The moment Draco and Dudley arrived, Petunia went into action. She may not have had much in the way of magic … certainly she was not a seer, but some maternal instinct told her she had no time to waste in getting her family under cover.

During the prior two days she'd packed essentials, a feeling of déjà vu hovering in the back of her mind. Many of the same things were being put in back packs as Dudley and Harry had packed when fleeing from Privet Drive. She hoped they were selecting the right clothing for Draco … he would not be pleased at only having muggle clothing.

Petunia sighed and put together her own satchel and sent Dobby to help Tori. Tori had been fairly excited to find that they were going 'on a road trip'. She was less happy that she could not pack her whole room. Petunia had let Dobby stuff some of Tori's favorites in the 'bottomless bags' but had specified just how much and what could be put in.

Just before the boys arrived she made a sweep of the house, sending objects of value back to Malfoy Manor. She hesitated over Lucius' desk and files, finally sent the whole thing to the manor and had Dobby bring an empty desk to replace it and scattered parchments and quills on it along with a few books and letters from Draco and Dudley.

The moment the boys were there Dobby shrank their trunks for them to pocket and they threw off their cloaks. Even as they closed the door behind them they heard a knock at the floo. Dobby knew what to do though … he would stall the Aurors for as long as he could.

They walked swiftly out of the gated community, losing themselves fairly quickly among the people on the sidewalk. The row of shops fronting the wizard community had become quite popular, so the traffic was brisk, though not heavy. The shops were a bit eclectic, but were doing well.

The shop with crystals from not only the mine the boys had visited, but others did a good business, although much of it was by catalog.

There was even a robe shop that was popular among not only wizards and witches, but among 're-enactors' who needed good costumes for their fairs and festivals. The people from the renaissance fairs lent the shop credence and the wizarding world simply came in through the back or through the carefully concealed floo. Wizards and witches seemed to feel they were a bit daring to 'shop in plain sight among the muggles'.

Petunia had arranged to pick up a car a few blocks from Spinners End, Dobby had popped the luggage into the trunk hours ago. Now they loaded up and headed south. Draco and Dudley were nervous but enjoyed the scenery and they stopped at a few take – away places that Draco had never encountered before. He sniffed at the hamburgers, but quite enjoyed the fish and chips.

Tori was fretful as was Freya, who had never had to endure a cat carrier before – even one that was wizard – spaced with a roomy interior, with a litter box and bowls that would not spill even if the carrier turned completely over.

They arrived at their destination that evening. Petunia had managed to sneak to a phone the day before and had warned of their arrival.

Marge met them at the door, a bemused look on her face. Petunia was thankful that hostilities had subsided between them … at least enough so that an emergency situation would have Marge being reasonably cooperative.

"Thank you for taking Dudley early in the summer … and letting Draco come with him …" Petunia watched Dudley carry his suitcase inside, Seti clinging to his shoulder. Draco was dragging a trunk with a scowl, never having had to move his own luggage before. The school trunks would have to stay shrunk until they were their rooms. The shrinking charm would come undone with a word … and reactivate with another, so they could stay hidden if need be.

"Well, now, I want the lads safe as much as you do." Marge said slowly, eyeing the Mau cat cautiously. At least she wanted Dudley safely at her house … and if that meant the pointy pale prince and cantankerously crabby cat tagged along, she would put up with it. "How did Mr Malfoy become a target for those gangsters?"

"He assisted the police in closing down one of their operations, now one of their henchmen is threatening to take a member of the family hostage if he assists further. They should have the men apprehended soon … but in the meantime …" Petunia waved her hand wordlessly.

Marge nodded, not sure she understood, or if she even wanted to. All she knew was that she'd gotten Dudley early this summer and might have him for extra time. She looked down at the small girl with the white blonde hair and chilly blue eyes. She took and deep breath and steeled her resolve.

"Um, do you, um, need me to watch the girl as well?" Marge sweated a little, hoping for a 'no'. She would take the frosty – eyed imp if necessary, but she knew trouble when she saw it.

Petunia froze a moment in surprise. She had a brief moment of temptation. Petunia would have paid good money to watch a cage match between Marge and Tori, especially if Ripper and Freya were thrown in as well. But, no, it was good of Marge to offer … and if Tori accidently turned Marge into a guinea pig with some accidental magic, the ministry would be called in and that would end the whole 'hiding from the ministry' objective.

"Thank you for the offer, Marge, it is appreciated. However she and I have somewhere else to go." Petunia watched relief run across Marge's face. Dudley and Draco came back out to hug her goodbye as well as Tori.

Marge hustled the boys inside and announced that there would be another Dr Who marathon the next day. Draco grimaced. Dudley had tried to explain the TV series without success. Draco usually avoided the room at their house that was lead – lined to accommodate a TV / VCR and video game system. He could never find time to watch enough of any shows to really get interested, and Dudley didn't spend hours in there anymore, either. He saved his TV / video game interest for when he saw his Aunt.

Dudley through an arm over Draco and grinned at Marge. "You are looking at the one and only Dr Who virgin left in the British Isles, Aunt."

Marge looked at Draco in delight. "Oooh, well, I bought the first few seasons on tape – we'll catch him up so he'll know what's happening, and then he can enjoy the marathon tomorrow." Marge bounced into the house, thrilled to have a new convert to the Dr Who world and popped the first tape in.

Draco sat on the sofa in shock, how had he ended up in Dr Who hell?

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Hugo and Albus sat across from each other at a café in the Ministry atrium, glaring at the latest Daily Prophet. The Prophet reporters – along with every other paper's reporters - had taken the stance that 'the Ministry Aurors had become thugs and law-breakers themselves, and the Wizengamot – and Minister were incompetent idiots who could not control their own staff'.

The articles about the Snape and Malfoy girl's 'emotional pain' were endless. Harry Potter's likely anguish was speculated on, and then they had dug up every other 'oops' on the Auror's and Wizengamot's part and revisited the anguish those victims had gone through … including Sirius Black. Even Rita Skeeter had reluctantly joined the fray – choosing to focus on mistakes made by the ministry and Aurors.

Albus could not change laws all alone and the Minister could not force Scrimgeour to hand over the three 'Death Eaters' he was holding single-handedly. Hugo was outraged at the slowness of the Wizengamot on what to do, in the face of the wizarding public's demand that the prisoners – at least Lucius and Severus – be freed and that 'certain rules be changed.

Hugo was all for rounding up a group of Aurors they knew were not with Rufus and storming the holding cells to remove Lucius and Severus - and putting Rufus and his minions in them.

Albus and Amelia had wistfully wished they could. The problem was that Rufus had invoked that old law … and the Wizengamot could not agree if that superseded the subsequent laws about the right to lawyers and visitation.

Albus was beginning to see the divisions in the Wizengamot – those that were happy to incarcerate those that they didn't like without due process and those that wanted justice to even someone they didn't like. Those that were really hidebound and clung to old laws no matter what were annoying, but those eager to tear away at laws without thought were equally scary. The squabbling factions had never been more obvious than at present and would likely just get worse as the pressure mounted.

Maybe he should just mount an operation with the Order … but a sneaky operation to infiltrate holding cells in the ministry to rescue prisoners would require cunning – and Rufus currently had Albus' most cunning plotters in custody. It was really depressing.

"Has anyone heard from Igor Karkaroff?" Hugo asked gloomily.

"No – there is a rumor that he's dead – caught by 'the Dark Lord' and killed." Albus sighed. "Nothing substantial … but it does seem to be coming from people in Knockturn Alley or other similarly nefarious areas. They are not specifying it is 'Voldemort' … just that it is 'the Dark Lord'.

"Miss Delacour has created quite a stir with her assertions about Harry and Voldemort." Hugo said with his first smile of the day. "I wouldn't expect that the first person to back Harry would have been her. The British papers whined a little about her winning – some said that Cedric didn't want to win because of the kidnapping by portkey – that he didn't want to have to touch the TriWizard cup. Durmstrang alumni say that Igor's defection left Victor without a mentor and threw him off his game."

Albus shrugged. People whining about the outcome of the Tournament was the least of his worries.

A paper airplane landed on Hugo's shoulder and he opened it and snarled. "Adrian Kirke says that Aurors Hopkirk and Smith showed up at the carriages taking students to the train … Tom and Harry left via dragon – courtesy of Hazelette. He also says that a pair went to 'pick up the entire Malfoy household' for 'questioning' … only to find them gone." Hugo paused to enjoy Albus' outraged look and then continued. "He also wanted to warn us that St Mungo's could not talk Mad – eye into staying any longer … he managed to get his wand back and there was no stopping him. He'll be barging into the Ministry in no time, most likely."

Albus sighed again. The news just got better and better.

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Neville arrived back to Longbottom Manor and was met with silence. A house elf had met him at the train station and taken him back to the Manor. He'd said that Grandmother had needed to meet with Muriel Prewett for high tea and would be home later.

That was alright … his head was still whirling. He'd been gleeful when he'd heard Malfoy and Snape had been arrested. He certainly hoped that the info he'd given Rufus had led to it. Then he'd heard about this new 'Dark Lord' and he'd been terrified. Still at least Potter's 'brother' Tom Riddle had gotten taken down a peg. It was too bad Potter was now rumored to have taken on a 'Dark Lord' and come out on top – or at least had survived it - that would likely swell Potter's head even further.

Neville had been uneasy about this 'Dark Lord'. Blaise had made it clear, though … it was not Voldemort. It was a new leader that Dumbledore and his goons just were calling a Dark Lord because they knew he wanted to consolidate the wizarding world and keep them safe from muggles and ensure that 'certain standards' were kept up that Dumbledore was trying to tear down.

Potter hadn't been hurt at their meeting … Blaise said that his mother had said they'd just been trying to reason with them and they had gone crazy – that Tom had actually been the one to cast the killing curse, trying to kill the new 'leader of the traditional wizarding faction' and had missed and almost killed Cedric.

Neville had still been uneasy. What Blaise was saying made sense and Neville certainly didn't want Voldemort to be back. The problem was Barty Crouch Jr. He'd cursed the cup and sent the three to the 'meeting'. Blaise had hesitated, then. He'd said that Barty had tricked them – that they'd thought they were recruiting the real Moody to help them … that they had been as surprised as everyone else when he'd turned out to be Barty.

Blaise's other friends from the 'traditional' group had all nodded – McClaggen, Herron and Trigg. They were from upper years and other houses, but they all seemed very sure about it all. It was nice to once again have a group that was behind him in his dislike of all things named Potter, Snape and Malfoy.

Neville got to his room and sat at the window overlooking the greenhouses. Yes, everything was fine. His uneasiness slowly passed and he felt much better. He had better friends now than when he'd first arrived to Hogwarts.

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Rosmerta apparated with Beth to the designated park that she was to meet Petunia and Tori at. She had a large portkey that had been sent to her. Not as small or elegant as Lucius' were. It was an old hubcap – but at least it was large enough for all four of them to grip.

Tom and Harry had arrived home in triumph, with Hazelette, who had demanded three plump does for 'the long journey' she'd had to make at 'great speed'. Rosmerta had given them both hugs and hoped they would all be back home soon, but she could fight for Severus and Lucius more effectively at Petunia's side.

Rosmerta had been unhappy at the pensive look on Harry's face. She hoped she was doing the right thing.

Petunia arrived and left the car in a parking slot. It would get towed after a day or two and sent back to the rental company, who would complain to the lawyer who'd arranged it, etc. The important thing was they were far from Surrey, so the car would not be linked to her old address … she hoped.

They gathered around the hubcap, shrunken luggage in their pockets. Tori and Beth clutched their cats' deluxe cat carriers. Rosmerta cast a disillusionment charm and they each grabbed the portkey. Rosmerta said the activation words, "Grimmauld Sucks!"

The girls squealed as they whirled through space and Petunia clenched her teeth. They finally landed with thumps. The cats screamed, hissed and there was a lot of scrabbling sounds heard in the carriers.

Petunia and Rosmerta looked around the Grimmauld Place library and sighed. In spite of numerous attempts by Molly and Andromeda, one could tell immediately that this was a bachelor establishment.

Remus stepped out from the shadows with a welcoming smile. "I'm afraid Sirius is out – he's got a date … or something, but you'll want to settle in anyway, I'm sure."

Petunia looked at the clock and the sleepy girls … it was late. Driving took much longer than portkeys and she'd criss – crossed England today. Remus showed them to the rooms. The girls were sharing a big room, and there were connecting doors on either side for Petunia and Rosmerta's rooms. It didn't take long to unpack and put the girls to bed.

Freya and Rudy – the cats – were still offended, but took their places on the girl's beds anyway.

Grimmauld Place was ensorcelled to the rafters and they could think of no safer place to put the girls and themselves for safety. They didn't believe in putting all their eggs in one basket, though – hence Dudley and Draco were at Marge's. Besides, imprisoning teenage boys in a house during summer was insanity – it would be bad enough with the girls.

Tom and Harry had insisted on staying at the Reserve – they needed to start talking to the Chinese dragonrider about Harry's 'little problem with a Horcrux in his scar'.

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Tom kept his hand on Harry's shoulder, letting him guide him along as they went through the Dragon Reserve. The greyish world, populated with beings made of light had changed, the greyishness becoming sharper and the beings of light a little dimmer. They greys had started sporting colors here and there and his eyes itched, like he just needed to rub sand out of them and everything would return to focus.

The Healers continued to council patience, but that was not Tom's strong suit.

They got to Dragonsrest and Tinker greeted them with joy. There was soon a feast on the table and Harry and Tom tried to make a dent in it, though with the house ringing with emptiness, it was difficult.

They both dragged to bed, hoping the next day would have good news. They had just finished a rather glum breakfast the following morning when Director Yuan Chang arrived with a wizened old witch. Her back was still ramrod straight and her eyes were sharp, but Harry guessed she was on the other side of one hundred and fifty.

Tom saw her as a bright fiery red flame – smaller than the outline of her form, shrunken with age, he would guess. Considering how brightly the magic glowed even now, he was sure that in her prime her magic would have been breath-taking.

"Madame Lin DaWei … may I introduce Dragonkeeper Tom Riddle and Mr Harry Potter?" Yuan introduced the pair. "Tom, Harry … this is the 'Healer of Dark Curses' Madame Lin DaWei." The three nodded to each other and sat.

The witch, after a slight bow and murmured request to be allowed to begin, started her spell-casting. She started with rather simple diagnostics that even Harry recognized. She worked slowly, carefully, spell after spell looking closely at every part of him – causing occasional embarrassment. She finally got to the scar and soon the scans became rather painful. The scar bled a couple times and once he actually pushed at her wand, asking her to stop.

Madame Lin DaWei was at last satisfied with the results and stepped back, nodding slowly.

"Yes, you are correct that this is one of those vile Horcruxes … although I did not believe you incorrect in your assessment. Your Professor Snape is also correct that it was ill – made … as it was made by accident. This may or may not be in our favor. My 'cure' if you wish to call it that was made for a true Horcrux." Lin shook her head. "We shall hope that we can work around that … as well as find a few obscure ingredients that will be necessary."

"You mentioned in your letter that a few necessary materials would be a problem." Yuan looked at her expectantly.

Lin nodded. "Some are merely expensive … I know that will not be a problem for Harry or his brother. A few are rare … but I expect the Headmaster can pull strings." Lin raised an eyebrow. "One however … the young sorceress who risked her life to free the Emperor's son from his fate as a Horcrux found obtaining the ashes from a burned dementor difficult to obtain. They are not as easily found in the orient … and back then the means to defeat them not well known."

Tom groaned a little dramatically. "We had piles of dementor ash lying around a year ago … if only we had known …"

"Dementor ash …" Yuan said thoughtfully. "Yes … that makes perfect sense as an element to destroy a Horcrux, as it is a small piece of someone's soul"

"I did hear of your success in incinerating some dementors … it gave me hope that this would not be a wasted journey." Lin looked at them. "Of course the mixing of this tincture will need an exceptional Potions Master … and I understand you are now lacking one.

Harry grimaced and looked back at her. "Yes, but we're getting him back … and soon." Lin nodded her head, satisfied with the determined look in his eyes.

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Sirius staggered home at what would have been an unforgivably late … or perhaps early … hour. Luckily he was unmarried so the only one who would frown was Remus, and since he would give him a hangover potion and no lecture, that was okay.

He needed to give the house a good once over with cleaning charms … in case Kreacher was slacking again. Petunia and Rosmerta would be arriving with the girls tomorrow, or maybe today … he'd check with Remus to find out.

He climbed the stairs to his bedroom, singing a rather salacious ditty about the Harpies and their … well you get the picture. He glanced around the room before falling into bed fully clothed. Molly and Andromeda had tried to get him to put away some of the pennants and posters of the old Quidditch teams and his Gryffindor graduating class. He liked looking at them, even if they made him sad at times. His bedspread was still the one with snitches and brooms that zoomed around … it still made him smile.

Petunia and Rosmerta were up early as they had to coordinate their next attack on the ministry with Molly and Andromeda. Remus was rousted by the noise of the girls romping with the cats up and down the hallway. He listened to their battle plan and smiled … Sirius was in for it, all right.

Petunia finally looked around and barked, "Just where is Sirius Black, Remus?"

"I don't think he's up as yet … since he arrived home about 4 or 4:30 in the morning." Remus smiled into his cup of tea and waited for the fireworks. Sure enough, Rosmerta frowned and marched up to Sirius' bedroom and didn't bother to knock. Remus and Petunia could hear Sirius' outraged squawk as he was hauled out of bed. Then there was a pained howl as he was dragged down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Ow, ow … chest hair … chest hair …" Sirius shouted, batting ineffectively at Rosmerta's hand that had a solid grip on his shirt-front and, well … chest hair.

Rosmerta at last released him to fall into a chair and Remus wordlessly shoved a hangover potion and a pepper-up to him.

Petunia got right to it and outlined the plan. Sirius cheered immediately … chaos – insurrection – rebellion. He could hardly wait.

"How soon can we start, then?" Sirius asked with a gleam in his eyes.

"Right now – we plan to strike just as most of the workers are arriving. Rosmerta has the reporters lined up – even ones from foreign papers. The twins have got the students stirred up – we expect a lot of them … and their parents to be there. Severus' cousin, Eleanor, has a lot of our garden club ladies and everyone they know coming. Molly and Andromeda have the Order and everyone we can contact. Remus even talked Lockhart and all his werewolves into coming." Petunia smiled happily, and this was just the beginning of the chaos she would unleash if necessary.

Rosmerta cast a few cleansing charms, wrinkle away and hoped Sirius didn't look too raffish to make an impression. The important thing was that he had been a wrongly – accused wizard who'd had to endure Azkaban.

Dora arrived to watch the girls, as they didn't want them snatched away in the middle of what was sure to be chaos.

Soon they were ready and popped into the Atrium, along with what looked to be hundreds of others. Molly and Andromeda waved to them, and they hurried over to their small army. Rosmerta, used to counting head, quickly looked around … yes they had at least four hundred there, and as at least half were students the Aurors would never dare fire on them.

Sirius took point and looked around and nodded. They all cast sonorus and pulled out placards and banners. Cloaks and robes were cast open to show off the T-shirts the twins and their friends had hastily put together.

The students waved their signs at the ministry workers, bellowing "FREE SNAPE, FREE SNAPE!" Someone had obtained an impressive picture of an ultra-serious Severus doing his intimidating arm-crossing with his cloak billowing and had placed a copy on most of the signs they carried. He glared out over the crowds of gaping workers and sneered, causing quivering in hundreds of the ministry workers.

The students raced around the atrium, chanting and waving the signs. Reporters chased after workers and Aurors who were trying to calm things, asking if incarceration without trial was to become the expected thing.

The adults had formed a couple of large circles and began the usual walking – in – a circle and chanting that Petunia remembered from college days whenever they protested something. Sirius stood in the middle, waving his sign and shouting about ministry policies and how he'd been wrongly incarcerated … and now the same thing was happening again.

Several bands of teenage girls bounced around the atrium together, handing out pennants that alternately said Free Snape! and Free Malfoy! They wore rather tight-fitting T-shirts with a picture of Lucius and Severus across the front with the Free Snape and Free Malfoy logo on it.

Lucius looked delighted to be splayed across the impressive chests of the young witches especially since they'd forgone their bras for the occasion - while Severus looked a bit alarmed, or perhaps horrified.

Albus, Hugo and Cornelius had been alerted to the minor insurrection in the atrium and had been ready. They huddled together and faced the chaos, sending up sparks to get attention.

Cornelius made a solemn speech about citizen rights and that the Wizengamot indeed needed to overhaul many laws if this was how they were going to be used to wrongly hold citizens. Loud cheering greeted this and more chanting. The group of impressively endowed witches danced up to throw confetti and give the Minister one of the T-shirts.

Sirius shouted that they would return if the Wizengamot refused to act, and that more was coming if need be.

The group left, hoping that the Wizengamot got the message. Petunia and Rosmerta shouted thanks to their crowd of protesters and Sirius waved cheerfully at the reporters who were snapping a group photo of the tight – T-shirted witches.

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