The Man of the Moment

Chapter Three: Muggles, Interrupted

Harry looked at the clock once again. It had been at least half an hour since Persephone and Alex had Apparated to Hermione's house, in order to infiltrate and thwart an expected Death Eater attack, and he had heard nothing from them. He looked across the living room, and saw that Aunt Petunia had bustled into the kitchen, and presumably didn't want to be disturbed. Uncle Vernon and Dudley hadn't returned, either. What was happening? He desperately needed to know- he couldn't deal with this for a moment longer, he was sure of it. Was Hermione okay? Were her parents all right? Whatever the outcome, he knew somehow that it would have great impact on the wizarding community. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor prefect, known throughout Hogwarts as the smartest witch in the school, attacked by Death Eaters? The rest of the students would be terrified- what chance did they stand, if she ended up in peril at the hands of Voldemort's minions?

Suddenly, a loud bang occurred directly behind him, and for a brief moment, Harry though Persephone and Alex had returned. He turned around, and was greeted by the sight of a beaming Ron.

"Oh, don't look so pleased to see me, mate," he grumbled, sarcastically, and Harry realised he must have looked disappointed.

"Sorry, Ron, it isn't you- I'm just a little... concerned," Harry said, careful not to mention Hermione's plight until he had further details. Ron frowned at him.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Erm... just the Dursleys, you know," he lied. Ron sighed sympathetically.

"It's pretty grim you have to stay with them," he said.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Harry asked. Ron beamed, as though he had been desperate for Harry to ask that question ever since he had appeared in his living room.

"Well, I just passed my Apparition test, didn't I!" he announced, proudly. Harry forced a smile.

"That's great, Ron, well done!" he said, in a cheery voice most certainly not befitting his mood. Ron's eyes widened.

"I should have done it in the Easter holidays, but the Apparition Regulator got my date of birth confused with Charlie's, so they slotted me in before the summer holiday students to make up for it. It was well scary- I thought I'd blown it when the examiner asked me to Apparate to the bottom of the street- and I Apparated to the top instead. I got confused with the house numbers," he admitted. "But fortunately, they can't mark you down for taking a wrong direction, only if you damage yourself or anyone else by taking it, so I passed!"

He breathed in deeply, and then frowned at Harry.

"What's wrong, mate?" he asked, in a concerned tone of voice. Harry grimaced- he really didn't want to tell Ron, but deep down, he knew he had to. He took a deep breath.

"It's Hermione," he replied. Ron rolled his eyes.

"What's she done now? She hasn't started lecturing you about adult responsibility already, has she?" he asked, with a small laugh. The laugh disappeared into nothing, however, upon looking at Harry.

"What's happened?" he asked. Harry stole himself for the moment.

"Her house- it's being attacked by Death Eaters. Persephone and Alex got a message from Snape..."

Ron clearly wasn't listening. He had gone an odd shade of white, and his shoulders had slumped, making him look about two inches shorter than he was.

"Hermione?" he said, feebly, before shaking himself and grabbing his wand. Harry quickly put his hand around Ron's wand wrist.

"Ron, don't," he said, warningly. Ron tried to shake himself free of his grip.

"I've got to do something!" he yelled back.

"Ron, no! You can't do anything- Persephone and Alex are infiltrating the attack, they'll rescue her," Harry reasoned. Ron glared at him.

"And you're happy to leave them to it?" he shouted back.

"Do you think I'd still be here if I could help?" he retorted, and Ron seemed to calm down at this remark.

"You're right," he sighed, pacing the floor nervously. "They will let us know, won't they?"

"Yeah, both Persephone and Alex said they would," Harry replied, as calmly as he could. "They're taking their sweet time over it," he thought, anxiously.

A click of the front door alerted Harry, but the hallway revealed a red-faced Dudley and Uncle Vernon, who were swaying a little in the doorway. They entered the house, and staggered into the front room. Aunt Petunia came rushing in, wringing her hands.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Uncle Vernon nodded.

"We're bosh fine," he slurred. Dudley emitted a high-pitched giggle, and nodded in an exaggerated fashion.

"Thash't right, mum- there'sh notshing to worry aboush," he added. Aunt Petunia frowned at them.

"You've been drinking?" she asked, though her glare was cold enough to freeze the Dead Sea. Uncle Vernon shrugged.

"We may havesh had a couplshe," he admitted. Aunt Petunia threw a nearby cushion at him.

"Dudley's only seventeen!" she shrieked. Uncle Vernon returned her glare, though his eyes kept crossing at inopportune moments.

"The boy'sh gosht to learn shometime," he replied, unabashed. "Better now, witsh hish Dadsh, than looksh a panshy in front of hish friendsh..."

He stumbled into the potted palm plant next to the doorframe, before leaning against the doorjamb in what he presumably thought looked like a casual manner. Dudley staggered into the living room, tripped over the armrest of the sofa, and fell face first into the cushions. He began snoring rather loudly only seconds later.

"Vernon, you've got some serious explaining to do!" Aunt Petunia said, crossly, but Uncle Vernon waved away her concerns with a swish of his fat hand in the air.

"Relax, Petunia. What else am I supposed to do? At leasht when I'm drunk, those freaksh are shlightly more bearable..."

Harry saw Ron grown red in the face.

"We're not freaks!" he retorted, angrily, staring at Uncle Vernon, who tried to stare back, but clearly was having difficulty focussing.

"Yesh... freaksh," he slurred back, before slumping along the doorjamb until he was in a semi-sitting position upon the carpet. He pressed one of his palms to his temple and sighed loudly.

A figure Apparated into the living room with a loud popping sound, and dusted himself off. Harry was horrified when he saw who it was, and a swift glance in Ron's direction confirmed his redheaded friend felt the same. Their hated Potions professor, Snape, was standing in front of them, wearing a black robe similar to Persephone's.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, and then hastily added, "Sir." Snape glared at him contemptuously.

"Why do you think, boy?" he said, rhetorically. Harry glared at him as he surveyed his surroundings casually, seemingly unimpressed by the Durselys living room.

Another small pop followed, and Harry saw to his relief that Persephone was now standing in the living room. This relief subsided, when he realised that she was alone.

"Where's Hermione?" he asked, quickly. Persephone sighed.

"She's coming. Alex is bringing her, along with her parents, and..." She trailed off as she saw Snape standing opposite her. She frowned.

"Did you just get here?" she asked. Snape turned to face her.

"Yes," he replied.

"What, you Apparated straight here?" she asked. Snape frowned at her.

"Of course, why?" he asked, suspiciously, as Aunt Petunia finally looked at him, and gasped.

"Severus?" she whispered. Harry was floored by this- she knew Snape by his first name? Oddly enough, Snape seemed somewhat bewildered by Aunt Petunia's recognition of him, as well.

Just when Harry thought today couldn't get any stranger, Persephone glared at Snape, pulled what looked like a knife out from beneath her heavy Death Eater robes, and threw it with precision aim into his left shoulder blade. He let out a piercing yell, then turned to face her, his face twisted into a furious, malicious expression.

"Beauchamp!" he raged. Persephone folded her arms and looked at him.

"I thought as much. Well, well- this is indeed a puzzler. Now then, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Who are you?" she asked, forcefully. Snape stared at her with hatred in his eyes, and lunged at her, his arms outstretched. Persephone thrust her right hand between them.

"Dextera; Immobilus!" she commanded, and Snape was frozen to the spot, his arms outstretched like some kind of mummy. Persephone smiled one of her lop-sided smiles.

"Fine; the hard way it is," she said, mostly to herself, as she reached out with her left hand and announced, "Sinistra; Acclaro!"

Suddenly, Snape was no longer Snape. The greasy black hair was replaced by shorter, blonde hair; the tall, lanky frame shrank in height and gained in weight. Harry vaguely recognised the man that stood in front of him now, but it was clear from Persephone's horrified expression that she recognised him much more clearly.

"Ioan?" she practically whispered, lowering her hands. The man smiled.

"I'm flattered you remember me, Persephone," he replied, smoothly. Persephone shrugged.

"When you're in bed with a guy, and he turns into a wolf, it kind of leaves an impression," she replied, nonchalantly. Harry suddenly recalled where he recognised the man from- it was Ioan Desislav, Persephone's childhood sweetheart and the Durmstrang Quidditch captain at the time. Harry had seen him on one of Persephone's school photographs. Ron, on the other hand, looked thoroughly confused, and was frowning at the two of them, as though he thought an answer might appear as a result of his actions. Harry placed a hand on Ron's arm in order to restrain him from any sudden movement. He had a nasty feeling this man had been involved with the raid on Hermione's house.

"I have to know," Ioan asked, "however did you guess?"

"He wouldn't be so stupid as to directly Apparate away from a Death Eater attack without changing his clothes," Persephone replied, as she unsheathed a sword from somewhere underneath those black robes, and pointed it warningly in front of her. Ioan laughed.

"Oh, Persephone, do we really need to do this with weapons?" he asked, mockingly. Persephone smiled.

"Not really, but I do happen to like them," she retorted, calmly. Ioan raised an eyebrow.

"You always were one for artillery," he replied. "It was what I admired most about you..."

Persephone rolled her eyes.

"Now, Ioan, I like to reminisce as much as the next wizard, but can we just get to the fighting, please? I'm not one for raking over past ground, I thought you knew that," she retorted. Ioan smiled.

"I knew you better than you ever did," he replied. "Always have. You always did play the tough girl, but I've always known where the façade ended, and you began."

Persephone faked a stifled yawn, and glanced at her watch.

"Get to the point, Desislav," she spat. Ioan appeared pleased at her anger.

"You'd do well with us, you know," he explained, patiently. "These Muggles really are a dent on our society. We need to purge it- reclaim our world, and rebuild it, as it should be. You were always one for social utopia; why not side with people who share that dream?"

"I already have," she replied, glaring at Ioan. He shrugged.

"Shame. I thought you might want to follow in your old man's footsteps..." He paused dramatically, and then clicked his fingers. "But of course; you already have!"

Harry saw Persephone turn even paler than she usually was.

"What do you mean?" she asked, defensively. Ioan smiled triumphantly, and folded his arms.

"I mean, your father is playing two sides of the same coin, so to speak," he replied. Persephone looked as though she was about to say something, when he put his finger to his lips.

"Now, now, no need to mouth off," he said, "nobody else knows. Or rather, nobody else need know."

Persephone's eyes narrowed, and Ioan took this as his cue to continue.

"Join us, and I promise I'll keep my secret."

"Why?"

"You'd be useful to us. Very useful indeed. Much as many of us deride the Brethren, I can see they've taught you well, plus you could no doubt keep Severus in check- I noticed today, he does have this nasty habit of running off with schoolgirls. I won't even begin to comment on the moral implications..."

"You were never particularly amusing, Ioan," Persephone interrupted. Ioan shrugged.

"You were never particularly pretty- I suppose we made up for each other's faults," he replied, swiftly. Persephone folded her arms, and Harry could see the sword she held poke out behind her. Ioan looked impatient.

"Well, what's your answer?" he asked, walking towards her. Persephone gave him a humourless smile, and his hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat.

"It's a simple choice!" he goaded, as Persephone dropped her sword and tried to prise his hand away from her neck. He squeezed tighter, and she began to choke.

Then, all of a sudden, before Harry could even think of getting up to help her, Ioan let go, as though he had just received an electric shock. He looked at Persephone suspiciously.

"Now, I'd just love to know what that was all about," he taunted, shaking his hand in the air as though trying to shake life back into it.

On noticing this distraction, Persephone deftly moved her arms from behind her back.

"Dextera, Sinistra; Stupefy!" she bellowed, and a huge blast of red light hit Ioan Desislav square in the chest with a bang, who keeled over and slumped to the floor. Persephone deftly conjured a large amount of chains and bound him to the spot.

"I'll, erm... I'll get him moved," she promised, as she scratched the back of her neck with a trembling hand. Harry thought she appeared white as a sheet.

"What just happened, with him dropping you?" Ron asked, suddenly. Persephone shrugged.

"He wasn't the only one who would have liked to know," she replied. Harry continued to stare at Persephone's slightly shaky frame.

"Perhaps it's the blood protection. I'm protected here because Aunt Petunia took me in, and by doing so sealed a pact with Mum. Maybe your blood is like mine," he replied, quietly, unable to tear his eyes away from Persephone. She frowned, as though she was trying to process this new piece of information, and Harry wondered if perhaps casting one spell using both hands was not something one should attempt with wandless magic.

"Are you okay, Persephone?" Harry asked, quietly. Persephone nodded.

"I'll live," she replied. "It's just using both sides of the body to channel wandless magic isn't the cleverest of moves. It's wicked powerful, but it comes at a price. That price happens to be a sudden onset of the shakes. It's no biggie."

Suddenly, a couple of small popping noises distracted Harry from Persephone's apparent physical distress, and both he and Ron stood up. Alex Ridley was standing in the living room, holding onto the arms of both Tom and Kate Granger, who looked pale and frightened.

"Where's Hermione, what's happened to Hermione!" Kate kept pleading, looking around her, clearly stunned as to the sudden change in location.

"It's okay, Kate, she's fine," Alex soothed, sitting them both down on a nearby sofa. Uncle Vernon rubbed his eyes, and stared wildly at them.

"Whatsh the hellsh do you thinksh your doingsh?" he demanded, albeit in a slurring voice. Alex glared at him.

"Oh, shut up, you old soak!" she shouted, before turning her attention back to the Grangers. Uncle Vernon remained slack-jawed, staring at Alex as though she was a particularly loathsome beggar. Eventually, on garnering no response from the woman, he stumbled out of the room, and upstairs, judging by the loud thumping sounds Harry could hear on the ceiling.

At that point, another small pop rang in Harry's ears, and this time, he really was staring at his hated Potions teacher, except he had something very precious to both Ron and Harry held in his arms.

"Move out of the way!" he barked at Ron and Harry, who, rather than feeling angry and indignant at his brusque behaviour, obeyed instantly. He carefully lay Hermione down on a sofa, and Harry noticed she had a black cloak wrapped around her upper body. He watched helplessly as Snape began to place his hands on her neck and chest.

"Alexandra, get me a cauldron," he demanded. Alex clicked her fingers at Persephone, who rushed into the kitchen. She then looked at him.

"How is she?" she asked.

"She's getting colder, and I think she might enter cardiac obstruct," he replied, whilst gingerly loosening the cloak wrapped around her body, all the while keeping one hand pressed to her chest wall.

"Arrest," Alex corrected, as she conjured what appeared to be a bag of medical supplies into her left hand.

"Argh! Bloody saucepans!" Persephone was shouting from the kitchen. "Petunia! Have you got any pewter bowls?"

Aunt Petunia jumped in her seat.

"Erm... I've got a silver tray," she stammered.

"Is it real, solid silver?" Persephone shouted back.

"Yes, it was a wedding present," Aunt Petunia replied, as though she was offended by the suggestion she owned anything silver-plated.

"Right- found it!" Persephone shouted back, which was swiftly followed by what sounded like somebody smashing a silver tray with a hammer. A few seconds later, Persephone emerged with a crudely fashioned bowl. Aunt Petunia paled at the sight. Alex got up, sighed, and pointed her wand at it, transfiguring it into a perfect cauldron shape. Persephone looked embarrassed.

"Or, you could do that," she replied, diffidently.

"That'll do- I need a fire," Snape barked.

"There's an agar cooker in the kitchen..."

"Too big," Snape replied, "I need something to steady the cauldron- I only want to heat the centre..."

"We've gotsh a Calor Gash fire in the shed- I tooksh it on a camping trip," Dudley piped up, and Harry nearly fainted from the shock. Dudley, offering to help? It all seemed too weird. Snape seemed unconcerned by such things.

"Well, go and get it, boy!" Snape snapped.

"Yesh, sir," Dudley stammered, then quickly made his way to the shed, though he did swerve into the doorframe once or twice.

Meanwhile, Alex pulled out what looked like a lethal syringe, followed by something long and thin in a paper and plastic covering.

"We need to act fast- that potion won't work quickly enough if we administer it orally," she said, clinically. Snape nodded, as Dudley returned with the gas fire and some matches. He switched on the gas supply, and began to try and light a match using his shaking hands, but Snape stopped him. Without so much as a word, he pointed his wand at the escaping gas, murmured, "Incendio," and a bluish flame rose up from the gas canister. Persephone plonked the makeshift cauldron on the flames, and Snape began to add various substances from a variety of bottles and vials both he and Alex had on their person. Harry watched as they worked in tandem, giving orders and instructions, passing each other ingredients and checking effects.

"What can we do?" Ron asked Persephone, as Harry saw the potion turn from blue to green.

"Yeah, there must be something," he added. Persephone shrugged.

"Erm... you could help me move Ioan, I suppose," she offered. "I need to get him to headquarters."

"Is Hermione going to be okay?" Harry asked, as he glanced across at the pale girl sprawled across the sofa.

"I think she'll be fine," Persephone replied, quietly. Ron, however, has pounced upon one word.

"Think? You think she'll be fine!" he exclaimed. Persephone shushed him, and grabbed his shoulders roughly.

"We're doing everything we can- please stay calm, if only for Kate and Tom's sake," she replied, in a low but gruff whisper. Ron seemed to compose himself after that, and looked across at the Grangers sitting nervously at the other end of the living room. Harry looked as well, and saw they were clutching each other's hands and wore expressions of grave concern. He caught Kate's eye, and she smiled weakly at him. He returned the smile in a gesture of shared concern for Hermione.

"Right, that's it!" Alex called out, and ripped off the papery covering of the long, thin object, which revealed it to be a large needle. She attached it to the syringe, and drew up a measure of the potion bubbling away in the transfigured cauldron, tapping the needle with her knuckle until no air bubbles were present.

"Okay- Severus, get her shirt off," she commanded. Ron appeared horrified at these words, and stormed over to where Hermione lay.

"What? What are you thinking?" he yelled, hotly.

"Be quiet, Weasley, do you want her to die?" Snape shouted back, rhetorically, and Ron fell into a shocked silence at his words. Harry watched as Snape swiftly cut Hermione's shirt and bra open with a small pocket-knife; Alex hovering over her body as though anticipating an attack.

"Right; hold her still," Alex ordered, and Snape pinned Hermione down by the shoulders. Alex lifted the syringe up, and thrust it hard into Hermione's sternum. Harry felt himself wince as he heard a sickening crack, then felt fingers dig deep into his upper arm. They were Ron's.

"What are they doing to her?" he asked, in a hollow voice.

"I don't know," Harry replied, quietly.

"They're trying to bring her heartbeat back to a normal rate, at least enough to get her to hospital," Tom replied, quietly.

"If it works, she'll be fine. She won't need to go to hospital," Alex replied, as she pushed the syringe pump and expelled the liquid into Hermione's chest.

Suddenly, Harry's ears were assaulted by an ear-splitting scream, followed by Alex's voice shouting, "Don't move, damn it! Keep her still!" over the din. He looked across at the sofa, and saw Hermione's eyes were wide open. She was shaking, pale and sweating, and struggling to escape Snape's firm grip.

"It'll be over in a minute, now keep still," he said, as Alex pulled the syringe out of Hermione's chest and quickly pulled out her wand and muttered some incantation. Harry heard that horrific crunching noise again, and then there was silence, save for Hermione's ragged breathing. She pulled herself up into a sitting position, and Harry saw Snape place that large black cloak over her shoulders, then deftly grab the cauldron in his right hand and hold it in front of Hermione. Harry was about to wonder why, when he saw Hermione retch into it, her entire body shaking with the effort.

The Grangers had moved as one to Hermione's side, Tom having taken the bowl holding job from an obviously relieved Snape, whilst Kate was gushing at him and Alex.

"Oh, thank you, both of you," she wept, clearly unable to hold herself together one more moment. Snape looked thoroughly uncomfortable with the attention, but Alex put an arm around her.

"She's okay now- that's good enough for me," she replied, resting her head against Kate's. Tom, his arm still wrapped tightly around Hermione's shoulders, looked across at Snape.

"Thank you- but why exactly were you at our house, anyway?" he asked, with a definite air of suspicion. Snape frowned.

"It's complicated..."

"He's a Death Eater spy," Persephone piped up. Snape sighed irritably.

"Apparently not that complicated," he replied. Tom stared at him as though he were appraising him.

"That must take guts," he remarked, though Harry could tell now that Tom was staring at his teeth with interest. Snape made no reply.

"Here, I could probably sort out those for you," Tom said, pointing subtly at Snape's teeth. "Do you smoke at all?"

"No, it's a filthy habit," Snape replied, swiftly, leaving Tom rather nonplussed. He got up from where he had been kneeling to help aid Hermione, and brushed himself down, at which point Harry noticed he and Aunt Petunia made eye contact.

"Severus," Aunt Petunia acknowledged.

"Petunia," he replied, curtly.

Harry looked across at Persephone, and quickly realised he wasn't the only one to have noticed this odd exchange, for she was staring at them both with wide-eyes and raised eyebrows.

"Here, Severus," she announced, suddenly, "Ioan Desislav paid us a visit earlier. He seemed to think you were playing for both teams, as it were."

Snape looked at her.

"Where is he now?" he asked, and Harry thought he could detect a hint of panic on the professor's face. Persephone pointed towards the fireplace at the bundle of chained-up Death Eater.

"There," she announced, casually. Snape's lip curled in distaste.

"Are you planning to move him at any time?" he asked. Persephone shrugged.

"Yeah- I'd best get on it, actually. Sam will probably want a word with him down in Interrogation," she replied, directing her right hand at the offending area and disapparating away with a small popping noise.

Harry looked across at Hermione, who was currently being smothered by her parents, and smiled at her. She smiled back, and beckoned him to come over. He did so, and she put a friendly arm around him, pulling him into a hug, which he returned.

"Are you feeling okay?" Harry asked, once he'd let go. Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, I'm feeling alright," she replied.

"What happened?" he asked. Hermione grimaced.

"Our house got attacked by Death Eaters- some kind of raid, I think. We got a bit of a head start, because one of our neighbours saw some odd people in masks and mentioned it to Dad when he was walking to work. So, he ran back, and we tried to barricade the door in, but it didn't work... I got hit around three times with Stunners, I think. I'm not too sure... I just remember feeling incredibly cold... then waking up here. What did I miss?" she asked, with a dark smile.

"Not a lot- Snape brought you in here, he and Alex did something with a potion and a syringe..."

Hermione clutched the cloak around her body.

"Oh yes, that. It sounds like some procedure they use to restart your heart... Oh my God- did I die?" she asked, suddenly. Alex laughed.

"No, you didn't. You were close, but you survived," she replied, whilst comforting a still shocked Kate.

Harry found himself looking at Hermione's hand where she had drawn her cloak around herself, and blushed.

"Shall I get you a spare jumper?" he asked. Hermione looked down at herself, and blushed too.

"Yes, thanks. That would be nice," she said. Harry got up to leave the living room, when Hermione grabbed his hand.

"Where's Ron?" she asked. Harry jerked his head in the direction of the redheaded boy who was fastidiously examining the wallpaper.

"I think he doesn't want to intrude," he replied, as a small popping sound indicated that Persephone had returned from her quick visit to the Interrogation Department of the Brethren to drop off her parcel. Hermione shouted to get Ron's attention, as Harry made his way upstairs and into his bedroom. He had picked out a warm looking jumper from his trunk, and stuffed it under his arm, when he heard a distant pop, then a knock at the door.

"I'll get it, nobody rush," he heard Persephone announce, sarcastically. The front door clicked open, a brief discussion that Harry couldn't really hear occurred, then he became aware of Persephone speaking in an entirely different language- something he had never heard her do before. Harry recognised the male voice that answered her, though, especially when he heard the word, "Hermy-own-ninny," pepper the conversation.

By the time Harry had descended the stairs leading to the Dursleys' hallway, Persephone had finished her interrogation, and clearly ascertained that Viktor Krum was indeed in front of her. They were now hugging each other with enthusiasm, and chatting away in what he assumed was Bulgarian, as she led him into the living room. He just about had time to pass Hermione his jumper, which she thanked him for and pulled over her head, before Viktor Krum took centre-stage.

"Hermy-own-ninny!" Viktor exclaimed, rushing towards her. She smiled, and embraced him.

"Viktor? What are you doing her?" she asked, beaming. Viktor smiled shyly, and knelt before her.

"There haff been Aurors all over the place... I vanted to surprise you, come and visit vhile I vas in England... you vere not there, so I came to find you, and so I haff," he explained, nervously. Hermione smiled, and let him hold her hand in his.

"Are you alright? You vere not hurt?" Viktor asked. Hermione nodded.

"I'm okay now," she replied, looking across at Alex, who feigned modesty. It was at this point Harry noticed that Snape was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Petunia.

Then Harry's attention was drawn to Ron. He was standing in the corner of the room, glaring at Krum with an intensity Harry thought he had never seen Ron possess. Eventually, Harry caught his eye.

"What's up?" he asked, on walking over to him. Ron shrugged.

"Nothing," he mumbled. Harry smiled gently.

"It doesn't look like nothing," he said, as gently as he could. Ron just glared at him.

"Just... It doesn't matter, okay! I'm going outside," he announced, before turning away and apparating off with a loud bang that made everyone in the room jump.

"Wh... Where did he go?" Dudley stammered, and Harry noticed he had paled with fright.

Harry looked out of the window that overlooked the back garden, and spotted a surly looking redhead padding around near the tree at the foot of the garden, kicking at random flowers that happened to be in his path.

"He's outside," Harry replied, and decided it might be an idea to join him, so opened the door to the kitchen, where the back door was located.... then promptly shut it again when he glimpsed what was on the other side. In the kitchen, Harry had clearly seen Snape and Aunt Petunia sat on opposite sides of the kitchen table, nursing cups of coffee. Snape looked his usual contemptuous self, and Aunt Petunia looked rather cowed.

He contemplated listening to what they might have been talking about, except that Persephone beat him to it, and slid an Extendable Ear underneath the crack of the door, putting one end to her left ear.

"I must tell Fred and George how useful these have been," she whispered to Harry, only to wince in pain and drop her end of the Extendable Ear to the floor.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked. Persephone put a finger in her left ear and waggled it, a look of discomfort on her face.

"He's got the measure of me, hasn't he?" she complained, although she smiled as she did so. "He put a Volume charm on his voice, and shouted right down the other end!"

Harry winced in sympathy.

"Humph- I'll get him back, though," Persephone added, as though the very act itself would involve similar amounts of planning as any of the Brethren's war efforts.

Harry looked at Persephone, wondering how much she really wanted to hear what was going on behind that kitchen door, and then slowly opened it to just a crack, which was enough to make both Aunt Petunia and Snape's voices audible to him. Persephone saw him.

"You know," she whispered, "I think I'm supposed to set you a good example and discourage such behaviour..."

Judging by the lightning speed at which she crawled to the door and leant her head near the open gap, she had resolved that particularly brief moral conflict. He instead began to concentrate on the conversation going on in that room.

"...He just can't expect me to keep him... After everything that's happened today? I thought those Dementors were bad enough... I just can't take the risk anymore. I'm sure you must understand," Aunt Petunia was saying.

"Enlighten me," Snape replied, icily.

"Well, you've got your daughter back, after all this time. It must be hard to adjust, especially with all these dangers... wouldn't you just rather keep her away from it all?"

Harry heard someone sigh deeply, and imagined it to be Snape.

"She's an adult. I can't make that choice for her... I can't protect her. You, on the other hand..."

"Does that worry you?" Aunt Petunia asked, gently, in her best counselling voice, that Harry just thought sounded condescending.

"Since when did you suddenly become so interested in my well being?" Snape retorted, viciously. Clearly he didn't appreciate the slightly patronising tone in Aunt Petunia's voice.

"I was just asking..."

"Well, save your breath, Petunia. Persephone isn't the issue- you and the Potter boy are."

There was a sharp intake of breath and an uncomfortable silence, which was soon broken by Aunt Petunia.

"How dare you!" she stammered with rage. "I've never liked you and your lot, ever! Yet here you are, causing trouble, putting my family in danger!"

"And finally, after a supremely boring fifteen minutes skirting around the issue, we finally get to the nub of the matter. What about Lily? I trust she was your family too, yet you lump her in as one of my lot, as it were..."

Somebody snorted; Harry guessed it was Aunt Petunia.

"There's a difference between not liking someone, and not caring if they're slaughtered in their own home. I'd have thought you of all people would understand that!"

"Very perceptive of you, Petunia. It's a pity then, that you seem to have difficulty telling the difference between not liking someone, and lusting after them. Not to mention acting on that..."

"Oh shut up, Severus!" she hissed. "That was a long time ago."

There was another tense silence.

"And yet you remember it like it was yesterday. I'm touched," Snape drawled. Harry heard a cup slam on the kitchen table.

"For God's sake, Severus, don't do that! It's... it's..."

"A violation of your mind?"

"Yes! Heaven only knows why you were born with that... that abnormality!"

"Actually, I learned it, along with a host of other skills I don't recall you complaining about twenty years ago," Snape replied, silkily.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you? You actually like making me angry!"

"I'll admit you're more fun this way," he retorted.

"I bet you told anyone you could about... about our," Petunia coughed. "Indiscretion."

Snape laughed derisively.

"Hardly. A Muggle, of all people? I do have a reputation to uphold. As do you," he replied.

"Get to the point, Severus," Aunt Petunia snapped.

"I'm just saying, it would be a pity if I slipped up, and accidentally mentioned something about that evening. Especially if it were in front of your husband..."

There was another excruciating silence.

"You... you wouldn't," Aunt Petunia croaked.

"That all depends on you, really," Snape replied, smoothly.

"You're resorting to blackmail?"

"I prefer the term 'insurance'."

"All for this one boy... Why, Severus? Why go to all this trouble? I know you don't like him one little bit!"

"Like you said; there's a difference between not liking someone, and not caring if they're slaughtered in their own home."

Harry heard the scraping of chair legs against the lino of the kitchen floor.

"I'll be seeing you, Petunia," Snape drawled. Harry and Persephone barely made it away from the door quick enough before he emerged, looking perfectly calm. Through the gap of the open door, Harry could see Aunt Petunia was shaking with rage.

Snape stopped in his tracks and eyeballed Persephone suspiciously. She glared back indignantly.

"What?" she whinged, managing to make the word sound duo-syllabic.

"Were you enjoying yourself crouching behind that door?" he spat, and continued to glare at her. Persephone retained her expression of umbrage.

"Oh, come on- what do you take me for?" she retorted. Snape merely raised an eyebrow.

"I take you for Persephone Beauchamp, which I why I feel my suspicions are no doubt completely grounded," he replied, sarcastically. Persephone shrugged.

"Well, you can't blame me for being curious. It isn't like you've told me a great deal about this side of my family..."

"I've told you all I know," Snape interrupted, at which Persephone rolled her eyes.

"Evidently, you haven't," she retorted. Snape ignored her, and sat down on a chair, looking at his watch with the air of someone who desperately wanted to be anywhere but where he was right now. Harry couldn't help but smile at his discomfort. Unlike Persephone, however, his smile was a malicious one.

"You can stop your smirking, Potter," Snape said, coldly. Dudley began to laugh, until he was silenced by one of the most murderous glares Harry had ever seen Snape subject anyone to, at which point he shut up completely, and sloped off to the kitchen.

Alex, on the other hand, stood up and manoeuvred herself so she was right next to him.

"How do you do that, Severus?" she asked, with a look of genuine awe. Snape gave her a slightly less cold glare.

"It comes naturally after fourteen years of teaching," he replied, tersely. Alex seemed to mull this over, before Persephone sat on the arm of the chair that Snape was seated in. Harry noticed that Viktor was staring at the two of them, flicking from one to the other repeatedly, and appearing both suspicious and confused. Hermione nudged him, and began a very low conversation, which Harry presumed explained how Snape and Persephone were related.

"Oh, come on, Severus," Persephone whispered, "tell me about Petunia. What's going on?"

Harry knew he wasn't meant to be listening in, though he was also fairly certain Persephone would tell him whatever it was they were discussing, so he pretended to be engrossed in the free local newspaper that had been delivered to the Durselys a few days ago.

"You mean, what went on," Snape replied, quietly. Persephone shrugged.

"You know better than me," she replied, her eyes boring into his. For a moment, Snape looked a little embarrassed.

"It's really not important..."

"Then there's no reason not to tell me," Persephone replied. Unable to get around her unwavering logic, Snape sighed with irritation.

"Fine. A good few years ago, you were probably only two at the time, Lily was babysitting you for Porphyria. Petunia was hanging around, letting slip veiled comments about her dislike of wizards and such, and your mother joked that... well, if she had a more intimate knowledge of wizards, she might change her mind. I joked back that I'd be curious to find out, at which she laughed and said I'd never manage it... At that age, I didn't much like to back down from a challenge, so we had a little wager..." He trailed off.

Persephone stared at him with a mixture of distaste and indignation.

"Who died and made you the Vicomte de Valmont ^[1]?" she complained. Snape looked at her.

"I refuse to answer that on the grounds of taste," he replied, simply, and Persephone fell silent for a moment. She soon recovered her voice, though.

"Gordon Bennet ^[2]- my mum, her sister... I bet you were obsessive about collecting those Chocolate Frog cards as a kid," she commented, shaking her head. Snape looked bewildered.

"Meaning?"

"I think Percy's suggesting, you like to have the set, as it were," Alex explained, with a cheeky grin that showed a replacement gold canine tooth. Snape glared at her, but said nothing in return.

"What did you get?" Persephone asked. Snape's eyebrows rose a little.

"Explain," he replied. Persephone rolled her eyes.

"What did you win in the bet? I mean, besides- ahem- job satisfaction," she replied, cheekily. Snape shrugged.

"I can't really remember... I think it was a box of chocolate frogs and a chess set."

Persephone looked askance at him.

"You cheap whore!" she hissed. Snape did nothing except glare coolly at her.

Alex, Harry noticed, was doing her level best to keep a straight face. The Grangers were, likewise, steadfastly pretending they hadn't heard a word of the conversation. Only Hermione and Viktor remained oblivious to the discussion that had gone on, quietly in a world of their own.

Suddenly, Viktor exclaimed, "I didn't think you could get people pregnant at fourteen!" and Harry saw Snape bunch his fists up so tightly, that his knuckles were turning white. He decided that now would be as good a time as any to go and see how Ron was doing, so he got up and opened the kitchen door.

* * *

Once he had entered the back garden, Harry spotted Ron straight away, seeing as the only other person in there at the moment was Dudley, and he was surrounded by a cloud of grey smoke, guiltily puffing away at a cigarette as far away from the windows of the house as he could physically manage.

"Are you alright, Ron?" Harry asked, at which Ron jumped in surprise.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah... I'm fine... Is Hermione still taking to Krum?" he asked, quickly. Harry nodded.

"Yeah, he hasn't moved from her side since he got here."

Ron pulled a face.

"Yeah, I bet!" he said, with a snort.

"Ron, he was just worried about Hermione," Harry tried to reason, but Ron gave him a frosty glare that warned him to drop the subject, so he did. After a few moments of silence, Ron resumed his pacing around the tree.

"Humph- just because he's a bloody world team Quidditch player, doesn't give him the right to sniff around her like that," Ron groused. Harry had to admit he was confused by this remark.

"Ron, what on earth do you mean?" he asked. Ron flushed scarlet.

"Nothing. Forget it. Anyway, what was your Aunt doing chatting to Snape?" he asked, changing the subject with an abruptness that knocked Harry for six.

"I'm not entirely sure. I think he was blackmailing her," he replied. Ron frowned.

"What could old Snape possibly have on her to use as blackmail?"

"Him, by all accounts," a voice butted in, and Harry instantly recognised it as Alex's.

"Sorry, chaps- couldn't help but overhear," she apologised. "I thought I'd get some fresh air, seeing as I had a choice of hearing Severus' grousing, or Viktor's capitulation at the hands of the dreaded parents," she explained. Ron tried, and failed, to hide a snigger. Alex paid little attention, for she was staring over at Dudley with an odd look on her face. Eventually, she turned to Harry before he could get a word in edgeways.

"Here, do your Aunt and Uncle know their kid smokes?" she asked. Harry shrugged.

"Don't think so, Alex," he replied. She smiled, and tapped her fingers together.

"Excellent," she remarked, before striding over to where Dudley was crouched behind the bushes, trying to hide the fact that he was smoking, and doing a very poor job of it.

"What was all that about?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged.

"No idea," he replied, as he watched Alex approach Dudley. He looked at Ron, and the two of them mutely decided to get close enough to find out what was going on.

It turned out not to be that interesting, after all. Alex had merely engaged Dudley in conversation.

"Here, kiddo, can I crash a fag off you?"

"I'm down to my last three!" Dudley moaned, from near the bush. Alex offered him a false grin.

"I'm sure you could spare just the one, in return for my silence," she replied. Dudley looked confused, so Alex rolled her eyes and stared at him as though he were five years old.

"Look, it's pretty simple- give me one of your fags, and I won't grass you up to your folks, deal?"

Dudley looked most infuriated.

"Fine, you've got a deal," he whinged, stuffing one of his cigarettes into Alex's hand.

"Cheers," she said, with a wink, and put the orange end of her cigarette to her lips. Looking furtively around, she pulled out her wand and muttered, "Incendio." A blue flame jumped out of the end of her wand and onto the cigarette, until the ash glowed red, and smoke started to drift out of it. Alex inhaled deeply, and blew the smoke from her mouth away from Harry and Ron, the latter of whom was staring at her in confusion.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Alex shrugged.

"I know, I know- it's a filthy habit," she confessed. Ron still looked confused.

"I don't get it," he replied. "It looks like a pipe, but it's a tube of paper."

"That's about the shape of it," Alex replied. Ron grinned at her.

"What does it do, then?" he asked. Alex looked nonplussed.

"Do?" she asked. Ron nodded.

"Yeah- does the burning paper help? Does it increase your wit, or make you feel happy?"

"It doesn't really do anything. Besides, the entire act of smoking merely increases your risk of getting cancer," Alex replied, slightly sheepishly. Ron frowned at her.

"Then why do it?" he asked. Alex sighed.

"Because I've been doing it since I was fifteen, and just haven't been able to give up," she replied, before making eye contact with Dudley.

"Let that be a little life lesson for you, free of charge," she said, at which Dudley pulled a face, but said nothing in return. Alex sighed.

"The situation's just getting pretty tense in there. I mean, post- meeting the parents," she replied, taking another drag on her cigarette.

"Why? Is it because of Aunt Petunia and Snape?" Harry asked. Alex grimaced.

"Nah- I wish it was; that'd be so much easier. This is to do with Hermione, Kate and Tom," she replied, sadly. Ron looked at her.

"What's the matter?" he asked. Alex tapped on the top of her cigarette, and Harry saw ash fall from it onto the grass beneath their feet.

"Our suggested methods of protection are going down like a lead zeppelin, to be honest, as are Hermione's desires to return to Hogwarts in September," she explained. Ron looked horrified.

"Not go to Hogwarts? That's ludicrous!" he exclaimed. Alex shrugged.

"I know. I pointed out that Hermione would be much safer at Hogwarts than out here, what with Dumbledore, the Order and the Brethren on guard, but they were sceptical. I left Persephone to convince them- she needs the practise, and I'm a bit too personally involved with the Grangers," she replied. Harry understood her implications, for the Ridleys and the Grangers had been friends, until the former were massacred in a Death Eater attack during the late seventies, and the Grangers were left with no clue as to what had happened to the girl they used to baby-sit.

"How are you planning to protect Hermione's parents?" Ron asked, kicking a stone across the lawn, and barely missing Dudley's calves.

"Witness protection," Alex explained, stubbing out her cigarette on the grass with her foot. "We'll move them to an undisclosed area, give them new names and a new dental practise and monitor them until the war is over, when hopefully- providing we win- they can return to their old lives. Hermione's going to stay with Ron's folks at the Order headquarters in the school holidays."

"Beginning when?" Harry asked. Alex sighed.

"Beginning as soon as we get the Granger's consent," she replied, as though she thought this would prove to be very hard work. Ron looked at the window to the house, and scowled.

"That's if she can tear herself away from Krum for long enough," he muttered under his breath, only Harry heard him all too clearly. He mutely decided not to bring the issue up.

Persephone emerged from the back door, and gave Alex a 'thumbs up' signal.

"They've conceded," she shouted, walking towards them. Alex exhaled sharply.

"Oh, that's a relief," she replied, before looking anxious. "How did they take it?"

"Not too well," Persephone admitted, "but Hermione explained about how the school had been stepping up security all last year, and about how important her final year is, career-wise. Oh, and about how devastated she'd be if they stayed put and were found again by Voldemort's forces. They saw her logic. We should go and retrieve their things from their house."

Alex nodded.

"Sure thing- we'll go now."

She looked around at Harry.

"What about him?" she asked, and Harry felt affronted at her acting as though he weren't there. Persephone made eye contact with him, however.

"Harry," she said, "you'd better get packing. You'll be going with Ron and Hermione."

"Going where?" he asked, vaguely confused by what she meant. Persephone made a clucking sound with her tongue against the roof of her mouth to show her irritation.

"The house that's being kept for you, of course," she replied, simply, and Harry suddenly remembered he was a year away from finding himself on the wizarding property ladder. It was time to revisit 12 Grimmauld Place.