Chapter 27

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Rose stared out the window at the students gathering in the cold March air for the trip to Hogsmeade. A group of third years was huddled together against the wind, their brightly colored hats standing out stark and bright against the dull grey of the courtyard. Genevieve and Rebecca were chatting with Patrick and Rajesh, and Genevieve threw her head back and laughed. Rose watched her, curious. It was perhaps the first time she'd seen her truly happy.

There was a footstep behind her, and she turned to see Donna. The older girl jerked her chin at the window. "You not goin', then?"

"Nah, thought I'd stay here."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the Doctor's been surrounded by Aurors for weeks now, would it?" Rose looked away and swallowed, and Donna groaned. "Look, he won't talk to me—is he alright, at least? Is he safe?"

Rose bit her lip and answered carefully. "He will be soon."

Donna's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Donna, I can't tell you! Really, I can't! Please, I would if I could."

She spun, running a hand through her hair agitatedly. "He's my family! Don't I have a right to know?"

Rose sighed. "It's not my decision."

Donna spoke through clenched teeth. "Fine." She lifted her chin and sniffed. "I'm off to Madam Puddifoot's with David Morgan."

Rose smiled weakly. "Have fun, Donna. Really."

"Yeah." She left, and the Doctor edged around the corner a few moments later.

He sighed and walked to join Rose on the window seat, staring out at the students below. Harry leaned against the wall a few feet away, hands in his pockets. The Doctor began fiddling with his fingers, and after a moment he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Rose. You shouldn't be caught in the middle like this."

She rolled her eyes and cuffed his shoulder. "Would you stop apologizing already? Told ya a thousand times already, you don't need to."

"Yes, but if it weren't for me—" He stopped. Rose had her finger across his lips, and he peered down at it, cross-eyed, before looking back up at her.

"If it weren't for you, I'd be bored outta my mind and barely scrapin' by." She winked at him, her tongue peeking out from between her teeth. "Not to mention whatever Genevieve was goin' to do to me. No, Doctor, I'm not gonna regret it. I wouldn't've missed it for the world."

The Doctor nodded reluctantly and outside the window the students moved off in a straight line, flanked on both sides by Aurors and teachers. Rose chuckled as she glanced out. "'M guessin' there'll be no Shrieking Shack for anybody, today."

Harry stiffened and shot an alarmed glance at them. "It's supposed to be closed off."

The Doctor pulled his mouth to one side and tilted his head. "Wellll, it was—let's say it just doesn't take much to make a key when you're familiar with the lock."

He frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"

The Doctor shrugged. "All Aurors tend to cast their magic the same way. My da—that is, Wilf…" he paused and shook his head. "My dad used to be an Auror, and I've been around enough of his spellcasting to understand how it works."

Harry straightened away from the wall, his green eyes curious. "D'you think we could go over it, sometime?"

The Doctor paused and blinked at the older boy before smiling. "Yeah, I think we could." Outside the last of the students moved off, and Caleb Dorton—Hopkins' second-in-command—took up the rear, his wand out and ready. The Doctor glanced down at the empty courtyard and bounced to his feet, tugging Rose up with him. "Well, that's them off. I've got something I want to show you."

She grinned up at him. "Yeah? An' what's that?"

"You'll see, won't you?" He jerked his head away from her, waggling his eyebrows. "Come on."

Rose followed him down the corridor, Harry close behind them. The Doctor led them away from the window, along little-used passageways and down spiraling stairways. Finally he pushed open a tall wooden door, glancing back at them as he entered. They stood in a little-used gallery, small portraits lining the walls. "I found this place a while back—this is Hogwarts' official faculty gallery. Anyone who's ever taught here has a portrait on these walls." He led them along, nodding genially to the bespectacled witches and flamboyantly dressed wizards that greeted them. At the far end, he paused and glanced back at Harry. "Including the recent years."

In a simple wooden frame, a haggard wizard sat reading next to a small fireplace, the firelight highlighting the scars on his face and reflecting against the smattering of silver strands in his light brown hair.

Harry spoke, his voice ragged. "Remus?"

He looked up and smiled, slipping a marker in his book. "Hello, Harry. You're looking well."

In a moment of surprising tact, the Doctor caught Rose's eye and nodded further down the passageway. She followed him, leaving Harry alone with the portrait. "How'd you know?" At his look, she continued. "About Harry and Professor Lupin bein' friends."

"Donna had mentioned it before. Apparently he's Lupin's son's godfather." He looked down. "The poor kid lost both his parents to the war—maybe this way he'll be able to talk to his dad someday." A grim smile twisted his mouth. "He's lucky, though. At least his dad is worth talking to. I always liked Professor Lupin."

"I never got to have 'im. My classmates said he was good, though. They liked him a lot."

The Doctor snorted good-naturedly. "I'm sure him being a former Gryffindor helped."

Rose bumped his shoulder with hers. "Oi, we're not all that prejudiced."

The Doctor smiled softly down at her. "No, and thank Merlin for that."

Just then, a rustle began to echo through the portraits. There was a disturbance at the end of the hall, and a short, stout woman in chartreuse robes came bustling up through the paintings, panting. "Potter! Where is Potter?"

The Doctor frowned. "He's just down the hall—what is it? What's wrong?"

"They're back! Oh, god, they're back."

Rose stepped forward. "Who's back?"

She spoke, her voice squeaky with dread. "The Death Eaters! They're in the Great Hall!"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "We'll tell him. Tell as many faculty members as you can—and keep the students away."

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"You'll think of something!" He left and Rose hurried after him, jogging back down the hall towards Harry.

He looked away from the portrait as they approached and his expression shifted, his jaw tightening and his wand slipping out of its holster easily. "What's wrong?"

"Death Eaters in the castle—they're in the Great Hall."

Harry's shoulders tensed. "Right, you stay here."

The Doctor glared at him indignantly, following him as he hurried down the corridor. "Like that's going to happen!"

Harry spun and blocked the doorway. "Doctor, they're after you. Are you just going to rush in there, offering yourself on a silver platter?"

"You need some sort of back-up! Most of the teachers and Aurors are in Hogsmeade—do you really think you can handle them alone? You, who killed their leader?"

Harry's jaw tightened and he glanced down the hall at the heavy crash and shrill scream that echoed towards them. "Stay behind me at all times. If anyone else comes to back me up—anyone—you need to get out of there and get into hiding." He glanced at Rose. "You need to get him out of there if he won't listen to me."

She pulled out her wand, throwing a glance at the Doctor. "Don't worry, I will."

They forged forward, wands out and ready. The thuds and screams got louder as they went along, and Rose's stomach turned. The first and second years were still in the castle.

They edged up to the outside of the entrance to the Great Hall, and the Doctor paled. A very familiar voice rang out inside the room. "OI! What do you think you're doing? Step away from the kid, you bastard!"

He groaned. "Donna."

Then another voice spoke, and the Doctor's knees seemed to give out. Rose caught him as the other person—male, from the sound of it, and old—spoke. "Don't you touch my granddaughter."

Rose already knew who it was, but the Doctor's horrified gasp confirmed it. "Dad."

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