In the End

All the spells come straight from the Lexicon or were made up by me : D The map of Diagon Alley is found here. I pretended that WWW farthest away from the entrance to the alley from the Leaky Cauldron, near Ollivander's. Also, when reading this, make sure to take note of the locations carefully. The "desperately random" quote is blatantly ripped off borrowed from the movie/book The Silence of the Lambs.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 10: The Minor Fall and the Major Lift

The chambers of Joanna Kent, Hogwarts School, Scotland

Tonks had always considered herself a modern woman; she wasn't easily offended, went out of her way to make friends with all walks of life, stayed true to her beliefs, and so on and so on.

So when she had Flooed into Joanna Kent's room at half past eight in the evening on Christmas, she certainly wasn't expecting to see the beautiful woman pinned to her bed by the intimidating and not-so-beautiful Severus Snape. And she certainly wasn't expecting the two of them to be half dressed, either.

So, Tonks mused, it really wasn't her fault that she couldn't help but gape at the two older adults as they scrambled to get dressed. She simply hadn't been expecting it...never mind that she was a fully qualified Auror who was supposed to be able to handle any situation under duress...

So yes, definitely not her fault at all.

"Miss Tonks, would you mind giving us some privacy!" Severus roared, his face flushing a dull red.

"I'm sorry," she finally squeaked, and spun around. A few moments later, Snape's highly irritated voice rang out in the quarters.

"Turn around, you imbecile!" he barked. "Now, what did you say before? About the Death Eaters?"

Tonks, having snapped out of her shock, immediately went back into Auror mode. Standing up straight, she said, "There have been numerous reports throughout England of attacks on Muggle and wizarding families alike. Dark Marks have been seen across the country, most predominately in Oxsholt, Guildford, Reigate, Bournmouth, and Cheltenham."

"Half of those are in Surrey!" Joanna exclaimed, and Severus swore violently.

"What does Dumbledore want us to do?" grunted Snape as he pulled on a boot.

"He wants Joanna at Headquarters and for you to meet him in his office," Tonks explained, and then cheekily added, "I wasn't exactly expecting to see you here, sir."

Snape shot Tonks a belligerent glare and strode across the room to Joanna's fireplace; he barked out Dumbledore's Floo address, stepped into the hearth, and disappeared in a whirl of green flames.

"Shite," Joanna muttered as she tugged off her skirt and quickly pulled on a pair of thick trousers. "How is the Ministry reacting?...Bloody hell, help me find my trainers, will you?"

"Sent out a huge envoy of Aurors at the first reports in Surrey," Tonks explained from the floor, tugging a shoe out from underneath the bed. "Then twenty minutes later, the attacks in Dorset and Gloucestershire counties came flooding in and then it all hit the bloody fan. Since half of the seasoned Aurors were dispatched to Surrey, the Ministry was forced to send the less experienced ones to the other counties. I don't even want to think about what's happening to them," Tonks added with a groan.

"I'm ready," Joanna announced, pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"Excellent," said Tonks, then pointed her wand at her throat and said, "Communicio. Beaky, this is Tripper here at Buckingham Palace, over."

Joanna jumped when a voice cackled from Tonks's wand. "This is Beaky. Confirmation on your status, Tripper? Over."

"This is Tripper," said Tonks quickly. "I have Eagle Eye with me now and she will be relocating to Headquarters in under five minutes. I was also able to locate the Producer, who is now with the Phoenix as we speak, over."

"This is Beaky. Excellent job, Tripper. Find Kitty, make sure the Cubs are in the Lion's Den and the Dreamer is in the Nest, and then report back to H.Q. Over."

"This is Tripper, order received, sir. Over and out. Concludio." Tonks lowered her wand and turned to Joanna to speak, but stopped short when she saw the look on the other woman's face. "What?"

Joanna blinked. "What was that?" she exclaimed. "Tripper? Beaky? Buckingham?"

"Moody's idea," Tonks explained. "Codenames, y'know? I'm, ah, Tripper because I...well, it's not that hard to figure out."

"Who am I?" Joanna asked, still in a state of shock.

"Eagle Eye," Tonks supplied. "Listen, you need to get to Grimmauld Place now. I have to go find McGonagall and make sure that Harry and the rest of them are secured in their dormitories."

"Okay," Joanna mumbled. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, Joanna took a pinch of Floo powder, threw it into the fire, and was soon spinning away from Hogwarts.

*~*~*~*

The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters, 12 Grimmauld Place, London

Joanna stumbled into the kitchen at number twelve and was immediately assaulted with a roar of noise. Tonks hadn't been lying earlier--almost every member of the Order was in the small room, save for the more notable Aurors, Dumbledore, and Severus.

The emotions in the room were also extremely overwhelming, and it took Joanna several minutes of Occluding before she was able to open her eyes again. Scanning the crowd, Joanna spotted an exhausted looking Remus sitting near the head of the table, engaged in a rapid-fire conversation with Bill Weasley. She headed over to them, and after Bill walked away, began pestering Remus for information.

"What the hell is going on? And you look like shite, Remus."

"Thank you," he responded dryly, rubbing a hand over his face. "Didn't Tonks inform you of the situation?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't very detailed," Joanna responded, frowning. "How come we haven't been sent out to fight yet?"

"Dumbledore wished to go over a strategy first, in order to spare as many lives as possible," Remus explained, his color paling. "He has a suspicion that all these attacks could merely be diversions, or traps...ways for Voldemort to kill as many Aurors and Order members as possible."

"Where is he now?"

"Waiting to speak with Severus in his office, I believe, before setting off for the Ministry," he said in a weary voice. "Dumbledore is worried that Voldemort will attempt an attack on Azkaban and break out all his followers. He's going to try to convince Minister Bones that extra reinforcement is necessary for the prison."

Remus broke off and stared at Joanna intently. She had grown unnaturally pale at his speech and was shaking slightly.

"Are you all right?" Remus said softly.

"I'm fine..." Raising her head, she then looked Remus straight in the eye and said in a determined voice, "I want to be sent on the team that goes to Azkaban."

"Absolutely not," growled someone from behind her. Spinning around, she cursed when she saw Severus towering over her, his arms crossed and his expression foul.

Joanna opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment, Albus Dumbledore Flooed into the kitchen and the crowd suddenly went silent. A second later, Tonks also stumbled out of the fire.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll gather 'round the table, please," he said in a calm and collected tone as he helped Tonks up from the floor. "We have much to discuss and very little time in which to speak."

Withdrawing his wand, Dumbledore waved it in a complicated, looping manner, and a moment later a large translucent map of Great Britain appeared above the table.

"The areas in red indicate confirmed Death Eater activity," he explained. "Green refers to known Muggle and wizard deaths at the hands of Voldemort's followers. Blue signifies where Ministry Aurors are currently located. As you can see, it's most definitely not enough.

"Some members of the Order have already been sent to the locations of these attacks while others have headed for Azkaban. There is no doubt in my mind that the majority of these acts of violence have been orchestrated as a diversion, though the deaths and destruction are added bonuses..."

Dumbledore trailed off and took a deep breath. Continuing, he said, "Appearing before you now are the locations you will be sent to defend. As per training, all of you should have one emergency Portkey for each team, medical supplies, flares, and a contingency plan should something go awry."

Joanna quickly opened her piece of paper and cursed loudly, causing Molly Weasley to shoot her an irritated look.

Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Team: Parsons (leader), Casser, Diggle, Kent, Sporkle

Joanna's hand shot into the air and without waiting for a reply, she stood up and began to speak. "Professor Dumbledore, I respectfully request that I be placed with the team or teams being sent to Azkaban Prison."

Snape rose smoothly yet quickly out of his chair. "Professor Kent hasn't had much experience with Death Eaters and given her history, it would be inadvisable to send her into the snake's pit, so to speak."

"I've plenty of experience with Voldemort's minions," Joanna retorted hotly. "And given my history, I believe that makes me all the more qualified for this particular mission!"

"So you're telling me," Snape drawled sardonically, "that should you go on this mission and come face to face with a Death Eater--say, Lucius Malfoy, for instance--you wouldn't panic? Wouldn't freeze up at all?"

The boggart, Joanna seethed. "That won't happen," she snarled.

"He has a point, Joanna," Dumbledore said softly.

"Bugger his point!" she shouted. "I have a right to be there!"

The room, having been silent throughout the exchange, suddenly filled with disbelieving murmurs.

"I'm sorry, Joanna," said Dumbledore. "However, I would like to move you from your present group and into Tonks's team. Hestia, would you be willing to change to the Cheltenham group?"

"Of course," said the witch amiably.

"Tonks?"

"S'fine, sir."

"Is that adequate, Joanna?" Dumbledore asked, turning towards the fuming witch.

No. "Yes, sir," she said shortly.

Dumbledore nodded, and then said, "You all know what to do, what is expected of you. May the Light be with you tonight. You are dismissed."

A thunderous noise descended upon the room as people rose from their chairs and began exiting the kitchen. Tonks, Joanna, and others from the groups heading for Surrey remained behind, awaiting their additional orders from Dumbledore. Severus and Remus also remained--Severus could hardly walk out with the Order and fight, nor could he go to Voldemort's side unless he was called, and Remus was still too weak from the full moon to be able to actively battle.

"As you may know," Dumbledore began gravely, "protecting number four, Privet Drive and the surrounding areas is your primary directive. Keeping the Dursleys alive--and, I'm afraid, especially Petunia Dursley--is of top priority. Obey your leaders' orders. Good luck...Severus, Remus, if I could talk to you for a moment?"

Severus watched as Joanna stormed out of the room, but not before she threw him a withering glare. He continued to stare at the door, not really seeing it, as Remus and Dumbledore conversed quietly in the background.

"He's not happy Joanna's going at all, you know," Remus said softly. "Not just about the whole Azkaban thing, either."

Dumbledore nodded distractedly. "Of course not," he mused lightly. "It is in his nature to want to protect Joanna, and this urge is magnified tenfold now that Severus is practicing again."

Remus's eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"Close your mouth, you imbecile," Severus snapped impatiently. "If you two are quite finished talking about me, shall we retire into the parlor already?" Without waiting for a reply, Severus swept out of the room, his robes billowing dramatically behind him.

"Give me a few moments with him," Dumbledore said to Remus, who nodded, and then followed Severus out of the kitchen. He found Severus standing by the fireplace in the parlor; his back was stiff and his sheer aura screamed, "Don't mess with me right now."

"I am rather unnerved that I have not been summoned yet," Severus began without preamble; his hard voice cut through Dumbledore deeply. "The Dark Lord has mentioned nothing of these attacks while I was in his presence, nor had I heard any Death Eater talk, either, which is disturbing..."

"I don't believe Voldemort no longer trusts you," said Dumbledore after a moment's pause. "He may just be overly cautious these days, paranoid even. You do work for me, after all, at my school, under my...careful watch."

"There is no doubt in my mind that he will be going for Azkaban tonight," said Severus darkly.

"We have our best members dispatched to the prison--"

"That's not good enough," Snape growled. "Do you have any idea what will happen should those Death Eaters escape? For Merlin's sake, half of them are in there because of the disaster at the Department of Mysteries. Those six children will be in even greater danger than they already are!"

"Precautions have been carried out," Dumbledore said in a calm voice. "Those six young adults are some of the most protected people in the Wizarding world."

"And what of Joanna?" Severus blurted out before he could help himself. "Lucius Malfoy's wrath, should he find out she is alive, will be astronomical, not to mention what his escape will do to her."

Dumbledore gazed at Severus for a long time, his face giving away nothing.

"What is it?" Snape barked, finally snapping under the headmaster's heavy stare.

"Joanna will be fine," was the quiet answer.

Severus scowled and turned away. Just then, the parlor door burst open and the Weasley twins and Remus Lupin stumbled into the room.

"They just fell out of the fire in the kitchen!" Remus exclaimed, easing one of the unconscious boys gently onto a couch.

"What is it? What's happened?" Dumbledore demanded the other twin, who was still awake.

"Death Eaters," George rasped, shaking badly. "Diagon Alley...They took Percy..."

*~*~*~*

Earlier that evening, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, 93 Diagon Alley, London

"So what do you think of the shop, Perce?" Fred asked casually, leaning on the counter.

Percy jammed his hands in his pockets. "It's nice," he said, eyeing the store while he paced back and forth. "You've done well for yourselves."

George exchanged a look with his twin, and then asked, "So why'd you really come home?"

Percy stopped moving. "What do you mean?"

"Come off it, Perce," said Fred caustically. "We know you, and we know that you'd rather eat bubotuber pus than admit you'd ever been wrong."

Percy frowned and nervously pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Then you don't know me very well at all, do you?" he sniffed, and turned around. He took a step closer to the large windows lining the front of the shop when he saw something move outside.

"Bullshite," George spat. "Tell us the truth!"

Percy whirled around, his face flushed red and his fists tightly clenched. "You want to know the truth? FINE!" he exploded. "I lost my job! Bones fired me when Fudge was ousted from office, okay? Is that what you wanted to know? That I'm a loser now, who was also kicked out of my flat because I couldn't pay the rent? That I'll probably have to move back to the Burrow? With my mummy and daddy? Is that all?"

George and Fred stood together in a stunned silence, staring at Percy.

"Yeah...yeah I s'pose so," said Fred.

"Yes, that's exactly it, Perce. Thanks for clearing it up for us," George added.

Percy growled and ran a hand harshly through his hair. "I do regret some of it, you know," he said. The twins raised their eyebrows, giving Percy identical looks of disbelief. "I do!" he exclaimed. "I feel horrible about treating Mum...and Dad the way that I did. And for letting..." Percy sighed, rubbing at his neck, "for letting you all down."

Fred and George glanced uneasily at one another; this new Percy wasn't exactly what they were expecting. Unfortunately, before anyone could say something else, a loud beeping sound pierced the silence. Jumping, the twins frantically groped around in their pockets until they pulled out two small orbs, which were each flashing a violent shade of red.

"Shite," George muttered at the same time Fred exclaimed, "It's bloody Christmas!"

"What's going on?" Percy asked, walking closer to the twins in order to see what they were holding.

"We have to go," George said shortly.

"Oh," said Percy in a small voice, rubbing the back of his neck as his face turned red. "Ah...may I stay in your, ah..."

"Yes," Fred said quickly. "The flat's up the stairs in the back. Here's the key; the password is--"

"FRED, PERCY, LOOK OUT!" George bellowed just before the entire front of the shop exploded. All three Weasleys found themselves thrown to the ground, and they scrambled to cover their faces in order to protect against the shards of glass ricocheting around the room.

"COME ON!" screamed Fred, yanking his two brothers up by the collars when he saw five figures in full Death Eater regalia storming into the gaping hole that was once the front of the building. "INTO THE BACK!"

Coughing and stumbling, the three scrambled off the floor and made a break for the back exit. Percy slipped on something and fell head first into a shelf. Stars exploded behind his eyes as he struggled to keep his balance.

"--the one in glasses!" Percy faintly heard one of the Death Eaters yell, and he felt his heart descend into his stomach.

"MOVE, you fucking idiot!" one of the twins shouted at Percy. Tripping again on the debris now littering the floor, Percy struggled to follow the twins through the destroyed shop.

"Stupefy!" shouted a Death Eater. Fred and Percy dove behind a tall display while George flung himself behind the counter.

"Expelliarmus!" Percy bellowed, aiming his wand at a cloaked figure. The Death Eater deflected it, exclaiming, "He's over here! Stupefy!"

"Protego!" yelled Fred. Turning to Percy, he shouted, "We have to get out of here!"

Another loud explosion rocked the foundation; several of the Weasleys' Wild-Fire Whiz-Bangs had been detonated and were now attacking the Death Eaters in the middle of the store.

"What the hell--?"

"Good ole George," Fred muttered. "It's a distraction. We've got to go." Grabbing hold of Percy's arm, Fred pulled him further into the back of the shop.

"Stupefy!" one of the Death Eaters yelled when they saw the two of them emerge from their hiding place.

"Protego!" Fred and Percy roared together, easily blocking the spell with the combination of their incantations.

"Why are they only trying to Stun us--? Expelliarmus!" Percy exclaimed when another Death Eater suddenly popped out of nowhere.

"Who knows," barked Fred. "Let's just get the hell out of here--"

"Crucio!"

A scream unlike anything Percy had ever heard filled the ruined remains of the shop; the sound of his younger brother being tortured was possibly the most horrible experience of Percy's short life.

"George!" cried Fred, lunging towards the counter.

"Fred, NO!" Percy bellowed, but it was too late. The moment Fred was in the Death Eaters' line of sight, he was hit with a very powerful hex, which threw him against the wall. Fred tumbled to the ground a second later and did not move.

George's screaming suddenly stopped, and for a few moments, Percy could hear only his own ragged breathing and the sound of his blood roaring in his ears. He cautiously peeked his head out from behind the display.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Protego!" Percy yelled, blocking the Disarming Spell. Frantically scanning the closest store items, Percy wondered wildly if any of them would be useful against the Death Eaters. He was just about to reach out and grab an exploding object to lodge at the attackers when he felt two very broad arms encircle his abdomen.

"AARRRRRGHHH!" he roared, and threw as much of his body weight into the Death Eater that had grabbed hold of him. The man grunted and stumbled, tripping over a large pile of plaster. The two men fell to the ground; Percy's nose smashed into the floor, and a large crack and a sharp pain in his left arm told Percy that it had been broken.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Percy tried to scramble away from the large Death Eater, but he wasn't quick enough. His yell had alerted the other Death Eaters to his presence, and before Percy could even raise his wand, a curse was yelled, a red light enveloped him, and the entire world went black.

*~*~*~*

The present, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey

It was a well-known fact among the teaching staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that Joanna Kent had the attention span of a two-year-old. Faculty meetings were by far the worst; it was often very more than obvious that she wasn't paying attention to the reports about recalcitrant students, snogging couples, repairs, and so forth, especially when she could been seen drawing doodles on her parchment. Oh, Joanna always made sure to pay attention in Order meetings, but that was about it. It usually took something very interesting or very important to keep her interested, otherwise she was off in her own little world, often times thinking about various potions, Severus, students, lesson plans, Severus, the Order, Occlumency, the war, Severus, and so forth.

Which was why it was a very bad idea to send Joanna Kent on a mission where absolutely nothing was going on.

Tonks's group had only been on Privet Drive for about fifteen minutes before Joanna found her concentration waning. Not only were there no signs of Death Eaters, but apparently, human life had ceased to exist as well. Half of the homes were dark, indicating that the owners had found other places to be for Christmas, and the other half must have gone to sleep at a ridiculously early hour, for their houses were still and silent. It was spectacularly dull.

It also made Joanna exceedingly angry. She didn't want to be there watching the ruddy grass grow. She wanted to be part of the team heading for Azkaban; she wanted to know that she was part of a group of people fighting to keep people like Lucius Malfoy in prison.

At the thought of Malfoy's name, Joanna's blood began to boil; clenching her fists, she gritted her teeth and stared hard at a light pole, as if it was the root of all her misery.

"I've never been so bored in my entire life," said Tonks dully. Despite her aloofness, Joanna could tell that Tonks was still in Auror mode, her bright purple eyes never once leaving the street.

"Tell me about it," Joanna muttered. Just then, a sharp crackle emitted from Tonks's wand.

"Tripper, this is the Phoenix, come in. Over." Joanna's eyes widened when she realized that the voice on the other end of Tonks's wand was Dumbledore's.

"Communicio. This is Tripper, over," said Tonks, talking into the tip of her wand.

"This is the Phoenix. There's been an emergency. You are now to report to Diagon Alley, in London. We have confirmed reports of attacks there, over."

Tonks sucked in a breath, and gave the others an alarmed look. "This is Tripper. Order received, sir. I was under the impression we were to remain here and not move under any condition, over."

"This is the Phoenix. Another team is being transferred to your location at Privet Drive to replace you as we speak. However, I need you and your more experienced team in Diagon Alley, over."

"This is Tripper. Orders received and understood, sir. We shall relocate immediately, over."

"This is the Phoenix. Good luck, then, and Godspeed. Over and out." Letting out a loud sigh, Tonks terminated the wand connection, turned towards Joanna and the rest of her team, and said, "Did you hear that? We'll Apparate to the safe house behind Gambol and Japes."

Shite, thought Joanna. Clearing her throat, she said, "I can't. I haven't been to that part of Diagon Alley in over fifteen years. The only place I've been to recently is the Apothecary."

Tonks cursed and ran a hand through her hair. "All right," she mumbled. "Vance, you, Bangles, Pettit, and Johnson Apparate to the shop. Kent and I will Apparate to behind the Apothecary and then we will all meet up together. If we aren't there in ten minutes, you are to resume battle tactics. Avoid using the Communication Charm on the wands as much as possible, but if you have to use it, use the codenames. Is all that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Taking another deep breath, Tonks turned to Joanna and said, "Ready?"

"Yeah..."

"On three, then, you first. One...two...three!" CRACK!

*~*~*~*

Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, 48 Diagon Alley, London

The world around Joanna rematerialized as she arrived behind the Apothecary in Diagon Alley. Almost immediately, her senses were overloaded with the smell of smoke and the faint sounds of screaming.

A quiet crack startled Joanna, and she whirled around, prepared to fight, only to find Tonks standing behind her with her wand at the ready.

"Holy shite," said the younger witch when she took in the sights, sounds, and smells. "Is that smoke?"

"I think so," Joanna replied softly as she crept around the building and drew closer to Diagon Alley's main road, shuddering slightly from the cold. "The Death Eaters must've set some of the shops on fire. Bloody hell..."

"C'mon," said Tonks in a determined voice. "Let's just concentrate on getting to the others first, then we'll focus on the Death Eaters."

Nodding, Joanna unsheathed her wand, and she and Tonks quickly and quietly made their way around the edge of the building.

"Three Death Eaters across the street at Eeylops, d'you see?" Tonks whispered.

Joanna squinted and strained to focus on the three cloaked figures across the street. "Yeah...What are they trying to do? You don't think they'd kill the owls, do you?" she asked in an alarmed voice.

"Dunno," muttered Tonks, "but I'd rather not find out. As much as I'd love to take them into the Ministry's custody, we're outnumbered and there could be more of them. Let's just focus on getting past them. D'you know the Disillusionment Charm?"

"Yeah."

At Joanna's confirmation, Tonks stepped forward, raised her wand above Joanna's head, and brought it down with a whack. A cool trickling sensation flowed down Joanna's body as the charm took place. A moment later, Joanna repeated the action on Tonks and they soon found themselves sneaking along Diagon Alley, attempting to stay as far away from the three Death Eaters as possible.

"Watch where you're going," Tonks hissed in Joanna's ear. "There's a ton of debris out here and any noise may alert them to our presence."

Joanna nodded, not realizing that Tonks wouldn't be able to see the action, and watched her feet carefully. True enough, there were vast amounts of wood, plaster, and stone littering the street, and Joanna felt slightly sick at the thought of where all that material originally came from.

"Stop!" Tonks whispered heatedly, and Joanna immediately complied. "There's some more over there, see?"

Joanna had no idea where Tonks was pointing, but she didn't have to--no less than five Death Eaters were in front of Flourish and Blotts attempting to break into the store. Joanna felt Tonks grab hold of her shoulder, and pull her flush against the doorframe of the stationary shop.

"We have to find a way to get around them...It's too risky to try to cross the street..."

A loud cheer cut off Tonks's rambling, and the two women turned around just in time to see the Death Eaters pry the door open to the bookshop.

"Why didn't they just use magic?" Joanna asked quietly.

"The shop has tons of spells and wards on it," explained Tonks. "Enough to ward off any burglars, but not strong enough for them. Why do they want in so badly?"

Joanna was about to respond with a murmured, "Dunno" when she felt something hard and pointy shove itself into her back.

"Don't move."

Joanna froze and Tonks inhaled sharply.

"We know you're there. Move, and we'll kill you."

Neither one of the women moved, but both winced slightly when they were rapped hard on the head and the Disillusionment Charm was removed.

"Place your hands on your heads and turn around."

Joanna's heart was pounding loudly in her chest as she swiveled on her heel, coming face-to-face with two Death Eaters pointing their wands at her and Tonks. They stood there for what felt like eternity, staring each other down, before the Death Eater holding his wand towards Joanna spoke in a gravelly voice.

"What are your names and what are you doing here?"

Joanna and Tonks both remained silent. Luckily, Joanna could see out of the corner of her eye that the Death Eaters at the bookshop were no longer in sight. It was she and Tonks against the two men...the odds were looking up.

"Answer me," the Death Eater growled. Joanna swallowed, but didn't say anything. The man glanced at his partner, and without thinking, Joanna jumped. Throwing herself forward, she hit the man's wand arm at the elbow hard, causing it to buckle under the weight. At the same time, Tonks had propelled herself forward and jumped the other Death Eater. Joanna grabbed hold of his wand arm and a struggle ensued. The man was most definitely stronger than she, but Joanna had had the element of surprise, which was enough to throw the man off balance, causing him to stumble backwards. The Death Eater grunted and attempted to use his weight to throw Joanna off, but she had pulled up the sleeve of his left arm and grasped the Dark Mark with both her hands.

Gritting her teeth against all the pain and misery and anger she was feeling, Joanna projected the negative emotions back at the Death Eater, and then promptly kneed him in the groin; with a howl, the man crumpled to the ground, unable to bear the combination of physical and emotional pain. Joanna quickly pulled her wand from her robes and hissed, "Progenia Aquila Stupefy!" The man's moaning stopped the moment the blue light hit him square in the face.

Whipping around, Joanna was relieved to see that Tonks had subdued the other Death Eater and was currently spelling ropes around the man's ankles and wrists.

"Are you all right?" Joanna asked, breathing heavily.

"Yeah," Tonks muttered, wincing. "He got me in the ribs, but they're just bruised, not broken." Tonks ran a hand through her hair and glanced anxiously around the deserted street. "We have to get out of here now. No doubt this struggle was heard somewhere and the Death Eaters will come after us. As much as I want to take these bastards in, we'll have to leave them behind."

"I understand," said Joanna. She quickly incanted a Levitating Charm on her attacker and floated him over to the threshold of the shop; once he was deposited on the doorstep, Joanna also tied ropes around the man.

"What was that spell you used?" Tonks asked, watching Joanna wearily. "The modified Stupefy."

"Just that," said Joanna with a sigh. "It modifies that spell in that this fellow here will not be waking up any sooner than twelve hours from now, no matter what."

Tonks stared at her shrewdly, then said, "C'mon. We've got to get out of here now."

With a short nod from Joanna, the two quickly set off towards the other end of Diagon Alley.

*~*~*~*

The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters, number 12, Grimmauld Place, London

Severus ran an anxious hand through his hair, ignoring the amused expression on Lupin's face, and continued his feverish pacing of the study.

"And you're sure they're fine now?" Remus inquired as he studied the map of England Dumbledore had spelled earlier into the room.

"Yes," said Severus through gritted teeth. "I told you already--they were in trouble. Joanna was feeling apprehensive and fearful, but now..." Severus closed his eyes and concentrated. "...now, they're waiting for a group of Death Eaters to pass by...They were not spotted and have continued on their way. Oh, and they're also cold."

"You're getting better at it," Remus remarked casually. Severus's eyes snapped open and he gave the werewolf a loathsome glare.

"It is not all that difficult," he sniffed disdainfully. "It is who I am."

"Then why did you stop?"

Severus bared his teeth at the meddlesome man but deemed the question too arbitrary to answer. Instead, he stormed over to the bookcase on the other side of the room in an attempt to avoid any more conversation with the werewolf.

"I don't understand the pattern of these attacks at all," Remus murmured after a while, and despite his best effort, Severus's curiosity was peaked. Marching back over to the magical display, he peered down at the sites of the Death Eater attacks. Remus looked up and said, "I mean, it's so random, no purpose at all. There aren't even that many magical families in those areas that would interest Voldemort. It's almost as if it's...too random. Desperately random, even..."

"What are you on about?" said Severus impatiently.

"It's as if they want us to think that these attacks aren't related to one another. But I don't believe that. I think that the locations were chosen very carefully." Remus ran a hand through his hair and gave a growl of annoyance. "Why did they chose tonight of all nights?"

"To spread harmony and cheer amongst their fellow man," Severus snarled sarcastically. He stared hard at the map and frowned when another Dark Mark popped up over a town in the northeast of England. It was odd to him that the Death Eaters were not attacking in Scotland, Ireland, or Wales. Only England. "Dammit," he muttered, and then froze. Staring at the map again, Severus slowly walked to his left, eyeing the display as he moved. "Bloody hell..."

Remus glanced at Severus from the other side of the map. "What is it?"

"Come here..." Severus ordered, still staring at the miniature Dark Marks. Remus gave him a curious look, but obeyed him as he crossed to the other side of the table. "Do you see it?" Severus asked once Remus was by his side. Judging by the way the other man had inhaled loudly, he did.

"I'll go get Dumbledore," Remus said at once, and quickly left the room. Severus continued to stare at the map; they still didn't know the order in which the Death Eaters would arrive at the towns, but if what he was seeing was true, at least then the Order and the Aurors would have an idea of where the Dark Lord's army would attack next.

Dumbledore and Remus entered the room and the two men swiftly made their way over to the display. "Remus said you had something to show me," the older wizard commented, coming to stand besides Severus.

"There is a pattern after all, it would appear," Snape explained. "Not who is attacked, but where." Pointing to the map, he continued, "The attacks are taking the shape of the Dark Mark. A very crude shape, but it's the Mark nonetheless. By the end of the evening, the figure will have been completed. We still do not know the order of the attacks, but if we send our forces to the towns that correlate to where they would be within the Mark, we may still be able to save hundreds of lives."

Dumbledore nodded, looking older than he had in years. "So let it be done, then," he said solemnly. "You and Remus come with me downstairs. Our members are already pouring in and we can use all the help we can get. Once there, we can formulate a plan."

The men were just exiting the room when Severus let out a strangled cry and sank to the floor, clutching his left arm. As Dumbledore and Remus rushed over to him, Severus yanked up the sleeve of his shirt and touched his fingers to the Mark. The location of the Death Eaters' headquarters exploded in his mind.

"He wants me to go to our...to their headquarters," gasped Severus. "I must leave immediately." Stumbling down the stairs, Severus made it to the front hall, clumsily pulled on his winter cloak, and grabbed his Death Eater robes and mask from their hiding place in the foyer.

"Be careful, Severus," said Dumbledore, laying a gnarled hand on the other man's shoulder. Severus sighed and closed his eyes for a brief moment, preparing himself for what he was about to ask, before spinning around.

"Lupin," he growled, and Remus jumped slightly. Severus struggled to find the proper words to say that would not result in his utter humiliation when Remus suddenly nodded and said, very quietly, "I'll watch over her."

Clenching his jaw and swallowing, Severus gave a short nod and then strode purposefully from the house before Disapparating with a soft crack.

*~*~*~*

Death Eater Headquarters, location unknown

"Ah, Snape, how good of you to join us," said Voldemort when Severus had entered the battle room. Inside were at least a dozen Death Eaters, all communicating orders with their fellow Dark colleagues who were currently scattered across England. At the center of the room was the Dark Lord himself, sitting at a table with a magical map of Great Britain displayed before him, similar to Dumbledore's map at Grimmauld Place.

Severus strode to the where Voldemort was perched vulture-like on an ornate chair, and prostrated himself before his former master.

"My Lord, I am always at your service," he said, bowing all the way to his knees.

"Get up," Voldemort said with an annoyed sigh. "I had not planned on summoning you tonight, Snape, though I have no doubt that you've heard of the activities that have been going on throughout the country, no?"

"Yes, My Lord, I have heard," Severus replied evenly. "It is most pleasing to know that the Mudblood-loving fools are out there right now, trying to fight you, most likely dying and suffering for their precious cause."

"Mmm," Voldemort said, giving a pleased sound, which made Severus shudder slightly. "And Dumbledore? His reaction to my followers' activities?"

"He fled the school at once," Severus supplied immediately. He had been coached before on what to say to the Dark Lord should this situation arise. "He still has many allies at the school, however, and the protection spells are still firmly in place. He most likely went to send his army out against you, My Lord, though he did not tell me anything more, unfortunately."

"As I suspected..." Voldemort replied, looking up and staring into Severus's eyes. He felt the not-so-gentle probing of the Dark Lord's Legilimency, and Severus allowed the wizard only to see and feel certain memories and feelings. Pulling out of Severus's mind, Voldemort appeared satisfied and went back to studying the map laid out in front of him.

Suddenly, a loud cheer emitted from the other side of the room and a tall man whom Severus didn't recognize rushed up to Voldemort and bowed deeply.

"Good news?" asked Voldemort, cracking a purely evil grin.

"The best, My Lord," simpered the Death Eater. Straightening up, he continued, "We have them all now, Master. The prisoners are in our custody and should be arriving shortly."

Prisoners? Severus thought, alarmed.

"Excellent," mused Voldemort, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers. "Very good, Margraf...Bella!"

The dark-haired witch strode forward and stood before the Dark Lord; she did not bow. "Yes?" she purred.

Voldemort's lip curled, and he said, "Once the Mark has been completed, pull our forces out. Unfortunately, the Order and Aurors were better prepared than I had originally thought, and we are losing more men than I would like...That way," he continued, training his red, slit-like eyes on Severus, "when we take Azkaban, they won't know what hit them; they won't be expecting it. Snape...how would you like to go on a little trip?"

"I would like nothing more than to serve you, My Lord," he replied automatically, though his insides had frozen over.

Voldemort smiled cruelly. "Bella will lead the team that shall rescue my most faithful followers from Azkaban tonight. You are to accompany them."

"Yes, Master," said Severus thickly, bowing once more.

"Remember, Bella," Voldemort said quietly, causing a shiver to race down Severus's spine, "leave no survivors."

"I'll do what I can, Master," said Bellatrix, giving a cackling laugh. "May I play with them a little before I kill them?"

"As long as they are dead in the end," he said, still staring straight into Severus's eyes. "And make sure Snape has his fair share of the Aurors. I remember how much he hated them..."

*~*~*~*

Peeble's Potent Potables, 67 Diagon Alley, London

Joanna removed the charm on her eyesight, and turned back towards a crouching Tonks. "Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions books, all of them," she said, tugging on her ponytail. "They're up to something.

She and Tonks had been hiding beside a new store that had recently opened up on the corner of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. Peering around the edge of the building again, Joanna squinted her eyes and watched as more and more Death Eaters piled into a shop that sold dodgy potions.

"I can't see anything else from here," she muttered to Tonks.

"Gambol and Japes is just across the way, there," the other witch returned. Tonks strained to see across the darkened street. "I think it'll be safe for us to cross now, before the rest of those idiots come back."

"All right," agreed Joanna, gripping her wand tightly. She and Tonks glanced once more around the street before setting off to Gringotts, which lay directly across from them. They reached the bank in record time and Joanna had just opened her mouth to say something to Tonks when shouts and wand fire filled the air, and Death Eaters began pouring once more into Diagon Alley.

Scrambling, the two witches struggled to hide themselves as the Death Eaters raced by them, heading towards Ollivander's.

"I think the rest of our team is over there!" exclaimed Tonks. Squinting, she peered into the distance and then whispered, "Oh God..."

"What?" said Joanna, alarmed. "What is it?"

"I know where the smoke and debris came from," Tonks replied, swallowing thickly.

"Where?"

"The Weasley twins' joke shop."

Joanna's eyes grew round at this pronouncement. She turned her head towards the direction Tonks was looking, and noticed that the shouting and fighting seemed to be coming from the ninety block of Diagon Alley.

"Let's go, then," said Joanna, taking a deep breath. With a nod, she and Tonks raced out from behind a bank column and rushed headfirst into battle.

*~*~*~*

The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters, number 12, Grimmauld Place, London

It was nearing midnight when Joanna, Tonks, and the rest of the Order members who had been in Diagon Alley made it back to the house at Grimmauld Place, all equally worse for wear, but mercifully still alive. Joanna, personally, was exhausted and feeling more than a little drained when she sat down in a random room. A few moments later, Tonks and Remus Lupin entered, carrying three mugs of hot tea and a medicine kit.

"How are you feeling?" asked Remus as he and Tonks took a seat opposite Joanna.

"I'm fine," she replied, giving a dull smile. "Bruised and battered, but still living, thank God..." Joanna took a sip of her tea and sighed when the steaming liquid burned its way down her throat and settled in her stomach, warming her from the inside. "What about the other members? Have there been any casualties?" she asked slowly.

Tonks looked away and Remus got a sad look on his face. "Joanna..." he began, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry that I have to tell you this, but...well, the Gloucestershire team...they were all killed. They had never been given the chance to fight. They were murdered the second they showed up..."

Joanna stared at Remus blankly as the words sunk in. As the realization hit her, Joanna's mouth dropped open and she gave Remus a look of horror.

"I was supposed to be on that team," she gasped, her voice wavering. "Hestia...Oh God! She--she wasn't even supposed to be in that group!" Joanna felt a wave of nausea course through her, and she quickly bent over, resting her head between her knees as she struggled to control her breathing. A soothing hand found its way to Joanna's back and began rubbing circles up and down her spine in a calming manner.

"It's not your fault," Remus whispered earnestly in her ear as he continued to rub her back. Tonks got up from her chair and came to sit on the other side of Joanna on the couch. She grasped the Empath's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Everything's going to be all right," Remus continued warmly. "No one will blame you..."

Joanna let out a choked sob as the tears began to fall.

*~*~*~*

Death Eater Headquarters, location unknown

"How many losses?" asked Voldemort, peering down at the man bowed before him.

"Seventeen, My Lord," the man answered. "Nine were killed and the rest were taken into custody by the Aurors."

"And their losses?" Voldemort hissed. He was most displeased that the number was so high on his end.

"Twenty-three," the Death Eater answered gleefully. "They were either killed out-right or permanently incapacitated, My Lord. All in your name, of course."

Voldemort nodded and motioned for the man to place himself back in the circle that was currently surrounding him. Standing up, Voldemort clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing around the inside of the circle.

"I must admit," he said, a haunting and dead-like quality in his voice, "that I am...surprised yet satisfied with the progress we have made tonight, my faithful followers. Soon, you will be joined by those who reside in Azkaban, but for now, I believe we can allow ourselves to celebrate..."

Severus's stomach plummeted at that. A Death Eater's version of celebrating usually meant some kind of torture, rape, or killing. Though at one point in his life, this was something Severus had actually participated in, he knew that he was no longer that person...he could never do those things to innocent people again...

As the circle broke apart and the Death Eaters began chatting it up with one another--Severus sneered at that; in his day, the Dark Lord would never have permitted such behavior--he split off from the group and decided that it was high time he got some information. Goyle would be best, but oddly, Severus could not find the idiot. He didn't dare approach Bellatrix; she was more suspicious and paranoid than Mad-Eye Moody, and that was saying something. If he went to her asking questions, no doubt she'd go straight to the Dark Lord with accusations and proof of Severus's disloyalty.

"Hello, Severus," purred a definitely feminine voice in his ear. Frowning, Severus swallowed and slowly turned around. It wasn't Bellatrix, for she never wore her mask, so Severus hadn't the faintest idea who this woman might be, though it disturbed him to no end that she knew who he was, even while wearing a mask.

"Madam," he replied, giving a courteous bow. Straightening up, he looked into her eyes, hoping to perform some light Legilimency, but ended up discovering the woman's identity just from the color of her eyes. A pure silver-blue.

"Narcissa..." he muttered. Even though he couldn't see it, he knew that she was smiling.

"Very good, Severus," she breathed, stepping closer to him. Severus swallowed again but did not move from his position.

"I must admit I never thought I'd see you here," he said quietly.

"I admit, neither had I," Narcissa replied coyly. "But desperate times call for desperate measures, wouldn't you agree, Severus?"

"Indeed," he said automatically.

"Soon my husband will be free," she continued in a slightly manic voice. "My son will have a father again...and I, I will have my husband back. Draco and I have sacrificed much since Lucius was incarcerated. Now is the time for retribution. Draco will be so pleased to have his father home. He has been most lost without him."

Severus struggled not to snort. Draco didn't appear to be having any trouble at all adjusting to his father's arrest. In fact, it just seemed to have made the boy more determined in his classes, on the Quidditch pitch, and in tormenting the Gryffindors, always a fun and healthy activity for Slytherins.

"Will you be joining us on our trip to Azkaban?" Narcissa inquired, breaking Severus out of his thoughts.

"Yes," he answered softly. "I am honored to be ordered to go...Do you have any information on the plans for tonight?" he added in hope of getting more information about the mission.

"Ah, ah, ah," said Narcissa, wagging a finger in his face. Severus fought the urge to push her hand away. Or bite it. "Bella says we're on a need-to-know basis only. I am so proud of my little sister."

Severus gritted his teeth; this conversation was getting him nowhere, and only resulted in the loss of numerous brain cells. Carefully excusing himself from Narcissa's presence, Severus strode to a corner of the large room and situated himself into looking as foreboding and menacing as possible.

*~*~*~*

The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters, number 12, Grimmauld Place, London

Joanna woke several hours later. A glance at a clock told her it was shortly before four in the morning. There were several people in the room, including Moody, Evee, Tonks, Arthur Weasley, and Remus, among others. Sitting up, Joanna rubbed at her eyes and was at once overcome with a feeling of hopeless despair. She took a shuddering breath in an attempt to rid herself of the foreign emotion when Dumbledore looked up from the table they were surrounding and motioned for her to join them.

"What's going on?" she asked, pulling her hair back into a firmer ponytail.

"Kidnappings," Moody growled.

"What?" she gasped. "What d'you mean?"

"Just that," said Tonks sadly. "Twelve people have been reported missing after tonight's attacks."

"Who?" Joanna asked, startled.

"A couple of Ministry employees, researchers, and what have you," supplied Remus, his face looking exceptionally lined and tired.

"My son," whispered Arthur. Joanna's head snapped up and with a start, realized that the despair earlier had been coming from him.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, and meant it. "Which...?" She wasn't sure how to ask such a question.

"Percy," Arthur replied heavily. Joanna could see tears in his eyes.

"I don't understand," she continued. "Why on earth would they be kidnapping..."

Joanna trailed off as a horrible realization dawned on her. Please, no, God, no no no...Closing her eyes, she asked, "What are their jobs?"

"Excuse me, missy?" grunted Moody.

"Their jobs," she snapped, her eyes flying open. "What do they do for a living?"

Tonks rushed to open on of the Ministry files in front of her. "Richard Brocklehurst, Experimental Charms, was heading research on a variant of the Shield Charm...Philip Phicklestein, Head of the Portkey Office...Robert Kirke, Obliviator...Stewart Boot, studying to receive the title of Potions Master..." At this, Joanna's head snapped up.

"Percy Weasley," Tonks continued, casting a sad look at Arthur. "He's, ah, currently unemployed--"

"What did he do before?" Joanna insisted.

"He used to work for Barty Crouch, Sr. in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, then went on to become Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic under Cornelius Fudge."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Moody barked impatiently.

"I think..." Joanna mumbled, staring hard at the list of names of the missing people, "I think that they've reopened Troudemort. That's where they've taken the prisoners."

~*~