MetaFic

One of benefits of replacing Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic was that it became much easier for members of the Order to make portkeys. Not that they hadn't been making portkeys before, but now they were legal portkeys.

This did nothing to cheer Harry Potter, whose portkey travel tended to be difficult at best. Nor did it really brighten the day of Neville Longbottom, who had a nasty habit of landing on his head. Still, portkeys would be how the group traveled to Diagon Alley, since the Floo Network was considered to be compromised and travel by broom would have been a risky business over such a long distance.

"Right. Promise that you will try to stick together," Molly Weasley said, fussing over the entire group, children and adults alike.

"Molly, I'm sure the kids don't want us old folk hanging around. And I'm sure some people need to do some private shopping," Remus Lupin replied, amused at the motherly woman's attentions.

Molly Weasley turned on the ex-professor. "Remus Lupin, I'm holding you personally responsible for their safety. If any of them come back with so much as a jinx mark, you will answer to me." She turned back to the teenagers and smiled. "Enjoy your trip and try to stay out of trouble."

"Yes ma'am," five voices spoke in unison. Luna was busy watching Tonks mimicking Mrs. Weasley behind the older witch's back.

"Ready then?" Bill Weasley spoke up. "Everyone got their wands? Good." He held out a laundry basket. "Everyone grab on."

With a hooking pull behind the navel, the group found themselves standing in Diagon Alley; at least those who were still upright found themselves standing.

"I hate that," Harry said, first picking himself up, then helping Ginny to her feet. Luna knelt by Neville, who was complaining about the hardness of the cobblestones. Hermione, Ron, and the adults simply smiled and waited for the others to sort themselves out.

"On to Gringotts," Lupin smiled and headed off.

Once at the wizard's bank, Bill took Ron and Ginny to make a withdrawal from the Weasley family vault. Hermione changed some Muggle money for Wizarding at the counter. Neville and Luna had both brought their own money, so, leaving Tonks to watch them, Lupin and Harry went to Harry's vault. Harry withdrew extra money, giving some to Lupin to help cover the cost of the party to be thrown on the first day of August to celebrate three birthdays, OWL results, and Ron's ascension to Quidditch Captain.

Back in the lobby it was agreed that the teens would, as a group, purchase their school supplies. These would be passed off to Bill, who would, by means he refused to explain, send them on ahead to Headquarters. This went off smoothly, though it took some time to get Hermione out of Flourish and Blotts. The sight of Ron struggling under a tower of books had provided amusement to everyone involved.

After lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, the adults told the teens they could go into Diagon Alley for some personal shopping if they wanted. The adults would remain largely in the background and the group would meet at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes by dinnertime to travel back to Headquarters.

"So, I would suggest we break off into groups to maximize our time, then we should meet someplace central, perhaps outside Ollivander's–" Hermione stopped speaking when she walked into Ginny. The brown haired girl started to admonish her friend for suddenly stopping, then over Ginny's shoulder saw what had caused it.

News of the appearance of The-Boy-Who-Lived in Diagon Alley had slowly spread. When it became apparent that not only was Harry Potter out and about, but that all six of the teenagers who had raided the Department of Mysteries were in fact in Diagon Alley as a group, the media could not resist the opportunity. Bearing down on the group was a mass of reporters and photographers.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered. "Let's duck into–"

"No," Harry said, standing firm. "I want to get this over with."

"Harry, are you sure?" Neville asked.

Harry nodded. "We can't hide from them forever. And we want to make a public statement."

"Well," Hermione said slowly, "it won't be anymore public than this."

"I wonder if Father sent anyone?" Luna stood on her tiptoes and looked at the group coming their way.

Ginny gave Harry a determined look. "Let's do this."

Harry Potter put on his best smile and stepped forward into the mass of reporters. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Tonks and Bill converging on the scene.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Potter! Would you and your friends be willing to answer a few questions?" several voices rang out.

Harry held up his hands for quiet. "Of course we would." Harry pointed at a short, balding man holding a parchment, "You there, go ahead."

The wizard looked up, as surprised as the rest of the reporters that the reclusive Harry Potter was willing to answer questions. "Um, yes, Winthrop Cordsmith for Wizarding Times. Mr. Potter, is it true that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named attacked you personally in the Ministry of Magic?

"Yes, Tom Riddle, the dark wizard who calls himself Lord Voldemort, did indeed attack me and my friends that night. Fortunately through the timely intervention of Headmaster Dumbledore, we managed to escape."

Several of the witches and wizards cringed and paled at Harry's causal use of the Dark Lord's name. Harry pointed at a thin wizard in bright yellow robes.

"Anthony Marques for the Quibbler. Is it true that the Death Eaters used some form of secret magic to find the home of your Muggle relatives?"

Harry felt Ginny place one steadying hand on his back. He took a deep breath. "To the best of my knowledge, they did not use anything more than gold galleons to tempt my late relatives into giving up my location. I suppose you could call greed a form of dark magic."

"And how does their betrayal make you feel?" Marques followed up.

"Sad. I'm sorry for them actually. They didn't understand what they were dealing with."

"Rita Skeeter for the Daily Prophet."

Harry smiled at the woman. "Lovely to see you again, Rita."

Skeeter smiled a dry smile. "What do you say to your critics who call you an unstable glory seeker?"

"If they'd like to have the worst Dark Wizard of the age out to kill them, I'll happily change places with them."

"A question for Miss Granger." A younger witch spoke up. "Oh, yes, I'm Allison Carter, Teen Witch. Miss Granger you've been romantically linked to several prominent wizards in the past, including Harry Potter," she motioned toward Harry with her quill, "and Victor Krum. Can you tell us who you're dating now?"

"First of all, I never dated Harry or Victor Krum. And I hardly think my personal romantic life is of any concern to the press."

Rita spoke up. "So you deny any romantic entanglements? Because rumor has it that you're seeing another Quidditch player, a team captain at Hogwarts."

Hermione turned a dark shade of red, but Ron stepped up to her side. "That rumor would be true. Miss Granger and I have been seeing each other exclusively for some time."

Several quills scratched furiously.

"Mr. Potter," Cordsmith spoke again. "After the attacks on your home, you've been left without family. Where are you living, and what are your future plans?"

Harry's face took on a grave look. "I'm afraid I can't say where I'm staying at this time. As for the future, I'm sure something will work itself out by the end of the school year."

"If you don't mind Harry, I'd like to ask your friends a question," Rita Skeeter gave a venomous smile.

"Of course," Harry said.

Rita turned to the other five teens. "Considering the danger that seems to swirl around Mr. Potter, don't you five fear for your safety? Wouldn't it be prudent to keep away from someone who has supposedly been targeted by the Dark Lord? Shouldn't your parents be protecting you from such terrible danger?"

Hermione spoke first. "That's three questions, Ms. Skeeter. However, for myself, Harry and Ron have been my friends since first year. Without them I would most likely have been killed by a mountain troll before I reached my second year. They're my friends, and you don't abandon your friends in dangerous times."

"Look," Ron said. "Being a Weasley is enough to set the Death Eaters on us. We're an old pureblood family who's come out actively against the Dark Lord. You can't run from something like this, it will only hunt you down and destroy you in the end. The only way to stop the Dark Lord is to stand firm and fight."

Neville cleared his throat. "No one is safe, and if they think that hiding from the problem will keep the Death Eaters from their door, then they're foolish. Everyone thought the war was over fifteen years ago, but my parents were tortured to insanity after the war was supposedly ended. We either stand together, or we can all die separately."

"It's right, this battle," Luna added. "No one wizard, no matter how powerful, no matter what kind of fantastical powers he wields, or magical creatures he controls, has the right to tell the rest of how to live."

"Fighting for liberty and all that?" Marques asked.

"What's the alternative?" Ginny said. "Be Voldemort's slaves? If that's the way you want to live your life, feel free. Or not free. The rest of us will fight."

Harry raised his hand, "All right, one more question." He pointed at Allison Carter and prayed for a fluff question.

"Mr. Potter, you're a star Seeker at school, you're rumored to be independently wealthy, and you're known to be unattached since breaking up with Cho Chang. Our readers want to know what kind of witch Harry Potter would want for a girlfriend?"

Harry smiled at the question, knowing this one would be easy to handle. "Well, she'd have to be able to see past all the Boy-Who-Lived rubbish and just want to be with me for me. She'd have to have a wonderful sense of humor."

"She'd have to be smart," Hermione piped up.

"A good Quidditch player," Ron added.

"Brave," Neville quietly said.

"Able to see past the ordinary," Luna said.

Harry nodded agreeing with his friends. "She'd need to be able to deal with my crazy life."

"Red hair would a plus," Ron said.

"Patient," Neville spoke again.

"A powerful, gifted witch," Hermione looked thoughtful.

"Strong willed," Luna smiled at Harry.

"A cute little nose," Harry added playfully.

"Fierce," Neville chimed in again.

"Someone who understands what it means to be a target for Voldemort," Hermione said.

"A girl who wants a family," Ron added forcefully.

"Unafraid to face destiny," Luna whispered.

"But let's not forget the most important thing," Harry said with a smile. "She'd have to be Ginny Weasley."

Harry took Ginny's hand and, with a wave and smile, pulled her away at a dead run from the reporters toward a small side alley running behind some of the shops. That was the other couples' sign to scatter, which they did, even as the reporters cried out for them to answer one more question.

Harry grabbed Ginny around the waist and swung her around in a circle as they stood behind Madam Malkin's.

Ginny laughed. "You know you've broken the hearts of young witches everywhere."

"Yes, by this time tomorrow there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth all over the magical world."

"A shame you won't be alive to hear the commotion, Potter," a smooth voice spoke from the shadows.

Harry and Ginny broke apart and drew their wands. Harry turned toward the voice, while Ginny stepped behind him and covered his back.

Lucius Malfoy, flanked by the elder Nott, stepped from the shadows. Harry felt Ginny tense beside him.

"I told you that you'd pay, Potter," Draco Malfoy's voice came from behind him. He chanced a quick look over his shoulder. The younger Malfoy and Nott stood facing Ginny. He gave Ginny a quick glance and decided she had them covered. He turned back to the primary threat, Lucius Malfoy.

"How was Azkaban?" Harry asked quietly. Harry thought if he could get Malfoy senior talking, it would give the rescue party time to swoop in.

"I'm afraid I was forced to cut my stay in that fine establishment short." Malfoy smiled. "I had other, more important, business."

"I suppose being Tom's toady is hard work."

Lucius' smile vanished. "Put down the wand and come quietly, Potter."

Harry smiled. "Whatever in our history makes you think I'm going to come quietly?"

"If you resist, Potter, your little girlfriend will be the first to die. Come quietly, and perhaps I'll let her live."

Harry snorted. "If I even thought about surrendering to save her life, she would, after kicking your sorry butts all over the place, hex me into next year."

"I wouldn't do that, Draco," Ginny said softly at Harry's side. "Two words, boys. Bat Bogey."

"Really, Potter," Lucius said in a smooth hiss, "You're outnumbered and all alone. Come quietly and perhaps the Dark Lord will have mercy on you both."

Harry suddenly realized that Malfoy did not want to use magic. If he did it would attract attention, even in Diagon Alley. Harry smiled a feral smile. "Get ready," he whispered to his girlfriend. He heard Ginny softly mutter "Protego" under her breath.

"Flamma Murus!" Harry cried, conjuring a large wall of flame between himself and the elder wizards.

"Stupefy!" Draco's voice cried.

"Protego," Ginny calmly intoned. Harry heard a body hit the ground.

"Finite Incantatum!" Lucius dispelled Harry's flame wall.

"Stupefy!" Harry cast a stunner at the elder Malfoy, but Lucius blocked it with a flick of his wand.

Harry heard Ginny cast the Bat-Bogey hex, and Theodore Nott screamed in misery.

"Avada Kedavra!" the elder Nott cried out.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion in Harry's mind. Harry reached up and grabbed Ginny by the back of her robes, pulling her down to the ground as he himself dived out of the way of the killing curse. The jet of green flame passed over his head, and he heard a muffled scream behind him as Nott senior's spell struck his own son, killing him on the spot. Harry rolled away from Ginny and came up into a crouch. Time went back to normal for Harry.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at a stunned Nott.

"Incarcerous!" a voice Harry recognized as Remus Lupin shouted. A series of robes tied up Nott as Harry's stunner knocked the man down.

A volley of spells, too many for Harry to keep track of, went off around him. They all converged on Lucius Malfoy, who barely managed to raise his wand and Apparate away before the various spells slammed into each other in the spot where he had stood. There was a small magical shockwave, then calm.

"Are you two all right?" an anxious Remus Lupin knelt in the dirt next to Harry and Ginny.

Harry nodded. "Nott?" he asked.

Tonks walked up, grim faced and angry, "The younger one's dead. His father is in custody, as is Malfoy the younger."

Harry turned toward Ginny, who was sitting quietly holding her wrist. "Are you okay?"

"I think I broke my wrist when I landed," Ginny said, holding her left wrist tightly to her body.

"Better a broken wrist..." Lupin let the statement hang as he examined Ginny's wrist. She hissed in pain. "Ah, yes, defiantly broken. We need to get you two back to headquarters. Ginny, can you hang on until then? We'll send for Madam Pomfrey as quickly as possible."

Ginny nodded, still holding her wrist. "I'll be fine."

Remus Lupin took out a leather Muggle wallet and handed it to Harry. "This will take you to…safety.

Harry took the wallet and wrapped his arms around Ginny. Lupin tapped it with his wand.

Harry landed in such a way as to shield Ginny from the worst of their inevitable crash. She whimpered a little as they came to rest on the floor.

"Oh, Ginny! Harry! Are you injured?!" Mrs. Weasley rushed up to them.

"Ginny's broken her wrist."

Mrs. Weasley knelt beside her daughter and took on a very no-nonsense approach. "Right, then, let's see it."

Gritting her teeth, Ginny held out her wrist for examination. Mrs. Weasley muttered an incantation and a soft blue glow formed around Ginny's wrist. Black and red swirls and dots formed in the blue glow.

"Very well, it's much too damaged for me to repair. Harry, help Ginny up to her room while I contact Madam Pomfrey."

Harry led Ginny up to the room, moving slowly and carefully while she held her damaged wrist steady in her good hand.

"Ginny, I'm sorry I threw you down so hard–"

"Don't be an idiot, Harry, if you hadn't done it, that curse might have hit me." Ginny climbed onto her bed, and lay on her side, facing the door.

"Still--"

"Potter, if you apologize, I swear I'll rip your throat out with my teeth."

"Well, we wouldn't want that," Harry muttered, reaching out to brush the hair out of her face.

"No, we wouldn't," she agreed.

"You were brilliant out there, Gin," Harry said.

Ginny smiled. "I was, wasn't I?" Her face clouded over suddenly. "Poor Theodore Nott. He was probably only doing what his father told him."

Harry nodded. "I know. That's another reason to stop Voldemort. Nott might have grown up to be a dark wizard like his father, but he might not have either. Now he'll never have the chance to make that choice."

Madam Pomfrey bustled into the room, Molly Weasley right behind her. Harry kissed Ginny on the forehead and backed out of the room. He had just shut the door behind him when a pair of hands fell on his shoulders.

Bill and Charlie Weasley spun Harry around. "We need to talk," Bill Weasley said in a stern, angry voice. Charlie nodded in agreement with his brother.

There was nothing friendly in their eyes.