MetaFic

"I've brought you the information, my master," Peter Pettigrew said, kneeling in front of the Dark Lord, his head bowed.

"You have done well. I am pleased with your performance," Voldemort said. "Now, return to the Ministry and keep me appraised of their moves."

Pettigrew bowed and back away.

"I do not trust him, my lord," Bellatrix said softly.

"I do not trust anyone," Voldemort said softly. "But the rat has his uses."

"True."

"Tonight, Bellatrix, we free my loyal followers from Azkaban."

***
"And you're sure Dumbledore has no idea where the Potter boy is?" Fudge asked the man sitting in front of him.

"No, the boy's dropped off the face of the earth, he has," the man said.

Fudge leaned over his desk and gave the man a stern look. "You understand that our deal is off if you can't deliver me Potter and help me implicate Dumbledore in the process? The people need to understand who the real, legal leadership of the magical community is. If Dumbledore and his group are hiding Potter from the authorities, he needs to be stopped."

"What about the rest of the Order members?"

"They shall also be held as traitors once we capture them withholding Potter from us."

"And our agreement?"

Fudge looked at the man distastefully. "Don't worry, Fletcher; you'll get your full pardon when I have Potter and Dumbledore in Azkaban."

***
"Is everything in readiness?" Dumbledore asked.

Moody nodded. "If Potter and Weasley show up at Granger's grandmother's, we'll be ready."

"I don't want your people to attempt to capture Harry and Ginny, you understand?"

"Yes, Albus, we’ll just find some way to set a tracer on them, like you asked."

"Good, good. I feel I must be the one to go to Harry and convince him of how drastic the situation is."

Moody shuffled in his chair. "Don't you think the Ministry will just swoop in and grab Potter if you put him back at Privet Drive?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Only if they can find Privet Drive. Which they will not, after I have finished."

"And Miss Weasley?"

Dumbledore sighed. "We may be forced to modify her memory in order to keep her from Harry long enough to make the protections hold."

"Albus, Arthur's already starting to doubt you. If you modify his daughter's memory without his consent–"

"I know, Alastor, I know."

In the corner Fawkes trilled sadly and shook his head.

***
"Everyone is keeping an eye out for them," Neville Longbottom told Fred. "They can expect help from the D.A. wherever they find one of us."

Fred nodded and fidgeted with the display case on the counter. "Good, good. We just don't want anyone getting expelled because of this."

Neville shrugged. "I think after last term we all realize what the situation with the Ministry is." Neville paused and then looked sharply at Fred. "Those with brooms are prepared to go to them if they get in trouble."

Fred considered for several seconds. "Okay. If things go pear shaped, we'll warn everyone with the galleons Hermione created and then send further information as best as we can."

Neville nodded. "I'll pass that along. So," he said, smiling, "Harry and Ginny, huh? Took them long enough."

Fred chuckled.
***
Arthur and Bill spent the day at the Burrow, reinforcing the wards, making sure the place was still standing, and making as many contingency plans as possible for dealing with Harry, Ginny, and Dumbledore.

"I'm pretty sure Dumbledore knows something's going on," Bill said.

"Of course he does, he's Dumbledore. We just have to keep him from discovering what," Arthur told his oldest son while he checked the charms around the foundation.

"I just — I have a bad feeling. Something's going to go wrong." Bill whispered.

Arthur Weasley turned to Bill. "What's the worst thing that can happen?"

"Harry and Ginny get killed," Bill said softly.

"Then we have to make sure that doesn't happen."

***
BOY-WHO-LIVED RESPONSIBLE FOR AMBUSH OF MINISTRY OFFICALS BY DEATH EATERS!

A reliable anonymous source within the Ministry of Magic has just informed the Daily Prophet of a horrible attack on members of the Magical Law Enforcement Division, in which several brave MLE officers and Aurors were led into an ambush set by Harry Potter...

***
"It's good to see Fudge is still in control of the paper," Ginny said mildly.

Harry grunted and looked out the window of Mrs. Prescott's cottage into the gathering darkness. "As if that's a big surprise. Just another day of roasting Harry Potter slowly over the fire of public opinion."

"Is there anyone out there?" Ron asked.

"Looks like Hestia and Remus," Harry said.

"Then you can bet Tonks is out there somewhere, too," Ginny added.

"Hermione, do you remember what McGonagall's markings are?" Harry asked.

Hermione moved to the window and looked out. "That's her."

"Well, there's nothing for it; we'll just have to wait until they make a move," Ginny said.

"I'm surprised they haven't already," Hermione whispered.

"Dumbledore doesn't want to make a big production out of capturing you," Ron said reasonably.

Harry moved form the window and settled on the old low couch next to Ginny. "You think so?" Harry said.

Ron nodded. "I suspect the Order is here to try to track you. Also, I suspect they want to see if Hermione and I give you up, or at least report we saw you once you've left, which we will, by the way.”

"Give us up?" Ginny asked mildly, shifting her weight forward where she sat and drawing her wand from her sleeve.

"No, silly, report you were here," Ron corrected. "We can't let the Order become any more suspicious of the Weasley family than they already are, and since Remus came and told us we were to report any appearance by you two, well, you see the problem."

"So, what's the big news you didn't want to say over owl post?" Harry asked.

"Actually, we have three important things to tell you," Ron said, smiling. "You want the good news, the shocking news, or the really shocking news?"

"Start at the good news and work your way down," Harry laughed.

"Dad adopted you from the Dursleys. It's legal in both the magical and muggle worlds," Ron told them, grinning from ear to ear.

Ginny turned an innocent face toward Harry. "So does this mean you're technically my brother?"

Harry burst out laughing at the idea. "Oh, the horror, what have we done!"

Ginny laughed with him.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Hermione muttered.

"Told you," said Ron said to Hermione. He turned back to Harry and Ginny. "Which brings us to the second bit." He had everyone’s attention again. "Dad thinks Dumbledore will try something to invalidate the order–"

"Of course he will," Harry said coldly. "Can't lose control of his secret weapon, can he?"

Ron smirked. "Well, we have a backup plan just in case. We just have to keep you two away from the Order until Ginny's birthday."

Harry and Ginny's eyebrows shot up, and Hermione explained about the tradition of bride by capture. "Although," Hermione finished. "It looks more like groom by capture in your case."

"Thank you," Ginny said, beaming. "I plan on keeping him now that I've finally caught him. So, what's the last bit of news?"

Hermione and Ron looked at each other, and then Hermione sighed. "Apparently, I'm Dumbledore's great-great-great granddaughter."

There was a moment of shocked silence from Ginny and Harry, and then both burst into laughter.

"You're having us on, right?" Harry said to a rather put-out-looking Hermione.

"No, I'm serious."

Ron and Hermione explained about finding the letters in the trunk that Hermione's grandmother Prescott had given her.

"Then why haven't you known about this before?" Ginny asked.

Hermione sighed. "Because apparently Dumbledore tried to hide the fact that he had a daughter. He was afraid she would be a target for the various dark wizards Dumbledore was striving against. Eventually she became so frustrated and disillusioned with him that she withdrew from the magical world."

"I can understand how that could happen," Harry said.

Ginny reached out and touched his arm, sensing his growing bitterness toward Dumbledore through their bond. Harry sent a little impulse back to her, thanking her and letting her know he was okay and that he was mostly just disappointed with Dumbledore and the adults of the wizarding world in general.

Ron, sensing that a change in subject was needed, explained about the Weasley rebellion brewing within the Order. Harry cautioned them to be careful because, with the Ministry being led so poorly, as much as Harry hated to admit it, the Order was needed.

Several loud pops made Harry and Ginny move toward the window, wands in hand. "They're gone." Harry said.

"It could be a trap, "Ron pointed out reasonably.

"No, I think something might have happened. It they wanted to lay a trap, they'd be more subtle about it," Ginny whispered. She looked at Harry. "We should try and sneak out while they're distracted."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. He looked at Ron and Hermione. "I doubt we'll be getting back together again soon; it's just too dangerous."

"Harry, Ginny, when are you planning on coming home?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe after Ginny's birthday," Harry told her.

Hermione nodded. "Because we need to start figuring out what this power is that Voldemort knows not."

Harry and Ginny smiled at each other. Ginny turned to Hermione. "We already know."

"And?" Hermione asked.

"It's love, Hermione," Harry said quietly.

Hermione looked thoughtful and then turned her gaze back toward her friends. "But how can you use love to vanquish Voldemort?"

"We still haven't figured that one out," Ginny said. "But we're working on it."

"We should go," Harry hissed, bringing out the invisibility cloak.

The four hugged, and Harry and Ginny vanished beneath the cloak.

"Well?" Hermione said, looking at Ron.

"Now we give Harry and Ginny an hour head start before we send a letter to Dumbledore," Ron told her sourly. "We have to play the game carefully."

"I know," Hermione said, hugging her boyfriend.