Harry was sitting on a swing at an empty park when he saw Dudley come up with his so-called gang, "Beat up another 10 year old?"

"This one deserved it!"

"Five against one, very brave."

'Well, you're the one to talk. Moaning in your sleep every night? At least I'm not afraid of my pillow. 'Don't kill Cedric.' Who's Cedric… your boyfriend?"

"Shut up," he said, getting annoyed.

"'He's going to kill, mum.' Where is your mum? Where is your mum, Potter? She dead? Is she dead?"

"You're about to be if you don't leave him alone!" a voice called out. The rest of his gang looked around and couldn't find the person who the voice belonged to.

"Who's there?" Dudley asked.

"A ghost!"

"There're no such things as ghosts!" he shouted.

"Really? Then how come you're talking to one?" His gang ran away, leaving Dudley. Harry was smiling, grinning happily. The voice had finally had made its appearance.

"Ella!" Harry called out.

"Hello, Harry," she said, smiling. "Glad to know that you're being safe. It's unfortunate that Dudley likes to bully people." Then the skies turned gray and all three of them felt cold as if all of the happiness had left.

"What's going on?" Dudley asked.

"I'm not doing anything," Harry said.

All three of them looked up and Ella was the only one who knew what this meant, "Run!" All three of them started running and ran into an alleyway. Harry and Ella looked both ways before continuing on, Dudley had his back against the wall as he saw a figure behind both Harry and Ella. They both turned around and saw it was a Dementor, it was gliding smoothly toward Harry, hovering over the ground, no feet or face visible beneath its robes, sucking on the night as it came.

"Dudley, run!" Harry said. It was the last thing he said before the Dementor started to do the kiss on him. Dudley started to run in the opposite direction of where Harry and Ella were but slipped and glided down the alley before another Dementor started its kiss on him.

"Expecto Patronum!" Ella called out as it hit the Dementor that was on Dudley. She heard Harry do the same thing on his. Both Dementors left once the light had hit them. Both Harry and Ella went towards Dudley and saw that he was out of it; they heard footsteps and saw that it was an elderly lady. They both were hiding their wands.

"Mrs. Figg?" Harry asked.

"Don't put away your wands, Harry, Ella," she said. "They might come back. Dementors in Little Whinging, whatever next? Whole world's gone topsy-turvy."

"Harry, we need to leave," Ella said. "Let's get him up." They both picked Dudley up and held onto him as they started walking towards the Dursleys.

"I don't understand. How do you know…?" Harry asked.

"Dumbledore asked me to keep an eye on you," she said.

"Dumbledore asked you? You know Dumbledore?"

"After You-Know-Who killed that poor Diggory boy last year, did you expect him to let you go wandering on your own? Good Lord, boy. They told me you were intelligent." They stood in front of the Dursleys house, "Now, get inside and stay there. Expect someone will be in touch soon."

"Look, you'll have to be on your own now," Ella said. "You'll hear from me soon, okay?" Harry nodded and went inside their house. Petunia had called out when she heard the front door open. She then called out to Vernon who was getting some ice cream from the fridge and asked Dudley who was at fault. He pointed to Harry and they had blamed Harry for what had happened to their only son. An owl had flown into their house through an open window and dropped a letter. The letter immediately opened itself up and addressed to Harry.

"Dear Mr. Potter, The Ministry has received intelligence that at 6:23 this evening, you performed the Patronus Charm in the presence of a Muggle. As a clear violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, you are hereby expelled from Hogwarts School and Wizardry. Hoping you are well, Mafalda Hopkirk."

They had decided to take them to the hospital once Harry had received a letter from the Ministry of Magic stating that he was expelled. He went to sleep that night, frustrated. He had woken up hearing his bedroom door being unlocked and voices to be heard. Once the door was opened, he had seen a group of people who had informed him that they were rescuing him. "Professor Moody, what are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you, of course."

They left the house after Harry had changed his clothes, "But where are we going? The letter said I've been expelled."

"You haven't been. Not yet. Kinsley, you take point," Moody said.

"But the letter said…"

"Dumbledore persuaded the Minister to suspend your expulsion, pending a formal hearing," Kinsley explained.

"A hearing?"

"Don't worry. We'll explain everything when we get back to headquarters," Tonks said.

"Not here, Nymphadora," Moody warned.

"Don't call me Nymphadora," she glared at him. Her hair changed from purple to red.

"Stay in formation, everyone. Don't break ranks if one of us is killed," he said.

Moody had tapped his cane two or three times, Harry couldn't remember and then a hidden Maisonette appeared. It seemed that the Muggles didn't notice what was happening. Harry stood in awe as it were happening. Moody had motioned for Harry to go in. When he started to walk down a hallway, he heard voices coming from behind the door at the end of the hallway. From what he could tell, the voices were going back and forth. "We must trust Dumbledore on this."

"Was he able to protect Harry last year? Well, tonight I say it's time to take action."

"Cornelius Fudge is a politician first and a wizard second."

"His instinct would be to ignore it…"

"Keep your voice down."

"He's getting stronger and stronger by the minute. We have to act now," Sirius said as the kitchen door had opened for the guard to go through and everyone ended the conversation as Molly had walked past everyone, closed the door, and approached him and giving him a hug "Harry."

"Mrs. Weasley," he said.

"Heaves, you're all right. Bit peaky, but I'm afraid dinner will wait until after the meeting's finished," she explained. Harry was waiting for an explanation, "Nope. No time to explain. Straight upstairs, first door on the left."

Fred and George had found a way for them to listen into the conversation that the Order was having. They were on the second floor landing, listening in. "If anyone's got a right to know, it's Harry. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't even know Voldemort was back! He's not a child, Molly!"

"He's not an adult either! He's not James, Sirius."

"He's not your son."

"He's as good as! Who else as he got?"

"He's got me!"

"How touchingly paternal, Black. Perhaps Potter will grow up to be a felon… just like his godfather."

"Now you stay out of this, Snivellus."

"He has me as well!" Harry was somewhat surprised to hear Ella's voice. "What would you have me do when he asks me about what's been happening?"

"Say nothing."

"How can I, Molly? I've made that Vow to Lily that I will not hold secrets from Harry and to protect him in the only way I know how. If I hold the secrets in, I will die. How do you think Harry will react if he knows I died because that's what you want, Molly?"

"I… I… He doesn't need to know these things!"

"Do you really think that Voldemort will wait until he comes of age, Molly? Because I guarantee you that he won't! If anything, he needs to know the truth now! He needs to be prepared in order to fight against Voldemort."

Some time later, Molly had called them down to dinner, "Well, we'll be eating down in the kitchen," she said and then screamed as Fred and George had appeared out of thin air behind her. "Just because you're allowed to use magic now does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything," she screamed at them, then turned to look at Harry, "You hungry, Harry?"

Arthur had showed up and stood next to Molly, "You sure you're all right, Harry? Gave us quite a turn, Harry." He nodded.

"Harry Potter," a voice said. Arthur and Molly separated showing Sirius behind them and Lupin behind him.

"Sirius!" he was thrilled to see his godfather there and they hugged each other. He looked around and walked into the kitchen and saw Ella sitting, looking very tired. "Ella," he said as he walked up to her and sat on a chair next to her.

"Harry, I'm glad you're here," she said.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine… just a bit tired. It seems that age is catching up on me," she said, smiling. He looked at her for the first time and noticed that she looked older than when he first met her.

They all sat down by the dining table before Arthur spoke up, "This is very, very peculiar. It seems as if your hearing is to be in front of the entire Wizengamot."

"What?" Ella asked.

"Harry is being called to a Hearing," he explained.

"Why is Harry going to a Hearing in front of the entire Wizengamot?" Molly asked.

"Because of the Dementors that had appeared in Little Whinging," Kingsley explained. "The Ministry of Magic sent a letter to Harry stating that he was expelled for doing underage magic in front of a Muggle."

"I was there, Arthur," Ella said. "They can't do that to him. I did a Patronus Charm as well as Harry."

"You were?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, I was," Ella said. "I'll go to the Hearing as a witness. Call Mrs. Figg as well because she was there." Harry nodded to Arthur when he looked in his direction questioningly.

"Show him. He'll find out soon enough," Moody said. Kingsley handed him a newspaper. Harry read it and looked at Sirius.

"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well. Fudge is using all his power, including his influence at the Daily Prophet, to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."

"Why?"

"The Minister thinks Dumbledore's after his job," Lupin answered.

"But that's insane! No one in their right mind could believe that Dumbledore..."

"Exactly the point. Fudge isn't in his right mind. It's been twisted and warped by fear. Now fear makes people do terrible things, Harry. The last time Voldemort gained power he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear. Now he's returned, and I'm afraid the Minister will do almost anything to avoid facing that terrifying truth," Ella said.

"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again. Fourteen years ago he had huge numbers at his command, not just witches and wizards but all manner of dark creatures. He has been recruiting heavily and we have been attempting to do the same. But gathering followers isn't all he's interested in. We believe Voldemort may be after something..."

"Sirius!" Moody warned.

"Something he didn't have last time," Sirius said after a moment's time of debate.

"You mean, like a weapon?"

"No! That's enough! He's just a boy, you say much more and you might as well induct him into the Order straight away," Molly intervened.

"Molly!"

"Good! I want to join! If Voldemort's raising an army then I want to fight!"

"Then it's settled," Ella simply said. Sirius agreed. They had eaten dinner after the discussion. No one really now knowing what to do or what to say. Some time later, they all had gone off to where they were planning to sleep. Harry was anxious enough because of the hearing. He couldn't wait for it to be over. The next day, Arthur had led Harry to where the hearing was going to be held.

They stopped in front of the door where the hearing was going to take place and he said, "Remember, during the hearing, speak only when you're spoken to. Keep calm. You've done nothing wrong. I'm not allowed in, I'm afraid. Good luck, Harry." Harry acknowledged his comments and then walked in. He sat down where the Minister had told him to sit. He called the hearing to order, "Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August into the offenses committed by Harry James Potter, resident at number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogaters: Cornelius Oswald Fudge. Minister of Magi…"

"Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric... Brian... Dumbledore," Dumbledore said as he walked into the courtroom.

"You got our message that the time and place of the hearing have been changed, did you?"

"I must have missed it. But by a happy mistake, I arrived at the Ministry three hours early," he replied. Fudge said nothing. "Charges?"

"The Charges against the accused are as follows: that he did knowingly, and in the full awareness of the illegality of his actions, produce a Patronus Charm in the presence of a Muggle. Do you deny producing the said Patronus?"

"No," he replied.

"And you were aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside school while under the age of 17?"

"Yes, I was but…"

"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot…"

"I was only doing it because of the Dementors," Harry said interrupting.

"Dementors?"

"In Little Whinging?" a woman asked.

"That's quite clever. Muggles can't see Dementors, can they, boy? Highly convenient."

"I'm not lying. There were two of them, and if I hadn't…" he said.

"Enough," Fudge said. "I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story but since you can produce no witness of the event…"

"Pardon me, Minister but as it happens, we can," Dumbledore said. He went to the door and led Ella in the courtroom. Harry looked behind him and remembered that she was there. He had seen that she was relying on Dumbledore to help her walk. "Harry, go sit there," he motioned. Harry got up from his seat and moved. Dumbledore helped Ella sit down.

"For the purpose of this hearing, state your name," Fudge said.

"Ella Jade Cullen," she replied. "Assistant to Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Please explain what you saw," another wizard asked.

"I had seen Harry Potter and his cousin, Dudley Dursley running towards to an alleyway when the weather had turned from intense heat to ice cold in a second. There were two Dementors. One at each end of the alleyway. It was as if all the happiness had disappeared. Harry and I had called the Patronus Charm against the Dementors," she explained.

"So you don't deny that Harry had done the Patronus Charm?" Fudge asked.

"No, I do not. He had every right to do so; however he only did it to call off the Dementor that was on him. I did the Patronus Charm on the Dementor that was on the Muggle," she replied.

"Is there any other witness?" Fudge asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied. He helped Ella up from the chair and helped her go to the seat next to Harry. He went to door and led another witness into the room. Fudge did the same thing to her.

A witch asked, "Please describe the attack. What did they look like?"

"Well, one of them was very large and the other, rather skinny," she replied.

"Not the boys. The Dementors," Fudge said.

"Oh, right, right. Well, big. Cloaked. Then everything went cold as though all the happiness had gone from the world," she replied.

"Now, look here. Dementors don't just wander into a Muggle suburb and happen across a wizard and a witch. The odds are astronomical."

"I don't think anyone would believe the Dementors were there by coincidence, Minister," Dumbledore said.

"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, professor. Dementors are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic. And it's so silly of me, but it sounded for a moment as though you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on this boy and the woman," another woman said.

"That would be disturbing indeed, Madam Undersecretary, which is why I'm sure the Ministry will be mounting a full-scale inquiry into why the two Dementors were so very far from Azkaban and why they mounted an attack without authorization. Of course, there is someone who might be behind the attack," said Dumbledore. "Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. The evidence that the Dark Lord has returned is incontrovertible."

"He is not back!"

"He is!" Ella shouted.

"And what does a vampire know of this?" Fudge asked. "And how dare you talk out of turn! Do that once more and I will guarantee you that will be fired!"

"I quit! I no longer wish to work in an environment where the Ministry of Magic will not acknowledge that a certain someone has returned," Ella replied hotly.

"Those in favor of conviction?" a woman asked, deciding to interrupt. A few had raised their hands. "Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" Majority had raised their hands.

"Cleared of all charges," Fudge said and signaled that the hearing was over. Dumbledore had walked out as Harry called out to him.

"Harry, help an old lady out, will you?" Ella asked.

Harry looked beside him and helped her stand up, "Is something wrong with Professor Dumbledore?"

"He's been busy, Harry, but what's he doing? I do not know. He doesn't tell me anything and I was his assistant," Ella said.

"Why did you up and quit like that for?" Harry asked as they walked out of the courtroom.

"I hadn't intended to do it that way, Harry, but I had to leave my position anyway. Carlisle and my family have been trying to work on an antidote to help me. I hope that Sirius has been able to explain that to you?" Harry nodded, as they approached Arthur.

"Well, what news?" he asked.

"Cleared of all charges, Arthur," Ella said.

"That's good news, Harry, isn't it?" he asked happily. Harry simply nodded. They had walked towards where they had come from. Edward met them halfway to help Ella go home. When they did, they had celebrated the fact that Harry was cleared of all charges. Edward had helped Ella to their bedroom. The hearing had worn her out.

"Mr. Weasley, will Ella be okay?" Harry was genuinely concerned about her. Next to Sirius and Lupin, she was one of the three connections that he had to his parents.

"I believe so, Harry, especially since Edward is doing his best to help her. Blood is sustaining her vampire abilities but I'm afraid that isn't enough," he explained.

"What does she do with blood?" Ron asked.

"She drinks it, Ron," Hermione replied. "She's half-vampire. Vampires drink blood." Ron was surprised. "Why does that surprise you now and not before? She's mentioned it several times already. I mean her whole coven is vampires. Hasn't she mentioned this to you for the past 4 years? It's our fifth year already, Ron."