Author's Note: Sorry it took so long, my life has been crazy lately and I'm not feeling the best. Nice long chapter, however, so the wait was worth it. Thanks to everyone who is reading and favoriting. I am trying to get to reviews, but there is something screwy with FF and they aren't getting to me. MNF

Chapter 28:

Harry looked to where Hermione's gaze was on the man in question, but as the gent turned around, Harry relaxed.

"That's not Ron, it's his brother, Charlie. I met him a few weeks back," Harry said as they moved through the crowd toward the second oldest Weasley brother. As they came close, the trio recognized Mr Weasley, as well as the twins. Harry went up and greeted them warmly.

"Mr Weasley, good to see you," Harry said before offering his hand, which the Weasley patriarch shook happily.

"Harry, Hermione and Neville, what a pleasure to see you," he said as he shook Neville's hand and then kissed Hermione's cheek. The twins greeted the students warmly and Charlie shook Harry's hand.

"So, are you here for the duration or just for the match later?" Harry asked.

"We're here for tonight's match. The Minister didn't want to come this evening, so there was a lottery for his box, and I won," Arthur explained. "I thought it would be a good experience for the boys and I."

"Are Percy and Bill here too?" Harry asked.

"Percy chose not to come, he's a home," Arthur said. "He's having the hardest time without his mother. Bill is around somewhere, shopping. We were about to find him when you lot strolled up."

"I'm here," Bill said. "Found an amazing French bookseller and I couldn't help but pick up a few translation tomes I didn't have."

"The one near the fizzy drinks seller?" Hermione asked and Bill nodded. "I picked up a few too, although I'm sure you're much better at Runes than I am."

"Egyptian, yes, but Futhark…I haven't studied them since I was in school. Now that I'm back in the UK, I really need to brush up. Which ones did you get?" Bill asked and Hermione showed him the titles.

"And the book nerds are off," George said.

"We might not ever get them to converse with us mere mortals again," Fred added.

"So where were you three headed?" Charlie asked.

"Back to our encampment to get some dinner," Harry said.

"Is it that late?' Arthur asked and Harry looked at his watch again and nodded. "Come on, I'm sure Sirius would love to see you."

"Neville, this is Charlie Weasley," Harry introduced his friend to the brother that looked the most like their former roommate. "He works with dragons."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Neville said shaking the other man's hand. "Dragons, that's a…well it's a career choice." Charlie threw his head back and laughed loudly, much like Padfoot's bark-like laugh.

"That's what my dad said when I told him," Charlie explained, and Arthur nodded. "It's not as dangerous as Bill's career. He can walk into things that will kill him. Me, I'm mostly dealing with the sheep we feed the girls."

"The girls?" Harry asked tentatively.

"The three nesting mothers we have up in Wales. They each have a full-grown sheep every three days," Charlie explained. "When they're on the nest they eat far less than if they were flying about. We keep several breeding pairs through the winter, sheer them in the spring and sell the wool to local weavers and then keep them healthy until it's time for them to become lunch."

"If they're eating sheep while they're on the nest," Harry enquired, "what do they eat when they're not?"

"Cattle, horses, deer, whatever we can get our hands on," Charlie explained. The two boys looked at each other, and they instinctively knew neither would be going into the dragon field.

"So, I've heard a great deal about your Quidditch play," Charlie said to Harry. "Best Seeker in a generation. You know, they used to whisper about me that way."

"I don't know if I'm the best, certainly the youngest. I still don't understand why McGonagall broke the rules for me," Harry said.

"Because you're outstanding at flying Harry," Neville said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And she wants to win!"

"You're not wrong," Arthur said with a chuckle. The group made it to the Black encampment, and Sirius was pleased to see Arthur. Introductions were made although Hannah and Susan couldn't be drawn into the conversation the rest of the youth were having. Instead, they went into the tent. Harry sighed at their behaviour. He wondered if he would ever get to know Susan.

Sirius pulled Arthur aside, Amy coming with them. She'd always liked Arthur and everything he'd been through was so unfair for such a kind man. "How are your youngest doing?" Sirius asked.

"I wish I could give you a good report, but neither are faring well. Ron is angry, but not at his mother, at Harry and Hermione. I don't quite understand it, but he's insistent that when he goes back to Hogwarts in September, Harry will be there and be his friend," Arthur reported. "I doubt he will be able to go back to Hogwarts, but I'm not dropping that news on him until we can't wait any longer."

"Oh, Arthur, I'm so sorry," Amy said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"We both are," Sirius said. "I know at one point Harry and Ron were very close. He and Hermione told me about some of the adventures he got up to in his first few years. I had a heart attack while he told me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to hug him for being okay or hex him for being so reckless. Then again, his dad and I weren't afraid of much when we were in school and if a friend had needed us, we'd have jumped into the fray too."

"I think we're all like that when we're young," Arthur said wistfully.

"Dare I ask if Ginny is improving?" Sirius queried. Arthur looked at the other man with tears rimming his eyes.

"They're still trying to wean her off the potions her mother poisoned her with. "She's just lost in a dream world. I had no idea she was so fixated on Harry, even still. She's convinced they will marry one day."

"Arthur, that's awful. Is there anything they can do? Is there somewhere else that could treat her? You know I'd be more than willing to help you; we are cousins. Family helps family."

"Sirius, my father married your grandfather's cousin, we're barely related," Arthur corrected him. "For now, Ginny is where she needs to be, but perhaps someday we can move her. Again, she will not be going to Hogwarts this fall. I convinced the twins to return, mostly because Minerva begged them not to leave the Quidditch team in a lurch. She understands why Harry won't be back, but without the youngest two there, nothing was standing in Fred and George's way."

Sirius invited the Weasleys to join them for a quick dinner before heading off to the match, which Ireland won easily.

The following day, before the Bulgaria verses Australia match, the five teens were sitting together in the tent playing Exploding Snap. Harry was losing horribly.

"I'm out," he said after Neville had snapped his fingers yet again. They were playing for bits of chocolate, and Harry had none left.

"Sore loser, Harry?" Susan gently taunted.

"Not at all, but since I have no candy left and I'd like to have some feeling left in my fingers tonight, I'm going to quit while I'm behind. I've always been pants at this game." Susan looked at him suspiciously, and Harry wasn't going to take it anymore. Susan had been shirty with him since their arrival, and he needed to know what he'd done. "Can we go talk somewhere, please."

Susan pondered him and then huffed and said, "Yes." The pair walked out of the tent and to a small grove of trees about ten meters away.

"What did I do to have you so upset at me?" Harry asked. "I have tried to be nice to you, but you seem to want nothing to do with it." Susan shook her head and looked away.

"It isn't you, exactly, it's just easier to take my frustrations out on you, rather than on Sirius," Susan explained. "My aunt marrying your father makes everything in my life change and I don't want it to."

"Ah," Harry said, thankful it was something like this rather than something he'd done. "Look, I get it that change is hard, but it's not all bad. You're only going to be at the house a few days before you go back to Hogwarts. I know Sirius and Amy want to split where we spend holidays, so you'll still get to be with the place where your memories are."

"Actually, I spent most of my holidays at Hannah's house. Auntie was always busy working. Spending it with her is a huge change."

"I'm happy to have anywhere with Sirius to spend holidays. I hated being at the Dursleys. Look, we are going to have a say in what happens, and I think they will both be fair. Does you aunt know you're upset about everything?"

"No, and I don't want to tell her either. She's happy, which has been something rare. I just didn't think she'd up and marry and start talking about having kids at her age," Susan admitted.

"Oh, yeah that," Harry said with understanding. "Look, they aren't that old, really. They both waited a long time to be together, if that means having other kids then…it's okay with me. The former headmaster stole twelve years of happiness from them, there is no way I'm taking another second of it."

"I never thought of it that way," Susan said. "I guess it wouldn't be so bad to have a baby around the house."

"Look, we're in the same boat, instead of trying to rock it, why don't we promise to talk to each other and dad and Amy if we need to, okay?" Harry suggested and Susan smiled.

"Okay. Come on, we can play some Gobstones next. You can't possibly be bad at that too," she suggested.

"Nope, pants at that too. I'm terrible at chess, even though Remus and dad keep trying to teach me. If it doesn't involve a broom, I'm not good at it." The pair laughed and headed back to the tent.

The Quidditch World Cup final match had been exciting, and even though the Bulgarian Seeker caught the Snitch, the Irish had won the match. The crowds were loud and animated, but it just made the night that much more exciting.

Sirius had convinced Arthur to return for the final match and stay with them, as they had room and Remus, and Sirius were enjoying speaking with Bill and Charlie. The five men and Amelia enjoyed watching the teens interplay, which made them feel younger and somewhat nostalgic for their Hogwarts days. All the Gryffindor Quidditch team was here as well as members of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw teams. Luna was walking with Hannah and Neville, telling them something in an vibrant way. Hermione and Susan were discussing something very serious, and Harry's father doubted it had anything to do with Quidditch.

"You know, if there were a few Slytherins here, we'd have representation of all the houses," Charlie said off handedly.

"Harry tried, inviting the Greengrass girls, but in the end their mother didn't want them to come," Sirius said.

"Too bad," Amelia commented. "It would be nice to prove that intra-house friendships can work, even if they're from Slytherin." They arrived back at the campsite and the teens went in to put their souvenirs away and Sirius and Remus set about building up the campfire.

"I'm not going to tell the kids when they must go to sleep, but after a while they will need to at least retire to their rooms," Sirius told his oldest friend. "That's why our rooms are in the middle of the tent. I don't think we have any couples, but I don't want anything untoward to happen."

"You know that is rather hypocritical of you," Remus said with a smirk. "I don't doubt that if you were in this situation, you would have been in a pretty girl's bed."

"True, but I was never as virtuous as our Harry. Anyway, he and Hermione are still dancing around each other. Probably by the end of his next year they'll figure it out."

The fire was lit, and Remus went to find the marshmallows Hermione had packed so they could roast them over the flames. Sirius was waiting for Amy to come out and cuddle when two boys charged into their campsite.

"Are you Mr Black, Harry's father?" the taller of the two boys asked and Sirius nodded. "We are here with the Malfoys and Draco's father up to something. A bunch of his friends are gathering there, and their wearing holocaust robes, and they have bone masks –"

"Did you say bone masks?" Sirius asked, his stomach dropping to his feet.

"Yeah, they're creepy," the other boy added. "My father is with them." Sirius looked at the shorter of the boys, and something looked familiar in his face. This boy lived in terror of his father; something Sirius remembered all too well.

"Hold on for a second," Sirius said, firing his Patronus off. It notified everyone in their group that they had to come into the communal room immediately. "Come on, into the tent with you two. By the way, who are you?"

"Blaise Zabini."

"Theo Nott, we're both in the same year as Harry."

"Okay, come on." Sirius charged in and found everyone awaiting him. Remus was eating a marshmallow from the now open packet. "This is Amelia Bones, my fiancé, and the head of the DMLE. Tell her everything."

Blaise quickly told her what he'd seen and before he could take a breath, a Patronus was fired off her wand.

"Death Eaters?" Amelia said in a flabbergasted tone. The first war had nearly killed her spirit.

"Sounds like it. We need to stop them," Sirius said. "Anyone not of age, you are to stay in this tent. It's impervious to most spells, so you should be safe." He tossed Harry back his wand, which was in Sirius's pocket. "Do not leave. Harry, magic only in an emergency." Harry nodded, and the five men and Amelia rushed out.

"You said it was Malfoy's dad?" Neville asked.

"Yeah, my dad was there too. Crabbe and Goyle's dads, Mr Avery, Mr Macnair, Evan Rosier, and a few others I didn't recognize," Theo said. "Malfoy couldn't stop talking about you and your dad." He said this while looking at Harry. Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. Next to him, Hermione did.

"Yeah, well…it's hardly my fault my dad took back the positions that were rightfully his, or that he adopted me and made me his heir. I refuse to let Malfoy's issues become mine. As my thera…friend likes to say, 'not my circus, not my monkeys'."

Hermione looked at Harry, knowing the saying came out of his sessions with Dr Phillip. While he and Neville knew all about the mind healing both Harry and Sirius were in, no one else needed to know.

"I don't feel particularly safe sitting in this tent," Hannah said. "Do you think I should call my house elf to take me home?"

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," Harry said, "but Dad said this tent was impervious to most spells. He and Amy did some stuff to it. If you'd feel safer going home, any of you that have elves, then please call them, and go home."

Harry wasn't surprised when Hannah called her elf, Dorry, nor when Susan said she'd go with her best friend. What was surprising was when Angelina called for hers and took Alicia and Katie with her. Lisa Turpin took Mandy Brocklehurst and Terry Boot with her when her elf arrived. Harry looked around the room after the flurry of disappearances and assessed who had stayed.

Fred and George were here, as was Cedric, who had come with the Weasley patriarch and his father this morning, although Cedric's dad had left just after the match. Luna, Oliver Wood, Theo and Blaise stood shoulder to shoulder with Hermione and Neville.

"Nev, I won't hold it against you if you want to go," Harry said softly. "You could take Hermione with you."

"No, I'm staying until your dad and Professor Lupin are back," Neville said quietly.

"What makes you think I'd leave?" Hermione asked tersely.

"I hate putting you in danger," Harry said gently. "I've always hated putting you in danger."

"Oh."

"So, is this what it's like to be on one of your adventures?" George asked.

"If it is, I don't see why Ron was always getting hurt," Fred added.

"No, because we're not adventuring at all. We are waiting inside this sealed tent for our dads to come back," Harry said. Then the tent shook. "Shite."

"Come out here, Potter," a voice yelled, and everyone recognized it.

"Really?" Harry said in a dispirited way. "Does he ever show any common sense?"

"No," Blaise answered. Harry peeked through one of the small panels that allowed him to see out, but not be seen by the outside. There stood Draco in his usual black clothes, flanked on either side by his goons, also garbed in black. Blaise came to look out as well. "He's an idiot."

"Malfoy, go away," Harry yelled out.

"Come out and fight me like a proper wizard."

"No," Harry yelled back.

"What? Worried you'll lose?" Malfoy taunted.

"No." The others had gathered around the row of windows and were looking at the trio standing outside. Thankfully it was mostly dark, save for the campfire that Remus and Sirius had lit.

"Are you in there with the Mudblood and the Squib?" Malfoy taunted again.

"I told you those are awful words," Harry spit back. "Please, just go away. The Aurors have already been called."

"Potter's afraid!" he sort of sing-songed. For the first time, Harry wondered if Draco was the one who inherited the Black Madness in his generation.

"It's Potter-Black and I'm not afraid. Just go, Malfoy. We aren't coming out."

Draco yelled in frustration before he levitated a partially burnt log at the tent. It might have been impervious to spells, but it wasn't to flames. The far end, where they boys' rooms were, caught fire.

"Shite," Harry moaned even as Fred, George and Cedric ran over and began spraying the fire with water from their wands.