It was one of those moments when no one had the faintest idea what to say or do. The order members along with Harry and Hermione stared first at Akane and Ranma then at the Death Eater embedded in the marble floor and then at the hole in the wall where Bellatrix had vanished through. Somehow these two teenagers had managed to stomp a mud hole in one of Voldemorts staunchest flunkies and left another buried face first into the floor.
"H-how did you do that?"
Akane blushed slightly whilst Ranma flashed them his cockiest smirk. "In my case it's the rewards of twelve years of martial arts training, for her it's cause she's a tomboy." Too late Ranma realised his error. "Oh sh-"
The order member just stared with a cry of annoyance made the glowing mallet reappear and brought it down on Ranma's head leaving him side by side with the Death Eater. Akane humphed and folded her arms across her chest the mallet vanishing from sight whilst Ranma groaned and pushed himself to his feet brushing dust and pieces of rock from his hair. "Gomen Akane."
"He…you…how…WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Harry looked at the two teens in confusion.
"Ah I see that you have met our two newest students."
Almost as one everyone spun to face the door where Professor Dumbledore stood his eyes twinkling even though his expression was serious. "I'm glad to see you are fine Harry." Harry just scowled at the aged headmaster. "But I believe we should take this conversation to a more secure location." Ignoring the shocked looks from the order members Albus turned and walked back outside.
Moody glared at the two Asian teens whilst Harry and Hermione followed their headmaster outside. "I'll be watching the pair of ya understand, Albus may trust you but he has a habit of trusting some dangerous people." Akane looked away the whizzing blue eye making her nauseous whilst Ranma met the stare head on. Suddenly Moody apparated with a pop of displaced air and both teens jumped back in surprise. Lupin looked at the two a little warily.
"I suggest you go join Professor Dumbledore and Harry and Hermione." That said he, Tonks, Shacklebolt and the others all disappeared with cracks of displaced air. Ranma looked at Akane who shrugged slightly before he gingerly reached out and took her smaller hand in his own and led her outside.
"So Dumbledore-Sensei where we…" Ranma trailed off as almost as one they glanced down the street at a large explosion. Harry screamed grabbing his forehead in agony whilst Hermione and Akane grabbed a hold of the struggling teen trying to keep him on his feet.
"Hello Albus my old, old friend, Oh I see the half blood and the Mudblood are with you, this should make things a lot simpler AVADA KEDAVRA!" The tip of his wand glowed green before the bolt of emerald death shot from the tip and roared with a crackle of energy only to strike the conjured steel disc created by Dumbledore deflecting the blast away from the group. "You meddlesome old fool why won't you just die!"
"Ranma!" Dumbledore shifted his attention at Akane's shout only to see Ranma sprinting across the distance separating them from Voldemort.
"Mr Saotome no!"
Voldemort raised his wand again and smirked. "Avada Kedavra." The bolt of death seemed to ooze from the tip of his wand, as everything seemed to slip into slow motion, the group could only watch as the two seemed destined to collide; yet something strange happened. Slowly the air seemed to fill with the beautiful cry of the phoenix and Ranma's Aura sprang to life spreading out around him like a massive bird with wings of flame. The wings coming around him life a shield of sorts and the Avada connected with these flaming wings and a golden green light filled the street blinding the group.
Akane screamed in horror clearly believing Ranma dead she shook her head trying to clear the green and yellow flash spots in her vision desperate to see what happened. Finally their vision cleared and they gasped in surprise, Ranma was slowly, groggily pushing himself to his feet from where he had soared across the street and impacted with the wall whilst Voldemort was on his hands and knee's struggling to rise.
"Damn you Dumbledore this isn't over!" With a crack Voldemort apparated away leaving everyone standing there in the deserted street in shock.
"Ms Tendo go help your fiancé to his feet, we must away before the ministry get here. Nodding dumbly she raced across the cobbled street to him her hands wrapping around his waist as she pulled him to his feet.
"You and I are gonna have words later on about that dumb stunt you baka!" Ranma just nodded and regretted it moments later as the world spun. Akane shook her head and leaned over kissing his cheek before she helped him over to where Hermione stood steadying Harry.
Dumbledore held out a piece of rope. "Quickly all of you take hold." As one they gripped the rope and with the familiar jerk behind their navel the group felt the port key take effect.
***************
It was later that Dumbledore entered the kitchen to meet the expectant faces of three of his charges. "He is resting for now, each physical confrontation with Voldemort drains him significantly and this time was no different, for now let him sleep off the effects." He raised his hand to forestall any and all questions. "I know you require answers to today's events but for now I don't have many and I'm afraid they will need to wait till later as I must attend a meeting, plus I feel it is Harry's right to also be present when we discuss this." Hermione nodded while Ranma and Akane just looked at each other their expressions clearly not happy but willing to accept Dumbledore's words for now. "Now I must be off, but I must ask that you do not discuss the events after we left the hotel with anyone but ourselves." Without waiting for conformation he apparated away with a soft pop leaving three very confused and frustrated teenagers at the kitchen table.
TBC…
AN: Yep a totally new chapter so I hope you like and enjoy, there will probably be another new one up in a few days.
Yours Truly
The Evil known as Kai Lun Mau