For those of you in our facebook group - Bubbleybear & Pienuniek's Story Nook - this news will come as no surprise. But I recently lost a very dear friend to cancer who was also an unofficial Pre-Reader for the Under Her Spell Series. Leonie Price, I miss you, so very much but I hope that you are free from pain, wherever you are.

In her honour, I am dedicating this entire book to her. Her enthusiasm helped me continue to write on many days where I felt ... lost. In fact, one of the last emails she sent me was that she wished that these books had been on the big screen; that they were better than the originals. I know it will never happen, but the thought was enough to encourage me. Please keep her in your thoughts as we continue with this story. Cheers.

I'm so glad that I can finally give you the next in the series. Just know I've already read Book Six and have taken my notes. Now ... I can say that I've started to write!

Thanks must go out to my team. My pre-reader Pienuniek and my Beta Alice's White Rabbit. I would be lost without the pair of you, truly.

I don't own Twilight, or Harry Potter, I'd be a richer person if I did. But I do so love to create my own places for them out in the world. No copyright infringement is intended.

See you at the bottom ...

Chapter Thirty-Four – What the Hell happened?

"Thank you for joining me, Edward," Dumbledore said as I stepped through the door to his office with Dean in tow. It took him until I was about halfway up the tower before he followed me. Dean still had loads of questions, but for right now, he was remaining quiet.

"No problem, sir. This is Dean. We met him in the Department of Mysteries, and he was a big help in making sure we weren't all killed by the death eaters." I pointed at Dean as I took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. Dean eventually taking the seat next to me.

"Nice to meet you." Dumbledore shook his hand politely but without making too much eye contact. "What happened tonight, Edward? Why did you head off to the ministry without contacting me? Or the Order?"

"First of all, we did contact the Order. We contacted a lot of people outside of Hogwarts before racing off to the ministry. But I think it might be better if I show you what happened."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box with the memovisum in it, using the Engorgio Spell to increase its size before I set it up for Dumbledore to see.

"Ah, yes. Bella's invention. Quite ingenious, your little mate."

My head spun in Dumbledore's direction with my eyebrow raised. That had sounded condescending. There was nothing little about Bella anymore. "Bella has big plans to update the wizarding world. She wants to try to bring in all sorts of technology."

"Oh, yeah?" Dean asked. "That's a good idea."

"Mmhmm. We thought so, too." I was still looking at Dumbledore, daring him to say any more.

I could see when what he said registered and how it sounded. "I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. She reminds me a lot of me when I was young. Full of ideas and gumption. Ready to take on the world."

I nodded with an "of course" before I finished getting the memovisum ready. Once it was done and I'd added what had happened, I sat back. "Just remember that this is only my experience of tonight. I don't know what happened with the others yet."

With a wave of his hand, Dumbledore stated, "Yours will be the most comprehensive look anyway because of your advantage."

I didn't acknowledge Dumbledore's words; I simply just started playing my memory from our last exam when Harry fell asleep in class. It took a good couple of hours, but eventually, I showed Dumbledore everything up until he stepped out of the fireplace at the Ministry of Magic.

"You guys have had some afternoon," Dumbledore mused.

I shrugged. "I suppose you could say that. We needed to save Esme, not that she was there."

Dean and I watched as Dumbledore paced around his office. I could tell that his thoughts were going a mile a minute, not that his mind was open, as he tried to figure out what he was going to say. He stopped behind his desk but placed his fists on it, leaning on them. "First, I want to apologize. I should have been there earlier than I was. Something … held me up."

"Was that something done to you by Voldemort?" I asked, tilting my head as I watched his expression. I could see that while I had hit a nail on the head, it wasn't the exact one. "Ah, so he didn't do anything to you, but you were looking for something about him."

"I was," Dumbledore agreed, but it was when he picked up his right hand to stroke his beard that I saw what Dumbledore had been doing.

"Tell me you didn't." I stood and reached for his hand all in one swift movement. "You used Alice's vision to track down a horcrux at Marvolo Gaunt's house. That part wouldn't be so bad if you'd given it to us. But you put the damn thing on? Do you have any idea what's going to happen?"

Dumbledore wrenched his arm from my hand. "That is none of your business. And I don't know that it is a horcrux."

I threw my hands up in anger. He never listened to anyone but the words circling around in his brain. His attitude drove me up the wall sometimes. Because if it was anything I knew, it was that we needed to rely on each other to make it. "Okay, fine. But know you can come to us with anything should you need it."

"I know that, Edward, but thank you."

It was with those words that I knew the vision Alice had of Dumbledore turning to Snape because of his hand would come true. It seemed that the only person he trusted was the one he shouldn't be putting his faith in. "You're welcome," I replied, sitting back down next to Dean, who had just been watching what was happening.

"Regardless, I am sorry that I wasn't there earlier. You have had one hell of a night, and your trip … I never thought those legends were real." Dumbledore huffed a laugh of disbelief.

"All legends have some nuggets of truth. They need to have started somewhere."

"Very true," Dumbledore hummed before changing the subject. "You know of the prophecy. We've spoken of it, and you've heard it. Have you been able to put the clues together?"

"What prophecy?" Dean asked, looking at me. He could see the mistrust in Dumbledore as much as I could.

I looked back at him when Dumbledore didn't speak. "I'll fill you in later. But it is important." I turned back to Dumbledore. "We believe so. Bella and I were able to put it together a while ago, and Harry has also begun to suspect. You believe he's a horcrux."

"I do. In fact, I'm positive he is one. Does he understand what that means for him?"

"He does, but …" I paused before the question I needed an answer to. "Is everyone all right? Do you know where Esme was?"

Dumbledore sighed and sat down in his chair behind the desk, grabbing a cockroach cluster from the bowl next to him. "Everyone is fine. Those who were with you are recovering in the hospital wing. Tonks was the only one injured tonight, but she's resting comfortably in St. Mungo's where your dad is keeping a close eye on her, even though he's not working there anymore. And your mother … she's fine, too, Edward. She was on a shopping trip in London and is on her way here now. I believe it was a spur of the moment thing."

I slumped in my chair as my fears were made null and void. Mom was okay. "Thank God."

"For now, know that we have defeated—and slowed—Voldemort once more. He will need time to regroup and create a new inner circle since most of them were captured tonight."

"Where are they going to be kept? Azkaban has no dementors," Dean spoke up as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It was one of those things the death eaters were talking about in the Hall of Prophecies. They have the dementors on their side."

"Which is what was taking me so long to return here tonight. Rufus Scrimgeour was sworn in as the new Minister of Magic, and we had to find a new place to store the prisoners. Just know that they are in a secure location and the fewer people who know, the less likely Tom Riddle will find out," Dumbledore promised. "There are only a few people who know."

"And the fewer who know, the better," I finished for him. He was right; that was the best way if those who know weren't in with Voldemort.

"Exactly. Take solace that we have time to figure out the next steps. Go back to the hospital wing and sit with your friends and family, your Bella, and wait for the end of year feast tomorrow night." Dumbledore stood from his chair and indicated the door. "And, Dean, you are welcome to stay with us until everyone goes home for the summer. I have no doubt you will be on the train home with Edward, Bella, and the others."

I laughed at the look on Dean's face. His mouth had fallen open, and he was staring at Dumbledore like he couldn't believe he said that. I slapped him on the shoulder as I stood. "C'mon, man. Let's go. You have a lot to think about tonight."

Dean followed, not saying anything. "What's there to think about? She's my mate, just like Bella is yours; there's no denying that. Being here in this castle, I can feel her."

I smirked. "I know that feeling. As soon as Bella apparated onto our driveway with Molly Weasley and Professor Dumbledore, I could feel it." I released my wand and cast the Accio Spell silently. By the time we made it to the corridor in hospital wing, three books flew into my hands, coming down from Gryffindor Tower. "In that case, read these overnight. It will give you an insight into what's happening. Two are books that have pertinent information about Veela and the relationship you two will be developing." I handed them over but held up the last one. "This one is written by me. It's things that we've experienced as a couple. Information that we've found incorrect and anything that hasn't been documented in these books." I sighed. "I've also put in there about how things have changed between Bella and me. Not details, per say, but how things changed between us, and how I had to adjust my thinking to accommodate those changes."

"You had to adjust your thinking?"

I began to whisper when we stepped through the door to the hospital. "Oh, yeah. Many times over the years. Especially as Bella got older and things started changing between us. We were told that she would have two scent changes, and it wouldn't be until the second change that anything sexual would happen between us."

"I take it that wasn't the case?" Dean asked as we sat down in our seats.

I shook my head with a sigh. "Not a chance. Hormones got involved, and instead of seeing her as a growing woman, I kept seeing her as my ten-year-old mate. Let me just say that it caused some friction between us, and I had to adjust my thinking in order to see her as the beautiful woman I see every day."

"Ahh, gotcha." Dean held up the books but picked up the one on Veela to start. "Then I thank you for these."

"You're welcome." I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes so I could listen to the goings on around the castle. All was quiet in our little corner of the world.

At least … for right now.

~*~UHS~*~

The following morning, all the misfits were cleared by Madam Pomfrey. Some of the others had to have specialty potions to counter the burns, sores, and injuries they received the night before.

They were all talking excitedly. Today was our last day at Hogwarts. Tomorrow, we would be going home. I had a feeling that the train ride home was going to be our very own debriefing. A place where each of us could fill in the others on what happened here and at the ministry.

I could hear Gabrielle making her way to the entrance foyer. She was intent on coming up here, finding her sister, and finding out what had happened.

"Bella, Fleur?" Both girls turned to face me. "You may want to head Gabrielle off and give her the heads up." I watched with trepidation as they looked at each other and started giggling. "You're not doing what I think you're doing, are you?"

"We're not doing anything!" Bella and Fleur protested together, but Fleur continued with, "But we should get to breakfast. Don't want to miss The Prophet this morning."

Fred, George, Harry, Hermione, and Luna all watched as Bella and Fleur linked arms and led the way out of the hospital wing. Hermione and Luna followed while the boys walked with Dean and me as we brought up the rear.

"What are they up to?" Harry asked, walking next to me.

"Nothing good," I murmured.

It is to good, Bella argued.

"Let's just say that Gabrielle is going to get a surprise." Harry looked at me, then Dean, then at my mischievous mate up the front. I could see the minute the lightbulb went off above his head and the mental ohhhh when it all clicked. "Exactly." I looked over at Dean, who was looking around at Hogwarts Castle. "Are you ready for this?"

"This place never changes," he murmured as he continued to look around. "But to answer your question, absolutely. I've been ready since last night."

"I'm glad. Won't be long now."

We followed along behind the girls as they chatted and giggled in the ways that girls do, heading down the flights of stairs to the foyer before the Great Hall. I couldn't believe we were going to surprise Gabrielle with her mate … oh wait, yes, I could. In fact, I'm sure we'd done this before with Fleur and Bill. Fixing mates up seemed to be our schtick.

Gabrielle was facing the Great Hall, talking to a couple of friends, when we made our way down the last of the stairs.

"Gabrielle!" Fleur called as I felt Dean slip behind me. It seemed for as much as he was ready, he was still a little bit nervous.

"Fleur, guys, are you all okay?" Gabrielle asked as she first hugged Fleur, then everyone else, saving me for last.

"We're fine," I answered for the others as I placed my hands on her shoulders. Hermione and Luna must have figured out what was about to happen because I could see all of them waiting on tenterhooks. "It was a rough night, and we've all spent it in the hospital wing." I covered her mouth with my hand when she went to interrupt. "We promise to tell you all about it on the way home." I raised my eyebrow when she wanted to argue, causing her to giggle and nod at me. "But first, I want to introduce you to someone. Someone you might know."

Gabrielle's brows furrowed. "I don't think I know anyone here yet."

"I think you do. Gabrielle, meet Dean," I said as I stepped aside and turned to face the man in question.

"Oh," Gabrielle breathed. She recognized him immediately. And she also knew from talking to Bella and Fleur what the young man—because I'd place him at around twenty—in front of her was going to mean to her. "It's you."

The girls, including Bella, all swooned when Dean bowed, reached forward for Gabrielle's hand, and placed a kiss upon it. "It is me. I'm very pleased to meet you, Miss Gabrielle."

"Hey," I growled in Bella's ear. "No swooning over other men."

Bella giggled as she curled into me. I think he's sweet for Gabrielle. You know I love only you.

I smiled into the top of Bella's head as I wrapped my arms around her. "I know. I love you, too. It seems we're good at spreading the love around."

With everything that's coming for us, we need to soak in the good times, Bella thought as she looked up at me. She stood on her tiptoes to give me a kiss. Everyone deserves those good times whether they're ready for them or not.

I looked over at Gabrielle and Dean, taking tentative steps to get to know one another, and thought that my girl was right. We needed these bright spots to balance out the dark.

~*~UHS~*~

Voldemort has Returned

Harry Potter, Edward Masen, and Albus Dumbledore vindicated.

That was the headline that greeted me when I picked up The Daily Prophet at breakfast. I was grateful for the truth that seemed to be written in front of me. But I would reserve my opinion for the end of the article.

"What does yours say?" Bella asked, leaning over from reading The Truth. She held up her article with the headline that read something similar. "Oh? Are they going to report the truth?"

I chuckled. "Let me read it, and I'll tell you."

Bella laughed and pushed me away when I leaned in to kiss her. "Just read it to us, silly."

"Late last night the auror office was called to the ministry to face a disturbance that had happened. They arrived at the same time as several other ministry officials, including the former Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, and reporters for the Daily Prophet and The Truth.

"We never expected what we found when we stepped out of the fireplaces.

"In the atrium, which had been completely shattered and destroyed, were several very disheveled Hogwarts' students, including Harry Potter and Edward Masen, as well as Albus Dumbledore. But it was the fact that Harry was prone on the floor with Voldemort standing over him that stopped us all cold.

"Once Voldemort fled the scene, we were treated to an in-depth description of what had been happening over the last year at not only Hogwarts but things that had been happening outside of Hogwarts. Including a trial for underage magic that had happened the previous summer.

"The stories we were told were the things born of nightmares. Everything from dementors being sent to attack students to get them expelled from Hogwarts, to being excluded from classes, to being tortured in detention by devices that were banned three-hundred years ago. All endorsed by the minister at the time.

"But the most shocking was the fact that eight—that's right, eight—Hogwarts' students took on a team of Voldemort's closest and most trusted death eaters. And they had done it all on their own until a group of friends and family members of the children came to lend their expertise. Including formerly disgraced and paranoid auror, Alistair Moody.

"Once the story was told, Amelia Bones of the Wizengamot and head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement removed Cornelius Fudge from his position as minister and had him arrested. She also sent half a dozen aurors down to the Department of Mysteries to arrest the death eaters the children from Hogwarts had apprehended—including one Isabella Swan—daughter of the famed auror, Charlie Swan.

"Amelia Bones also reinstated all Albus Dumbledore's titles as Grand Sorcerer, Supreme Mugwump, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Afterward, she declared that everything that had been written about Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and Edward Masen was incorrect, false, or just plain slander. That everything they ever said from the end of the Triwizard Tournament was the truth. And if we didn't print the truth then we would be doing as great a disservice to the magical community as Cornelius Fudge had done by burying his head in the sand.

"From all here at The Daily Prophet, we want to apologize to the wizarding community. And we'd like to offer our sincerest apologies to Harry Potter, Edward Masen, and Albus Dumbledore for the egregious lies we have perpetrated by following blindly the direction given to us by our minister. We promise that we plan to go forward from here by looking closer for the truth in our stories than ever before."

I placed the paper down onto the table and looked around at my friends, my family, and my Bella. They were all looking back at me. "We have received an apology." There were several snorts around the table. "The Prophet has declared Voldemort has returned and has been since the Triwizard Tournament last year."

"Hallelujah!" several voices rang out around me, and it wasn't just our friends either. All the children at school were celebrating the fact that everyone would know that Voldemort had returned.

"About damn time," Harry spoke up from next to me. "Now, it's time for all of us to prepare for war."

~*~UHS~*~

We had spent the day outside, learning about our new family member Dean, but also letting him and Gabrielle learn about each other. What we had enjoyed the most was seeing Dean try all manner of food. It had been such a long time since he had tasted anything other than blood that experiencing all the new flavors and textures had been highly entertaining.

The best part of the day, however, had been when Dumbledore had led a disheveled, dirty, and distraught Umbridge back from the centaurs and the Forbidden Forest. She had attempted to walk across the grass with her head held high but had stumbled and tripped because she was missing a shoe. Although, the best part of Dumbledore rescuing her from the centaurs had been when the ghosts had been released from where Umbridge had stashed them. Peeves had made the day of every single child in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he chased her out singing, "Ding dong, this witch is dead!" at the top of his lungs.

A huge cheer had rent the air from every child as Umbridge had fled the school with only the clothes on her back.

The entire Great Hall had been chattering and talking about the articles in both The Truth and The Daily Prophet and how they could now talk to their parents about what was happening when they got home while we sat and ate the last dinner before heading home.

But all that came to a screeching halt when Dumbledore stood from the teachers' table and made his way around to the podium. He sighed as he placed his hands on the podium and leaned forward to look over every one of us. "It has been a tough year all around." He sighed. "We have all faced many battles and fought many little wars. You have been in the middle of a power struggle between keeping to the status quo or wanting to defend all we hold dear. I cannot tell you how unbelievably proud I am of all of you for sticking up for your right to learn, not only theory but the practical as well. For defending your fellow classmates and for doing things that adults wanted to ignore. You, those who didn't follow blindly, are our leaders of tomorrow." Dumbledore stood and walked from one end of the stage to the other. "Over the course of this year, there has been some skewed point giving, which gave one particular house an unfair advantage over the others," Dumbledore stated as he changed the direction of the conversation before he sent a small glare in the direction of the Slytherin tables. "To counter this unfair favoritism, I have decided to declare the house cup a three-way tie! Congratulations to Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor on winning the house cup!"

The noise that erupted from the three tables rivalled that of a game of quidditch. We were on our feet cheering, clapping, and congratulating ourselves on a job well done. We were proud of the fact that we had stood together against evil and declared that we weren't going to bend or break under the pressure. That we were better than that and that we could defeat one who was hell bent on destroying us. I couldn't be prouder of the students at Hogwarts—most of us anyway—than I was at that very moment.

~*~UHS~*~

"Hey, Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"Come somewhere with me?"

"Now?" Bella asked with a snicker as she rolled over onto her stomach. "But we're naked."

I tickled her side just below her tit. "I know that. But there's something I want to do before Umbridge's office is cleaned out."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, someone needs rescuing."

Bella's eyes flickered toward the empty frame sitting on the little table beside the bed in my trunk. "Okay. Let's go." She stood up, gloriously naked, and started to get dressed. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah." I sighed. "Just admiring the view first. Love you."

"Love you, too, Edward. But we need to do this before we leave in a few hours."

I nodded and stood from the bed and reached for my pants. I wasn't going to let the poor kitten suffer an unknown fate when he had been ever so helpful to us this year. He didn't deserve whatever they had in store for him. Even, or especially, if they were sending everything back to Umbridge.

Once Bella and I were dressed, we climbed out of my trunk and made our way out through the portrait of our favorite Fat Lady, who giggled at us. We ran all through the castle, dodging teachers who were out patrolling on the last night, and using shortcuts to get to the defense classroom. By the time we fell through the door, Bella was giggling like mad, the adrenaline getting to her. I think part of it was also the relief of not having Umbridge under this roof anymore and knowing that next year would hopefully be different for our last year.

We could only hope.

We streaked across the defense classroom and through the door to the office, only to find it as pink as the last time we were in here, and all Umbridge's things were where they were before. I walked over to the wall of plates and breathed a sigh of relief when our little furry friend was where he had always been.

"Ben, good to see you," I said as I reached for his plate.

You as well. What are you doing here?

I tilted my head a little as I looked down at the little black cat. "You didn't think we'd actually send you off with that blasted woman, did you?"

Ben stood straight up at my words. His tail high in the air behind him. Nobody has ever cared enough before. Why should you?

"Oh, Ben," I sighed. "We're not like most people." Bella shook her head from beside me when she popped up under my arm. "We seem to collect and rescue all manner of people and animals. You'll come home with us, and you'll be able to roam all around the pictures at Swan Manor. We'll make sure that there are plenty of frames with cat beds, toys, and even food."

Bella and I watched as a single tear leaked out of Ben's eye and rolled down his furry cheek. His only thought was, I'm going to be loved. Please, take me home.

"So loved." I scratched his cheek softly on the plate. Even if he couldn't feel it, the sentiment was there. "Let's get out of here."

Bella giggled and pulled on my free hand, prompting me to move. "And we come home with yet another pet. There's going to be more of them than there are of us soon."

I laughed. "There probably already is. Let's go home."

"Home." Bella smiled at me before darting out through the door. "Catch me if you can!"

~*~UHS~*~

"So, what happened to you guys?" Luna asked the others.

We were in our regular carriage on the Hogwarts Express and going home for the summer. We were conducting our own briefing, of sorts, and Bella, Luna, and I had just gotten finished telling what had happened when we'd split from the others before meeting up in the amphitheater with Hade's Gate in it.

Hermione shook her head. "You're right in the fact that they had no scruples, Luna. After we all flung our Reductor Curses, we all bolted. Originally, the four of us were right there behind you three." Hermione had indicated herself, the twins, and Dean as she spoke. "But as those stupid prophecies fell and shattered, we had to split from you. It just got so dangerous as we were running through falling glass balls."

"Ugh, tell me about it. I nearly copped a few in the head," Fred butted in. "Whose dumb idea was it to store them like that?"

Dean chuckled as we all turned in his direction but all he did was shrug. "It was like that when I was placed in there. The practice was just continued because nobody knew what to do with all of them."

Bella shuddered. "Thank God, they're all gone. Hopefully, it'll stop now. Prophecies, visions, whatever should be used to try to change. Not left to rot on a shelf."

"Amen." I kissed the top of her head.

"Anyway," Hermione interrupted, "so we split from everyone else and just aimed for a door. There seemed to be quite a few of them. However, ours wasn't on the same floor because as we went through it, we dropped. I thought for sure we were going to die, but somehow, we slowed to a stop, then landed on the floor with a thud."

Dean raised his hand a little, causing Gabrielle to laugh at the sheepish expression on his face. "Yeah, that may have been me. I didn't mean to drop you guys so hard. Sorry."

I couldn't help but laugh at the look Hermione, Fred, and George gave him because the landing had been quite hard according to their thoughts.

George shook his head in mock disappointment. "It took us a moment to get our bearings, but when we looked up, we were in a room we hadn't seen before."

"Oh, it was totally gross!" Fred whined. "There were these containers with all manner of brains floating around in them. Some had itsy bitsy baby brains. While others were huge. I couldn't fathom what they were studying in that room."

Once again, we all turned to Dean, causing a bark of laughter. "I don't know!" he argued. "I wasn't allowed out of the Hall of Prophecies."

I shook my head as Gabrielle held Dean's hand to comfort him. Their relationship was already that pure, sweet one that Bella and I had had in the beginning. It was beautiful to watch from the other side of the coin. The poor guy had essentially been held captive down there for so long. The ministry had a lot to answer for as far as I was concerned.

Hermione also patted Dean on the leg in comfort because she was sitting on his other side. "We weren't in there long when the death eaters broke down the door. Only, they fell to the floor, landing with a thump." Hermione chuckled. "Nobody arrested their fall. Or they weren't fast enough to do it themselves, but they recovered quickly. Fred and George were looking for a way out when Dean and I started trading spells with the three death eaters who had followed us."

"We had just found a door when Hermione yelled out in pain." George took up the mantle. "One of the death eaters had deliberately flung a spell at the largest brain in the room. It shattered the glass container and flung the water all over the place, burning Hermione's skin in the process."

Fred smirked and crossed his arms. "What he hadn't counted on was the brains being able to move, and I guess think for themselves, because that huge brain had huge tentacles. And those tentacles reached out and snagged the death eaters as they tried to run around it to get to us. All we heard as we ran out the door and into the room with that arch was the sound of sucking. I have no idea what happened to them after that."

The shudder that ran through every one of us in that room would have been comical if the thoughts accompanying them weren't so horrifying. They were all imagining different scenarios of the death eaters having the life sucked out of them.

"Okay, gross, guys. Please stop," I pleaded as I rubbed my temples. I didn't want to see it, let alone imagine it, and now, I had fifteen different versions floating around in my head.

"Sorry!" they all chanted together before breaking into laughter.

"Yeah, yeah." I sighed. "What happened with you three?" I asked, pointing at Harry, Neville, and Fleur.

"We were really lucky, I think," Fleur speculated as she looked at Neville and Harry. "We were chased through several empty rooms and had spells thrown at us by the death eaters but never really interacted with anything they were studying."

Harry snapped his fingers. "Oh! We did run through the room where they were studying love. One of the spells I threw hit a large bottle of love potion, splashing all over two of the death eaters."

Neville laughed loudly. "Oh, yeah. That was hilarious because two of the guys started making out with each other. The problem with that was they were as disgusted by each other and their behavior as much as they wanted to make out. It was like a train wreck that you watched happen."

"I wonder if they were still kissing when they were arrested?" Fleur asked and tried to picture the situation. But she turned to Draco, who was sitting with Ginny on his lap. "What happened after we left you by the Forbidden Forest?"

"Not much. I made my way back into the castle and ran to find Professor McGonagall. It wasn't hard because she was trying to help corral the students in the Great Hall. They had wanted to come and help all of you. Especially once they realized that Umbridge had taken off after you guys with the Inquisitorial Squad." Draco snorted, and I watched as the scene unfolded in his mind. "The others weren't happy to see me. Let me tell you that. But before they could attack me, I pulled Professor McGonagall aside and explained what had happened."

Professor McGonagall had believed Draco straight away and had silenced all the naysayers still trying to get out of the Great Hall. She told them that if they didn't get back to their exams, then they would all fail before she led Draco to the defense classroom and Umbridge's office.

"What happened to Professor Umbridge?" she had asked as they quickly made their way down the hall.

"Bella and Hermione had led her out of the castle. Something about a secret weapon Dumbledore has." Draco shrugged when McGonagall looked back at him. I could see on her face that she had no idea what we'd been talking about.

McGonagall pulled Draco to a stop before they made their way into Umbridge's office. "What is the plan for in here? Do you want to out yourself to them?"

Draco was already shaking his head before McGonagall could finish. "I need to wipe their memories of me helping Edward and the others. I can't have that getting back to my father. I'm still needed to gather information from home."

"Then that is what shall be done. Come, Draco, let me show you how."

"After that, Professor McGonagall and I untied them and made it seem like she had found us, and you all got free somehow. As far as I could tell, none of them knew I had helped you escape."

I sighed but leaned forward to look at Draco. "That's good. But if you get any inkling, if your father says something to discredit anything, you grab your mother and come to Swan Manor. I don't want you getting hurt over this. Because he just might kill you."

Draco furrowed his brows. "Didn't Dad get arrested with the other death eaters?"

I shrugged. "He might have been. But who knows how long that will stick. He's influential even if we don't want to admit it."

Draco nodded, and we were all quiet for a while, just absorbing everything that had happened to us since Harry's dream in his Divination final. It had been a whirlwind few days. It was Bella's thoughts that I tuned into first when I'd come down from the overload of information because I could sense she was impatient about something, and she was trying so hard not to let it show.

"What's going on, my beautiful girl?" I whispered in her ear.

I think I've been patient long enough. I want to know.

"Want to know what?"

What happened when you went through that bloody arch, Edward? You promised to share with me later. It's now later. You said you met Hades and Persephone. I want to see!

I couldn't help the small chuckle that I let loose. "You've been extraordinarily patient, Bella. Do you have the memovisum handy?"

Bella jumped from my lap with a squeak, causing me to laugh again. She set the memovisum up in record time before sitting back down again. I didn't realize she was so excited about this memory. While she had been pissed I'd risked my life, and no doubt would be once she saw the whole memory, meeting a god—even through my memories—was an exciting prospect for her.

"What are we watching, Bella?" Hermione asked as I found the copied memory from when I had shown Dumbledore. Bella'd had a stroke of genius when she realized she could add a spell to fast forward, rewind, or even pause a memory so we could analyze them.

"What happened to Edward when he went through the arch and disappeared. He said he met Hades and Persephone! I want to see what they look like!"

I sat back down and pulled Bella onto my lap. "You won't like all that you see, Bella. And you'll probably get pissed at me again."

Bella kissed me quickly. "I know. But you're here; that's what matters."

"I'm sure," I said wryly. I had no doubt I would be in trouble again once things were all said and done. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Bella said before anyone else could.

I tapped the side of the memovisum and let the memory begin to play from before I grabbed Bellatrix and dove into the arch.

The entire group of misfits were quiet as they watched Bellatrix and I land in the Underworld and begin our trek through, starting with Charon the boat operator.

"Fluffy!" Hermione and Bella almost shouted when Cerberus appeared in my vision.

I couldn't help but laugh because I'd thought the same thing. "Not Fluffy, girls. That's Cerberus, Hades' right-hand dog. But that doesn't mean they aren't related somehow."

They were all quiet while Bellatrix and I met Cronos and walked through Tartarus and even through the Fields of Mourning. Although, they could see the struggle I had not to stop and help all the women there. But it was Bella's gasp that caused me to pause the replay of the memory because we had just seen—and heard—where her humming had changed pitch and tune because I had looked up at the sky when it had.

"I felt that moment," Bella whispered, turning to me. "I thought I was imagining it but changed what I was humming anyway because it felt like you needed it. The reminder that something was waiting for you."

I kissed her forehead, and then her lips. "I have no doubt that you did, Bella. I also don't doubt that we are connected by far more than just our mating bond. Maybe we can feel when the other is in trouble."

"Maybe. We should see if there are any more instances in your memory."

I nodded and tapped the memovisum to continue playing the memory.

Bella laid her head on my shoulder while I made my way through the Asphodel Meadows, but many of our group nodded their heads or made hums of agreement at the conversation with Bellatrix. Not everyone wants to be famous of have lots of power. Some just wanted to live the best life they could.

It wasn't until Bellatrix and I stepped into the Elysian Fields that I paused the memory once more. There, standing up in full 3D hologram was none other than Harry's mother Lily, and the Weasley's uncles Fabian and Gideon. Harry and the Weasley children leaned forward to look at the people who had been lost before they could know them.

"You met my mum," Harry whispered, looking at me before he looked back to Lily.

"I did, Harry. She's wonderful, and beautiful, and everything your father, Sirius, and Remus have said over the years. And, by God, does she love you." I turned to Fred, George, and Ginny. "Your uncles were brave people. They gave up a lot so your mother and father could raise all of you and give you a wonderful life. They also have a message for your mom."

"Oh yeah? What?"

I tapped on the memovisum once more and let the memory play out. The twins sucked in shocked breaths when their uncles said to tell Molly to let them live the life they wanted, not the one that she wants them to.

Both of their heads snapped up in my direction. "Don't worry. I plan on showing the entire Order this memory when we get home. I have a feeling we'll walk off the train and straight to Potter Mansion. Everyone is going to want to know what happened before they got there."

"So, Mum will see it?" Ginny asked because her brothers stayed silent.

"I'll make sure of it. Because they should be allowed to do what they want to do. Everyone should be able to."

"Good," she murmured as I started the memory again.

Everyone was quiet while Bellatrix and I continued our trek to meet the god Hades. They were all as surprised as I was when we walked into Hades' inner sanctum only to find it far less dark and dreary than they were expecting. It amazed me that we had assumed what Hades would have in there, considering who he was.

Mouths dropped open when they saw me stand up to Hades and break the bubble that had been holding Sirius hostage, and they also heard when Bella's humming changed tune in accordance with the threat Hades gave me.

See? Bella thought. "We are connected by more than our bond."

I kissed Bella's lips. "Of that, I have no doubt."

Think Gabrielle and Dean will be like us?

I looked over at the two in question as they continued to watch the hologram in front of us. "I'm not sure. They might be, but they might not have our bond either. We'll have to wait and see," I whispered in Bella's ear. We'd know for sure when we got ready for school after the summer.

"Oh my god! Is that Persephone?" Hermione asked, sitting closer to the memovisum.

Bella's head whipped around to see the goddess as she appeared in Hades's inner sanctum. Wow, she's stunning. So beautiful.

I could hear in Bella's thoughts that seeing an actual goddess made her feel slightly insignificant. She also wondered what I had thought of the beautiful woman in front of me.

"Want to know what I thought?"

Yes … no … maybe. She's just so beautiful.

I ignored the memory that was still playing and the others who were watching it still and knelt in front of my girl. "You have no reason to feel insignificant. She may be beautiful to you, and sure she is, but to me, nobody compares to you. To me, Bella, you are the most stunning creature I have ever met, and nobody will ever take your place in my eyes. Do you understand me?"

Yes, Bella answered, but she was still looking at the ground, trying to avoid my eyesight.

"Look at me," I said as I reached out and tipped her chin up even though she was avoiding looking in my eyes. "Look at me, Bella." I waited until her eyes met mine. "To me, you are more stunning, more beautiful than any goddess. Even Aphrodite. None of those goddesses could hold a candle to you. And none of them would ever make me feel like you do without the aid of something else. You know this, Bella."

I know.

"Do you? Because this face makes me think otherwise."

"Yes." Bella looked at me. "Yes, Edward," she said again when she could see I didn't believe her. "But a girl can feel insignificant when faced with her mate interacting with a goddess."

"You outshine them all. Persephone who?"

Bella giggled, leaned forward, and gave me a sweet kiss. "You have to say that because you love me."

Instead of arguing with her, I reached out, threaded my fingers through her hair, and pulled her into a bruising kiss. "You had better be joking about that," I mumbled against her lips. I didn't let her answer because when she opened her mouth, I slipped my tongue inside.

Of course, I'm joking. I know, and I feel, that you don't see anyone else. But like I said, she's a goddess, and she was in your presence. Bella whined when I pulled back to glare at her a little.

"And you are mine!" I snarled quietly in her ear, causing Bella to moan. "Besides, Persephone loves her husband. She wouldn't have anyone else."

Bella giggled. "Nor would I let her. I would tear her apart. Goddess or not."

I leaned in and kissed her hard again with a growl because hearing her defending our bond with physical violence was just a massive turn on. "You, me, and the bed later."

"You got it, stud."

~*~UHS~*~

This was a moment where I wished I could sleep. It had been such a long day that I felt physically and mentally exhausted. It was a potion I was going to have to create sooner rather than later.

I was currently tucked away in bed with a sleeping Bella curled into me as naked as the day we were born. The bubble lamp had been on the entire time, and I was reveling in the quiet. It had been a long day of travelling, and now, I could rest and recover from what had been a trying day after an incredibly long school year.

After getting off the train at Kings Cross Station, we had been told that the entire Order was gathering at Potter Mansion to talk about what had happened at the ministry.

When we got to Potter Mansion, the Order had been rather demanding in their questions about what had happened. They couldn't understand what had made us flee the relative safety of Hogwarts and run headlong into a confrontation with the dark wizard who was not only trying to kill us, but especially Harry.

The eight of us who had made our way to the ministry had stood there with our mouths open while they flung question after question at us without giving us time to answer. The only ones not acting as if we'd done them a disservice were Remus, Sirius, and Carlisle. All of which we'd questioned about Esme before we left Hogwarts.

"Whoa, hold on a bloody minute!" Harry had shouted, waving his hands in the air, making everyone stop their interrogation. "How dare you accuse us of not doing our level best to contact you! Can you see anyone not demanding answers about that?"

Several of the Order looked around, only to see that Carlisle, Sirus, and Remus were sitting at the table while they were all standing and yelling at us.

We all crossed our arms while Harry stood with his hands on his hips. "That's right," he almost growled. "We contacted as many of you as we could in the short amount of time we had. And the biggest question you should be asking is why we went to the ministry in the first place."

That brought them all up short because they didn't think we had a good enough reason to do what we did.

"Why then?" Molly asked, matching our stances because she still didn't think we had any reason to confront death eaters and Voldemort.

Instead of answering, Bella placed her memovisum right in the middle of the table and enlarged it so everyone could see it. "Take a seat. Questions will be answered … At. The. End. And not before." Bella waited until everyone had taken a seat around the table, with all of us at the head, and tapped the memovisum to start the playback of my memory.

I really hoped this is the last time we needed to play this memory, Bella thought as she sat down next to me. These people need to realize that we aren't the helpless children they think we are, and that we're capable witches and wizards. It should also show them that Voldemort is gunning for us, Harry, not them.

"One could only hope, Bella. I can't wait to get you home," I whispered in her ear.

The smile she sent me had my pants tightening. Oh, you have no idea. I can't wait either.

"Enough." I shook my head when she looked at me. Now was so not the time.

You started it, she thought, but looked back at the memovisum.

By the end of the memory, the minds around us were blank. Not just in word, but in just about every aspect of which a mind can think—they were blank. They were stunned at everything we'd gone through that night and more than a little aware that we hadn't gone into the ministry blindly. We'd concocted a plan. And while things had to change on the fly, we stuck to it, and we'd come out victorious.

It was more than they could say for the last time they'd fought Voldemort.

But none were more aware of what we'd gone through, Sirius and I specifically, than James and Molly.

James looked up at me and thought a heartfelt, thank you, before he stood and left the room.

Harry had looked to me when he saw his father walk from the room with the burning question of should I go after him? running through his mind. All I did was shake my head, and Harry knew that his father just had things to process regarding what Lily had to tell him.

"What the hell happened?" Emmett asked before anyone could form a response. "How did you manage to go to the Underworld?"

"That's not the bit that matters," I growled. "You all treat us like children. Like we rush in headfirst without considering the consequences. Like we don't know that we, well they," I said while pointing at everyone standing on the other side of Fleur, "are heading into something that could potentially kill people we care about." I held up my hand because Molly was about to interrupt with an argument; I could see it form in her mind. "But we didn't. Sure, we thought about it. But we created a plan. And we did the best we could with the information we had."

"Had we known that Mum was fine," Bella spoke up from next to me. "Had she told anyone where she was going, we might not have run headlong into a fight with Voldemort. Sorry, Mum."

Esme shook her head. "No, no. You're right. I should have told someone. Especially given the times we're living in. I want to apologize for putting you all through that."

Every one of the misfits nodded, accepting her apology.

"Now, maybe you can understand that we aren't errant toddlers you need to corral. Or stupid teenagers who don't know right from wrong," Fleur stated.

But Harry continued. "And maybe you can start treating us like members of this Order who want to see the end of Voldemort once and for all, and to see us as the people who he's coming after. Not. All. Of. You. You fight to protect me, us. But you aren't in the line of fire unless you put yourselves there. Help us win this war. Don't try to keep us from it because all you're doing is killing the ones we love."

It was at that point Molly couldn't stand it anymore. She ran around the table and engulfed Fred and George in a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought you needed to be pushed in the right direction. I promise to be more supportive."

Fred and George hugged Molly as hard as they could. "Thank you, Mum," they both said together.

"Besides, with everything coming, don't you think we're going to need to laugh sometimes?" Fred asked.

Molly sniffled. "I suppose you're right." She cupped their faces before turning to the rest of us. "All of you are right. We need to see you for the grownups you're becoming. The capable witches and wizards who will lead this world into a new era. I pity V-V-Voldemort when he finally comes face to face with all of you."

I felt Bella shift, pulling me from my recollection of what happened at Potter Mansion before we came home and ravished each other. As much as we dared before we got married anyway.

We had proven a point to the others in the Order today. We had shown them that we were not going to lie down and let Voldemort walk all over us. We had shown them that we're prepared for what was coming.

All they had to do was lend a helping hand, and Voldemort would be no more.

~*~UHS~*~

And that is a wrap! Book Five is complete. Let me hear your thoughts on this book one last time.

I hope you all have a safe and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I promise to let you all know in the group when Book Six is ready to post. Just know that I am working on it ... albiet slowly.

Thank you and goodnight!

Cheers.