Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.

The Brotherhood

A/N - I've had this chapter in my mind for a while now, it was just the matter of writing it down, and I finally found the time to do that today. However, next week I have finals (ugh, kill me now, please!) and I won't have time to write during them, with the addition of the novel writing contest I'm doing over the summer. I'll try to update, but there aren't any promises for the next two weeks, and possibly even after that. I tried to make this chapter not end in such a horrible place so that you can go on for a couple weeks without dying to see what happens next, though.

~~~ Chapter Twenty-Nine ~~~

Harry crept silently through the dark mansion, peering down every hallway cautiously as he passed it. There was no way he could possibly be spotted. At day, he was the loyal subject. He followed Voldemort's orders and acted the part of his heir. At night, though, he was back to himself. The Harry Potter Ginny, Sirius, Remus, and Dora knew.

In Harry's hand was a letter, which, Harry knew, was two weeks late, but he hadn't had another choice. There was only one owl in Voldemort's Lair, and that owl belonged to Voldemort himself, and was only used by The Dark Lord. Harry had only discovered it two days before when he had visited Voldemort's private quarters for the first time.

Easing the door open, Harry looked into the darkened room. There was no sign of Voldemort, which was good. Harry was able to complete his task.

Creeping across the room, Harry went to the perch of the completely black owl which Voldemort owned.

The owl opened its eyes and peered at Harry imperiously as Harry came to stand before it. "Can you deliver something for me?" Harry asked.

The owl hooted softly and Harry took this as a 'yes'.

As Harry held up the envelope, the owl held out its leg and allowed him to tie it on.

"Take this to Ginny Weasley. Hopefully, she is at the Burrow, or maybe Remus' house," Harry informed the owl.

The owl let out a dull hoot and lifted into the air. It swooped around Harry's head once, then flew out the open window.

Harry glanced around the room once more, cautiously, then left the room in silence. Hopefully, nobody would be able to tell he was there.

~~~TB~~~

Ginny sat at the table with her head lying against the cool wood. Beside her was Dora, and across from them sat Remus and Sirius. All of them in a silence that filled the room more often than not when Ginny visited the three adults these days. They usually discussed ways to possibly get Harry out of Voldemort's grasp, but the discussions were repetitive and usually died away because of their uselessness.

A tap on the window broke the silence and all four looked up to see an owl on the windowsill, peering in at them.

"Probably mum, wondering why I'm not home yet," Ginny murmured, glancing at the clock. It was past midnight.

Remus stood and opened the window, allowing the owl to swoop into the room and settle by Ginny, who took the letter from its leg.

"This doesn't look like your mother's owl, Ginny," Dora commented, studying the black owl.

Ginny nodded, as she scanned the letter. "I know. It's from Harry," she murmured.

Sirius sat up straight. "What does he say?" he asked.

"Not much," Ginny replied.

The owl, seeing it wasn't needed, hooted once then left through the still open window. A cold wind blew through the window and Remus shut it, but his eyes were still on the letter Ginny held in her hand.

Ginny pulled a blank piece of parchment out from behind Harry's letter. "He says that to contact him, I should write on this parchment, and he'll be able to see it and respond," she told them.

Remus instantly procured a quill and a bottle of ink.

Ginny dipped the end of the quill in the ink but hesitated from writing anything on the parchment. She glanced up to see Sirius, Remus, and Dora all watching her.

"Do it," demanded Sirius, impatiently.

Ginny drew in a sharp breath. This reminded her a little too much of her first year at Hogwarts, and the diary she had written in. Still, she trusted Harry not to send her something that would absorb her soul, so she slowly wrote, Harry? on the parchment.

The word didn't fade into the piece of parchment, as she had expected. Instead, it stayed there, as it would with any other parchment.

They all stared at the parchment, waiting for some response, but none came for a long time. Just as they were about to give up, a word formed on the parchment in green ink.

Ginny.

Ginny let out a breath that she had been holding. It worked! Sirius let out a brief cheer.

Ginny quickly wrote back.

Harry! It works!

Harry was quick to reply this time. Of course it works, Ginny. I charmed it myself.

Ginny was so happy she laughed. She could communicate with Harry again! After six long weeks without contact, she was able to talk to him again.

"Ask him if he's okay," Sirius requested.

Ginny nodded. "Of course, but first I should let him know that you guys know," she replied.

Ginny wrote, Harry, I was really worried. I kind of told Sirius, Remus, and Dora about your plan.

There wasn't a reply for a while. Ginny hoped that she hadn't upset Harry enough to not reply. Much to her relief, a reply was returned.

I forgive you for that. It's my own fault, after all. Are they there with you?

"Yes," Sirius said, directing Ginny to write it in his excitement.

Ginny obliged.

Harry's reply came fast. Good. Let them know I miss them, and you as well. I have to go though. Training starts in a few hours and Voldemort will want to know why I am so tired if I don't get sleep.

Dora and Sirius exchanged a glance. They were aware that Voldemort was training Harry personally, but the fact that Harry spoke, or wrote, about him so casually made it seem as if they were much closer than just mentor and student.

Ginny scratched out a reply. When can I write to you again?

Evenings. I have training in the morning, and I'm usually busy with research in the afternoons.

Ginny glanced up at the other three. "Research?" repeated Dora curiously.

Research? Ginny repeated the question.

There was a pause before Harry's reply came. Yes. Voldemort has a large library on hand, with plenty of information that is useful. I really must go now, though. Goodnight.

Goodnight, Harry.

A/N - There you go; Harry and Ginny are back in contact again; Remus, Sirius, and Dora aren't in the dark about the plan; Harry is progressing with his crazy idea; and the story is slowly gaining a plot again, kind of. See, good ending point for a few weeks, right?