#and the idea that Dumbledore told Remus that sirius was the traitor explicitly and to stop questioning it is absurd

[halothenthehorns]

TLTNL- THE ADVANCE GUARD

Remus gave a bleary look at the start of his chapter, he had no doubts that not a one of their questions was going to be answered, honestly he wouldn't be surprised if even more piled up, though at this point that didn't feel possible.

Harry at once wrote down three copies of the same note, telling he'd been attacked by Dementors, about to be expelled from school, and when he was getting out of here.

"I'm fairly confident you know about as much as what's going on as any of us," Sirius pointed out, "but the leaving part is relevant yes."

"I know someone knows more than they're telling me," Harry grumbled, "they always do."

He addressed them to Ron, Hermione, and Sirius.

"I thought Ron and Hermione had implied they were in the same place," Lily asked.

"Just in case," Harry shrugged, some biting words trying to creep across him about how even Sirius was in the same place as them, Harry was the only one left out.

  Hedwig was not home right now, and Harry was left to pace furiously in front of the window awaiting her return. His mind still pounding as was his physical body from the night's events.

James twitched violently at all the blows Harry had gained in just one day from that place, but it was honestly of some small comfort that what Vernon had explicitly done to him wasn't a lingering pain in this moment.

Thinking was only making it worse, frustration still pouring from his every move as he kept glaring daggers at everything he passed.

Lily sighed softly as she watched that agitation reliving in her son now, he was being more twitchy from these remembered frustrations than he had when he was even in a life or death situation before. She'd wished countless times to be there for him in this future, his past, but now she wished it yet again for a new reason, to calm him and promise it would get better.

As if sensing her, their eyes met and his face smoothed for just a moment as he smiled at her, he knew.

His mind kept thinking of all the strange happenings from this one evening, and always coming back to his expulsion, and still no one was talking to him!

"Honestly though," Sirius shook his head at himself, "that really is just insulting, seeing as someone should have said something long before now anyways." Sirius couldn't shake that nasty little thought of where he was, if he was so busy still out looking for that traitor he was starting to slip on taking care of Harry. What that rat had done to his godson last year to help bring Voldemort back could have easily rekindled that fire to see him punished, but Sirius wouldn't really make the same mistake twice and drop everything to go after him, right?

His own burning question of what had just happened in that kitchen, who had that howler been from, was just as pressing to him.

Harry grumbled and rubbed at his forehead for his own mind throwing questions that hurt like the dickens now just to be asked, a name should be on the tip of his tongue.

Why was he still here, being treated like a naughty child?

James groaned on his son's behalf, he could only imagine how frustrating that would be, and told Harry, "do you know how impressive it is to me you haven't broken yet and gone there in person? You've far more restraint than I do by just pacing and grumbling."

Harry was well aware that everyone in here had tried to leave at least once by now from a snap of frustration, but Harry knew he wasn't too far off from doing the same in that moment.

He kicked his school trunk on his next pass by, but all that achieved was a sharp pain in his toe as he kept limping now.

"I think Harry's going for the Snitch and trying to receive an injury on every part of himself before the night's up," Remus grumbled.

"We should count ourselves lucky if he doesn't deck the person who arrives for him at this point," Sirius agreed.

Finally, on his next pass of the window, his snowy owl returned like a small ghost in the night.

Harry felt a sharp thwap against his mind for that description which he refused to linger on.

He snapped at once she'd taken her time, he had work for her!

"Haven't you learned by now not to take your anger out on your owl," Lily rolled her eyes at Harry, trying to remind him of Hedwig's deserved attitude last year.

"I hardly think that in the moment," Harry said sheepishly, though he hoped he wouldn't get too cross with her.

Hedwig gazed at him reproachfully over the dead frog clamped in her beak.

Harry's eyes did light with just a touch of warmth for a single moment, his owl always seemed to be more prone to bringing him back her dead catches whenever he'd had a fight with Vernon, she could just sense things about him like that.

He at once began tying the letters to her, saying she was to take these to them and peck their fingers until they started writing him good long replies.

Sirius flexed his hand in concern as he watched his pup with wide eyes, but there was pure understanding in his voice as he told, "guess I can't even blame you."

That hurt Harry worse than if he had been angry at him. He'd wanted all summer for someone to understand how upset he was, and now his godfather really seemed to, but still Harry never would have wanted him to see him like this.

Remus was honestly just confused at the Sirius in the book as well for not having done something long before now. What had happened to their Sirius who sent long, but disjointed letters like he'd been forced to stop and start it several times, the ink varying shades of dry and also full of random anythings he could cobble together to send for good news for them coupled with endless complaints of what his parents had done to annoy him this week. If Padfoot had sent him a letter like he'd been sending Harry, he'd think something was extremely wrong with his old friend. He'd tried to force himself not to linger on these changes to their friend as much as James clearly did, but some things he had problems pretending to overlook, and this was one.

Hedwig gave a muffled hooting noise, her beak still full of frog.

"Snack for the road," Sirius forced out with chipper.

The moment she was back out of sight, Harry felt guilty for being sharp with her, she was his only friend here.

Harry watched the orange owl in the corner for a moment cleaning its feathers and ruffling up its tail to the brown cat slinking along its post at the bottom. The image suddenly double layered with his own snowy white doing the same thing with Crookshanks around, and it left a soft pain in his heart he couldn't see this again in the foreseeable future. Hopefully whenever he'd come from, someone was taking care of his owl now.

but he knew he'd make it up to her when she returned the next morning with three long letters from them all. They couldn't ignore a dementor attack.

"I like to think they aren't ignoring you now," Lily still tried, her eyes still a little wider than should be as she kept trying to think of some way to get rid of this lingering anger she could still feel coming off of Harry. "It must be Ron's parents, and Dumbledore, stopping them telling you everything, which you must know would be a bad idea in letter form anyway." It didn't even make herself feel better for a moment, as letters should have ended ages ago and he should be with his friends rather than a place he detested so much.

"Right," Harry agreed without emphasis.

He'd probably wake up tomorrow to three fat letters full of sympathy and plans for his immediate removal to The Burrow.

If anything that seemed to make Harry feel worse though as he sunk deeper into his cushion, a part of him already forewarning him not to get his hopes up about that.

With some final comfort, his body sank into the bed and he finally passed out.

His owl did not return the next day though, and Harry spent the whole of it in his room only leaving for the loo. Food was supplied through the catflap by Petunia's hand.

"They didn't lock me in there again," Harry promised at once before the book could imply worse, "I just couldn't put up a farce of dealing with them when I was already in such a bad mood. With my luck I'd do more magic accidentally and blow Vernon over to Scotland."

"Honestly, at some point it'd be worth it," James grumbled, still infuriated Harry could be in a house full of people and not one of them were concerned Harry was keeping himself so isolated. It was a miracle Petunia noticed at all to feed him! How he could keep hearing this over and over and still feel that anger fresh every time couldn't be normal.

Every time Harry heard her approaching he tried to question her about the Howler, but he might as well have interrogated the doorknob for all the answers he got.

Lily still had the urge to curse the answer out of that stranger, frustrated beyond belief that they honestly might not get an answer for that as Petunia seemed to hate giving Harry a piece of bread, let alone information.

This went on for three days.

The room collectively groaned in frustration, they'd always hated hearing of time at the Dursleys, and it still somehow got worse every time. Now it was starting to feel like he wasn't getting any other options. The Burrow better have had a house fire or something for Harry not to have been invited there long ago. Even if they didn't know the extent of the problems at the Dursleys, it had been made clear they at least had suspicions, so there wasn't any excuse in their opinion for this continuing!

Harry was alternately restless, leaving him in manic pacing of his room while furiously doing nothing, and in long states of lethargy where he'd lay absently on his bed and think of nothing but that Ministry hearing with aching dread.

"You're not going to be expelled," Lily said at once with absolute confidence. "They just can't, the law's on your side, you've done nothing wrong."

Harry gave her a grateful smile as he envisioned her in that old courtroom, throwing the book at Fudge rather than himself for instigating all of this, then he blinked the vision away and wondered why that place still felt so foreboding to him. It helped that he truly did feel comforted by her words, so he let it go.

What if he was expelled and his wand was snapped? Where would he go next? He could not go back to living here all the time.

"I'd never let that happen," Sirius snarled at once. "You'd live in a cave with me and Buckbeak first." Sirius didn't exactly sound enthused at the idea, it hurt him he couldn't actually provide anything of use for his godson but company, but that didn't change his point.

Could he live with Sirius, as his godfather had once offered before he'd gone on the run from the Ministry himself.

Sirius relaxed back at once, nodding eagerly and saying, "don't know why you'd bother asking, Merlin I'm still ticked it hasn't happened already."

Harry just smiled at him, but it still felt more forced than he'd ever like. He still longed for something, anything in him to confirm this could happen one day, not this nasty ache inside.

Would Harry be allowed to live there alone, given that he was still underage?

"The Ministry does not rightly care where you live once you're no longer in school," James snorted in disgust. "You could live anywhere you wanted, even in an 'empty' house." He knew Harry wouldn't really be alone, Sirius would be there with him of course, not that anyone in the Ministry would know that.

Or would the matter be settled for him? Was his breech so bad he might be reallocated to Azkaban?

They all grumbled in furious dispute of that, but for once Remus shivered harder than Sirius at the thought. It was more because of self loathing though. Even at his lowest, Remus still never crossed Harry's mind as anything? His life kept feeling more useless the more pages that were turned, wondering what the point of his even living past James and Lily if he couldn't be of any help to anyone.

On the fourth night after Hedwig had left, Harry was in one of his apathetic phases slumped on his bed when Vernon opened the door in his best suit with a purely smug expression.

"Thank you Harry, I needed something to envision to punch," James scowled.

He informed Harry they were going out.

"And they are telling you, because?" Lily demanded.

"To rub in I wasn't going I suppose," he shrugged without care.

Harry was not to leave this room, or touch any of their possessions,

All of them still felt their lips curling in disgust as Vernon continued to treat Harry like that while he'd lived there, in the loosest term of the way.

or steal from the fridge,

"I wouldn't even want to eat that food," Sirius stated, "I'd put it in the bin for the local strays."

and Harry was going to be locked inside.

Harry emotionlessly complied with all.

James buried his face in his hands in pure frustration, both at Vernon actually doing that, and Harry's complete lack of care it being done. He had felt lethargic before, emotionally drained even, but never so much he would not kick down any door that he was locked in. He'd tried it now, even without success. What state did you have to be in to not care about this?

Vernon glared at Harry, clearly suspicious of this lack of argument,

"I really don't get that," Lily sneered, "you've honestly never been that much of a problem to them, and yet they treat you like you're constantly on the verge of burning down that house."

Harry just shrugged without comment, he always knew Vernon saw exactly what he expected to see in Harry no matter how he acted.

then stomped out and did as promised. Harry heard the key turning without care.

"He hadn't locked me in there until that point," Harry amended, making James laugh at least as Harry truly seemed to be striving not to let himself be caught in a lie to him again.

The faint noise of the house creaking around him barely penetrated Harry's stupor of misery.

"I'm fine," Harry insisted to those around him who had grown increasingly pale the longer Harry was left like this. "Sure I don't enjoy remembering how upset I was, but I promise I'm fine now."

They smiled grimly at him, but still that worry lingered of where his friends and more importantly Sirius were, why was Harry being left like this for so long?

Then, quite distinctly, he heard a crash in the kitchen below.

Harry watched those around him tense at once with concern, that fear from the first chapter of some Death Eater ambush was clearly still on their mind, but Harry had an indulgent smile in place. He couldn't think why right now, but there was absolutely no ill will towards that noise even as the ghost of adrenaline pumped through him for his reaction at the time. He didn't think he did a good job of soothing the others, as everyone still had one hand near their pocket while Remus forced himself to keep going.

Harry bolted out of his bed at once as he processed this, knowing it couldn't be the Dursley's as he'd never heard their car arrive back. Then he heard voices, and Harry thought burglars.

"While normally I'd actually enjoy the fun of that," Sirius gave a forced smile as he imagined some Muggle laughing while Sirius pulled his wand on them and then cursing whatever idiot thought he could steal their stuff, "now isn't a good time for anything to be in that place that shouldn't be."

"Anything?" Harry persisted innocently, causing all of them to take a step back and really asses that Harry was almost smiling for the first time since they'd started this book. If truly he felt no fear for this moment even as he rubbed at his temple to understand why, than that must mean that someone really had finally come for him to get him out of there.

They didn't get to bask long in their happy moment as baby Harry began crying upstairs, and Lily hopped out of James' lap to go fetch him. She came back down the stairs wiping angry tears out of his little eyes, clearly he did not appreciate having been put up so early. James quickly moved with her when he saw she was going to sit back in the other couch, an arm's reach from Harry, and the three settled comfortably there while Remus kept going.

Harry at once dismissed the idea though, as burglars would be more quiet, and those below were making plenty of noise.

"You really are quick on the uptake," Remus complemented Harry's logic.

His wand was in hand as he glared at the bedroom door thinking it over.

James still felt a spot of agitation Harry was locked in there, with no way to escape other than a two story drop, unless those bars had been put back up in his absence in which case his son was truly pinned down with no way out. Even if he wasn't in danger, that was still terrible for many different reasons.

Next moment, he jumped as the lock gave a loud click and his door swung open.*

"Did you do that?" Remus yelped, thinking Dumbledore might not be able to stop the Ministry a second time if Harry was doing more magic, even by accident.

"No," Harry said at once, he really hadn't quite gotten up to accidental magical levels.

"Then what on earth did unlock that?" James demanded with his eyes narrowed.

Harry felt something nagging at the edge of his consciousness, like he might have worked that out for himself later, but for now he just shrugged and crossed his fingers like everyone else another Ministry owl wouldn't be arriving.

Harry stood motionless, staring through the open doorway at the dark upstairs landing, straining his ears for further sounds, but none came.

That only made them start to feel edgy all over again. For a moment James had wondered if it had been the Weasley twins picking the lock on Harry's door again, but then it would have swung open to reveal them. This was blatant magic and someone hiding, not a good combination for his boy. If Harry wasn't all at ease he knew he'd be crawling out of his skin right now.

He hesitated for a moment, then moved swiftly and silently out of his room to the head of the stairs.

"More space to move," Sirius nodded absently while Harry gave him a nudge, trying to get them all to stop giving him tactical advice already.

His heart climbed into his throat with fright as he spotted at the bottom of the stairs a whole group of people staring at up at him, none recognizable in the dark.

"That's always a pleasant thing to see in the dark," Lily shivered as she pulled her baby closer into her lap. Even if every one of the Weasley's had arrived to get Harry out, which was rather odd in itself, she had no idea what was up with the surprise. Ron or someone should have thought to turn on a light by now.

A low, faintly familiar growling voice called up to Harry to lower his wand.

Harry's eyes flipped wide in surprise as he finally identified someone, "that's Professor Moody."

"I can't say that made me feel better," James jumped in surprise even as he smiled, "considering your last encounter with him."

"I guess they sent members of the Order rather than Weasley's," Sirius suddenly bounced with excitement, wondering what was taking him so long to run up the stairs and tackle his godson with a hug.

Harry's heart was thumping uncontrollably, even knowing that voice he did not lower his wand.

"You're getting more encouraging by the minute," Lily said approvingly this time, she hoped someone really was regularly taking Moody's hip flask away from him now for more than an hour. She didn't care if it sounded paranoid, she honestly wasn't sure if she could ever trust him fully again after his face had nearly murdered her son.

He called out the only title he knew Professor Moody by, but the man grumbled back he wasn't so sure of it considering he'd never gotten around to the teaching bit.

"Well he's got a point," Sirius shrugged, feeling all at ease now and still forcing himself not to take the book away from Moony to get to his reappearance already.

Remus would have honestly let him if Sirius asked, considering he was already ticked at himself for not being there, again.

Harry lowered his wand slightly but did not relax his grip on it, nor did he move.

"Something Moody would honestly be proud of," James chuckled.

He had no reason to trust Moody considering the last time he'd met him it was in fact an imposter for a whole year who'd tried to murder Harry.

"Just think for a moment if you had no idea what that meant," Lily shook her head in exasperation, "can you imagine how confusing that would be."

"Well then it's a good thing we got backstory," James rolled his eyes at her.

Before he'd come to a decision though, an even older voice from his past but far more welcome one called up to Harry it really was okay, they'd come to get him out of here.

This voice was even easier to recognize than the other as Harry yelped, "Remus!"

Remus jumped at first in confusion, then surprise as he eyed Harry, then the book like he was sure someone was lying. Then his face cracked into the widest smile in days as he demanded, "really?"

"Yep," Harry beamed.

Remus still sat there looking dumbstruck for a second before Sirius smacked him on the back, still bouncing around like he was sitting on a spring, "well I'm not surprised. Bout time Moony's made his reappearance, I'm sure you've been busy and you're dying to tell Harry what you've been up to." He seemed utterly confident of this, that Sirius himself had dragged Remus along so that the three of them could have a chat while the rest of the Order did whatever to get Harry out of there.

Harry's heart leapt even if he hadn't heard from Professor Lupin in a year, calling back to him in disbelief.

Remus was in such a good mood it was almost passable as he hid a wince. 'It's your own fault,' he mentally scolded himself, 'you haven't given him a reason to call you anything else.' Yet the contrast to Harry sitting next to him leisurely and Harry still at fifteen only calling him a title stung like he wouldn't have believed.

Next spoke up an unfamiliar woman's voice demanding why they were all still in the dark, answering her own question by lighting her wand tip.

"Is she mad!" Lily balked. "He's in trouble because he's done magic, now she's being utterly blatant."

Harry still managed an indifferent shrug as his smile kept widening at this new voice, there was something in the tone promising he liked this person.

Harry blinked in the sudden brightness to find the crowd of people below him all craning around to get a look.

Harry was in such a good mood, he hardly even rolled his eyes at being on display like this.

Remus Lupin stood nearest to him, and though still young in age, he looked even more ill and haggard since Harry had last seen him with more grey than ever in his hair and robes falling right off of him with patched shabbiness.

Remus kept reading loudly past anyone who was trying to make a comment about that.

He still managed an easy smile as he spotted Harry, while the witch holding her lit wand said Harry looked just as Remus had promised. She was clearly the youngest there,

"Explains the idiocy," Lily rolled her eyes at the idea of the Order sending some child to fetch her son.

with a heart shaped face, dark twinkling eyes, and spiky violet hair.

"Well I like her," Sirius said at once with a chuckle at that description, "any girl who can get away with that hair shade gets points with me."

Another man, black with a bald head and one golden hoop earring, agreed as well Harry did look just like James.

Sirius' face suddenly fell though as he realized he hadn't been mentioned next to Harry or Remus, which clearly meant he wasn't there at all.

Remus too realized this and turned curious eyes on him, but Sirius managed to wave the moment off, his eyes only just a bit tighter but his smile hadn't even dimmed. "Nah, probably had to do something just before this got started," he broke off without coming up with a good reason why he wouldn't come see his godson the second he could with this group, but still waved Remus on to get to that part already.

Except the eyes, those were his mother's eyes, a wheezy voiced man said in the back.

James and Lily still managed to exchange a proud smile for how their boy had turned out.

Mad-Eye Moody kept them on track by demanding of Lupin if he was sure this was Harry? Didn't want to bring an imposter back.

"Can't even blame him for that one," James frowned sadly at the thought of what his idol had been through.

Lupin asked what Harry's Patronus was, and he said a stag at once.

"That really is one of the easiest tells," James agreed fondly, a smile lighting right back up as he always enjoyed being reminded of that.

Lupin confirmed this was him, while Harry tried to tuck his wand away in his back pocket finally.

Moody at once barked not to go doing any such thing, be could blow a buttocks off.

Everyone full blown cracked up laughing at the imagery, even if they would have given the same warning.

The violet-haired girl asked who he knew had lost one?

Causing further giggles to erupt the girl had asked!

Mad-Eye snapped at her never mind that, elementary wand safety should still be followed. He began making his way towards the kitchen, but clearly his magical eye was on her as he snapped he saw her eye roll.

"Now I definitely like her," Remus chuckled in agreement with Sirius. "She's got some spunk doing that to him."

Lupin reached out and shook Harry's hand, asking how he was.

Remus rolled his eyes at himself, it had been long enough since he'd seen him.

Harry managed a stuttered fine in surprise, still unable to get over his surprise so many people were in this room as if it were a long standing arrangement.

"Maybe it was," James grumped, "and you just weren't in on it."

"That didn't make me feel better," Harry pointed out with a sigh.

He glanced at all these strangers and away, suddenly feeling self conscious he hadn't combed his hair in days.

"Not like that actually makes a difference," Lily pointed out.

He instead pointed out they were all lucky the Dursleys were out.

"Oh are they though?" Sirius leered, thinking of the timing of this.

The violet-haired woman just laughed, saying that was no luck, but her doing. She'd sent them the fake Lawn Competition invitation.

Everyone burst out laughing again, even Lily let her original ire melt a bit at the girl doing this to the Dursley's. She was already made clear she was good for a laugh, and they were all eager to find out who she was already.

Harry pictured Vernon's face when he found out he'd been duped, and prompted they were leaving soon?

"Afraid of his reaction when he comes home?" James demanded, smile dropping at once.

"It certainly wouldn't be fun to be around," Harry shrugged with indifference. He'd always been yelled at for anything going wrong, and some prank would most certainly fall under that. Still he was quick to reassure their worries he wouldn't have done much, just shouted at him to get his frustrations out. For some reason that didn't make them feel entirely better.

Lupin agreed almost at once, and Harry eagerly asked if they were going to The Burrow? He was denied, while being moved towards the kitchen and the gaggle all still followed watching him like a show.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Lily sneered, she'd always hated people eyeballing her son, and these were supposed to be adults!

Lupin explained that the Burrow was too risky, and they'd set up Headquarters somewhere else. It had taken them awhile to get it all together.

"Is that why I haven't been out of there before now?" Harry asked, thinking that really could have been put in a letter to at least appease him.

"Don't know," Sirius shrugged, "we move our headquarters all the time to stay undetected, but those places are usually flimsy at best and even more a meeting place than an outright Headquarters."

"Sounds like the Order got an upgrade," James agreed, a funny feeling buzzing in him he wasn't, would never be again, apart of it.

Mad-Eye was already at the table sipping from his hip flask,

Lily had to fight the urge to demand someone take that away from him.

his magical eye keeping track of everything in his surroundings.

"I wonder how far away that thing can see," James asked as he pictured the sky above him and all the stars.

"I never asked," Harry answered.

"I'd imagine not too great a distance," Lily shrugged, "but who knows, maybe he can see all the way to Australia."

Lupin introduced Harry to him as Alastor Moody.

"Do I not know you've met?" Remus demanded, already feeling a rising sense of anger at every little thing he did.

"Don't know," Harry shrugged as he didn't seem too concerned with it.

Sirius had to work hard for a moment before saying, "I'm sure I've kept you up to speed, with everything I know at least. You're probably just going to introduce everyone, just for clarification to him." Then for a split second, Sirius wasn't even sure if that was true. He'd claimed to have forgiven Remus in the Shrieking Shack, but not once afterwards had Sirius made mention of his oldest, and now only friend. Had he really forgiven Remus? He viciously kicked the thought away to not be lingered on. Didn't matter, he was still his Moony now.

Harry uneasily said he was aware, it was strange to be introduced to someone you'd thought you'd known for a year.

"That is fair," James agreed absently as he watched the two, clearly something was bubbling between them, and while James got Remus' problem, he wasn't sure what was suddenly bothering Sirius.

Then he turned to introduce Nymphadora

Sirius was instantly distracted by something snatching at his mind before he yelped, "oh," in surprise.

"You know her?" Lily demanded.

"I think my cousin Andromeda has a daughter she named Nymphadora. We keep in loose contact since she's the only living member of my family I can stand." Sirius offered with a look of concentration. "Hold on, what's her surname?" He directed at Remus in hopes he'd finish. True it wasn't exactly a common name, but he'd still rather be sure.

but the violet-haired girl corrected at once it was just Tonks!

While Remus finished with a smile that she preferred to go by her surname only.

"Yeah, Tonks, that's right, that's the Muggle-born she married named Ted's surname. She sent me a letter about it when the little bloom was born, but that was already what, two, almost three years ago now. Kept meaning to go around and visit her, you keep saying you want Harry to meet more kids his age." He finished with a triumphant little smile that wavered just a bit as he added, "glory, she's as grown up as Harry and I never even meet her."

Remus' frown turned sharp as he turned on Sirius, fixing to tell him off that wasn't happening and he could go see her whenever he wanted, but James cut in with a lighter joke instead. "Well Remus is clearly still some fun, he could have introduced her the way she wanted, but oh no, he just went for the full name, clearly to annoy her."

Remus chuckled but didn't deny he could see himself picking on her already if she'd return in kind which seemed obvious.

Harry had an odd smile in place as he watched Remus for a moment, one that Lily thought she'd seen when he heard of Ron and Hermione's argument back during the Yule Ball. Harry could feel it in his mind, like two bits of metal being struck together and waiting for something to spark, but the memory refused to solidify any further and he mostly ignored it for now.

Tonks grumbled back so would he if he'd been named Nymphadora.

Sirius started snickering at the idea of this girl, it was clear she'd inherited her mother's spirit already, he knew he was going to like her.

Lupin moved onto the black wizard named Kingsley Shacklebolt, then the wheezy-voiced man Elphias Doge.

Harry blinked curiously at the name, sure for just a moment he might know him more than just a passing person like his mind was telling him. Something about Dumbledore...

Dedalus Diggle, who eagerly interrupted they'd met before while dropping his hat in excitement.

"Squealing every time you meet him isn't technically meeting him," Lily rolled her eyes even as she did smile a bit, she'd always liked him and he always asked to hold her son at least once every time they met.

Then Emmeline Vance,

Lily actually whooped with excitement to hear she'd lived long enough to see her niece be born, a topic she wouldn't stop discussing when they met up.

Sturgis Podmore,

James felt himself sitting back in relief as well, Sturgis had been in an undercover mission for the past two weeks and hadn't been at his last check in, they were already starting to wonder if he was another lost soul. Clearly he would make it back though.

and Hestia Jones.

Harry nodded awkwardly to every person who'd been introduced.

They were equal amounts as surprised as they were pleased that they only didn't know three names, Kingsley, Hestia, and Tonks. It was a good thing they supposed, that Dumbledore still had so many trustworthy people, but something about it seemed blackened as they heard these names. That Lily and James couldn't be a part of this, nor so many others. They'd heard of so many deaths and disturbing things happening to the ranks, and now they knew the source of who was behind it for those dwindling numbers, and it hurt.

Harry wished they'd look away from him, he was starting to feel like he was on stage.

Remus quietly told him that a surprising number of people had volunteered to come here and get him, his mouth twitching slightly.

"You already have that look written all over your face," Remus had that same twitching mouth now, Harry noticed, giving him the odd impression of seeing double again at the man in the room double layered with him fourteen years older and much more weathered. Still, it was honestly fun for him to see the Professor he knew acting like someone he had been seeing as an Uncle lately act the same.

Moody said the more the merrier, they needed this large guard for Potter.

Lupin told Harry they were just waiting for an all clear signal before they took off.

"Honestly, I think I prefer him calling you that," James said conversationally, as Remus still twitched uneasily every time he realized Harry was going to keep calling him by his last name only. "Makes it a tad less confusing than you referring to yourself."

"Sirius gets through it just fine," he muttered petulantly while reading even louder over Harry trying to say something. Either apologize or something else, Remus found it his own fault Harry was doing it so his problem to deal with.

Tonks interrupted by pointing out how clean these Muggles were. Her dad was Muggle-born, and he was a slob. Then she decided herself it must vary per Muggle just like wizards.

"She clearly hasn't met many Muggles then to not have realized that," Lily said a bit grimly as she still hated the idea of that house. To shake that off she directed at Sirius, "you should bring Andromeda around Sirius, if you like her so much."

"I keep meaning to bridge the gap," Sirius shrugged, "but I just keep forgetting and then getting busy. I know you want Harry to be around more kids though, so I promise I'll get on it," 'if we ever get out of here,' he finished mentally but it went unsaid.

Harry half heartedly agreed, then turned back to Lupin to keep asking him what had been going on and why he hadn't heard anything from anyone,

Lily snorted in surprise even as her maternal voice didn't quite kick into the scolding, "bit rude to dismiss her?" She couldn't even blame him though, she'd be a bit short with someone gaping at her as well, but at least this Tonks was trying to make conversation.

"He's kind of the only one I trust at the moment, and finally someone to talk to," Harry shrugged, at least seeming to make Remus better for just a second.

what was Vold- but several people hissed at him to such up and Moody outright said it.

"They all hate hearing the name that much huh?" Harry chuckled at what he saw as an overreaction.

"I think they're just being a little paranoid," Remus shrugged, "we don't usually discuss those types of things in places we consider unsafe, it's not out of the range of possibilities we could be watched."

Harry demanded what the problem was and Moody snapped it was too risky to be discussing that here. His eye even stayed trained on the ceiling.

"Are you going to get that smirk every time you say something that turns out to be true," Sirius rolled his eyes at Remus who kept flipping back and forth so much lately he was giving them a coronary. Moony was known to be moody even a few days after a full moon but this was getting ridiculous.

"Have I ever not?" Remus asked innocently enough.

Then it turned out the eye was just stuck in that position, it had been doing so ever since that scum wore it.

"Thank you for the reminder," Lily squished up her face in disgust at the idea.

With a popping noise like removing a plunger, he popped the eye right out of the socket.

Which turned into a full blown grimace of disgust while the boys honestly looked intrigued at the idea.

Tonks told him conversationally how disgusting that was.

"My sentiments," Lily shook her head while Remus snickered at someone saying that to Moody's face.

Moody ignored her and asked Harry to fetch him a glass of water, which he did with all eyes still on him, which was starting to annoy him.

"Past that," the others muttered, not even blaming Harry if he snapped and told them to knock it off soon.

Harry handed over the glass and Moody plopped the eye right into it.

"Can he see out of that when it's not in his head?" Sirius requested.

"Never asked," Harry shrugged, again. He was always far too afraid of Moody to ask him for anything, and that detail had hardly changed after the near murder experience.

"I'd imagine no," Lily pointed out, "the magic would have to be attached to something for him to be able to see out of it, not strictly attached to the nerve."

"More importantly," James' grin had turned scary, "please tell me you don't bother putting that up before you leave, I want to hear that one of the Dursleys took a drink out of it."

"I don't stick around to find out," Harry chuckled, having no clear memory of doing anything with it after this, so maybe James got his wish.

Harry asked how they were getting wherever they were going, and Lupin told they were going to fly, couldn't use any other magical means or the Ministry would know about it.

Harry got a bad feeling at the idea, of a group of Wizards traveling with him from the Dursley's house including Remus, Tonks, Moody- his brain suddenly fizzled out and he just settled for reassuring his mum that everything would be fine even if he didn't feel it at the moment.

Kingsley told that Lupin mentioned Harry was a good flier.

"Well someone's been bragging," James chuckled.

"I'm sure I'd never exaggerate," Remus grinned.

Lupin agreed with himself that Harry was excellent, then asked if Harry's trunk was all packed? They needed to leave as soon as they saw the signal.

"Then someone should have sent him a letter for warning," Sirius rolled his eyes at himself, thinking he definitely could have phrased that to give Harry some forewarning, and still annoyed at himself for not being there.

Tonks quickly offered to help him, following him out and still chatting about how this place was just too clean, it felt unnatural.

"It's not a home unless it's lived in," Lily smiled in agreement, eyeing some of the baby things she had scattered around and a few heavy treads in the carpet that had honestly been there before these readings, the boys had just made them more obvious.

Then they entered Harry's room and she proclaimed this was much more normal.

Harry didn't agree, as he'd been confined to it for days in a foul mood, so most of his stuff was scattered everywhere.

Tonks wasn't really paying the clothes much mind though, she'd spotted the mirror in Harry's room and was examining her violet hair, asking if it made her look peaky?

"There is no correct answer for that," Sirius said at once while James rolled his eyes and corrected, "you tell her she looks nice and then take the fallout even if she disagrees."

Lily pouted at him, fixing to protest she never told him off when he did that for her, but Remus was ignoring the lot of them.

Harry just erred in response, while Tonks agreed with herself it did indeed.

"Ha!" Sirius barked while James rolled his eyes.

She closed her eyes, screwed up her face like she was trying to remember something, and before Harry's eyes her hair turned bright pink.

"Wow," all five of them uttered in surprise, though for two different reason.

"How did she do that?" Harry yelped in surprise at the same time Remus said, "you didn't say she was a metamorphmagus."

"I didn't know," Sirius had a full blown smirk in place, "guess Andromeda was saving it as a surprise till I came to see the little nymph in person. Guess that got spoiled."

"What is it?" Harry persisted curiously.

"A born magical ability, to change your appearance at will," James explained. "Very, very rare, only passed down through magical bloodlines and often skips a few of those."

"I bet Cygnus and Druella are pissed," Sirius had a nasty smile in place as he imagined their faces. "They disowned Dromeda when she married Ted the muggle-born, now their granddaughter's got this rare gift they can't even claim credit for."

Harry was fascinated by the idea, though there was something trying to snatch up his attention in the back of his mind as his eyes casually flickered to Remus, then his own infant self in a redhead's arms- his brain felt like it had been sucker punched already and was thankful Remus was moving on.

Harry gaped in shock how she'd done that!

Tonks explained she was a Metamorphmagus, a person who could change their appearance at will. She'd made top marks in her Concealment and Disguise training becoming an Auror, hadn't even needed to study.

"I think I'm falling in love with this one," Remus said dramatically as he outright laughed now. "Glory Sirius, she's reminding me of a female version of you."

"Keep dreaming Moony," Sirius rolled his eyes even while he smiled proudly at that little toddler growing up to do something so spectacular.

His parents and Harry snickered at the pair, Harry hardest of all.

Harry was even more impressed now, an Auror was the only career he'd ever considered.

Tonks agreed with chipper, pointing out Kingsley was one as well, but more high ranked than her, she'd only just made her final qualifications a year ago. She'd nearly failed because of the Stealth and Tracking part, she was dead clumsy. Had he heard her break that plate when they'd first come in?

"Adds to her personality," James grinned, he'd applaud the girl in person for wrecking anything of the Dursleys.

Harry asked if being a Metamorphmagus could be learned? He'd picked up a shoe to throw in his trunk which had been dangling in his hand this whole time, he'd already forgotten about packing.

"This is certainly distracting enough," Lily smiled sadly for her boy, "but no, it's not something you learn, everybody else still has to use potions and magic to change their appearance."

Tonks chuckled at the question, asking if he'd use it to hide that scar? Her eyes found the fringe of Harry's hair, and the mark beneath it.

"Least she took longer than most," Harry sighed as he flattened his bangs.

Harry mumbled an agreement as he turned away.

Tonks explained he'd have to conceal himself the hard way, Metamorphmagus are born, not made. Then she seemed to realize she'd distracted him and that they had to get going, gazing around at the still messy room.

"Look at you distracting her," Sirius grinned at his little pup already swooning the ladies.

Harry rolled his eyes at the tone.

Harry tried to go back to it at once, but Tonks waved him off, saying it would be faster if she did. She waved her wand, and everything began soaring into the air at once.

Lily couldn't help frowning again though, there she was again using magic at her discretion with no regards to being in that Muggle house and Harry being in a heap of trouble. She hoped he offered a really good explanation when he remembered it.

Books, clothes, telescope and scales all soared pell-mell into the trunk.

Harry raised an impressed brow as he said, "now why hasn't that spell been taught already?" He may not have ever been allowed to use it at his house, but it would have made packing at the Weasley's better.

"Some spells they actually don't teach you during school," Lily shrugged, "that's a widely used charm that just passed from word of mouth. Molly's probably never done it for you because she's clearly the kind who thinks it's good of you not to get spoiled."

Tonks frowned at the jumble now inside, stating it wasn't that neat. Her mother could do it in a way that folded the socks.

"I think that's just a mother's gift," James grinned in agreement, "Lily's always been nifty at Charms so it didn't surprise me she does that, but my mum's the same way."

She gave her wand another hopeful flick, but a sock on top merely flopped over.

Causing more giggles and Lily an affectionate, "oh well, I'm sure she'll get there."

Tonks shrugged without caring as she closed the lid, then looked up astounded as Harry had pulled out his broom and she exclaimed that was a Firebolt!

Sirius' grin turned pompous at once. The treasured object hadn't even been used in Harry's last year except for one time Sirius would have rather done without hearing. At least now it was earning some more proper attention.

Her eyes fell on Harry's pride a joy, a gift from Sirius, an international broomstick.

"I'm going to take a pin to your head," Lily threatened Sirius, more for James's benefit than anything as she caught him rolling his eyes over something he'd normally be squealing and agreeing with.

Sirius just stuck his tongue out at her without further comment.

She groaned with envy her own model was only a Comet Two Sixty. She forced herself to derail though, saying if they were all done and he still had both buttocks?

Harry theatrically wiggled his butt in his seat while the others around him giggled at the reminder of that.

She then magicked the trunk into the air and floated it down the stairs for them.

Back in the kitchen, Moody had popped his eye back in which was whizzing in socket sickeningly, and most of the others were going through the drawers curiously and pulling out random appliances, like a potato peeler, in confusion.

The potato peeler at least James recognized as his wife owned one, she was prone to cook like a muggle even still and he found it fascinating to watch. He had no clue as to a microwave though, and was more than interested at Lily's quick whispered response.

Lupin was sealing a letter addressed to the Dursleys.

"That had better explode in someone's face with lasting damage, or I am officially taking away your Marauders card," Sirius declared.

Remus contemplated pushing his friend off his seat in hopes he'd hit his head and knock some sense into him, but this had never worked in the past, so he elected to ignore him instead.

He caught sight of them reentering and explained they'd be leaving any minute now, and that he'd written a letter to Harry's relatives telling them not to worry,

"They won't," Harry rolled his eyes at the same time Remus finished sadly.

while Harry inserted they wouldn't.

Remus wished he could laugh like Harry did, he just couldn't bring himself to find that funny because it was true.

Lupin ignored the insert and continued that he was safe,

which Harry still interrupted to say that would depress them,

"No, I mean it, ask about this," Lily huffed under her breath, long since giving up the hope anyone would, but unable to stop the words coming.

Remus winced in annoyance because he agreed with her, he wished he didn't think this was a joke.

and that Harry would see them next summer, to which Harry demanded if he had to?

Lupin smiled but made no answer.

"I think I had a Padfoot flashback," Remus told those around him as he gazed down at his depressing response. "Sirius made that comment all the time before he got off the train."

"Yeah, I suppose," James grumbled, still wanting to whack Remus over the head for taking it as a joke instead of really asking what Harry meant. Sirius had never meant it as a joke either though, and they'd never badgered him for details until far too late either.

Moody interrupted by pulling Harry aside to Disillusion him. Lupin had told that Harry had an Invisibility Cloak.

"Wouldn't he know about that anyways?" James asked in surprise. "If I left it to Dumbledore, surely the whole Order will be using it here soon."

"Maybe Dumbledore never told where he got it from," Lily shrugged.

but that wouldn't stay on while they were in flight.

He cracked his wand over Harry's head, and then there was the odd sensation of an egg trickling from his crown. When he looked at himself again, he'd turned into a chameleon.

"That's so cool," Harry's eyes lit up childishly pleased at the idea of this.

"Not as cool as the cloak," James swiftly reminded, "it wears off, and it's still easy enough to detect someone under that if you're looking."

"Quit being all paranoid over there dad," Sirius pouted at him, "let the kid enjoy the moment."

Then they stepped out into the night, pulling brooms that had been hidden away as Moody explained that Harry was to be tailing Tonks, Lupin would cover his rear, and everyone else would be circling him the whole time. If someone was killed-

Harry suddenly flashed concerned eyes to Remus, who just chuckled as he kept going while Sirius told Harry Moody was just exaggerating, if Death Eaters hadn't attacked yet it should be fine.

Harry interrupted to ask if that was likely?

Moody ignored him,

"Well he's just a right comfort," James snorted even as he did watch Remus just a little more closely.

continuing with his instructions that everyone was to keep flying and not to break ranks. If his whole guard is taken out, then Harry should keep flying east and there was a standby to meet up with him.

Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times as he had no clue how he was supposed to respond to that, let alone point out he had no clue which direction was east.

Tonks told him to stop being so cheerful, he'd think they weren't taking this seriously.

"But I sure hope they're taking you to see me," Sirius cackled while everyone else was still giggling over Tonks' comment, so Sirius got to delude himself for a moment everyone was laughing at his wit.

Moody growled back he was just telling the boy the whole plan, it was their job to deliver him to Headquarters safely and if they died,

"I really wish he'd stop mentioning that though," Harry murmured, not particularly comforted that Mad-Eye saying this put him ill at ease for this plan, but he was having a problem looking around the room and not meeting anyone's eye. He was being ridiculous of course though.

Kingsley cut in this time to say no one was going to die.

Lupin ignored all of them and told to start mounting brooms as red sparks could be seen far off in the distance.

"Moody wasn't kidding about that second group," James raised a curious brow at the complexity of this plan, though he was still convinced it wasn't all necessary, there would be no attack, Harry and Remus and everyone was going to be fine. Voldemort wouldn't be stupid enough to attack Harry up in the air like that surrounded by so many people, he clearly preferred sneak attacks and getting Harry alone so his son and friend would be safe.

Harry recognized wand sparks when he saw them as he swung his leg over. His broom began vibrating slightly, as if just as keen to be in the air as him.

"Brooms have been known to develop a bit of a personality as well as any magical object," Lily agreed with a small smile for Harry's suddenly beaming face he was finally being free of that place.

At the second signal, green sparks, they all took off, and Harry could feel every problem he'd had flying away as surely as he was.

Harry could finally feel some of the tension leaving his body as he relaxed back into his seat since this book had started. The memory of flying left him aching to go try it now, and he clearly wasn't the only one both finally grinning in relief from the release of that place and a want of their own.

The air in his face, the steady feel of the broom beneath him, Harry was finally living his fantasy as Privet Drive shrunk beneath him and he flew to the stars.

Remus had never been much of a flier, but even he was starting to feel restless and wanting to go have some fun out in the air now. He'd had to learn while he'd stayed a few times at the Potters, James would have nothing less, and he was suddenly more grateful than he ever had been before for those lessons.

Moody broke Harry's bliss by barking to make a hard left, someone was looking!

Harry quickly followed Tonks, and his creaking trunk beneath her, as they passed over a motorway. Cars were passing below them, and the Dursleys were likely to be in one of those, still angry over their failed win of a lawn, and Harry laughed at the thought.

Everyone else was already doing the same, all of their fears even temporarily being lifted felt like a haven at the thought of Harry finally enjoying himself.

He had not felt this alive in a month, or this happy.

Lily smiled warmly as she wrapped a blanket around her little Hare Bare for just a moment, more than happy he was away from that place that caused him so much misery, but wishing he'd put a jacket on first.

Moody continued giving instructions of directions they should be heading, and at one point even told them to start climbing to pass through a cloud for better cover.

"He really wants to pass through a cloud at that altitude?" Remus arched a brow and shivered at the thought.

"Here's hoping Tonks isn't the only one who'll tell him what she thinks," Sirius agreed.

Tonks bellowed for all to hear how mad Mad-Eye was.

"Or she can still do it," James chuckled.

Harry was starting to agree as he shivered on his broom, his hands were going numb. He wished he'd thought to put on a jacket.

Harry saw his mum twitch at the thought, so he gave an exaggerated stretch and nestled into his cushion with content, causing her to smile again.

Conditions only got worse the longer they flew, Harry hadn't been this cold since his Quidditch match in third year against Hufflepuff during a storm.

"Thanks, I really wanted to be reminded of that," James shivered, he hadn't thought he could feel lower than that time had caused him.

His guard around him weren't letting the weather be a distraction, always keeping in a circle around him as they kept going, at least for over an hour.

"How far away is this headquarters?" Sirius muttered, trying to map out in his head how fast Harry could go on a broom and the directions they'd been given.

Harry was beginning to wish longingly for Floo travel.

"Thought that was one of your least favorite ones," James kept things light by giving his glasses a nudge in reminder.

"You'll want the thing you don't have at the time when you're dealing with the bad," Remus reminded without looking up, causing James to roll his eyes at him.

It wasn't always comfortable shooting through magical chimneys, but at least the flames kept him warm.

Circling around Harry like giant birds, Kingsley, then Emmeline, then Sturgis were all randomly at Harry's right every time he glanced over with wands raised.

Lily still couldn't help an uneasy twitch as she realized how on guard they all were, a good thing for sure, but still worried at the necessity of so many coming to get Harry. Was there really a danger, or had Remus really just been playing off the moment?

Moody suggested they should double back for a bit before landing, but Tonks hollered at him for being mad! Everyone was frozen to their brooms!

"I really hope you get to know her quite well while you're hanging around the Order," Sirius' grin kept widening when he heard this. "I can already tell she's going to be fun to have around."

"Anyone who can holler at Moody like that will be of high entertainment," Remus agreed.

Lupin called from behind for Harry to keep on Tonks' tail as they descended.

Harry followed her down into a large patchwork of lights which quickly grew into neighborhoods, while Harry wondered if someone would have to unfreeze him from his broom.

"Don't worry, there's a charm for that," but Lily grinned in a way Harry honestly wasn't sure if she was kidding that time.

When they finally did land, Harry found himself in a dilapidated neighborhood that was all grimy bricks with trash heaped on the walkways and the streetlamps burnt out.

Sirius may have been trying to follow Moody's directions, but he still wasn't sure if he was picking the right area Harry was in, as Moody could have been going some roundabout way and Harry may not have even caught it all. The curiosity was high all around of where this new headquarters was, wondering if it was so good they could suggest it to the Order now with one glaring exception.

Harry asked where they were, but Lupin promised they'd explain in a minute.

Moody was fumbling around in his cloak with numb fingers before finally pulling out a silver cigarette lighter and clicking it, where one of the few remaining lights went out.

"Look, Dumbledore's thing is back," James beamed.

"Here's hoping we'll get a better explanation of it," Sirius agreed, he still wanted to know how to get his hands on one.

Moody continued clicking it until they were in total darkness, and all Harry could smell was the pungent odor of trash and some far off base thumping.

"This place sounds like a dump," Sirius smirked as James finished for him, "perfect cover."

Then Moody thrust a piece of paper into Harry's hands and lit his wand tip, telling Harry to memorize this, quickly.

"Err," they all muttered in confusion at something so random happening just as Harry got there.

Harry looked down at the piece of paper. The narrow handwriting was vaguely familiar.

"Familiar from where?" Remus asked.

Harry had to think hard for a moment, he'd recognized it at the time but hadn't thought much of it, but now his eyes blinked as he grasped, "it was the same writing that had first given me my cloak. That's Dumbledore's handwriting."

Lily frowned in confusion of why Harry was being passed a message from him now right as they were about to enter and more likely see the man.

It said, ′ The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.′

Sirius at first laughed. Then he did a double take as he realized Remus wasn't joining in, then he turned popping eyes to James who held the same look of shock confirming he had heard that right! Then a million things toppled through him so fast he hadn't a second to process a thing as Harry asked, "what?"

"My brother's dead," Sirius answered simply, gazing at nothing.

HPHPHPHP

* All the moments where magic was blatantly used always bothered me, it's just never explained and it annoys me. I'll explain it in the next chapter and say how that plot hole could have been fixed, just thought I'd let you guys know now.