A/N: Well, turns out I can update a couple more times today. :P Especially because my new gift is just too exciting to pass up. :P So, here's Chapter 8. I hope you like it. Oh, so how do you all like Sirius and Remus working at the Ministry. I tried to make them seem like they really were department heads and Ministry officials. I think I did all right. :P Anyways, enjoy. :]

"Talk. What do we have on Malfoy?" Sirius asked Auror Hope Leiland.

"He was the one who just killed the muggle. Tonks, Ferns, and Walker are at the scene. As for Malfoy, we know where he's been hiding out."

"And?"

"That boy of yours is right. Lucius Malfoy was spotted going into Hogwarts School. There was also another sighting."

"Sighting of what?"

"You-Know-Who was seen going into Hogwarts very quickly. He came out of the Forbidden Forest. Like I said, your son was right."

"He's not…" Sirius stopped. "Never mind. I can't believe this. No one will believe it though. No matter what, all those students are going to school and into Voldemort's hands." Sirius threw the papers Leiland had given him onto his desk.

"I'm so sorry, sir," Leiland said and left the office.

"Sirius?" Kingsley said from the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Voldemort's still at Hogwarts and we can't stop the students from going back to school because no one will believe us. I can't believe Remus and I didn't believe Harry from the start. He knew and we told him he was going to school. We were sending him to Voldemort. It would have been our fault if he died," Sirius told him.

"Sirius, stop. That's not something you would believe, even if," Kingsley continued quickly when he saw Sirius was going to speak, "even if the person who told you would never lie to you. If my son or nephew or brother or whoever told me that, I wouldn't believe it either."

"But Harry-"

"Harry will forgive you and Remus for not believing him. You know that. He loves you. He knows that it's hard to believe. It'll be fine. Calm down," Kingsley replied.

"I guess," Sirius sighed.

"Saying 'I guess' to that is sort of like saying you guess Harry loves you, though you know he does," Kingsley pointed out.

"That's not the same and you know that's not true."

"Do I? Sirius, for the past two months, all you've done is doubt whether that boy loves you or not. Just because he's of age and is going off to kill Voldemort with his friends, it does not mean he's going to stop loving you. Remus, Tonks, and I have told you this many times. Why do you refuse to believe it?"

"Because. I don't believe it because he was raised by two men who's families hated them. Remus' father hated him. My whole family wished I was dead except my brother who was murdered."

"What does that have to do with Harry not loving you anymore?"

"He was raised by two men who hated their parents. It's bound to rub off onto him, make him hate us."

"You have completely lost it. Completely," Kingsley said angrily. "I'll say this once and only once, so you better listen and believe it."

"Go ahead."

Kingsley rolled his eyes. "Harry knows about your childhood. He knows Remus' too. He knows you two are completely different from your families. The only thing that has rubbed off onto him is the fact that he can't go a day without finding trouble and his completely smartass attitude." Sirius smiled a bit. "He knows you and Remus will never be like your families. Harry will never hate you. He loves you. He always has and always will. If you don't know that, you need to start listening to Harry when he tells you this stuff." Kingsley finished. Sirius didn't say anything. "I'm out. I need to talk to Tonks. Think about it, Sirius. Believe the good kind of reality. The bad reality can hold off for a bit," Kingsley left. Sirius sighed and shook his head.

Remus ran to his department and to Seth Ledger's office. "Seth."

"Hello, Remus."

"So? What do we have on Greyback? What's the new information?"

"We know where he's hiding. Him and his pack," Seth gave Remus some papers.

"And? Where is he?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Remus' heart gave a jolt. "What? What are you talking about, Seth?" Remus frowned.

"It's all on the paper. A wizard told us about this. He somehow recognized Greyback in the dead of night," Remus looked at the paper.

Werewolf, Fenrir Greyback spotted crossing the grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at eleven-fifteen at night on July thirtieth. Greyback was seen by a resident of Hogsmeade village.

Remus threw it aside angrily. "We were going to make him go back to school. We were going to give him to Voldemort. It would have been our fault if he died. We would have been responsible for Harry's murder. All because we didn't believe him."

"Remus, you can stop your son from going to school. Now you know he's right," Seth told him softly.

"Yeah. Wait, he's not my…never mind. Doesn't matter. Thanks, Seth. Keep me posted," Seth nodded as Remus left the office and went to his own. "He's still there. It was the whole plan. God damn it," he muttered, pulled out the Greyback file, and started working on it.

"Hello, Harry," Voldemort greeted.

"Voldemort."

"What do you think of the school now?" Harry looked around the Great Hall. The four house tables now had Slytherin table clothes on them. All the banners hanging were Slytherin. Everything was green and silver. Everything was Slytherin and the Dark Arts.

"Different. I think I like it better before you redecorated. Sorry," Harry told him.

"No worries. You'll adjust."

"How? I'm not coming back. I'll only be coming back when I can kill you," Harry glared.

"Is that so? Well, you can die trying, which you will."

"If you haven't already heard, I know about the Horcruxes. I know how to destroy them and I will. Then I'll destroy you because you will once again be mortal." Harry smirked.

"You lie!" Voldemort cried.

"Nope. I know it all."

"Avada Kedavra!"

"AHHHHHH!" Harry shot up in bed, screaming.

"Harry?" Hermione knelt beside him, concerned.

"What is it, mate?" Ron asked.

"We have to leave. Tonight," Harry stood up and grabbed three bags, throwing one to Ron and Hermione.

"Tonight?" Ron said incredulously.

"Harry, it's four-twenty in the morning. We can't leave now," Hermione stated.

"We have to," Harry replied, running around the room, filling one of the bags with the things he had with him.

"What about Sirius and Remus?" Hermione asked. There was no reply, but both Ron and Hermione saw Harry pause for a few seconds, then resume his actions.

"Is everything okay in here?" someone asked from the door.

"Ginny!" Ron hissed. "What're you doing in here?"

"I heard someone scream, so I came to see what was going on and if everything was all right," Ginny told her brother.

"Well, everything's fine. Go away," Ron tried to shoo her away.

"Are you three going somewhere?" Ginny asked, frowning at the bags the trio was holding.

"Get out!" Ron growled.

"I'll tell Mum," she threatened.

"Don't you dare," Ron glared.

"Then where are you going?" Ginny looked at the trio. Harry and Hermione were staying quiet, letting Ron handle his curious sister.

"We are leaving but we can't say why or where. We're not completely sure where yet," Ron told her.

Ginny crossed her arms. "It is four-thirty in the morning. You can't leave."

"Well, we are and you cannot tell anyone, especially not Mum or Harry's uncles. If they find out, we'll never get anywhere. Promise you won't say anything, Gin."

"I'm not promising you anything," Ginny was glaring deeply at the trio. "I hope you realize how much this is going to hurt the family, Ron and Hermione. Harry, Remus and Sirius will die when they find out you've disappeared. They've had too many experiences without you, they won't survive another one," Ginny said to them. None of them answered. She shook her head and left the room, going back to bed.

"I have to go to my place to get the rest of my stuff," Harry said after a bit of silence.

"Harry. What about Remus and Sirius?" Hermione asked the same question she had asked her friends before Ginny interrupted.

Just like the first time, Harry didn't answer. "I need to go home for my stuff."

"All right. Ron, go with him. I'll get things packed and ready here. Quickly," Hermione told her friends. They nodded and ran downstairs.

"Maybe we should Apparate instead. Floo is really risky. All the Floo Networks are being watched," Ron suggested.

"Yeah. Where's your Apparation point?" Harry wondered, leading the way to the door.

"Just a little ways past the sheds. We should pick up one of the tents while we're out here," Ron stated. Harry agreed and they ran to the shed where Mr. Weasley kept all his Muggle things that he bewitched.

"You get the tent. I'll look around. Maybe there are some things we can use in there. Never know," Harry stated.

"Yeah. With Dad, who knows?" Ron nodded and they walked into the shed. It was dark so they lit their wands. While Ron dug for one of the magical tents, Harry rifled through everything else. Finally, Ron came from the very back of the shed with a tent folded in his hands.

"Better shrink it so it will fit in the bags."

"You find anything?" Ron asked after shrinking the tent.

"Only quite a few flashlights. They could come in handy. I've checked four of them, and they work. I think your dad may have charmed these to always work and never die out," Harry answered.

"Grab a few. They'll help," Ron ushered. Harry nodded and added five or six more to the two he had. "Good. Come on. Let's go to your place." They ran out of the shed and down the driveway a bit more to the apparation point. They disappeared. As soon as they opened their eyes, they ran to Harry's house.

"Come on. My room," the boys ran up the stairs and straight into Harry's bedroom.

"What're we going to do about food? We can't really take any from our families. We don't have much," Ron said while Harry emptied a few of his drawers holding clothes.

"Don't know. I'll think on it while I do this," Harry replied. He went into the bathroom for a few seconds then came back. His hands were filled with items he needed. For a few more seconds, Harry stopped, thinking about what else he needed to pack.

"Pyjamas," he packed two extra pairs of pyjamas. "Does the tent have blankets and pillows?" Harry asked Ron.

"Yep. Are you done?"

"I feel like I'm missing something," Harry frowned. "Oh! Right!" he exclaimed. He opened the small drawer on his bedside table. He pulled out the toy Snitch Dumbledore had left him, along with two books. He closed the drawer and grabbed three pictures. One of just him and Sirius, one of him and Remus, and one of them all.

"You done now?" Ron was getting impatient.

"Almost. Okay. Communicator is in my pocket. The mirror," Harry grabbed the two-way mirror from his desk and put it in the bag. "One last thing," Harry pulled the case from under his bed and put it on top.

"What's that for?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows.

"Believe me. We need it. I'll explain later," Harry pulled the sword out, put a covering on the blade, shrunk it, and put it in his bag. Last, he took out the piece of paper and taped it to the inside cover of one of the books. "Let's go," Harry securely closed the bag and put it over his shoulder. When the two boys got downstairs, Harry quickly snatched a picture of himself with Hermione and Ron from the mantle. Harry and Ron ran back to the apparation point and disapparated to the Burrow.

"Hurry. Hermione's waiting," Ron stated and they quickly made their way to the house. They went inside and went to Ron's bedroom.

"There you two are. You've been gone almost fifteen minutes. Did you get everything, Harry?" Hermione whispered.

"Yeah. Before we leave, I'm writing a letter to my uncles. It'll be quick and as soon as I'm done, we'll leave," Harry said quietly.

"I was thinking Ron and I should do that too," Hermione nodded.

"We'll do it after."

Hermione nodded. "Ron, you need to finish packing. I got bathroom things, pants, shirts, and socks. You get the rest. Did you get the tent? I was thinking I should have told you to grab it."

"Yeah, we got it. Same with seven flashlights. We think Mr. Weasley charmed them so they'll never die," Harry nodded.

"Good. I'm done packing. Ron?" Hermione said after putting two photos in her bag. One of her parents and one of the Weasleys.

"Yep," Ron nodded. He finished with also packing two pictures. One of him and his parents and the other of him and all his siblings, including Percy, Bill, and Charlie. "Ready."

"Okay. Let's write the letters and we can leave," Harry breathed deeply. The trio grabbed their bags and went down to the kitchen. Harry and Ron got some parchment and quills, and started writing, Ron and Hermione writing one letter together.

Remus & Sirius,
I'm sorry, but we had to leave earlier than planned. I'm sorry we left in the middle of the night, well, at four-thirty in the morning. I wish we could have stayed long enough to say goodbye to you properly, but we had to leave as soon as possible. I know now would be the time where I told you we would be fine and home soon, but I can't make that promise this time. This time is real, more real than all the other times where we actually were fine. I know you'll want to talk to us, so exactly twenty minutes after you and the Weasleys read these letters, call me on the Communicator and we can talk. We'll talk, but we won't be able to for a long time.
I love you. Bye. I'll miss you so much.
Love,
Harry
P.S. You're going to need to go grocery shopping. Sorry. I've never missed a meal and I'm not going to start now. Bye, guys.

Harry folded the letter and on the front, wrote his uncles names. "We're gonna get food from my house. I told Remus and Sirius in the letter."

"Okay. We're almost done," Ron told Harry who nodded.

Mum, Dad, & everyone else,
We had to leave now. We know it's late or early, four-thirty in the morning to be exact, but we had to go. We're really sorry. We'll try to be careful, but we can't promise it. We know what we're doing is dangerous, but we have to do this. We're sorry, guys. We really are. We home to be home soon.
Bye. We love you all.
Love,
Ron & Hermione
P.S. You'll get to talk to us twenty minutes after you read this. Just stay home. Remus and Sirius will be there. Love you all.

Ron and Hermione finished their letter and did what Harry had done. "All right. We're done. Let's get the food then get going."

Harry nodded. "You two absolutely sure you have everything you need from here?"

"Yep. Absolutely sure. We're ready," Hermione stated.

"Okay. Quick stop for food then start the mission," Harry said. Before leaving, Harry put the picture of the trio he had grabbed on the table with the letters. He then ran outside, his friends right behind him. They went to the Apparation point and disappeared, appearing at Harry's house. They ran inside and right to the kitchen. "Milk. Juice. Lots of water. You two come and make sure you both like the stuff in her. Some of it, at least," Harry stated, holding the fridge and freezer doors open. Hermione and Ron looked at the food.

"Yep. It's good," Ron and Hermione both nodded.

"Good. We'll take some. Check out the cupboards and pick out things you want. I like everything here, so it doesn't matter," Harry replied, taking out some things, while his friends looked in the cupboards. For about five minutes, they filled an extra bag with the food.

"Are we ready?" Ron asked.

Harry sighed. "Yeah. We're ready." The trio looked at each other sadly. They had to go, but they were sad to leave their families.

"Let's get going before we change our minds," Hermione said. They walked out of the house and walked to the Apparation point once again. "Where're we going, Harry?"

"The forests of California," Harry answered. "That's the picture I showed you two the other day," he added.

His friends nodded and disappeared.

The adventure had begun and the danger intensified.