(Disclaimer JK Rowling owns all HP)

Chapter 51: ~The Burrow~

The small tug boat glided effortlessly into the rickety old wharf, a slight bump was all that was felt by the two occupants. Remus held the door open for Jessica, giving him a curious glance as he ushered her out onto the deck.

The night air had calmed, the wind abated, the water lapped gently against the rotting timber pier; the moonless night, providing them with the cover of darkness.

"Do take care Mr Lupin".

Remus nodded, acknowledging the skippers warning, his gaze glancing skyward to the blackened sky.

Taking Jessica's hand in his, he assisted up onto the treacherous walk-way, taking a step at a time they manoeuvred their way back along to the end of the jetty.

The only sound Remus had made since leaving Sirius was the sigh of relief, at making it safely to the other end of the pier. The whole boat ride back he hadn't spoken a word to Jessica, only grunting in respond to her small talk, she knew exactly what was eating at him, but discussing it would wait till later.

Climbing the slight embankment, Jessica glanced nervously around her as Remus abruptly pulled out his wand, an ominous guts of wind howled, encircling them, taking her arm his grip tightened, as a chilling shriek of laughter broke the uneasy silence.

"RUN!" Remus ordered.

Both Jessica and Remus darted up along the headlands, casting shot behind them as they avoided a barrage of curses raining down on them from nearly every direction.

Dark shadowy figures scurried across the gassy slopes, the night sky lighting up around them, curses scarcely missing there target, as they made there way over the peninsula and down the rugged embankment.

Losing her footing on the edge of the narrow trail Jessica's hand slipped from Remus' grip as she tumbled down the long, steep slope; awkwardly latching onto a clump of grass she halted her rapid descending spiral.

Taking an instant to regain her bearings, she looked over her shoulder, below waves crashed on the jagged rocks, looking back up the cliff face to the winding trail, Remus laid on the path unable to move as two Death-eaters rapidly approach him. Pulling herself back up the slope, Jessica raised her wand, in quick secession two stunning spells hit there mark, the Death-eaters plummeted to the ground just behind Remus, lifting his head he glanced down the steep embankment.

"Go, apparate now" he ordered her as he sat up, his leg bleeding profusely from a large gash, "I'll be alright".

"No" Jessica yelled back at him as she attempted to scale the cliff face back up to him.

"Down here" a chilling voice screeched, rather excitedly.

Jessica felt an urgency rise within her as she heard Bellatrix alert the others to Remus' current position, moving as rapidly as her body would allow, she scramble swiftly back up towards the trail and Remus.

"Get out of here" he again implored her as she reached the edge of the trail. Grabbing his outstretched hand she pulled herself to her feet

"Can you stand?" she questioned him, as she glanced back up the trail, her wand at the ready, for the onslaught as more Death-eaters came over the headland.

Remus groaned in discomfort as she helped him to his feet, his arm tightly around her shoulder as she tried to take most of the weight off his injured leg. "Do you think you can apparate?" her question was answered with an immediate and certain nod.

Nicole glanced at her watch as she carried out a large bowl of salad out to the table for Molly, who was following right behind her with several other plates of food , for the larger than normal, number of guest.

The garden looked a delight as hundreds of tiny candles floated around the yard giving it a relaxed ambience. Fred and George made their contribution with glowing toads that changed colour every few minutes, the grass becoming a sea of moving, cascading colours.

"They are late this evening" Molly also noted, "Maybe we should start without them".

"Brilliant suggestion Mum, I'm starved" Ron said as he made himself comfortable at the long table, not needing any more prompting to start on his dinner.

"Just you wait for the others" she sternly warned her son.

Lifting her wand toward the darkening heavens, a loud crack rang-out across the Burrow, summoning all to the table for dinner.

The house suddenly became a hive of activity; doors slammed shut, footsteps scuttled down the stairs. Expecting a herd of cows, by the noise, Nicole looked over at the back door, as a steady stream of people filed out of the Burrow, led by Fred, who quickly made his way over next to her.

"Its about time Mum".

"Well, Fred if you or your brother had bothered to help out, it would have been ready sooner" Molly said scowling at the twins as she removed her apron and sat next to Arthur.

"Come on Mum, you can't expect Fred and I to do menial tasks, we're business men now, not slave labour" George explained.

"Don't get ahead of yourself there George" Bill said with a laugh, "Or you may find yourselves having to get your own meals".

"Eat up girls" Molly urged as the boys all quickly filled the plates, not waiting for Nicole or Ginny.

As the hour grew later, Bill helped clear away the dinner plates as Molly brought out a large freshly baked apple pie for dessert. A loud pop in the garden shed captured everyone's nervous attention, as the rickety unassuming garden shed was now the only way to apparate in or out of the Burrow.

Harry stepped out the old wooden shed to be greeted, as Fred was earlier, by several wands pointed in his direction, the now usual greeting.

"Oh, Harry dear" Molly breathed a sigh of relief, "Professor Dumbledore, isn't with you?".

"No, he just kind of dropped me off" Harry explained, still recovering from his apparition.

"Well you come and sit down dear; I've saved you some dinner".

"So?" Ron hastily questioned, before his mother returned.

"So. What?" Harry asked looking slightly befuddled, back across the table at Ron, his thoughts still in a spin.

"What was the big secret?. Where did Dumbledore take you?".

"Oh that" Harry frowned somewhat disappointedly as he fiddled with the food Molly had just placed in front of him, "It was nothing really, he just wanted me, to help convince a professor Slughorn to return and teach at Hogwarts this year".

"Uh" Ron grunted disheartened by Harry's response, "I thought it might have been something to do with 'you know who'".

"Aren't Jess and Professor Lupin back yet?" He asked glancing along the table to a worried looking Nicole.

"No, not yet" she quietly answered.

"Not to worry, they'll be back soon, I'm sure of it" Arthur reassured them, his hand gently patting hers.

"Eat up Harry" Molly encouraged, noting he had taken a single bite from his plate, as she placed a large bowl of cream on the table, its more than generous serving spooning plonking a serve of cream onto everyone's apple-pie.

Moving as quick as a wink, Fred, after receiving his dollop of cream quickly moved his plate it front of Ron's dessert, making sure he got a double dose of cream, much to Ron's utter disgust.

"Push off" he snapped as he tried to get his spoonful of cream from his brother.

Nicole couldn't help but giggle as she watched them fight over the cream, more of it ending up on Ron's face than on any pie.

The air stilled and all the ruckus and laughter at the table dwindled, as an unusually loud crack came from the shed.

Alerted, Bill, Arthur and the others at the table hurried to their feet, Molly's hand clutched at her chest in nervous anticipation, a loud clatter of shelves falling, glass shattered on the timber floor.

Bill cautiously approached the old timber garden shed.

"Bill. Be careful" Molly warned as she gripped Arthur's out-stretched arm. All wands were pointed at the tiny shed door, even Nicole and Harry's.

Bill flung the door open, ready to strike at any unwanted guests. Molly stifled a scream as she clasped her hands over her mouth.

"Merlin's blood!" Arthur uttered, as he rushed over towards the shed.

Jessica stumbled out the open door as she struggled to hold Remus up, both of them collapsing to the ground.

"Mum!" with her heart pounding in her throat Nicole raced over to her mother, but Molly stopped her, holding her back as Arthur and Bill went to their aid.

"We need to get him inside quickly" Arthur said as he glanced quickly at Remus' injured leg.

"I'm alright" Jessica tried to reassure Bill as he helped her to her feet, other than a few cuts and grazes, she felt exhausted and more concerned for Remus than any bumps and scratches she may have.

Grabbing either side of Remus, Bill and Arthur helped him into the Burrow. Jessica hobbled towards the back door; both Harry and Nicole helped her up the small steps and into the kitchen.

"What happened?" Harry asked taking the words that were on all their lips.

"Death-eater attacked us near the pier" Jessica uttered softly as she held tight to her daughter, all of them watching as they eased Remus up onto the kitchen table, Molly rushed about grabbing potions and dressings.

"Bill go upstairs and get some towels" Molly ordered as she placed several bottles of healing potion on the table, "The rest of you outside".

Nicole looked at her mother, reluctant to leave her side, "It will be alright" Jessica reassured her, "I promise, you go with the others, I'll be out soon".

Hesitantly, Nicole, Harry and the others made their way back out to the garden.

Jessica limped over to Remus' side as he lay uncomfortably on the long hardwood table. Molly sat mixing potions as Bill came back downstairs with an armful of towels.

"Arthur, put a couple of towels under Remus' head, to make him slightly more comfortable".

Doing as Molly requested, Arthur moved to the far end of the table. Jessica made herself useful, tearing open the leg of Remus' trousers, the gash to his leg significantly larger than she had expected. Molly handed her a damp washer to clean the area ready for the potion.

With his wound cleaned, Molly gently poured the orange potion into the wound, Jessica held tight to his hand as he grimaced in pain, the potion healing and sealing the deep wound, a wisp of smoke rising from the now lengthy white scar.

As Remus sat himself back up, Molly looked over to Jessica, "Now let's have a look at you".

"No, really I'm fine Molly" Jessica said, but her attempts to assure the older and wiser witch were met with doubt.

"Hogwash" Molly said pulling out a chair and demanding Jessica presence.

Grudgingly and under the watchful eyes of the others in the room Jessica sat herself in the old wooden chair.

Removing the cumbersome robe Molly cleaned several grazes up Jessica's arms, before tackling scratches to her face, lifting Jessica's shirt she rubbed some healing potion onto an abrasion on her stomach, her rubbing causing the tiny life inside Jessica's tummy to give a sharp kick in response.

"Well there is no need to ask if the baby has been moving" Molly said with a relieved smile.

"Now off with the pair of you, out and get some dinner" Molly cheerfully ordered before surveying the mess to her kitchen.

Following their direct instructions, Bill and Jessica helped Remus out to the garden, Nicole and Harry anxiously waiting to hear all the goings-on.

Grabbing her mother's arm Nicole sat down next to her, the worry and stress clearly evident on her young face.

"What happened out there? Did you get to see dad? Is he alright? Was it Voldemort that attacked you?" Nicole fired questioned at her mother as the others sat awaiting the details.

"No it wasn't 'you know who" Remus quickly answered, dispelling their fears.

"Yes, we seen your father, and he is as well as can be expected in that awful place" Jessica said as she fiddled with her food, her appetite being now somewhat diminished.

"Who was it then that attacked you?" Harry asked.

"Bellatrix and a couple of other death-eaters, I didn't see who they were" Jessica explained as she could see Harry hungry for information.

"Well you are both home safe now" Arthur commented, as he attempted to change the subject for the time being.

Having had their fill of dinner and sweets, they all moved inside, Molly advising the kids it was time for bed, in no uncertain terms.

Harry and Ron climbed the stairs up to Ron's room, quickly closing the door so they could talk uninterrupted.

Nicole followed Ginny up to the second floor, looking back down the stair Nicole hesitated, "I'll be there in a few minutes" she said looking up to the young red head.

"Don't be too long or mum will be on the war path" Ginny jokingly said before disappearing into her room for the night.

Sitting on the rickety staircase, Nicole listened to the conversation in the sitting room. Molly, Arthur and Bill, expressing their concerns at the day's event, and the risk, in not only getting the kids back to Hogwarts, but in any further visits to Azkaban.

Her stomach churned, as the reality of the situation hit her. Everyone she loved and cared for was in danger, she could have easily lost her Mother and Remus tonight… with her thoughts now utterly unsettled, and not wanting to hear anymore she climbed the stairs and crept into the darkened room.

Arrangements were made for an order meeting tomorrow night at the Burrow, their tasks to locate Pettigrew and to safely get the kids back to Hogwarts.

Taking his arm, Jessica assisted Remus up the stairs and into the bedroom as the others also headed to bed for the night.

Remus slumped down onto the makeshift bed, Jessica removing his shoes before disappearing behind the temporary screen.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you when we went to bring Sirius back" Jessica softly uttered as she pulled on her nightshirt, "That is why you didn't talk much on the boat ride back, isn't it?"

Remus gave a slight groan, astonished that after all they had been through tonight, that she now wanted to discuss something that in the scheme of things on longer mattered.

Poking her head around the blanket, she waited for an answer.

"Jess, it doesn't matter now".

"Yes it does" she said as she settled herself on the end of his bed. "I don't want you thinking I didn't trust you".

"You didn't trust me" Remus said as he propped up his pillow ready for a long debate.

"I did, and do trust you" She implored. "I just didn't trust you not to try and stop us".

"And you were right, I would have stopped you" Remus stated, raising his eyebrow at her.

"So you understand why I didn't tell you?".

"Yes, but you should have told me the truth when you got back".

"I know we should of, and I'm sorry" she said lowering her head.

Remus smiled as he gazed at her, her usual ploy to gain a little sympathy, "Well I guess I have to forgive you now, after saving my life".

"Well there is that too" Jessica said with a cheeky grin.

"Now can I get some sleep, before you start snoring" he teased.

"Oh! I don't snore" Jessica snapped indignantly as she disappeared behind the blanket and climbed into bed.

"Night".

"Night Remus".

As the rest of the occupants of the Burrow slept, one person was finding sleep the hardest come by.

Thanks

R & R!