The Order of the Pheonix

Chapter Nineteen

The Burrow

Weasley's Kitchen

Molly had been sitting in the kitchen all night, Roy Mustang beside her, and Arthur in the sitting room with their other guests. She had offered to let everyone pick a room for the night. After all, none of her children were home to occupy them, but no one had moved to go up the stairs while they all awaited word from those who had gone to the Ministry.

As dawn broke the horizon she silently stood and began to pull out pots and pans to begin breakfast. Roy gathered the papers he had in front of him most of the night back into their folders and joined her at the counter. Silently, he rolled up his sleeves, his jacket abandoned on the back of a chair, and began washing potatoes.

"You're a guest." Molly protested quietly.

"I am a soldier." Roy responded. She had no idea how to answer this so instead she passed over a knife. He began peeling the potatoes without another word even as she pulled out her wand to get the fire started and begin the eggs and sausages.

"When do you think they will return then?" she asked after a few minutes.

"It is hard to say." Roy dumped the peeled and sliced potatoes into the pan she indicated and washed his hands. "Some missions take longer than expected. They could have run into trouble."

"Yet you are so calm." Molly shook her head. She couldn't imagine being so calm if it was one of her children off to do these things.

"Make no mistake madam, I am far from calm. I have long ago learned to contain my concern." Roy replied, as he glanced out of the window. "Though they seemed to have come out of it in one peace."

Before she could look herself, Edward, Kingsley, and Tonks tiredly make their way into the room. Kingsley and Tonks continue into the sitting room while Edward stands stiffly in front of his father. "We were able to achieve the mission, however there were complications. The enemy arrived before us, resulting in more damage than anticipated to the shelves. Furthermore, their leader arrived as Ministry officials joined us conveniently confirming my account of the events at the cemetery. I have spent the last few hours in conference with Minister Fudge. We have come to an allegiance in this matter, to be finalized by you at your earliest convenience."

"Were you injured?" Roy asked, in the same formal tone as his son, which surprised Molly. She had seen how warmly they spoke to each other just yesterday…though once they started planning the same thing had happened.

"No sir. There were no lasting injuries, though Shacklebolt was briefly cursed." Edward reported. "Minister Fudge requested you wait until he has eaten at least before arriving, preferably allow him a few hours rest as well. There were additional issues that arose. Apparently, Barty Crouch had been controlled for an unknown period by unknown parties. They are currently trying to sort it out."

"He isn't in the Order, is he?" Roy asked. It took Molly a moment to realize he was asking her, but then she shook her head. This seemed to relieve him, as it should. It would be a disaster for another spy to have been found. They were still trying to wrap their heads around the situation with Pettigrew being in their house for so long without them noticing anything.

Riddle House

Voldemort was livid and they all knew it. The loss of the prophesy was bad enough, but they had confirmed his return well before he intended as well. He had planned to undermine the Order of the Pheonix's claims, destabilizing the possible aide and alliances within the Ministry. The plans had fallen through now, and he was blaming them all for it. Bellatrix was the only one of them brave (or crazy) enough to approach him in this mood. Even she had returned to the others quickly enough glaring at everyone and rebuffing her husband's attempt to comfort her.

It was then that he swept into the room, causing several members to flitch at the anger in his face. "Bellatrix, Lucius. I entrusted to you objects of great importance to me. Return them to me now. I can no longer trust that they will be left in peace." He demanded. Lucius paled instantly; the moment he had long feared had arrived.

"Narcissa stole the item from me when she stole my son, as well as several other items. It is the reason I have been trying to hard to gain access to her location." Lucius said with a deep bow. "I wished to retrieve it before it was an inconvenience to you, my lord."

"I will go directly to my vault." Bellatrix offered. "It should not be an issue."

"You are wanted." Peter reminded her, "Most of us are. You will need a disguise."

"Of course, you simpleton." She sneered. Voldemort however was not listening anymore. Instead, he began to pace again. They all watched his agitation grow even as Bellatrix slipped away. She returned a quarter of an hour later, disguised as a random woman, with the news that her own vault appeared to have been breached as well.

Voldemort glared at them all before sweeping out of the room. None of them knew what exactly had gone wrong, though they all knew they would pay for it. Bellatrix and Lucius were separated from the others practically shoved into a separate room for their perceived guilt. Together they sat silently, glaring at each other but not suggesting any solutions to the situation.

Amestris

Fuhrer's Mansion

Yuery was allowed to speak to his friends briefly before his lessons, to assure them that everything was fine and that he would not be causing anymore trouble. He was there with them and his mother when Bill received an Owl from his mother telling them that the prophesy had been destroyed and Voldemort's return confirmed to everyone. This was good news, though Yuery knew from what he had overheard over the years this could also make the Death Eaters escalate or move up any other plans they had. He was worried for his Dad and Yeye. So were the Weasleys, who were now all huddled together with concerns for their mother and father.

"Dad is with them; he will do everything he can to keep them safe." Yuery said with far more confidence than he felt considering his own concerns. "If nothing else, they can go into hiding I'm sure, but I think they'll have plans in place."

"He wants us. You and me Yuery." Neville said as he squeezed his grandmother's hand when she frowned. "He said so while I was being held by them. He is sure YOU are the right one, but they want to get rid of ME just in case."

"I know, I've known for years they are what they want. I even asked my Dad to let me be involved because this is about me, but he refused." Yuery said with a small frown. "This isn't going to stop anytime soon. Not unless they let me help."

"Let us help you mean." Neville added nervously, but both women shook their heads at the children and their friends looked at them as if they had lost their minds.

"If you go out there to confront them, aren't you just giving them exactly what they want. How does that help?" Ron asked.

"We cannot go anywhere unless my Dad allows it." Yuery said instead of responding to the question. "He is stubborn about it and does not think they need our help."

"They don't. Two underage, undertrained boys are not going to end this when an entire army is waiting." Winry said.

"Like Promised Day?" Yuery responded, knowing even as he said it it would not win this argument, nor would it improve his mother's mood.

"Sometimes I regret your father's choices. Especially being honest with you about his involvement in Promised Day. You are not him Yuery. You do not have to make the same choices he did. He himself has told you repeatedly that he had been given no other choice but fight or die that day. No one wanted him involved. No one."

"What makes you think I won't be faced with the same choice if we wait Mom." Yuery said. "This is a monster just as that was, this is nearly the same scenario. Why not go now, before he gains more power, and stop him."

"Because you are a child. You are my child. I will do whatever I have to to keep you safe." His mom argued.

"Even if it means Dad doesn't come back this time?" Yuery asked, forcing the tears back at the idea.

"He wouldn't trade you for him and neither would I." she sniffled. "Have faith in Dad, he's been through so many battles already."

"Mrs. Elric, this is in the end a Wizard's War. We are grateful for the help we have received, but your husband and his father should not be fighting our battles for us. We should go back, whether our mother likes it or not." Charlie Weasley cut in, Bill nodding along as Percy and the Twins stood to join their brothers in agreement.

"Edward and Roy have already fought and won in previous battles with wizards, I am not overly concerned. None of you are leaving. Even if I wanted to let you go, none of you can leave the boundary." Winry said tiredly. "We should go, I need to contact your father and confirm the information."

"Can I stay to visit my friends a bit longer? I won't try to go anywhere I promise." Yuery asked.

"I will keep them in line." Mrs. Longbottom assured her when Winry hesitated, adding a glare at all the assembled children for good measure. Winry agreed then, mostly because she didn't want Yuery attempting to overhear the conversation she had scheduled with Edward in half an hour.

Riddle House

Voldemort returned, with Barty Crouch Jr, roughly three hours after he had left. Everyone was relieved that he had wordlessly swept into a bedroom after that, seemingly forgetting the failure of two of his minions in the time he was gone. Of course, none of them truly believed he had let the matter go but he didn't seem to be in the mood to take it out on any of them, including Lucius and Bellatrix.

The two remained separated from the others however, not welcomed to return to the main room where the others were currently hiding and hoping His wrath didn't return anytime soon. Voldemort himself had confirmed that in addition to the missing ones from Gringotts the one he left at his birth family's cottage was missing. He would have to check the others. The real question was had someone discovered what the horcruxes truly were. It seemed unlikely, as they had been missing for some time, at least the one that he left with Malfoy.

No instead, someone had guessed they were items of importance to him and stolen them. If he were then to check on the others, however had betrayed his trust would surely notice and follow. He couldn't risk such a thing. Not until he discovered who among his people betrayed him. Snape had clearly defected. He had never known of the Horcruxes; however, therefore it must have been another.

He reviewed who among his followers had failed to return. Perhaps it was one of them? Then who among those who had returned also turned against him? Black had failed to return. No one knew where he had gone, he was not among the arrested. He was not listed among the dead officially either. However, when Voldemort tried to feel for him along the mark, he was either well hidden like Snape…or dead. Either was possible.

Once the others had gone to sleep then he would check the cave. Surely it was the only other one at risk. No one would have thought to look at Hogwarts. Plus, nothing could have brought them harm. He would have known. Had to have known. Had any been destroyed. Whoever did this was holding them somewhere; he would have to find them and retrieve them.

Black House

Sirius had extended the offer of his house, and he patiently waited for them all to return as he had also agreed to remain within it. He hated being here by himself, he really did. At least though Kreacher was with him. The elf had been far more pleasant since they had helped with whatever his brother had ordered it to do. Kreacher had taken to cooking and cleaning again. Sirius even found himself seeking out the company of the elf a few times when the house got too quiet.

It was strange really, for years he had despised Kreacher, as an embodiment of his misery in this house. Perhaps though, Regulas had been right when he had suggested when they were children that Kreacher hated it here too. Mother wasn't pleasant to anyone. Certainly not to a house elf. Sirius couldn't get out of here fast enough, running away before he had even finished school and never looking back. He hadn't spared a thought to his little brother really.

Now, if Elric was to be believed, his brother had died trying to stop Voldemort. He hadn't continued down the path their mother wanted for them. He had, in his own way, broken away as well. Perhaps Sirius should have stayed in touch with his brother. Perhaps, things could have ended differently for both of them had they not fallen onto different sides of this war.

Now was not the time for these questions though, because he couldn't change the past. He could, however, change how he behaved in the future. Harry- no Yuery- had been right. He had refused to see things from anyone else's perspective. Had he bothered to listen, the boy would not resent him now. He may have even been allowed in Yuery's life. Severus Snape was after all.

It may not be too late, if he proved to them now that he understood and that he intended to change, they may give him another chance. If only he could get Elric to speak to him, he was sure he could convince the man to let him start over.

Kreacher was staring at him again, in that way that meant it was waiting for him to punish it was something. Had he really become so cruel? Generally, he was kind to elves. Disappointed that there wasn't more he could do for them, but this one he had taken out all his dislike for his family on instead. With a sigh he gestured for Kreacher to come closer before offering him a second tumbler. "Here, have a seat and rest awhile. You really have been working too hard. The house looks much better, thank you."

Kreacher nodded and sat but seemed unsure how he was meant to respond. Sirius smiled sadly at him with this. He should just let the poor thing free…though it was entirely possible that if he were to do so the stress would kill him as old as he was. Was there a way to remove him from duty while keeping him safe in Sirius' care? Was it even fair to consider it? Yuery seemed to think that just having the elf here was cruel.

Sirius had never really thought about it himself. Though it seems, if he was being honest with himself, there were a lot of things he never truly thought about. To learn of Dumbledore's betrayal had been harsh on top of Pettigrew's. To learn that Snape, who he had long considered evil, had gone to such lengths to protect the child. To learn many of the things he had learned recently…well it seemed he had been wrong about a great deal.

Perhaps, the biggest and worst thing he had been wrong about was needing to save his godson from the people who raised him. He saw it now, the love they felt for Yuery was real. Yuery's love for them was real as well. He had grown into someone his parents- James and Lily- would have been proud of, and that spoke to how well he was raised.

Sirius still wished he'd been given the chance to care for the child himself, but the truth was it was better the boy ended up where he did than with Lily's sister where Dumbledore had intended to drop him. He had grown up knowing he was a wizard. Knowing he was adopted but loved. Or maybe it was adopted and loved. Sirius always felt far more loved when at James' house than at his own. Family was more than those you were born to, and he should never have let himself forget that.

He sighed heavily as he wished again the others would take up his offer. He just hated being so alone. After a few minutes he decided to ask Kreacher to visit the Weasleys and extend his offer once more.

Ministry of Magic

Minister Fudge's Office

Fudge had intended to go home and sleep for a few hours before the inevitable meeting with Fuhrer Mustang. The Fuhrer would no doubt feel compelled to point out that he and his son HAD attempted to warn Fudge of this mess and had been ignored. Fudge needed rest to keep his wits about him after everything.

Delores however, seemed to feel now that everyone else had left it was the perfect time to spend the next few hours lecturing him about how he had 'allowed these people' to take far too much credit for stopping the Death Eaters earlier. Indeed, she had concluded that they were in fact working with the Death Eaters and felt they should be arrested immediately.

This conversation had been circling back to arrests every thirty minutes or so since it began hours ago. At this point Fudge was so tired he considered giving in just to get some sleep, but the international incident wasn't worth it. He rubbed his forehead tiredly, before he said. "I understand your frustration, Delores. However, they have not committed any crimes. All the paperwork was in order for Elric to have entered to Hall to retrieve the prophesy belonging to him. I reviewed it myself. As for the belief he is somehow working for You Know Who, we have already discussed and dismissed this idea. Repeatedly. You have never liked having to work with Alchemists the few times you have interacted with them over the years. That doesn't make them criminals."

"These ones are. It's too much of a chance for them to have arrived just as the others did. They were the same ones that were at Hogwarts that time it was attacked a few years ago, and what about the year Harry Potter attended Hogwarts? You allowed all kinds of outsiders in that year and look how it ended. Clearly, they are not allies."

"No, Delores. Now normally we see things nearly eye to eye but on this matter, I am afraid we do not agree. I cannot and will not order the arrest of the leaders of Amestris on the opinion of others. We would need solid, very solid proof that they have done anything wrong. I will not risk a war with Amestris and Xing at the same time as the apparent return of You Know Who. Especially as Elric and Mustang have made friends with the Muggle Prime Minister. It would end in disaster."

"You do not trust them either."

"No, I don't. Not completely. However, I do not believe them to be allies to the Death Eaters and therefore they can be useful to us."