"We've got Arthur and Molly Weasley detained downstairs," said Scrimgeour as he entered Amelia's office "William wasn't at home though. They claim he was at work, but we have contacted Gringotts and they have confirmed that there are no wizards on duty tonight."
"Then he's probably at Hogwarts with the others," replied Amelia. "Mad-Eye wasn't home and neither were Shacklebolt or Diggle. However Dawlish successfully apprehended Emmeline Vance, Proudfoot arrested Sturgis Podmore and Savage just got back with Arabella Figg."
Just then another appeared at the door and said "Sorry boss, but Lupin's place was empty. Doesn't look like it's been used in months."
Amelia nodded. "Very well, thank you Williamson. Stand by for further orders."
After the man had gone, Scrimgeour said "So, it seems he's also at Hogwarts."
"Or their Headquarters with Black," responded Amelia.
Over the next half hour several more Aurors came in. Rhobards had successfully apprehended Elphias Doge but apart from him every other team came back empty handed.
This meant that Hestia Jones, William Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alastor Moody, Dedalus Diggle, Mundungus Fletcher, Remus Lupin and fourteen others were either at the Order's Headquarters or more likely at Hogwarts assisting Dumbledore and the other staff.
The only ones not likely to be at Hogwarts were Charlie Weasley, who was known to still be in Romania, Rubeus Hagrid, who had been unaccounted for since around the start of the recent summer holidays, and Sirius Black, who was likely to be maintaining a low profile at the Order's Headquarters.
They were now going to have to hit Hogwarts and hit it hard.
This meant summoning in every Auror, every Hit Wizard and every Law Enforcement Officer that could be found in a short space of time and who could be trusted.
Croaker volunteered the services of the Unspeakables to aid the DMLE in making the arrests at the castle and Amelia agreed.
Cyrus Greengrass, meanwhile, went off with two other Unspeakables in order to examine the talisman more closely.
The raid would begin in forty minutes.
"Luna, where exactly are we going?" asked Harry as they traipsed along in the dark.
"I don't know," replied Luna, honestly. "We just need to keep you safe."
"We've been wandering about in the dark for over an hour!" Harry complained, but Luna ignored him.
He was right. They had been going around for that long, and Harry's recollection of why they were moving around was beginning to slip. The incident at the Quidditch Changing Rooms was already hazy in his mind.
They had succeeded in giving Professors McGonagall and Tonks the slip and were just nearing the front gates of the school when they heard a strange hissing noise.
"Psst!"
The three paused and looked around.
"Psst!" the sound came again, this time followed by a voice "Up here!"
Harry looked up into the branches of the tree nearest to him. "It's too dark," he replied. "I can't see you."
Suddenly a pair of legs swung down from one of the branches and someone jumped down.
"Katie!" exclaimed Harry upon recognising his Quidditch Teammate. "Finally, a familiar face."
"Oi!" said another voice as a second person jumped down. "What am I then, Potter? Chopped liver?"
Harry eyed Pansy Parkinson wearily. A moment later a third girl jumped down, this one also a Slytherin, but younger than Pansy and whose name Harry did not know. Well, he did know it, he just didn't have the ability to remember ever knowing it.
"That's it!" he said, a little too loudly for the comfort of the others. "There are snakes involved in this. I should have known. They probably put the imperius curse on the rest of you to get you to go along with this. Come on, let's get up to the castle and Dumbledore can sort this out."
He reached out to grab Katie and Natalie by the arms but both wrenched themselves out of his grasp.
"Harry, they did nothing to us," retorted Katie. "It's Dumbledore that's the problem. He's-"
"Oh, spare me!" snapped Harry "I've already heard enough of this crap from these two. I've had enough of it and I'm going back up to the castle."
He turned to go, but Katie grabbed a hold of him.
"Get off!" shouted Harry, causing the others to freeze.
A few moments later there came the sound of hurried footsteps, and then they were blinded by the light of two wands.
"Well, what do we have here?" asked a gruff voice.
Recognising the voice, Harry squinted his eyes against the light and asked "Professor Moody?"
The man lowered his wand a little to allow Harry to see him better as he answered "I ain't your Professor anymore, Potter, not that I ever got around to teaching ya much. Right Bill, come on. Let's get this lot up to the castle."
"We're not going anywhere," said Katie, defiantly.
"You'll do as you're told," barked Moody "It's not safe to be outside the castle at this time of night."
"Katie for Merlin's sake!" exclaimed Harry "Let's just get up to the castle and we can get this whole thing sorted out."
"Harry, we can't go up to the castle, I told you," said Luna.
"Enough, Luna," replied Harry. "That's enough."
"Come on you lot," said Bill "Let's go."
Katie squared her shoulders, determined to go down fighting, but then she caught sight of McGonagall and Tonks hurrying towards them and her shoulders slumped.
They had lost.
"Oh, Alastor," exclaimed McGonagall. "Thank you for finding them."
.....
Can't wait to read more exciting chapters then what are you waiting for Join my p*atreon right now.
Get 60+ Premium chapters.
Link: p*atreon.com/Earthly_Writer (Remove the *)
2 Chapters for all free members.