A/N: Here's the next chapter, fress off the press.
Quietly the group entered the building, Remus opening the door with his wand. Motioning them for silence, they crept past the curtain-shrouded painting of Walberga Black, Sirius's mother. At one point Tonks froze, before making a very obvious and careful step to the side, moving around the troll leg umbrella stand that had dogged her in the past. As they filed in Daniels eyes were jumping from one feature to the next, searching and memorising points of cover. Those who hadn't been in the House of Black before were also looking around, their expressions mirroring the distaste they were feeling within at the dark gothic décor. Even Tracy felt that it was too heavy, too dark. The decrepit state certainly didn't help much. They were almost given away when Susan made out the House Elf heads that were mounted on the one wall. Only Daphne's hand clapping over her mouth cut off the yelp of shock and horror.
Once past the painting they filed into the sitting room, closing the door behind them with relief. It was only then that the younger ones realised that there was someone already in there. Remus had smelt him as soon as he had entered the building, while both Tonks and Daniel had swept the room as they had entered. It was easy to see who it was. The long robes – and even longer silver hair – were unique to this man.
"Headmaster." Harry addressed him without a trace of warmth.
Slowly the aged headmaster turned around from his contemplation of the mantelpiece. As his eyes ran over the group they were all struck at how old the headmaster looked. He looked worn and defeated, as if all the strength had been sapped out of him of late.
"Harry." He replied simply. A small frown marred his brow. "I was not expecting you to bring such an entourage…"
"We stick together Headmaster." Harry answered him, linking an arm with Hermione. "There are no secrets within our family." His words set a warm glow within the young witches with him.
Remus meanwhile was sniffing the air, a puzzled look on his face. "Where are the others?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Not here yet. I set the Order meeting to start in another half hour." His eyes lowered. "I was… unsure, if you would allow us to continue meeting here."
After a few moments Harry replied. "Headmaster… I am willing to allow the Order to continue to meet here, for the current crisis." Dumbledore's expression began to brighten. "However… I do have a number of conditions."
The aging wizard nodded slowly, his expression turning stony. "Very well."
"First… while may meet here, this is not a rent-free hotel. They all have homes of their own to sleep in. Secondly, and more importantly, Molly Weasley is not the owner of this place. She tries to boss any of us around, and she's barred!" Harry growled. Holding out his free hand, he glanced at Tracy. After a nervous nod she stepped forward to slide her own hand into his. "Tracy here is my betrothed for the House of Black. Grimmuald Place will be her house one day. She has the final word on what goes on in here. And lastly, we are all allowed to sit in on the Order meetings. According to that prophecy, I am the only one who can end Voldemort permanently. Anything even remotely linked to him, and the fight against him, is of concern to me." Harry looked intently at Dumbledore. "Do we have an understanding?"
A glum nod was his response. "Yes Harry, we do. I must confess that I find your lack of faith… disappointing."
"Faith in you, you mean?" Daniel Granger spoke up, stepping forwards. Dumbledore found himself looking up at the taller, broader muggle… and only just managed to repress the urge to shiver. There was a cold, predatory intensity to the well-built man's gaze.
"Faith in general… Alas, I find I am unable to recall your name…"
"That's likely because we've not met before. Captain Daniel Granger, retired. You, however, I have heard much about… and frankly, I'm worried. If you're held up as an example in your world… then I pity the youth."
Dumbledore frowned for a moment, before the light of understanding appeared in his eyes. "Ah, I see. You must be that muggle relative of Miss Grangers that killed several Death Eaters." He shook his head slowly. "Regrettable…"
"I only regret not getting all of them." Daniel cut him off. "And not being awake to take them out before they harmed my brother."
Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock. "How can you be so callous? We can't just go around killing indiscriminately…"
"Wrong, Headmaster." Daniel took another step forwards, invading the older man's personal space. "I kill hostiles, carefully, cleanly. I take out threats to non-combatants… those who do kill indiscriminately. Or would it have been better for me to simply let them kill my brother and his wife, leave my niece an orphan?"
Dumbledore saw how he was backed into a corner, and so backed down. "I guess, if there was no other alternative, then direct action was the only choice you had. Surely though…" He lifted his gaze again. "…There were other ways to stop them, rather that just killing them?"
Daniel snarled in reply. "Mister, people like that don't deserve mercy. They came to our home intending to torture, rape and kill. And they would have done so without hesitation. You don't leave a foe able to recover and attack again. If they had not died, then another night they would done the same again to another family… one without someone like me there to stop them." His eyes bored into the older man. "Your idealism is misplaced old man. It's going to get you killed someday. I only hope you don't take any of the children in your care with you when you go to hell."
Dumbledore's eyes flashed with anger as he straightened, though he was still a few inches shorter than the former soldier. "That was uncalled for…"
"No! You listen, and listen carefully old fool!" Daniel cut him off, one hand uncoiling to jab Dumbledore in the chest. "The students at that school of yours should be your first and only priority. Their safety and welfare paramount. Yet from what I've seen and heard, you treat the whole school like it's your personal playground, a test rig for your social experiments.
"You placed an incredibly valuable artefact in a hidden room… guarded by a giant dog that could have killed everyone in the castle! The only thing between it and a curious child was a locked door, which even someone with barely a month's tuition was able to open! You made the oldest, stupidest mistake in the book: Tell a bunch of kids not to go somewhere, and most of them will, just to find out why they shouldn't! And then, you have the one who you were supposedly protecting the artefact from as a teacher!
"No answer? Well what about that Basilisk? You were around the first time it was released onto the student population. Didn't a young girl die back then? That was fifty years ago… surely in such a time you could have made sure that it would never happen again! But oh no, it's released once more, turning students to stone. And you did nothing! It's only pure luck that Harry's still with us today. He took on, and defeated, a monster I would not want to face, ever!
"Third year… why the hell did you not prevent those… those things from being stationed around the school? Demons that guard your prison do not belong anywhere near a school of children! You're fortunate that none of them died! As it was, Harry and my niece almost did! They had to break the laws of time to save themselves! And once more, you… did… nothing!" Each word was punctuated with another jab.
"Not content with allowing every single child in your care to be endangered, you then bring back a tournament that has killed competitors in the past! Then, when clearly something is going wrong, you didn't do any thing to get Harry out of it! Never mind that he would be going up against students with three more years of schooling that him, the only staff help he gets is from the very person who put his name into the damn thing in the first place! A man who's acting skills fool you into thinking he's one of your oldest friends!" Dumbledore winced at that. He still felt ashamed at how easily Barty Junior had fooled him. But Daniel was on a roll, and pressed on. "Why the hell didn't you water down the tasks to take into account his age, hell, the ages of the others! Facing a full grown, nesting dragon? Would you normally send school kids out to do that in the wild?
"Then… you had the audacity to have my niece chained to the bottom of a lake, to act as a hostage for someone she barely knows! You had no monitoring of them at all! Anything could have happened to her down there! And you would not have known!
"Finally, it happens. A student dies. Right in front of Harry. Just before he sees the one who murdered his father and tried to do the same to himself and his mother reborn. He suffers torture and injury, but manages to not only escape but also bring back his fellow students body back. What do you do? You pack him off to his relatives… relatives who beat him, starve him, and heap abuse on him. Not a word from you for over a month. Such events are traumatic. Harry needed his friends and concerned adults around him to come to grips with what he'd seen. I know several hardened soldiers who'd crack if they went through what Harry did. Yet you do nothing more than pat him on the head before exiling him.
"And then last year… you allow that, that filth to walk all over you, torture the students again… and inflict even more torture on Harry by allowing a professor, who clearly hates him, to mind-rape him every week! What the hell were you thinking? Have you lost all common sense and compassion? Do you even understand people anymore?"
Daniel slowly straightened, glaring down at the now slumped Headmaster. "If it was up to me Hermione would never set foot in that castle again, not while you run the place. Sadly, it's more complicated then that. Nath' and Em' would have her out in a heartbeat, but only two things are staying their hand… for now. The lack of a decent alternative school, and her relationship with Harry." His eyes narrowed. "I wonder if the first is something else that you can be blamed for mister."
Dumbledore bristled for a moment, then looked again at the other man. Daniel Granger was unlike any wizard he'd dealt with in the past. This man was tall, broad shouldered and clearly in peak physical condition. Dumbledore was more than willing to believe that this ex-soldier could break his arm before he could get a spell off. There was also an air about him. Challenging this man would be… unwise.
Instead he sighed in resignation. "Alas, I am but the Headmaster of Hogwarts, not the Head of the Department of Education. While I many lead the Wizengamot, I have no real power to enforce change…"
"Oh, on that note you are wrong Albus." Lily spoke softly but intently. "As you said, you are the Headmaster of Hogwarts. The students who pass through its hallowed halls are the future leaders, both in politics and business, of the magical world. You have the power to show them how to behave once they leave: with honour, integrity, and compassion. Yet, from what I've seen, both from my time there and during Harry's, you've done more to deepen the rifts between the houses, not heal them. You allowed the bigotry to fester, and now our world is feeling the fruits of that. Those young boys like Malfoy; they believe themselves superior to others, and when they are not punished for inflicting their views on others, or for degrading those they look down on, come to believe that they have the right to act like that all the time. And once they leave the school, they will continue to act as they have, inflicting pain and suffering on others, because they believe that they are untouchable. Those in power share that belief, and so, like a self-fulfilling prophecy, those young men are untouchable."
Dumbledore shifted, highly uncomfortable as Lily's remarks were hitting far too close to his goals and methods of late for comfort. From the narrowed look of her eyes, it was clear that she clearly suspected what he'd been doing. It was a look mirrored by the other young women.
Before another word could be spoken however the sound of the front door being opened drifted down the hall.
"Ah, I see the others are arriving." Dumbledore latched onto the interruption like a lifeline. "Shall we adjourn to the sitting room?"
Harry scowled, but nodded. "We will be finishing this conversation later Headmaster."
Dumbledore nodded slowly, knowing that he was not going to like that session any more than he had this one.
Quickly the various members of the Order entered the sitting room, and nearly each and every one of them stopped and stared at the group that were sat to one side. Eyes jumped between Harry and Lily in the main, though the others all got a glance. Daniel, standing just behind Hermione, was not impressed with what he was seeing. 'None of these people are even remotely hardened to combat… with the exception of him.' His eyes were on the heavily scarred Moody, who was looking back at him… with both eyes. The electric blue false eye ran down his body, before pausing at his waist. Daniel knew he'd just seen the combat knife that he was carrying. The teens had warned him that the retired Auror's replacement eye could see through things, such as clothing. When the eye came back up to meet his Daniel nodded, very slowly. Moody returned the gesture, the corner of his mouth twitching. In that instant an understanding passed between the two veterans.
As the Order filed in, Susan's eyes were drawn to the one figure. The man came shuffling in with a large sack over one shoulder, and was dressed worse than Mr Lupin had done in the past. She noticed how the others gave him a wide berth, noses wrinkling. Yet his motions were almost… furtive. He moved the sack with great care…
Then the first of the encounters the group were dreading came. Molly Weasley stomped with, her husband trailing behind her. He nearly walked into her when she stopped dead, her eyes fixed on Harry and the others.
"Harry, what are you doing here? This does not concern you dear. Why don't you head upstairs and join Ron and Ginny?"
Harry looked back at her with narrowed eyes. "Mrs Weasley… I'm afraid you are mistaken. This meeting is my concern."
"Nonsense. This is a serious meeting for adults." She started off even as behind her Bill and Arthur groaned. Bill even covered his face with one hand as his mother droned on oblivious to their actions. "You're far to young to be worrying about adult topics. Why don't you go see how Ginny's doing? Hermione, you too. I'm sure Ron would love some help with his homework." Molly's eyes turned to the other teens. "As for the rest of you… don't your parents know where you are?"
Daphne scowled, and Susan actually growled as she meet the older redheads eyes. "My aunt knows I'm here Mrs Weasley. She would be here too if her duties didn't keep her so busy."
Molly scoffed. "Dear, you should not be so rebellious. Clearly you've had a bad example to follow, if your aunt's job takes priority over looking after you…"
Daniel was starting to wonder if this woman was really that obtuse or just plain stupid. It was clear that the youngsters were highly offended at her scolding, domineering tone and manner. He wondered who would put the loud mouth in her place…
"Now Harry, head on upstairs." Molly's eyes jumped to Lily and iced over. "It is not your place here."
"Oh, but it is, Mrs Weasley." Harry cut in. "Don't you remember? Sirius willed the bulk of the Black Family assets to me. Including this house. Besides, this meeting is regarding the Orders ongoing efforts against Voldemort…" Molly jumped at the name, while others shivered. Harry frowned, but pressed on. "…And considering his fixation on me, I think I deserve… no, need to know what is happening."
"Harry! You are still a boy! Leave… him, to us, the adults." Molly snapped. Her eyes wandered over the others. "I think we need to contact these girls parents, let them know just how their daughters are being led astray…"
Motion out of the corner of his eye drew Harry's attention, and he turned slightly to see Daphne bowing her head a little. He was shocked to see a lone tear running down her cheek. At that point, his anger flared up. He looked at Molly once more even as his hand reached out and gently squeezed Daphne's.
"Mrs Weasley! Kindly restrain your tongue before I banish you from this house! And as for Voldemort… WILL YOU STOP THAT! …How many times have you faced him?"
Molly shivered, her mouth moving but no sound coming out. Harry pressed on.
"Shall I take your non-answer as an admission that you've never faced him then? Well, just to remind you, I have. Several times now. So has my mum." Harry reached out to touch his mother's hand with his own. "Each time we came away alive, if not unscathed.
"The young ladies with me stay with me. They have all, somehow, incredibly, found love for me in their hearts. With them at my side, I know that next time I face Voldemort, he'll not escape."
Molly scowled, her hands resting on her hips. "So my own son is not good enough for you, you… you French tart!" Her eyes were locked on Fleur, but before she could reply Molly's eyes were moving on. "And the rest of you? Trying to get your claws into Harry's money! I expected better from you Miss Granger! You were such a nice girl before!"
Daniel scowled as he stepped forwards. "That's enough Ma'am. I suggest you sit down and be quiet." His voice was calm on the surface, but the tone and implication were anything but.
Molly, being who she was, missed all the signs completely. "And just who the hell are you?"
"Daniel Granger. Hermione's uncle." He took another step forwards, towering over the dumpy woman. "And I don't take kindly to people insulting my niece. As those… 'Death Eaters' was it? … Found out. The lesson for those five was quite… permanent."
Tonks shivered in her seat as his words, having seen the aftermath of his 'lesson'.
Molly however again missed the hidden message. "What do you mean by that? I don't like your attitude one bit…"
"And I find you to be a disgusting example of stupidity!" Daniel snapped, his calm manner gone in an instant. Molly recoiled as he took another step, forcing her to crane her neck to look up at his face, now displaying his anger clearly. Clearly fearing for his wife's safety, Arthur stepped forwards, clamping a hand down onto her shoulder.
"Molly, sit down and be quiet! This man killed five Death Eaters single-handedly. And before you insulted the niece of Amelia Bones, along with the director herself! And the eldest grand-daughter of Lord Greengrass."
If he weren't so angry with her, Harry would have found the way Molly's face rapidly lost all colour quite amusing.
"One last thing Mrs Weasley." Harry stood up and walked over to stand next to Daniel, eyes glaring at the woman who he had once half-considered a mother figure. "As the heir to the Black Family, this is my house. You have no right to speak as if you own it. Someday, after we graduate, it will become Tracy's home, as Lady Black. Until that time, I am allowing the Order to meet here in safety in order to ensure the destruction of Voldemort." His gaze bore into the now trembling woman. "Don't make me regret that choice. You will not like the results."
"So… Throwing your weight around Potter? Finally revealing your true colours… just as I've always known."
There was only one being on the planet who spoke like that.
Harry's glare increased tenfold as he turned to face the doorway, just as Snape stalked in with his robes billowing ominously behind him. His look was matched in full by the older man, who was sneering even more than he normally did. Unlike the others in the Order, Snape fitted into the house as if born to it.
Behind Harry Hermione stiffened in her seat. She and Daphne had shared their theory that Snape had been the one to provide her and Katie's home addresses with the others living in Potter Manor. Hermione had been unsure as to how she'd react when she laid eyes on the professor again. Knowing now just how he abused his power within his own house – turning a blind eye to the depraved activities of the Junior Death Eaters – all her remaining respect for him had died. She'd respected his obvious skill and talent, and at first the position he held, a holdover from her days before Hogwarts, when the teachers had been the ones who had defended and praised her at school. But as his abuse of his position became more and more obvious, not to mention his unreasoned hatred of Harry, she'd lost all faith in him.
Snape stood just within the doorway, fingertips pressed together as he stared at Harry darkly. His disdain for the younger man was obvious, bordering on outright hatred. "I suppose that the mutt left you everything? Don't think that that makes you special Potter. It just proves that Black was just as insane as always."
"You're wrong professor." Daphne spoke up, stepped forwards to stand at Harry's side. She faced her former head of house squarely; barely able to keep her shivers contained when he turned his glare on her. Her respect for Harry, for having to face this for the last five years, rose. "Harry is special. In more ways than you'll ever know."
Snape sneered disdainfully. "While I'm sure that you find his skills in bed mildly entertaining Miss Greengrass, I can not see how that would even be of interest to the rest of us." His gaze moved back to Harry. "Regardless of Miss Greengrasses infatuation with you Potter, you are not entitled to be here. Not that you could ever grasp what was discussed here, if your performance in class is anything to go by."
"He would perform better in class if you did not persecute him so, Severus." Lily cut into the confrontation. Harry felt his nerves and anger ease as her hand came to rest on his shoulder. Snape's face jumped to hers... and immediately softened and eased. The scowl faded, leaving an expression that Harry could not identify... but which did make him very uneasy.
"Lily..." Snape's tone was unlike any the teens had heard before. "The headmaster told me... but I couldn't believe..."
Lily regarded her former friend coldly, unsmiling. While she'd seen him through Harry's eyes, seeing Snape in person was still a small shock. He looked older, more so than she had expected. There was also a dark 'air' about him that he did not have when she last saw him with her own eyes. The years in between had clearly been hard on him.
"I survived Serverus, only by slight chance. In all probability, I should have died. Even then, I would not have lived again if Harry hadn't come home." She smiled down at her son as she ruffled his hair, missing the scowl that darkened Snape's face once more at her actions.
"Chance... or fate?" He asked when she was looking back at him.
The small smile she wore faded. "Don't Severus. In my mind, I'm still married to James."
Snape looked murderous at this news, his eyes flaring. "That arrogant snob is dead Lily! It's time to..."
Lily whipped her wand out, silencing him instantly. "Don't talk about James that way! He was ten times the man you could ever hope to be! He may be dead, but no one will ever replace him in my heart." Lily slowly closed her eyes, exhaling loudly. "Serverus… Let go of the past. There can never be what you hope for between us. I will remain faithful to James until death finally claims me."
Harry, watching Snape, saw how Lily's word affected him. He seemed torn between despair and rage, with a health dose of disbelief thrown in for good measure. His lip was trembling as if he was about to start wailing like a baby… but the shaking of his body was more that of someone on the verge of a violent temper tantrum. Inside, Harry was feeling… sullied, by the thought that Snape dreamed of marrying his mother. As he forced down the nausea the mere idea created, the metaphorical light bulb lit up in his mind. Was this the root of Snape's treatment of him since his arrival in Hogwarts? He was living, breathing proof of the love that existed between his parents… between the woman Snape loved and his bitterest rival. Had the knowledge that Lily had fallen in love with, married and had a child with the one man he hated more than any other been the cause of Snapes fall into darkness? No, Harry decided, it wasn't the main cause. But it likely made the fall easier. Unbidden the thought of the possible children that Hermione and Draco could have had entered his mind. Seeing her eyes in Draco's face… He shivered in disgust. Such a union, thankfully totally out of the bounds of possibility, would have devastated him, driving him to despair and loneliness. In contrast, her marrying Ron would be highly desirable.
Before any more could be said the Headmaster coughed. "Perhaps we could get back to why we are all here?"
Both Lily and Harry nodded, before retreating back to their chairs along with Daphne. Daniel, however, remained where he stood, eyes narrowed as he glared at Snape. He'd remained quiet during the confrontation between the former friends, knowing it was not his place to interfere. However… there was another issue with this… person that he wanted resolved before anything else occurred. Snape looked back at him with his blackest scowl, which slowly faded into a look of concern when Daniel's expression remained unchanged, his body clearly wired and ready for anything. The rest of the Order were suddenly aware of the powerful, physical nature of this unknown man. He exuded a calm but deadly presence that even the densest member felt, imprinting onto them the sure knowledge that if he were to turn on the Order, there would a blood bath. And it was not certain that he could be stopped.
Across the room Moody smiled grimly. He'd instantly recognised him for what he was, though it was a long, long time since he'd seen another. This man was trained, professional soldier, one who'd seen combat and lived to tell the tale. While he only carried a knife – admittedly a large, lethally formed one – Moody was convinced that he knew exactly how to use it, and could take out nearly the whole Order if he wished to. Moody was not sure if even he could stop him.
Dumbledore sighed as he noticed the muggle soldier had not moved. "Was there something else you wish to air, Captain Granger?"
Snape's eyes jumped to Albus, widened with shock. "A muggle? Here? What point is there for a low… a muggle to be involved in our world?"
"It's really, quite simple.' Daniel spoke softly, but with latent threat. Since everyone else was silent, they all heard him. "It involves us 'lowly' muggles when our blood is spilt by your kind. When 'wizards' rape and murder muggles for sport, simply because they can.
"But as for what I wanted to discuss, it is really quite simple. One question." He locked gazes with Snape. "Did you or did you not give the addresses of my brothers family to this 'Voldemort' character, along with that of the Bell family?"
Dumbledore stepped forward. "Professor Snape has my complete confidence and trust, Captain." He stated firmly.
Daniel turned his head to look at the older man slowly. After a couple of seconds he spoke. "While that, I'm sure, is of great comfort to you, 'Headmaster'… It does nothing for me!" He refocused his gaze on Snape. "I'm waiting for an answer, mister."
Snape puffed up. "I have no need to answer to you muggle!"
"Yes, or no?" Daniel asked again, louder and more firmly this time.
"Look, I really don't see the need…" Dumbledore began.
"YES OR NO?" Daniel roared.
Snape sneered at the taller man, confident that Dumbledore would protect him, even if to only protect his asset. "The Dark Lord gave me a task. Refusing or failing to carry out a task he sets you… is nearly always fatal. He could have gotten that information from the Ministry any…" His words were cut off as Daniel's fist buried itself in his stomach. Snape folded over, coughing and retching, before Daniels knee came up and slammed into his face. Snape pitched backwards to land painfully on the floor, blood streaming down his face. Glaring up at the clearly furious muggle, Snape went for his wand. A slight movement was his only warning before Daniel's combat boot slammed into his wrist, shattering every bone in his hand and sending the wand flying.
"Get up." Daniel growled darkly.
"That's enough!" Dumbledore protested, moving to stand between the two men. He allowed his power to flow, lighting up his aura around him as he faced down Daniel. The others in the Order allow edged back from the display.
But the biggest shock was that the muggle did not. Instead his gaze was fixed on the battered man on the floor.
"No, it's not enough." Daniel hissed. "That sack of shite is directly responsible for my brothers family being attacked, for the murder of the Bells! I, for one, will not let him escape unpunished for his actions against my family!"
Shackbolt stepped up slowly, his dark gaze boring into the fallen potions master. "You have to admit, Albus, that we were not warned of the forthcoming attacks. If we had, we could have been ready for them…"
"…And Voldemort would know he had a spy in his inner ranks." Dumbledore sternly told him. "Given his recent losses, he would have quickly sussed out that Serverus was the most likely suspect. Then we would lose all knowledge of his plans and actions."
Daniel's gaze snapped to the older wizard. "You would sacrifice innocent families to maintain your spies cover?"
Dumbledore's gaze was unyielding. "In a word, yes. We are at war, and in war sometimes we must sometimes sacrifice a few, to save all. For The Greater Good of the whole world, Voldemort must be stopped. I will do whatever it takes to stop him, or he will one day rule the world, casting a cloud of terror and death over all living things, magical and muggle alike." His eyes flashed with repressed emotion. "Don't think I don't care. I do, but I can not allow my own sentiments to cloud my judgement."
Despite his anger, Daniel had to admit a grudging respect for the Headmasters position. Soldiers were often at the crux of such a position, and understood the reasoning behind such choices.
But that didn't mean he had to agree or like it.
"And was Harry to be another 'required sacrifice' to end Voldemort?" Hermione asked, her tone glacial.
Dumbledore sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with one hand as he allowed his aura to fade. "That, I fear, is a topic that we should not discuss here and now. May I suggest we all calm down and refocus our energies on the threat of Voldemort?"
Surprisingly it was Harry who supported him. "I agree Headmaster, we should save our strength for battling the Death Eaters. But when they are gone…" The implication was clear.
Nodding sagely if wearily, Dumbldore turned to crouch over Snape, waving his wand in the motions of some simple numbing and healing charms. Snape would require the attentions of Pomfrey to make a full recovery, but the Headmasters work would be enough for now. Daniel, receiving a small nod from Harry, moved back to the group, leaning against the wall behind them. The easy, languid way he moved just reinforced the latent threat he was.
Once his potions master was back on his feet Dumbledore sighed before taking his seat. "Now then, why don't you start by reporting on Voldemort's action since those… attacks."
Snape started to sneer, but winced part way through as pain radiated out from his still broken nose. "The Dark Lord was most… disappointed, with the results of the attacks. Two of the wounded Death Eaters died during his 'punishment' of their failures. Since then he's been withdrawn, rarely calling his followers to him. His alliance with Major Greengrass…" Daphne stiffened at the name. "…is deepening, but there are, tensions, between them. Greengrass is either unaware of just how he is pushing the Dark Lord's tolerance, or is deliberately doing so as a test."
"Hmph. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll off each other." Tonk's called out.
Snape sneered back at her. "Hardly. While he is skilled, Greengrass is no match for the Dark Lord. Even with his men at his side, they would loose."
"Still, at least that would drain some of their strength."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "Is it possible to engineer a falling out between the two Serverus?"
Snape shrugged. "Unlikely. Greengrass is too slick to fall into one. He maintains enough deference to appease the Dark Lord, while his more… vindictive streak appeals to the Dark Lords own."
Nodding sagely, Dumbldore turned to regard another member.
Throughout the meeting, Tracy's eyes had wandered over the room and the occupants. She knew that she ought to be paying more attention to what the others were saying, but to her ears it sound to much like they were talking simply to make themselves feel important. Instead her thoughts were wandering to the rest of the house. Number 12 Grimmuald Place was definitely in a sorry state, and the décor left much to be desired. But underneath the dirt and trappings of a family steeped in darkness she could see that the house had potential. A rarely exercised artistic talent was reworking the house, changing wallpapers – even the walls layout – within her mind. She knew that no definite plans could be made until she'd seen the whole house, but there was promise.
Her eyes landed on one of the silver goblets that rested on the side table, provided for the Order members to use. Whatever the faults with the Blacks of old, they did have a fine collection of items that could be reused in a new House of Black. Things like goblets, cutlery and dressers could be used anywhere…
Her eyes froze, then widened slightly. Across the table from her, tucked into a corner, the 'man' who had responded to Dumbledore's call of 'Mundungus' had been sitting with one of the goblets in his hands. He'd been one of the few to partake of the water provided. However, he'd just slipped the goblet into his coat pocket with furtive moves. Her eyes narrowed in anger. How dare that… that 'man' steal Harry's property! Realising she'd give herself away if she continued to glare at him, she turned her head to one side slightly, enough to make it look like she wasn't watching him. "Susan?" she spoke softly to the girl sitting next to her.
The redhead turned to look at her. "Hmph?"
Tracy nodded her head towards Dung. "That Mundungus person's just placed one of the goblets in his pocket." Her eyes flickered to meet Susan's, which were widening themselves.
"You sure?"
"Positive."
Susan frowned before speaking lowly. "He looked dodgy when I first saw him. Once the meeting breaks up…"
"… And thus I think we've covered everything we need to this evening." Dumbledore spoke from the end, concluding his round of remarks. "Remember if you hear anything to relay it to one of our auror members. Now, I do think it's time for a nice cup of tea… anyone care to join me for one?"
Across from the girls Mundungus stood up. "Argh, sorry Dumbledore sir, but I gotta go. Keep me ear on the ground, as it were."
Dumbledore smiled warmly, even as McGonagall and Molly sniffed in disgust. "Ah, very good Mundungus. Do let us know what you find out. I look forward to knowing just what the Death Eaters are purchasing these days."
Mundungus nodded, jamming his foul pipe into a pocket before retrieving his sack. As he lifted it onto his shoulder there was a faint clinking sound. "Well, I'll be off then…"
"But before you do…" Tracy said standing up, Susan right behind her. Together the two young women moved to block the exit for the thief. Tracy glared at him. "Hand back the goblet."
The short man affected an innocent expression. "Ere, what? What you kids mean? What goblet?"
"The one that's currently resting in your coat pocket mister." Tracy stated. "The one with the crest of the House of Black on it."
"Now see 'ere!" Mundungus bristled. "You can't just go around accusing people of stealing without proof! Ain't right! Besides, I ain't got one of those fancy Goblets."
Around them the Order Members were looking between the two. Molly scoffed, but her gaze was resting on the two young women. "You are a thief and a liar Dung, but you have a point. This is why this meeting should be for adults only girls."
Susan however was undaunted. "If you've nothing to hide, why don't you turn out your pockets? All your pockets."
By this point Harry had joined the two, eyeing Mundungus suspiciously. He remembered how this man had abandoned his post in 'guarding' his last summer to make a deal on some stolen cauldrons, and while some of his tales were amusing, there had always been a seedy side to him… "What's in the sack Mundungus?" he asked suddenly.
The older but shorter man jumped at the question, prompting another muffled 'clink' sound from the sack in question. "Err… nothing much. Just a few odds and sods I was keeping here. Thought I'd gather them up, seeing how the ownership of this joint was in doubt, ya know. Really ought to have taken them home before now…"
"Really?" The doubt was clear in Harry's tone. "Let's take a look. Sure to be some 'interesting' things, knowing you…"
"Oh really it's nothing to waste everyone's time with…"
"Indulge me." Harry's voice was a command, not a request.
"Children, please." Dumbledore spoke up. "Mundungus has my complete trust." There was definite note of finality in the Headmasters voice. As if his statement was the end of the matter.
He did not, however, factor in Lily's opinion.
"While that's very well and good Albus… he does not have our trust. And that is the crux of the matter." Lily moved to stand behind Harry, glaring at the older man. "Open it up Mundungus. There had better not be anything from this house in there…"
Mundungus was clearly flustered. "I'm telling ya, there ain't anything from here in this!"
"LIAR! FOUL LOATHSOME TRAITOR!"
The screeching preceded a small body throwing itself at Mundungus. As it collided with him Harry was able to see that it was Kreacher, the Black Family house elf. The frail old elf was clawing at Dung, scrabbling for the sack while very nearly foaming at the mouth. All the while hissing and yelling in outrage.
"Foul thief's taken masters locket! Stolen mistresses jewels! Taken what is not his! Dirty blood traitor! Kreacher will not let you take it! Must destroy it…"
With a yell Mundungus threw the elf off. Hermione gasped as Kreacher slammed into the wall spread-eagled, before sliding down to lie in a crumpled heap on the floor. "Crazy thing… why we didn't banish it right from the get go…" Tracy's eyes however had zeroed in on a tear that the House Elf had made in the sack. It was small, but within she could see a glint of a gemstone, the shine of silver.
"Crazy or not, he's right." She said pulling her wand before levelling it on the surprised would-be thief. In seconds the other teens and Lily had copied the motion.
"Now see here…" Dung backed up, his eyes jumping between wand points.
"Aurors, I'm accusing this man of stealing from the House of Black." Tracy snapped, her eyes fixed on the sack. "Someone please arrest him and search that sack!"
Tonks stood, closely followed by Moody. "No need to search it lass." Moody growled, fake eye locked on the sack. "I can see plain as day what's in it. Dung, you thieving scoundrel!"
Moody's words started the thief shivering. "Now hang on, I didn't take anything from 'ere!"
Moody's reply was growl. "Then explain how all that Black Family jewellery, cutlery and other trinkets ended up in your sack!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Snape drawled, his voice filled with contempt. Lily, warned by something in his voice, turned to see that his gaze was not on Dung… but on Harry. "Potter's obviously gotten his elf to fill the sack with those things during the meeting. Then, when the 'thief' is discovered, he'll try and expel us from here, so he can turn it into his new lust nest. Clearly, the thought of having all the power of the Black Family has gone to his head. And I thought it couldn't get any bigger. Truly pathetic Potter."
"Severus! You are casting unfounded aspirations on one of my students!" McGonagall now stood, bristling as she glared at the potions professor. "I warmed you Severus, you are already on thin ice in regard to Mister Potter! I suggest you keep such nonsense to yourself!"
"No! It makes total sense!" Molly screeched, her face red with outrage. "Harry wants us all gone, so he can continue to corrupt these fine young girls! Though I'd never thought you'd be in on it too 'Lily'. I'm beginning to think you're not really Lily Potter at all… just someone whose impersonating her." Her eyes widened as a thought struck her, and she looked at Harry with a sick expression. "Are you that sick, to desire your own mother?"
"If I did, it'd be YOUR fault!" Harry snapped back. "You've been trying to push me and Ginny together for the last year now at least. And who does she look more like, my mum or you?"
Molly puffed up. "Why you…"
"ALL OF YOU STOP THIS MADNESS RIGHT NOW!" Dumbledore bellowed before the enraged redhead could take a step. Everyone froze for a moment, before Dung took a chance and jumped forward. He barged between Tracy and Susan before knocking Harry down with his sack inadvertently as he turned to run for the door. But before anyone could even think of taking action there was a 'pop'… and Dung was violently thrown backwards through the air tumbling. He slammed into the wall near the ceiling before crashing down onto a side table, which shattered under the impact. His sack burst as it hit the wall… and a cascade of valuable and semi-valuable items poured out over the crook. Most were recognisable as items from around the house, but gasps arose from the other Order members as they saw some of their own belongings in the mix.
"YOU WILL NOT HURT MASTER HARRY POTTER!" Dobby's voice told everyone just who had stopped the thief before he could escape. The now three foot tall elf stood framed in the door, panting slightly as he glared at the fallen man. The recently grown head of charcoal black hair on his head was sticking straight out, and the camouflage fatigues he wore – modelled on the one that Daniel used to wear – was straining to contain his muscular frame. Nearly the whole Order were staring at the strange looking elf… all except Dumbledore. The aging headmaster was looking at Dung and the pile of obviously stolen items on him with clear, transparent disbelief.
"I think you need to re-think just who you trust, Headmaster." Daphne commented sharply. "And to what extent."
Hermione had reached Harry and was helping him up while Tonks and Remus were standing over the fallen Dung. "You all right Harry?" She asked softly as he stood.
Harry shrugged. "Had worse falls from the Dursleys." He looked over the spilt loot. "Well, he's not coming back to this house."
"He won't be going anywhere lad." Moody growled. "Except Azkaban if I have my say. Stay back you lot! Let's us sort out what is what first, then you'll get your trinkets back!"
At a nod from Harry Hermione and Fleur moved forward to start picking out the items while Remus and Tonks stood over them, watching both the unconscious Dung and the other Order members. Lily was stroking Harry's head while glaring at Snape, who was clearly fuming. Daphne had moved to look over the fallen Kreacher, reasoning that being a 'pureblood' she'd be more acceptable to the old elf. Despite his age and frailty, the crotchety old elf was still alive, just winded by the impact.
Working quickly, the various items were moved to an area before Dung rather than piled over him. Joined by Susan and Tracy, Fleur and Hermione began to sort out the obviously Black Family items from the other stuff. Tracy gathered the former and moved it separately while Susan offered up each of the latter for claims of ownership. Having warned everyone that with House Elves being able to know if someone lied while they were in a house that their master owned, no one tried to lay claim to things that were not their own. Most of the things were the sort that none of those gathered would have wanted to own anyway.
It was as they were dealing with the last few items that Fleur gasped suddenly, jumping backwards to land on her rear, her face ghastly pale with an expression of pain and horror.
"Fleur?" Hermione looked up, startled. "What is it?"
"Mon dieu… I, I touched something… It was… cold. 'Errible…"
Harry moved quickly to kneel beside the clearly traumatised witch. The instant his arms went around her Fleur stopped trembling so violently, her expression of terror and anguish easing. Gently he rubbed her back, soothing her, before softly asking. "Fleur… which thing was it?"
Fleur stiffened slightly. Swallowing audibly, she half-whispered in reply. "I'm not sure 'arry. It was small… but ze darkness within! Mon dieu!"
Harry shared a look with the others. "Think it's another one?" He asked aloud.
Hermione nodded as she eased herself back from the items nervously. "Remember her reaction to the goblet at Gringotts." Susan put in.
Harry nodded, remembering how Fleur had shied away from the goblet that Bella had retrieved from the LeStrange Vault. The goblet that was one of Voldemort's horcruxes. He turned his head to find Bill Weasley. "Bill, we need your expertise here."
The Curse Breaker frowned lightly but stepped forwards, drawing his wand as he did. "What do you need Harry?"
Hermione waved a hand over the items on the floor. "We're pretty sure one of these is another Voldemort Horcrux."
"WHAT?" Dumbledore shot forward to tower over Hermione. "Where did you hear that word Miss Granger?"
Hermione however was watching Bill as he started casting. After his first spell he grimaced. "There's one here all right." Dumbledore's beard flailed through the air as he spun to stare at the youngest Weasley in stunned shock. It was clear he didn't know that Bill could detect the presence of such a dark item. Bill remained focused on his work, casting several spells in succession before a golden locket began to glow darkly. "There it is." He stated with a measure of disgust.
"Harry! It's that locket from last year!" Hermione exclaimed, eyes wide in shock. "You remember that Locket none of us could open?" Harry grimaced. He did remember.
"Good thing you did fail." Bill said as he used a knife to lift the locket by its chain off the floor. "From what I'm getting off this thing, the locket being closed is containing most of its power. There's still an amount of leakage, but you'd have to be either really sensitive to such things…" He glanced at Fleur as she shivered. "…Or spend a long period of time around this thing to feel it. But it's got an insidious aura; I'd not trust it behind anything."
Harry looked focused. "Can you destroy it?"
"Harry, I must examine…" Dumbledore begun, starting to move towards the table where Bill had laid the locket down, but Lily stepped into his path.
"Don't you trust an expert curse breaker to be able to handle this, Albus?" She asked with one eyebrow raised.
Dumbledore puffed himself up. "This is a matter best kept quiet… and I have to admit, one that only a few are capable of dealing with…"
"Like myself." Bill cut the older wizard off as he took a step back. Harry noted however that his wand was still trained on the locket. "Harry… I can remove the Horcrux from the Locket, or destroy it completely, once we get it open. But this thing's been bathed in the magic of this house for too long. If I attempt to banish it while fighting my way through the Black Family magic…" he trailed off, leaving unsaid the clear end result.
Harry slowly stood, bring Fleur up with him. "What must I do?"
Bill shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid you can't do anything. Only someone's who got a deep connection to the Black Family can disown the locket."
Susan groaned. "And all the Blacks are dead…"
"Not quite all Susan." Daphne said, prompting heads to turn. She still kneeling on the floor, next to the House Elf Kreacher who was sitting up and watching the proceedings with wide, manic eyes.
"What is the filthy blood traitor doing with Master Regulus's locket? Oh mistress, how has the noble house fallen…"
"Hold on Kreacher." Harry cut in, forcing down the distaste he felt for the elf before him. "This locket belonged to Regulus, Sirius's little brother?"
Kreacher shifted and growled, but answered after a moment. "Not as such. Regulus bade Kreacher destroy it…"
Harry frowned, thinking back to the previous summer, to when Sirius had told him about his family. He'd mentioned how Regulus had become a Death Eater… and then later one tried to quit, hence his death. But he sensed there was more to the story…
"Kreacher… why did Regulus want you to destroy it? Could he not?"
Kreacher shivered, seeming to fold in on himself. "Master Regulus could not. Poor master, did not deserve that! Died to get it…"
Harry moved to kneel before the distraught Elf, the presence of the Order forgotten. "What happened Kreacher? Tell me everything."
Haltingly, the frail old House Elf began his tale of woe, how the Dark Lord had required an elf from one of his minions. How Regulus had offered up Kreacher's services, unaware of what the Dark Lord intended. How Kreacher had been forced to drink a vile potion in a stone bowl so that the Dark Lord could place the locket within it, before leaving the House Elf there while hundreds of Inferi had advanced on the pain-wracked elf. How he'd barely made it back to Grimmuald Place, where Regulus had tended to him. Then, when Kreacher had recovered, the two of them had returned to that cave… and Regulus had drunk the potion, ordering Kreacher to force him it if he had to so they could get the locket. Then, once the potion had been drained and the locket switched for one that Regulus had brought with them – containing a note for the Dark Lord – how he had given Kreacher his Final Order: return to Grimmuald Place and destroy the Locket, so that one day the Dark Lord could be destroyed himself. Kreacher had tried to refuse, as not only were the inferi advancing on his beloved master, but Regulus was dieing from the potions effects. But Master Regulus had repeated the order, even as the first inferius had reached him and started to tear attack. Kreacher had left then, but not before catching a glimpse of his masters arm being torn from his body.
Kreacher had then told the shocked and horrified listeners about how he'd tried again and again to destroy the locket, but nothing he did worked. The locket had mocked him, taunted him, with his failures.
Harry backed away slightly. Hermione and Lily moved to join him. "You think this lockets the reason he's so… unpleasant?"
Lily nodded. "Having seen his master die when he could have saved him if not ordered to go, then unable to fulfil his last order…"
"…It'd drive anyone crazy with grief and despair." Hermione completed. Sometimes it scared Harry just how in tune his mum and Hermione were with each other.
He looked at Kreacher once more, noting how he saw slumped down. Retelling that story must have been harrowing. His gut and mind agreed with each other, and he acted.
"Kreacher." He said as he knelt once more, prompting the elf to look up. "We can destroy the locket… but we need your help to do it. You can fulfil Regulus's last wish."
Kreacher pulled on his ears. "Oh my mistress! Kreacher must destroy the locket, but can't. Miserable half-blood offers help to do it… Kreacher must." He looked up at Harry determinedly.
Harry gestured to where Bill was still stood over the locket. "That man there is Bill Weasley, a Curse Breaker from Gringotts bank. He can destroy the locket, but needs you to lift the Black Family magic off it." Kreacher started at the name, but paused at the mention of the wizarding bank, before his shoulders slumped as the words 'destroy the locket'.
Kreacher shuffled over to Bill, before snapping his fingers over the locket. A dark haze seemed to lift from the lockets surface, and it trembled. The moment it faded, Bill began to cast rapidly… before swearing loudly. "Damn! I need to get this thing open to finish the job, but nothing works! It's magically sealed, but the key is a language I don't know…"
Dumbledore seemed to pull himself out of the stupor he'd been in. "I believe, from the appearance, that it once belonged to Salazaar Slytherin himself…"
Hermione gasped before looking at Harry. "Harry, Parceltongue!"
Harry's eyes widened. Could that be the key? Eager to try he stepped forwards… then paused. "Wait. What if I can't speak it any more? What if I lost that ability when that Horcrux behind my scar was banished?" A ring of gasps arose from around them, but Harry's focus was on Hermione.
She raked her brains, thinking hard. But in the end, she had to admit to something she hated to admit. "I don't know Harry…"
"Oh, what the hell!" Harry snapped before focusing on the Locket once more. Willing himself to believe he was facing a snake, he closed his eyes to fix the image in his mind… $Open…$
The spoken snake language sent shivers up all the gathered spines, but the locket springing open made them all jump. A dark cloud seemed to roil from within, and from behind two misty glass panes within a pair of red eyes glared out at them all.
"You think that you can stand before me? I am all powerful, nothing you can do can stop Lord Vol…"
"Try this then!" Bill snapped before incanting a long string, ending with him thrusting the point of his wand almost into the locket. White light blasted from the wand tip, and the presence in the locket screamed horrifically, tearing at the mind of those there. There was a thunderclap, before the dark clouds broke into dust that quickly vanished. The red eyes seemed to explode, shattering the glass within the locket. When the light faded the locket was lying inert, the glass gone, the gold tarnished and warped.
"Is it…?" Susan asked quietly.
Bill, breathing heavily, weakly waved his wand a few times. "Yes… It's destroyed." He answered in a weak voice. He seemed to waver on his feet as he allowed his arm to fall to his side. Instantly Fleur was at his side, guiding him to a chair where he sat down heavily.
Harry sighed, relaxing, before he noticed the House Elf Kreacher was still staring at the broken locket. "Kreacher?"
"Kreacher has done it." The elf appeared to have not heard Harry. "It's destroyed Master. Kreacher has done as you ordered." Then to Harry's shock Kreacher collapsed to the floor limply, the thud cutting any celebrations that had begun.
"Kreacher?" Harry called again, but there was no response. Dobby stepped over before bending over the fallen elf. After a moment he looked up at Harry sadly.
"Kreacher Elf was very, very old Master Harry. Only Last Command was keeping him alive. With duty done…" Dobby blinked away a tear.
Harry stared at the limp form. He'd caused this. His order had, in effect, ended the house elf's life…
A warm feminine body wrapped around him from the side. "Don't blame yourself Harry." Hermione said softly. "He died fighting Voldemort, carrying out a dieing man's last wish." He could hear the tears she was holding back in her voice.
"You couldn't have known Harry…" Lily said comfortingly as she rested a hand on his shoulder as Dobby popped the dead elf's body away.
"Ah… speaking of that…" Something in Dumbledore's tone prompted Harry to look at the aging Headmaster… to see he'd backed away from everyone, wand in his hand. A sorrowful expression was on his face. "We can not allow this knowledge to leave here. If Riddle ever learns what we know about his Horcruxes…" He shook his head sadly even as he raised his wand to point towards the gathered group. "For the Greater Good, he must never learn we know… OBLIV…"
The incantation was cut off by two separate, but related, events. Dumbledore had clearly not kept track of where Daniel Granger was. The former soldier had acted, his hands seizing the elderly wizards either side of his wrist before violently twisting it. The sickening 'crack' of the older man's wrist breaking echoed throughout the room. The Order were stunned as their leader fell to his knees, cradling his broken wrist. Daniel reached down and picked up the wand from where Dumbledore had dropped it, before pulling sharply on the back of his head, forcing Dumbledore to look up at his clearly furious expression.
"Don't you EVER try to cast a spell on my niece again! I don't know just what you intended, but you will not succeed!"
Harry was fuming, his own wand now out. "I think he was planning on obliviating us, literally wiping the last few minutes from our minds, so we'd forget what had just happened."
"Or worse, he'd wipe a heck of a lot more…" Lily growled, her own wand out and pointed at Snape.
Harry breathed deeply. "Regardless, he does have point. Though as normal, he thinks only of what's convenient for himself, believing only he knows what's best." Harry slowly turned to look at the rest of the Order. "What you just saw here today can not leave this room! This is the key to taking Voldemort down, his one weakness. He must not learn that we know his secret."
"But memory charms, Ablus?" McGonagall was glaring at the Headmaster.
"It is the only way, Minerva." He responded quietly, though the whole Order heard him. "As Harry has realised, we must not let Riddle know we know his secret. If he were to learn that we have discovered about those… things…" He shook his head in sadness. "It must be done."
"Too bad we can't hide the fact we know his secret just like we hide this house…" Tracy muttered.
Lily gasped before spinning to face the younger witch. "Of course, the Fidelius! We can use it to hide our knowledge of his Horcruxes!"
Harry looked to her. "Can you cast the charm mum?"
Lily paused to think for a moment. "I'll need a couple of others to help, but yes, I can."
"Harry, wait!" Dumbledore groaned from his position on the floor. "I have much research into this subject in my Office! If you do this…"
"We'll just let you in on the secret then." Harry cut him off. "Then you can share with us everything you know." He looked at the Headmaster sternly, who only nodded in acquiescence.
"I hope every agrees with this?" Harry looked around at the Order. One by one, the others all nodded, all understanding the stakes.
Lily worked quickly to find an acceptable way to phrase the secret, and with Hermione and Fleur assisting cast the charm, making Harry the secret keeper. Once done, he looked about the gathered Order. Slowly the members began to return to their homes, except those Harry asked to stay a moment, which included Bill, Moody, Shackbolt and McGonagall. Then he shared the secret, before facing the Headmaster again.
"Headmaster… I'm too angry with you right now to deal with you. You make progress… then try to take advantage of our trust. We'll be talking about both this and several other things later, once I've calmed down enough. Remove yourself from my house, right now."
Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when he looked over the formidable array of people glaring at him. The fact that Minerva was one of them dug into his gut. She who had been his strongest supporter now followed another. Sighing in defeat and pain, he slowly stood before exiting via the Floo. Once the flames faded to their normal colour McGonagall shivered.
"The nerve of that man! Harry, do you have share room for me to stay tonight? I don't think I can sleep in the castle tonight… not without blowing his head off!"
Harry smiled wearily. "There's always a place for you Professor." He looked around at his family. "Let's go home."
One by one they left, leaving Grimmuald Place in darkness… though now a shadow had been lifted from the decrepit old building.
A/N: There we are. I may rewrite the end at a later date, but for now this'll do. Next chapter I intent to jump to the end of July... for some fun, laughter and love ;)
EDIT: Taking in the reviews thus far, I've done a word switch near the start, and added a few lines to address a few points raised.