From the playlist:

Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Lorde

Way Down We Go - KALEO (continues into next chapter)

Ch. 23 - The Homecoming

Dumbledore's voice spoke through the Patronus. "Get to the Minister for Magic's residence. Hurry."

Remus and Emmeline instantly disregarded their conflict and dashed to grab their wands.

"I don't know where-"

"I do," said Remus, taking her hand and disapparating.

…

They arrived on the front lawn of a large country estate, and darted under a nearby topiary as a curse was hurled at them.

They'd shown up in the middle of a battle. Aurors from the Ministry and members of the Order were attempting to breach the Death Eaters' besiegement of the Minister's residence. Skirmishes were taking place both in the air and on the ground around them.

"Damn it, if I'd known, I would've grabbed my broom!" Emmeline lamented, peeking out to watch the conflict overhead. She saw Sirius and Marlene apparate nearby, and called them over to their hiding spot. Remus covered them as they ran.

"What's going on?!" Sirius asked, ducking Marlene under the topiary before diving under it himself.

"I think it's their homecoming," Remus quipped darkly.

"Behind you!" Emmeline shouted, motioning for Sirius to duck as she threw a jinx at the oncoming Death Eater.

"Can you see what's happening around the house?" Remus asked.

Marlene stuck her head out from behind the topiary to look. "Just fighting."

"Can you see Minister Minchum?"

She pulled her head back in time to dodge a stray curse. "No."

"We're wasted just sitting here, they need our help." Sirius was anxious to join the fray, but Marlene held his shoulders to keep him from getting up.

"There's too many of them flying over us to make a run for the house. They have the aerial advantage."

"Has anyone ever been inside who could apprate us in?" he asked.

Remus shook his head. "No, this is the closest I've been to the house."

"You three make a run for it," Emmeline suggested. "I'll distract the ones overhead."

Remus spun around to her.

"…No."

"It's fine-"

"We can find another way-"

"I'll be fine-"

"Please, don't-"

"Remus, just-"

"I don't want to be separated from you," Remus declared.

Emmeline's eyes softened.

"I don't want to be separated from you," he said again, quietly. Apologetically.

"Guys, maybe, just maybe, this isn't the best time for couple's counseling-"

"Padfoot, I will lay you out-!"

A blast from behind them shook the topiary.

"Okay, okay, you're right-"

"Fucking aneurysm, I swear to Merlin-"

Marlene leaned over to Emmeline. "What's your plan?"

"I'll make a commotion here to keep the attention of the Death Eaters in the air. When you reach the front, you can cover me so I can join you."

Before Remus could protest further, she stood from her position and pointed her wand at another topiary.

"Confringo!"

An orange burst shot out from her wand and blasted the tree to fiery pieces, narrowly missing two Death Eaters on brooms. This momentarily distracted the rest of the Death Eaters flying overhead.

"Go!" Emmeline shouted, already aiming for another topiary.

Sirius pulled Remus up by the collar and dragged him up into a full-on sprint towards the manor. The three of them stuck close together in a coordinated file: Remus cast a shield charm overhead to block any stray fire from the air, while Sirius and Marlene stunned the Death Eaters in their way to clear their path.

The trio made it to the covered veranda and hurdled over the waist-high railing before taking shelter behind the stone columns. As Emmeline raced to meet them, Remus and Sirius held off the Death Eaters in the air while Marlene cleared the ground for her approach. It wasn't until Emmeline was halfway across the lawn that the unmistakable green flash of a Killing Curse narrowly missed her.

Remus felt his heart skip a beat.

"The roof!" shouted Sirius. Marlene jumped back over the railing to attack whoever had tried to curse her, but just as she aimed, the Death Eater up above was petrified, and nearly tumbled to the ground.

Remus joined her, and squinted up at the roof.

"Prongs!"

"Get down!" He lobbed a curse at an oncoming Death Eater flying overhead. As she ran past Remus and Marlene, Emmeline grabbed them and dragged them back onto the veranda.

When they got closer to the ground, James cast a summoning charm on the broom of the Death Eater, sending them flying off of it. He then used the broom to come down off the roof. "Where is everybody? I haven't seen a third of the Order."

"Something tells me they're inside," replied Marlene.

Just then, a group of four Death Eaters flew down across from them and began their assault. Marlene blocked a curse from hitting Remus as James cast a shield charm. "Get in the house!"

"Bombarda!" Sirius broke the tall window nearest them, helping Marlene and Emmeline inside before climbing in himself. After fending off the Death Eaters, James and Remus came in behind them.

A few other hooded figures came rushing down the large staircase when they heard the window shatter, but the quintet was able to disarm and stupefy them fairly quickly.

James kicked their wands out of reach and turned back to the group. "We have to find the Minister."

"You think they're holding him in here?" asked Remus.

Marlene surveyed the house. "What else would they be doing here?"

"They came from upstairs, I'll bet that's a good place to start," James decided.

"Lily alright?" Emmeline inquired.

"She's fine, I asked her to sit this one out. You guys seen Peter?"

"Not yet."

"It's not normal for them to attack during broad daylight," Sirius remarked, following James up the staircase. "What do you suppose they're up to?"

Remus motioned for Marlene and Emmeline to go in front of him so that he could cover their backs. "They wanted people to see. It's a statement."

Winding stealthily through the hallways of the ornate house, they searched for Minister Minchum and other members of the Order. When they heard a band of patrolling Death Eaters approaching nearby, the group dashed into a nearby office. As soon as they entered, someone grabbed James's shoulder from behind. He spun around ready to stupefy Alastor Moody, who had his index finger raised to his lips. They waited for the footsteps in the hallway to pass out of earshot before speaking.

"Where's the Minister?" James whispered.

"The Minister is safe, but they've got the Longbottoms and the Prewetts somewhere. I haven't seen Bones, either...Pettigrew's not with you?"

"No. What do you mean they've got them? Where are they keeping them?"

"Well if I knew that information, I wouldn't be in here with you lot, would I, Black?"

"How can we help?" asked Remus.

"We'll split up to cover more ground," Alastor ordered. "In pairs. Black and Lupin, go search the second floor. McKinnon and I will stay on the first. Potter, I want you and Vance to check the cellars - door to the left of the stairs. I've already checked the ground floor. If any of you see something, send a Patronus to me."

"You haven't taught us how to do that yet," Marlene reminded him.

Just then, a blast from the ongoing battle outside rattled the exterior of the house and shook the group back into focus. Time was short.

"No time for a lesson, lass. Picture my bonnie face just after you've casted it. You're all bright as day, so...figure it out. 'Mon now, we've no time to lose."

Remus looked at Emmeline apprehensively. She gave him an assuring nod as she followed James back towards the staircase.