed her gun and shot a third Death Eater, while, at the same time, casting "Engorgio Totalus" on another man. He fell, his body beginning to bloat sickly. He kept getting larger and larger until his skin couldn't take it anymore and he burst, spraying blood and stench through the room.

The Death Eaters, upon seeing this, called retreat. The only four left standing ran towards the door. The Order was too quick for them, stopping three, but missing the fourth. "Petrificus totalus." The mysterious woman hit the last one one in the back and he fell like a board onto the carpet. Jumping off of the table she stalked over to him, pulling off the mask she wore and throwing back the hood. Her beautiful face was lit by moonlight; it was twisted into a grin of triumph, her light eyes deadly. She squatted next to him. "Nix." She hissed, grabbing his wand and a handful of his robes, bringing him up near her face. He breathed heavily, his eyes going wide in terror. "You know who I am?" she asked coolly. Her voice was decidedly American.

"You--you--not possible--you--you're dead!" he stammered.

"Rumors of my death have been highly exaggerated." The woman said cruelly, shoving her wand deep into his throat. "I'm going to let you live for one reason and one reason only. You are to go back to your master and tell him that I'm back--and I want my pound of flesh. An eye--" she tapped a scar on her face that ran across her eye, "for an eye." And then she tossed him to his feet. "Run!" she barked. He didn't move. "Run piggy, piggy or I'll blow your fucking head off your shoulders right now!" she threatened, aiming her gun at him.

The man turned and ran, not even remembering to disappearate once he was a far enough distance from the Burrow and its anti-apperation spell. He just ran across the grassy field and into the woods. "I love it when they run." She murmured, a sick smile on her face, her eyes gleaming madly.

"Who are you?" Shacklebolt managed. "You had a Death Eater's mask--"

She turned to face him. "Dramatic effect. I didn't know where they were raiding, I didn't think they'd attack here." She shrugged. "Besides, I'm not exactly anonymous. Death Eaters see me and they're on me like shit on a blanket." She turned to face them, squaring her shoulders. "It's all a very nasty business."

"Yes, but who are you?" Shaklebolt repeated.

"You're not her." Remus' cold voice came from the other side of the room. He'd picked himself up off of the floor and was now pointing his wand accusingly at her. "I don't know who you are but you're not her." Harry had never seen Remus look so angry the entire time he'd known him.

"Remmy, c'mon, put that thing away, you could hurt yourself." The woman said scornfully, but a discreet smile was curling at the corner of her lips. "Didn't you know that most accidents happen in the household?"

"Stop it!" Remus bellowed, his eyes had a crazy gleam to them. "Stop--pretending to be her!"

"I'm not pretending, Remmy, it's me." She said, opening her arms.

"He must be getting sloppy, you're fifteen years too young anyway--or didn't you think of that?" Remus now stood only a couple feet away from her. "Even if she were alive she'd be--well, she'd be as old as I am!"

"Remus...?" Mrs. Weasley asked, confused. "Who is this woman?"

"She's supposed to be Jacquolyn Avvor." Remus replied coolly.

That name seemed to have an effect on everyone except Harry. They all looked at the woman with wide eyes. "Who?" Harry asked, feeling dumb. He'd thought his days of feeling like an idiot in a new world were over.

"Best Auror who ever lived." Moody replied. "But he's right, girlie, I knew Avvor, and you aren't her. She died fifteen years ago."

"That's only what he wanted you to think, Alaster." The woman looked at him with a crooked half-smile. "I've just--aged well." She chuckled at a private joke.

"Don't do that!" Remus yelled. "Don't--laugh like her, don't talk like her! You--you aren't good enough to wear that skin! What is it, polyjuce? An illusionment spell?"

"Remmy, look--" she started.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" he yelled, surprising everyone. Harry noticed, with surprise, that there were tears in his eyes.

"Remus, maybe we should let her explain." Moody laid a hand on Remus' shoulder. "She's surrounded, it's not as though she could get away, just put the wand down and let her explain herself."

Remus, grudgingly, lowered his wand. "I want some answers. I want to know who you are and what you're getting at, pretending to be Jack."

"I'm not getting at anything." The woman who pretended to be Jack replied. "Fifteen years ago Dumbledore came to me and asked me to place myself in suspended animation for the time when Voldemort would rise again. The old coot was sure that we hadn't heard the last of him." Harry noticed she used Voldemort's name instead one of the many names other witches and wizards used. She wasn't afraid. "He said that he couldn't risk my getting killed in the process, that he wanted me at my peak, thought that I could help out. So he placed me in the Time Room in the Hall of Mysteries--"

"I knew I'd seen you somewhere before!" Ron exclaimed, excited. "When we were in the Hall of Mysteries a year ago I saw her! She was tucked into the back of the room in a glass box, she wasn't moving, I thought she was dead!" he looked at Jack. "But you were just frozen!"

"You saw her?" Remus turned on Ron. "You're sure you saw her?"

"Yea, I'm sure! Who forgets a body like that?" and then he turned pink. "I--I mean--I almost ran right into her. Thought it was kinda creepy at the time, keeping a corpse back there."

"See?" Jack exclaimed. "I'm telling the truth! Remmy, Remus, whatever, it's me! I'm back! Dumbledore woke me up a week before--well, before he was killed."

"You know who killed him?" Remus asked in a hushed voice.

Jack just looked at him, and then dropped her eyes. "Yea, I know." She replied. "But he woke me up, told me everything that'd happened." she met his eyes hopefully. "I don't know how I can prove it--you have to believe me." she begged. "Please, Remmy..." she trailed off.

The tense moment was suddenly interrupted by the screech of a large bird. It was a particularly musical screech, one that Harry recognized immediately. He whipped around, with the rest of the Order, to the open window behind them. Sure enough the silhouette of a large bird blocked the moonlight. Faux flew into the room, feathers bright, fiery red, his head thrown back, he screeched again.

Then, without further prompting, his flew over to Jack, landing on her arm gracefully. He drew his wings back and blinked at her, leaning forward and nuzzling her cheek. "Faux." she murmured, rubbing his head with her free hand. "You do have better timing then most humans." she smiled. "Do you think that Faux would've come to me if I weren't who I say I am? Do you think that he would be fooled by some two-bit Polyjuice potion?"

"Oh god..." Remus' wand fell to his side, he covered his mouth. "Jack..." Faux seemed to realize that it wasn't the best time to be perched on Jack's arm. It flew across the room, nearly running into Tonks, before settling on the back of a battered and bloody couch. Remus threw his arms around Jack, kissing her forehead and her cheeks and her lips. "I can't believe it." He murmured into her hair. "All this time--I can't believe it." He cupped her face with his hands. "You look just the same." He said with a weak chuckle, kissing her firmly on the lips.

"And you're getting on in years, old man." She replied, tweaking his nose. "Seriously, how old are you? Forty?"

"Thirty-nine." He replied. "You'd be--thirty-eight now, wouldn't you?" he asked.

"Ah yes, I guess I'd be just as old and haggard as you, Moony."

Harry was jolted out of his thoughts at the sound of his father and godfather's name for Remus. "You knew my father?" he asked suddenly, all eyes turned to him again.

She looked at him with amusement in her eyes. "Ah, Potter, Potter, Potter. How does that name sound familiar, Remmy?" she looked over her shoulder at her--boyfriend? Was that what this was?

"Don't, Jack." Remus said softly.

"Ah, King James." She said in fake revelation. "James the Great." She shook her head. "All I can say, Harry, is that I hope you don't take after you father more so then just aesthetically. Your mother, on the other hand, bright girl. Good heart. She wasn't as--small minded as James was."

"Jack." Remus put a hand on her shoulder.

"Yea, I knew your father--and your godfather." She shook her head. "I probably knew him better. Sirius was the God among insects, he was. James was his cohort in crime. Used to torment S--well, they used to torment anyone who didn't meet their standards." She shrugged. "But I guess that's what youth and good looks will do to you." Harry didn't know how to reply, he'd always heard good things about his father (except from Snape). "But they were just kids. I knew them when they were seventeen and the most popular click in Hogwarts. Girls wanted them, boys wanted to be them. I don't mean to offend their memories; I just never got on well with them."

"But you and Remus are--friends." Harry pointed out.

"Remus was more of a--free spirit." Jack replied. "And, to tell the truth, Remus was one of the only people I did get on with." She chuckled. "However, while this conversation is quite touching and I think that I'm actually beginning to tear up, I think that it'd be best if we had this little tit on tat later. There could be more baddies lurking about, as they do, with their...lurking." she thought for a moment before deciding that the sentence was good enough. "And it is my policy that no lurking is good lurking. So I'm going to do a little of my own and make sure that we really are back in Kansas." she winked, trotting out the door.

They all stared at the door she exited. "What--what did she say?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"She's checking to be sure that all of the Death Eaters are really gone." Remus supplied.

"Well why didn't she just say so?" Molly asked.

Remus shrugged, "she's American."

"Ah." Mrs. Weasley nodded, as though it explained everything.

Remus smiled a private smile, looking over at the door she'd exited. "Well, I'm guessing this just about brightens your day." Moody said to the werewolf. "Seeing her again."

"More then brightens, Moody." Remus looked at the old man. "With her here we've got a chance--a real chance at winning this."

"Dumbledore always did plan for the future." Moody commented.

"I hardly think that Jacquolyn Avvora alone will be the deciding factor in our fight against the Death Eaters." McGonagall spoke up, her voice very strict and teacherly, disapproving. "She is bright, I'll give her that, but she's dangerous. Can't be controlled."

Remus looked antsy. He obviously wanted to follow his (girl)friend, but didn't want to walk out on McGonnigal or the Order.

"Which is exactly why she is so effective." Mr. Weasley spoke up. "I've read about her. She practiced unorthodox methods but she was the best of the best." He whistled in appreciation.

"Oh, look at this place!" Mrs. Weasley spoke up. "Alright, everyone! I want this mess cleaned up by tomorrow morning."

"Speaking of which, Minerva. Since it is obvious we aren't safe here anymore..." Remus trailed off meaningfully.

"I am afraid that there is no other alternative, for the moment. We must return to the House of Black sooner then we had planned." She looked at Harry.

"But we don't know if it's safe there yet!" Ron exclaimed. "With Bellatrix's claim and all..."

"Dumbledore seemed to think that it was safe. It was his plan all along to move base back there eventually. And Harry's claim does seem to surpass Bellatrix's." McGonagall said softly, knowing that it wasn't a topic that was much for discussion--Sirius and Dumbledore.

"They got two of us." Tonks called from across the room. "Fillipius and Gavin." She looked over at them. "They're dead."

"Casualties of war." Moody murmured.

"Yes." McGonagall's voice, if possible, got more cold and unfeeling. "It does seem that way. Please bring their bodies into the kitchen and we will contact their families immediately. They will be buried with complete honors."

"You make it sound so easy." Tonks said softly. "Like it's every day that we see people die. People we know. Our people."

"My dear girl, it is every day that we see our own people die. Now a days, all days until this is over. We have to get used to death, the idea that any one of us could die at any moment. I think that Jacquolyn's reappearance proves the fact that we can rely on nothing, nothing is sacred and nothing is safe. We must all be aware of the fact that we may not all come out of this alive. We have to be willing to sacrifice not only ourselves but those we love. And if we can't--we have no hope of winning this war because He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named holds nothing dear and so is willing to sacrifice everything."

"You're sounding more and more like Dumbledore every day, Minerva." An old wizard named Koonts said admiringly.

"Yes, well, we can't lose faith, that is all I mean." McGonagall said softly.

"Uh, Minerva?" Shacklebolt called from the other side of the room, he was cleaning up the entrails left behind by the man that Jack had exploded. "About the House of Black. Now that Dumbledore is--no longer here--who's to say whether or not the House is still untraceable? He was the secret keeper, after all."

"There are two possibilities. Albus--" she sniffed, "never told me if he had set up a second. It is possible that he did--"

"A second?" Ron asked curiously. "A second is a backup. If the castor of the spell thinks that his or her life might be in danger they can cast the spell so that upon death the responsibility is automatically transferred to a second person." Hermione supplied.

"Precisely." McGonnigal nodded. "I see you haven't neglected your studies this year, Ms. Granger. However, I am unaware of any such failsafe. More likely the house is currently in limbo. It does not exist for any one person. It can remain like this for seven months before the magic wears off if the spell isn't cast again."

"Well how do we know if Dumbledore used a second?" Tonks asked curiously, glancing over at Remus who wasn't really paying attention to the conversation. He was staring at the open door. She bit back a feeling of jealousy.

"Simple. We will all simply try to say the location of the House of Black. Only the Secret Keeper can. If no one can recite the address then it is obvious there was no second." McGonnigal reasoned. "I have already tried but I cannot. Harry, you would be the next logical choice."

Harry opened his mouth, but found that the words would come out. He closed it again and shook his head. They went around the room, none of them were able to utter even the number of the house, let alone the street address.

"Then I suppose that we must recast the spell." McGonnigal sighed. "And it is such a hard spell to cast."

"So, I'm sorry, but who exactly was Jacquolyn Avvor? I've heard the name, certainly, but I've never quite known about her." Hermione spoke up, effectively changing the subject after a long pause. Harry heaved a sigh of relief; at least he wouldn't have to be the one asking.

"Jacquolyn Avvor was only the greatest Auror ever!" Tonks spoke up enthusiastically. "She and Dumbledore used to sweep up the competition! She was a 'lose cannon,' not really a favorite of the Ministry, had a habit of finishing what she started right there instead of waiting for proper authorization. She once killed this Dark Wizard named Kovvallish, he was this Russian wizard who was practically as bad as You-Know-Who. Anyway, she tracked him for, like, months until she found him holed up in some little town in Germany. They dueled, practically blew up the entire town! Luckily Germany didn't prosecute her for the damage and all of the Muggle's minds who had to be augmented because they were just so glad that Kovvallish was gone. He'd killed every Auror who got in his way but her, I think she was only, like, twenty or something--"

"Twenty-one." Remus corrected her.

"Yea, twenty-one, anyway, she just wiped the floor with him! Demolished him! By the time the authorities got there there was barely enough of him left to fit in a shoebox. She took some sort of curse to the arm--"

"It was a plague curse, it turned her shoulder and her arm black, like it was rotten. It was a bad one, but luckily the wizards who came to the scene had seen it before and the German Reversal Committee was able to straighten it out before it could kill her." Remus further supplied.

"Hey--how do you know her so well? You two were all mooshy just a second ago." Tonks suddenly accused. Harry had surmised that whatever had transpired between them last summer was definitely over and hadn't pressed Lupin for details. "Did you know her?"

"I knew her." Remus smiled mistily. "We went to school together, like she said. She was my best friend in my final years there and we lived together a while after we graduated. I wasn't doing well because of what I was, no one would hire me. So I was working at a restaurant, but she got right into the Academy in America and on the Auror Squad. She had enough money to support herself and, partially, myself. When You-Know-Who started gaining more power she moved back to England, a lot of Aurors were coming in from all over the world, it used to be common practice that many different Wizarding Nations would help one another when it was really needed. We moved in together. Without her I'd have never made it." He sighed. "When she died--I was still living with her and I was named in her living will as the benefactor to all of her possessions and money. It killed me, but I lived off of it ever since. Her mother was quite rich and had died when she was six. All of it became mine because she had no other relatives. She, quite literally, saved my life."

"But you two were--together?" Mrs. Weasley was drawn into the conversation at the prospect of gossip.

"No." Remus said shortly. "She had--differing tastes." He shifted slightly.

"I'd say." Moody chuckled, Remus shot him a warning look and the old man winked back.

"What do you mean 'I'd say?'" Ginny tried, as much of a gossip monger as her mother. "Who was her tastes? She isn't gay, is she?"

"No." Remus shook his head again. "She fell in love very early on and the boy betrayed her. Broke her heart. She was alone for the last six years of her life. Didn't really seem to have any interest in love."

"Who'd leave a girl like that?" Ron muttered to Harry, who shrugged, equally mystified.

"Why don't you go out and see to her, Remus?" Mrs. Weasly suggested kindly. "We can take care of down here."

Remus practically dropped the body he was moving with Bill and ran out the door with a quick 'thank you.'

"I think he's lying." Ginny said to Hermione and Luna. "Did you see the way that they looked at each other? Friends? I think not."

"Oh I don't know." Luna said softly. ⌠I think that he's like a brother to her. He certainly has feelings for her, but she probably never saw it." And she went about her business. Both Hermione and Ginny watched her, wondering for the hundredth time how she could see someone so briefly and know so much.

III

Remus found Jack perched on the rickety fence on the far side of the house, Faux (whose departing the house no one had noticed) was perched on the fence beside her, watching her. "Is this a new tactic for finding Death Eaters? Make yourself a target and wait for them to come to you?" Remus called.

Jack looked over at him with a dry look. "They're long gone, and if they aren't--they're stupid." she replied. "I just didn't feel like singing kumbiah or anything." she jerked her head towards the house. "How is the Brady Bunch doing anyway?"

"We made it through alright." Remus replied, leaning on the fence next to her, not able to take his eyes off of her even for a second. He was fairly certain if he did he would wake up from this dream and find out that it wasn't real. "We only lost two."

"Good." She sighed, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Jesus, I'm beat." she sighed.

"You've been asleep for almost twenty years, I'd think that you'd be up and about." he replied, not able to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "Jack..."

"Remmy, I'm sorry." she jumped down from the fence, leaning into him. He put his arm around her shoulders and she lay her head on his chest. "I wanted to tell you but it all happened so fast. They needed to make it seem real. I hear you made a very moving speech at my funeral."

He chuckled, feeling tears stinging at his eyes, he sniffed. "It killed me, you know." his voice was choked. She looked up at him in surprise.

She caught one tear as it streaked down his cheek. "I'm sorry." She repeated.

"I just--when you died--I thought my life was over. You were the only thing keeping me grounded." he brushed his thumb along her cheek. "You were--you are my best friend. The best friend I've ever had in my entire life--you were the only one I ever really trusted." he pulled her to him roughly, burying his face in her hair. "I thought I lost you." a sob racked his thin frame.

She held him close. "Shhh." she rubbed his back. "I'm so sorry, honey, I wanted to tell you so badly, I'm so sorry." she kissed his neck, laying her hot forehead in the crook of it.

He pulled back, cupping her face, searching her eyes. "I'm still not sure if I believe this." he murmured. "It's too good..."

"Remmy." she smiled, leaning into his hand. "I'm real, I promise. You're not asleep, you're not hallucinating, I'm here. Everything'll be just like it used to be."

He pulled away, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "How?" he asked after a long moment. "I've changed, you haven't."

"You saying that you won't put up with my shit anymore?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Wolfboy grow some balls while I was away at summer camp?"

He chuckled, sniffing and roughly wiping his face. "Things haven't been good--for me." he looked over at her. "But that doesn't matter now." he smiled, pulling her to him again. "You're alive. I can't think of anything I'd want more."

"You know if you keep playing yo-yo with the Jack she's going to get sick." she pointed out the hugging and the pulling away. "I'm still kind of wobbly on my new-doe legs."

He chuckled again, then his face went serious. "Have you seen him?" he asked.

Her jaw tightened. "Yes." she replied. "I was there the night Dumbledore died. I saw him run."

Remus sighed. "It was a great loss." he said quietly. "Dumbledore is--was a great leader." he shook his head. "Unfortunately he didn't leave behind a manual or a map or anything. We don't even know who the Secret Keeper of the Order's Headquarters is--or if there is one at all."

"The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London, England." Jack replied before Remus could slap his hand over her mouth to stop her.

"What're you doing?" he hissed. "What if there's someone listening!"

"Who--" she pulled his hand away. "Who, Faux?" she looked over at the bird. "I don't think he'll tell anyone. And if he does--we'll pluck him and make him Thanksgiving Dinner." she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the Phoenix who looked at her with an almost dry expression in it's intelligent eyes. "I always wondered what Phoenix tasted like."

"You're the Secret Keeper?" Remus asked, realizing the implication. "Dumbledore trusted you above Harry and Minerva..." he trailed off.

"Dumbledore trusted me more then anyone, you know that, Remus." she pointed out. "Who better to carry the secret then someone whose mind is absolutely inaccessible. Even Severus couldn't break in here. It's like Fort Knox." she tapped her brow.

"It doesn't add up, Jack, and you know it." Remus accused. "Faux coming to you the moment Dumbledore died, you being his secret keeper, what else aren't you telling me?"

"That, apparently, I'm supposed to run the Order or something. "She shrugged.

"You?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No." She shook her head, a devious glint in her eye. "But it's what I'm going to tell Furball in there." she chuckled.

"I still don't appreciate that." McGonnigall's voice came from behind them, they both jumped and turned to face her, their faces as guilty as they used to be when she'd catch them out of their dorms at night. "You are the Secret Keeper then, interesting." she looked at Faux and then at Jack. "Very interesting." she turned her attention to Remus. "I assume that you have finished your sweep. I would like to meet with everyone inside now." she said and then turned and walked away brusquely.

"I think we're going to get detention." Jack said after a pause, starting towards the house.