AN: Thanks to all y'all that have reviewed or fav-ed this story, added it, etc.,. This chapter corresponds with mostly chapter eight/nine of DH. Enjoy reading and remember, reviews are always welcome and appreciated-KH.

August 1997

Ministry

'Dear George and Fred—

It is to our deepest regrets that Ange and I write to tell you that we will be unable to attend the wedding tomorrow with you. Angie and Alicia both have a bad case of Witch Pox, and aren't in the best of shape at the moment . Remember how she said she wasn't feeling good earlier today? Well after you saw us home things got into full swing, according to Witch Weekly we just have to let it run its course. Don't worry, I've already had them when I was younger—its the others covered in green spots that you should be concerned about. Ange really wishes she could be there but we agreed that you're mother might have a heart attack if the wedding is postponed due to the Bride turning green (even though we all admit Molly would laugh first and take it as an omen Bill could do better).

I'm really sorry George. I promise I'll try and make it up to you If you need anything just let me know.

Love your Imp,

Katie '

PS-

Tell fred angie's says "you'll rue the day you danced with one of fleur's cousins." And she seemed rather sincere in some ideas she was suggesting if he does. Be wise Coach.

Fred let out a low whistle as George read the note aloud. "What would be just our luck now wouldn't it?" he asked, his brother setting down the scrap of paper of their desk.

"So I guess we're back to showing the Veela's our English Customs tomorrow afternoon George ol' Boy?" Fred asked, jumping into his bed across from his brothers. George turned into the covers, taking the note and putting it into his pillowcase. He didn't care at all for sweet talking the girls, even if they were Veela—he just wanted his imp there to sweet talk, to dance with, cause a blush—

"George, you still up?" Fred asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Right, customs. G'night."

"Katie you should have gone to the wedding," Angelina nagged as she sat on the sofa in the living room, Alicia currently eating Grandmother Bell's Chicken soup while Katie brought in Ange's own.

"And let you two fend for yourselves? I enter the Medical Academy at St. Mungo next month, I'm sure that goes against the rules," Katie laughed, as she sat on the floor next to her friends.

"Well, if you had went, we could have some faint idea on how many Veela's those boys are going to end up wooing," Alicia laughed. "Thank Heaven's Ollie wasn't invited, I'd probably have to kill him."

Ange turned, "I would venture to say that they'll be the regular wedding crashers—how long should we make them squirm before we forgive them Katie?" she asked taking in a spoon full of broth.

"Not too long—but definitely long enough," Katie said triumphantly. The clock tolled four in the afternoon, the light of the sun flooding through the window as it began its slow decent for the evening.

"Are you guys going to be alright if I leave later to do some Inventory at the Joke shop?" Katie asked looking at the two who's conditions had improved throughout the day.

"You know they where just joking about that when they invited us right?" Angelina questioned, looking at Katie suspiciously, "It really is Lee's turn you know."

Katie gave a quick nod, "I know, but I owe George—and by having it done before they get back, they'll feel even more guilty if they did have any rendezvous with Fleur's cousins."

Alicia gave a hoot, " You know I think this girl may lead to the under minding of Fred and George Weasley. Taking 'Kill them with Kindness' to the newest extremes."

"I've talked to Oliver and he said he'd drop by to make sure you lot got some Dinner and be little Miss. Nurse until I get home," she started, Alicia jumping in, " Make sure to write on your note pad that you want him to fluff our pillows and give messages..."

Angelina groaned, " You couldn't find anyone else to babysit us? I have to put up with the love doves for an entire evening?"

"I'll be back as soon as I finish, promise Angie," she said as she slipped into her jacket, and turned the door know while the two jumped into a heated conversation on whether or not foot rubs would be fit punishment for all the Quidditch practices held in the rain.

She appparated into the Leaky Cauldron, a change from her usual habit of straight to the shop, only to find it empty. It seemed to be quiet some time since she had actually walked through the pub, talked to Tom, made a few observations. If there was something going on in the Magical World, you would know it from walking into the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hello," Katie called out, "Tom are you in," no reply came out, no answer or sign of human existence in the room. A closer glance could show that there had been people earlier, a few mugs sat on the bar, some pea soup on the table still warm—

" Miss. Bell is that you?" Tom asked as he came from behind the counter. "What are you doing down here?" he asked his eyes darting from the door and the doorway to the alley.

"I had some work to do at the Weasley shop, figured I should take a walk down the Alley today—"

"You best not do that Miss. Katie," Tom said, waving for her to come closer. His eyes darting as she came close enough to ask "Why—"

"About twenty minutes or so ago a group of wizards in Dark Cloaks came through. Said they had business at the Ministry and that there would be others in their party coming along soon enough. For my sake, I was told, I best not give them any trouble." The old man muttered. "To be honest, I've been feeling something in my leg for quiet sometime, it always acts up when there's dark magic on the move—ever since the first war..."

"You don't think that these—men are going to do something dangerous do you?" she asked a little nervous, "I don't know what they are going to do but I advise you to apparate straight to the shop. There's no point in walking down the alley, it's nearly dead anyway you look at it." Tom warned as voices approached the door. "Go apparate in the Kitchen. You shouldn't be seen—incase they're all—if there's a threat—"

Katie gave a nod and rushed to the back kitchen the voices getting louder as they entered the pub.

Number Ninety Three—

"Hello Tom," one of the voices sounded.

Number Ninety three—

"Pleasure to see you again Mr. Malfoy, are you in good Health?"

Number Ninety Three—

"Very much so, getting better all the time..." a small explosion sounded from the bar, "It's amazing what escaping Azkaban can do for a man's health—"

Number ninety-three Diagon Alley, she thought for the final time as she disappeared, landing in a room of bright colors amid a darkening sky.

She was overjoyed to find the shop closed, empty and secure. Taking her wand in hand, she made a few extra precautions, the door double bolted with magical locks; the windows would hide her from anyone walking by. She was able to create this small safe haven amid what seemed to be a growing wave. Dozens of Men and Women in Dark Cloaks made their way down 38th Street to where the Ministry was located.

Stick to the inventory, stick to the inventory, she made an uneasy walk in to the storage room, trying to forget on the happenings outside and Tom's warning....

5 Units of Portable Swamps—"Pleasure to see you again Mr. Malfoy"—She made a note they where next to the 10 Units Skivving Snacks.

"They said it'd be best if I let them pass for my best interests—" They seemed to be in a well supply of Day-Dream fancies, although the Summer Sweethearts would need restocking immediately—"You shouldn't be seen—if there's a threat—"

The U-Know Poo seemed to have suffered in sales in this quarter—they should back log production on them for the next—"The Alley's dead anyway you look at it—"

"The Alley's dead—Dead," A sudden explosion shook the room, knocking Katie and her clipboard down immediately, throwing her against the base of George's worktable. Her head throbbing, a sticky, sickly feeling coming from her scalp, she looked up to find that she was still alive or in the Hell that was inventory. She doubted wither or not to stand up and see what was facing her, what explosion had happened, but figuring nothing worse could happen right then and there, she rose off her feet.

Standing up nimbly, she crawled to the shop, preparing to find what she was confident would be broken glass and goods everywhere. The lights in the shop, as every building on the alley seemed to have been taken out. Moving along in the darkness, she walked to survey what damage she could. However dark it was, things seemed to have held up well considering there seemed to have been a 10.0 earthquake equivalent explosion on the Alleyway. The window was still intact, the door still bolted to its hinges. A few items had fallen down on the floor, a few potions lying amidst their broken containers. "R-Repairo—" she flicked her wand once as the glass melted back together. "Spungfiy," the potions crept into the floor boards, disappearing from they're location.

"They said it'd be best to let them by for my own sake—"Tom's words echoed in Katie's mind as she exhaled, inching her way to the window.

The men who had walked down the alleyway for weeks in the dark cloaks had swelled in the streets, silver masks covering their faces, their wands elevated to the sky.

The mark—she turned up the staircase to Fred and George's apartment, turning the door and rushing up an additional set of stairs to the sky roof.

Barely standing, she turned her eyes to the sky to see the dreaded Skull and Snake floating in the sky, burning brightly a shocking green. Crouching down and closing the door, she made her way down the stairs and into the living room where she sat in the armchair she knew was George's. She clutched her wand, giving the same protection to the upstairs as she had the down.

She closed her eyes, only seeing the bright green. Someone, or more than one, was dead. The Ministry had surly taken a hit. Something, she could feel burning her hand that had grazed the opals, told her was horribly wrong.

"Did anything else seem damaged?" a voice asked as she rested in darkness. She could hear water on the boil, the steam causing the teapot to whistle loudly.

" She must have been able to fix the broken bottles and clear off the potions before she went under," an identical voice replied, "Why the devil would she come here on her day off when she was supposed to be nursing Ange and Alicia back to health?" the voice continued, sounding rather annoyed as it pressed a cool cloth to her fore head. She could feel that she was laying down now on something softer then the wall or the floor. She tried opening her eyes to no prevail.

"Should we call for St. Mungo—maybe she got the gash from one of the Death Eaters—" the nursing voice asked. "George," the voice that clearly was Fred started, "If Katie had run into a Death Eater tonight, I think she would have more then a gash on the forehead to worry about and probably wouldn't have come up here."

The trickling sound of water into what was a cup sounded in her ears as Fred's footsteps drew nearer.

"And now, the great Fredini will wake the damsel as he claps his hands on the count of three. One—two—CLAP"

George touched her hand, "Katie, can you open your eyes? Katie—"

"I was already up Fredini," Katie sighed, her eyes still closed as though she was very tiered. She then remembered why she was there and what had happened as her eyes rushed open. "The explosion—do you all know what caused the explosion? The lights went out--" She watched looked around the darkened room. "Why aren't the lights on?" she could see the two exchanged questioning glances at the other, just as they had when they had spoke before leaving to go get Harry , only by the faint glow of the floating candles.

"The explosion came from the Ministry of Magic," Fred started in a rather casual voice, "It was stormed around seven this afternoon. They took over around nine or so I'd say. The Death Eaters Dark Mark probably was the reason all lights failed."

"But the wedding—wasn't the Ministry—"

"As soon as it fell the protection did as well. It was probably good timing though, Muriel had been drinking a little too much, and we were starting to think we'd never get rid of her—" George answered lightly. "It could've been worse, they could've ended up catching Harry and the others."

Katie felt herself relax, "They got away?"

"Just in the knick of time," Fred replied.

"Merlin bless their luck, We thought Rockwood would've gotten them for sure..."

"So, what does this mean now?" Katie asked, sitting up and touching the bandage over her head, "Did I cut my head on your work table?"

"Told you it wasn't Death Eaters," Fred laughed, only to let it die prematurely, "It means that You-know-who's in total command."

"We're all under surveillance,"

"The Muggleborns best be leaving the country,"

"Muggles best be leaving the country."

"Merlin—" she started, "But—Harry got away?" she asked again, taking the cup of tea Fred had poured her.

"Yes Kate, he got away," George said, Fred standing up to get two more cups of tea, giving one to his brother, before he pulled the thin drapes closed.

"Normally I would break out the Firewhiskey, but Katie doesn't drink that and we're out of Butterbeer. Regardless, To Harry Potter and those who travel with him," he said lifting his cup of tea. "May they have be safe while trying to save us."

"To Harry Potter," George seconded, as Katie took a sip a crackle of lightening lit the sky with only an eerie thunder seconding it's strike.

AN: Remember, feedback frees house elves, free a dobby today!