February of 1996

73

"Harry, what's happening?" said Lupin, meeting him at the foot of the stairs. "Voldemorts on his way; they're barricading the school—Snapes run for it— What are you doing here? How did you know?" Harry asked, looking at Lupin and the other members that he hadn't seen before.

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army," Fred explained. "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix know." "What first, Harry?" called George. "Whats going on?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized," Harry said.

"Were fighting." It was silent; they knew that the war was here.

It was time Irena knew that she held Fred's hand, not wanting to let go of him. She wanted to be by his side at all times, but she knew that was almost impossible. Fear started to enter her body, not only for her husband Fred but for the rest of the Weasley, who are her family.

It seemed Molly had similar thoughts as Irena saw Mrs. Weasley struggle with Ginny; she didnt want her youngest child to participate in any of this. "You're underage!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at her daughter. Around them stood Lupin, Fred, Irena, Rue, George, Bill, and Fleur as Harry approached them.

"I won't permit it! They boys, yes, but you, youve got to get home!" "I won't!" Ginnys hair flew as she pulled her arm out of her mothers grip. "Im in Dumbledores Army—" "A teenagers gang! "A teenagers gang thats about to take him on, which no one she has dared to do!" said Fred. "Shes sixteen!" shouted Mrs. Weasley to her son.

"She's not old enough! What you two were thinking, bringing her with you," Molly said, looking at Irena for a second. Fred and George looked slightly ashamed of themselves.

"Mums right, Ginny," said Bill gently. "You cant do this. Everyone underage will have to leave; its only right." "I cant go home!" Ginny shouted, angry tears sparkling in her eyes.

Irena understood her she couldnt stay behind; knowing that her husband and her family were here, she couldnt stay behind not knowing.

"Fine," Ginny said, staring at the entrance to the tunnel back to the Hogs Head. "Ill say goodbye now, then, and—"

There was a scuffling and a great thump: Someone else had climbed out of the tunnel and fallen.

He pulled himself up on the nearest chair, glanced around through his lopsided glasses, and said, "Am I too late? Has it started? I only just found out, so I—I—" Percy spluttered into silence. Evidently, he had not expected to run into most of his family. The silence between the Weasleys appeared to be setting like ice. Percy and the other Weasleys were still staring at one another, frozen. Irena held Fred's hand as she saw Percy in front of them.

"I was a fool!" Percy roared loudly. "I was an idiot, I was a pretentious prat, I was a—a—" "Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron," said Fred. Percy gulped, "Yes, I was!" "Well, you cant say better than that," said Fred, holding out his hand to Percy. Irena smiled at the small interaction between the two brothers.

Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug while he patted her on the back, his eyes on his father. "Im sorry, Dad," Percy said. Mr. Weasley blinked rather rapidly then he hurried to hug his son.

"What made you see sense, Perce?" inquired George. "Its been coming on for a while," said Percy, cleaning his eyes under his glasses with a corner of his cloak. "But I had to find a way out, and its not so easy at the Ministry, theyre imprisoning traitors all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth, and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going to make a fight for it, so here I am."

"Well, we do look to our prefects to take a lead at times such as these," said George in a good imitation of Percys most arrogant manner. "Now, lets get upstairs and fight, or all the good Death Eaters will be taken."

The Weasleys got ready to go to the Great Hall.

"So I have two sisters in law now," Percy said, shaking hands with Fleur and then with Irena as they hurried off toward the staircase with Bill, Fred, and George. "And a nephew," Irena added with a small smile. "I can't wait to meet him," he told her.