A New Dawn

On a warm summer's night in mid-June, any Muggle in London who looked out the window would have seen the sky alight with red and gold fireworks of the most spectacular make. And they would have wondered what on earth had warranted the occasion--or what stupid group of teenagers was setting fire to the docks now.

In fact, these were not normal fireworks--they were of magical make, and in the Gryffindor house colors, no less. Mundungus Fletcher had managed to secure them from an unknown source somewhere in Britain, but no one had questioned them. That night was for celebrating and nothing else.

Farther than miles could measure from London, Harry Potter sat at the Head table in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, grinning like an idiot and throwing glances at the woman next to him. Her long blonde hair was swept up in an elegant French twist, and she wore a simple white dress with innumerable layers of crinoline. She, too, was beaming. On her opposite side sat a very pretty girl with long, shining brown hair and a bright smile wearing a flowing lavender gown. She was gazing down the table to Harry's right, where his best friend Ron Weasley sat, red hair still making his head look like it was on fire and a grin broad enough to match Harry's.

Harry looked out at the hall, filled with all their friends, Hermione's family, Ron's, Kate's, their teachers from school, and a reporter from the Prophet who was trying to be inconspicuous as he snapped photos when Harry and Kate weren't looking. But the person who caught Harry's eye was none other than Albus Dumbledore, still Headmaster of Hogwarts, who sat at the front of the Gryffindor house table, gazing reminiscently up at the party that sat at the head of the hall. He remembered a similar occasion, so many years ago, in which a man quite similar in looks to Harry had sat at that very table, happy in the same way as he gazed at the red-haired woman next to him. That had been a night no one would soon forget. This one was even more so.

As all the guests finished eating and drinking, Ron Weasley began to feel it was time to fulfill his duties. With a slightly sheepish glance at Harry, Ron stood, holding his wine goblet in one hand. A few people, including Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, whistled and cheered before the hall fell silent, waiting for Ron to speak.

Ron cleared his throat and smiled over at Harry and Kate, who both sat and stared intently at him with identical smiles on their faces. "I guess first of all, I should say congratulations to both Harry and Kate," he began. "Each of them has found a wonderful person in turn to spend their lives with." Here there was a smattering of appreciative applause, and Kate and Harry snuck a quick kiss. "But as best man, it's my part to tell the embarrassing stories from school days," Ron continued, getting a few laughs and a nod from Dumbledore. "From the moment I met Harry, we were pretty much best friends. I mean, not many people are going to take quickly to someone with red hair and a big nose who can't turn his own rat yellow, so I guess I'll take what I can get." Harry laughed at the memory of his first encounter with Ron on the Hogwarts Express, back when they were eleven.

"Even at eleven, Harry proved to be the poster child of Gryffindor," Ron went on. "I was proud to have him as a best friend, even though sometimes I'm sure I didn't act like it. Sorry, mate." Harry nodded, and Ron ploughed on. "We went through some dark times these last seven years, but each time, Harry managed to save not only himself but me, Hermione, and countless others--but I'm sure you all know that. I don't need to tell you what a hero my friend is, but I would like to tell you what a person he's become. Ever since our sixth year, when Kate appeared out of nowhere with her past and her secrets, Harry has been different. Not a bad different," he reassured the couple, and the guests laughed again. "But instead of fighting for the whole world, he's fought for Kate, and he's learned to work and fight alongside others. Maybe in that way, he's lost his advertising offer for Gryffindor House"--more laughter--"But Kate, with her strength and spirit, has brought out the eleven-year-old Harry that I first took to on the train, and for that we should all be grateful. I think what I'm trying to say, very ineloquently, is that no one in the world is better equipped to go into any unknown dangers that lay ahead--especially those of marriage,"--whistles from Dean and Seamus--"than Harry and Kate. I'd like to wish them the utmost happiness, and I hope you'll all join me." Ron grinned, raised his glass and nodded his congratulations at the couple before drinking, as the rest of the hall followed suit. A moment later, wild applause broke out as Ron sat down, his ears the same shade as his hair.

Harry had a quick second to lean over and tell Ron thanks before Kate was pulling on his arm; the band had moved out onto the stage, and everyone was waiting for them to take the first dance. As they passed around the table, Kate leaned over and gave Ron a quick kiss on the cheek in thanks and then followed Harry down the steps to the main floor of the hall. The band struck up a slow song, and Harry pulled her close to him.

They danced silently, enjoying the new idea that they would never again be apart. It was separation, ironically, that had brought them together. When they had both graduated Hogwarts, a little over a year ago, Harry had gone straight into his Auror training, but Kate's father had secured her a research job for Gringotts that sent her back to France. She and Harry had been desolate without each other, though they kept up a long-distance relationship particularly well. On their first Christmas out of school, Kate had come back to England to spend Christmas with her family, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry had proposed Christmas morning, Kate had given up her job and joined the Auror training program that began the following January, moved back to England into Harry's flat, and they had been planning their wedding ever since. The announcement of their engagement in the Daily Prophet caused the most joyous uproar in the wizarding world since the night that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had failed at killing Harry. Letters of congratulations began to arrive in torrents, along with many extravagant wedding gifts that Harry and Kate politely returned. Between the two of them, they had no need for income, but both of them had a passion for Dark wizard catching that had become a family tradition.

As before, that night now almost nineteen years ago, wizards all over England had prepared their own independent celebrations for Harry and Kate's union. The fireworks over London came from 12 Grimmauld Place, for which Mundungus would later be thoroughly verbally abused by Molly Weasley. Over the rest of the country, families opened special bottles of wine or turned on the radio and danced around the living room. Nothing could have brought a bit of light into the darkness of the wizarding community than a wedding between Potter and O'Brien. Even though Voldemort had lain quiet for the past two years, no one was willing to quickly forget the fear his return had stirred up. And he was still out there, somewhere, gaining more strength.

But not one person in the Great Hall was thinking about Lord Voldemort on the night of Kate and Harry's wedding. As the band began their second song, the guests joined in the dancing, and Kate spotted Ron and Hermione dancing slowly nearby, both smiling faintly. Their relationship had faded off a bit at the end of seventh year, but when they both discovered how miserable they were, they had gotten back together after graduating. Ron was working at the Ministry, in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and Hermione had taken an internship in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. They could often be spotted together on breaks and found any excuse at all to send memos to the other's department.

"Excuse me," came a well-known voice from just over Harry's shoulder. He turned and found himself looking into the sparkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. "May I cut in?" He asked with a smile. Harry grinned and handed Kate over to the Headmaster. He was making a move to go chat with Dean and Seamus when someone caught his elbow. He turned and found the smiling face of Ginny Weasley behind him. "You better dance with me, Harry," she said playfully. "Ron won't let me near Dean, and I'm not dancing with either of the twins." She pulled a face. "They've been trying to test out some new product for their joke shop during dinner, and I'm not taking any chances." She held out her hand and grinned. "Come on!"

Harry put his arms around Ginny's waist and spun her out onto the dance floor. Ginny had just finished up her schooling at Hogwarts and was taking the summer off before she began looking for a job. She had definitely turned into a beautiful young woman, from the awkward youth he remembered from his early years. Her flaming red hair hadn't toned down even a bit, but with Ginny's curves and delicate skin, she was easily the most beautiful woman in about every room. Except Kate, Harry added mentally, watching as his wife traded Dumbledore for Mr. Weasley. She moved easily and confidently with everyone, her laughter ringing like silver bells, her smile brightening the whole room.

"Harry," Ginny said, and his attention snapped back to her. She smiled wistfully and kissed him on the cheek. "Congratulations," she whispered. Her arms dropped from his neck and, giggling, she pushed him towards Kate and her father.

"Hey," Harry said softly when he had recovered Kate and Mr. Weasley was dancing with his wife again. "I missed you."

Kate laughed and kissed him. "I missed you, too," she said. They remained silent for a moment, their noses touching affectionately. "You know, it happened just the way you said it would," she finally spoke up.

"What did?" Harry said, trying not to laugh. He had just spotted Remus Lupin waltzing with Professor McGonagall, who looked rather taken aback.

Kate's hand stroked Harry's face, directing his gaze back to her. "This," she continued. "Us. Don't you remember, the last day of sixth year? You told me you were going to marry me. That we'd go our separate ways, that one day you'd propose and I'd say yes, and it really happened, didn't it?"

Harry's eyes glowed with remembrance. "All we've got left are the kids, the dog, and the house," he replied.

"Well, we'd better get cracking on that," Kate teased, and they kissed again, this time slow and lingering.

Suddenly, Harry's arms tightened around Kate, and he lifted her off the floor and spun her around in his arms in the middle of the dance floor. Kate laughed, keeping a firm grip on Harry as she watched the faces of her friends and family whirl around her. And then he stopped and set her down, and all she could see were his eyes, sparkling with happiness, full of love for her. And whenever Kate thought of their wedding day, that was the first image that came to her mind; the world spinning madly around her and Harry in the center of it, with his twinkling eyes, keeping her safe.

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Aurora was hiding. She loved games like hide-and-seek, especially with her neighbors. And she always won, too, just because she was small and could hide almost anywhere. And on top of it, she knew where her father kept his Invisibility Cloak. This wasn't really cheating, to her eight-year-old mind. Besides, if the twins and Chloe were all looking for her, she deserved at least one advantage.

Brady and Bridie, Aurora's five-year-old twin brother and sister, ran by the closet without even stopping to open the door. Aurora giggled quietly. She had discovered the tiny cupboard under the stairs only a week ago and had been dying to test it out. It didn't look like much, and it was barely big enough for even Aurora's tiny body, but it was the perfect place for hide-and-seek.

"Rory!" she heard Chloe call. Aurora pressed a hand over her own mouth to keep from laughing. She heard Chloe follow the twins around the corner and into the basement. Almost simultaneously the front door opened, and Aurora distinguished the footsteps of her father, home from work for the day.

"Daddy!" she cried, and kicked at the cupboard door, ready to run out and greet him. However, the door stuck fast. She kicked at it again, but it didn't budge. "Daddy!" she called out again, slightly fearful now. A moment later, the door opened and a pair of strong hands lifted her out of the crawlspace.

Aurora smiled mischievously as she caught her father's sparkling green eyes. "What were you doing in there?" he asked.

At that moment, Brady and Bridie ran upstairs and tackled their father around the knees screaming, "Daddy!"

Chloe rounded the corner and saw Aurora in her father's arms. Excitedly, she ran over and slapped her friend's arm. "Gotcha!" she cried triumphantly.

"Hide-and-seek?" Aurora nodded glumly at her father; she hadn't been tagged in almost two weeks. Her father grinned and set her on the ground. He walked to the end of the hall and peered into the kitchen. "Kate?" he called.

"Here," Kate said, running downstairs. Harry caught her in his arms and kissed her, laughing as Brady, Bridie, Aurora, and Chloe pulled identical, disgusted faces. "How was work?" Kate asked, pulling Harry into the kitchen by the hand. When he didn't answer right away, she glanced up worriedly.

"Later," he said and kissed her again. "Had a good day off?"

"Of course," she answered, picking up Brady's toy broom and setting it in the corner. "They owe me after Saturday. I never knew new Aurors were so naïve. You don't think we were that dense when we first started, do you?"

"Maybe not you," Harry said, scooping Bridie up off the floor, where she had been untying his shoes. "Hi, Chloe," he said to the edhead who had now commenced playing jacks with Aurora under the kitchen table. "How are your parents?"

"Mum's in a right state," Chloe answered, with the honesty only children possessed. "Dad forgot to invite Aunt Ginny to dinner. He says she knows when she's welcome, but Mum says he's a rude git and should be nicer to his sister because she's having a bad life."

Harry nodded, trying not to smile at Chloe's answer. He knew how horribly Ginny Weasley's marriage to Zacharias Smith had gone over; Fred and George couldn't stand Smith, and frankly, Harry and Ron couldn't either. However, they had put on good faces for Ginny and been happy that she was happy. She was not happy, however, as Zacharias turned out not only to be a complete chauvinist but a heavy drinker who seemed to enjoy beating his wife. Ginny had come running to Ron and Hermione a little over a year ago and had lived with them for three months before divorcing Zacharias and moving into a flat in London. She was currently working as a secretary for the Ministry and taking mail-order courses in hopes of retaking her N.E.W.T.S. so she could become a teacher at Hogwarts. The Defense Against the Dark Arts post continued to be available to new teachers each year, and Ginny hoped to have the job by the time the next term began. Hermione, however, believed Ginny needed more contact with her family and was constantly having her over for dinner or tea or something.

Hermione and Ron had finally caved and been married in a small, very private ceremony six months after Harry and Kate's wedding. Aurora was born on April eighth, the year after Harry and Kate were married, and Chloe followed five months later, making the two instant best friends and--of course--neighbors. While Brady and Bridie had completed the Potter family, Chloe was destined to be an only child. Hermione miscarried her next child and was told she could have no more children. She and Ron were happy enough to have one child, a daughter who seemed to have tamed the famous Weasley hair--Chloe's mane was more auburn than red. She contrasted dramatically, though, with Aurora, who had white-blonde hair and crystal blue eyes like her mother. Brady and Bridie had gotten Harry's end of the genetic scope, for they both had dark--though not black--hair and green eyes. The only thing missing from Harry's prediction from almost ten years ago was the dog--and he had a feeling that Hermione and Ron were planning on rectifying the pet situation around Christmas.

Harry set Bridie back down on the floor and sent her to play with her brother. "So what have you been up to?" he asked Kate, who was beginning to rummage through the cabinets as she prepared for dinner.

"Remus is coming over later," she replied. "He Flooed over this morning, about an hour after you left, and said we needed to talk about something. Business for the you-know-what, I suppose," she said, with an anxious glance at Aurora and Chloe. "Invite Hermione and Ron over after dinner and we can all talk. I'm sure they'll be glad to see Remus."

Harry nodded. "Maybe before they come over, I should tell you what happened today." He paused and looked at his daughter, innocently playing with her best friend. "Hey Rory," he said, leaning over and peering under the table. "Why don't you and Chloe go next door and ask her mum and dad to come over at seven? Tell your mum you can stay over for dinner if you like, Chloe."

Aurora and Chloe crawled out from under the table and raced each other out the front door to the red brick house on the left. When Harry heard the door shut, he motioned for Kate to sit down. Making sure that Bridie and Brady were nowhere to be found, he leaned over the table and began. "Listen, last night Tonks and a couple others led a raid on Malfoy's house. They found enough evidence of dark magic to have the whole family locked up for the rest of their lives and then some. Unfortunately, Lucius, Draco, and Narcissa disappeared just before the Aurors arrived. But," he continued, seeing the disappointed look on Kate's face. "Tonks came to me today with a few documents they found in the Malfoy cellar. These...they..." he sighed. "It's not good, Kate. Something's going on again, there's some kind of plot, and Tonks feels that it's going to be happening soon. The documents she found were scrolls written all in runes. They must be ancient, because Tonks and I together couldn't get through half a scroll, but she's turned them in to be completely translated. What we found, though, is more than enough to assure the Order that we need to be on the alert." Harry began fiddling with his wedding ring, as he'd become accustomed to doing when he was anxious. "You...remember that day in training when they took us to see the Gateway? In the Department of Mysteries?" Kate nodded and reached for Harry's hand; she could always sense when he was building up to something.

"Well there's a part of the scroll that we could read that talks about the Gateway," he continued softly. "It talks about the--the souls, I guess, that lay beyond and how a living person can pass through the gateway in order to gain access to this...I don't know how to describe it...this energy that the souls there create. Then it goes into how exactly a living person goes through, and that's where it gets confusing. But the point is," Harry said, looking up at Kate. "That Voldemort could use it. If he can find out how to get through the Gateway, he can muster this...this army of souls, who I'm sure would go into service for the devil himself to come back through the Gateway into the living world again. And then...then even Dumbledore couldn't stop him."

Kate frowned and ran her hand through Harry's already messy hair. "Harry, love, are you sure you're not overreacting? I mean...Voldemort, in the Ministry...that's laughable. Security has increased so much they barely let you and me in the door every day. I know, I know," she said as Harry glared at her. "It's always a possibility. And I understand--I realize--how significant this Gateway discovery is. But don't you think you should wait to worry everyone until you've got the entire document translated? For all we know, there may not be a plausible way to get through the Gateway. And besides, how is anyone going to figure it out anyway, if you've got the documents at the Ministry?"

"I'm sure they've made a copy," Harry said, but his worry was beginning to ebb away. Kate always did see the rational side of a situation, whereas he was always ready to jump into action at the mere hint of a threat. Harry sighed and kissed Kate's hand, lacing his fingers through hers. They were in mid-kiss when Aurora and Chloe came barging back in, apparently racing back to the jacks game.

"Mu-um, Daddy!" Aurora whined, wrinkling her nose. "That's disgusting!" Chloe nodded fervently in agreement.

"Mum said I could stay over for dinner," she piped up. "She says to tell you she owes you at least twice now." The girls promptly plopped down and continued their game where they had left off.

Kate gave Harry another quick kiss. "I'd better start dinner. I know you want to help," she teased.

"Sure," Harry said, pulling off his work robes and un-tucking his shirt. Kate looked shocked. "Really?" she asked.

Harry moved over to where she stood by the counter and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Really," he said, kissing her ear. "As long as I don't have to cook anything. Because you know how that works." Kate winced. She remembered the weekend when she had gone off to the beach with her mother for Mother's Day and had come home to discover that the children had eaten nothing but fish and chips from the local deli for two straight days.

"All right," she flicked her wand and pans emerged from the cupboards and lined themselves up on the counter. "Get those filled with water and boiling while I work on the actual food." She grinned as her husband set eagerly to work. This was how they had always worked through every obstacle thrown at them--by playing to their strengths. They made an unbeatable team that way.

After about ten minutes, however, when it was clear that Harry's culinary strengths had been exhausted, it was Kate who was moving like a machine through the kitchen, bewitching this utensil and that to do each task harmoniously with the end result of a perfect meal. Harry sat on the counter, watching in pure wonder at how on earth Kate had ever learned how to do any of this when they'd married almost right out of school--she'd only really had half a year on her own to practice before he'd proposed. And when she'd moved in with him, it was she who ruled the kitchen. He had learned then to enjoy sitting back and watching her work. As usual, he became the tester, too, laughing as she shoved spoonfuls of whatever was in the simmering pots into his mouth and watching him intently for a reaction.

"You know," he said, hopping down from the counter and resting his chin on her shoulder as she poked and prodded at a bubbling sauce. "You really should have become a chef instead of an Auror. Much less dangerous career path."

Kate grinned and turned her head to kiss him. It was a rather awkward position, and Harry took a hand off her waist in order to prevent a fall into the fire and accidentally touched the cauldron.

Kate grinned as he gave a startled cry. "What were you saying about danger?" she asked with raised eyebrows. She pointed her wand at his hand and sent a thin stream of cold water from her wandtip over his burned fingers. "Go on and get some ice and then call the twins up to eat."

"Yes, m'am," he said and planted a quick kiss on her cheek before hurrying off. Kate grinned at the sauce in her cauldron; sometimes it was hard to believe that she and Harry were adults with three children when they still acted like kids themselves.

Ten minutes later, the Potter family plus Chloe sat around the kitchen table, chatting happily and eating as though they'd been starved. No one could resist Kate's cooking.

"Daddy's got a match on Saturday," Chloe told Aurora. "Wanna come?"

Aurora's eyes lit up. She had developed a love of Quidditch at a very early age, proving she was truly Harry's daughter. "Can I, Daddy?" she pleaded.

Harry glanced at Kate, who shrugged. "Maybe we can all go," he said. "I haven't seen the Cannons all season." Ron had worked his way up through the Department of Magical Games and Sports for the past eight years and had become the manager of the Chudley Cannons--incidentally, his favorite Quidditch team.

The remainder of the meal consisted of Brady's proclamations that he was going to play in the match on Saturday with his toy broom and Bridie telling him that he didn't have any orange robes so he couldn't play. They carried their argument out into the backyard, where they quickly set up some sort of game in the playhouse they'd received for their last birthday. Harry and Ron had spent the better part of two months building it and had loaded it with interesting enchantments--such as smoke rising from the little chimney--that Kate warned them would bring the Magical Law Enforcement agents to their door. Harry had assured her that no one could see it back in the corner of the yard behind a large oak tree and the garden shed. Still, Kate always eyed that corner of the yard whenever the twins were outside.

Kate was in the middle of brewing tea when the front door opened and closed in quick succession. "Hello, anyone home?" Ron's voice called from the front hallway. A moment later, both he and Hermione appeared in the kitchen, holding hands and looking happy--Kate figured they'd ended whatever argument they'd had over Ginny.

"Kate, darling," Ron teased, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "We can't thank you enough for taking Chloe off our hands for the day. We were thinking maybe you'd want her permanently?" Hermione smacked his arm. "Ouch! Your aim's getting worse, 'Mione. You missed my face by at least twelve inches."

Kate laughed. "Better luck next time," she said to Hermione. "I take it you'd miss Chloe. But she can sleep over, if you want. She and Aurora are up in Aurora's room for the moment, anyway." She arched her eyebrows playfully. "A night alone can make your whole week, I've discovered."

Ron threw his arms around Kate's shoulders. "I love you," he cried dramatically, just as Harry came downstairs, having changed out of his work clothes.

Ron looked up. "Harry, mate, I love your wife. You don't mind, do you?"

"No," Harry replied, joining them in the kitchen. "But 'Mione might."

Hermione crossed her arms and tried to glare at Ron, but a smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. "Oh, to hell with it," she said, standing on her toes and giving Ron a quick kiss. "I never thought I'd lose the ability to be mad at you. Here, Kate, let me help you with that." She moved to the counter and arranged five cups and saucers on the tea tray as Kate set out sugar and cream.

"So what's this all about anyway?" Ron asked as he and Harry sat at the table, both trying to read the Daily Prophet at once.

"Remus is coming over," Kate answered. "He's got something to talk to us all about, and we figure it's Order business. Harry's had a rather interesting discovery at work, as well, and it's probably best we get that explained, too, so Remus can report to the rest of the Order."

Hermione looked puzzled. "What's happened now?" she asked Harry. Hermione still worked in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures--in fact, she had founded and now managed her own branch: the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, which she had invented at Hogwarts and had pushed and pushed until it finally passed in the Wizengamot. So far, she had made laws against the mistreatment of house elves as well as doing away with the idea of clothes as a symbol of freedom--by law now, all house elves wore clothes. The disadvantage of her work was that she was never quite up to date on the goings on in the other departments--she was usually buried up to her elbows in research.

"I'll tell you as soon as Remus gets here," Harry said. "It's a long story, and I don't want to have to tell it twice more."

The four of them settled into the living room with their tea about five minutes later, Ron and Hermione curled up together on one side of the couch, Harry in the armchair next to it, and Kate perched on the arm of Harry's chair. The way they chatted and laughed as they waited for Remus suggested that they had never even left school. They all looked exactly the same as they had eight years ago, save for the air of maturity that permeated their conversation. Ron was still tall, though he had definitely filled out his bones since his last growth spurt in seventh year, and his freckles had faded a bit. Hermione's hair had tamed down after the potion she and Kate had concocted finally worn off--it seemed the Everlasting Charm was not exactly everlasting. Kate's hair had remained wildly curly, but she straightened it each morning with a quick charm that left it sleek and smooth. Harry was almost exactly the same--his light frame made it rather hard for him to gain weight at all, and his hair never did learn to lie flat. His scar was still prominent on his face when his hair wasn't flopped over it, but he had traded his round, black-rimmed glasses for thinner silver frames after the lenses had cracked for about the hundredth time during his Auror training. Overall, the four of them together looked like teenagers again, mulling over the latest gossip in the Great Hall.

This was the scene that Remus Lupin Apparated into around seven thirty p.m. The loud crack of his arrival resounded through the house, bringing both Chloe and Aurora pounding down the stairs to greet him.

"Uncle Remus!" Aurora shrieked, flying into his arms and hugging him tightly around the neck. Harry and Kate had named Remus Aurora's godfather, but she had always called him Uncle, with the innate childish belief that all adults needed a title. Hermione and Ron were godparents to the twins, who simply called them 'Mione and Ron--as they couldn't pronounce much of Hermione.

"Hello, love," Remus said, kissing her forehead and setting her back on the ground. "And hello to you, too, Chloe." The redhead grinned and dropped a quick curtsy. Hermione beamed and nudged Ron with her elbow.

"See," she whispered loudly. "I told you it's adorable."

"You know, she could be spending all that valuable time learning chess. She can learn manners at dinner," Ron whispered back, gaining a laugh from Harry and Kate and a thorough eye-roll from Hermione.

Kate smiled at her daughter. "Rory, run outside and tell the twins to come in. Then all four of you on upstairs, hear? Uncle Remus has to tell Daddy something about work."

Aurora grinned, and she and Chloe dropped identical curtseys and then tore off out the back door to call Brady and Bridie in. When the adults had listened for the sounds of two door slams, they settled in for a long chat. Kate served Remus a teacup and slid down from the arm of the chair into Harry's lap while Remus took the end of the sofa unoccupied by Ron and Hermione.

"So...what's this about?" Ron asked, echoing his question from earlier.

Remus sighed. "I'm not exactly sure where to begin. It's quite a long story and--Harry, you know something about it from Tonks?" When Harry nodded, Lupin relaxed somewhat. "You wouldn't mind retelling your side of the story, would you?"

"Of course not," Harry said, and turned to Ron and Hermione. "Last night, there was a raid on Malfoy Manor..."

When Harry had finished relaying the tale he had told Kate, Ron looked incredulous and Hermione looked fearful.

"What's this Gateway thing got to do with the Order?" Ron asked, turning back to Lupin, who sighed.

"Snape returned to headquarters around midnight last night," he began. "He'd been called to a meeting. Apparently, Harry, the documents you found were not only original documents, but they were the only documents containing information about the Gateway and the ritual needed for a living person to pass through the veil. Doubtless, Voldemort has at least read these scrolls, but the ritual is complex, and they will need the actual documents in order to perform it--that is, if they can even get into the Ministry. However, you know how Voldemort often keeps spies in the Ministry. Lucius Malfoy is of no use to him now, and Draco is riding a fine line. The Malfoy family has fallen out of favor with the Minister, and therefore, they are falling out of favor with Voldemort. But they are not the only family committed to the Dark Lord's service. Theodore Nott--he was in your year, in Slytherin, wasn't he? He's been working his way up through the Department of International Magical Cooperation for years, and word is that he's suddenly become quite friendly with Fudge. His father was cleared of all charges as a Death Eater years ago, and for all our information on him, we still can't prove he has become active again. Marcus Flint and Adrian Pucey are both new interns in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which is a bit suspicious, seeing as they have both been supposed to have been working for Gringotts in Africa."

Kate grimaced. "I met them Saturday," she said. "Seminar for new Aurors; they were following my group around and bringing everyone tea. Pathetic, if you ask me. How can the Minister not see through their act?"

Lupin nodded. "Fudge is so preoccupied with people he knows are Death Eaters that he has forgotten to be wary of those around him. Others we know have recently taken the mark are Blaise Zabini--she's been modeling the past four years, and now she's taken the post of court scribe in the Wizengamot."

"It seems that an infestation of Death Eaters in the Ministry is a bigger problem than this Gateway issue at the moment," Hermione spoke up. "Not that I'm not worried about Voldemort's gathering an army of the dead," she added when she saw the look on Harry's face. "But if Voldemort's supporters are slowly seizing control of our government, there's not going to be much we can do to stop him from entering the Ministry, is there?"

Lupin nodded in agreement. "For the present," he said. "We're going to be monitoring these new additions to the Ministry. We want to make sure they don't gain power too quickly; we want to suppress any more of their circle who try to enter. And," he added, looking very pained indeed. "I've been told to warn you all. Someone will know that you've had access to these Gateway documents, Harry, and I'm sure they will report to Voldemort quickly. Try to be even more aware of your surroundings--and don't let the children out of your sight, whatever you do. The Order is preparing for an attack. We are on the defensive now, and we'll do our best to make sure we know of any plans ahead of time. If the threat continues to grow, we'll set a guard around your houses. Right now, both Dumbledore and Moody agree that we can't risk it. Our main concern is gathering intelligence on these new appointments at the Ministry."

The four of them nodded. Even though they had all become full members of the Order of the Phoenix after leaving Hogwarts, they still felt the student-teacher relationship between many of their colleagues--particularly Snape, McGonagall, and Moody. Lupin and Harry had long before taken on a role similar to father and son, since Sirius' death.

Lupin stayed a while longer to chatter idly with his four former students, but their hearts were now all heavy with the worry that the day had brought. When Lupin had taken his leave, Hermione and Ron hugged Harry and Kate, thanked them for keeping Chloe overnight, and walked next door. Kate watched them go from the front window, Ron's arm snaked around Hermione's waist and her head on his shoulder, and she felt a pang of grief. She and Harry were lucky to have everything they wanted; she knew that more than anything, Ron and Hermione had wanted a large family, since they had the means to support themselves. She knew they loved Chloe more than their own lives, but she couldn't help but want more for them.

Kate let the curtains fall when she heard Bridie's slippered feet padding down the stairs, saying, "Mummy, read me a story? Daddy's reading for Brady."

Kate turned the lock on the front door and scooped up her daughter, dressed in pajamas with broomsticks on them--Harry's choice--and carried her up to the room she shared with her brother.

Kate smiled at the sight of Harry sitting on Brady's bed, his son curled up against his chest pretending to be able to follow along as Harry read to him out of Quidditch Through the Ages. Kate assumed a similar position with Bridie, on the bed on the opposite wall of the room, and pulled out Bridie's favorite enchanted picture book about a witch who went for a ride on the stars. By the time she had reached the end, Bridie was snoring lightly on her shoulder and Harry was reading to himself, as Brady was fast asleep in his arms.

Harry and Kate each tucked in their respective twin and left the room, closing the door softly behind them. Kate stopped halfway down the hall to listen at Aurora's door; the lights were out, but she could hear a bit of light whispering from the two girls.

"They'll fall asleep eventually," she said, walking into the bedroom she shared with Harry. He reached out to her and pulled her close, kissing her gently.

Kate gave a small sigh and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head comfortably on his shoulder. "You don't really think the children are in danger?" she asked in a small voice.

Harry kissed the top of her head. "Of course not," he lied.

Kate gave a half-sob, half-laugh. "You're a horrible liar," she mumbled, face buried in his shoulder to cover her tears.

"I know," he sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed and pulling her into his lap as easily as if she was one of the children. "Don't cry, Kate," he whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "No one's going to hurt the kids, I promise."

Kate hiccupped. "But if they attack here and no one's around, they could do anything! And what if--if the twins are out playing and someone just takes them? Or--"

Harry pressed a finger to her lips. "Do you really think I'd let anyone take them?" When she shook her head in response, reminding him vividly of Aurora, he smiled a bit. "There you go. You and I won't let anything happen to them, ever. They're not going to grow up like you and I did, Kate--abused and hidden away. They're going to be happy, and they're going to have the chance to be kids for as long as it lasts. And I've heard it doesn't last long, so let's not spoil it with warnings about strangers and Voldemort and that nonsense."

Kate brushed her lips against Harry's. "Have I told you how perfect you are lately?" she whispered.

Harry kissed her softly and replied, "I think you just have."

Kate smiled. "I love you, you know."

Harry kissed her once more. "I know."

And the crawled into bed, curled up and comforted by each other, both sleeping deeply and dreamlessly, with no thought of Voldemort or Death Eaters to interrupt their love.