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Chapter XXII: Welcome to Hell

(Sirius P.O.V)

Much like the Lake House that had served as the rendezvous spot when Sirius and Andromeda had decided on meeting up with Narcissa, the Black Manor in Cornwall had certainly seen some better days. Over the past couple of days, Sirius had sent Kreacher to the house to try and make it look like a safe house that was being practically used, but even with House Elf Magic, there was only so much that could be done to fix such an abandoned and broken home.

"I used to love it here," He heard Andromeda speak in a voice filled with painful nostalgia. Sirius watched as Andromeda's husband took her hand. His eyes followed his cousin towards the piano that had only been recently cleaned, "I learned how to play right over there, it's hard to believe this is going to be another lost home."

"We all have to do what we can," Ted whispered gently, "Even if that means sacrificing our past memories in order to protect our future." Sirius nodded in agreement with the large man's statement. He too had found no pleasure in destroying Black Property, yes, he never had the strongest connection to his family, but that didn't mean he couldn't respect the history, even if it was often filled with darkness.

He felt his own hand receive a gentle squeeze, this time being met with Emmeline's deep violet eyes. He saw the familiar involuntary tremble in his girlfriend's pupils, the same way it had always done when she was scared or excited about an assigned mission back during the first war. It was something that had always provided him with some certainty that he wasn't the only one constantly fighting against his fears. "Padfoot, it's almost time," Remus called out breaking his stream of thought, "We should get in position."

Wordlessly, Sirius nodded and watched as the group scattered towards the various windows that rested alongside corners which could be used for spellfire cover. He turned back to Emmeline, a firm look of determination on her face as together they nodded moving towards their position along the top right section of the house. She's most likely going to be in the lead, she always was His favorite, Sirius thought to himself, reflecting on the unpleasant woman that was his cousin, Cissy said to expect the LeStrange Brothers and Crouch Jr. as well as Malfoy. But with Bella at the helm, we can't afford to show mercy, it's kill or be killed. Sirius growled lowly at the thought, Andromeda, please don't hesitate.

"You're worried about Andy, aren't you?" Emmeline questioned softly.

"Yes," Sirius admitted, "On any other mission, I would trust her implicitly, but I'm asking her to possibly kill her sister." He grit his teeth in hesitation, "If it was Regulus out there leading them, I don't think I could-" But he stopped himself unable to finish the thought, "Damn it, if only she would've allowed Tonks to come, we need every fighter we can get."

"Padfoot," She whispered gently, "We're going to be fine, and I wouldn't doubt Andromeda's resolve. When it comes to protecting our children we mothers are very protective of our kids."

"We?" Sirius question, a genuine confusion filling his face. However, before Emmeline even had a chance to answer, the ringing of the grandfather clock was met with the sound of sirens erupting. Somebody had broken past the protective wards, and by the looks of it, they were just on time.

"We'll talk about it later," Emmeline said fiercely, "Right now, we have to focus."

If there was one thing that Sirius hated, it was being kept in the dark, but as he noticed a woman with thick, shining dark hair, long eyelashes, and heavily hooded eyes enter the courtyard alongside a small army of four masked death eaters and a handful of initiates, he was forced to agree with his lover, "Alright," He sighed, "Now then, let's welcome my cousin home." Quickly, he stood pointing his wand at the window and with a roar, Sirius cast the opening spell, "Reducto!"

A jet of blue shattered the window as Sirius watched his demented cousin block it with a smile. "Such ferocity," She said in a sickeningly sultry voice, "Where are all the long-overdue pleasantries, Sirius?"

"I never considered us on pleasant terms my dear cousin," Sirius taunted back, "With Voldemort trying his best to kill me while you laughed by his side."

"You dare speak his name!" Bellatrix hissed, "A blood traitorous rat like you has no right to utter my master's name!" From the lower-left window, another bolt, this time blood-red raced towards her only to be intercepted by a death eater goon wanting to prove himself, falling to the ground stunned and silenced. "My, my," Bellatrix said her rage simmering down slightly, "It seems of information was right, it's not just you here is it, Sirius, we have the whole pack of rats cornered."

Slowly, he watched as Bellatrix turned to the group of initiates standing behind her, "Very well then, if you want to stay held up in that old building like the filthy rats you are, then that's how we'll treat you. Boys," She bellowed, "Exterminate them!"

From every angle, sparks flew through the house, some erupting into pools of ember blaze, others simply exploded, while yet another was flung at the manor in a slicing motion. Sirius wasn't exactly sure on just how much damage the house could take, but he had to admit, he was rather impressed with the protective wards that both Dobby and Kreacher had set up around the old building. Now it's our turn, Sirius thought as both he and Emmeline lifted their wands, "Confringo!"

"Diffindo!" Emmeline roared as his blast of fire meeting with her pink slashing spell, igniting her severing charm. Sirius cringed but forced himself to hold his focus as he watched one of the death eaters initiates burst into flames while two fell to the ground, their torso separated from their bodies.

From the corner that Sirius knew Remus resided, an orange haze-like spell made contact with another Deater Wannabe, dropping him to his knees as the man was forced into terrifying convulsions which ceased only when the man had begun to vomit up his entrails. However, while many of the initiates looked disturbed a bone-chilling cackle erupted from Bellatrix's mouth, "This is new! This is certainly new! I don't remember Dumbledore's Order being one to go for the kill!"

"This isn't Dumbledore's Order anymore!" Sirius called back as once more he raised his wand casting a spell that even slightly frightened him, but knowing that wasting time wasn't an option. Instantly, Sirius released a stream of fire that instantly brought beads of sweat to his face as he aimed it out into the Manor's courtyard. Come on, please let this work, He growled in his mind as he forced more of his magic into the newly formed Fiendfyre, Now! He thought, whipping his wand fiercely commanding the flames to stop as the demonic fire took the shape of an enormous lion. The lion roared a stream of fire and in anger, he hissed, "Burn away!"

It was one of the view times in Sirius' life he'd seen a look of genuine concern appear upon Bellatrix's face. Instantly, his cousin along with the masked death eaters knew what to do rolling out of the way of the initial strike of the flaming lion's paw before apparating to a safer distance. The 'fresh meat' however, weren't as in the loop and Sirius watched as three of them lifted their wands, desperately casting a jet of water only to be met with an unbearably warm steam and then, an intense burning pain.

Sirius had felt sick to his stomach as the smell of burning flesh filled the smoke-clad air. Screams of agony filled the air and he grit his teeth, desperately trying to maintain his focus as he watched the four masked death eaters reappear on the scene with Bellatrix at the point. With surprising grace and agility, the five death eaters once more avoided another strike before lines of sand-colored ropes emerged from the tips of each of the deater's wands. In dismay, Sirius watched as what he believed to be an unstoppable curse became bound by his adversaries' spells, and slowly began turning to dust. He didn't have long to be surprised, however, as, without even a moment's hesitation, a jet of sickening green sprang towards him from Bellatrix's wand. Sirius quickly tilted out of the way but felt his heart momentarily stop in his chest as what could have been a life-ending spell had sailed right past the tip of his nose.

Enraged he watched as Emmeline lifted her wand, firing rapidly at Bellatrix creating explosion after explosion on the ground just beneath the insane black sister's feet. "Good, good!" Bellatrix shouted in euphoria, "I love it when they fight back, but next time, I won't miss!"

Two more death eaters stepped forward, by their height, Sirius was certain it could be none other than the LeStrange siblings. Quickly the two men shot their wands upwards, summoning a mud wall fortress to protect them from the onslaught of fire coming from all armed windows. "Avada Kedavra!" He heard his twisted cousin shout, and in horror, Sirius watched as the spell raced towards the window that was currently being watched over by Andromeda and Ted.

A flash of green filled the air before a cloud of dust rose from the window, a dirt wall summoned before them as, from the clouded area, a flash of pink was seen through the chaos. Tonks? Sirius thought to himself as a gust of wind blew away the remaining dust, revealing an absolutely livid Nymphadora Tonks at the top of the conjured wall. "Which one of you fired the killing curse at my parents?"

"Nym!" Sirius heard Andromeda shout at the top of her lungs, "What the hell are you doing here, I ordered you to-"

"I was waiting," Tonks said, "But you were all taking too long and I got the feeling you needed help, It looks like I was right."

"So," His cousin's cold voice spoke once more, "You're the half-blood disgrace of our family, my sister's blood-traitorous spawn." Sirius watched as Tonks glared down Bellatrix with anger. "I'm glad you're here as well, now I don't have to hunt you down to exterminate another failing line of the Black House."

"Come and try it, bitch."

Damn! Sirius cursed to himself, leaning out the window preparing to jump, Guess we're doing this now! Quickly, he sprung from cover, Emmeline right behind him as Ted, Remus, and Andromeda all prepared to fight in close-quarters combat. Tonks lifted her wand, and before another word could be said, both the now red-haired Auror and Bellatrix had been locked into a power struggle with a line of blue and green colliding from each witches' respected wand. Got to help, Sirius thought to himself, Got to make it in time, but before he could, he found himself having to roll out of the way of another green flash as a man with long flowing blonde hair stood before him. "You're going to pay for making a fool out of me at the World Cup, Black."

Angrily he hissed as he watched Andromeda and Ted engaged with the two LeStrange siblings while Remus had his hand full with another masked death eater he couldn't quite pin down, all while sparks continued to fly from Tonks' and Bellatrix's battle. "I really don't have the time for this Malfoy," Sirius called back in anger."

"Then I suggest you make some," Lucius hissed raising his wand once more, "Avada Kedavra!" As quickly as he could, Sirius pulled back, watching as a bolt of deathly green light flashed dangerously close to his face once more. His heels hit the stone courtyard hard as he skidded back readjusting his balance, his wand raised before with a quick twirl, the tiles along the ground rose from the place creating a large shield.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Sirius heard an enraged Emmeline call from the distance, "Confringo!" The sounds of a loud explosion rang through Sirius' ears as, through the smoke, Sirius saw the tip of Lucius' wand aimed at Emmeline. He didn't want to watch, but he couldn't pull his eyes away as a bolt of white-hot fire sprang from the Death Eater's wand, breaking through the witches' last-minute shielding spell falling her to the ground with a scream of intense agony.

"Emmeline!" Sirius shouted, his voice full of panic as his mind raced back to the unconscious body of Emmeline after he had first failed to protect her. Throwing caution to the wind, Sirius ran from behind his conjured covered, as he raced towards his girlfriend's side, seeing her lying motionless in the center of a miniature crater, her forearms severely burned in a protective stance over her belly. For a moment, it had felt like everything in the world had come to a stop as a boiling rage flooded his veins, his vision beginning to turn red. In a haze of pure hatred, he met the eyes of the man that had harmed the woman he'd come to love, a shimmer of fear becoming ever more apparent in the blonde death eater before Sirius shouted, "Crucio!"

Wails of pure anguish erupted from Lucius, but Sirius didn't care. "Crucio!" Once more a jet of unforgivable red stemmed from his wand forcing Lucius to tear at his own throat, his vocal cords ripping from the pain. The sound of cracking filled the air as Sirius lifted his wand once more, his chest heavy and his cheeks clad with tears. "Cruci-"

"Padfoot! Stop!" He heard a voice call in the distance before he felt his wand fly out of his hand, "Get a hold of yourself." In the distance, he watched as the elder Malfoy crawled away desperately trying to get some distance from Sirius as he felt himself being held in a headlock by the last remaining marauder.

"I'm going to kill him Moony, I'm going to-," but before he could utter another word, a stunning blast of green light filled the courtyard forcing him to shield his eyes as the sound of his cackling cousin, the only other death eater beside Lucius remaining on the battlefield smiled sharply, her wand flung from her hand by the combined efforts of the reunited Tonks family.

"Looks like you and I aren't all that different after all, are we, cousin?" Bellatrix said in a taunting tone as Andromeda held her wand to her sister's neck, while Ted began performing immediate first aid on their daughter. "You can go ahead and kill him if you like, a pathetic man who couldn't stand against a single blood traitor is worth nothing to my lord."

"Do it, Sirius," Bellatrix said with a sinister smirk, "Embrace what you are, you're a Black just like me, we were born to reign over those beneath us. Kill him, Sirius, show me just how alike we are and perhaps I'll even beg my lord to spare y-"

"That's enough talking," Andromeda barked out digging her wand deeper into her sister's neck.

"Well, sissy," Bellatrix said a bright smile on your face, "Are you going to do it? Are you going to look your big sister right in the eyes and kill her? Are you going to torture me? Chain me up? Keep me as a prisoner in my own home? Do you really have that in you?"

Sirius watched, his momentary wave of anger subsiding as a tear streamed down Andromeda's face, "Please, please stop this." The heart-broken tone in Andromeda's voice sent chills down his spine as desperately the middle Black-Sister pleaded, "Come with us, fight with us. Let my husband heal your mind." Andromeda's voice had run ragged, "You weren't always like this. You were always proud, but you took care of us when we were young. When mom and dad weren't around you always protected us. Please, please stop."

For a moment, a solemn look overtook the face of the eldest Black sister, but only for a moment, as in fury, Bellatrix slammed her head into her younger sister, blood dripping from both their newly formed head abrasions as Bellatrix broke free of her bound position. In a blur of midnight black, Bellatrix quickly retrieved her wand, levitating Lucius to her as quickly and aggressively as possible before with another crack, they vanished.

With the enemy no longer in sight, Sirius felt the grip Remus held over him loosen, and slowly, he stumbled forward, feeling more dead than alive as he returned his focus once more to the craters falling to his knees as he cradled the woman he'd come to love in his arms, tears forming in his eyes, "I failed you. Just like last time I wasn't strong enough to protect you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Sirius," He heard Remus call out as the man placed his fingers along Emmeline's neck, "I still feel her pulse, she's alive, but we've got to get her to St. Mungo's quick." For a moment, Sirius felt as if new life had been breathed into him, but it had only lasted for a fleeting second, as soon that joy was cast over by a cloud of shame and guilt. Numbly, Sirius nodded calling for his house-elf as Kreacher arrived popping Emmeline over to the Magical Hospital. Where did everything go so wrong?

(Harry P.O.V)

It had been a few days since the scheduled raid, and Harry had begun feeling a bit nauseous as not even the slightest message had been received from any member of the order. He'd tried the Gryffindor Common Room Floo, the Magical Mirror, he waited every morning for some post, he had even called for Kreacher only to get no response. While Daphne had tried to remind him that the only reasons that a House-Elf wouldn't respond to their master's call were if they were dead or if someone higher up in the family command had given them an order that required their full attention, meaning that Sirius had to be alive, it didn't give him much peace of mind. Harry had learned his lesson from Blaise last year, there were most certainly fates worse than death.

"Hey, lighten up Rook," Harry heard Corner say from his left as he felt his best friend's hand rest atop his shoulder, "Sirius was with Remus and Emmeline, not to mention Andy and Ted, they're fine. We both know how strong they are." Numbly Harry nodded as he rose from his seat in the far left corner of the library. He knew that there was some truth to the statements of both Michael and Daphne, but he couldn't shake the sickening feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm going to go fly around a little," Harry said as he pushed in his chair, "I need to clear my head."

"Want any company?" Michael asked kindly.

"No, I'm alright," Harry said as light-heartedly as he could, "Why don't you just go off to spend some time with your french model girlfriend, Chipper."

"She's not my-" Michael started in weak protest before he shrugged, "Whatever Potter," Harry smirked as the two shared a quick chuckle before parting ways. Harry felt as if he was lost in his own world as he wandered through the halls of the castle, his mind unable to get rid of the memory that haunted him since the first task. The overwhelming power he had felt from Voldemort had made him feel a level of fear he was unsure if he ever had felt before, and the fact that Sirius and the Order had engaged with many of Riddle's top lieutenants had made any hope of distraction futile.

As Harry walked through the halls, he had felt a level of exhaustion his body had been accustomed to since the training with Sirius and Remus had begun to intensify over the summer. His sleep patterns had been inconsistent, and it certainly hadn't been helped by the mystery of the Golden Egg and the radio silence from Sirius. Shakily, Harry reached into his pocket, pulling out the shrunken two-way mirror dipping into an empty corridor and enlarging the frame. He checked both ends of the corridor, ensuring nobody was peaking in and in a tired tone he whispered, "Sirius Black." Harry waited and waited, his chest becoming tight as once again he watched the mist in the mirror swirl around and around never revealing the face he wanted to see. "Damn it, come on Padfoot, answer me."

"Potter!" He heard a voice call out, it was gruff like a grizzly bear waking up from a long hibernation, and it had sent chills down his spine. Slowly, he turned, instantly recognizing the man before him, though it wasn't as if he was hard to distinguish, if the wooden foot didn't give it away, the electric-blue revolving eye certainly did. "Sneaking around corridors, are we? Not planning to get into any mischief I hope, detention is a far less productive use of your time, especially all that is going on."

The way the grizzled Auror spoke was unnerving, Harry knew that the man's magical eye could see through bodies, but he was beginning to wonder if it could see through his mind as well, for his sake, he hoped not. "Unless you know something more than me, Professor, I don't think I'm planning to get into anything mischievous. I was just heading up to the common room to grab my broom."

"'Fraid it'll have to wait, Potter," Moody said his eye zipping to the back of his head, "Dumbledore sent me to find you, he's keen on speaking with you." Harry gazed firmly at the man, wanting to know more, but he didn't dare use legilimency on a man so seasoned. He never liked going into Dumbledore's office without preparation, but something told him he had a good idea of what exactly to expect. Slowly, though with no joy, he nodded and Moody grinned, "Very well then, follow me, and stay on your guard, Constant Vigilance."

Harry wasn't quite sure what to be vigilant of at the moment, as far as he was concerned there were only two men in the castle that he felt threatened by, and one was currently leading him to the other. He followed the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor through the winding corridors, and down the spinning staircase. Harry was honestly impressed with how fast the crippled man could move, at some points, Harry had even needed to move into a brisk jog to keep up with the man, but their accelerated pace meant one thing was certain, they arrived at the Headmaster's Chamber, much quicker than he'd of liked to.

"Pepper Imps," Moody growled at the gargoyle statue, almost as if he was disappointed in the Headmaster's choice of passwords. Harry almost had to smile as he watched the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor shake his head in dismay watching as the statue shifted and allowed them passage. Without a moment to spare, Moody had begun his climb, keeping up his confusingly fast speed as Harry raced behind him, not wanting to be left behind.

It had been a while since Harry had been summoned to the Headmaster's office. Of course, he'd go for their scheduled lessons, but he hadn't been called up to see Dumbledore outside of them for quite some time. Aggressively, Moody pounded on the door barking aloud, "Albus, I've brought Potter, can I come in?"

Without a word the door opened and instantly, Harry knew something was as rather than sitting in his chair sucking on a lemon drop, he had found Dumbledore pacing, rather frantically at that with his long nimble finger rubbing furiously against his temples. Moody's eye had tilted into his head, and yet, Harry could still feel the electric-blue orb looking down at him as Moody nudged him forward. Every step he took towards the Headmaster had filled him with dread as at the sound of his first step, Harry had found the exhausted expression of the Headmaster piece through him like a spear. "Ah Harry," He said in a voice that seemed to be in direct conflict with his appearance, "I'm glad you're here, we have some very important information to discuss."

Dumbledore gestured to the seat that resided opposite his, and seeing no other option, Harry complied, falling into the cushioned seat. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here so urgently, the reason is because I heard a rather disturbing report from my contact at the Daily Prophet." Harry instantly felt sick in his stomach at the Headmaster's word. "Harry, somebody sent the Prophet an anonymous memory of the raid. While there are certainly some benefits of the memory, one of which being that it showed the return of some of Voldemort's most loyal, there are also some rather disturbing images as well. The most important of which involves Sirius."

"Sirius?" Harry spoke his voice trembling, "What do you know about Sirius?"

"According to my source," Dumbledore whispered, "The memory shows Sirius using the Cruciatus Curse." Harry flinched at the news, his mind racing with panic, "Of course, the memory has been altered in order to not show who the victim of the curse was, but according to my source, no matter how you look at it, the fact that Sirius used an unforgivable is undeniable."

Harry's eyes widened with dismay, "That can't be true," he whispered, "Sirius, he's not the type of person that would take joy from torturing someone. Whoever your source is, he's wrong, Sirius would never do that. Not when he just got free of an investigation only a few months ago."

"I'm afraid it is," Dumbledore said, "And once that memory is published in the paper, Sirius will once again have to return to the shadows to escape captivity, which means that he won't be as effective of a leader." Dumbledore's eyes had locked with his and Harry felt a migraine growing in his head while the elderly man looked upon him with pity, "You're bound to stay here due to the Triwizard Tournament which makes you incapable of taking command over the Order while Sirius is once again in hiding."

Harry had felt himself become cold, the idea of Sirius torturing somebody, the same way that Bellatrix had tortured the Longbottoms had made him feel ill. Killing them, that was one thing, it was war after all, but to torture someone, to truly enjoy causing pain, it didn't sound like Sirius at all. "Once word gets out of the brutal way Sirius has been leading the Order, our favor with the public will most certainly fall. Our only chance is if I, once again, take command of the Order. The people will flock to me as they have in the past, and we can continue moving forward. But, in order for me to lead us more effectively, I need to know everything that's been happening, I need to know who the mole Sirius claims to have is."

"I don't know," Harry growled as he gripped his forehead, "I'm sorry Professor, my head is really hurting. Can I be excused?"

"Of course," Dumbledore said, "But before I let you go, I must ask you again, and think carefully this time. Who is the mole that Sirius claims to have?"

"Honestly sir, I have no idea," A look of disappointment filled the Headmaster's face, but he nodded politely anyway as he gestured to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"Alastor," Dumbledore spoke gently in his grandfatherly-tone, "Please escort young Harry here to the hospital wing. I doubt he'll be there long, but painful headaches can be quite problematic, I frequently have them myself and they are certainly unpleasant." Moody nodded and Harry felt the Auror's firm grip rest upon his shoulder.

Moody marched him out of the room, and while his head still pounded, the second the door had closed behind him, he'd felt a minor relief in the pain. Unable to truly focus, he allowed Moody to guide him through the halls, yet even in his groggy state, something was wrong, he'd been to the infirmary enough times to know for a fact that it was definitely not where Moody was leading him. He felt another tight grip squeeze his shoulder and instantly he came to a stop as he watched Moody's artificial eye swirl around, this time, seemingly on command as he sneered, "Good, looks like we're finally out of view."

"View of what?" Harry asked his head still feeling as if it was in the center of a deep fog.

"The paintings," Moody growled, "They all report to Dumbledore, I had to find a spot where we were truly out of sight so that we could continue in peace. I was hoping you'd have the cloak on you, but you don't seem to take your privacy very seriously, do you, Potter."

"How do you know about my-"

"No more questions," Moody barked, "Not here anyway." Before he could even open his mouth, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor slammed his staff on the ground and Harry felt a bubble of silence surround him as with another rock of the old Auror's wand, Harry watched as his skin seemingly became translucent. "Don't wet your knickers lad," Moody said, "It's a disillusionment charm, should keep us safe from peeping eyes as we get to our final destination."

"Which is where?" Harry asked.

"What did I say about the questions, boy?" Moody snarled before he once more began to march, "Come now," He hissed, "Follow me, and don't get careless. Remember, constant vigilance." Something is definitely going on here, and I'm not sure I like it, he thought to himself, but uncertain of his ability to duel the Auror, especially when his head was pounding as if it was a bass drum, he didn't seem to have a choice as once again, he followed the grizzled Auror through the winding halls of Hogwarts.

(Harry P.O.V)

Harry was beginning to feel exhausted. All he'd wanted to do was go for a little flight and clear his mind. Instead, he'd been following around one of the scariest people he'd ever seen in his life under a blanket of silence and a guise of invisibility, which to say the least, was not how he'd been expecting the day to go. Every corner was met with an abrupt stop as Moody scanned the area as if he'd been preparing for an attack, and Harry had found himself constantly being shoved against the wall by the old Auror as if he'd been expecting spell fire down every corridor. "Don't get careless just because you think you're safe Potter," Moody growled his replacement eye looking back at him through his skull, "If there's one thing I want you to learn from me Potter, it's that safety is nothing but a lie we tell children to help them sleep at night. Around every corner could be a predator ready to take your life, especially when you're a well-known wizard like yourself."

Harry swallowed hard as he scanned every visible scar on the old man's body. Just what did this guy live through to start having to act like this? He thought to himself as they approached ever closer to the Dark Arts Classroom, the place that Harry had been suspecting Moody had been leading him to all this time. His suspicion had been correct as, within the blink of an eye, Harry had felt the Auror grab his wrist and pull him inside the room, locking the door behind him and stacking the desks against the door as if he were planning a siege. "What's all this for?" Harry asked his fingertips still rubbing against his temples furiously.

"Shh," Moody hissed violently as he slammed his staff down once more clearing the previously applied charms from their bodies. Without a word, the old man tilted his head towards his office, and seeing no other option, Harry nodded. Doing whatever he could to maintain his balance, he grabbed the stair railing, pushing himself up every step as he got closer and closer to the office of the ex-Auror. He took one last look behind him, seeing a rather crazed look upon the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor's face as the man delivered Harry an approving nod before, with a shaky hand, he pushed the Dark Arts office door open, a bone-chilling creak welcoming him as he entered the dark room.

The room was pitch black, and Harry had felt as if he'd just stepped into a void of darkness. How can anyone work in a place like-, but before he could even finish his thought, he felt himself tackled to the ground. In a panic, Harry reached for his wand raising it to his attacker's face, but just as Harry prepared his spell, the loud clap of Moody's hands illuminated the room and Harry had found himself face to face with a figure that had brought a wave of relief through his disturbed mind. "Tonks?" Harry whispered, his sight fixated on the pink-haired Auror.

"Wotcher, kid," She whispered back, a bright smile on her face, "It's been a-," However, before she could even finish the thought, Harry dropped his wand wrapping his arms tightly around his older sister, tears of overwhelming joy streaming down his cheeks as he felt Tonks return the hug helping them both to their feet.

"You're alive," Harry whispered, "Thank Merlin you're alive." His head curled into the crook of his older sister's neck, feeling her hands rub his back as a tremendous weight finally felt lifted off his shoulder, "When I hadn't heard anything from you guys for days I started to get worried, I thought you'd been captured or killed," Yet, relief quickly changed to frustration as Harry hissed, "Why didn't you guys contact me, I was in hell these past few days."

"I wish we could've," Tonks whispered back, "It's been a bit hectic on our end too, especially with Sirius."

"So it's true then, about Sirius using the Cruciatus Curse?" Harry asked, watching as confusion rose to his sister's eyes. "Dumbledore told me, he said his source found a memory that was anonymously submitted to the Daily Prophet about Sirius using the curse." Tonks remained silent, gripping him tightly as Harry asked the question he'd been dreading, "What about everyone else, is everyone okay?"

"Everyone's alive," Tonks said, but her eyes were still full of sorrow, "But Emmeline got hit pretty bad by a curse from Malfoy. The Medi-Wizards say she'll most likely recover, but the treatment process is going to be brutal." They broke apart as Harry found his eyes digging into Tonks' knowing there was more information there. "Sirius," She started with a sigh, "He saw Emmeline get blown away by Lucius and he lost it, he wasn't himself. We've all tried to talk to him, but he's not saying a word. We can't even get him out of his room and as far as I know, he's been living off of whatever Kreacher's been delivering to him when the elf isn't at Emmeline's bedside."

"And then there's my mother," Tonks whispered a tremble appearing in her hand, "I've never seen her like the way she is now. Bellatrix asked my mother to kill her, taunted her to do so." She sighed, "She got in my mom's head, she hasn't been able to stop shaking and crying since the attack, even with my dad's help."

"Then we need to go to them," Harry said his voice desperate, "If Sirius and Andromeda need help then we have to be there, they'd do the same for us. We can't just-"

"Nobody is going anywhere just yet," Moody growled, "Especially you Potter. Albus may be losing his edge, but he wasn't wrong about you being bound here due to the rules of the tournament. Think about this carefully, boy," Moody said in a scolding tone, "What use are you going to be to anyone if you fail to solve the puzzle of the second task and lose your magic. You know what your destiny is, acting recklessly won't just put yourself at risk, it'll kill us all."

"My destiny?" Harry asked facing the Auror, "How do you know what my destiny is?"

"I've heard the prophecy, boy," Moody said and instantly, Harry felt his heart stop in his chest, "But even if I hadn't, I would've known. You hide it well, it's very compartmentalized, but you can't hide anything from my eyes, I see hatred in you, I see your desire to bring those that harmed you and your family to justice by any means necessary. I used to have the same look in my eyes when I was a young lad."

Harry watched as Moody's lips curled into a crooked grin, "No need to look so defensive, Potter. I am on your side, though I suppose you're smart enough to ask for proof." Harry nodded, thoughts racing through his mind at a mile a minute. "When Tonks found out I had taken this job, she wrote to me asking for me to look out for you, she also began filling me in on what your group has been calling the New Order."

"At first, I wasn't so sure about your new division," Moody said, "But the more time I've spent alongside Albus, the more evident the truth has become. I've seen a lot of war in my day, and I know what it looks like when a soldier has given up the fight. I've seen that look of exhaustion on Albus' face far too many times this year. He's a good man, one of the few friends I have, but his time of being the warrior of the light has passed." Harry felt his heart drop to his stomach as for the first time, Moody's real eye fell upon him, "You're time however, has just begun."

"When the time comes," Moody said a grim look resting upon his face, "I plan to fight, and I know that in my current condition, I won't survive this war, however, I'd like to die for the winning side, and when I compare the new order to the one of old, I know which one has a better chance of ending His reign once and for all, and unfortunately, it's not the Order Dumbledore's leading."

"I'm not exactly seeing another option," Harry said, "You said it yourself, I can't lead them while I'm here, I'm not fit to lead anyway even if I could leave, and if Sirius is truly going to be persecuted for his use of the torture curse, what choice is there but to let Dumbledore lead the Order again."

"All this time I thought you were a bright wizard Potter," Moody snarled, "Use your head, boy. Sirius is a Pure-Blood wizard, he has Vance and Longbottom on his side, along with holding the titles of Lord Black and Lord Regent of House Potter. The Minister and Amelia also owe you a favor for bringing in Pettigrew and doing their work for them. Not to mention, if Sirius was brought to trial, he'd confess to having used that spell in defense of another Pure-Blood witch in Emmeline Vance, to which she'd testify that she was attacked by Lucius Malfoy."

"Sirius being a Noble Wizard would also be able to manipulate the system in order for him to face his accuser," Moody said, "Regardless of the information that Dumbledore's source claims to have given to him, there is no way the trial would conclude without Lucius Malfoy being ousted for the Death Eater trash that he is, something he won't allow to happen as he knows that his Imperious Curse excuse won't work twice." Moody snarled as he looked down at the ground, "Dumbledore told you that information because he wants to manipulate you into giving him your blessing to lead the Order, don't allow yourself to cave to his game, his Order, it won't win the war."

"But if the Prophet does publish the story, the Order will be looked upon as a terrorist organization rather than a vigilante group," Harry said his fist clenched, "I've seen how easily wizards can be manipulated by a good story."

"True, but the mission is more important than perception," Moody sent out a sinister smirk, "However, I wouldn't worry about the story getting published. Skeeter has a secret she thinks she's hidden so cleverly, a secret that if exposed will send her to a nice cell in what's left of Azkaban. However, I believe that we may have a bigger problem at stake, something that is much closer to home. I believe that Albus may have done something to your brain, something other than just helping train your occlumency, something that makes you more susceptible to his suggestions."

"You think he's brainwashing me?" Harry asked.

Moody looked down at the ground, almost a hint of shame filling his face at the thought of his friend doing something so vile, "I can't be certain of it, and truthfully, I'd like to believe otherwise, but it's worth looking into regardless of what I'd like it to be. If you become Dumbledore's puppet the war is lost, it's better to be safe than sorry."

"I'll kill him," Tonks growled, "We trusted him, allowed him to be an advisor. I swear to Merlin if he fucked with my brother's head I'll hang him from his beard of the Gryffindor tower."

"Calm yourself girl, I trained you better than to allow your emotions to influence your decision," Moody said in a gruff and disengaged voice, "Albus may be old, but he isn't weak, nor is he unskilled which is why no average mind healer would be able to detect if Dumbledore did do something to your head."

"So what do we do?" Harry asked, "If a mind healer like Tonks' dad wouldn't be able to find it, how am I supposed to get rid of whatever could be in my head?"

"In terms of wizards in recent history that rival Dumbledore in skill and power, only two come to mind," Moody began as he shuffled toward his trunk large enough to fit a human body in, "Those are Voldemort and Grindelwald, two wizards who, as you might imagine, might not be as sympathetic to our cause as we'd like. However-" Moody growled as Harry watched the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor fidget with his case locks one of which requiring what looked to be a fingerprint scan, the next one requiring a blood sample, and the final one relying on what looked to be a standard lock and key.

Harry gazed on as the man descended into his enormous trunk the size of which expanded in a manner similar to the tents at the World Cup, a trunk that was full of dark artifacts, artifacts that emitted magics so foul that it made Harry feel sick to his stomach. The sound of rattling and clanking metal filled the room before finally, Moody emerged from his trunk, a leather-bound journal in his hand. "However," Moody said continuing his previous train of thought, "Grindelwald's agreeance to help isn't all that important so long as I have a journal full of his research."

Harry's eyes followed the book as Moody tossed it from his hand at a rapid speed, only Harry's seeker reflexes allowed him to catch the book, a fact that had brought a smile to Moody's face, "Good reflexes, might make a decent Auror one day." Harry's eyes descended upon the cover of the journal, the wording on it completely indiscernible to his eyes.

"These are runes, but they certainly aren't nordic," Harry said his mind racing with questions, "They don't look Egyptian either, I've seen Daphne work with some before, but they look nothing like this."

"It seems there is something between those ears after all, boy," Moody said in a surprisingly sarcastic tone, "What you're looking at are Babylonian Runes, it's a language so lost that only Grindelwald himself is fluent in it." Not much help to me then, is it? But as if Moody had read his thoughts, the Auror grinned, "Don't look so lost, boy. I said fluent, that doesn't mean he's the only one who can read it."

Harry had felt himself wanting to vomit as the grizzled Auror reached for his implanted eye, pulling it from his socket as if he'd simply broken apart a Lego kit, the electric-blue orb now rolling in his calloused palm, "You can probably tell that this isn't a normal eye," Moody said, to which Harry nodded in mutual agreement, "But what you don't know is I was not the first holder of this eye, the man who created this eye, was none other than Grindelwald himself."

Harry swallowed hard as he watched Moody pop his eye back into its eye socket, Moody blinked a few times as the eye zipped around adjusting back into its current home, "As I stated before, Grindelwald was a wizard matched in talent by only two others, Dumbledore, and the Dark Lord himself." Harry nodded knowing far too well just how powerful all three men were, "When Grindelwald made this eye, he gave it quite a few enhancements, one of them being the ability to decipher words as if they were plain English, an ability Dumbledore himself wasn't privy too when he gifted me this eye as a replacement, and something I don't wish being shared with the public, understand, Potter?"

"So you're going to translate this for me?" Harry asked bluntly, his grip tightening around the journal.

"I'm afraid we won't have time for reading," Moody said with a smile, "But don't go getting your knickers in a twist, I've included a roughly translated lexicon in that journal as well, wasn't thinking I'd ever need it, but if something were to happen to this eye, I'd be shit out of luck if I hadn't created a dictionary of sorts." Harry looked down at the folded sheets of paper which translated the runes into a poorly conjugated version of English before looking back up at Moody, "Give that to you're blonde bird, tell her to start on page sixty-two, that's where the purging rituals begin, Babbling's always going off on how gifted the girl is with runes, time to put her gifts to the test."

"I'd also recommend you tell your friend Michael to stop galavanting around with French models and get to work on solving that Golden Egg Riddle." Harry felt his body tense as Moody continued, "Normally that'd be a mystery for you to solve, but you're going to be busy with other things for the rest of this year."

"Oh yeah, and what would that be?" Harry asked in a firm and unyielding tone, a fact that seemed to bring a warm smile to Moody's face.

"Nymphadora told me about your training methods at home and I've seen the training you've been doing with your school pals, it's pathetic," Moody spat, "You'll never get to where you need to be training with people who love you too much that they fear even laying a single scratch on your body."

A cold feeling absorbed Harry, a feeling that Harry had only felt in the presence of dementors as for the first time since the day of the unforgivable curses lecture, both of Moody's eyes fell upon him, "I told you that I'm most likely going to die in this war, and I want to die for the winning side, which means," Moody said in a chilling tone, "From this moment on, I'll be responsible for your training."

Harry's eyes widened at the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor's remark, "Prepare yourself, boy… Welcome to hell."