Harry led Alexandra to the Whomping Willow and touched one of its knots with his wand, and a narrow passage appeared.
"This path leads to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade," Harry explained. "It's where all the students were evacuated."
He led her down the path up into a rickety-looking room where she could hear numerous voices. Alexandra followed Harry up a flight of wooden stairs into a room packed with students.
Everyone was there. She saw all the Weasley cousins, Alanna, Grace, Tiffany; everybody. Harry hadn't neglected to save them…
"Alexandra!"
Before Alexandra could react, Alanna ran over and threw her arms around her. "What happened to you? Where'd you go? We thought you were stuck in the castle! Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine," Alexandra said slowly, looking around.
"Alexandra," Harry said softly. "Me or one of the other Aurors will bring you to your father as soon as we can. Until then just sit tight here."
Her father…she was still so confused. Everyone was acting like Dudley still alive, but…but was he? Who was lying here? Claridina, her mother, or Harry and the Aurors?
…
Harry left Alexandra with Alanna and headed back over to his own sons and Ron, Hermione and Rose.
"You found her then?" Hermione asked, looking over at Alexandra. "Thank goodness."
"She got separated from the others," Harry explained.
"Dad, did you catch Claridina?" James asked, looking up at his father. "I bet you did. Was it hard? Did she fight dirty? Did she-"
"James," Harry said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "I couldn't catch her."
James blinked. "Oh…but that was only because of the fire, right? If it was on fair grounds you would've gotten her, wouldn't you?"
"I don't know," Harry said heavily.
"You'll get her next time," Albus said.
Harry smiled for the first time in what felt like ages.
"Harry," a young Auror named Phil Venkrin said nervously, coming up from behind. "I-I was told to come and give you some information."
Harry nodded and stepped far enough away from his children so they could not eavesdrop. "What is it?"
"Professor McGonagall has told us that parents are now beginning to arrive at the school's gate for their children," Phil said.
"That's no surprise," Harry said. "I don't suppose there's too much we can do to stop them. It's probably for the best that the students leave the grounds now anyway."
"Yes, perhaps…" Phil said. "There's-there's one other thing. Your home…I-I'm not sure what happened, but it's been…well, it's been destroyed."
Harry's eyes widened. "What? Was anybody hurt? Who-"
"I don't know, it was only just found out," Phil said quickly. "They sent me down here to tell you right away. Somebody's been sending up red sparks from the location. The red sparks that only Aurors know how to make."
"Teddy…" Harry muttered. Without hesitation, Harry turned on his feet and ran back to Ron and Hermione. Ron was just finishing mending Hermione's arm.
"I need to talk to you both," he whispered.
"Where are you going?" James asked.
"We need to go back up to help out with a few more things," Harry lied smoothly. "You're going to stay down here."
"Can't I come up?" James pleaded. "I want to see."
"No," Harry said firmly. "James Sirius Potter you stay down here and do not leave. I'll be back to take you and Al home just as soon as I can."
"Same for you, Rose," Hermione said to her daughter. "Stay with your cousins."
"What's going on?" Ron asked as Harry rushed out of the room.
"My house was hit," Harry said. "Teddy was there with everybody."
"Bloody hell," Ron said, and he quickened his pace.
Without stopping to talk with anybody, the trio apperated into Godric's Hallow.
When Harry arrived at the scene he felt his stomach clench up right away.
His house was blown apart. The front wall was completely fallen, the roof was gone and all the windows were destroyed. But Harry didn't care about that in the least. He drew his wand and with Ron and Hermione at his feet, he entered what was left of the house.
"You don't think they would've taken all of them," Ron said after about five minutes of silence.
"I don't know what they would do, quite honestly," Harry said.
Suddenly, he heard what sounded like footsteps coming from below him.
"The basement," he muttered, and ran over to the staircase that led there.
Praying for the best, he lit his wand. He could feel Hermione shaking behind him and he knew Ron was nervous for what they would find as well.
He had only taken a few steps, though, when he found himself with a wand pointed at his face.
"Teddy," Harry said, seeing the green-haired boy. "Are you-"
"What was the first Christmas present I ever got for you with my own money," Teddy said firmly, not lowering his wand.
"A set of green earmuffs," Harry said.
Teddy lowered his wand. "Sorry. I had to make sure…Harry, I'm so sorry. I put up the protections like you said, but somehow-"
"Teddy, it's not your fault," Harry said. "Is everyone okay?"
"They're all down there," he nodded. "There worried about you all."
Harry, Ron and Hermione sped down the rest of the stairs to see the entire family looking very scared but unhurt. Ron and Hermione ran to Hugo, who was sitting with Ginny and Lily.
"Daddy!" Lily exclaimed, jumping off her mother's lap and running straight into her father's arms.
"You okay, sweetheart?" Harry asked, hugging her tightly.
"Yes. Teddy protected us all."
"He did, Harry," Ginny said, wrapping her arms around her husband and daughter. "Those gits over there," she nodded to the still bodies of Claridina's followers laying in a heap in the corner. "Had me wandless and the children cornered. Teddy disarmed them all and knocked them all out in one spell."
Harry looked up at his godson, who was standing a few feet away, watching the scene. He felt a fatherly sense of pride.
"Harry," Bill said, walking up behind him with Fleur. "Sorry to interrupt, but Hogwarts…the students…"
"They're all safe," Harry told him. "You need to go get your kids though. They all had to evacuate the castle."
Bill nodded, and without a word him and Fleur, George and Angelina and Percy and his wife made their way up the stairs and out of the basement.
"They had to evacuate the school?" Ginny repeated. "What happened? Are the boys okay?"
"They're okay, Gin," Harry nodded. He handed Lily over to her mother. "I'm going to get them now."
"Perhaps we should all head over to the Burrow," Molly suggested, letting go of Ron and Hermione, both of whom she had been frantically looking over to make sure they were okay. She moved over to Harry. "A nice hot dinner; well, I know it won't make everything better, but I think it would help everybody."
"You're right," Harry said. "I'll be over there just as soon as I can."
"Be careful," Ginny said, kissing Harry quickly.
"I'll bring back Rose," Ron said to Hermione. "Have mum look at your side. I don't think I did a very good job mending it."
Hermione nodded, still holding on tightly to Hugo's hand.
"Ron," Harry said as the men left the basement where the party was now apperating over to The Burrow. "Could you bring James and Albus back for me?"
"Sure," Ron said. "But why? Where are you going?"
"There's someone I need to see first," Harry said.