"So we've reached our next order of business…" Albus informed.

After what Harry said about promising the next battle with Voldemort would be the last and his tyranny would end, everyone's hopes rose that this would be over soon. The tasks were to try to hold off that fight until the soul pieces were gathered and destroyed together, then of course, use that spared time to find the Horcruxes.

Bill said he would try to work something out with the goblins to get into Bellatrix's vault, but there was just as much chance that Voldemort already called on Bellatrix to retrieve the item and keep it wherever their hideout was. Regardless, they had to try. The other situation was locating the rest of the items; it was only theory that Voldemort chose to use the Hogwarts Founders' things.

Since the sword of Gryffindor was proven to not be one, that left Slytherin's Locket, Ravenclaw's Diadem, and Hufflepuff's Cup as possible soul containers. This meant trying to track down where those items ended up, and then seeing if they were radiating dark magic like the ring was.

Severus already created a secure box to start keeping the objects in, and it was decided to stash it at his house because he explained it was the safest with the blood bond formed during his and Harry's wedding. Albus confirmed that a bond like that would activate Blood of Bond as long as they were married and called that house their home.

"What might that be, Albus?" Minerva questioned.

"What are we to do with the former Death Eaters? They've joined the Order, yes, but their disloyalty to Voldemort is known to the rest of his following and the dark lord himself. We must keep them safe." The old man stated.

"Harry and I are already safe behind our…Marital blood wards." Severus reminded.

"My family also does not require protection. My status as Lord Malfoy gives me full control over my home's wards, I've set them to high security. Only people we trust can pass them." Lucius added.

"We're safe as we were never part of the Death Eaters." Althea Parkinson remarked as her husband, Sorrel, nodded to confirm.

"My son and I are safe too," Lydia mentioned calmly.

"That leaves the Crabbe's, Nott's, and Goyle's." Affirmed Alastor.

"No. Technically, no one is safe if you're friends with me. Voldemort would use whoever to get to me." Harry informed. "The school might be safe, but what about Hogsmeade? Or the train ride? Don't forget that Pettigrew knows how close I am to Ron and Hermione since first year. Any of the Death Eaters who were at the ministry battle likely reported to him about who was with me there, and how well they fought. That would be Luna, Neville, Ron, Hermione, Ginny." He paused.

"Severus, you said that Voldemort knows I'm in Slytherin now. Draco called you that night so he knows I'm close to Draco too. Then there's Hogsmeade trips, where I'm sure people were sent to spy, that leaves it wide open for Voldemort to also know I'm close already to Blaise because we dated during fifth year, but also friends with Pansy, Theo, Greg, and Vin." Harry added.

"Then there is the fact Voldemort could have been poking around in your head all the years up until you learned Occlumency…" Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, so…" Ron trailed off.

"It means anyone close to me is in danger. We can't just hide the people who were formerly Death Eaters," Harry said.

"As much as I hate to admit, and probably add to the fact you hate knowing we're all a target because of you…" Pansy shrugged as Harry waved it off. "Harry's got a point."

"It goes without debate that their current homes are no longer safe." Tonks noted.

"The Weasley's are safe." Arthur remarked. "I may not have lord status as Lucius does because our family doesn't do that lordship stuff, but I am head of the Weasley family. I can adjust the wards over the house."

"Hermione, dear, I know your family are muggles…If you would like, you may come live with us until things blow over. You're always welcome among us, just as Harry is." Molly smiled.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley…I'll have to talk to mum and dad first, but I am seventeen already. I'm sure they'll understand it's for mine and their own protection." Hermione responded.

"You just let us know, dear. You can room with Ginny." Molly nodded.

"What about us?" Dean asked, motioning to himself and Seamus.

"You two should be fine. You weren't part of the ministry battle, you never sit with Harry during the train rides, and typically there isn't more than a passing wave or smile in Hogsmeade." Stated Ron. "Same goes for Hannah, and the rest have already graduated."

"That leaves Neville and Luna." Blaise mentioned.

"My gran is Lady Longbottom, she can adjust the wards of the estate." Neville said.

"My father can do the same." Luna replied sweetly.

"For the rest, though…What about Fidelius?" Suggested Harry.

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Lorena pondered.

"Do you really want to take the chance?" Harry arched a questioning brow to the woman. "Voldemort's out for blood. Mainly mine cause he knows I can destroy him, but do you truly believe he won't be after the people who betrayed him? You saw what he did to Karkaroff."

"Harry's right." Theodore Sr. concurred. "He'll have the others out trying to hunt us down. You'd think he would only go after those of us marked, but-,"

"No, he'll kill the entire family just to make a point." Viola sighed. "Even the kids."

"Then I say Fidelius is your only option. We can't simply move you to new homes, it's as useless as it is now. If you're not a lord like Lucius, you have no way to fully control the protections on the property." Harry informed. "Headmaster, do you agree?"

"I do." Albus nodded. "But that leaves two problems attached to that idea…" He paused. "We need houses to put them in, and have secret keepers chosen."

"There's actually three problems," Minerva interjected. "How will the students get to school? You recall, Albus, when you put the Potters under that charm; they were not permitted to leave the property or it risked giving them away."

"Floo network would work," Sirius offered. "The kids could use the network from their chosen homes to go right to the school, say Severus's office?"

"The kids are supposed to arrive by train." Countered Albus.

"But it's not safe for the families to be out in public, especially a busy place like King's Cross. Plus, the train is too easy a target for an eight-hour trip." Harry argued. "I got attacked by dementors in my third year, could have been much worse if Remus hadn't been there to drive it off. It would be too easy for Death Eaters to board that train and kidnap people."

"Which is exactly why you are not taking the train either, Harry," Severus firmly stated. "You will come with me via floo network or we'll apparate to the gates from the alleyway."

"Floo might be safe. We can go right to your office," Harry told him.

"We'll send Draco via floo as well." Narcissa decided.

"Desperate times, Headmaster. Desperate measures." Severus reminded the man. "We'll set up a set time for them to come through. Starting with Harry and I first, then the rest at different intervals so they don't run into one another."

"I can arrange times for my Gryffindors. That be the Weasleys, Miss. Granger, Longbottom, and even you, Miss. Lovegood." Minerva spoke up.

"Then I'll take Harry, Draco, and the rest of the Slytherin students through mine." Severus agreed.

"That remains the first two problems mentioned…" Albus reminded. "For those who cannot stay safe without the power to manage their own protections…We need places to put them, and secret keepers."

"Excluding Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow, and the Chamber of Secrets; I've inherited a fair amount of properties we could use." Harry stated.

"I've got a couple too." Sirius offered.

"Most pureblood families have multiple properties in one place, or in other countries." Lucius remarked. "And yes, Harry…I know you are not a pureblood, but your father was. Until he married your mother, the Potter's were an entirely pureblood family like the Malfoy's and the Black's. I daresay the Potter's could be included on the sacred twenty-eight."

"The only reason they were not is because Potter is such a common muggle name." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Sacred Twenty-Eight, no offense, was a list created by a pureblood supremacist who looked down on muggles, muggleborns, and half-bloods and the entire thing to me is a joke." Harry folded his arms over one another. "I'm glad my family isn't on it. I'd consider it an insult to be associated with people who stuck their noses up at people who came from different blood."

A fair amount of people snorted and tried to resist laughing. "Harry!" Draco whined. "That was mean…I'm not like that!"

"Oh no?" Harry teased his friend. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there…Now, who said that to me six years ago?" Harry asked.

"You, Dray. If that's not considered being a stuck up prick, I don't know what is. I understand the purebloods are a proud…Group, but it doesn't make you better than anyone else or more powerful. As the example…Voldemort is a half-blood and he's pretty powerful."

"But so are you, Harry." Hermione giggled.

"Exactly." Harry nodded.

"Well said, pup." Sirius chuckled.

"Your family was no better, Sirius…" Harry remarked. "But that's just my point. In the Black's, if someone betrayed the family…They were blasted off the family tree and disowned. However…Sirius still became Lord Black because he was the next living descendant. Being disowned doesn't change the fact you are still blood. It doesn't change that you are still family. The whole thing is foolish. The pureblood families have absolutely invoked incest to keep their lines pure, don't try to tell me otherwise. Not to mention the amount of families that are actually intermingled is astoundingly large."

"I'm actually curious about that knowledge…" Narcissa chuckled.

"I'll reveal it later…But for now, we've gotten largely off topic." Harry said.

"How many houses do we need?" Alastor inquired.

"Crabbes, Zabinis, Parkinsons, Notts, Goyles…Five." Severus informed.

"I've got two properties not in use right now, been abandoned for years. One in North Yorkshire, the other in Powys. I'll send Kreacher to clean them up for use." Sirius revealed.

"And you, Harry…What do you have?" Remus wondered.

"More than I know what to do with…" He admitted. Harry went through his bag to pull out a folder and open it up. "Godric's Hollow, Edinburgh, Norfolk, Hogsmeade, Aberdeen, and Gloucestershire."

"Well, you said Godric's Hollow was excluded, so that leaves the rest…" Lucius claimed.

"I said Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow was off-limits. Mainly because it's destroyed…I have another property there, though." Harry corrected.

"What other place do you have there, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Peverell Home resides there, Ignotus's granddaughter, Iolanthe, married my ancestor Hardwin Potter." Harry said. "Ironically, that property in Gloucestershire is in the Village of Stinchcombe, where Hardwin's father, Linfred, lived with Hardwin and his six other kids. There's no record of the other children anywhere to my researching, but Hardwin was listed to have married Iolanthe Peverell." He explained.

"Wait just a minute…" Severus thought. "Your…Ancestor is Linfred of Stinchcombe?"

"Uh…Yeah. He's the founder of the Potter family, back in the twelfth century. The Potter name actually just came from the fact most people called him the Potterer, it ended up becoming his last name shortened from to Potter." Harry responded. "Why?"

"Linfred was well known for his medicinal remedies and healing magic. Excellent with Herbology and Potions." Severus informed. "Your ancestor, Harry, developed two potions we still use today. Pepper-Up and Skele-Gro."

"His creation of those two potions is what started the Potter fortune too. And then Harry's grandfather, Fleamont, quadrupled the fortune with his invention of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion." Sirius chuckled. "All the Potter's were fantastic at potions. Except James, actually."

"Right. Well, that's cool…I guess?" Harry shrugged a bit. "Moving on. I think it best to hide the families in plain sight." He suggested. "It will have been expected they go somewhere quiet, off the grid, so to speak. It will be the first places the Death Eaters will check."

"Ah, you're going for a hidden right under your nose type of thing." Hermione smiled. "That's very smart, Harry."

"That would narrow the choices down to using the properties from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Norfolk. Godric's Hollow would be expected, I'm sure Voldemort knows about the Peverell brothers, and they had a place there. Hogsmeade is far too obvious. And the village of Stinchcombe, I have no idea the state of that house right now. Dobby has been working on the others first."

"Well then, the choices seem pretty clear." Albus pointed out.

"Aberdeen and Norfolk properties are both by the water. I believe Aberdeen is a beach or lake house, four bedrooms, two and half bathrooms, and an office space. Edinburgh is a house, three bedrooms, two bathrooms with an office. Norfolk is a cottage, two bedrooms, two bathrooms." Harry informed lightly.

"Then there is the matter of secret keepers for these locations." Minerva said. "It doesn't matter if we all know, the only one who can reveal the location is the secret keeper. If we ever tried, the information would not be released."

"I'm already the secret keeper to all my properties." Harry revealed. "Excluding the chamber. That's not under Fidelius, but can only be opened by a Parselmouth." He added. "My family must have set it up that way, to protect their things. All I know is I'm a secret keeper because my family is dead, except my aunt and cousin and I'm sure it doesn't apply to muggles."

"Not that I'm trying to…Doubt you, Harry…But it's already been said your Occlumency training failed and with your link to Voldemort…?" Francis inquired.

"Harry's shields are as strong as mine," Severus defended. "Because of our bond. Even before the bonding, Draco taught him how to block his mind and his barriers were solid."

"They may share a link, but Voldemort can't see into Harry's mind. Harry can see into his, though." Lucius offered. "Draco and Narcissa are also both accomplished Occlumens as well."

"I will vouch to the strength of both their shields, as I taught them both." Severus stated. "You've nothing to fear from Harry's ability to Occlude, he does it on his own ability plus the helping hand from mine."

"I trust him." Theodore Jr. claimed.

"So do I." Pansy nodded.

"We all do." Blaise smiled.

"Alright then. Places to live settled and secret keepers chosen. Now all that's left is deciding who lives where. There are Sirius's two properties and Harry's three." Albus confirmed.

"Blaise, given the size of your family…I would suggest you take the Aberdeen house. I know you have several sisters and…Was it two brothers?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Good memory." Blaise nodded.

"Plus, I know you like the waterfront thing." Added Harry. "Pansy, you should take the Edinburgh one with your family and little brother."

"Right, thank you, Harry…" Pansy bowed her head, so did her mother and father.

"I'll take the cottage in Norfolk," Theodore Jr. stated.

"That leaves the Crabbe's and Goyle's in Sirius's two properties."

"Perfect because both of those places have only two bedrooms and one bathroom. One is a townhouse and the other is a beach cottage. Sorry, my family kept very little extra in side homes. Mostly for vacations." Sirius informed. "The beach house was always a favorite of mine. Had good times there over the summers, and graduation." He chuckled. "Remember, Moony?"

"Oh, indeed, Padfoot. I recall our graduation vacation. Two weeks at the beach house, just James, you and me…Spent most of it cliff-diving and getting drunk. Right before James proposed to Lily." Remus recalled.

"If the beach house is only two bedrooms, where did you all sleep?" Molly wondered.

"Usually wherever we passed out drunk." Sirius laughed with Remus. "Outside around the fire, main room floor…Think on the beach itself once or twice."

"Good times." Agreed Remus.

Harry wanted to roll his eyes, and a part of him kind of didn't like hearing about all the good times Sirius and Remus got with his dad, even his mum. It was time Harry didn't get with them. Sure, he was with them for over a year, but didn't remember it. Harry meant what he said in the infirmary; no one had any idea how much it sucked for him to hear everyone's memories of his parents when he had nothing more than pictures and stories.

"I can act as your secret keeper, for both places, if you like." Narcissa offered herself.

"We appreciate that." Viola smiled and Lorena nodded, then their husbands did the same.

"I think this is a good place to stop, for now. I will set up the charm on Sirius's two properties. Adult members of the Order should take point on escorting these families to their homes to gather their things. Leaving nothing behind that you do not wish to either have destroyed or can't go without for a while. We will gather here once more on Friday before the students return to school to make the move. The students not taking the train will remain behind with their parents until the times have been set up for them to cross through via floo network. Minerva, Severus…I leave that planning to you." Albus informed calmly. "Sirius, you would be kind enough to take me to your two places?"

"Whenever you're ready, Albus." Sirius told him.

"I'll have Dobby ensure the other three places are ready." Harry said.

"Excellent." Albus beamed. "Everyone knows their tasks then, I believe we can dismiss until Friday morning then."

Harry stood with Severus, who was grabbing his pensive. "Ready, Harry?" The potions master asked.

"Yeah…I could use a nap." Harry admitted as he moved with Severus out of the room once they waved goodbye, then went to the main fireplace in the kitchen. The two walked in as Severus grabbed the floo powder and called their destination to return home.

. . .

Sure enough, once back at Spinner's End, Harry gave Severus a kiss on the cheek and headed upstairs to their room so he could kick off his shoes and laid down in the bed. By the time Severus had put away his pensive, and went up to check on his young husband; Harry was already out.

Severus had found it odd that Harry wanted to nap, it was only 1:30 pm and he didn't usually take midday naps unless he was upset, bored, or sick. Severus decided he would just keep an eye on the teenager throughout the rest of the day, it's possible Harry just had a lot on his mind from the revelations at the meeting.

These Horcruxes being the key to defeating Voldemort, becoming secret keeper to three families, the overall final battle coming up soon and then there was the obvious depression the two of them were still working through.

Severus just wanted to make sure Harry was okay; it was sad to say, but the fate of the world as they knew it rested on Harry's shoulders with destroying the Horcruxes and then fighting Voldemort to vanquish him so everyone could live free, safe and happy in peace.