27th July

The fourteen of us arrived unnoticed in the Dursley's back garden. I climbed out of the motorbike side car in a very un-lady-like manner, with George hurrying over to give me a hand. Harry meanwhile wrenched open the back door and hurtled towards us. Hermione was the first to fling her arms around him, Ron clapped him on the back and I barged my way to wrap my arms around him tight, "Hello stranger."

"That was some stunt you pulled." He smirked, "Very Professional."

Hagrid greeted him next "All righ' Harry? Ready for the off?"

"Definitely," Harry beamed around at everyone, "But I wasn't expecting this many of you!"

"Change of plan," Mad-Eye growled, his eye spinning rapidly in his head, "Let's get undercover before we talk you through it."

Heading into the Dursley's impeccably clean kitchen, the fourteen of us were remarkably unclean by comparison and I could imagine the horror on Petunia Dursley's bony face if she caught us in here. I hopped up to sit on the kitchen countertop with Fred and George as the older members of the Order took seats at the kitchen table. Hagrid had to crouch to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling.

"Kingsley, I thought you were looking after the Muggle Prime Minister?" Harry called out across the room.

"He can get along without me for one night," Kingsley replied, "You're more important."

"Harry, guess what?" Tonks said from her perch on top of the washing machine, and she wiggled her left hand in front of him where her engagement ring and wedding band glittered under the fluorescent light.

Harry looked from her to Remus, "You two got married?"

"I'm sorry you couldn't be there Harry -"

Tonks was interrupted by Moody who was keen to keep things moving, although Harry managed to congratulate them all the same, "Alright, alright," Moody roared over the hubbub, and silence ensued, "As Dedalus probably told you, we had to abandon Plan A. Pius Thicknesse has gone over, which gives us a big problem. He's made it an imprisonable offence to connect this house to the Floo Network, place a portkey here or Apparate in or out. All done in the name of your protection, to prevent You-Know-Who getting in at you. Absolutely pointless, seeing as your mother's charm does that already. What he's really done is to stop you getting out of here safely. Second problem: you're under-age, which means you've still got the Trace on you."

Moody then had to explain the Trace to Harry, the reason why none of us could dare use magic in front of him right now. Magic performed in a Muggle residence can be traced, but the Ministry would have no way of knowing who cast the spell, so Harry would get the blame, just like he did in 5th year and was expelled as a result.

"We can't wait for the Trace to break, because the moment you turn seventeen, you'll lose all the protection your mother gave you. In short: Pius Thicknesse thinks he's got you cornered good and proper."

"So what are we going to do?" Harry asked.

"We're going to use the only means of transport left to us, the only ones the Trace can't detect: brooms, Thestrals and Hagrid's motorbike. Now your mother's charm will only break under two conditions, when you come of age, or -" Moody gestured around the pristine kitchen, "- you no longer call this place home. You and your aunt and uncle are going your separate ways tonight, in the full understanding that you're never going to live together again, is that correct?"

Harry nodded.

"So this time, when you leave, there'll be no going back, and the charm will break the moment you get outside its range. We're choosing to break it early, because the alternative is waiting for You-Know-Who to come and seize you the moment you turn seventeen. The one thing we've got on our side is that You-Know-Who doesn't know we're moving you tonight. We've leaked a fake trail to the Ministry, they think you're not moving until the 30th. But this is You-Know-Who we're dealing with, so he's bound to have Death Eaters patrolling the skies above us, just in case. So, we've given a dozen houses every protection we can throw at them, to make them look like suitable safe houses – they've all got connections to the Order: my house, Kingsley's house, Molly's Auntie Muriel's – you get the idea. You'll be flying to Tonks' parent's house; there you'll be able to use a Portkey to The Burrow."

"Yeah…" I could see Harry was trying to piece the plan together, "So we're all flying -?"

"Ah," said Moody, conveniently ignoring the part of the plan Harry was most likely going to disagree with, "Fourteen of us won't be flying to Tonks' parents'. There will be seven Harry Potters moving through the skies tonight, each of them with a companion, each pair heading for a different safe house."

From inside his cloak, Moody took out a flask of what looked like mud. Harry immediately cottoned on to the plan, "No!"

"I told them you'd take it like this." Hermione said with a hint of complacency.

"If you think I'm going to let six people risk their lives -!"

"– because it's the first time for all of us," said Ron.

Harry shook his head, "This is different, pretending to be me -"

"Well, none of us really fancy it, Harry," Fred said earnestly, "Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as scrawny, specky gits forever."

Harry did not find this funny, "You can't do it if I don't cooperate, you need me to give you some hair."

"Well, that's the plan scuppered," George said, "Obviously there's no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate."

Fred continued, "Yeah, fourteen of us against one bloke who's not allowed to use magic; we've got no change."

"Funny," Harry said, "Really amusing."

Moody stepped forwards, "If it has to come to force, then it will -"

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" I questioned Moody, stepping off the countertop, "The absolute best use of the Order's capabilities?"

There was a collection of sighs in the room, "We've been through this, Miss Pink."

"And I've told you a dozen times that I'm more than capable." I argued back, much to the disapproval of three-quarters of the room. George even put his hand on my shoulder to stop me advancing.

"This is the plan and we're sticking to it." Moody growled, "They might not be able to get Potter whilst his mother's charm holds, but it's about to break and they know the rough position of this place. Our only chance is to use decoys. Even You-Know-Who can't split himself into seven."

If only he knew the significance of what he just said.

I nodded unblinking, "As you wish." I turned to Harry, "You may give him some of your hair, because he's not going to be swayed. Everyone is over-age and know the risks. May I please borrow your Firebolt for the journey?"

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Of course." His head nodded towards his broom leaning on Hedwig's cage.

"I'm going to follow you – just in case." I said, "I'll be your invisible back-up companion." Harry nodded in agreement as I took the Firebolt. I hoped he knew where my arguments with Moody had stemmed. I am more than capable of walking into this house and walking back out with Harry in tow, with no one seeing us, but somehow no one trusts or believes in me and my abilities.

"So, Potter – some of your hair, if you please." Moody requested.

Harry glanced at me, hoping that I'll start arguing an alternative solution again, but soon realised he was out of options.

"Now!" Moody barked.

Harry jumped. Reaching to the top of his head, he yanked at a section of hair and was left with a few strands in hand. Moody approached him, pulling the stopper out of the flask of Potion and directed Harry to add the hairs. The moment the hair made contact with the surface, the Potion began to froth and smoke, then all at once it turned a clear, bright gold.

"Ooh, you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry." Hermione said, before catching on to the connotation from the sight of Ron's raised eyebrow, making her blush, "oh, you know what I mean – Goyle's potion looked like bogies."

"Right then," Moody broke the rising sexual tension between the two, "fake Potters, line up over here please."

Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Fleur lined up in front of Petunia's sparkling sink.

"We're one short." Remus said.

"Here," Hagrid said gruffly, lifting Mundungus by the scruff of the neck and dropping him beside Fleur, who wrinkled her nose pointedly and moved along to stand between Fred and George instead.

"I toldjer, I'd sooner be a protector," said Mundungus.

I strode over to him, staring down at him threateningly. He was the only person in the room not to know my secret, "Looks like you don't have a choice, so suck it up. Unless you'd like to take me on in a duel and figure out who's going to be a better protector?"

Somehow, I think he knew not to mess with me, "Your reputation precedes you, Missy." He backed off slowly.

George smiled, "A good luck kiss for your favourite person in the whole wide world?"

I raised an eyebrow, "T? George wants me to kiss you."

Tonks chuckled, "Kiss him, Kat."

"Come here, you." I stood on my tiptoes, grabbed his cheeks and kissed him, "Feeling lucky now?"

He smirked, taking a swig of Polyjuice potion. I watched as he gasped and grimaced and shrank in size. His skin bubbled and distorted, his hair darkening until Harry Potter was staring straight into my eyes, "I've always wondered what it'd be like to not have to bend over to kiss you."

"Oooooh no you don't." I took a quick step backwards as George reached out to get a hold of me, "I'm not kissing you, you're Harry!"

Moody, who was undoubtedly doing his best to ignore the ongoing camaraderie, undid the ties of the large sacks of clothes and accessories. It was getting progressively more difficult to tell which Harry was which, but when they each opened their mouths to speak, the jig was up.

"Bah!" Fleur said, looking at her new reflection in the microwave, "Bill, don't look at me – I'm 'ideous."

"Wow – we're identical." Fred and George turned and looked at each other and they truly were. For the first time, I was looking at them both wondering which was which, until I caught eyes with George and he smiled at me. I'd know that smile anywhere.

"I dunno, though, I think I'm still better-looking," said Fred, giving me a very cheeky wiggle of the eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, wondering if I should divert my eyes for the sake of the privacy of the real Harry as everyone paraded around in his body like they just didn't care.

"I knew Ginny was lying about that tattoo!" Ron looked down at his bare chest.

"Harry, your eyesight really is awful," Hermione put on a pair of Harry's glasses.

Once dressed, all seven Harrys stood in a row, laden with luggage and dressed in varying degrees of pride. Moody then announced that he would be flying with Mundungus, Fleur with Bill, Hermione with Kingsley, Ron with Tonks, Fred with Arthur, George with Remus and Harry with Hagrid and me.

"We suspect the Death Eaters will expect you to be on a broom," said Moody, sensing Harry's clear disappointment as he worked out why I asked to borrow his Firebolt, "Snape's had plenty of time to tell them everything about you he's never mentioned before, so if we do run into any Death Eaters, we're betting they'll choose one of the Potters who look at home on a broomstick. All right then," Moody pulled the tie on the sack with all the clothes inside and lead the way to the back door, "I make it three minutes until we're supposed to leave. No point locking the back door, it won't keep the Death Eaters out when they come looking…"

Harry grabbed his rucksack and Hedwig in her cage, joining the rest of us in the garden where it was now dark outside. Ron, Tonks, Moody, Mundungus, Arthur, Fred, George, Remus and I had already mounted our broomsticks. Kingsley helped Hermione onto the great black Thestral and Fleur had her arms around Bill on theirs. Hagrid had his goggles on, ready for Harry.

"Is this Sirius' bike?"

"The very same," Hagrid beamed down at Harry, "An' the last time you was on it, Harry, I could fit yeh in one hand!"

Harry looked humiliated as he got into the sidecar, "It's very low, isn't it? I travelled here in there." I dismounted the broom and got down on my knees, "If you put your feet between that post, it's much more comfortable."

"Thanks," he said, "And you be careful. Hagrid said that there's buttons to make us go faster."

I nodded, "Yeah, Arthur gave me the low-down, I've to circle you, can't stay behind or I'll be barbequed. But don't worry about me, I'll stay close by and if you need anything or get into a spot of bother, I'll be here."

"Everybody ready, please; I want us all to leave at exactly the same time or the whole point of the diversion's lost."

I quickly mounted Harry's broom, with wand in hand and blew a kiss towards George before making myself invisible. Hagrid started up the bike and it gave off a loud roar.

"Good luck everyone!" Moody shouted, "See you all in about an hour at The Burrow. On the count of three. One … two … THREE!"

I kicked off from the ground and shot off into the air faster than anyone else. Soaring into the air through the clouds, I quickly realised something wasn't quite right. A bolt of green light flew past my right ear, and suddenly a blaze of green lights passed me on every side. Screams echoed in my ears. Around thirty Death Eaters, suspended in the mid-air formed a vast circle that we all flew straight into the middle of.

Lowering the broom, I caught sight of Harry and Hagrid a few feet below me. Hagrid let out a yell, and the motorbike rolled over. I watched in horror as Harry clung to the side car for dear life. Hedwig's cage and his rucksack slipped from beneath his knees. Swooping below to catch them, Harry caught the strap of his rucksack and the top of the cage as the motorbike swung the right way up again. A second's relief was felt, as I raised my broom to fly side-by-side with Harry. Another burst of green light soared towards us, this time ending a life. All I heard was the screech of Hedwig as she fell to the floor of her cage.

Harry let out a cry of pain, "No – NO! Hedwig –" I sent back a series of stunners right back at the offending Death Eater, causing the figure on the broom to fall at tremendous speed. Harry meanwhile glanced over his shoulder, wand in hand, firing bolts of red light in the direction of the fighting, "Hagrid, we've got to go back, we've got to go back!" I distinguished his yells over the thunderous roar of the motorbike, "Hagrid, TURN AROUND!"

That was one thing we certainly weren't going to do.

"My job's ter get yeh there safe, Harry!" Hagrid bellowed, and he opened the throttle.

Two Death Eaters were fast approaching us. I flew as close to Harry as possible to make it look like he was firing the bolts of red light in their direction. Two stray bolts of green light flew past his ear.

"GET YOUR HEAD DOWN!" I yelled ferociously.

There were four Death Eaters on our tail. All of them were aiming for Hagrid's broad back. Hagrid swooped and swerved, but the Death Eaters all managed to keep up with the bike. Frustratingly, none of my Stunners were finding their target. I wished in that moment I knew how to fly backwards! Holding onto the broom with one hand, steering and the action of pointing and shooting was not doing well for my accuracy. I was going to have to think of something quick as Harry was now having to sink low down in the sidecar to avoid the relentless attack. As he got in position, the two of us shot a stream of red light bolts, forcing the four Death Eaters to scatter to avoid our defence.

"Hold on, Harry, this'll do for 'em!" Hagrid roared. I took that as my cue to fly above the motorbike as he jammed his thick finger into the green button.

A solid brick wall erupted out of the exhaust pipe. It expanded in mid-air, causing three of the four Death Eaters to swerve and avoid it, but the fourth wasn't as lucky, he dropped from view and dropped like a boulder behind it, his broomstick broken into pieces. One of the remaining three slowed up to save him and was quickly out of sight. I used this opportunity to get close to Harry again and fired Stunning spell after Stunning spell at the remaining two.

Despite Hagrid's attempts to speed up, the last two Death Eaters were proving difficult to fend off. At one point Harry's Stunning spell clashed with one of their Killing Curses mid-air and caused a shower of multi-coloured sparks, causing fireworks in the sky. Muggles below would have no idea what the heck is going on!

"Here we go again, Harry, hold on!" Hagrid yelled, and he jabbed the second button. This time, a great net burst of out the exhaust, but the Death Eaters were ready for it. Not only did they avoid it, but the third Death Eater that slowed up to save the unconscious Death Eater had managed to catch up, much to my annoyance. They were all closely pursuing the motorbike, all shooting curses at it.

"This'll do it, Harry, hold on tight!" Hagrid yelled, as he slammed his whole hand into the purple button beside the speedometer.

With an unmistakable bellowing roar, dragon fire burst from the exhaust, white-hot and blue, the motorbike shot forwards like a bullet with the sound of wrenching metal. I, along with the Death Eaters had been left far behind. As I powered on to catch up, I saw the sidecar sway ominously. Hagrid was flat on his back on the motorbike seat. My heart was hammering in my chest at the idea of Hagrid being unconscious. I'd never be able to save both him and Harry. Once I caught up, I saw that the acceleration had damaged the metal connections holding the sidecar to the bike and Hagrid was trying to fix it with his pink umbrella, against Harry's wishes. Oh Merlin.

I shot a few Stunners behind me, keeping a careful eye on Harry in his precarious situation.

"Harry! HARRY!" I screamed, but it was like talking to the brick wall, I couldn't get close enough for him to hear me, to get him onto the broom behind me, not with the awful noise of scraping metal as the sidecar violently bounced in the bike's slipstream.

"REPARO!" I heard Hagrid yell.

There was a deafening bang, causing my need to veer off-course as the sidecar broke away from the bike completely: Harry sped forwards, propelled by the impetus of the bike's flight, then the sidecar began to lose height.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" I shouted, pointing my wand at the side car, causing it to rise into the air. It was taking all my concentration to keep him afloat, but I couldn't help but notice the three Death Eaters closing in on us, "HARRY!" I screamed, getting as close to him as I could, "HARRY! Climb on!" I sure as hell am not going to be the person who kills Harry Potter, "HARRY! I'VE GOT CONTROL OF THE SIDECAR!"

I don't know if he heard me or something Hagrid said in that moment, but Harry turned around and shot a turquoise-coloured bolt of light towards one of the Death Eaters, hitting him square in the chest. The other two Death Eaters got frighteningly close to Harry, and both raised their wands firing Killing Curses as he lifted his head out of the sidecar. In attempt to counter the spell, I targeted the further bolt of green light with a Stunner, causing another set of fireworks in the air. The second Killing Curse was accurately aimed at the back of Harry's head, and I felt I had no choice.

I threw myself in the way.

I felt like I had been hit by a bus and could see stars. The point of impact on my lower back throbbed like no other pain I had ever known before. Eyes watering, head spinning with the effort to remain invisible, I scrambled to regain control of the broom which was losing height at an alarming rate. I clung to consciousness, a bead of sweat appearing on my forehead as I fought a battle of wills. Temporarily fixing the damaged broom, I gained control again, watching helplessly as the falling sidecar exploded. With it, the nearest Death Eater was blasted off his broom and the other fell back and vanished, with the help of my Stunning Spell.

I desperately pulled the broom handle up to align with Hagrid, who had Harry perched precariously behind him on the bike. I breathed a sigh of relief, before dodging a bolt of green light aimed by one of the two new Death Eaters who had emerged out of the darkness and were quickly gaining on us. They were relentless.

I couldn't get close enough; Hagrid was swooping and swerving to protect Harry, and between the three of us, we were barely holding them off. I repositioned to fly above them, and in that time, Harry had somehow managed to get rid of both pursuers and they were no longer in view.

"Harry, what's happened?" I could hear Hagrid's bellows over the sound of the motorbike engine, "Where've they gone?"

"I don't know!" he said, "Hagrid, do the fire thing again, let's get out of here!"

I didn't have time to voice my objections, "Hold on tight, then, Harry!" Hagrid yelled and there was a deafening roar as the white-hot fire shot from the exhaust, leaving me behind. I watched helplessly as Harry held onto Hagrid who had flung backwards on top of him with the force of acceleration, barely maintaining grip on the handlebars –

A string of curse words escaped as I raced to Harry's rescue. I could see Hagrid sit up again, he looked content. The bike started to lower out of the dark skies. We were nearly there. A quick glance over my shoulder told me that we were not, in fact, alone. Two Death Eaters were now flying on either side of the bike, quite unaware of my presence, both aiming their wands at Harry. I managed to Stun one of them, but the other – two bolts of green light appeared from behind, aimed at Harry.

Hagrid let out a yelp of fear and steered the motorbike into a vertical dive. Harry was clinging on for dear life. An impenetrable force stopped me from trying to reach Harry, from trying to rescue the falling motorbike, from doing anything. A stray bolt of green light hit the already damaged Firebolt and from that moment on, I was unable to control the broom. Every single one of my spells reverberated back at me. I descended at the same rate as the motorbike. Harry meanwhile Stunned a Death Eater as another appeared.

"NO!" Hagrid jumped off the motorbike onto the broom of this new Death Eater as he raised his arm to attack Harry. Their combined weight on the broom proved too much and the two plummeted out of sight. Harry could barely grip the bike between his knees, and despite my best attempts, I couldn't get to him.

Harry screamed in pain and clutched his forehead. Voldemort was flying unaided towards us.

As Voldemort made contact with Harry, I tumbled mid-air, as though experiencing a rear end shunt. When the broom eventually stopped spinning, and I was freefalling towards the ground as though the earth was a magnet and I was being sucked in. Above, Harry pressed the dragon-fire button, shooting flames behind him. Now he was hurtling to the ground faster than me. Streetlights were now visible, and soon were rooves – I was going to crash land. I felt like my stomach was about to fall out my mouth.

As if all the luck in the world had sprung itself upon me in that moment, I felt myself enter the vicinity of the safe house, passing through the protective enchantments and my wand was of use again.

"Arresto momentum!" I yelled, pointing the wand at myself and Harry.I landed into the Tonks' family garden, with a thump on what felt like a bed of pillows and not their shrubbery.

I don't know how long I lay there before I sat up, dazed, pulling twigs out of my hair.

"Kathryn?" I heard Andromeda shout from afar, "Kathryn? Are you injured? Can you get up? I need your help with Harry and Hagrid!"

Blinking, I zoned back into reality. I pat myself gently – nothing appeared to be broken. Climbing off the bush, I swayed on the spot as my feet touched solid ground, "I'm good."

Harry was sopping wet, having recently climbed out of the muddy pond with blood dripping from his mouth and forehead. He reached out to me and collapsed into my arms as I approached.

"Harry!" I shouted, slapping his face with my hands, "HARRY!"

I laid him down on the grass in front of me, aided by Andromeda's wand light, I was able to scan his body. His left arm was broken in three places, one of his teeth was missing and he had a couple of broken ribs, with no obvious life-threatening internal injuries, "Brackium Emendo." I said, fixing his arm and ribs as Andromeda re-grew Harry's tooth.

"How's Hagrid?" I shouted over to Ted.

"He'll be alright. What happened up there, sweetie?" Ted asked as Hagrid regained consciousness.

"Let's get inside." I said, feeling edgy, "It's not safe out here."

Andromeda placed a hand on my back, "You're safe now you're in the boundaries of our home."

I couldn't content myself outside, I felt exposed. I felt vulnerable. So, I used a locomotor charm to move Harry and his belongings. As I laid him down on the sofa, his clothes all dried, I cleaned the blood off his face, "We were ambushed, there were at least thirty Death Eaters ready and waiting to attack us."

"Death Eaters?" the couple questioned me, "I thought they didn't know Harry was being moved tonight? I thought –"

"They knew." I said, "I don't know how they knew, but they did."

"And Dora?"

I fought the urge to cry, now that my adrenaline levels were lowering, "I don't know – I'll let you know as soon as I do." I summoned a tea towel from the kitchen and some ice and held it against Harry's forehead in the hope that it would bring him round faster. Andromeda headed out to the garden to tend to Hagrid as Ted insisted on making me a cup of sweet tea as I hadn't stopped shaking. My energy levels were seriously dwindling after the efforts made to keep everyone alive and myself invisible for so long.

I sat cross-legged on the lounge floor, rocking back and forth with the cup of tea in one hand and the ice in the other. Ted sat in his armchair, watching Harry intently. When I finished off the tea, and not a second sooner, Ted permitted me to go to the bathroom to clean myself up. A splash of water on my face made me feel a hundred times better. I checked in with Andromeda and Hagrid, who were both chatting in the garden as she cleaned his cuts.

"Hagrid?" Harry called out.

"I'll go and see to him." I told Hagrid, "Don't be getting up too fast, we'll not be able to catch you!" I smiled.

"Hagrid's fine, son," I heard Ted respond as I re-entered the back door, "the wife's seeing to him now. How are you feeling? Anything else broken? Kathryn and Dromeda fixed your tooth, ribs and arm. I'm Ted by the way, Ted Tonks – Dora's father."

Harry sat up too quickly as I walked into the room, "Voldemort -" he slurred.

"Easy now!" Ted placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and encouraged him to lie back down again.

I sat on the edge of the sofa, "We're okay, we're safe. How do you feel?"

"That was a nasty crash you just had. Kathryn said you were ambushed? Something go wrong with the bike? Arthur Weasley overstretch himself again, him and his Muggle contraptions?"

"No," Harry said through gritted teeth, his scar must have been hurting him, "we were chased by Death Eaters."

I held the ice back up to his forehead again, much to Harry's appreciation.

"Well, we know our protective charms hold, then, don't we? They shouldn't be able to get within a hundred yards of the place in any direction."

"I could definitely tell when I crossed the boundary – Harry," I explained, "I don't know what happened up there, but I lost control of the broom and I couldn't defend us, not until I crossed the protective enchantments could I try and slow our fall."

Harry swung his legs off the sofa, a look of determination on his face. He had barely stood up when Hagrid squeezed through the door, his face covered in mud and blood, limping a little but miraculously alive.

"Harry!"

Hagrid knocked over two delicate tables, just like Tonks often did, along with the potted plant on top. Covering the floor space in two strides, Hagrid pulled Harry into a rib breaking hug, "Blimey Harry, how did yeh get out o' that? I though' we were goners."

Ted furrowed his eyebrows at Hagrid's disregard for my life, and opened his mouth to argue, but was interrupted.

"Yeah, me too. I can't believe -" Harry stopped mid-sentence, "YOU." he shouted and thrust his hand into his empty pocket.

"Your wand's here, son," Ted said, tapping on Harry's arm, "It fell right beside you, I picked it up. And that's my wife you're shouting at."

"Oh, I'm – I'm sorry."

I stood up beside my Aunt, "Harry this is Tonks' mum, my Auntie Andromeda."

"You two look so alike." His chin dropped, "I thought you were -"

"My sister, yes."

"But you –" Harry struggled to find the right words, "You and Kathryn, you look, she looks – Kathryn looks more like you than she looks like Bellatrix."

I smiled, "Thank Merlin, right?"

"What happened to our daughter?" Andromeda asked, no time to spare for niceties, "I've been told you were ambushed; where is Nymphadora?"

"I don't know," Harry said, "I don't know what happened to anyone else."

I rubbed her arm gently, "As soon as I know anything, I'll send word."

"The Portkey!" Harry remembered suddenly, "We've got to get back to The Burrow and find out – then we'll be able to send you word, or – or Tonks will, once she's -"

"Dora'll be okay, Dromeda," said Ted, "She knows her stuff, she's been in plenty of tight spots with the Aurors. The Portkey's in Dora's room," he added to me, "it's supposed to leave in three minutes, if you want to take it."

"Yeah, we do," Harry answered on my behalf, seizing his rucksack, he looked to me.

I dropped my eyes to the floor, "I'm sorry Harry, I'll buy you another one. The broom took a hit and -"

"It's fine." He said quickly, "So long as you're okay."

I nodded, though I was filling with dread the closer we got to the Portkey leaving. Whilst here, no news meant good news… Our friends could all be dead, T could lose her baby, I could lose her, I could lose George... A shiver rolled down my back at the thought. I cleared my throat, hugging my Aunt and Uncle tight as Harry repeated my words of gratitude. I brought him through into the hallway towards T's old bedroom.

"That's the Portkey," Ted said, pointing at a small silver-backed hairbrush lying on the dressing table as Hagrid bent low to avoid hitting his head on the door lintel.

"Thanks!" I smiled at him and he stepped out of the room.

"Wait a moment," Hagrid said, looking around, "Harry, where's Hedwig?"

Harry's eyes filled with tears, "She ... she got hit…"

Hagrid reached out and patted Harry on the shoulder, "Never mind," he said gruffly, he had purchased Hedwig for Harry's 11th birthday after all, "Never mind. She had a great old life -"

"We've got to go, you two," I lifted the brush and both Harry and Hagrid barely got their fingers on the glowing metal before we were jerked somewhere behind our bellybuttons and dragged into nothingness before our feet slammed onto the hard ground outside the Burrow. With the force of the land, Harry and I both crashed onto our hands and knees. Harry offered me a hand up as I wiped my hands of gravel when Ginny and Molly came rushing towards us out the back door.

"Harry? You are the real Harry? What happened? Where are the others?" Molly cried.

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.

I shivered, "Is no one else back yet? Tonks? Ron? Freddie? Arthur?" thinking of those who should already be here.

Molly's pallid face said it all. I bit my lower lip.

"Death Eaters were waiting for us," Harry told her, as though pleading for her to understand, "We were surrounded the moment we took off – they knew it was tonight – we don't know what happened to anyone else. Four of them chased us, it was all we could do to get away, then Voldemort caught up with us -"

"Thank goodness you're both alright," Molly said, pulling both Harry and me into tight hugs.

"Haven't go' any brandy, have yeh, Molly?" Hagrid asked a little shakily, "Fer medicinal purposes?"

Even though she could have easily summoned the bottle, she hurried back to the house. I think she needed a minute to process the news. This gave Ginny the opportunity to come forward.

"Go on, I know you want to hug him." I tried to be light-hearted, despite the obvious tension. I gave them both a minute to themselves, walking aimlessly around the garden. George and Remus were due to be back next. I didn't know if I'd be able to hold myself together if the Portkey came back without them…

Molly returned with the brandy for Hagrid, who uncorked the bottle and drank it straight down in one. She approached me, taking my hand as I stood expectantly in the middle of the yard.

"Mum! Kat!" Ginny pointed to a spot behind us, where a blue light had appeared in the darkness. It grew larger and brighter. I watched as two figures, George and Remus, fell from the sky. Something wasn't right. Remus was supporting George, who was unconscious. His face was covered in blood.

"Georgie?" I called out as Harry ran forwards and seized his legs. Together, he and Remus carried George into the house, through the kitchen and into the sitting room, where they laid him on the sofa. As the lamplight fell across George's head, Ginny gasped and I was momentarily frozen.

George's ear was missing.

The moment of shock quickly passed and I sprang into action. His head and neck were drenched in wet, shockingly scarlet blood and it was only continuing to ooze. I summoned my emergency medical kit gifted by Madam Pomfrey.

"George? Georgie? Can you hear me?" I called out to him as I administered the tranexamic acid in the hope of controlling the bleeding. But it didn't stop. "REMUS?" I shouted. I didn't know why he was in the kitchen arguing with Harry, but I needed him here, now, "Remus what happened? What spell -"

"It was Snape, he used the Sectumsempra curse, there will be no chance of replacing the ear." He said, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, but I know the counter-curse, to stop him from bleeding out!" I said rather nastily, before turning to George and pointing my wand at his wound, "Vulnera Sanentur." I repeated over and over. Just like I watched Draco heal, George's ear wound knitted together. The fresh blood in the surrounding area filtered and returned into George's unconscious, sickeningly pale body, and eventually the active bleeding stopped.

Molly had her hands on her son's forehead, "He's warming up!" she looked at me in amazement, "How'd you learn to do that?"

"Snape."

There was a scurfuffle outside. Someone else was back. Molly and I both looked to Ginny to find out and relay information, but she wanted to stay. I wasn't leaving George's side either. I leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek, before placing my head on his chest to feel the steady rise and fall, but his racing heartbeat did not set me at ease. I knew it was caused by his loss of blood, but I didn't know how best to counter-act it. I was desperately thinking what my next move should be.

I sat up on the sofa beside him, stroking his cheek, nervously tapping my foot on the floor. I realised I had to play the waiting game, "Come on baby…"

"He's going to be okay, Kit-Kat." Ginny said, her hands on my shoulders, giving me a gentle massage.

I went into the medical bag and picked out a packet of gauze and some sterile water and began cleaning up the wound. The blood was dry now, so it didn't take long to reveal George's pale skin underneath as Molly gently maintained the stroking of his hair. I tenderly cleaned around the gaping hole where his ear used to be and my fingers gravitated towards my lips as I tried to steady myself.

"Just you wait," I said in barely a whisper, "he'll wake up and say he's still better looking than Freddie!"

"Of course he will." Ginny gave me the smallest of smiles.

Harry came back into the living room and stared at George's new appearance, "How is he?"

"We can't make it grow back, not when it was removed by Dark Magic, but Kathryn has stopped the bleeding and healed the wound." Molly answered on my behalf, "But it could have been worse, it could have been much worse…"

"Yeah," Harry said, "Thank God."

"Did we hear someone else in the yard?" Ginny asked as Harry came further into the room.

Harry nodded, "Hermione and Kingsley."

There was a crash in the kitchen, causing me to jump off the seat.

"I'll prove who I am, Kingsley, after I've seen my son, now back off if you know what's good for you!"

I had never heard Arthur shout like that before. He burst into the living room, his bald patch gleaming with sweat, his glasses askew, Freddie right behind him. Both were pale, and thankfully uninjured. Freddie immediately opened his arms and pulled me into a tight hug after seeing George.

"Arthur," Molly sobbed, "Oh thank goodness!"

"How is he?"

Arthur dropped to his knees where I had been beside George. When Fred eventually let go of me, he didn't say anything. He just stared at George, ashen faced, looking how I felt. Peering at him from behind the sofa, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Fred's here, Georgie." Molly whispered.

Fred leant closer to George, and within seconds, George started to stir.

"How you feeling Georgie?" Fred asked him.

George's free fingers groped for the side of his head.

"Saint-like," he murmured.

"What's wrong with him?" Fred croaked, looking terrified as his eyes met mine, which caused my chin to quiver, "Is his mind affected?"

"Saint-like," George repeated, his voice still slurred, both our eyes snapped back to him, as George looked up at his twin, "You see … I'm holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?"

Molly sobbed harder than ever. Tears now streamed down my face in relief. Fred's face filled with colour.

"Pathetic," he told George, who's eyes were unfocused, "the whole wide world of ear-related humour before you and you go for holey?"

"Now everyone will be able to tell us apart, not just Katy -" panic filled his face as he searched the room, he must have black spots in his vision, "Fred? Is she here? Is – is Katy okay?" George's face went paler still at the exertion of trying to get up. Arthur quickly moved over for me to resume my seat on the sofa.

"Woah Georgie! I'm here! I'm alright!" I took his hand, pressing my lips against his cool skin and gave a gentle squeeze. He squeezed back, with a firm grip.

George's eyes struggled to focus on mine, as he regained consciousness a lot slower than I'd anticipated, "Katy – Katy, if I die, marry Fred – he's in love with you – I know he'll treat you right." He slurred.

"Don't be silly Georgie, you're not going to die." I stroked his hair gently, kissing the hand holding mine again, "No point trying to marry me off to someone else just yet, okay?" I planted a kiss on the top of his head before reaching into the medical bag and lifted out a regeneration potion, in the hope that it would resolve his confusion, restore his vision and balance out his loss of blood volume, "I need you to drink this for me…" I directed Fred to help me sit him up. It was obvious that the injury had taken its toll on George's body as he barely had the strength to talk, never mind move, but the drink was necessary, "Nice and slow."

Managing to lift him just high enough to pour the liquid down his throat, he swallowed. Within the minute, he was perking up.

"Stay with me." he said as he took another gulp.

I sat closer still as we laid him back down, leaning over and holding his arm close to my body, "I'm not going anywhere. Get you some rest, I'll be right here when you wake up."

Contented, George was asleep in seconds. Exhaustion took over, his body needed time to recuperate. I sat for a few minutes, leaned over him, fondly watching as he slept, counting my lucky stars that he wasn't dead.

"Kathryn!" Fred exclaimed.

"What?" I looked up at him in shock, "What's wrong?"

Fred rounded the sofa and lifted up my t-shirt, "Your back! It's – it's –" his jaw dropped, "how does that not hurt?"

Molly inspected my back and made me stand up and hold up my t-shirt at the front, "You took a hit."

I nodded, "I'm fine."

"You're not fine!" Fred had lost any chill he had managed to gather in seeing that George was alright, "What happened? What got you?"

Harry and Ginny were no longer in the room. I knew Harry wouldn't be coping very well with George's injury, he'll have placed a lot of the blame onto himself. The fact that others weren't back yet, including his best friend, didn't help.

"I erm – George is going to kill me if he ever finds out." I said, looking down at him fondly, "There were two -"

Hermione let out a scream, "It's them!"

"Remus!" I heard Tonks cry out.

Moments later, Ginny returned to the living room to tell us the news, "Ron and Tonks are back, now too. Apparently Ron got one of the Death Eaters in the face! We're just waiting on Bill and Fleur, Mad-Eye and Mundungus."

I leaned forwards, in the hope of seeing Tonks through the window.

"Go on," Fred gave me a nudge, "She's like your sister, go see her, I've got George, he'll be none the wiser."

I hesitated, "But -"

Fred took my hands and pulled me up off the seat, "Go."

I looked at George who was peacefully asleep and I reluctantly turned, "If anything -"

"I'll get you; I promise."

I left the living room and walked through the kitchen into the yard. At Tonks' sight of me, she let go of Remus and the two of us embraced, holding each other tight, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked me, patting my body and she caught sight of my stomach, "KAT!" she let out a sound of terror.

"I'm fine." I told her, but that was not enough.

Hermione approached me, "That's worse than the mark you had last time… What spell did you get hit with?"

I remained silent.

"Kit-Kat?" Ginny took my hand and gave a squeeze.

"Well... I think it might've been a green bolt? It all happened so fast…"

"A Killing Curse?"

I shrugged, "Sure Harry's the only one who's ever survived a Killing Curse before! All I know is that the curse really hurt and it broke Harry's Firebolt. I'm assuming it ricocheted which is why I'm not, you know -"

"You took that for me, didn't you?" Harry asked sheepishly.

I pursed my lips together, feeling awkward, "I was trying to keep that on the DL. It was the time I made the firework-like sparks?"

Harry nodded.

"What about you two? What happened?"

"Bellatrix happened." Tonks said, "She wants me dead as much as she wants Harry dead, as much as she'd love you to be dead, if she knew you were alive."

"Cheers."

The two of us shared a small smile that no one else would understand, the competition between us to see who was at the top of Bellatrix's kill list. T was definitely beating me. Her eyes then met mine again, "And we injured your father, too."

I looked to Ron, "What's he look like? Nice bloke?"

Ron shook his head, rolling his eyes, "The best. Took my Stunner like a champ."

"Then we got to Ron's Aunt Muriel's and we'd missed our Portkey and she was fussing over us -"

I took her hand and said so that no one else could hear, "And everything okay with baby?"

She smiled and nodded. I pulled her in for another cuddle.

"What about George, is he back?" she asked. But upon the complete change in my facial expression, she prompted me, "What's wrong?" then she turned to Remus, "What happened?"

"Snape happened." He answered his wife.

"He'll be alright." I said in a small voice.

Ron piped up, "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm going to have to get back to Downing Street. I should have been there an hour ago," Kingsley announced, after another sweeping gaze at the sky, "Let me know when they're back." He asked Remus before walking away towards the garden gate. Once he was over the threshold of the protective enchantments, he disapparated with a pop.

"T, you're going to have to send a message to your parents, they were worried sick." I told her and she walked into the yard out of earshot of everyone else to do so, "I'm going to go back to George, if anyone needs me."

I passed Molly and Arthur on my way back inside as they hugged Ron. In the living room, Fred was sitting on the edge of the sofa beside George talking to him as he slept. It was really sweet actually. I stood and listened from the doorway as Fred told George about the battle and how he and his dad were attacked by four Death Eaters and how he had managed to injure a couple of them.

The sudden commotion in the yard saw Fred stop talking and look over his shoulder and he realised I was listening in. He seemed embarrassed.

"Don't stop on my part." I smiled, "I saw a glimpse of a Thestral, so Bill and Fleur must be back." I informed before approaching and sitting at his feet, "Ron and Tonks had my parents to deal with." I told the twins, "Rodolphus was injured, Bellatrix was determined to kill Tonks, so she mustn't know I'm alive."

"Did anyone see you?" Fred asked.

I shook my head, "I don't think so. But if the Death Eaters fighting us had even one brain cell between them, they'd see that Harry wasn't casting half of the spells aimed at them."

"I think they'd have fallen off their brooms if you revealed yourself in front of their faces."

I made myself invisible before making myself visible right in front of Fred's face, "BOO!"

The two of us were in fits of hysterics as Fred nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Well how am I meant to sleep when you two are getting on like that? I can still hear your dulcet tones, you know." George laughed with us, reaching out towards me he took my hand and laced our fingers together, "Anyone else back?"

"Way to lower the tone, George."

He nodded his head towards the door where the group had now congregated, with grave looks on their faces. This prompted George to sit up.

"What's wrong?" Fred said, as we scanned everyone's faces as they entered the room, "What's happened? Who's -?"

"Mad-Eye," Arthur said, "Dead."

I was shocked to the core. Mad-Eye Moody was the dependable one, the survivor, the man who – died. Tonks was crying into a handkerchief as Remus had an arm around her. Hagrid, who perched himself into the corner, used his tablecloth sized hankie.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice broke with emotion. Bill was the one to answer.

"Voldemort went straight for him. Dung panicked, I heard him cry out, Mad-Eye tried to stop him, but he Disapparated. Voldemort's curse hit Mad-Eye full in the face, he fell backwards off his broom and – there was nothing we could do, we had half a dozen on our tail."

Goosebumps appeared up my arms. That could have been me, as well. George gave my hand a squeeze, a paleness had returned to his face. Bill then opened the sideboard and pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey and some glasses.

"Here," he handed everyone a full glass, emptying the bottle in his own cup, making fourteen, "Mad-Eye."

"Mad-Eye." We all said, before drinking.

I took the glass and downed it in one. George's eyes widened at the sight. The firewhiskey burned on the way down, and I let out what felt like fiery breath. I wished there was more; this certainly wasn't the sort of day I want to remember.

Remus, too, had downed the drink in one, subtly taking T's full glass and giving her his own, "So Mundungus disappeared?"

The whole atmosphere in the room changed. There was a tense feeling. It was obvious that someone in the Order had betrayed us.

"I know what you're thinking," Bill said, "and I wondered that, too, on the way back here, because they seemed to be expecting us, didn't they? But Mundungus can't have betrayed us. They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of skulduggery. Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point? I think Dung panicked, it's as simple as that."

"It's not like he wanted to come in the first place." I commented, "Mad-Eye made him."

Fleur nodded, "And You-Know-Who went straight for zem, eet was enough to make anyone panic."

"You-Know-Who acted exactly as Mad-Eye expected him to," Tonks sniffled, "Mad-Eye said he'd expect the real Harry to be with the toughest, most skilled Aurors. He chased Mad-Eye first, and when Mundungus gave them away he switched to Kingsley…"

I looked to Hermione, who nodded in agreement.

"Yes, and zat eez all very good," Fleur snapped, "but still eet does not explain 'ow zey knew we were moving 'Arry tonight, does eet? Somebody must 'ave been careless. Somebody let slip ze date but not ze 'ole plan."

Fleur stared around at everyone; tear tracks still visible on her face as though silently daring anyone to contradict her. Nobody did.

"No," Harry said a lot louder than I think he intended, causing everyone to look at him, "I mean … if somebody made a mistake, and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to do it. It's not their fault. We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me to Voldemort."

"Well said, Harry," said Fred unexpectedly.

"Yeah, 'ear, 'ear," said George, who looked to his twin for approval, a twitch in the corner of his mouth.

Harry shifted uncomfortably on his feet, "You think I'm a fool?" he directed at Remus.

"No, I think you're like James," He responded, "who would have regarded it as the height of dishonour to mistrust his friends."

We all knew what Remus was getting at, but that only made Harry angry. Remus appeared to be done with the conversation as he set his glass down on the coffee table and addressed Bill, "There's work to do. I can ask Kingsley whether -"

"No," said Bill at once, "I'll do it, I'll come."

"Where are you going?" Tonks and Fleur said simultaneously.

"Mad-Eye's body, we need to recover it." Remus said.

Molly looked appealingly at Bill, "Can't it -?"

"Wait?" questioned Bill, "Not unless you'd rather the Death Eaters took it?"

He was right. Molly just didn't want to risk losing her son all over again. Both Remus and Bill left shortly after. With nothing else better to do, we all sat down, except for Harry, who looked mightily unsettled.

"I've got to go, too," Harry said.

Eleven pairs of startled eyes looked at him.

"Don't be silly, Harry." Molly said, "What are you talking about?"

"I can't stay here." He was rubbing his forehead again; his agitation heightened since the news of Mad-Eye.

I stood and summoned my medical bag, placing my cold hands against his burning forehead, "You're safe here, think of the enchantments around Ted and Andromeda's house, no one can get you here." I lifted out a calming solution, "Here," I offered him a spoon, "It'll help."

He pushed the spoon away, "You're all in danger while I'm here. I don't want -"

"But don't be so silly," Molly said, "The whole point of tonight was to get you here safely and thank goodness it worked. And Fleur's agreed to get married here rather than in France, we've arranged everything so that we can all stay together and look after you -"

I knew that would only make Harry feel worse. He didn't want people to change their plans for him. He didn't want to cause a fuss.

"If Voldemort finds out I'm here -"

"But why should he?" Molly asked.

"There are a dozen places you might be now, Harry" said Arthur, "He's got no way of knowing which safe house you're in."

Harry looked around the room, "It's not me I'm worried for."

"We know that," Arthur said quietly, "but it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left."

"Yer not goin' anywhere," growled Hagrid, "Blimey, Harry, after all we wen' through ter get yeh here?"

"Yeah, what about my bleeding ear?" George hoisted himself up off the cushions, more than aware that Harry leaving the Burrow meant me leaving too.

"I know that -"

"Mad-Eye wouldn't want -"

"I KNOW!" Harry bellowed.

I sat back down on the floor beside George. The argument had been won, for now at the very least. Tonks looked bewildered by the whole situation. I tapped the floor beside me and she shook her head, probably keen to get back to her parents.

"Wait 'til it gets out yeh did it again, Harry," Hagrid said, "Escaped him, fought him off when he was right on top of yeh!"

"It wasn't me," Harry said flatly, "It was my wand. My wand acted of its own accord."

After a few moments of silence, Hermione spoke gently, "But that's impossible, Harry. You mean that you did magic without meaning to; you acted instinctively."

"No," Harry defended, "The bike was falling, I couldn't have told you where Voldemort was, but my wand spun in my hand and found him and shot a spell at him, and it wasn't even a spell I recognised. I've never made gold flames before."

"Often," Arthur said, "when you're in a pressured situation you can produce magic you never dreamed of," that I was certain of, "small children often find, before they're trained -"

"It wasn't like that," Harry said through gritted teeth.

Everyone knew not to say anything more. Harry set down his glass and left the room to go outside. Ron and Hermione both looked to me to go and treat him like a bomb I had to defuse, but I shrugged my shoulders. My priority was now George; I almost lost him today.

"Katy?" George called from the sofa as I waved goodnight to everyone as they returned home or went upstairs to bed.

"I'm right here." I stroked his hair gently, retaking my seat on the floor beside him.

His eyes were filled with concern, "You're going to leave, aren't you?"

I kissed his forehead, "Not tonight. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise. Try and get some rest."

"Stay with me."

I stroked his face fondly, "I will. I'll set up camp right here," I pointed at the floor beside him, watching him fight sleep, "Can I get you anything? A drink? Another blanket? Sleep potion? Are you in any pain?"

He yawned, "You're all I need Katy."

And just like that, he was fast asleep. The room was in complete silence, the sky was dark and stars twinkled above us. I rested my head against the wall behind me and took the time to reflect on what had happened this evening. We were ambushed by Death Eaters, Harry lost Hedwig, the Firebolt took a hit, which ricocheted off me, George lost his ear, Mad-Eye is dead.

"Are you okay?" Fred sat down beside me, "Please don't cry…" he dabbed the tears falling down my cheeks, "He's going to be alright."

"I know." I said patting the floorspace beside me, "I don't know what I would do if I lost him… Or you." I sighed, "Even I could have died tonight." I lifted my t-shirt, inspecting my newest purple coloured bruise, which was quickly turning green. I couldn't feel it, but it would undoubtedly look terrifying to everyone else, "I took a rebounded Killing Curse for Harry. I didn't even think, I just -"

Fred put an arm around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder and he rested his head on mine, as we shared the blanket, "I'm really glad you're still alive."