The wedding was boring, especially considering it was Dora's, who had always dreamed of a colossal one. Few people attended. Since Remus's parents weren't alive anymore and he didn't have any siblings, the only people there besides me were Ted, Andromeda, Kingsley, Mad-Eye, and a few other Order members. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley couldn't make it because they were too busy preparing for another wedding, Bill and Fleur's.

During the reception, Mad-Eye came over. I was sitting with Andromeda and Ted, nearly gagging on firewhisky. It was my first time tasting it, and it was utterly repulsive.

"I need to talk to you," Mad-Eye said when he arrived without any sort of greeting. "As I'm sure Tonks has told you, we're retrieving Harry Potter from his aunt and uncle's home in a few weeks. We have a plan to get him safely to the Burrow, and we need others to help. We thought we could send Harry to your place and put protective enchantments around your house so You-Know-Who can't get to him. Then we would use a Portkey to send him to the Burrow. What I need to know is this: are you willing to do this for us?"

"Of course," Andromeda replied.

"Yeah, we'll shelter him," said Ted.

"Great. The Order will come to put the charms on your home," said Mad-Eye gruffly before he hobbled off.

I turned to my aunt and uncle. "What was that all about?"

"I think they need to move Harry Potter from his home before his seventeenth birthday, to protect him from Death Eaters," Ted told me. "I can tell it's going to be seriously difficult for them."

"More like impossible," I said, taking another sip. I spat it out. "I can't drink this."

"It's an acquired taste," said Ted.

"I don't think I'll try to acquire it."

"Oh ... it's time for their first dance!" Andromeda said. She was so consumed in the wedding that I wasn't sure if she had been paying attention to Mad-Eye.

Andromeda had managed to get some recordings to play on a Wireless at the wedding, just for Dora. Since the dream wedding, something Dora had talked about and planned so intensely throughout her whole life that she even drew the dresses, tuxes, and even the wedding cake all over scraps of parchment (or homework), wasn't feasible anymore, Andromeda had managed to capture part of it. Dora had dreamed of having the Weird Sisters play, of course, and even if they weren't live at the reception, she got to hear their music.

Dora didn't want a sappy song for her first dance ("absolutely nothing Celestina Warbeck-like" she had said), and Remus probably wanted one less than she did, so they played a slightly upbeat yet still romantic one.

As they danced, I had to admit that despite being an odd couple, you could tell they loved each other.

When the first song was over, a slower one came on. I guess you could say it was the sappy song Dora didn't want to dance to. I figured that was Andromeda's choice. I recognized it from the Yule Ball. At least it was still a Weird Sisters song.

"This is such a pretty song. Dance with me, Ted," said Andromeda. She held out her hand. Ted wasn't reluctant when he took it, surprising me. Actually, he looked as if he wanted to dance.

I sat there on the sidelines and listened to the music. It was actually quite soothing. I closed my eyes and leaned back, picturing myself dancing to it. With a particular someone, of course.

"Hey, Lestrange," someone said in a slurred, groggy voice. I snapped my eyes open. Mundungus Fletcher was right in front of me. Why in the world would anybody invite him to my cousin's wedding?

"Who invited you?" I spat aloud.

"Nobody. Found out from Shacklebolt, though. Thought I could sell some goods here ‘cause I figured there'd be a large crowd, taking your cousin into consideration and all, but no one came."

"Still living a life of crime even though we're facing the worst crisis ever? Whose side are you even on, Mundungus?"

"I'm for the Order, course. But you gotta make a living somehow. I have a bet for you, if you'll take it."

"Wait. You came here trying to make money, and you're prepared to gamble it away?"

I should have realized he was drunk. I could smell the firewhisky on his breath as he stood there. But money these days was a bit hard to come by, so I said, "Well, what's this bet?"

"More've a dare, actually," he said. "You dance with Mad-Eye, I give you three Galleons."

"Mad-Eye?" I asked in disbelief. "He has a clawed foot!"

Mundungus shrugged. "Four Galleons."

"Um, I don't dance, and I highly doubt Mad-Eye does."

"You're no fun," he said. "I thought you would take it, like your cousin always did. He never turned down a dare from what I heard, and I'm offering you money, even. I thought you were a lot like him, to be honest. These are dark times, Lestrange, and I was hoping you could provide us with a laugh."

I didn't know whether to feel insulted or flattered. The fact that he thought I was like Sirius meant a lot, until I reminded myself that Mundungus was a drunken dog and didn't have any idea what he was saying.

"First off, you don't know me and you hardly knew Sirius. Second, don't call me Lestrange!"

"All right, all right!"

"Third ... " I sighed. "You're right, we could all use some humor."

"Yeah. A pink haired girl with a werewolf is pretty funny. I'd like to see a girl with a mad ex-Auror."

I rolled my eyes. "If you give me Galleons now, I'll ask him. But that doesn't mean he'll say yes."

"I'll give you three to ask him, and a fourth if he says yes."

"You're insane." I held out my palm and took the gold coins. Then I strode over to where Mad-Eye was sitting beside Kingsley Shacklebolt, deep in discussion about the issue of getting Harry safely with the Order.

" - Andromeda and Ted have agreed - "

"Um, Mad-Eye?" I said cautiously. I hated to interrupt such an important conversation, but really, there was another time for that other than my cousin's wedding.

He looked at me. "Problem, Lyra?"

"Oh, um ... I was just wondering if you would dance with me."

His large eye swiveled around in its socket while his normal one glared at me. "I don't know if that firewhisky has gone to your head or if you've been confined to your house for too long, but I don't think you realize what you just said."

"Oh, yes, I did, and Mundungus is giving me a few Galleons to - "

"The filthy pile of rags. Well, he has to blow his money somehow. We should have kicked him out long ago; I don't even know how he found out about this, but ... well, if that's how it is."

"Wait, what?"

"Get up. We'll dance."

I think some of the firewhisky had gone to his head. When he stepped out on the dance floor, I followed in confusion. A new song had just started.

"One song, and that's it," he growled.

"Yeah."

It wasn't really 'dancing.' I'm sure we both looking like a couple of mountain trolls. Mad-Eye just moved his feet up and down, and with his peg-leg claw-foot, it made a strange clopping noise each time his foot hit the makeshift dance floor. I basically did the same: moved my feet up and down.

"You'll help us with Operation Harry, I assume?" he said. Well, this made sense. We weren't about to dance. This just gave him a chance to interrogate me.

"If there's anything I can do."

"Just make sure he makes it to the Portkey on time."

"Portkey. Right."

"We just hope it goes according to plan."

"Yeah. What exactly do you think will happen?"

"Death Eaters, and lots of them. I wouldn't be surprised if they're already hovering over Privet Drive. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will undoubtedly be there the night we pick him up. We're trying to trick him. It'll be a miracle if all the Order survives."

"What?" I stopped stomping my feet. "But - no! It's too dangerous! Dora and Remus just got married!"

"Well, it's a risk we all take, being part of it. You'll join when you're out of school, right?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," I muttered. "I suppose. I'd rather not be killed by Death Eaters."

"That surprises me. I thought you had the guts to follow in Tonks's footsteps. Sirius's, too. Looks like that boy changed your mind."

"What boy?" I insisted, outraged.

"Tonks told me about your boyfriend. She said he was a Slytherin, a son of a Death Eater."

"Your point? Are you going to tell me it was wrong for me to see him because I'm associated with the Order and he's associated with the enemy?"

"Well, yes, but since you're not seeing him anymore, does it matter?"

"Yes, it matters! Who are you to tell me this? Everybody tells me this! Why can't they realize that I'm my own person and I can take care of myself?"

"Do you know who his father is?"

"Of course I do! He was a Death Eater, just like both of my parents! And I'll even tell you what he told me: his father isn't a very good Death Eater! In fact, he hates his father! He absolutely, positively despises his father! He's a good guy, but everyone fails to see that because, as is the case with me, all they see in the child is the parents!"

I stormed off. Mundungus chased after me, saying, "You didn't finish the dance! I want those Galleons back."

"Take them! I don't care!"

I slapped the coins into this hand and continued to dash away. I ran until I reached a grove of trees. I could still hear the music coming from the dance floor. It was 'Magic Works,' another one that had been played at the ball. The lyrics killed me. Words like ‘magic can't die' kept repeating, making me think over and over, magic does die. It did for me.

And, as I did on practically a daily basis, I sat down in the shelter of trees and cried.

Everything was set. In a matter of hours, Harry and another Order member - we were told it would be Hagrid - would be at the house. One of Andromeda's hairbrushes had been turned into a Portkey to transport them to the Burrow.

Dora looked faintly nervous as she stood by the doorway, preparing to join the Order at Number Four, Privet Drive. She would be transporting one of the fake Potters (others would be disguised as Harry through Polyjuice Potion and would be going to other locations in an attempt to distract any Death Eaters who were possibly keeping watch over the house) to another place in association to the Order.

"Are you all right?" I asked her.

"Y - yes, I'm fine," she stuttered.

"You don't usually get nervous like this," I remarked.

"It's not me I'm worried about ... it's everyone else ... "

"Remus especially?"

"Well, yeah. But we'll be okay. At least, I hope ... "

Out of nowhere, a flash of silver streaked into the house and formed into a lynx. It was a Patronus, and it spoke in Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice.

"We're all set."

With great effort, Dora said, "Well, I should be off. Once we're to the Burrow, I'll send you a Patronus and tell you if we're all right."

She turned and left. As the door shut, I walked over to the couch and plopped down on it, closing my eyes. The dangers of the world outside were getting so serious that desperate measures had to be taken every time. If Death Eaters attacked tonight, Dora could end up ...

With a dreadful blast of realization, I thought of Theodore, high in the sky on a broom, chasing Harry and Hagrid to our home. If he saw Dora, would he attack her or spare her because of me? If he didn't attack, what would happen if the Death Eaters found out and he had been disloyal to them?

"Lyra, she'll be all right. She's an Auror; she knows these things."

It was Ted, standing over me as I sat on the couch. I nodded my head, but wasn't convinced. I was split down the middle again between dark and light.

"What do we do now?" I asked weakly.

Ted sat down beside me and said, "We wait."

The minutes crawled by. I had no idea how long I sat there with my eyes closed, trying to block out all of my recurring thoughts. Then a noise - like a loud crash - thundered from outside, startling me and making me jump. Ted sprang up from his seat and Andromeda hurried to the door frantically. I followed them up to the doorway, and watched as they shot outside toward the pond. A great dark shape was out there, but I couldn't tell what it was from my position.

Then I saw Andromeda leading part of the dark shape up to the door. It was Hagrid.

"H - Hagrid?" I spluttered as the two came inside.

He was bleeding in several places and looked like several damaging spells had hit him. Andromeda led him inside and began to mutter spells to clean him up and heal his wounds. Then I looked outside and saw Ted carrying Harry in his arms. He appeared unconscious, but maybe he was just exhausted ...

"He'll be all right," Ted said, answering the unasked question. "Something happened out there that shouldn't have, but we won't ask any questions until they've recovered a bit."

He situated Harry on the couch. I prepared to shut the door, but before I did I looked up to the sky. Against the starry backdrop I could see a few dark figures floating around - Death Eaters?

"Hagrid?" [*] The feeble voice came from Harry on the couch.

"Hagrid's fine, son," [*] Ted told him, and began to explain that Andromeda was looking after him. That's when I noticed that they weren't in the room anymore. I sat down in the armchair opposite of Ted and Harry, hoping that soon he would get up and explain why he was in such a bad state.

When he did, his words made my stomach flip-flop: "Voldemort - " [*]

Ted pushed him back onto the cushions. I felt a twinge of annoyance - I wanted to hear what Harry had to say and ultimately find out if the others were hurt or not. It seemed that the Death Eaters had attacked after all.

When Harry confirmed this as true, Ted said, "Death Eaters? What d'you mean, Death Eaters? I thought they didn't know you were being moved tonight, I thought - " [*]

"They knew." [*]

I closed my eyes tightly again, blocking out their voices. They had been flying when the Death Eaters had attacked, so even if nobody was hit by a Killing Curse, they could have easily fallen to their death.

"Harry, you said Death Eaters - "

I was interrupted as Hagrid burst into the room. A look of relief spread across Harry's face. He hadn't heard me. I don't think he even knew I was there. I watched as Hagrid pulled Harry into a firm hug and was alarmed the next second when Harry shouted, "You!" [**]

For an instant I thought he was talking to me, but then I saw him pointing to Andromeda, who was stepping into the room. I comprehended his accusation in a snap - for a moment he had believed she was Bellatrix.

"What happened to our daughter? Hagrid said you were ambushed; where is Nymphadora?" [***]

"I don't know," Harry admitted, causing a wave of terror to wash over me. "We don't know what happened to anyone else." [***]

The three of us exchanged glances and for the first time Harry seemed to notice me. He looked surprised for a brief second before remembering the Portkey.

Ted led the two down the hallway and into their bedroom where the hairbrush Portkey lay on a table. Before we reached the door, however, I couldn't resist asking ...

"Harry!" I hissed. He turned around, startled, but I went on. "You didn't happen to ... er ... recognize any of the Death Eaters out there ... did you?"

"No ... I was a little too preoccupied flying away from Voldemort."

His tone was a tad defensive. Despair fell over me. With reluctance I added, "I mean ... you didn't see anyone like ... like Theodore Nott, for instance?"

"Er ... no. I'm sorry; I have to go now."

We had reached the bedroom and the Portkey was glowing blue. I left the room before they departed, feeling morose. If there was even a tiny clue indicating that Theodore was okay, I would have felt much better. Instead, I glumly descended to the couch once more. Andromeda, noticing my distress, pulled me close and tried to comfort me.  I wasn't the only one desperately worried for someone.

For several minutes nothing happened. Then it appeared in the center of the living room: a silver whirl of something that formed into a werewolf: Dora's Patronus.

The wolf spoke in her voice and said, "I'm at the Burrow. Everyone is here now. I'll be here for awhile but I'll come home later tonight. The Death Eaters attacked us. Somehow they knew we were moving Harry tonight. Remus and I are okay, but George Weasley lost an ear and Mad-Eye is dead. I promise to tell you more when we get home."

The creature disappeared.