19

Chapter XIX: A Burning Burrow

(Dumbledore P.O.V)

The Hogshead Inn, for as comfortable as Dumbledore felt walking anywhere in the Wizarding World, it was odd that a simple inn that resided in the sleepy town of Hogsmeade would be the only place that frightened the old Gryffindor. For as brave and powerful as he was, there was nothing easy about what he was trying to do, and yet, with a deep breath, and a burning wave of persistence, he pulled the door open, the chiming of a rusty bell ringing upon his entrance.

The inn was nothing like he had been expecting. His brother had never been someone who valued cleanliness, but he'd never imagined even someone like him to allow his home to fall into so much decay. Dust coated the wooden floorboard which screeched upon every step, matching the clicking of his heeled boots. The chirping of what Albus could only imagine were stray birds that had snuck into the inn and had set up shop clambered overhead, with Aberforth most likely being far too uninterested to clean them out.

His brother's goat bleat from the barn he imagined was out in the back of his bar, and the pungent odor of stale ale permeated every inch of the wooden support beams. In a gruff tone from seemingly out of nowhere, the tone drunk and hollow, a voice rang out, "Sign says we're closed, figure you'd know how to read."

"Aberforth," Albus whispered, his eyes flickering towards the noise, a sadness filling his chest at the age that now visible showed across his brother's eyes. The last time they'd seen each other had been so long ago, as Aberforth now looked nothing like the thin young man he remembered. Instead, the man was now large, his beard scraggly, his shoulders broad, and his frame stocky. In a way, the young man that Albus once knew looked so much like the father he tried to forget.

"Glad you still remember my name," Aberforth snarled out, "Figure you'd wipe your memory after leaving us behind." Albus stared softly up at the brother he'd grown so distant from, "Doesn't change the fact the Inn's closed, so get lost, figured you'd have more important places to be anyway."

"Aberforth, please," Albus said, his voice faint and soft, "I've made many mistakes in my life, I'd like to amend some of them before I go."

"Things don't change just because we want them to, brother," Aberforth said his voice full of venom, "Isn't that what you used to believe?"

"What I did to you," He started, his voice hollow and weak, "What I did to both of you, it was cruel, it was wrong, and I'm sorry. Even I, despite what the world believes," Albus whispered, "Am far from perfect."

"That's for damn sure," Aberforth hissed, "And if you think admitting that now is going to change anything then-"

"I'm dying, Aberforth," He said looking straight into his brother's eyes, "I have less than a year left. I figured, that if given the chance, that I'd like to spend my last Christmas with my brother, with my family."

There was silence as Aberforth descended from his room in the loft above, his eyes never leaving his brother as he turned the corner now looking at each other directly, only the bar itself acting as a barrier, "Merlin," Aberforth said all anger in his voice missing, "Are you serious?" He sighed, lifting his blackened hand and putting it atop the bar, "Albus, what the hell is wrong with your hand?"

"I was careless," Albus said, "And I got cursed, by an artifact of Voldemort himself." Albus looked up at the man who couldn't break away from his injured hand, "Severus managed to buy me a year to get my affairs in order, and my relationship with you was one of those affairs that I was compelled into pursuing by none other than Harry Potter."

"The brat was in here earlier this year," Aberforth said softly, "Strong-willed kid, you must be proud to have a student like that."

"He's not my student," Albus said, "I made so many mistakes and he turned his back on me rightfully. I thought I had more control, I thought I had more power than I did." Albus became quiet, turning his eyes upon the portrait of his sister, her innocent smile looking nothing like the one that sprang from the black smoke of the locket, "It seems to be a mistake I can never learn from."

"The boy," Aberforth whispered, "He said he saw your mind, he said he saw her and I in your head," His brother's eyes became heavy, as if they were drowning in pools of sadness, "Do you miss her? Do you feel the same hole in your heart that I do? The guilt, the overwhelming guilt that it could have been one of us-"

"Everyday," Albus said his own voice trembling, "I think about it every day. I think about how many lives were lost because I didn't act sooner. I think about how many families were broken like ours due to my failure. I sleep in a sea of my failures. I tell myself not to dwell in the past, but in truth, I'm simply frightened of looking back."

A silence hung over the head of the two brothers like a waiting guillotine, their eyes watching the way their sister swayed in the winds that shook the floral background of the portrait, before the clambering of two cups gripped Albus attention, his brother holding up a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky, "Do you still drink?"

"Here and there," Albus said with a smile, "Though if we're going to keep this up all day, it may be easier to do it horribly drunk."

"I'll drink to that," Aberforth said, pouring the glass beyond the appropriate serving, passing it to Albus, "Bottoms up," The two raised their glass clinking the cups before together they whispered, "Ariana," And then they drank.

For a moment the world had begun to fade, as laughter filled the air, their faces hot and red as they reminisced, "Do you remember the time you accidentally set the tree in our backyard on fire before you got your wand. Dad was proud but Mom she was pretty upset because we had to wait for the muggle fire-brigade to come put out the fire and they couldn't figure out what started it?"

Albus chuckled, "It was rare to see our mother angry about anything, but that may have been one of the scariest moments in my life."

The two laughed once more before Aberforth grew silent, "Do you think what dad did was right?" Aberforth whispered, his voice suddenly weaker than before, "What dad did to those muggles who attacked Ariana, do you think he made the right choice?"

Albus stood silent for a moment before whispering, "No, I don't think it was."

"They beat her, Albus, do you remember all the bruises," Aberforth hissed, "They beat her for being different, they deserved what they got."

"To me, it's not a matter of what they deserved," Albus said looking up at the cobweb cluttered roof, "Solving violence with more violence, it is never the answer."

"That's rich coming from the man who ended one war with a duel, and led another," Aberforth said, "Plus you're directly involved in this one as well."

"Yes, I did and still do partake in acts of war," Albus whispered, "But I take no joy in doing so. The war is actually one of the reasons I wished to come and see you." Albus fell silent as he looked up at his brother, "When I die, the castle will become vulnerable to Death Eaters, and Harry has been assigned another mission which will lead him away from attending Hogwarts. I am not a good man, Aberforth, but I do not wish for harm to befall my students." Aberforth fell silent, as Albus felt his brother's eyes watch him calmly, "I'm begging you, as my final request, look out for my students, protect them for me, they are innocent in this war."

A tired sigh left his brother's lips as he nodded, "I promise, but I need you to promise me something as well." Albus turned to face his brother, his eyebrow raised as a single tear fell down his brother's cheek, "When you get up there, tell her I'm sorry, tell her that her brother is sorry he couldn't protect her."

"I don't know if I'll be going where she is," Albus said his smile soft and sad, "But if I am lucky enough to be granted that mercy, I promise you, I'll deliver the message." Aberforth nodded, but the silence was broken as from beside him, he heard a loud pop, a familiar elf now standing in view.

"Mr. Dumblydore, sir," The elf cried, Dobby he believed the elf was called, "Big problem! The Burrow! Death Eaters attacking the Burrow!"

"I see," Dumbledore said his voice weak, turning to his brother, "Very well, I suppose I'll be off now."

"You're planning to fight in your condition?" Aberforth roared with confusion.

"Duty calls," Albus whispered.

"Very well then," Aberforth said, his coat flying to his side, "I suppose we have no other choice, let's go.

(Sirius P.O.V)

Snow fell softly upon the ground, the glimmering of the powdered droplets shone in the mild sun that cracked through the attic window of the Burrow. The smell of Molly's cooking which she'd brought to Grimmauld Place for the Christmas festivities still filled the air, and yet rather than being off to enjoy the holiday, he found himself sitting across from his cousin, the food he had left her finally eaten, a whisper of life returning to her regal face as Sirius smiled, pouring the woman some eggnog.

"I remember we used to steal this from the refrigerator when nobody was looking all the time," Sirius said with a chuckle, loosening one of the handcuffs around one of Bellatrix's wrist allowing her the ability to drink while keeping her magic suppressed, "My father use to spike it with Firewhisky and told us we weren't allowed to have any, naturally we had to steal some." Sirius smiled as he looked up at Bellatrix, "Come on, have some."

"Why are you here?" Bellatrix said her voice low, but failing to be riddled with contempt, "Aren't you married? Don't you have a Godson to look after?"

"I won't be here all day," Sirius said calmly, "I'll be home in time for the opening of presents, but I've always believed that nobody deserves to spend the holidays alone, not even someone like you."

"Why," Bellatrix hissed, "Why have you been so kind to me? I'm a monster! I chose to be a monster! I wasn't forced down this path, I walked it willingly! I believe in my master's ideas, so why?! Why do you keep showing me mercy!"

"All it takes, to fall the way you did," Sirius said his eyes drifting towards the ground, "All it takes is one bad day." His mind drifted to way he found James' body, his best friend lying dead on the ground, his wife, a woman he swore to protect if anything were to happen to him resting lifelessly in the room of their only child. The anger he felt, the desire he had to kill Pettigrew in that moment burned in him like a fire, the memories began to slip away as he forced a smile to his face, looking up at his cousin, "I had a bad day too… once."

"I know what it feels like to be broken beyond repair," Sirius said, "But I believe that if given the chance, if you would just open your eyes to what Voldemort truly is, you could change. Who we are now is not who we have to be forever. There is good in you Bella, I know there is."

"He's the only one," Bellatrix hissed, "He's the only one who recognized me for my power, my cunning, my ability. He was the only man who saw me as more than just a baby factory and gave me to power to burn those that thought less of me. I am loyal to my master, Sirius, I won't change."

"Harry wants to break your mind," Sirius said, "He is a master legilimens, and he is willing to break your occlumency shields by force to get information he knows you to have. If he does that, with your magic being constrained the way you are, you could die, or worse, become nothing but a living shell, your mind so damaged beyond repair that you may as well be dead. He gave me two days to get what I need from you before he does so. I'm asking you to please, tell me what you know, tell me everything you know so that I can save your life, so that I can get you help."

"I'm broken, Sirius," Bellatrix whispered, the sun setting in the distance as sad tears flowed from her face, "But I don't want to be fixed."

Sirius smiled sadly, though didn't have a chance to respond as suddenly, alarms blared from around them like screeching harpies, both his and Bellatrix's eyes widening in shock as the sound of hurried footsteps raced up the stairs. Sirius turned, catching Arthur's ghostly white face as the door flung open, the man's eyes trembling, "Something is attacking our wards."

"With the damage it's doing, it's more like somethings," Charlie hissed, the three men racing down the stairs towards the yard, "I'll send an S.O.S to Grimmauld Place, then I'll be right behind you!" Sirius nodded, gripping his wand tightly as he and Arthur raced into the backyard, his heart stopping as the two looked at the swarm looming over the hill where the ward line was drawn.

"It's a small army," Arthur muttered out with a tremble, "What the hell are they?"

A shiver raced through Sirius' spine, looking up at the now night sky, a full moon floating above them, "Werewolves." A thunderous roar bellowed down the rolling hills of the burrow as from above, Sirius watched two looming figures approach, their size matching the large oaks that grew along the Weasley Property, "Giants?"

"How did they find this place," Arthur said, "These wards were set by Dumbledore to make this place damn near undetectable, only the order and my family would-," The man to his side looked as if his heart sunk into his stomach, his eyes watering at whatever rattled in his mind, "Percy," He whispered, "Why?"

Sirius hadn't a chance to comment, as, through the use of the sonorous charm, a voice boomed from over the hill, the familiar voice of Barty Crouch Jr. "Members of the Order, I've come with a simple request! We know that Bellatrix Lestrange is being held captive here, surrender her and Harry Potter, and perhaps, we will choose not to slaughter you, so long as you fall to your knees and pledge allegiance to our Lord! Fail to do so, and you will be exterminated without prejudice."

"Fat chance of that happening," Sirius muttered beneath his breath as the footsteps emerging from the house grew louder with the wave of Order members leaving the Burrow in droves.

"Merlin," Bill whispered, "Werewolves?"

"Giants too," Fred and George whispered together.

"There's so many of them," Ron whispered, his voice trembling.

"Aside from Crouch," Michael whispered, "It's not like any of them are elite death eaters, so try not to shit yourself, okay Weasley?"

"I like your spirit boy," Augusta Longbottom said with a smile, "A Longbottom never runs from a challenge."

"They can have Bellatrix over my dead body," Neville hissed, "She's mine."

Sirius watched in silence as Harry stepped forward, "Anyone who isn't willing to put their lives on the line right here and now, feel free to floo back to Grimmauld Place, nobody has to fight if they don't want to. That being said, I'm not about to roll over and let them take back a precious hostage, if they want her, I don't plan on making it easier for them."

"So, you intend to fight do you, Potter!" Barty shouted manically, "You don't truly believe you're little band stands a chance against our forces, do you!"

Sirius watched as the boy trembled before him, looking over the crowd that glared down upon them from the hill. We should run, this fight isn't necessary, you don't have to be brave right now- "Bring it on!" Harry shouted, his roar somehow matching that of Barty's without the use of the noise-enhancing charm. Sirius watched as smirks appeared around the students that surrounded him, a grin forming against Sirius' lips, He's made them completely loyal to him without the use of tricks of manipulation, that truly is quite the power you have there. I suppose us old heads can't be afford to look bad here.

A grizzly roar bellowed from beside him, as Remus walked up beside him, his friend coated in fur, "So you finally managed to retain control of your transformed state, have you, Moony?" A nod shook from the werewolf's head as Sirius smirked, "For James and Lily… For Harry." Moony howled in agreement as Sirius turned to face Arthur, "How long do you think those wards will hold?"

"Not much longer," Arthur whispered in fear.

"Then I suppose we need to move fast," Harry said, Sirius watching as his Godson scanned the hilltop. "First, we create a stone barrier, then, we funnel them into chokepoints." Harry turned, "Moody, Tonks, Sirius, you are our heavy hitters. Make a pillar and get to high ground, your job is simple, rain silver upon them."

"Fire is another element werewolves are weak to," Harry said scanning the field, "Claire and Michael, I know fire happens to be your thing, I want our left flank burning blue." Harry looked scanning the lake, "Neville, Augusta, Bill, and Charlie, you're our backline, do whatever you can to keep them from the house. And Tracey, Blaise, Astoria you're on the perimeter, under no circumstances are you to allow anyone through the windows."

He's so confident, Sirius said with a small smile as Harry continued to bark orders, "Remus, you and Arthur have giant number one, I'll take giant number two. Whoever gets Barty, go for the kill. Daphne, you're on me, let's move!"

"Right!" The crowd roared in affirmation racing towards their position, the grown wizards forcing the earth to rise from the ground creating a wall of mud as that quickly turned to stone. Harry nodded, taking Daphne's hands as the two ran.

"Get to the river and wait for me," Harry bellowed, "I have a plan, but I need you to be there when I get there." Daphne nodded, breaking away towards the bank as Harry hurdled towards the front line, "Tenimago!" Harry bellowed lighting the stone walls ablaze, a pillar rising from the ground as Harry glared into the crowd.

"Harry!" Sirius bellowed, "What are you doing out there?"

His godson remained silent as he stared at the crowd before with a sinister whisper, he spoke, the wind carrying his voice, "Thinning the herd." The wards shattered as a Battle Cry roared loud enough to split the heavens with wave after wave of enemies hurtling down the rolling hills. "Fall," He heard Harry whisper as a pulse of magic radiating from the boy's body.

"What did he do?" Sirius whispered.

"Just watch," Moody whispered from the pillar beside him, "You're about to witness something phenomenal." Sirius turned watching in confusion before suddenly a beast tripped falling forward as they stumbled to the ground, Did they trip? But that thought became less and less likely as Sirius watched foot soldier after foot soldier fall.

"What happened?" Sirius whispered.

"Your Godson," Moody said with a smirk, "Is quite the extraordinary wizard."

"That's half of them," Sirius whispered, "Harry just lightened the load tremendously."

"That kid," Tonks said with a chuckle, "Always making us look bad."

Sirius smiled, Are you watching James, Sirius though lifting his wand as he watched Harry race towards the riverbank, Your son has become quite the dependable man. "Daphne!" Sirius heard Harry call out, "Get ready!" Sirius' eyes flickered towards the young couple for just a moment, watching as a faint white glow grew around the two, their aura's lighting up a beautiful shade of cyan as Harry lifted his hand, forcing the water to rise, the top of the water developing the head of a dragon. "Now!" Harry shouted as Daphne's electric coated hand plunged into the water, the dragon-shaped water now racing towards the giant that had charged towards them. "Hydruvolt!"

A painful roar erupted from the approaching giant, the fangs of the dragon breaking the skin, toppling the large monster to its knees. "Coil!" Harry and Daphne roared as the electrically charged water-dragon constricted the giant. Sirius turned his attention back onto the waves of oncoming trespassers, his wand firing off silver arrows like an experienced archer, hordes, and hordes falling at their practiced silver rain.

"Tsk," Michael hissed glancing over at the liquid dragon, "Look at him showing off," Sirius watched as Harry's friend turned to face the pink-haired girl, "Ready, Pretty Bird, let's show them that we can keep up."

"Never figured you were one for competition," Claire said with a chuckle.

"I can't let Harry show me up, like that. Though I have to say, if our commander wasn't capable of at least that much, he'd have to step down," Michael said with a smirk, snapping as Sirius watched a metallic brace switch onto his arm before a blue flame erupted beside him, the reported veela now entering her transformed state, conjuring up a blue flame as Michael placed his hand over hers' absorbing the flame with his gauntlet of sorts. The boy's arm flickered blue, before with a roar, fire spewed from his palm like an overgrown flamethrower, the screams of burning werewolves filling the air.

"These kids," Moody said with a smirk, "They are something else."

"It's great that we can rely on them," Tonks said shooting out a spray of arrows from her wand into the crowd, as the roar of pain rang from a giant as Moony sunk his teeth into the beast's upper leg, "But where the hell are the aurors?!"

"With Umbridge in charge," Moody growled, "it's more likely that Dumbledore would show up before an auror-" Moody hadn't even a chance to speak however as the flaming symbol of the phoenix burned into the sky, "Well, speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

"Pisses me off how happy I am to see him every time," Sirius growled as he looked at the bearded wizard entering the fray, alongside another heavily-bearded man, "Aberforth?" Sirius watched in awe as a wave of the two wizard's wands lit the field ablaze, the surviving werewolves now retreating in fear.

"Leave this place," Dumbledore said, his tone even, as a twister of flames emerged on the lot of the burrow, "Now." Sirius watched as the two bearded brother's split, each racing towards a giant, the two working faster than Sirius had ever seen in the way they dueled the giants into submission.

"Looks like we got the upper hand," Tonks said with a chuckle, before the sound of glass shattering behind them grabbed their attention, the burrow now lit aflame, as a plume of black smoke racing towards them overhead. Tonks grunted from the impact, the black smoke wrapping around her like a claw.

"Tonks!" Sirius shouted, jumping atop the smoke that grabbed her, a feeling of being squeezed through a tight tube forcing him to grunt in pain as the figures within the smoke attempted to shake him off. Sirius wrapped his arms tightly around the figures, sounds of discomfort echoing from the could, before, like a falling meteorite the four figures hit the ground.

Sirius stumbled forward, his ribs fracturing from the impact as he bellowed in pain, his eyes catching a glimpse of the figures in front of him. "Don't move!" Barty hissed, his wand held tightly to Tonks' throat, "Or the bitch dies."

Sirius watched in pain as Bellatrix coughed, rising to her feet, Tonks' wand now in her possession. "We'll take her back as a prisoner," Barty spat, "We've got you back! Let's go! The mission is over!"

"Right," Bellatrix whispered weakly.

"Kill him and get back to base," Barty said with a sneer, "I assume you know how to do that much."

"Keep talking to me that way and I'll kill you myself," Bellatrix snapped back, "Don't forget who his most loyal is!"

Siris felt his eyes widen as Tonks bit down on Barty's tongue, blood forming against the Death Eater's hand as he cursed, "That hurt you worthless bitch! Hurry it up Bellatrix, the Dark Lord won't rescue you again." Sirius felt helpless as laid on the ground at the mercy of Bellatrix, his favorite cousin vanishing in a plume of smoke.

"Tonks!" Sirius shouted, though his cousin was now long gone. His grey eyes looked up at Bellatrix, the raven-haired witch's arm trembling as she pointed it at his head, "Bellatrix, please."

"Avada Kedavra!" She roared, as he closed his eyes, though nothing happened, only the smell of smoldering grass at his side remained. "You spared my life when you could have killed me," Bellatrix said, "Consider us even."

"Bellatrix, why?"

"I'm sorry, Sirius," The Dark Witch said with a twisted smile, "But I don't want to be saved." The pain and exhaustion overwhelmed him as he felt his eyelids begin to droop. The woman that had once been his prisoner now vanishing from sight. Andromeda, Ted, forgive me.

(Harry P.O.V)

To say he was angry would have been the understatement of the century as Harry paced the grounds, looking for the unaccounted for. How could this have happened? He hissed in his mind, stumbling forward, falling to his knees. Shit, Harry hissed in his mind, I forgot how much that bond drains me. "She's not there!" Moody roared in anger, "The bitch escaped!"

"She's not the only one who is missing," Charlie said his voice hoarse, "Tonks is missing too."

Tonks? Harry said, his blood freezing in his veins. He wanted nothing more but to run towards Charlie to ask more questions, but through a faint cough he heard the softest whisper, "Harry, help us." His head snapped around, racing towards a nearby bush that the noise was coming from, his heart nearly stopping at the sight.

Blaise stood over the two girls, his face caked in red and mud, with Tracey resting in an unconscious haze. Though beside her was the object that frightened him, as Astoria's breathing had become frighteningly shallow, "Astoria!" Harry called out, falling to his knees as he pressed his ear to his chest, the girl's heartbeat dangerously slow, blood dripping from her eyes, ears, and nose.

Harry had felt a wave of anger overtake him as he turned to Blaise, gripping him by the collar, "What happened?!"

"Barty, he snuck over here," Blaise said, "He caught Tracey off guard, she fell faster than I could follow, I tried to fight him, but he was fast, faster than I could have imagined. He-," Blaise's eyes sunk, "He disarmed me quickly. Astoria, she tried to hold him off, she held him off a while, but then, she started bleeding and-" Blaise trembled beneath his gaze, "I don't know why he didn't kill her, but he said something like the Dark Lord told him to spare her, I just- I'm sorry."

"H-arry," He heard the girl whimper at his side, his body dropping to Astoria lifting her into his arms as she looked up at him, "I'm sorry," She said her voice low and soft, "I tried my best, but I-"

"It's okay," Harry said his heart melting as Astoria's eyes looked up at him, "You're safe, that's all that matters." His eyes soften as he turned to Blaise once more, "Sorry, for snapping at you like that, can you carry Tracey, we need to get them to the medical area."

Blaise nodded, lifting his girlfriend as they marched towards the beds that had been laid out by the ashes of the Burrow, "Morgana's Tits!" He heard a boy cry out distantly recognizing the man as Bill, his face rather battered a bruised.

"Just hold still," Daphne whispered, "The silver will work its magic, you just need to relax."

"Do you think," Ron whispered, "Do you think he's going to turn?"

"I don't know," Daphne replied, "Werewolf scratches during the full moon aren't exactly a well-researched science but given the fact the moon is still out and he hasn't been reacting is a good sign."

A flicker of magic out in the field caught Harry's eye as off in the distance he watched as a man crawled closer towards the base. Is that, Harry thought in a panic, "Sirius!" He shouted placing Astoria on a bed as he raced towards his Godfather. "Merlin," Harry whispered, "What happened to you?"

"I'm fine," Sirius said coughing, his face laced with pain as blood splattered on the floor. "Tonks," Sirius whispered looking up into his eyes, "Barty captured her, she's been taken."

"W-what?" Harry replied, the eyes of the crowd falling upon him.

"I'm sorry," Sirius whispered, "I couldn't stop them, I-,"

Tonks, Harry whispered a cold feeling bubbling in his core, Tonks was captured. How could this have happened? How did any of this happen? "Harry!" Daphne shouted, but it sounded so distant, "Harry!" I'll kill them, He whispered in his mind, If they lay even a finger on her I'll kill every last-

Smack! Harry's eyes widened as he turned to face the Icy Blue eyes, blood rushing to his face as Daphne looked into his soul, "Harry, you need to get a grip, getting angry won't solve anything, we have to focus."

"It doesn't make sense," Harry whispered turning towards Dumbledore, "I heard that you warded this place yourself after Ginny died. How could they have broken through, how could they have known Bellatrix was here, it just doesn't make sense."

Almost as if Harry had found himself in the center of a comedy, a plume of black smoke appeared before them as another Weasley appeared, his eyes full of panic, "W-what happened here?" Harry watched as the once Head-Boy scanned the debris, "I got alerted that the Burrow was under attack and- where are the aurors?"

"What aurors?" Ron whispered.

"The ones that Umbridge said she was going to send to ensure Bellatrix's got locked in a secure cell," The boy said, his voice laced with confusion, "I came to visit, Dad was home, we got into a big fight about Bellatrix being locked in the attic. He said not to tell anyone, but I wasn't about to leave a dangerous criminal in the house where my-,"

Rage overcame Harry's entire being as he felt his fist tighten, slamming into Percy, only for the other Weasley's to restrain him, "You idiot!" Harry shouted, "How could you have sold out your own, family! Do you know the lives that could have been lost because of your idiocy!"

"Sold out?" Percy said his voice trembling, "I just told Madam Umbridge, she's the head of the DMLE, after all."

"Merlin's Beard, Perc," Charlie cursed, "I thought you were supposed to be smart! How the hell could you trust someone like Umbridge?!"

"Minister Fudge believed in her ability himself, I was simply doing the-"

"Everybody quiet!" Daphne shouted, the world suddenly coming to a stop, "I understand that tonight went very poorly, but if we all lose our cool, we've lost everything, so everybody needs to just shut up." Harry caught Daphne's eye as the girl continued, "What happened here tonight is horrible, but if we play our cards right, we can still turn this into a win."

"Explain," Sirius whispered out.

"First, even if it was through sheer stupidity, Percy has just given us exactly the dirt we need to show that Umbridge is corrupt and Fudge's judgment is questionable," Daphne started calmly, brushing the soot from his skin, "Secondly, while not ideal, we can still secure a negotiating position."

"She's right," Michael said butting in, "We know that Voldemort wants the Prophecy, Harry just so happens to have the ability to get the prophecy. Having to bargain at all isn't great, but we can still get Tonks back if we play our cards right."

The anger rolled off Harry's shoulders in waves as he nodded, his occlumency helping to keep his cool, "Fine," Harry said turning to Moody, "Let's go get the prophecy, I'm done wasting time."

"Right behind you lad," Moody said, "Nobody, harms a student of mine."