Hermione's birthday ended, or so it felt, at exactly five minutes past two that day when a grave-faced pair returned from their trip to England. The cheery mood of the joyous escapism within the villa gusted out of the building the moment the door opened, as if all the warm air had been let out. A chill descended on the group as the reality of the war, the things that they had escaped from, came rushing back into their lives, tainting their happy bubble.

Remus and Tonks had their proper reunion in private, the concern that Tonks had been concealing about him being in danger letting itself known as she clung to him with obvious relief. Once they had slipped out to have some time alone, Harry's face a little pink as he fully suspected how they were letting loose their worries, he followed Ron outside. Hermione gave him a meaningful look, her eyes wide with worry. He, too, was fizzing with nerves about what news they could have gathered during the meeting to make them so grim.

Ron's blurted birthday wish and apology for not having anything to give Hermione had them both baffled. He seemed genuinely sorry. Hermione's insistence that it's 'just a birthday, Ron' had him reassured, but he still shot them both apologetic looks.

"Once the meeting finished, we went to stay the night at Bill and Fleur's place," Ron told them as they stepped out into the glorious sunshine of the southern France retreat. "I didn't really get much of a chance to catch-up with the others there. We had to split pretty quickly when the wards were triggered. Dementors." He explained when Harry looked at him, alarmed. "It wasn't an ambush but we didn't want to risk it."

"No, that makes sense," Harry said quietly.

"Remus wants to go through everything properly later." Ron said, his hands in his pockets as he led the way to the wall. He didn't appear to notice that the sunbeds were together. Harry certainly did, faltering in his steps as he gaped at the evidence that he and Hermione had spent a lot of time being close the night before. While Ron and Remus were in danger, talking shop about the war he was supposedly leading, he had been getting drunk on wine and life.

Guilt panged through him. He looked at Hermione, her eyes meeting his at once. They looked away from each other when they both caught sight of their matching expressions. Harry schooled his face, hands going into his pockets as well. His fingers met the wand he had stashed away and faltered in step again.

He was going to have to tell Ron about it.

Grimly, he joined Ron at his side, looking out to the sea view. He sighed softly to himself, regretting that they would have to confront the seriousness of the situation. The illusion of happiness that he'd managed to summon up for Hermione's birthday was fading fast.

"Is… everyone alright at least?" Hermione asked quietly, moving to Ron's other side. "Your family, the Order… has there been any raids?"

"Everyone's safe," Ron confirmed. "No one's been caught. We've officially given them the slip."

Harry let out a breath and nodded, grateful for that bit of news at least.

"Kingsley's got moles in the Ministry so he has insider information." Ron continued. "And they're the ones at risk. They're planning to screen everyone, question them on their loyalties. Kingsley even thinks that they might go so far as to taboo your name as well, Harry." He then turned, looking at Harry properly. "Wait… you… you're okay?"

Harry blinked in response to the question. "Um… I think so?"

"Yesterday, you were wobbling all over the place." Ron said, bewildered. He then looked him up and down. "And what's with the smart threads?"

Cheeks warming, Harry flustered a little. "I've been sitting around in pyjamas for days. You can't blame me for wanting to look decent now I can."

It was Ron's turn to flush. "Oh, right." But then he noticed the wand that was sticking out of his pocket. "Oh cool. You have a wand - nice."

"Well… don't freak out, but this… is Voldemort's wand." Harry said. "I sort of stole it from him when we were in that tunnel. I thought it was my wand, but it wasn't… and it burned my hand. Look, there's a whole story to it that I will tell you properly later." He rounded off when Ron went so pale, he looked like he was about to vomit. "Yeah so if you were curious to why there was a wrapped wand in my room, now you know."

"M-Merlin's arse… how do you do all this mental stuff, Harry?" Ron asked, shaking his head. "Though, that explains why you-know-who wants to completely stamp out any supporters of yours. You're a real threat to him now."

"He also knows that I'm after his horcruxes. Yaxley got the word out of me. I have his wand, my life and his secret," Harry said in a calmer voice than what he was feeling. "Speaking of which, did you speak to Kingsley? And what about our plans to get into Hogwarts?"

Before Ron answered, someone was calling his name from the villa.

"Harry?" He spun around, seeing Remus waving over at the door. "Can I have a word?"

"Er, sure." He called back, then looked at Ron and Hermione. "I… guess I should see what he wants."

"Go - we'll be in when he… he's finished speaking with you" Ron told him, nodding, looking apprehensive. Harry felt a stab of foreboding. Ron had a knowing look. He knew what Remus wanted with him. If he wanted to talk to him alone, it wouldn't be about anything pleasant. There were all too many unpleasant topics it could be. He stepped out of the sunshine, back into the kitchen. He noticed Tonks wasn't there. Remus pulled out a chair at the table, clearly wanting him to take a seat.

"Before we all talk about the meeting last night, I need to make sure you'll be okay." Remus's face was a picture of concern. "You've made incredible progress, Harry, and I don't want to push you, but the Order asked me questions I couldn't answer."

Harry sighed and walked up to him, going to sit down. He dropped down in the seat.

"That sounds like you want to question me?"

"I… do." Remus looked immensely guilty as he took the seat next to him. "We have what you've already told us, but… Harry, we need to know everything you were forced to give up under torture and interrogation."

Harry's stomach clenched at the bluntness, but he knew that it was fair for them to be concerned. While he didn't have much knowledge of Order secrets, he knew names and locations. He could have done a lot more damage if Yaxley had asked the right questions.

"I understand."

"Of course, we know that you managed to keep a lot from getting out - else we would have had a lot more homes ransacked as a result. I… I have no idea how you managed to resist truth magic like that, but any insights you have… we could use that ourselves if any of us ever are captured ourselves."

Remus gave him a grave look. "And we need to know what to expect with the veritas quaesitor. Its effects are very different to veritaserum, after all, and you're the only one who has first-hand experience. We… believe that the Ministry will use a lot more often, perhaps to even confirm the loyalties of those under their regime."

Harry looked up at him, aghast. "What? They're interrogating innocent people? The… the quaesitor is a torture device." He shook his head. "Veritaserum is painless… this… this is more than finding rebels."

Remus nodded, looking grave. "The changes to the Ministry have been put into place by Voldemort himself, Harry. He's not hiding his influence any longer. Under his regime, one must swear allegiance and prove their loyalty… or be branded as a traitor." His voice hitched a little.

"Oh my God…" Harry put his hands on the table. "You mean… literally branding don't you?"

"We're out of his reach so he's turned on those within it," Remus said, his expression sombre and grave. "He has created a new department in the Ministry to enforce his control. The Department of Inquisition. All Ministry personnel must present themselves to the department for questioning. We have to get something out to the public to prepare them with what to expect with the quaesitor… anything to help them against Voldemort's tyranny."

Harry swallowed, his nerves spiking. Talking about the quaesitor would mean talking about the secrets he'd given up, how he came apart when he had to confess his knowledge of the horcruxes, and his desperation in keeping Yaxley from asking the identities of his gave him a sad smile in response.

"You know I wouldn't ask if we didn't need to know more."

"I know," Harry said softly. "I'll… help if I can."

"There's something else too." Remus sighed, looking grave. He then reached in his pocket. When the object he drew out wasn't his wand, Harry did a double-take. He frowned, looking at a curious, plastic-hand held device with a few buttons on the side. Remus put the device on the table and pushed it towards him. Harry looked at him questioningly, then wracked his brains with his knowledge of muggle technology, trying to work out what he was seeing. When he saw the small tape wheels, it twigged.

Hot blood flushed up to his face. He met Remus's eyes and it all then made sense why Remus and Ron had both been so tense and glum. It wasn't what they'd heard at the meeting that made them so bleak. It was what they were carrying in their possession.

The dictaphone that had a recording of Harry being tortured.

"Arthur wanted me to give this to you. It's completely up to you what's done with the contents."

Harry paced away from him, feeling sparks of panic rushing through his blood as adrenaline picked up, responding to his fear. Harry put his hands over his mouth as his breathing grew shallower and he started to feel sick.

Remus gently put a hand on his back, steadying him.

"You can destroy the whole thing and I'll gladly help you."

Harry nodded, understanding that he was in control of what was done with the thing. After everything that had happened, he'd forgotten that the dictaphone would still exist. That there was evidence of the brutal torture he'd endured and the sounds of his suffering.

Yet it was also evidence that he had survived. The torture hadn't broken his will to fight.

"Th-there were two tapes. Which… which one is that?," Harry asked, swallowing down his nausea. He stared down at the dictaphone, swallowing tightly and he closed his eyes, trying his hardest to keep in the present. His wrists were aching and itching, the ghosts of shackles lingering on his skin.

"The one with you… being hurt at the beginning." Remus said carefully. Harry nodded and reached across the table for the dictaphone. He pulled it towards him, wincing, but then steadied himself.

He looked up at Remus. "Did… did you hear it?"

"Yes," Remus closed his eyes, pain lancing across his face. "I did but only me and Arthur listened to the start. All that anyone else has heard was you speaking to Arthur, giving us information."

Harry closed his eyes. It was vivid in his mind, the exact moment that Arthur had overhear, the one-sided exchange between him and Rookwood. It had been after his botched escape attempt. Harry flexed his right hand, the pain of having the bones in his hand snapped a haunting reminder of Death Eater brutality. His poor abused hand was still stiff and ached, but the injuries were healed.

The memory of it, of the tortures he'd suffered, that would never heal. He let out a shaky breath, face flinching as he remembered how Rookwood tugged on his broken hand to make a point.

Don't worry, I'm not going to punish you for your attempt. I see that Yaxley has already done enough… and that it very much hurts.

Harry pushed the dictaphone away, arms trembling. He rubbed his wrists, confirming that there were no shackles, just scarred skin.

"One day, I might be able to listen to it and confront it myself. I need to confront it…" He let out a breath. "But that's not today. Talking about it and hearing it… reliving it… I can't… not now."

"I will be right here to support you when you're ready, Harry," Remus said softly, reaching out one of his scarred hands. He rested it over Harry's and they looked into each other's eyes. "I noticed the wand in your pocket. I know how brave you are to face that. I'm so… so proud of you."

Harry looked down at the wand, sighing as he reached for it. He put it down next to the dictaphone. Remus stared at the wand, his face twitching as he controlled his own reaction to the instrument of death. His hazel eyes then met Harry's again.

"Curse them." Remus spat out suddenly, turning his face away. He looked anguished. "I'm not going to push you to talk about what happened to you. This has to happen in your own time and I think… I think it's best if you write it all down. Talking about it in front of people… people who care about you and who will react. It's going to be too much."

Remus put the wand back down on the table. Harry watched Remus, eyes wide.

"I don't want to see you hurt anymore, Harry. Hear you being hurt. I know… we need the intel, but I'm not putting you through a debrief. Not when it'll trigger trauma."

Harry released a sigh of relief and he swallowed. He reached out to Remus, searching for a hand. He found one. The contact of the scarred palm against his made him feel a lot more at ease.

"I'll write it down but I can't… face them hearing it from me."

Remus's hand squeezed his. "Then you do it your way. You'll find no judgement from me."

Harry felt a swell of overwhelming gratitude at the understanding. His eyes burned, not used to the acceptance and respect. He gazed at the friend whom his dad valued so highly and could see then what his dad saw. A huge heart.

"Thank you."

The moment the door to the kitchen shut, Ron put his hand on Hermione's shoulder moving close. His eyes were wide, beseeching, and confused. Emotions that had been tucked out of sight while he was a grim-faced bearer of bad news had rushed into existence. He turned her to face him, making her start in surprise.

"I really am sorry. I messed up." He said, his voice pained. "I know, you'll say that it's just a birthday, but I even told Harry that I'd get my family to do something… put someone together at least… but mum wasn't there and dad's hopeless at that sort of thing… and I came back empty-handed. I feel like a massive berk."

"Ron… please … it's fine," she said, carefully taking his hand from her arm, holding his gaze. "We're fugitives. I hardly expect you to take the time to go present shopping."

His shoulders dropped, looking truly relieved. Gravitating back to the seaview, he relaxed, arms going to rest on the lip of the wall. She moved to lean on the wall beside him, turning her back on the view so she could check on Harry. He was sitting at the table with Remus. He had his back to them but she could see Remus's concerned expression as he spoke to him.

"He's asking Harry if he'll talk to us about what he went through in that place," Ron said in a low voice. "That's why we… we're not going right into things."

Hermione turned her attention away from Harry at once, looking at Ron.

"He wants Harry to debrief?"

"Only if he's ready. To be honest, I didn't expect him to be looking as well as he is."

"His magic's back so he's healing a lot faster." She said, crossing her arms. "But his physical recovery has no bearing on his mental one. He opened up to me last night about…" She stopped herself.

Make it sound innocent. This is not the time to admit to Ron that his two best friends snogged behind his back.

"About the wand?" Ron finished, looking cautious. She nodded. "I did wonder if it was his wand. Nothing else would make Harry unable to face it. Shit… how is he even able to handle that thing? It… it killed his mum and dad."
"It's also the brother to his own wand," she reminded him curtly, "and it works for him. Using the weapon that destroyed his family to enact revenge is rather apt."

Ron looked at her in surprise.

"What?" She asked him. "We both know the prophecy, Ron. Harry has to be the one to do it. He's willing to as well." She sighed, bowing her head. "More so now."

The expression shift on Ron's face was quick. Surprise turned to a grave expression that dimmed his blue eyes, he dipped his chin, looking out at the view as if searching for something to fixate on. He sighed and sagged at his elbows, leaning over the wall.

"Yeah… I guess you're right." He then gave a wry chuckle. "You always are."

"I know we'll be talking about it in there, but… to follow up Harry's question," Hermione pried carefully, studying Ron's face. "Did you speak to them about our plans?"

Ron sighed, his face turning grim again.

"Bad news, Hermione, on that front. We can't go to Hogwarts." He looked out at the view. " He is there. He made a full appearance, revealing himself in control of the school. He even sat at the top table as the guest of honour."

Blood drained from her face. " What! " She gasped. "He… he… he's holding the school hostage? Are they still there? The DA? Please tell me they got out!"

Ron turned to her, putting his hands on her shoulders, his eyes wide.

"Neville was at the meeting. Those among the DA who have been activity giving Snape and the Carrows grief have evacuated and they're laying low at McGonagall Cottage. Neville risked joining the meeting to tell us exactly where you-know-who is and… that the reason they had to flee was because you-know-who knew where they were hiding. He knew about the Room."

Hermione's eyes were wide. "How…"

"No clue. Harry's likely the best person to ask. It's his expertise, right? Dumbledore told him everything about him. What's important though is that he's there and he has the castle under his direct control."

"He has leverage over the entire country. Before it was just implied but now it's public knowledge. He's pulled away the smoke and mirrors… oh my God. We made our move against him and now he's made his."

Ron nodded, grim-faced as he dropped his arms down to his sides. He sighed and looked over to the villa.

"The Order… they were talking about us finding a fort of our own and building an army. The war isn't in the shadows now. We made a direct assault against the Dark Ministry - which is what the Order are calling it now that the Ministry and the Death Eaters are one organisation now. And because of that, they're not calling themselves the 'Order' anymore. We're more like a Resistance. And pretty much announced that Harry is the leader. Everyone sees him as the one to rally behind. Being the Chosen One and all."

Hermione gasped again and put her hands over her face.

"He's only just got back on his feet."

The patio door opened, cursing them both to wheel around. Harry stepped out onto the veranda, illustrating her point as he waved at them from the doorway. He wasn't smiling. Hermione's heart sunk. The joy of their brief escapism had truly faded away. She drew up herself, steeling her spine. Harry was going to need her to be strong for him. He was going to need them all. The army that had gathered to fight for him and at his side.

Potter's Army indeed.

Ron shared a look with her. She could see that he was thinking it too. The game had changed. It was no longer the three of them against the world. They were at war and now they were soldiers in an army, an army where their best friend had no choice but to take command. Everyone was looking at him to lead them against Voldemort. His responsibilities were inescapable, bound by prophecy and bound by expectations. They both knew that Harry had accepted it. He was the only one who could free them all from the reign of Lord Voldemort.

They reached Harry, seeing Remus sitting at the table while Tonks was fixing them up tea. Hermione's gaze went to Harry's place, widening when she saw the wand and…

The dictaphone.

She looked up at Harry's face. His expression faltered a little and his gaze dropped. She immediately brought her arms around him. Ron let out a strange huffing sound. She glanced over at him, but he was looking away, moving to take a seat. She did notice his reddening ears and a hardness in his eyes that she'd seen often whenever Harry received more attention than him. Whatever was bothering him wasn't the priority. She squeezed her arms around Harry, making sure he knew that she was there for him and that she knew he just had to confront the torture he'd been through.

"I'm okay." His voice mumbled in her ear.

"No, you're not," she countered. He sighed.

"No, I'm not." His forehead rested on his shoulder. She glanced over at Ron again, seeing him frowning at Harry. The change in their dynamic was screamingly obvious. They were both openly receptive to each other's emotions, more so than ever, and it had apparently happened over night. Going to gloss over her obvious tell of which of her boys had the most sway over her heart, she went to summon a notepad and pen. The last time Harry had divulged insider information, Minerva McGonagall had deemed it important enough to note down. She would do so too.

Ron pointedly took the seat on Harry's left, leaving Hermione to make the choice. Sighing inwardly, she pulled the chair out on Harry right. It didn't have to be interpreted as her choosing Harry over Ron. It was her choosing that she and Ron were his left and right hands. If he was to be the leader, they would end up as his seconds-in-command. Just like with the DA.

Hermione's notepad and pen sailed towards her, settling neatly down. Remus gave her a small, knowing smile, accompanied with a nod. Tea was then served. Harry's nervous fidgets were soon the only source of noise as they sat quietly, waiting for someone to begin. Hermione opened her notepad to an empty page, expectant and yet apprehensive. She wanted to reach under the table and squeeze Harry's arm to show that she was there for him, but any more affectionate gestures would only set something else off.

She was glad the horcrux was safely stowed upstairs where it couldn't amplify the jealous glint she'd witnessed earlier in Ron's eyes.

"We should probably begin with reviewing everything that happened during last night's meeting." Remus began. Harry's look at him across the table was a grateful one. "Unfortunately, we don't have any minutes recorded."

"A bit rusty are we?" Tonks asked him, "you always took notes even during the smaller meetings at Grimmauld."

"Yes, well… I didn't pack a quill and ink," Remus said shortly, then smiled at Hermione again. "I'm being put to shame by my own ex-student."

"Who was there?" Harry asked, his voice low. "Did you get my messages to everyone?"

"I did and they were… well received," said Remus. "And as for who was there, we had a bigger showing than I expected, as well as some new faces. Of the old Order, there was myself, Kingsley, Hestia and Arthur."

Hermione started to write down the names of everyone.

"Then the twins - Ron gave your letters to them." Harry nodded, grateful for the information. "We also had Aberforth, who is Dumbledore's younger brother. He… chose to not be involved in the Order when we rallied up after Voldemort's return, but has come back over. He is our inside-man in Hogsmeade - the owner of the Hog's Head. He's our smuggler."

"Better late than never, I suppose," Tonks said under her breath. Remus glanced at her. "Sorry, dear."

"He arrived with Neville… and it's from Neville that we have our most important piece of intel, second to the intelligence Kingsley's moles have gathered from the Ministry."

Harry leaned forwards at the mention of Neville. "If I'd known he'd be there, I would have sent something… I never got a chance to thank him and Seamus."

"He wanted to read your message and…" Remus grinned, "he confirmed that it was authentic."

Harry let out a soft laugh. "He would know."

"You said Kingsley has moles in the Ministry?" Tonks then asked, turning in her seat. "Aurors?"

"No - but you know his main spy. Ben Eppingham."

" Ben? " She gasped, staring at Remus, shocked. "He was in my year at Hogwarts… we used to have our lunches together when I started Auror Training." Her eyes started to tear up. "He's joined us? Oh, I wish I could have seen him."

Remus looked over to Hermione, his gaze dropping to her notes. "Ben works in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He used to be Kingsley's secretary."

Hermione nodded, grateful for the clarity. Harry let out a breath.

"If he has ties to Kingsley, doesn't that make him suspicious?"

Tonks shook her head, catching Harry's attention. "He's a pureblood and his mother was a Lestrange. Unlike my mum, she married well, so he's 'in the fold' so to speak." She said bitterly.

"He would fit under the category of the families loyal to Voldemort through the years - so he's above reproach unless he does something to attract attention. If the new regime focused on anyone who had ever engaged with an Undesirable, they would have to interrogate everyone as a traitor." Remus informed Harry. "Ben will be questioned, I'm sure, but he is not under suspicion. We want to keep it that way."

Harry looked up at Tonks, seeing her visible relief.

"We know from Ben that there are those that are treated more favourably. Unsurprisingly, they are all traditionally Slytherin families. The… screening process that they will enforce involves other purebloods to swear loyalty. Then, first generation half-bloods, like you, Harry, and Dora, will be expected to forsake the muggle side of their heritage. They will have to serve under the purebloods, though if they are from a sacred bloodline, they may be given leniencies. Voldemort, after all, fits that bill himself."

Hermione wrote everything with bile rising in her throat. Her hand trembled as he spoke. It sounded like a horror, a dystopia that existed in fiction, but it was real. This was the world that Voldemort wanted. Her mind went to the statue in the Atrium where the muggles were crushed at the bottom of the weight of the society they existed to prop up.

"The Dark Ministry has created the position of Inquisitors, enforcers of this system and the screening process that will roll out. For the moment, all that's known is who leads the new Department. And… I'm sorry… Harry."

Hermione glanced at Harry, seeing that his face was pink with his barely controlled anger. His eyes were hard with hate, his hands clenched into fists.

"The Chief Inquisitor is Augustus Rookwood."

Harry sighed, dropping his head down to look at the dictaphone on the table top. He reached over to rub at his wrist, a subconscious gesture. Hermione followed it, seeing the healing skin.

"The Row serves as the Inquisition's base of operations. Prisoners are housed there and interrogated… using the veritas quaesitor." Remus leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Harry's face. "Harry, we… found out a lot about the conditions of the prisoners there. We have an insider… you know him… you converted him to our cause, afterall."

Hermione finished writing notes, aware of the silence that had fallen after Remus's reveal. Her gaze left her notes which read:

The Department of Inquisition

Purpose: to question loyalties of those under regime

Members: Rookwood - in charge

Interrogations in the Row using veritas quaesitor

"Berrick was there?" Harry broke the silence, glancing over to Ron for confirmation. "He's alive?"

"He's too valuable to dispose of. Someone has to keep the prisoners alive," Remus's face twisted with visible disgust. "He called himself the nursemaid of the Row."

"Apt," Harry remarked. Hermione looked over, worried for him. His face tensed and he looked away. Remus was all too aware that a subject change was in order. He let the silence stay, picking up his cup of tea and giving a sip. He looked over to Ron for a moment, then sighed and set his cup back down.

"Onto matters that Ron brought up last night regarding your need to get into Hogwarts." Remus's eyes flickered over to Harry, then down to the wand still on the table. "It can't happen. Voldemort's taken the castle."

Harry's reaction was abrupt. It took him a second to understand what he'd heard, then he'd pushed his chair back and was on his feet.

" What?"

He looked across to Ron for confirmation, who appeared to be avoiding Harry's eye contact. It was damning enough for Harry to then stare at Remus, aghast.

He then backed up from the table, turning from them. He covered his face with his hands, hiding. Hermione went to rise and go to him. As she did, she caught sight of Ron's upset expression as he watched Harry's reaction.

"Harry…?" Hermione hesitantly spoke his name.

"I'm fine… I just… need a moment to think."

"We learned from Neville that Voldemort has chosen to make the castle his… residence." Remus chose to continue in a low voice. "What his reasons are for making himself known are, we aren't sure. Snape is still headmaster."

Harry lowered his hands from his face, turning to look at everyone. He then descended back into his thoughts. A shooting of fond feelings swelling inside Hermione as always happened when she witnessed Harry's mind at work.

"He… um… also tried to get into the Room of Requirement." Ron spoke up. Harry looked at him sharply.

"What?" He said again.

"While they were hiding in the Room, the active members of the DA - that is, the room started shaking as if it was under attack." Ron explained. "So they got out of there, fled through the passageway into Hogsmeade. The Room sealed behind them. Without them in there…"

"He can get in. Like with Malfoy." Harry stared off to the distance. "They already knew about the Room… it's how the Death Eaters got into Hogwarts before. So why now? Why…"

Harry trailed off. They were all staring at him. It was almost as if they could see the wheels turning in his head.

He snapped his fingers, a light coming on his head.

"Voldemort knows that I'm on a mission from Dumbledore and knows that we have his locket… and that we know what it is." Harry paced away from the window, coming back to the table. "He's checking on them. His secret's out now… so he's going to their hiding places. If he was trying to break down the Room's walls, that has to mean that there's one in there, right?"

Hermione eyed Ron, seeing a sceptical look on his face.

"I don't know, mate. Do you think he would hide it somewhere under Dumbledore's nose?"

"Yes… yes I do. It's just the sort of thing he would do. Over-confident, arrogant… he might have been afraid of Dumbledore's power, but he thought him a fool. What better way to prove to himself that he's the superior one than to put a piece of his own soul in the school, protected by Dumbledore himself - unknowingly."

Hermione's breathing was coming shallower and shallower.

"But Harry, if what you're saying is true and he's checking on his horcruxes…"

She saw the change as his excitement of a discovery dwindled and horror rose up, his face draining of colour.

"He's going to make sure that I'll never get within a mile of them."

"Exactly," she said quietly. "He knows you're hunting them and knows that you're very serious about killing him. You're fa-."

Harry's eyes snapped to her and he gave her the barest of headshakes, eyes flicking to Remus.

He doesn't want Remus to know the truth of the Prophecy.

"-fates are aligned," she quickly changed where she was going, "if the existence of the prophecy is anything to go by." Harry's chin dipped, eyes softening, grateful. He then returned to his chair, frowning as he thought.

"The locket's hiding place had pretty hardcore defences," he said, looking up then to Remsus, "it's where I was when the Death Eaters broke into Hogwarts, where I was with Dumbledore. He worked out how to get there safely…" He looked across to Hermione. "And Regulus knew because Kreacher had been the one to put it there in the first place."

Remus's expression tensed. "Regulus? You can't mean Sirius's brother… what does he have to do with this?"

"Voldemort needed the use of a House Elf and Regulus volunteered Kreacher. When Kreacher got back, he questioned him about what was asked of him and he found out about the locket. Regulus worked out what it was and… and he must have had second-thoughts about being a Death Eater because he went to find it and destroy it."

Hands over his mouth, Remus looked sick and shocked. "He betrayed Voldemort?"

"I don't know if he came to the decision on his own or…" Harry trailed off, shrugging. Remus understood where he was going.

"Or if Sirius had something to do with it?" Remus finished. Harry nodded. "No. Sirius only spoke with him once when Regulus took the robes and told him that he'd not show him any leniency if they met on opposing sides. Sirius felt betrayed by him… and never wanted to speak with him again."

Hermione's heart ached with the tragedy they were uncovering. Sirius would never find out that his younger brother had a change of heart… and Regulus would never find forgiveness.

"Oh… he redeemed himself and no one knew." Tonks said softly, her eyes tearing again.

"We know now," Remus said strongly, reaching for her hand. He looked up at Harry. "What happened to him?"

Harry grimaced, queasy. "The locket was on an island in a cave surrounded by a lake… and in the lake… there were…" His eyes were blown wide for a moment as he clearly relived the horrors he and Dumbledore discovered in that place. "Hundreds and hundreds of inferi. They pulled him under and he drowned." Harry let out a breath. "The same thing happened to me before Dumbledore saved my life… but he was really weak. To get to the locket, he had to drink a potion and he wouldn't let me do it. It was… really dark and made him see things…"

While Harry was recounting the tale, Hermione jotted down some notes. She looked up as his voice faltered. She set down her pen and reached across for his hand then. He shot her a side-along look, grateful. He continued.

"When it was all gone, he was so thirsty and needed water. The cup… was cursed so Aguamenti wouldn't work so…"

"It forced you to use the water from the lake, disturbing the inferi?" Remus was pale. "Those are… some very extreme security measures. Whoever infiltrated them would have to weaken themselves to reach the locket and then be powerful against an army of inferi."

"I only made it out because of Dumbledore and then I apparated us back to Hogsmeade," Harry said, "and when Voldemort used Kreacher to drink the potion, it was only an order from his Master that saved him and he apparated away. Regulus wasn't as lucky. Kreacher couldn't save him."

"That's… that's a horrible way to go," Tonks said quietly.

"Yeah so… if that's the level of security Voldemort has around his horcruxes already before he knew I was aware of them." Harry said, bringing them back to the point. "I don't know how we can possibly reach them now."

"But then if he checks on the ones we haven't found and finds them still there, do you think he would move them?" Ron asked then. "They're safe where they are, right?"

"He might add additional layers." Remus said. "Wards like the ones he added on the Row."

"This explains why my scar is only acting up when he wants to mess with me," Harry said then, "he's occluding me." His eyes then widened. "There was a moment… a couple of days ago, when it hurt and I smelt… death. Corpses."

"Inferi?"

"Had to be," Harry said to Remus's question. He then pulled out the chair, wearing a haunted look. He dropped himself in the seat and put his hands over his face.

"Even if we did find out where the remaining ones are, going after them now is suicide. And we don't have a way to destroy them. Going to Hogwarts to get basilisk venom while he's there? I might as well surrender." His voice was anguished. Hermione looked over to Ron in alarm. Harry was spiralling.

"What possible chance do we have now?"

"Hey!" Tonks snapped suddenly, making them all jump. "Don't do that to yourself, Harry. Don't focus on the losses and lose sight of the gains."

Ron turned in his seat, facing him.

"Tonks is right. Sure, one strategy has come back a bust. We just have to think of a new one. Like… in a game of chess, you always have more than one strategy in case one fails. He's moved out of check, but we still have our important pieces on the board."

A small smirk lifted at the corner of Harry's mouth. "Like a game of chess, huh?"

"I mean… yeah, this is a bit more high stakes, but…"

"Chess is a game of strategy," Remus pointed out, "as is war. It's a good analogy and you're right, Ron, we have our important pieces… our soldiers."

Harry looked around the table, his gaze then settling on Remus.

"Dumbledore wanted me to continue where he left off. He taught me everything he knew about Voldemort, but that's it. I don't know what he planned outside of the horcruxes. Whether he wanted me to… lead us all into a charge or something."

Across from him, Remus's expression darkened. Tonks's hand was creeping towards him, wearing a worried look as she noticed the change.

"The only person who knew Albus Dumbledore's plans was Albus Dumbledore," Remus said, his voice tight with anger. "No one ever questioned his need for secrecy." He looked away, his features furious. "And before, when the Order was young, when we were young, we followed him blindly, accepting that he wasn't telling us everything and that he'd tell us his reasons when we were ready. But that time never came. We were losing… and we wanted guidance. Instead… he sent us all into hiding, fearing that there was a spy in our midsts."

Remus rubbed his hands over his face. "He prioritised the safety of the school and we all went to our safehouses. A month after," He lowered his hands, looking at Harry. "Voldemort went after you."

The room was silent as he spoke. Hermione's pen was posed in her hand, still, frozen. She glanced at Harry. He was enrapt, listening.

"For so long, I blamed what happened on Sirius. I thought he was the traitor, that I had been so blind to not see what he was and that he had played us so artfully. I spent years of my life fuelling that and all that time, I was so very wrong. Sirius suffered twelve years in Azkaban… and all of that misery could have been avoided if Dumbledore had stepped in and investigated what happened that night. But he didn't… and, just like before, no one questioned him."

Remus sighed harshly. "We all fell into place behind him when he reformed the Order. All of us. We believed that he had a plan. When we learned about the prophecy and about its significance to you, we all volunteered to guard it and not one of us questioned why. We didn't question it's importance, why it would be catastrophic if Voldemort got his hands on it… and we didn't even question why you in particular had to be kept in the dark. Well… I say 'we'. Sirius had enough of blindly following orders after twelve years of being wrongfully imprisoned."

A soft sigh escaped Harry and he reached for his tea.

"I believed that Dumbledore had your best interests at heart, fore and foremost, but while he was protecting your life, he wasn't giving you support. I started to see a pattern in that he would isolate you for your safety, but didn't see the harm it was causing. And then when Sirius was… gone…" Remus sighed. "He sent me to entreat with other werewolves undercover and I was unable to contact you or… at least be there for you."

Harry rocked back, holding his cup of tea in his hands.

"Those don't appear like the actions of someone who has your best interests at heart."

"During that year, with Umbridge in the castle, Dumbledore purposely avoided me." Harry said quietly. "He was isolating me because he feared that Voldemort would use the opportunity to possess me and get close. He said his reasons were to protect me. But…" Harry looked down at his tea. "What he should have done is tell me from the start why Voldemort was pushing thoughts into my head. If he'd come clean with me… as early on as when I was eleven and met Voldemort the first time, I would have never fallen for the trick and gone to the Department of Mysteries. He… got it so wrong."

"And it's not the only time," Remus said, nodding, "so I think we can agree that maybe, following Dumbledore's premade plans may not be the best decision going ahead. We need to make plans where we are fully aware of all the facts. No unexpected surprises. Secret missions are not how we win this, not against an opponent who is already a step ahead."

"He expects us to go after the horcruxes," Ron said, speaking up after he finished his tea. "So maybe we do something that he doesn't expect. He has to have weakness, right?"

"Do you mean physical weaknesses? Like if he's allergic to garlic like a vampire?" Harry asked back. "No, but I do know from experience that a back-fired Avada Kedavra can destroy his body."

Remus suddenly rested his hands on the table and half rose from his chair, his hazel eyes wide as he took in Harry.

"That's it! Dumbledore has been going about this the wrong way this whole time. I can appreciate that the horcruxes prevent him from dying, but they don't prevent his body from being destroyed."

Harry then followed suit, jumping to his feet.

"Losing his body would be a huge setback." Harry snatched up Voldemort's wand from the table. "And I promise you, now that I know I have it in me to cast that curse, I welcome the chance to do it again."

"W-wait…" Ron looked up at them both. Harry and Remus turned. "You tried to kill him? With his own wand?"

"I have every belief that if Voldemort had not parried it with a killing curse of his own, it would have destroyed him," Remus confirmed.

Hermione looked between everyone, her mind racing as they completely diverted away from hunting horcruxes all together.

"But… you knew it wouldn't work," Ron said thinly, staring up at his friend with equal horror and awe.

"I didn't really care about that at the time. I just really wanted him to pay." Harry said quietly. He glanced over at Ron. "Look, I'm not proud of it, okay. I wasn't really thinking straight, having spent the last four days being tortured on his orders."

Ron blanched and looked away. "I… right. I guess that's fair."

"So we're planning on dropping the horcrux hunt altogether," Hermione said, checking that everyone was on the same page.

"It makes sense seeing that I betrayed the secret," Harry said, his elated mood at the progress they were making dimming now that he was starting to doubt himself again. "I agree that secret missions aren't how we take this on. We tried that and look how it ended up. I was completely in over my head."

Hermione scowled at his self-deprecation.

"We have to divert our energies and resources towards other things… important things. If we are going to build an army, we need somewhere to house it. We need to keep chipping at Voldemort's hold, keep countering his propaganda." Remus then reached across the table and grabbed Harry's shoulder. "I hate to say this, but we also need you, Harry."

He nodded, expression resigned.

"I know. I'm an important piece on the board, right?"

"You are… all of you are… and that's why we're going to train you like how Dumbledore should have trained you." Remus said, looking down at Tonks who grinned at Harry. "And Harry, you need to teach us everything Dumbledore did teach you. You know more about him than his horcruxes."

"A lot more," Harry confirmed. "I knew more about him when I was twelve than his entire inner circle. I doubt many of his Death Eaters know his real name."

Hermione's gaze dropped down to her notepad. She then wrote down the name in question.

"His name is proof that he's a hypocrite," she said as she finished the words 'Tom Marvolo Riddle'.

"Both names have power," Harry said, looking across at her, sitting back down. He pulled her notepad towards him. "Tom Riddle, his father's name - his muggle father's name. Marvolo Gaunt… a man who was an inbred descendant of Slytherin who lived in squalor. Not all that admirable for a pureblood."

"Exposing him as a half-blood would rock the apple cart," Tonks said with a grin. "I suspect some purebloods will be disillusioned to learn that the Dark Lord is not one of them."

"He changed his name to something that one day, all who heard it would fear it, but it's more than that. He changed himself, creating a new persona that would have nothing to do with his muggle roots. He wiped out his father's family so there would be no trace of his not-so-pure heritage." Harry said, gaze lifting up.

"Even when he was believed dead, people were too afraid to speak it. So many people were so terrified of him, yet so very few people had even seen him or had their lives affected directly by him. He was a threat in the shadows. He rarely killed his enemies in person, sending his followers to do it for him. Only those he thought worthy his attention met their end at this ." Harry held up the wand. "But really, under that persona, the wizard he is… no one knows who that is. Not his enemies, not his followers. He's become this almost mythic figure, like a God I suppose. His name brings fear, the very idea of him terrorises people. But without that name…"

He suddenly stopped, his face going slack as he met Hermione's eyes. She stared at him as the epiphany came to her as well.

"Without that name, he's just a man." He said quietly. "Without that name, he's a half-blood with a family history of mental instability."

Remus was staring at them as they both made the realisation at the same time.

"We can unmask him." Hermione said, her voice breathless. " You can unmask him." She reached a shaky hand over to the dictaphone. "You could record a message, reveal his true history, and then…"

"Broadcast it on Potterwatch?" Ron finished. They all looked over to him. "Yeah, I'm still here. We're all still here." His ears were red.

Remus was grinning and settled back in his chair, looking thrilled. "That is genius, you two! You must deliver this to the others when we have a meeting next."

Hermione found herself still staring at Harry. The excitement of their minds working in tandem had her heart fluttering, taking in his shared joy at them finding a real way to deliver a blow against their enemy. Her eyes were fixed on his, on their keen depths where a sharp mind lurked behind them, a determined will to keep fighting. Seeing his passion ignited her own.

"I think we should all call it there," Remus then said. Hermione blinked and she found herself back in the kitchen, in France, just having finished a very intense meeting with her fellow fugitives.

"I think we all need a break from that," Tonks groaned, "what is it with you kids and taking us on emotional rollercoasters?"

She got up, hands on her back as she stretched. "See you all after I have a nap." She gave Remus a kiss on the cheek. Remus murmured something in her ear and she nodded before leaving them.

"I'm going to check on our wards." He said to them. "I'll sort out dinner when I get back." Remus got up and gave them all nods. With Harry, he exchanged a meaningful look and dismissed himself.

When it was just the three of them, Ron moved his chair back with a forceful push. The sudden loud sound had Harry jumping with alarm and he looked around wildly.

Ron just stood, looking at them both in turn, his mouth a flat line, his eyes narrowed and suspicious.

"I think we need a word."

AN: Hi all. So it's been months since I've updated this so I'm really sorry if any of the characters come away a bit different. There's a lot of plot dumping here and a lot of dialogue. Sorry if this stinks to high heaven!

This will be the fork in the road moment. Hopefully it won't be three months until the next update...