When Malfoy came to, a silver stag was standing in the middle of the room.

"Don't move. We're on our way."

It vanished, leaving the room oddly dark, just as ones eyes have to adjust when one walks from a very bright room into an average one. He sat up, holding his head. He felt a light hand touch his shoulder.

"Stay. Dad's coming. I think he's bringing chocolate."

Scorpius nodded, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands as he sat cross-legged on the floor.

Everyone else stood in a half circle around him, looking at him, at the floor, at each other, or at the spot where the stag stood just moments ago. The sound of shouts grew louder, and as it did, the voices began to grow familiar. Harry and Ron appeared in the doorway, dashing into the room. Ron ran to Hugo while Harry picked up Evangeline, who was rather dizzy but otherwise unharmed, remarkable considering the fragile nature one's body takes on when one reaches her age.

Ron started pulling chocolate frogs out of his robes and handing them around.

"All right, have a frog, is everyone okay? Here you go, chocolate helps..." When he got to the boy sitting in the middle of the circle, he looked down and sneered, his expression matching his son's.

"What's the matter Malfoy, your friends turn on you?"

Goyle and Parkinson, who had taken to hiding behind the counter, looked over at Malfoy and shook their heads, but their fear of Ron and Harry kept them standing there.

"So what did you do, conjure some Dementors to take out my kids? A little revenge for your dad? I'm sure he'll be so proud of - "

"Ronald!" Harry had taken one look at the boy sitting on the ground, his face wet, his back to everyone but Harry, and he had felt a sort of empathy that Ron would not understand.

"He didn't summon the God damned Dementors, Ron. He can't. They came here on their own and they attacked him just like everyone else. Leave him alone."

Ron look slightly embarrassed, shrugging. He walked back over to where Evangeline was still looking around dazedly, offering her a chocolate frog as Harry stepped over to Malfoy, who was wiping his face before he took Harry's outstretched hand and stood up. Harry leaned into him and mumbled something to him.

"It's okay. They did the same thing to me. I'm sure you know how to get a hold of me if you want to talk about it."

Scorpius' nod was imperceptible.

Harry looked over to where Lily was standing, her hand over her mouth. He looked between the look in her eyes and her hand over her mouth and the Malfoy boy still shaking, barely standing, and he knew.


Harry, Ginny, Albus, Lily, Ron, Hermione, and Hugo were sitting at a table at the three broomsticks having butterbeers. Lysander had opted to escort Abigail back to Hogwarts. Ginny had sent a Patronus to Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonagall regarding the issue and Madame Rosmerta had prepared the fireplace to receive them both. Between the three children most of what had happened was explained, and re-explained once McGonagall and Shacklebolt showed up.

"What I would like to know," McGonagall was saying, "Is how the Dementors got here. I was sure that they were banished from the Wizarding public."

"Right," Hermione said hotly, "Let's just let the defenseless Muggles deal with Dementors because we're too lazy to deal with them ourselves, even though we're the ones with the capabilities - "

"Now is not the time, Mrs. Weasley," Shacklebolt cut her off. "We need to figure out what kind of security measures we need to keep the student safe. At present, I do not believe that we need to keep the students confined to the school grounds, but all the same I think that you should have teachers keep Patronuses on patrol. We need... insiders... here to cast Patronuses. We can count on the goat and the terrier, correct?"

Harry nodded. "That should be enough."

"Dad?" Albus finally asked, concerned. "Is this a part of the... you know, the thing?"

Harry looked at his son.

"I honestly don't know."

Albus nodded, gulping.

"Well this'll be interesting," Hugo said comically. Everyone laughed quietly.

"I will inform Rosmerta and all important people of the new procedures," Shacklebolt said, standing up.

"We'll be going back to school," Lily added. "Mom, Dad, you need to get home and figure out what's going on."


At lunch the next day, Lily got a letter from Professor Longbottom requesting she see him in his office that afternoon. She obliged, and walking in, he smiled and motioned to the chair across his desk. She sat down nervously, fidgeting.

"You're not in trouble," he said, smiling.

"You would think, that with my father being who he is, I would be accustomed to speaking to professors with such frequency." Neville laughed.

"Well, about that. I'm sure that by now you've heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Only that about forty people can fit into my family's house." They smiled.

"Well between Shacklebolt and your parents and Minerva and I, we think it's best that we all keep an eye on things between the Order and the Army."

"So the Order knows?"

"Yes, and if need be - though things have drastically changed since Umbridge's days - I will be the professor sponsoring the club."

"I've heard of her. Mum says she looked like a toad."

"Something like that."

"But I don't think we'll need a sponsor, will we?"

"Not at present," Neville explained, "But with whatever is coming on the way, we all think that it's best that the Order knows precisely what the Army knows and is willing to send in some Aurors for supplementary lessons. Not just for the Army, of course, but obviously you would get some extra practice at your meetings than regular students."

"You know, I think that it would work." Lily was nodding. "Dad could come and teach some lessons on dueling, technical stuff, you know, and then do some stuff with defensive spells, and then during D.A. meetings we can cover the more advanced hexes and stuff."

"I think that would be a good idea."

"Professor Longbottom? What exactly do we know about this war?"

He sighed deeply, shaking his head.

"Not much. The only reason we know it's coming this way is because of Charlie Weasley. In all honesty, though, Harry suspects that it might be a front. He thinks that he was always the target, and that the war in the East was made as a distraction to pacify us into thinking we were safe. We know that whomever is coming is powerful, we know that they are dark, and we know that we need to prepare for war without alarming the entire country into a hysterical panic."

"Right."

"So what we need to do is train people in the art of combat, and defense, without - "

" - without them knowing what it is they might be preparing for."

"Basically," Neville said. "So we need the Order to know what the D.A. is doing, what you're learning."

"Right. We'll have to keep you updated then."

"That would be best. But... do be careful. Your father would kill me if you guys hurt each other on my watch." Lily smiled.

"I don't think that will happen, but we'll be extra careful."

They spoke for a few more minutes on the details of keeping the Order and the D.A. synchronized before Lily took her leave, contemplating everything on her way back to the Griffindor common room.