Death Is Only The Beginning

"What the hell d'you think you're doing?!" Harry scrambled out of Moody's tight grasp. "You just broke the flipping law!"s

"Shut up, Potter," Moody whispered hoarsely, his scarred face illuminated under the weak streetlights. "You'll get us caught!"

"I don't give a damn," Harry whispered fiercely, backing away from the members of the Order. "You kidnapped me; why the hell do you think I'd care if you were caught?"

"Caught by Death Eaters, Harry?" Lupin asked, his eyes serious. "Because if you don't be quiet now, we will be caught, all of us. They just want you, Harry, they don't want us."

"Honestly, Mad-Eye," Tonks complained, "we told you that Harry wouldn't appreciate us kidnapping him. And now we've got all this explaining to do..."

"Will you all be quiet?" Moody hissed, turning around sharply. "Tonks, you fool, stop whining, you're an Auror. Your main task is to keep Harry safe, not explain our every move and motive."

"The boy's got a point, Moody," Lupin said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"You're just siding with me, you know you are," Harry shrugged Lupin's hand off, and continued, "where the hell are we?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out, Potter, but you keep buzzing in my ear!" Moody muttered, glancing around the corner. "All clear. Let's go."

Harry followed them unwillingly. He glanced left and right quickly, trying to find something - a familiar house, a landmark of some sort - something that would tell him where he was. There was nothing. Their feet thudded on grey pavement, past grass nature strips, hiding in the shadows made by the streetlights - nothing that Harry could associate with Privet Drive.

"Where's your broom, Harry?" Tonks asked, taking her wand out of her jacket pocket. "Still got that Firebolt?"

"Are we flying to the headquarters again?" Harry rolled his eyes. "Can't you guys think of any other way to get there?"

"We'd Apparate if we could, Harry, but you're underage. Come on, now. We have to get your broom out of there - using a Summoning Charm, probably," Lupin said impatiently. Harry raised his eyebrows - Lupin wasn't normally impatient.

"At the Dursleys. Under my bed. But you don't need to know where it is, do you? I mean, as long as it's near you..."

"Tonks likes knowing where things are," Moody's lips twisted into a slight smile, "just in case she wants to snag something - like your Firebolt, Potter."

"Shut it, Mad-Eye, I'm trying to concentrate," Tonks blew her hair out of her eyes, her wand up.

"You're an Auror, Tonks, you shouldn't need to concentrate. It's a simple Summoning Charm," Moody chuckled. Harry sensed them all relaxing and loosening up. They shouldn't be relaxing. According to Dumbledore, he was in danger - what happened to constant vigilance?

"Accio Firebolt!" Tonks recited, the tip of her wand glowing. In the distance, Harry could see a dark speck, flying closer and closer.

The Firebolt hit Harry in the head and fell to the pavement, rolling to a stop in the gutter.

"Oops," Tonks grinned. "I was never too good at Charms. Especially Summoning ones, they were my one weakness."

"One weakness?" Moody snorted, as Lupin helped Harry up. Moody's magical eye pivoted, looking at Harry. "You all right, boy?"

Harry shrugged, swaying slightly on his feet. "Bit winded. But can we go now? It's bloody freezing out here!"

Lupin nodded. "We had better go, Moody. We promised Kingsley we'd meet him at the Ministry of Magic... after we bring Harry to Headquarters, of course."

Harry mounted his broom impatiently. "Let's go, then."

"Where's the fire?" Tonks asked, mounting her broom. Harry glanced at the handle, reading the words Nimbus Two Thousand.

"New broom," Tonks said, following Harry's eyes. "Not as good as yours, but it's still pretty great. The Nimbus line has great acceleration, you know, better than any of the Comets."

"We're not here to talk brooms, Tonks, I want to get to Grimmauld Place," Harry replied pointedly, hovering a few metres in the air. "Let's go!"

"Why the sudden rush, Harry?" Lupin asked, flying his broom up to meet Harry's.

"The sooner we get there, the sooner I know what the hell is going on," Harry muttered, flying higher. His hair got into his eyes, blowing in the wind.

"All right, then," Moody began, "Same as last year. Tonks'll be right in front of you. Lupin'll be watching you from below, and I'll be behind, covering you from there. Do not-"

"Break ranks," Harry interrupted. "Yeah, okay, whatever... can we go now?"

"Do not break ranks," Moody continued, "if we're separated, Potter, keep flying due east. Fletcher - you know Mundungus Fletcher - Emmeline Vance and Hestia Jones will meet you soon. Just keep flying, and if you can't see them, well... keep flying till you do."

"Brilliant, Moody, so if Harry can't find the others, he's to... what was it? 'Keep flying' till he does? God, that's safe. He'll probably be safer in Azkaban with Lucius Malfoy," Tonks snorted.

"Can you all stop talking as if I'm not here?" Harry asked, flying over the rooftops.

"Come down, Potter! What the hell are you trying to do?" Moody growled. Harry flew down and landed on the road, annoyed.

"Now what?" he raised his eyebrows, waiting.

"Disillusionment Charm," Lupin raised his wand, "we know you have the Invisibility Cloak but we told you last year that it'd probably blow off. Ready? Here you go..."

Lupin rapped Harry hard on the top of his head, and Harry felt the familiar sensation of cold trickles running down his body... but it felt different, somehow.

"Damn good, Lupin," Tonks grinned, poking Harry's arm. "Muggles'll never notice that one. Almost as good as Mad-Eye's here... 'cept Mad-Eye made all of Harry disappear."

Harry looked down at his body and smirked a bit. The spell had felt different - and it had worked differently, too. Only a few parts of Harry were hidden properly. The rest must have gotten confused, as they took on the colours and textures of the wrong things.

"Yeah, well..." Lupin shrugged, "not my favourite subject, Charms - I always liked Transfiguration best."

Moody grabbed hold of Harry's arm and held it up to his eye. "God, Lupin, what kind of crackpot work was this? Looks like his arm's made out of grass! It should be imitating the pavement at the moment!"

"Charms isn't my best subject!" Lupin defended himself. "I was a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, not Charms."

"And I'm sure we're all thankful for that," Moody muttered as he re-did the charm.

"There," he stepped back from Harry, surveying his work. "That's a Disillusionment Charm. Now we're off schedule, we'd better go," Moody continued, rapidy tapping Lupin and Tonks on the head in quick succesion. He rapped his head last, and mounted his brooms.

"Come on, Harry," Lupin called. Harry could see the faint, hazy outline of the three members as they flew off. He followed them, disappearing into the night sky.

***

The four arrived at a patch of grass in the middle of a small square. Harry recognised everything now - they were at the headquarters. The surrounding houses were as grimy and as unwelcoming as ever - broken windows gleamed in the dull light from the streets, and piles of rubbish stood by the front doors, flies buzzing around them.

"God, that flight was long," Harry said, gazing at the dirty paint, peeling off the houses.

"Shh, Harry," Lupin said quietly, rummaging through his pockets. "Got it," he whispered, taking out a silver Put-Outer.

"Dumbledore never gives anything to me," Tonks said sulkily, watching as the streetlamps in the square were extinguished. The only light came from the almost full moon overhead.

"Shut up, Tonks," Moody hissed, "next rescue operation we'll let you use the Put-Outer."

Moody grabbed Harry by the arm and led him to the pavement. "Go on, Potter. You know what to do."

Harry racked his mind for the words. He muttered them to himself:

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

The battered, old door emerged from thin air, swiftly followed by filthy windows and dirty walls. Harry walked up the old stone steps, waiting for the others to follow.

Tonks pulled out her wand and tapped the door once. Harry had seen Lupin do this before, and waited expectantly for the door to slowly creak open.

It didn't. Tonks looked puzzled. "Maybe I didn't do it right..." she said, tapping the door again. Nothing. Harry sighed and sat down on the step.

"What's the matter, Tonks?" Moody asked, coming up to the door.

"It won't open," Tonks replied shortly, pounding the door. Flakes of black paint fell off the door and onto the step, getting into Harry's hair.

"Hitting it won't work," Lupin said, looking at the door closely. "Molly and the others should be in there... perhaps they'll let us in."

"Can I try?" Harry got up, bored. "I'm sick of sitting here."

"All right, Potter," Moody agreed slowly, "but don't be surprised if it doesn't work. Just tap the door once here..." he pointed to a spot on the door, just above the silver doorknocker, "and think of the same thing you did when you got the house to appear."

"Okay," Harry nodded, facing the door. "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve Grimmauld Place, London." He tapped his wand on the door hopefully, feeling the eyes of Tonks, Lupin and Moody on him.

The door swung open and Harry smiled, stepping into the musty threshold. His gaze rested on Ron, who was standing stiffly by the stairway.

Oh, God, not you, Harry sighed to himself, what the hell are you doing here?

Ron was scowling heavily, his eyes cold. Harry hung his jacket on a nearby hook, avoiding Ron's gaze.

Tonks walked in, her broom dragging behind her. "Hey, Ron," she smiled, throwing him a Chocolate Frog. "Nice to see you again."

Ron caught the chocolate and placed it on a nearby table. "Thanks, Tonks," he said distractedly.

Tonks turned to the mirror in the hallway, examining her hair, which was now a striking blue. She squinted her eyes and tugged at her hair thoughtfully.

"So," she nodded at Harry, "guess you're glad to see your mates again, huh?"

"Um... I dunno," Harry shrugged, closing the door behind him. Tonks raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know? Hell, I'd be glad to see my friends any day... I'd like that rather than being stuck with those fussy Muggles, anyway," she grinned and turned from her reflection. "Here, Harry, forgot to give you this..."

She handed him a Chocolate Frog, which Harry took hastily. Thank God, he thought, anything to escape from Ron's glare... hell, you'd think the Burrow was burnt down or something, the way he's looking at me.

Tonks turned back to the mirror, smiling slightly. "Things are a bit cold between you two. I thought you were best friends..."

"I dunno," Harry said again, unwrapping the Chocolate Frog. "Why would you think that?"

"Oh, it's just..." Tonks smiled, "the atmosphere's so thick you could cut it with a knife. I mean, really, I can just feel cold aura radiating from you guys." She waved her hands expressively as she spoke, nearly knocking over the umbrella stand in the process.

Harry shrugged. Right, Tonks, he muttered to himself, you want us to be friends... I'll fake it till you go, and then so help me, I'll kill him.

"Er... hello," Harry began, feeling the Chocolate Frog melt slowly in his fingers.

Ron raised an eyebrow, picking his Chocolate Frog up from the table. "Talking to us again, are you?"

"Er..." Harry glanced at Tonks. "Suppose so." Damn you, Tonks, he thought, why the hell don't you go and leave us alone? You just have to listen in on our conversation!

Harry saw Ron's gaze flicker to Tonks, still examining herself in the mirror. Tonks doesn't usually preen in the mirror so much, Harry thought, she's probably just using the mirror as an excuse to eavesdrop.

The mirror echoed his thoughts sleepily. "It's easier to listen at the keyhole, honey," it told Tonks. Tonks blushed, but continued pretending to inspect her new hair.

"I dunno..." Ron pretended to think, "perhaps all the unanswered letters would make Hermione and me wonder if you still liked us-"

"Hermione and I, Ron, not Hermione and me," Hermione interrupted, coming down the stairs. "Who are you talking to anyway? ...oh."

"Er, hi, Hermione," Harry forced a grin again. This is for you, Tonks, he thought bitterly. Hope you're enjoying yourself...

"How are you?" he continued, crinkling the Chocolate Frog wrapper in his hands.

"Talking to us again, are you?" Hermione asked, folding her arms.

"Funny... that's exactly what Ron said," Tonks interrupted. She turned from the mirror and looked at the three hostile expressions. "Wow... if looks could kill..." she said. There were no changes in the faces of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Er... I think I'll... go downstairs and help Molly with dinner," Tonks nodded, trying to break the awkward silence. "I'll probably ruin it, though, knowing me."

Tonks backed away and hastily went down the stairs to the kitchens. Hermione waited, watching the last of Tonks disappear from the hall.

"Well, the letters you wrote us gave us the idea that you didn't want us to talk to you anymore," Hermione shrugged, her fingers tracing the cracks in the railings.

"I dunno... they were mood swings or something, like Ron said," Harry apologised, putting his Firebolt down by the door. "I was just upset. Er... the Dursleys were bothering me."

Ron and Hermione looked skeptical. "So suddenly I'm right?" Ron asked angrily. "You seemed so sure of yourself, Harry, you seemed so sure that I was wrong."

"Yeah... but I wasn't myself. You said that yourself, Hermione," Harry defended himself, "so I don't know what your problem is!"

"YOU!" Ron shouted. "There's something up with you, Harry, and we can't figure out what it is!"

"I'm the problem?" Harry snapped. "Take a look at yourself, Ron, then you'll see what the real problem is!" A dusty vase exploded, sending shards of clay across the room. "I've told you so many times, Ron, that I'm fine. You're the one with the flipping problem!"

"What?" Ron looked flabbergasted, specks of clay in his hair. It would've been funny, if they weren't fighting.

"Yes, you!" Harry replied, as another vase exploded behind him. He ignored Hermione's shouts, telling him to 'Stop it!' and 'Be careful!'

"That scar's riddled your brains, Harry. It really has, I can't see why I didn't see it before," Ron said scathingly, dodging as the ceramic sculptures exploded next to him.

"That's bullshit, Ron, and you know it!" Harry growled, walking closer to him.

"Prove it, Harry. All the power's gone to your head... youngest Seeker in a century... Boy-Who-Lived... rich, rolling-in-money Harry Potter, the scarhead. Harry Potter, the scarhead who was jealous when I got the Prefect badge." Ron threw the chocolate down on the ground, rolling up the sleeves of his tattered Weasley jumper.

"Show me that you can still fight like all the rest of us poor, common folk. Show me that you're not rich Potter, rich, snobby Potter, with his Firebolt and his gold, and his owl, and his new clothes... admit it, Harry, you were jealous when I got that badge. You wanted that badge. You thought you deserved it," Ron added, a slight smirk on his face. "Go on, then."

"You bastard," Harry growled, lunging himself at Ron. Hermione shrieked and tried to pull Harry off. "Get off," he yelled at her, pushing her away and into the wall.

"I'm gonna kill you, I swear," Harry snarled, the point of his wand on Ron's neck. "I tried to Crucio Bellatrix Lestrange, and so help me, I'll Crucio you too!"

Ron's breath came in ragged pants as he tried to push Harry off. Harry could tell Ron was choking... Harry liked knowing that Ron was choking. Yes, Harry thought happily, choke, Weasley... die. You want to be me, Weasley? How about I Crucio you until you get a nice, big scar too?

Harry got up, the point of his wand resting just under Ron's chin.

"Cru-" he whispered, a manic glint in his green eyes. He was going to show Lestrange that he could Crucio someone... he'd try it on Ron, then on every other git that got in his way.

"Harry, no!" Hermione yelled, fumbling for her wand. "Expelliarmus!" she pointed her wand at the two on the floor, bursts of light reflecting off the walls. "Expelliarmus!"

The door slammed open, letting in blasts of cold air, distracting Harry and Hermione from Ron. Ron got up, and flattened himself by the wall, edging away from Harry hastily.

Moody stormed into the hall, both his eyes spitting fire. "What the bloody hell do you think you three are doing?" he demanded, ripping the wand from Harry's sweaty hand. "This is how you treat each other? God, Potter, I'd hate to see what you do to that Malfoy boy."

Harry glared down at Ron, glad to see that Ron's nose was bleeding, but noticed that his own eye was swelling quite a bit.

"Tonks and I go out for a leisurely stroll - to get your luggage, Potter - and we find you two, rolling on the floor like a pack of Jarveys fighting over a Gnome... by the way, nice spells, Granger, but aim directly for the wands next time."

Hermione nodded, a slight squeak escaping from her mouth. She put her wand back into her pocket, breathing heavily. Her face was pale, but aside from that she didn't seem to have any injuries.

"Right, then. Weasley, you're going upstairs to your room. Miss Granger, go down to the kitchen and find Mrs. Weasley for me. Tell her that I'll need some Deflating Draughts for Potter's eye. And some of that smoking purple Wound Cleaning Potion. Oh... and if you can find the twins, tell them I need the second half of their Noseblood Nougat..." Moody trailed off, glancing at Hermione. "And you'd do well to have some chocolate."

Hermione nodded and turned into a doorway, shaking slightly. Moody shook his head and continued. "Weasley... you wouldn't happen to have any Skiving Snackboxes, would you?"

Ron shook his head, trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose. Moody sighed. "Well, suppose we'll have to rely on the other two. Right. Upstairs, Weasley. Potter, come with me. Bring your luggage, we're going to your room and you're staying there till I think of something better to do to you."

Ron climbed up the stairs, muttering curses. Harry couldn't hear much, but he did catch the words 'bastard' and 'can't Crucio to save his life'.

Harry turned to his trunk. "Wingardium Leviosa," he muttered, watching it float up in the air. He directed it up the stairs, following Moody to his room.

"Takes one to know one, Weasley," he swore under his breath, "and you're the biggest bastard of us. Doesn't take much to realise that. I wasn't able to get you last time... but hell, you won't be protected by Moody all the time."