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The End and the Beginning by muggledad
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The End and the Beginning

muggledad

Chapter 11

"Harry, pass the peanuts, would you?"

Without taking his eyes off the television, Harry shoved the peanuts across the table to his godfather. Steven Granger, Padfoot, Midnight and Moony were watching the first round of the World Cup qualifying matches at the local pub, The White Stag. Well, if you consider a twenty kilometres 'local'. The Stag was the closest pub to Rowan Hill, though.

Moony and Padfoot had exchanged wistful glances after seeing the sign. Finally they headed in to find seats in the moderately busy establishment. Steven had raised his eyebrows to his son in law in an unspoken question.

"My Dad became a Stag…" he explained with a meaningful look. At Steven's wordless understanding, Harry finished, "His nickname was Prongs."

Clapping Harry on the shoulder, Steven murmured, "You're a good lad, Harry. I'm sure your Dad is proud of you." Forcibly changing his expression, he motioned to the door, "Come on, I've a fiver with Sirius that Uganda is going to flatten Ireland."

Shaking his head, Harry told his father in law, "Barking, you are. The Irish are going to slaughter Uganda."

With playfully narrowed eyes, Steven challenged, "And how sure of that assessment are you, Lord Harry?"

Rolling his eyes, Harry dug into his pocket. Pulling out a ten pound note he shoved it into Steven's hand. "That sure."

"You're on, boyo."

An hour later, Uganda was up on the boys from Eire, 2-0.

"What the bloody hell are they on about?" Sirius demanded as he waved his hand at the telly. Remus leaned back in his chair, smiling. After a deep drink of his stout, he poked his friend in the ribs, nodding toward the door. Two old women toddled in, one leaning heavily on a cane. Remus was gentleman enough to want to curtail his friends language in front of the women. The old ladies sat at the table next to the party from Rowan Hill, eyes glued on the television.

The wizened old woman leaned over to Sirius to ask, "Have the bloody Irish got their head out of their arses yet, or are the Ugandan's still kicking them about?"

The floored Sirius couldn't respond as Harry and Remus broke up with laughter. Steven replied for the horrified Padfoot, "Still 2-0 ma'am."

"Humph. Plonkers," she muttered as she waved her hand to the publican. Her attitude seemed to be permission for the lads to be a bit rowdy. Soon, the table was covered with empty pint glasses. Harry and Sirius cheered loudly as Ireland quickly scored twice in succession. The Stag was mostly full of football enthusiasts who were cheering for Ireland.

Harry had limited himself to two beers. He didn't want to get potted in public; a thirteen year old young man wasn't usually allowed to drink too much. Sirius and Remus, though, were completely sotted. At one point, Remus had thrown his arm over Sirius' shoulder as they began to sing a bawdy tune. Harry couldn't make out all the words but it seemed to be about a wizard's staff having a knob at the end and him taking it in hand.

The crowd thought it to be allegorical so they laughed along with the Marauders. Harry wasn't so sure, but laughed too.

In the end, it was a 3-2 Irish win, causing many hands to be thrown into the air in celebration. Steven handed Harry his ten pound note before paying off Sirius with a fiver, "The Africans are coming up. Don't be surprised to see them competing for the Cup in the next decade or so." Harry and Steven screened Padfoot and Moony as they surreptitiously cast Sobriety charms on themselves.

The men ambled out of the pub behind the two old Welshwoman who were conversing in their native language. As Harry made to pass them on the sidewalk, the older of the two grabbed his arm.

"Hold on a moment, young man," she told Harry in her lilting voice. "Are you a Potter?"

Taken aback, Harry dumbly nodded. Unknown to him, Sirius and Remus both inconspicuously drew their wands.

Shaking her head, the mostly toothless woman laughed. "Your father would have been James, then?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Evaluating him through rheumy eyes, she eventually smiled, "Good to have a Potter back in Gwynedd. Good day, my Lord."

With a warm feeling spreading in his chest, Harry turned to the rest of his Family, "Let's go home."

.oOo.

Snarling softly, Midnight prowled the edge of the wards guarding the Macnair house. On the far side of the ravine, Longtooth padded softly toward her mate, the short mane about her neck standing on end. Bumping her lover in the shoulder, Longtooth indicated toward the rendezvous point. With one last glare at the hostile wards, Midnight followed the lioness down the darkened path.

Meeting up with Padfoot, the three animagi transformed back to their human shapes before Hermione pulled a short rope from her pocket. When the others were touching it, she whispered, "Home."

Moments later, they arrived outside the front doors of Rowan Hill. Harry casually transfigured their clothes from black fatigues to jeans and sweatshirts. Hurrying in the mansion, Harry muttered, "Fonging wards were crazy."

"There was something about them that made me upset and angry. I couldn't think straight," Sirius offered.

Heading toward the library, Hermione summed up, "Hostile Confusion wards. They're like muggle repelling wards which distract unwelcome muggles. This ward tampered with our reasoning and made us angry. Give me a day or so to puzzle it out." She turned into the library without looking back. Sirius and Harry meandered through the house, ending up in Harry's study. They found Remus and Dora there, dancing to soft music from the wireless.

Harry smiled at the sight. Dora was tucked into Remus' arms, her head under his chin.

"Aww, now isn't this cute," Sirius drawled from behind his godson.

Not opening his eyes nor breaking rhythm, Remus replied, "Fuck off, Padfoot."

Sirius snorted as he moved to the sofa. Flopping down, he waved his wand at the wireless, silencing it. "The wards were insane. Longtooth says they're Hostile Confusion wards."

The dancing couple broke apart with Dora frowning. "The file didn't say anything about special wards."

Ever since the Azkaban assault, Dora had been their unofficial intelligence officer. Her access to the MLE files of known and suspected Death Eaters had been invaluable. After a quick Duplication spell, the Family had an extensive intelligence file on their target. Harry and Hermione identified the 'who' to attack, Dora had supplied the 'where' and the 'how'. So far, their intelligence had been perfect.

The MLE file on the Macnair residence had no listing for Hostile Confusion wards, though. "Confusion wards are very complex," Remus mused as he moved to the window. Looking out into the night time sky, he wondered, "Who cast them?" The 'why' was obvious. Six Death Eater homes had been torched on top of the destruction of Azkaban. Only a moron wouldn't realize that someone was hunting the jackal followers of the Dark Lord.

Muttering, he started listing, "Rookwood? No, he's dead. Malfoy - dead, Snape? Maybe. Severus is very capable, but he's not in Britain. The Lestranges are all dead…" Turning to the others, Remus asked, "Who has the money to contract the upgrades?" Not waiting for an answer, he asked Harry, "How much did the upgrades here cost?"

Furrowing his brow, Harry answered, "I don't remember the exact amount, but it was well over fifty thousand galleons."

While Dora whistled at the amount, Remus scratched his chin. After shooting an enquiring glance at his best friend, Sirius replied, "Macnair has the cash to do it. Rowle didn't. Nott definitely does, so too does Ariadne Zabini. All those husbands of hers add up to a hefty inheritance." Tapping his fingers as he thought, Sirius muttered to himself. Standing, he told the group, "I'll be back." A few minutes after leaving the study, they heard the fireplace roar as Sirius used the Floo to leave.

Dora left to help Hermione in the library. Remus and Harry tried to pass the time by playing cribbage, but Remus was a poor player and gave up soon after they started. Steven Granger ambled into the room wearing sweat pants and a thick sweater. Seeing the anxious expressions on Remus and Harry, he asked, "What's the trouble?"

Harry explained, "The op tonight didn't go as planned. The wards were far more extensive and capable than we planned."

With a concerned frown, Steven moved to the secretary desk in the corner while holding out his hand to Harry. The Boy-Who-Lived opened a magical safe, withdrawing the file they had assembled on the Macnair house.

Steven read through it twice before he began to make notes. Fifteen minutes later, he asked, "Could I see the file for one of your successful ops?" Harry handed his father in law the file for the Malfoy home.

Harry and Remus watched Steven read both files, comparing the contents while taking more notes. Finally, he set his pencil down, sighed and turned to Harry, "Your intel source is compromised."

"What!" Remus and Harry chorused.

Pointing to the Macnair file, he elaborated, "The Macnair house file doesn't have this 'special' section that the Malfoy house does have. In the Malfoy file, this Paralysis ward is listed along with the Confundus ward. The entire section is missing from the Macnair file. It's also missing the 'magical creatures' section."

"Fuck," Harry moaned as he plopped into his chair.

"It could be mere sloppiness on the MLE's part," Steven offered, "But given the thoroughness and professionalism of the rest of the file, I doubt it."

Remus wordlessly beckoned for the files. Reading through them both, he eventually dropped them on the floor. "He's right."

"Do you think they've targeted Dora?" Harry asked.

"If they'd done that, you'd have people knocking on your door, boyo. No, I think they're trying to flush the game by omitting the information," Steven replied.

"Who?" Sirius asked as he entered the study, two thick books under his arms.

Remus explained Steven's hypothesis to his friend, causing Sirius to frown before dropping the dusty tomes on the floor. "I don't know 'who', per se," Steven offered. "But I know where they'll be tomorrow night."

Surprised, Harry asked, "Where?"

Pointing to the file, Steven replied, "At Macnair's house, waiting for you."

.oOo.

The entire family suited up for the next visit to the Macnair house in Staffordshire. It was the first time Harry had ever seen Minerva wearing trousers and he couldn't help but stare. Dora and Remus both wore grim expressions. The metamorph had taken the news regarding the hinky files well, but was very keen on finding out the person or persons who were investigating them.

Sirius was casting a quick spell to keep his bootlaces tied snugly. He had been quiet all day. The night before, he'd gone to the Black Manor at Grimmauld Place to find some resources on the old families. He'd not spoken of the trip to anyone other than to tell Remus and Harry where he'd gone. Based on his expression, Harry was fairly sure that Kreacher hadn't survived the visit.

Hermione was reviewing a tome which explained how to counter the Confusion wards. The process was highly illegal causing Harry to smile at the changes in his wife. Their first time through 1994, Hermione would have been aghast at the thought of breaking the law, now she was actively learning forbidden magics so as to assault a home and subsequently kill the inhabitants.

The clock struck midnight when Steven ambled into the entry hall, Alice right behind him. Her eyes were red, but her expression cheerful. Hermione frowned slightly. Obviously, her father had filled her mother in on Harry and Hermione's lethal activities. There was nothing for it, now. Steven glanced over the group before nodding to himself. "I wish I could help, but my time for jumping out of perfectly good airplanes is over. Godspeed, my friends and family."

The Family nodded at his sentiments as they reached for their portkey. Harry cheekily grinned, "See you soon, Dad."

A faint smile graced Steven and Alice's faces. "See you soon, son," Alice replied.

.oOo.

Their entire plan had changed. Instead of assaulting the Macnair house, they were hunting their hunter. With four of their number being animagi, they were going to exploit the fact.

Upon arriving at their jump off point, Harry, Hermione, Sirius and Minerva transformed before bolting off to their prearranged sectors.

Remus had proposed that in trying to capture their quarry, they reverse the trap he or she had set for the Family. "The information in the altered file drives us to assault the house from the northwest. It's the most vulnerable section of the house, as listed here," he jabbed his thumb at the file. "Our investigator will be watching for us to attack from the northwest, then. I propose, we find him while he waits for us. So far, we've always gone between two and three in the morning. We'll go earlier and arrive farther away from the house."

Unfurling the map of the area, he quickly drew with his wand, "We'll divide up the area into these sectors…"

Harry and Hermione, being the fastest, had the sectors farthest from their jump off point. Running through the trees, Harry gave a toothy smile. All the time spent running over Rowan Hill was paying off as he wasn't even winded. Slowing as he heard Longtooth peel off behind him heading to her sector, Harry concentrated on hearing and smell. They'd discuss that the animagi would most likely scent or hear their prey long before seeing him or her.

Nothing.

No deer, rabbits, witches, wizards, trolls or bugbears. Nothing. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Midnight began creeping through the forest. Five minutes later, he knew that their prey must be near. The forest is never completely quiet or free from nightlife. There's always something scurrying here or there. The only thing that would bring on this artificial calm was man. The absence of prey announced the presence of an invisible person.

A rustling to his left caused Midnight to freeze. The noise hadn't been too close, but neither was it far away. In complete silence, the black jaguar turned before slinking into a overlarge holly bush.

Harry let his animal instincts take over as he waited for his prey. Completely still and breathing shallowly, Midnight saw a ripple in the air ten feet to his front. The same distortion caused by a Disillusionment charm or a billowing invisibility cloak.

The wind shifted, bringing a familiar scent to his twitching nose. Midnight closed his eyes, focusing his attention on his hearing and scent. Sure enough, the target was moving right toward him.

He began to coil his legs for a leaping attack when the target appeared. It was Alastor Moody and he was a few feet from the holly bush. He tossed his invisibility cloak on a nearby branch before reaching for the buttons on his trousers.

Oh fuck no.

Just as Moody began to relieve himself on the holly bush - and Midnight inside it - Padfoot leapt on the old Auror from behind, bearing him to the ground. Harry quickly shifted back to his human form before stunning the old man.

Padfoot flowed into Sirius who wore a manically grinning expression. "I'm never going to live this down," Harry groaned.

.oOo.

"So let me get this right," Dora asked for the third time, "Moody pissed on you?"

Not bothering to reply, Harry ran the towel through his freshly showered hair. Three Cleansing charms followed by a shower allowed Harry to feel mostly clean. He'd already burned his clothes and he'd probably shower again before going to bed.

Hermione intervened, "What are we going to do with Mad-Eye?"

Remus and Sirius were especially silly as their only reply was subsumed in giggles. Minerva glared at the surviving Marauders before replying, "He fought with us before. Maybe he will again?"

This sobered all present. Hermione and Harry both frowned as they considered the idea. Alastor Moody had never been one for rules. His main rule was to survive long enough to kill the enemy. The secondary rule was to never let the bastards get an edge on you. Harry smiled at the self-recrimination and language Alastor was most likely going to use when they revived him.

Sirius nodded at Minerva's idea, "If it doesn't work, Midnight can Memory charm him."

They turned to the unconscious man who was tied to a chair in the corner of the room. "Hold on," Hermione urged. A few flicks of her wand Summoned two spare wands, five vials of potion, three knives and a shrunken broadsword. "Ok, go ahead."

Minerva rolled her eyes at her old friends' paranoia before casting the Reviving spell. The wily old Auror didn't move, not even to open his remaining eye. The magical eye, though, spun like a top.

"We know you're awake Alastor, stop playing possum," Harry ordered.

Holding up his grizzled head, the retired Master Auror opened his remaining eye as he scowled at the time traveling teen. Before he could say anything, Harry scolded, "Don't you start on 'Constant Vigilance' with me, Alastor. We nailed you with your old man in the wind."

"And pissing on you," Sirius whispered.

Minerva silenced the peanut gallery with a glare. Conjuring a chair, she turned to the old Auror. "Alastor, we've a story to tell you and then you have to make a choice."

"What's the choice?" he growled.

"You can help us or we cast a Memory charm on you before we return you to your house."

Scowling, he ordered, "Tell your story."

.oOo.

"That has to be the most ridiculous story I've ever fucking heard. It must be true," Moody proclaimed at the end of Minerva's recitation. Narrowing his eyes, he turned to Harry, "Swear on your magic the story is true."

Expecting something of the like, Harry drew his wand, grasping it midway to give his oath, "The story told to Alastor Moody by Minerva McGonagall is true in substance and fact." The bright white flash sealed the oath.

Moody opened his mouth but Harry beat him to the punch by casting the Lighting charm. "Satisfied?"

"For now," growled Moody. He was silent for a full minute before he told Minerva, "Untie me. I'll fight with you."

"And Albus?" Hermione asked.

Pursing the remains of his lips, Mad-Eye told her, "I don't like it, but I have to agree. Albus would get all goody-goody on us and we'd get nothing done."

Remus smiled while shaking his head. Sirius openly laughed. Winking his good eye at Minerva, he told her, "Come on, gorgeous. Let me out."

Minerva remembered a much younger Alastor Moody who'd been a third year Hufflepuff when she was sorted. He'd been a bit of a rake in his younger days. Time and experience had mostly snuffed that out of him, but with old friends, a bit of Al Moody would poke through on occasion. "Jamie would have your pelt if he heard you say that Alastor," she chided as she ended the Binding spell.

Moody extended his hand to Harry, "Let's get this vow over with so we can get to work."

Ten minutes later, they were all sitting about a table in the study, a sleepy Steven Granger joining them. "How'd you twig us?" Harry asked the veteran.

Shrugging, Moody replied, "Didn't. Just seemed too easy. Every hit you made, the wards weren't ripped down. There was no sign of fighting outside the house, which meant you caught each of them by surprise. To top it off was the guards at Azkaban."

While most of the others were confounded by Moody's statement, Dora groaned. "Share with the class, cousin," Harry teased.

With narrowed eyes at The Boy-Who-Lived, Dora told them, "The only people who can make a portkey into and out of Azkaban are the Director of the MLE and the Head Auror. Even the warden can't enchant a portkey out of there. Since the guards were portkeyed out, he knew it had to be someone with access in the MLE. If they had access in the MLE, then they could have been using MLE intel files."

Smiling his scary smile, Moody told her, "Well done, Tonks. Keep it up and in a few years you might be good enough to write an after action report."

"Hey!" she countered, before Minerva waved her off.

"It's his way. Pay him no mind."

"So, are the active duty Aurors on our tail?" Remus asked.

Shaking his head, Moody replied, "Most of those snot nosed twats couldn't find their arse with both hands and a map to guide them. Shacklebolt made some noise right after Azkaban burned, but to tell the truth, most of them cheered when the place burned. If, or rather, when Voldemort is resurrected, we all knew he'd spring those bastards." Turning to Harry, he asked, "Why Fiendfyre?"

Shrugging, Harry replied, "It was easiest and the most thorough."

"Let's talk about Macnair, then," Moody began with a smile.

.oOo.

Alice Granger eyed the disfigured and beaten retired Auror who sat across the breakfast table from her. "What's he doing?" she whispered to Hermione. The Smartest Witch of the Age smiled as she watched Mad-Eye cast a series of detection charms over his food. Reaching into a pouch on his belt he sprinkled a reactive agent on the eggs followed by a directed spell at the bacon. The coup de grace was when he cast Scarpin's Revealaspell over the tea.

Chuckling, she told her mother, "He's being Mad-Eye."

Alastor narrowed his good eye at Hermione, "Laugh as you will, missy. Just remember that I'm the only member of my Auror class still alive."

"That's because you're old, Alastor," replied Sirius from behind the paper. "They all died peacefully in their sleep of old age. You're too stubborn to die. Death himself can't sneak up on you."

Harry staggered into the room, his hair wet from his fifth shower in the last twelve hours. As Steven poured for Alice, the male Granger asked Harry, "So, do you make it a habit to have people urinate on you? Is this a fetish that Hermione…"

"DADDY!"

Chuckling to himself, Steven set the teapot back on the table. "Just funning with the lad, Pumpkin."

Ignoring the ribbing, Harry plonked into his chair before reaching for the coffee. He drank down two cups before he even spoke. "We going back tonight?"

Moody replied without looking up from his porridge, "Aye. I'm going back to check a few things. Your…wife…is on the right track for the wards." Watching Hermione with his good eye while his magical eye spun like a top, he told her, "We'll bust that ward. This time, I think we'll have to go for brute force. It'll take too much time to finesse the wards. Knock 'em down, get in, hit 'em, get out."

Eyeing the severely maimed man, Steven observed, "You sound like you intend to go in with the rest of them."

Barking a disturbing laugh, Mad-Eye replied, "Haven't you heard of a broom?"

"Oh."

.oOo.

There was a reek on the wind that made Harry uncomfortable. He was perched in a tree high on the hill that overlooked the Macnair house. As Midnight, he scanned and rescanned the area, trying to pinpoint the source of the smell. Walking Death he thought to himself. That's what it smells like.

Off to his right, he heard Mad-Eye sideslip on his broom. Moody's old Oakshaft was a steady reliable broom that filled the bill for the crippled Auror. Disillusioned and flying slowly allowed Alastor to move nearly invisibly.

Softly, the Communication charm sounded in Harry's ear, "Anything? Growl if you've heard something, if nothing, remain quiet."

Debating whether to say anything, he decided to follow Alastor's motto. Growling softly, he heard a wand flick. A tap on his head signified Moody Disillusioning him.

After transforming back, Harry whispered, "There's something out there," he gestured toward the house. "I don't see it, but I smell it."

"Black said it smelled like death."

"Yeah. I've never smelled anything like it before." Turning to where he thought Moody was hovering, he asked, "Do we abort? I don't like it."

"It's the last clear night we'll have for a while. Storm front rolling in tomorrow and the weather will be shit for at least a week after that. I say we go. Meet at the insertion point in ten minutes."

Transforming back to Midnight, Harry hurried down the tree. Finding Hermione and Sirius waiting for him, he transformed back before cancelling Alastor's charm. Shortly, Dora, Remus, Minerva and finally Mad-Eye joined them.

"Minerva, you'll be going in with the troops. That smell bothers me and we'll need all the muscle we can get."

"Fine, but you're the overwatch then. You'll need to be at fifty feet at least to act as lookout and sniper."

Grunting, Moody fussed with his robes to stick them out of the way of his wand arm. Harry turned to Hermione, "You ready to knock down this ward?"

Hermione glanced about, got nods of readiness from the others before turning back to her work. For the last three hours, she'd been eroding this section of the wards to the point where a massive magical discharge would cascade the ward scheme. She would be incapacitated after the magical dump, but the plan called for her to be immediately portkeyed back to Rowan Hill while the rest assaulted the house.

"Love you," she murmured to Harry, reaching for his hand.

Taking her slim hand in his own, he squeezed, "Love you too, babe. See you in a bit."

She nodded before freeing her hand and closing her eyes. Raising her hands, she began to chant. It was an invocation from the cradle of life in the world. Deep in the back of the Potter Library had been a book that contained this spell of the Indus Valley. The spell was originally designed to facilitate healing, but what it did was bring the magic of witch or wizard fully to hand.

Her eyes flashed open glowing an iridescent blue-white. Power arced from her hands to the ground. Raising her arms in a gesture of defiance, Hermione braced herself. A guttural scream preceded an explosion of magic from the witch. As Hermione collapsed and Harry slapped the portkey on her, the wards surrounding Macnair house flashed yellow then fell as the ward stone detonated.

Harry tapped the portkey with his wand, sending Hermione back to their bedroom where she should sleep off the effects of bringing down the wards. Sirius sprinted for the house, scanning left and right. Remus and Dora flanked him. Minerva was on Sirius' heels, moving quickly for an older witch.

Harry transformed to Midnight, sprinting to catch up to the group. As he raced over the lawn, the smell of death filled his nostrils. Shaking his head to clear the smell, he almost missed the first vampire.

A formless shadow streaked in from the right, slamming into Sirius. Instinctively, he transformed into Padfoot. Snarling and snapping, the Grim ripped and tore at his opponent.

As per the plan, Remus, Dora and Minerva continued to the house. Harry and the invisible Alastor headed to help Sirius.

It's never wise to engage a vampire at grappling range. Their preternatural speed and strength allows them to overwhelm most any opponent. Padfoot was not a normal opponent, though. Most people seeing Padfoot assume he's a huge Bernese Mountain dog or even a dark coloured Great Pyrenees. He's actually a Grim, with the capabilities and resistances that entails.

The Grim is a harbinger of Death; not just a death omen, but an actual bringer of Death, himself. Rapid healing, incredible strength and a fierceness to overcome any opponent are the most prominent attributes of the Grim.

The vampire tore at Padfoot's back with his indestructible nails, blood spurting from the cursed wound.

Padfoot didn't make a noise, merely turned like a striking snake and bit the offending hand. Clamping down with his jaws, he bit his undead attacker's hand off cleanly at the wrist.

The vampire shrieked. It was the last thing he did. Moody used the Levitation charm to lift the wounded and screaming being into the air. Suspended in mid-air, it couldn't use its spectacular abilities so it was nearly helpless. Harry transformed back to his human self. Not even bothering to draw eleven inches of holly and phoenix feather, he pointed his open hand at the wounded vampire. With narrowed eyes, he incanted, "Incendio."

Two seconds later, the immolated vampire's ashes dispersed in the breeze.

Just in time for the next two vampires to arrive.

Harry was bowled over as the female vampire literally ran over him. Shaking his head to clear the instant muddle headedness, a section of his mind recognized the mental fog as the side effect of a concussion. Harry flicked his wand to the left and the right. Sharp pain shot up and down his left arm at the gesture; his left wrist and forearm had been crushed in the grip of the vampire. A quick Numbing charm allowed him to function as slabs of stone jumped out of the ground forming a protective wall around The Boy-Who-Lived.

As Harry got his bearings, he heard a hiss from above. Diving to his left to avoid the leaping attack, he dispelled the summoned barriers. Tucking his wounded arm into his side, Harry rolled thrice. A thump from behind indicated the vampiress had landed where Harry had been.

Jumping to his feet, a swipe of his wand sent a waist high arc of energy in the direction he thought the vampiress was. Off to his left, he heard shouts and spell fire while screams were heard further off.

The Area Effect Cutting curse missed the intended prey, as the blonde vampiress leaped over the spell. In a flash, she was moving toward him, arms outstretched, distended fangs gleaming in the half moon light.

Harry hadn't survived for so long because he was so good looking, there was more than a bit of truth in the stories about the combat prowess of The Boy-Who-Lived. In a second, his wand flashed the Detonation curse. Half a heartbeat later, the beautiful creature of the night exploded like a bomb.

Without pause for breath, Harry turned to find Sirius and Moony standing near the smouldering remains of another vampire. Sirius was bleeding freely from the wound in his back, while Mad-Eye appeared to be unhurt.

"Let's get going," he ordered the other two. Moody swung his now visible leg over his Oakshaft while Sirius started toward the house. The former Prisoner of Azkaban got two steps before stumbling to his knees. When Harry got closer, he saw that the back of Sirius' robes were soaked with blood.

"Fuck," he muttered. Tapping the necklace about his godfather's neck, he activated the portkey back to Rowan Hill. After Sirius disappeared, he turned to Mad-Eye, telling the old Auror, "Go fetch Andromeda Tonks; She and Ted live in Cornwall. Tell her that she's needed at the house. She and Ted have their own portkeys. Have her tend to Sirius." Eyeing the old paranoid law enforcement officer, he told him, "She's one of the good guys, Alastor. Don't go overboard."

Not bothering to wait for a reply, he sprinted to the house casting what healing charms he knew on his damaged arm. He still heard spell fire and screams from the house. "What a fucking goat rope."

.oOo.

Remus stood over a wounded Dora, Minerva at his back. Around them half a dozen Death Eaters pounded the reduced assault team with spells of the darkest nature. Minerva was conjuring barriers with a deftness not seen since Albus Dumbledore defeated his lover in 1945. Seven Death Eaters were dead, while three more would be within the hour.

Unforgivables lanced through the air, crossing and recrossing the large banquet hall. On the whole, Death Eaters are thugs who have no compunction casting the Killing curse. That doesn't mean that they're great warriors. On the contrary, most Death Eaters are far too arrogant to bother with anything as mundane as target practice. Therefore, most can't hit the broadside of a barn with a bass fiddle.

Remus Lupin, on the other hand, spent fifteen minutes a day, every day, casting at targets slightly larger than a pea.

At ten metres.

While they were moving.

Dora had been taken down by a Bludgeoning curse from a Disillusioned Death Eater, fixing Remus to her location. Despite overwhelming odds, Remus and Minerva had still halved the opposition with a focused fierceness that was disturbing to the surviving combatants. When Harry ran into the room and saw Dora on the floor, he shouted, "Get her out of here! Now!"

Fluidly squatting, Remus took advantage of the Death Eaters' distraction by Harry's appearance by tapping Dora's portkey with his wand, sending her back to Rowan Hill and safety. With a fury Harry and Minerva had never seen, Remus systematically began to kill every Death Eater in the room.

Dodging under a sloppily aimed Cruciatus curse, Remus snapped off a Reductor curse, which popped a masked Voldemort fanboy's head like an overripe melon.

Spinning, he caught two with an Area Effect Cutting curse. Both were cut in half.

The combination of the Blinding curse and Piercing charm downed a fourth.

The fifth was killed by a massively overpowered Bludgeoning curse. It hit the female Death Eater in the chest, fracturing the woman's sternum and driving splinters of bone through her black heart.

"Wait!" Harry called. He Stunned the last Death Eater before Binding and casting the Paralysis curse on him.

Checking the man still had a pulse, he turned to the panting Remus and Minerva. Answering Moony's unasked question, he told his pseudo Uncle, "Hermione wanted to question one."

Gesturing to the immobile prisoner, he told Minerva, "Take this trash back to the house. Dobby knows where to put him." Nodding to Remus he told him, "I asked Alastor to fetch Andi. She should be tending to Sirius and Dora when you get back. I'll finish up here."

After the other two vanished under the pull of their portkey, Harry headed to the front lawn. Moving stealthily, in case there were other 'surprises' still waiting for him, Harry was able to dodge behind a large oak tree when he heard the distinctive pop of multiple Apparations.

"Fan out! No idea what's happening here, but be on your toes!" the distinctive voice of Rufus Scrimgeour called to what was obviously an Auror Response Team.

A little frustrated at not being able to finish their ritualistic destruction of the Macnair house, Harry vanished as he silently Apparated home.

.oOo.

"Fuck!" he snapped. Stumbling upon landing in the entry hall, he was unpleasantly made aware that the Numbing charm he'd cast on his shattered arm had worn off. His eyes watering with the pain, he staggered toward the sound of raised voices.

"Remus! Go get a quart of Skele-Gro, fifteen vials of Meshuggina's pain relief potion, a full gallon of Blood Replenishing potion and another quart of strengthening solution! Go goddammit!" Andromeda Tonks was in full Casualty healer mode.

When Harry stumbled in the room, she glanced at him, noticed his purpling arm, which was hanging at an odd angle before turning back to the departing Remus. "Make it two quarts of Skele-Gro!"

Without looking at Harry, she asked, "Just your arm?" Not waiting for an answer, she began waving her wand over the unconscious Sirius. Minerva was working on his wounded back. Apparently, the wound the vampire inflicted on Padfoot was cursed as both witches were having a hard time healing it.

"Concussion, too."

"Sit. Stay awake. I'll get to you in a bit."

Ten full minutes she and Minerva worked desperately on Sirius. After the first two, Harry began to worry. Tugging on Ted Tonks' sleeve, he nodded questioningly at his godfather.

"It was touch and go when he first came in. He'd lost a lot of blood. Andi stopped swearing a few minutes before you came in, so I think he'll be alright."

Exhaling loudly, he looked around, but didn't find the object of his search. He did see Steven Granger watching the makeshift triage with a sombre expression. Trying to stand made the world tilt topsy turvy, so Harry waved his father in law over to his side.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Sleeping in your bed. Alice checked her over and she seems fine, just exhausted. Alastor is up there now, checking her for Andi." At that moment, Mad-Eye returned to the stripped sitting room.

"How is she, Mad-Eye?"

"Magically exhausted, but her core is already recharging. She'll be fine by lunch tomorrow. Her mum is sitting with her. She'll call if anything happens."

No matter what happened to Harry, losing Hermione was and always would be his greatest fear. He sighed in relief at Alastor's news. "Dora?"

"Pretty ugly Bludgeoner to the back of the head. She'll be fine in the morning, but have a wicked headache." Smiling, he added, "She did alright the way Lupin tells it."

Eyeing Harry with a critical eye, he continued, "So did you. I was leery of your story but you did good out there lad." Extending his hand, he shook Harry's. "I'd fight with you at my side again."

Harry gaped. There was no higher praise from Alastor Moody. Before he could respond, Andi barged her way through the men surrounding The Boy-Who-Lived, "Bugger off, I've a patient that needs attending."

A quick Diagnostic charm by Andi confirmed Harry's gut feeling; a level two concussion combined with a crushed left forearm and wrist. Frowning, she cast a Numbing charm.

"I'll have to Vanish the bones in your arm. They're too far gone for rapid healing. Vanishing and regrowth via Skele-Gro is the fastest and best way. When Remus gets back with the potions, we'll do the arm."

Harry grimaced. "Joy."

Digging through a black bag, Andromeda ended up shoving her arm in all the way to the shoulder. Harry heard numerous vials clinking in the bag before she softly exclaimed, "Ha!"

Handing Harry a light brown vial, she ordered, "Drink it."

Frowning, Harry asked, "What is it?"

As Alastor nodded approvingly, Andromeda scowled, "It's a bloody Concussion Potion, now drink it young man!"

Surprised at her vehemence, Harry cocked an eyebrow. Ted softly laid his hand on his wife's forearm. He caught Harry's eye before he nodded to the conjured cot on which Dora was sleeping.

Nodding his understanding, Harry popped the vial open before downing the goop in one go. After involuntarily shuddering, Harry murmured, "I'm sorry about Dora. She'll be alright?"

Nearly shouting, Andi replied, "Yes she will. No thanks to you."

"Andromeda, that's enough," Minerva scolded. She was wiping her hands on a rag as she walked over to the small party. Sirius was on his stomach, apparently sleeping. "Dora's injuries aren't Harry's fault, so don't take our your fears on the lad."

In a low undertone, Andromeda declared to the room, "There is something going on here and I demand to know what it is." She paused before tearfully choking out, "My daughter could very well have brain damage from that spell. Someone better start talking and do it right now."

Sighing, Harry sat back in his chair. Rubbing his eyes with his good hand, he told the upset witch, "Tomorrow. After lunch we'll have a sit down."

Surprised that Harry answered her, it took a moment before she regrouped. "Harry…" she began ominously.

"Goddamit Andromeda would you fucking grow up! Your daughter will be fine. Your cousin will be fine. Both of them will be fine, as a matter of fact," Harry added with a scowl. "So back the fuck off. We've just been in a fight for our lives so your desires fall to the back of the bus, all right? Give it a rest." He let his glasses drop back to his nose so he could properly glare at the outraged witch.

Stiffly, Andromeda replied, "Very well. We'll wait until tomorrow." Fortunately, at that moment, Remus returned with a sack full of potions. Without preamble, Andromeda Vanished the crushed bones in Harry's arm. Just like during second year, he arm became a floppy useless thing.

"Crap," he muttered. Turning to the calmer Andi, he asked, "Could I take this in my bedroom? It's going to be hard enough to sleep with this," he gestured to the distinctive bottle of Skele-Gro, "Working on me. Might as well be in my own bed."

"That'll be fine. How much do you weigh?"

"Sixty kilos."

She measured out ten ounces of the noxious potion, handing it to Harry. "Apparently you know the drill. I'd recommend walking to your room before taking it. I can't give you a pain relief potion, I'm sorry. It would interfere with growing the new bones," she added with an expression of real regret.

Andromeda wasn't a bad woman, far from it. She was a scared mother and there are few beings on the planet who are more passionate. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything anyone could say to her to assuage her fears until she had all the facts and could then decide for herself.

Nodding, Harry slowly moved to the door. Alastor whispered to him, "Stun yourself. It's always got me through the worst of it."

"Thanks, Alastor. I think I will."

.oOo.

Harry swam to the surface of consciousness around two in the afternoon. Blindly reaching out with his left hand, he winced at the residual pain, but was heartened by his ability to control the arm with its regrown bones. He was heartened further at Hermione's reply to his hand.

"Hmmm, good to see you're awake lazybones."

"I'll have you know that I'm a warrior recuperating from an intensive battle last night."

"Bollocks. You're a lazy bum. Now fetch me tea."

Snorting at what passed for humour in his wife when she was just awakened, Harry called, "Dobby."

When the major domo of Rowan Hill appeared, Harry asked, "Could you please bring tea for Hermione and coffee for me?"

Moments later, the house elf returned with the appropriate beverages. Smacking his lips at the revolting taste in his mouth, Harry cast a Breath Freshening charm. "How are you feeling?" Hermione asked.

"Well enough. The arm is still a little tingly but my head is clear." Turning to his wife, he asked, "You?"

"A little tired, but fine otherwise."

"Andi was a tad upset last night. She obviously knows something is up. With Dora taking one in the noggin, she was furious and wanted to know the story."

Wincing, Hermione muttered, "Not again," in reference to their encounter with Neville when they captured Wormtail.

"I'm not really comfortable telling her, even with a Vow," Harry admitted. "Especially with a Vow. She could die...I don't know…"

"We don't know her well enough to want to tell her the truth. Everyone else has been integral to our family either 'before' or currently," Hermione summed up. Harry's silent nod indicated his agreement.

Heaving himself out of bed, he tentatively started toward the bathroom. When he wasn't dizzy or showing any other signs of a lingering concussion, Harry strode into the bathroom to clean up for the day. He needed to talk to Sirius.

.oOo.

"It's up to you two. I think she's trustworthy, but you're right; the probability a secret stays a secret is inversely proportional to the number of people you tell."

"And we've told a lot of people," Hermione finished for Sirius.

Nodding, the twelfth Earl of Blackmoor lay back on his pillows. The wound inflicted by the vampire was healed, his blood loss replaced via potion and all the aches and pains dealt with via medicine, but Sirius was still weak. Andromeda had told him to expect to be at less than full capability for a week or so.

Padfoot, Midnight and Longtooth were conferring in Sirius' bedroom. Moony had left a few minutes before to check on his girlfriend. Minerva had left first thing in the morning to return to school in time for classes. Dora still hadn't woken and the house was becoming worried.

Remus had summed up the problem at hand thusly: "If we tell her we're the Fiendfyre Vigilantes, she'll go crazy unless we tell her about the time travel. Without that little nugget, we're no better than the Death Eaters. It comes down to whether you trust them enough with your secret."

"Do you?" Harry had asked.

Shrugging, Remus gave a half smile, "They were, or will be my in laws. My perspective is skewed."

"I trust your opinion, Remus," Hermione had told him.

"Andi and Ted are good people. I believe that, with a Vow, you can trust them. They won't work against you or us."

Harry realised what he'd been doing. He had tried to have Sirius and Remus make the decision for him when it was his and Hermione's to make. Turning to his bride, he asked her, "What do you think?"

Slowly, she told him, "I think…we should trust our family. Let's tell them."

Sighing, he nodded his head. "Alright then."

.oOo.

"Wake up arsehole."

The frigid water thrown in the man's face completed what the Awakening spell had started. The captured Death Eater, whose name was Alan Tigue, shook his head before blinking at the bright light in his face.

"I know it's a cliché, but I had to have a bright light to interrogate the bad guy, even if you're a worthless sod. They'd vote me out of the union otherwise."

"Wha…?" Tigue muttered before Sirius punched him in the stomach. Since he was tied to the chair, Tigue couldn't lean over to retch, so he opened his mouth choking and coughing.

Smiling, Sirius poured the correct dosage of Veritaserum in the man's mouth before pinching his nose shut while holding his mouth closed.

From behind the bound and seated Death Eater, Hermione told her godfather in law, "He doesn't have to swallow it. It'll be absorbed through the tissues in his mouth."

"Don't kill my buzz. This is fun," Sirius panted. When Tigue went slack, indicating the potion taking effect, Sirius slumped into a chair, worn out from the minor exertions.

From behind the captive, Hermione asked, "Who is your leader?"

"Macnair."

Frowning, she turned to Harry who amplified the question, "Who is leading all the Death Eaters? What is Macnair's role?"

"Don't know. Macnair leads our cell."

Muttered oaths and other swearing filled the room. "When did you join the Death Eaters? How were you recruited?"

"A month ago. Macnair approached me at work. He told me the Master was returning soon. We could put the mudbloods and blood traitors in their place."

"Did Macnair say how Voldemort was going to return?"

"He said Snape was going to do it. We needed to be ready."

A cold pall fell over the cognizant occupants of the room.

"Did he say when Voldemort was returning?"

"No, just soon."

The previously silent Alastor Moody interrupted, "List all the Death Eaters and their headquarters of which you are aware."

Harry glanced at the Dict-a-Quill and watched it transcribe the listing. He wasn't listening to the man. One thing reverberated through his thoughts.

Soon.

.oOo.

Harry snorted as he remembered Alastor's last question to the drugged Death Eater: "What don't you want the Fiendfyre Vigilantes to know about Death Eaters and their operations?" It was a stroke of genius that he'd never considered. Veritaserum compelled the affected person to be truthful, but not necessarily forthcoming or even expansive. Moody's question bypassed that drawback.

Dora was finally awake and Mad-Eye had been right; she had a pisser of a headache. Andi and Remus were with her, Ted had to run into the bank to take a leave of absence. Sirius had already contacted Scrimgeour to inform him of Dora's injury 'falling down the stairs'. With the metamorph's clumsiness already legendary in the DMLE, no one had questioned the story. Mad-Eye had returned to his day job. Coordinating the search for Severus Snape was a nightmare of bureaucracy.

Holding Hermione's hand, they drifted into the family sitting room. Remus was standing by the newly stoked fire, warming his hands. Dora was spread out on a fainting couch, a warm blanket in her lap.

The rest of the Family was littered about the room. Steven was reading, Alice was occupied writing a letter to her aunt. Sirius and Ted were playing chess while Andromeda looked out the window, watching the midwinter rain. Harry headed to the tea service, pouring for himself and Hermione. Handing over her drink, Harry sat next to her. When Harry's saucer and cup clinked on the table, Andromeda rounded on everyone.

"Right. Let's have a discussion where you all tell me what the hell is going on here. Sirius?"

Rolling his eyes, Sirius lounged back in his chair, "Andi, first off calm down. We won't have this discussion if you're biting off heads. We're the good guys. I understand you're worried about Dora, but she's fine. Calm down."

Ted silently moved to his wife's side. Steering her to a couch, he gently pulled her down next to him. Laying a soft hand on her arm, he whispered in her ear. A look of resignation crossed Andromeda's features before she acquiesced, "Sorry everyone. Been a bit high strung."

Sirius nodded, accepting the apology for everyone. "Before we begin, we'll need an Unbreakable Vow from both you and Ted that you won't willingly disclose any of the secrets we're about to reveal."

One of the many things Harry, Hermione and Sirius had discussed was that Sirius should take the lead in the discussion with Andromeda and Ted. The Tonks didn't know about the teens time traveling, so would look to Sirius or Remus to explain the situation. They'd most likely dismiss Harry and Hermione.

Dora jumped in before her parents could comment, "Mum, Dad, I'm under a Vow as well. It's the same wording that Sirius just described." The serious expression on their daughter's face threw the elder Tonks for a loop. "I'd highly suggest you do as they ask. The facts are important enough to warrant an Unbreakable Vow and on top of it, we're all family here." Poking Remus in the side, Dora added, "Or will be soon enough,"

Everyone smiled briefly at the witticism before turning to the Tonks with an expectant expression.

"I don't like it," Andromeda declared. "I don't like being asked sight unseen to commit our lives to protect your secrets."

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly before turning back to the chess board. "Then you don't get to learn the secrets. You brought this up, not us."

Silence blanketed the room for a full minute. Sixty seconds doesn't seem like a long time, but it was an eternity, for different reasons, to all present.

Alice and Steven sympathized with Andromeda and, to a lesser extent, Ted. They too had been kept away from The Secret until demanding to be told. Their lack of magic was the only reason a Vow hadn't been required from them. Both Grangers reflected that they would have agreed to the magical commitment, if they'd had the ability.

Sirius wished Andi would get off her high horse. She'd done this throughout her life; get all worked up and outraged over stupid shit before settling down, usually at Ted's prompting.

Dora was annoyed. She knew her parents both had a hard time seeing and treating her as an adult, but this was too much. "Mother, get over it and agree to the Vow."

"Nymphadora…"

"Dammit mother!" The shout from her daughter caused Andi to first gape; slack jawed, before shutting her mouth with an audible click. "I am an adult, an Auror and know far more about this than you ever will. Would you listen to me for once in your life!"

Not wanting to air his family's dirty laundry in public, but wanting to finish his wife's tantrum, Ted told his wife and daughter, "Enough." Turning to his spouse, he told her, "Andi, I'm willing to commit to a Vow like Sirius outlined." Giving his cousin in law a mischievous grin, "Of course, the solicitor in me will want to debate the wording.

"We lose nothing by agreeing to keep their secrets."

In an undertone, the sane Black sister replied, "But what if the secret's horrible?"

"Do you really think our family could be horrible?"

She sighed, deflating. "You're right."

Facing Sirius, she told him, "I'll agree to a Vow."

Sirius turned to Harry, "Your show Midnight."

Confused, Andi and Ted turned to the thirteen year old wizard. Crossing the room, Harry extended his hand to enact the Vow with first Ted then Andromeda.

Settling back in his seat, Harry began the story, "Hermione and I have the memories of our twenty seven year old selves…"

.oOo.

"Dear Lord."

"You're the third person to have that reaction to our story," Harry joked.

When he got no response to his jibe, he subsided with a slight frown. Minerva had been struck dumb for a long moment, but quickly accepted the truth when told the story. Sirius and Remus both readily accepted it. Dora had been revolted by the future that was, but accepted the truth of the story. Fred and George had accepted the truth without question. Alice and Steven had been disturbed by the implications of the time travel, but had never disputed the truth of the story. Harry didn't like that the most recent hearer of The Secret appeared to disbelieve.

Harry glanced at his wife. She had a slight frown and furrowing of her brow as she watched the Tonks' assimilation of the facts.

"It's…it's a bit much to believe," Ted declared.

Frowns now ringed the room. Sirius jumped into the fray, "You don't believe?"

"Well…"

Rolling his eyes, Sirius snarked, "Do you really think we'd go to all the trouble of shoving an Unbreakable Vow down your throat so we could prank you?"

"No, not really." Ted replied lamely.

A tad angry, Harry stood, "Believe or disbelieve, it makes no matter to me. You demanded the truth, now you have it. Remember your Vow." Striding from the room in a huff, The Boy-Who-Lived headed for the indoor pool. He needed to work off some stress and fifty laps sounded like a good way to accomplish that goal.

Thirty minutes later, Hermione slipped into the pool with Harry. She was wearing a one piece suit that was much more practical for exercise than a bikini was. With her hair under a cap, she swam twenty odd laps before pausing to rest. Harry was waiting for her, sitting on the end of the pool, his legs dangling in the water.

"All right?" he asked.

"A bit disappointed. I'd hoped they'd be as enthusiastic as the rest when we told the story."

"Me, too."

"It could be that the combination of a dystopic future, time travel and the big reveal that we're the Fiendfyre Vigilantes could have thrown them," she observed.

"True," he grumbled.

As she spoke, Hermione puzzled through the Tonks' reactions. "They're just people, love. Normal everyday people. Andi is a healer and Ted's a solicitor. They aren't involved with the shaping and breaking of the pillars of society."

Harry snorted, "And we are?"

"Actually…yes, we are. You're the Chosen One and I'm your wife. Your godfather is the Earl of Blackmoor and in a few years we'll be the Earl and Countess of Richmond. Minerva is the Deputy Head of the most prestigious magical school in Europe if not the world. We are involved in the shaping and breaking of the pillars of society."

"Maybe, but how, then, do you explain Arthur Weasley?"

Looking into his wife's bemused face, he told her, "Arthur Weasley was a good man, but just an everyday man. He loved his family, listened to Quidditch on the wireless and worked his job the best he could; just like ninety percent of society does."

Staring off out the windows at the setting sun, he mused, "Something inside him said, 'no more' causing him to stand up and be counted. He had everything to lose - and did lose in the end - yet he still stood against the tide of evil. Prophecy isn't the decider for a man or a woman. Do you really think that if Muriel Weasley hit Voldemort in the neck with a Cutting curse it wouldn't kill him? That old goat fucker Dumbledore was right back in second year; our decisions are what matter. Minerva is another example alongside Arthur. They chose to do what was right, regardless of the cost. It's the same decision in front of Andi and Ted. In front of all of magical Britain, really. It's the same decision they had when Fudge and Umbridge tried to 'silence' me. They chose to do what was easy."

Gently, Hermione took his hand as she pulled herself out of the pool. "Love, Arthur was and Minerva is extraordinary persons. You, Sirius, Remus, Dora and even me, we're all out of the ordinary in that we feel very strongly about doing what is right. Why do you think we have such a close knit family? If my Dad was able, he'd strap up with us for any of our Ops. Andi and Ted…well, they're just people. They're not bad, just not extraordinary so that they'll suit up when the bad guys come calling."

Scowling at his hands as they lay in his lap, Harry affirmed, "Ok, I see that. However, I won't fix them...the rest of magical Britain. It's just like when Voldemort resurrected himself after the third task. The vast majority of people couldn't be arsed to get off top dead centre long enough to give a shit. It's not my job to save our society and I won't get in the middle of it. The bigotry, the oppression of those not pureblood…I won't do it. Someone else needs to pick up the pieces of our society. I'll kill Voldemort. Him and his worst followers, but the rest of Britain can fuck themselves. Voldemort didn't invent pureblood bigotry. He didn't make the laws or institutionalize racism. British Wizards and Witches did that for the last millennia. He just took advantage of their narrow mindedness."

Turning to his wife with his eyes ablaze, he declared, "I'll save them, but they must save themselves, too."

He was toppled backward as Hermione catapulted herself on top of him. Harry was a bit stunned when she tugged on his swimmers, pulling them down. "That was so hot," she groaned in his ear.

Smiling to himself, he was always amused that Hermione was turned on when he used his brain to take a moral stand. While kissing her, he Apparated them to the master bedroom.

.oOo.

At two in the morning, one of the fireplaces in the atrium for the Ministry of Magic burned green. Alan Tigue spewed out of the fireplace. The night watchman, George McPherson. ran over to the man who was laying prone on the marble floor. Rolling the unmoving man over on to his back, George looked into the blank face of a man who'd had his entire life erased by a massive Memory charm.

.oOo.

The next morning, Harry and Hermione meandered down to breakfast. Sitting next to Sirius, they muttered their good mornings. As Harry poured Hermione's tea - dash of milk, no sugar - Sirius told them, "Andi and Ted left last night. They committed to keeping the secret, but didn't feel comfortable staying."

Harry sighed, deflating a bit. Turning to Hermione, he saw he shrug in helplessness. He asked his godfather, "Did we do the right thing telling them the truth?"

Deliberately, Sirius folded the paper before setting it next to his plate. "Yes. We did our part by them. We were honest and upfront with them and family can ask for nothing more. The fact that they didn't like the truth is on them, not us."

Fixing Harry with the most solemn expression Padfoot had ever had, Sirius told him, "We did the right thing."

A/N

1. I own nothing. Thanks to all who reviewed the first ten chapters. Story status, as always, can be found on my Author's page on FanFiction(dot)net.

2. Recommendation for the chapter is Coming Back Late by Paracelsus. A very good read post book 7. Dumps the crapilogue while having a very interesting examination of what being the Master of Death might really mean.

3. Why didn't Alastor see Midnight in the bush? Because it was too funny for Moody to take a piss on Harry, that's why. Also, NO there will be no romance between Moody and Minerva. *shudders* Really people!

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