Harry Potter hadn't known what the plan was to move him from 4 Privet Drive, but when he looked out of his kitchen window and was greeted with the sight of the Order all arriving, he had been beyond relieved to see them again after such a lonely month since Dumbledore's funeral
He quickly opened the front door and everyone bustled into his kitchen, and Harry smiled at the familiarity of the scene
"Briar!" He smiled and hugged the younger girl "How've you been?"
"Great actually," she grinned and leaned against the washing machine, on which Tonks was perched "I've got a step-mother now"
Sure enough on Tonks's left hand was a glistening ring and Harry looked from her to Remus "You got married?" he exclaimed
"I'm sorry you couldn't be there, Harry, it was very quiet."
"That's brilliant, congrat -"
"All right, all right, we'll have time for a cozy catch-up later," roared Moody over the hubbub, and silence fell in the kitchen. "As Dedalus probably told you, we had to abandon PlanA. Pius Thicknesse has gone over, which gives us a big problem. He's made it an imprisonable offence to connect this house to the Floo Network, place a Portkey here, or Apparate in or out. All done in the name of your protection, to preventYou-Know-Who getting in at you. Absolutely pointless, seeing as your mother's charm does that already. What he's really done is to stop you getting out of here safely. Second problem: You're underage, which means you've still got the Trace on you."
"I don't –"
"The Trace, the Trace!" said Mad-Eye impatiently. "The charm that detects magical activity around under-seventeens, the way the Ministry finds out about underage magic! If you, or anyone around you, casts a spell to get you out of here, Thicknesse is going to know about it, and so will the Death Eaters. We can't wait for the Trace to break, because the moment you turn seventeen you'll lose all the protection your mother gave you. In short, Pius Thicknesse thinks he's got you cornered good and proper."
"So what are we going to do?"
"We're going to use the only means of transport left to us, the only ones the Trace can't detect, because we don't need to cast spells to use them: brooms, thestrals, and Hagrid's motorbike. Now, your mother's charm will only break under two conditions: when you come of age, or -" Moody gestured around the pristine kitchen "-you no longer call this place home. You and your aunt and uncle are going your separate ways tonight, in the full understanding that you're never going to live together again, correct?" Harry nodded. "So this time, when you leave, there'll be no going back, and the charm will break the moment you get outside its range. We're choosing to break it early, because the alternative is waiting for You-Know-Who to come and seize you the moment you turn seventeen. The one thing we've got on our side is that You-Know-Who doesn't know we're moving you tonight. We've leaked a fake trail to the Ministry: They think you're not leaving until the thirtieth. However, this is You-Know-Who we're dealing with, so we can't rely on him getting the date wrong; he's bound to have a couple of Death Eaters patrolling the skies in this general area, just in case. So, we've given a dozen different houses every protection we can throw at them.They all look like they could be the place we're going to hide you, they've all got some connection with the Order: my house,Kingsley's place, Molly's Auntie Muriel's – you get the idea."
"Yeah," said Harry
"You'll be going to Tonks's parents. Once you're within the boundaries of the protective enchantments we've put on their house you'll be able to use a Portkey to theBurrow. Any questions?"
"Er – yes," said Harry. "Maybe they won't know which of the twelve secure houses I'm heading for at first, but won't it be sort of obvious once-" he performed a quick headcount "-fourteen of us fly off toward Tonks's parents?"
"Ah," said Moody, "I forgot to mention the key point. Fourteen of us won't be flying to Tonks's parents. There will be seven Harry Potters moving through the skies tonight, each of them with a companion, each pair heading for a different safe house." From inside his cloak Moody now withdrew a flask of what looked like mud.
"No!" Harry said loudly "No way!"
"I told them you'd take it like this," said Hermione
"If you think I'm going to let six people risk their lives -"
"-because it's the first time for all of us," joked Briar
"This is different, pretending to be me -"
"Well, none of us really fancy it, Harry," said Fred earnestly. "Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky, scrawny gits forever."
"You can't do it if I don't cooperate, you need me to give you some hair."
"Well, that's the plan scuppered," said George. "Obviously there's no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate."
"Yeah, thirteen of us against one bloke who's not allowed to use magic; we've got no chance," said Fred.
"Funny," said Harry, "really amusing."
"If it has to come to force, then it will," growled Moody "Everyone here's overage,Potter, and they're all prepared to take the risk. Let's have no more arguments. Time's wearing on. I want a few of your hairs, boy, now."
"But this is mad, there's no need –"
"No need!" snarled Moody. "With You-Know-Who out there and half theMinistry on his side? Potter, if we're lucky he'll have swallowed the fake bait and he'llbe planning to ambush you on the thirtieth, but he'd be mad not to have a DeathEater or two keeping an eye out, it's what I'd do. They might not be able to get at you or this house while your mother's charm holds, but it's about to break and they know the rough position of the place. Our only chance is to use decoys. EvenYou-Know-Who can't split himself into seven. So, Potter – some of your hair, if you please. Now!" barked Moody. With all of their eyes upon him, Harry reached up to the top of his head, grabbed a hank of hair, and pulled. "Good," said Moody, limping forward as he pulled the stopper out of the flask of potion. "Straight in here, if you please." Harry dropped the hair into the mudlike liquid. The moment it made contact with its surface, the potion began to froth and smoke, then, all at once, it turned a clear, bright gold.
"Ooh, you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry," saidHermione, before catching sight of Ron's raised eyebrows, blushing slightly, and saying, "Oh, you know what I mean – Goyle's potion tasted like bogies."
"Right then, fake Potters line up over here, please,""said Moody.Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Briar lined up in front of Aunt Petunia's gleaming sink.
"We're one short," said Remus
"Here," said Hagrid gruffly, and he lifted Mundungus by the scruff of the neck and dropped him down beside Ron
"I'm a soldier, I'd sooner be a protector," said Mundungus.
"Shut it," growled Moody. "As I've already told you, you spineless worm, any Death Eaters we run into will be aiming to capture Potter, not kill him.Dumbledore always said You-Know-Who would want to finish Potter in person.It'll be the protectors who have got the most to worry about, the Death Eaters'll want to kill them." Moody pulled out half a dozen eggcup-sized glasses from inside his cloak, which he handed out, before pouring a little Polyjuice Potion into each one. "Altogether, then..." Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Briar, and Mundungus drank.
The transformation was an odd feeling, like turning into a fox, but more uncomfortable. But when she looked to the left at Hermione and saw Harry instead, she knew it had worked
"Those whose clothes are a bit roomy, I've got smaller here," said Moody, indicating the first sack, "and vice versa. Don't forget the glasses, there's six pairs in the side pocket. And when you're dressed, there's luggage in the other sack. The pairs will be as follows: Mundungus will be traveling with me, by broom –"
"Why'm I with you?" grunted the Harry nearest the back door.
"Because you're the one that needs watching," growled Moody, and sure enough, his magical eye did not waver from Mundungus as he continued, "Arthur and Fred -"
"I'm George," said the twin at whom Moody was pointing. "Can't you even tell us apart when we're Harry?"
"Sorry, George –"
"I'm only yanking your wand, I'm Fred really –"
"Enough messing around!" snarled Moody. "The other one – George orFred or whoever you are – you're with Bill on a thestral. Briar will be going on broom with Remus. Miss Granger with Kingsley, again by thestral."
"Which leaves you and me, Ron!" said Tonks brightly, knocking over a mug there as she waved at him. And that also meant Harry was going with Hagrid
When everyone was dressed and in their pairs, Briar and her father grabbed their brooms and stood side by side. And when Moody gave the signal, they kicked off into the air.
And then, out of nowhere, out of nothing, they were surrounded. At least thirty hooded figures, suspended in midair, formed a vast circle in the middle of which theOrder members had risen, oblivious
Briar wasn't worried about herself, but she was worried for her dad. Firstly, she was a much better flyer and could easily navigate her way through the flashing lights and screams, but secondly, she knew the Death Eaters would think the real Harry would be on a broom which put her father in much more danger
"Diffindo!" A voice cried and Briar felt a wound open on her right shoulder, and the blood quickly seeped out, running down her arm.
So she used her non-injured arm to pull out her wand "Stupefy!" She knew her spell had hit its target when there was a loud thud
As she focused on flying she could hear her dad sending curses to any Death Eaters that came near her, and when they finally reached the edge of the protective enchantments of their home, they knew they were safe.
So they landed quickly and ran inside, to where their portkey was beginning to shake. Briar placed her left hand on it, and then there was the familiar twisting, spinning feeling until her feet hit the ground again
"Briar!" cried the voice of her best friend and she looked up, relieved to see Ginny there and Fleur not far behind
The two girls helped her inside, and Molly was quick to turn her attention to the inured girl, but over her shoulder Briar could see George lying on the sofa motionless
"What happened?" she asked
"We were attacked" Bill said and Fleur moved herself to stand under his arm "He got his ear cursed off"
"Who else is here?"
"We arrived not long ago, Harry and Hagrid are both here, Hermione and Kingsley too"
There was a great crash from the kitchen and a voice rang throughout the house "I'll prove who I am, Kingsley, after I've seen my son, now back off if you know what's good for you!"
Mr Weasley then came bursting into the living room, with Fred right behind him
"Arthur!" sobbed Mrs. Weasley. "Oh thank goodness!"
"How is he?" Mr. Weasley dropped to his knees beside George and Fred did too
Perhaps roused by the sound of Fred and their father's arrival, George stirred. "How do you feel, Georgie?" whispered Mrs. Weasley.
George's fingers groped for the side of his head. "Saintlike," he murmured.
"What's wrong with him?" croaked Fred, looking terrified. "Is his mind affected?"
"Saintlike," repeated George, opening his eyes and looking up at his brother. "You see. . . I'm holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?"
Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever. Colour flooded Fred's pale face. "Pathetic," he told George. "Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humour before you, you go for holey?"
"Ah well," said George, grinning at his tear-soaked mother. "You'll be able to tell us apart now, anyway, Mum." He looked around. "Hi, Harry – you are Harry, right?"
"Yeah, I am," said Harry
"Well, at least we got you back okay," said George. "Why isn't Ron huddled round my sickbed?"
"He's not back yet, George," said Mrs. Weasley. George's grin faded and both Lupins shared nervous looks. While the Weasleys tended to George, the pair stood by the window looking outside hopefully
Suddenly a broom materialised above them and streaked toward the ground –
"It's them!" screamed Hermione.
Tonks landed in a long skid that sent earth and pebbles everywhere and both Lupins tore from the house. "Remus! Briar! She cried in relief as the three piled onto each other in a hug
"Are you okay?" Briar asked her step-mother
"Yeah," she smiled "Ron was great. Wonderful. Stunned one of the Death Eaters, straight to the head, and when you're aiming at a moving target from a flying broom –"
"You did?" said Hermione, gazing up at Ron
"Always the tone of surprise," he said a little grumpily, breaking free."Are we the last back?"
"No," said Ginny, "we're still waiting for Mad-Eye and Mundungus-"
"Mad-Eye's dead" Tonks said quietly and everyone froze. And Mr and Mrs Weasley came outside in time to hear it too. "We saw it. It happened just after we broke out of the circle: Mad-Eye and Dung were close by us, they were heading north too.Voldemort – he can fly – went straight for them. Dung panicked, I heard him cry out, Mad-Eye tried to stop him, but he disapparated. Voldemort's curse hit Mad-Eye full in the face, he fell backward off his broom and – there was nothing we could do, nothing, we had half a dozen of them on our own tail –"
Inside the Burrow the atmosphere remained bleek, and when the firewhiskey ran down Briar's throat she didn't feel it burn
"So Mundungus disappeared?" said Remus, who had drained his own glass in one.
"I know what you're thinking," said Tonks "and I wondered that too, on the way back here, because they seemed to be expecting us, didn't they? But Mundungus can't have betrayed us. They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of skullduggery. Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point? I think Dung panicked, it's as simple as that. He didn't want to come in the first place, but Mad-Eye made him, and You-Know-Who went straight for them. It was enough to make anyone panic. You-Know-Who acted exactly as Mad-Eye expected him to. Mad-Eye said he'd expect the real Harry to be with the toughest, most skilled Aurors. He chased Mad-Eye first, and when Mundungus gave them away he switched to Kingsley."
"Yes, and zat eez all very good," snapped Fleur, "but still eet does not explain 'ow zey know we were moving 'Arry tonight, does eet? Somebody must'ave been careless. Somebody let slip ze date to an outsider. It is ze only explanation for zem knowing ze date but not ze 'ole plan."
"No," Harry said aloud, and they all looked at him, surprised "I mean . . . if somebody made a mistake, and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to doit. It's not their fault," he repeated, again a little louder than he would usually have spoken. "We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me toVoldemort."
More silence followed his words. They were all looking at him
"Well said, Harry," said Fred unexpectedly.
"Year, 'ear, 'ear," said George, with half a glance at Fred, the corner of whose mouth twitched.
Remus was wearing an odd expression as he looked at Harry. It was close to pitying. "You think I'm a fool?" demanded Harry.
"No, I think you're like James," said Lupin, "who would have regarded it as the height of dishonour to mistrust his friends." Remus set down his glass upon a side table, and addressed Bill, "There's work to do. I can ask Kingsley whether –"
"No," said Bill at once, "I'll do it, I'll come."
"Where are you going?" said Tonks and Fleur together.
"Mad-Eye's body," said Remus. "We need to recover it."
"Can't it -- ?" began Mrs. Weasley with an appealing look at Bill.
"Wait?" said Bill, "Not unless you'd rather the Death Eaters took it?" Nobody spoke. Remus and Bill said good bye and left.
The rest of them now dropped into chairs, all except for Harry, who remained standing. The suddenness and completeness of death was with them like a presence. "I've got to go too," said Harry. Ten pairs of startled eyes looked at him.
"Don't be silly, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley, "What are you talking about?"
"I can't stay here. You're all in danger while I'm here. I don't want –"
"But don't be so silly!" said Mrs. Weasley. "The whole point of tonight was to get you here safely, and thank goodness it worked. And Fleur's agreed to get married here rather than in France, we've arranged everything so that we can all stay together and look after you –"
"If Voldemort finds out I'm here –"
"But why should he?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"There are a dozen places you might be now, Harry," said Mr. Weasley."He's got no way of knowing which safe house you're in."
"It's not me I'm worried for!" said Harry.
"We know that," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "but it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left."
"Yer not goin' anywhere," growled Hagrid. "Blimey, Harry, after all we wen' through ter get you here?"
"Yeah, what about my bleeding ear?" said George, hoisting himself up on his cushions.
"I know that –"
"Mad-Eye wouldn't want –"
"I KNOW!" Harry bellowed.
There was a long and awkward silence, which was broken at last by Mrs. Weasley. "Where's Hedwig, Harry?" she said coaxingly. "We can put her up with Pidwidgeon and give her something to eat." Harry drank the last of his firewhisky to avoid answering.
"Wait till it gets out yeh did it again, Harry," said Hagrid. "Escaped him, fought him off when he was right on top of yeh!"
"It wasn't me," said Harry flatly. "It was my wand. My wand acted of its own accord."
After a few moments, Hermione said gently, "But that's impossible, Harry.You mean that you did magic without meaning to; you reacted instinctively."
"No," said Harry. "The bike was falling, I couldn't have told you whereVoldemort was, but my wand spun in my hand and found him and shot a spell at him, and it wasn't even a spell I recognised. I've never made gold flames appear before."
"Often," said Mr. Weasley, "when you're in a pressured situation you can produce magic you never dreamed of. Small children often find, before they're trained –"
"It wasn't like that," said Harry through gritted teeth.
Briar couldn't seem to fall asleep that night as she pondered what she would do next year. She knew she could help Harry and she wanted to, but doing that meant leaving her dad, Tonks, and Ginny vulnerable, and it disregarded what Draco had asked of her.
But her godfather, mother, and Harry's parents had died for this fight and she couldn't let that be for nothing. She wouldn't let Voldemort win this time.