Disclaimer: Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

Chapter 14: Expansion

Early on a Thursday, they were meeting in the workroom.

Hermione was in charge, as usual. "Sooo... Start of meeting. We have toast. That means next is reports?" Hermione looked to her left.

"Fred and I bought more puffskein... urr... mouse food. No one seems to want to know what we're doing with that much. I assume the pet place thinks we're breeding more mini-puffs, and that there will be more profit for them down the line. "

"We've got a bulk discount, and a punch card now." George added and nodded.

"We're regulars." Fred nodded along with his twin.

"Ok, Neville."

"The map. The map works, kinda. We have to go to locations to add them to the map, so far, or have someone who's on the map go to the new location."

Harry added on. "In order to get someone on the map, they have to go to a location that is already on the map. It's a slow start, but we think it'll get huge pretty quick."

"We don't think we'll ever have a full map, though. Shut-ins will stay in, and people will not go to their vacation cottage for years, or something."

"But it looks good, and we're going to add Diagon Alley soon, and see if it doesn't break."

"Did you limit it to the UK?"

"Um..."

"Harry, your map will break if it tries to map the world."

Neville spoke up. "We did remember to limit it to magical. We've found how to do that, after version three point two crashed trying to map Glasgow." Professor Snape covered his eyes with his hand for a moment, while he took a deep breath.

"Who knew the elves went to farmer's markets." Neville shrugged.

Hermione looked thoughtful. "Will it show squibs?"

"We haven't been able to differentiate Squibs from muggles, but we can add them on one at at time. Filtch is listed."

"Anything else?"

"In terms of 'project justify our workroom' Flitwick adores our 'first year family clock' and the other heads of houses, yourself excluded, sir, want them."

"Oh, I want one as well, but I figured I could tell you here, rather then singing your praises in public."

"Umm, right, understood. It's only fair, after all, to make one for all the houses."

Ginny leaned in. "Does it follow them up through the years?"

"No, it only does first years, or more specifically, those living in the first year dorms. So next year, it will show the new first years. I figured they're the least like to complain about being spied on, and also the most likely to benefit from the help."

"Right. Can I make a request?"

"Sure. "

"Can we put a Ginny Weasley memorial 'time' on there, with possessed or under the influence of a dark power?"

"Hrm... We can try. New times either work or they don't." Harry seemed to be thinking.

"Possessed shouldn't be too hard, the other thing you said – under a dark power- may be too big or too vague." Neville was writing it down in his notes.

Harry looked up after it was silent for a minute. "We're done. Next."

Next was Ron, who was giving out apparition coordinated for twenty backup places to apperate to, so they wouldn't keep using the cave or the shack. "If we're going to run into Aurors, I want up to be able to scatter, and confuse their tracking spells. Also, always jumping to the same place means one of them will get lucky at some point."

They all nodded. Ron continued. "Sunday afternoon we can go see all those places. Most are wilderness, so there shouldn't be anything to hit, besides trees, but still." Ron turned to look at Luna.

"I didn't do anything. Well, not really. I told Rita to ask which of the Auror's credited in Yaxley's arrest actually stunned him, and how they knew he was a Death Eater. The rest happened on it's own."

"It was enough on its own." Harry complimented. Remembering the article that Rita broke, in which the Aurors were forced to acknowledge the were assisted by a 'red clacked figure. The publicity had been convoluted and lovley.

Luna nodded, and looked at Professor Snape.

"Dumbledore is furious that the bogeywomen got into the dorms, somehow, and stole Draco, somehow. He's being owled constantly about the security, not only that we got in, but that Draco got in."

The group nodded. Snape continued. "Apparently, people have gotten so used to the idea of the bogeyman hunting Death Eaters, that now it's expected. Draco's presence is over half of the howlers."

He inclined his head a bit. "However, and this is a large however, The old families are suddenly very nervous about their children. What if they are kidnapped to leverage the family towards the light, or the dark. What if family of Death Eaters are used as hostages to force their Death Eater fathers out into the open. They were not at all expecting an attack against an under aged student. I've been repeating, over and over, that we have no proof or reasonable suspicions that you've attacked anyone without a mark."

"Are people believing that?"

"Somewhat. The one's who are closet to the Dark Lord are. The others are believing the Ministry about how the people they let off couldn't have been Death Eaters."

"And Himself?"

"I've not been summoned in a while. It's been quiet, from what I can tell. The last time I went in the full loses from Tonks' raid weren't yet known.

"Should we fail to kidnap you? Or harass you a bit? Only where it would be in the sight of other people with dark marks, of course..."

"I think managing to get red cloaks, and later fabric, sent to me with every potions ingredient would help me. I could be in total fear of contamination, and not willing to brew for my Lord without testing everything twice."

"Oooh.." "That could be fun and easy." "And verifiable, if we get the people bribed in the right way-" "so the people who are sent to check on it know that the employees know about it, but it's not done by them."

Hermione looked up from her notes. "I take it, Fred and George, you have volunteered?"

"Yes" "By this time a week from now, Snape will be able to report to both sides that his supplies are likely being messed with." "And the apothecary employees aren't doing it, but have been asked to step aside and allow it." "By a deadly lady in red."

Hermione nodded.

"By the way, the red fabric on the small children-" "The little human shields" "That worked wonders. The day the news about Draco broke, they were still moving in packs, but everyone else was staying far far away from any known or suspected Death Eaters." "Even poor Bagman was sitting by himself at a six person table in the Leaky."

It was reports like these that had led to Hermione forcing the twins to sit next to each other, rather then across from each other. No one needed to stain their necks.

"Ginny?"

"Madam Pomphrey has been teaching me, and some other DA members healing Monday and Wednesdays. She started as soon as I asked, even before we took it to any other Professor. She said it was a brilliant idea for the times."

Hermione nodded. "As for me, I've got the shadowing charms permanently attached to the red cloaks, and also moved the sticking charms about. They can't be removed by anyone but the wearer, or a password holder. Ginny, here's your note. Professor, you're our best healer.. ." Hermione slid two notes across the table. "I also added a mouse counter, to the arm, where a badge would go. Well, a mouse counter plus four to keep them guessing.

"I made two more, after mine. I thought we might invite Tonks to train with us, so our mystery Lady can be in two places at once."

Chaos broke out at the table.

Ron was startled. "Te don't have the supports staff for two Bogeywoman at once."

"She can't be trusted. She can't shake her tails." Snape's paranoia had been justified man times in hi life.

"She's too tall. And she'll trip over the cloak." Ginny added. "Somehow."

"Double the trouble can be more fun." Fred voted for.

"She did want to help, and this would add to the confusion." George nodded.

Harry looked confused. "I'm still back on the mouse counter. What's that?"

Hermione sighed, an showed them the cloak. "It shows a number in black." She showed off the top of the arm, on the sleeve she'd added with Harry's help. "We've got thirty five mice or beetles, and I added four to add to their confusion, so it's at 39."

"So every time we capture someone, it'll automatically adjust?"

"Yes."

"It's like an Ace's tally. Like Snoopy's."

"It's going to drive the Death Eaters and the Aurora insane trying to figure that out. Especially the extra four."

They all smirked at the confusion it would cause, until Neville thought of something. "Professor, can I ask... Would Tonks be under oath to the Order of the Phoenix?"

"No. The average member of the order of the Phoenix is not sworn in with any particular oath. Nor is an oath of loyalty required."

"And she would count as an average member?"

"Yes. She was an Auror before she was a Order member, thus she had already demonstrated commitment to fighting the dark."

"I assume that did not apply to you?"

He raised an eyebrow at Neville being brave enough to ask that question. "I swore an oath. It will not conflict with my duties with this group. You will not ask further, or think on it."

"Well, right then. Let's wait until we know Tonks if fully out from under the Ministry's thumb."

Luna raised her hand.

"Yes, Luna?"

"Would that be a particularly large variation of.. of a Flivvering Thumbmintser?"

"No. Luna, a metaphor." Hermione corrected.

"Oh, that's not as much fun." The blond's face fell.

"No, indeed, Miss Lovegood."

"So we wait."

"I'm still not sure we let her in. I don't know that we need a second Bogeywoman, and if we do, why not Ginny?" Ron said. "Not that I ever want Mum to know I volunteered her, but really, why add complications?"

"We'd have more support for a second if we let in Tonks."

Harry thought aloud. "We did originally plan on Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the twins. With Neville, and Professor Snape, maintaining the line is harder. More people means we can split off and do side things, like confounding, but still, two completely separate missions... I don't want anyone getting hurt due to lack of support."

"What if we only use the two smaller teams for invisible missions, or menacing non-combatants? For raids, we go in full?"

Ron shook his head. "Even for a full raid, having a small team, likely headed by Harry or the Professor would be good. A second avenue of fire, from the side will flush people out and prevent runaways."

Harry slowly nodded. "We have gotten too big, haven't we?"

Hermione spoke up. "Harry, we did plan on using your fame. Using the symbol to distract people. With Neville as a Shielder and Ginny for Hexing help, you'd be a potent force that could move. As is, we're standing targets, and someone will notice that, and start thinking about it. It wouldn't do."

"As it is, we're lucky no bystander has put their memories in a pensieve and actually looked at where the spells are coming from."

Snape spoke up. "Pensieves aren't exactly common. I think the Aurors will be the ones to get that fact first. Once we actually fire shots around them."

"Which we want to avoid."

Hermione looked at her notes. "Reports are done. Plans?"

Ron nodded. "There's a bloke naked Gibbons on Snape's list. First name not known, but aged 44 to 46, based on the people he's claimed as school mates. We want to start stealing the complete unknowns, since we've got the known Death Eaters paranoid. We need to know his name, so we can look him up on the map."

Snape nodded. "He's one of the Death Eaters who always keeps his mask one. I know his last name, since He has used it, but mostly, he's not at all known."

Harry smiled. "I worry, sometimes that some actually useful portion of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, like Ms Bones used to be, has spies and we're planning on kidnapping them. Gibbons, who no one ever sees without his mask, would be the right style."

Luna smiled. "So why don't we ask?"

Everyone turned to look at her.

Hermione frowned. "Surly it can't be that simple..."

Luna nodded. "But it is. We know how to authenticate a message to them. They can authenticate a message back with Yaxley's hair. So why don't we write a letter to the DMLE and ask if any of them have undercover spies in the Death Eaters that we shouldn't disappear..."

Harry smiled. "Maybe it is that simple."

Hermione still looked a bit hocked at that, but she nodded. "Ok, my hand hearts from taking notes, time to train. If we train hard, Winky has promised special biscuits, still warm from the oven."

.o.o.o.

While every ate warm biscuits with gooey chocolate bits, Luna composed a note to the DMLE. Snape, somehow managing the impossible by looking aloof and dignified while nibbling fresh baked good, was looking over her shoulder and nixing excess language and tangents.

DMLE

It would be useful for my planning purposed to know which, if any, of the members of the group known as Death Eaters report to you.

Spies working against their Master for the public good will receive the benefit of the doubt. The benefit of the doubt does not mean full forgiveness, but will include opportunity for their spymaster to speak on their behalf.

The Lead Hunter

currently being called

'Bogeywoman'

"I see we are planting the threads for multiple Hunters?"

Luna shrugged. "I figured we might as well. It's like the prank letting three piglets into a school, labeled 1, 2, and 4. It drives people insane for a bit, because they're logical, and they for some reason think pranksters are as well. Even if we only ever have one hunter, because the DMLE thinks of her as the lead hunter, they will look for more. Given that most people don't know hot to look for things properly, they might even find more then there are."

"I've never had anyone try that in any classroom near me."

"Well, piglets are cute, and you eat bacon. You're scary, Sir."

Professor Snape, caught with half a chocolate biscuit in his mouth, didn't look particularly scary at that moment, but he nodded, and tried to think menacing thoughts around his handicap.

AN Vast apologies for the delay. I think the new movie distracted me more then I had planned for. I also just didn't get anything done at all. (I'm 10000 words behind for Camp NaNo. )

I have also come to realize that I will never understand the spelling of Apparition, apperate, and it's other conjugations. I'll keep trying, but the vowels are winning.