Chris had given his statement to Auror Shacklebolt the next afternoon in his parents’ quarter with them and Wyatt present, he had explained everything that had happened in the graveyard. He had been worried about telling Shacklebolt about how he escaped and had looked at his parents who had nodded towards him.

“The records will be sealed. And who we didn’t want to know already knows,” Leo had said calmly.

Chris had nodded and continued the explanations. He also told the Auror everything Voldemort had told him about Bertha Jorkins’s death and how Voldemort had decided to use him. He also said the names of the Death Eaters that were present. Shacklebolt had grimaced here and asked:

“You didn’t see their faces, did you?”

“No, but I recognized Malfoy’s voice and the others spoke too.”

“I know,” Shacklebolt said. “But Malfoy’s lawyers are claiming that that could have been anyone under Polyjuice pretending to be them. And with Crouch Jr. being caught with Polyjuice it’s hard to refute. Especially since the Minister is accepting the defense and backing them up. Our law does not permit the use of Veritaserum on a suspect unless they were caught in the act, like Pettigrew and Crouch Jr. were. A defendant may ask for it to prove his or her innocence and a suspect may allow the use, but of course, that’s never going to happen. And to top it off Fudge started questioning if what everyone thought was You-Know-Who wasn’t someone under Polyjuice.”

“I thought you couldn’t Polyjuice the dead?” Piper asked. “Doesn’t that prove Voldemort is not dead?”

“You can’t,” Shacklebolt said. “Which proves You-Know-Who is alive, but not back in power. And Fudge will do about anything to save his face and keep the public ignorant. He’s already having to deal with the aftermath of the article that went out this morning about Sirius Black. There are a bunch of Howlers from people who are not believing his innocence, and those from indignant voters for this misconduct of justice, not to mention that every single Azkaban prisoner that has someone on the outside to fight for them have their lawyers demanding to review their cases claiming injustice was done to them too. It’s a mess, and Fudge doesn’t want public panic on top of that. Whatever happened in that graveyard is top secret. We’re not allowed to tell anyone that doesn’t already know. And the only reason I’m telling you is because, off the record, I’m Order,” he said disgusted.

“But he won’t manage right?” Wyatt asked. “People will rebel.”

“I don’t know, people don’t want to hear about the war being back. They liked their life,” Shacklebolt sighed.

“Including the Death Eaters,” Chris whispered.

“What do you mean by that Chris?” Leo asked.

“S’ just. Some of the Death Eaters there weren’t happy at all with Voldemort’s return. They were groveling, they were scared but they as sure as hell didn’t want him back.”

“He’s an Empath,” Piper explained to Shacklebolt.

“Could you say which ones Chris?” Shacklebolt asked interested.

Chris sighed trying to remember, the emotions had been running high, his included. “I remember Avery and Malfoy, because Voldemort singled them out. So it was easy to read their reactions. They were not one bit happy about Voldemort being back-oh and there was this guy McNair, he liked Voldemort being back, he was eager. The others were a mess and I couldn’t tell which was which. I knew the names because Voldemort said them but they were too close to each other to know which was which. They were scared but not necessarily unhappy about him being back.”

“That helps Chris, even if the Ministry doesn’t do anything that will help the Order a lot. Thank you,” Shacklebolt bid them goodbye and as he opened the door to leave he was met with a grim faced Sirius.

“Shacklebolt,” Sirius nodded.

“Always knew you couldn’t have done it,” Shacklebolt smiled.

“Thanks,” Sirius smiled.

“Of course, after all, I couldn’t give those ten galleons you lost on that bet with me for lost forever now could I?” Shacklebolt said extending his hand. Sirius face fell and then he grumbled as he took his wallet, “I’ll let interest go by in the name that it wasn’t your fault you took thirteen years to pay me.”

“Extortionist,” Sirius said as he dropped the coins in Shacklebolt’s hand.

“Goodbye,” Shacklebolt smiled.

“Yeah, bye,” Sirius shut the door behind him. “What are you all laughing at?”

“Why the bad mood?” Piper said stifling her laugh.

“Moony,” he said simply dropping on the spot on the couch Shacklebolt had previously occupied.

“What?”

“Dumbledore’s sending him to talk to the packs as soon as summer vacations start and he’s going.”

“If he thinks he can help, Sirius-“ Leo started but Sirius cried:

“It’s dangerous! The packs don’t like those who live among Wizards. They think they’re traitors. Most of those packs are full of embittered werewolves that got tired of being treated as second class citizens!”

“Which is why they are a great target for Voldemort,” Leo tried to reason. “Except Voldemort will just use them and then turn on them. If Remus can make them see that and at least convince them to stay neutral we have a better chance.”

“Easy for you to say,” Sirius grunted. “It’s not your husband risking his neck.”

“No, it’s been my wife, for the last twenty years,” Leo said firmly and Sirius looked down ashamed. “You have to trust he can do it. That he’ll be back safe or else you’ll go crazy and the moments you do have with him will be spent fighting.”

“Forgot about that,” Sirius mumbled. “I- I just- I can’t lose him- I can’t lose any of you. It’s all starting again, and I can’t help but think of James and Lily.”

“We know,” Piper nodded and Chris sat next to Sirius and pulled him into a silent hug.

“He has an advantage now though,” Chris whispered. “He can yell for any of us to get him of a sticky situation.”

“He can, can’t he?” Sirius smiled.

“Yeah, very handy,” Chris smiled back.

“Speaking of which,” Piper said eyeing Wyatt. “Care to explain what happened last night?”

“Uh?” Wyatt asked.

“With the shield.”

“Hum, nothing. Chris and I were just having a chat.”

“Yeah. Was really weird,” Chris agreed.

“Excuse me?” Leo asked.

“Well, earlier I had heard Chris kind of calling for me and I knew he was at the gates because I saw them, through Chris’s eyes. I saw dad running towards him. I didn’t try sensing for him.”

“And I swore I heard Wyatt’s voice in my head. Then later when McGonagall thought Wyatt had put the shield up, Wyatt talked in my head again and told me how to put the shield down. It was kind of instinct, when I used it, both times. I didn’t even know I could. Or become Invisible. That was a surprise too.”

“That’s an Elder power. We’ll train it more in the summer. The telepathy between you two must be because of the brotherly bon- what Piper?”

“All I wanted,” Piper huffed crossing her arms. “My boys being able to plan mischief without me able to overhear!”

Chris and Wyatt smiled sheepishly.

---

That night Chris thought of the day’s events. Before Shacklebolt had gone to talk to him Chris had also talked to Ron and Hermione, who had told him about finding out Rita Skeeter was a beetle Animagus.

“We went to see how you and Cedric were, we thought you were in the Hospital Wing and she was there too. She must have thought the same. She’s currently in a jar. We’ll be having a chat later,” Hermione said smugly.

Ron also told them about the twins and how they had gotten robbed by Bagman who paid them with Leprechaun gold and now had escaped because he had bet with the goblins Chris would win but the goblins didn’t accept a draw as a win.

“They were hoping to start their business and now they’re broke,” Ron had sighed.

Later in the day Cedric stopped by and thanked him for saving his life, Chris had been embarrassed, Cedric wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place if Voldemort hadn’t wanted Chris. Then Cedric had wanted to give Chris the winnings that Fudge had handed him but Chris wanted nothing to do with them.

“No,” Chris shook his head. “They’re yours.”

“Not this again!”

“Well, if you don’t want them, what do you say we invest it?” Chris said coming up with an idea.

Chris rolled over on his bed and watched Neville sleeping, he wondered how the next year would be with Voldemort out and about. He took a long time to fall asleep.

---

The black boots hit the ground on a steady pace as he descended the marble steps of Gringotts bank. The day was hot but that didn’t seem to bother him in his long black cloak that fell elegantly over the silk black shirt and black pants. A silver clasp, which was a match to the silver top of the cane he was carrying, the only thing holding the cloak. He walked purposely to an empty alley close to the bank and the woman waiting there ran her eyes over him .

She sighed, “To bad you’re gay and I’m married, ‘cause man, you’re hot!”

“I know,” he smiled self-satisfied.

“Don’t push it, you’re not that hot.”

“Fine, let’s orb back,” he grumbled. “I have it.”

“Hey, do I look like a cab?”

“It’s better than Apparating,” Sirius whined and Paige huffed grabbing his arm and orbing them both away. They had a Horcrux to dispose of.

---

The last week of term went by on a blur. It was mostly trying to catch up to what had happened and trying to avoid the other student’s gossip. Fudge had done as they had expected and in the papers there had only been a quick notice about the arrest of two deranged lunatics that thought they would be bringing Voldemort back, but that the population had nothing to worry about. Karkaroff didn’t seem to be of that opinion since he had fled as soon as the Dark Mark had been activated, leaving his students behind. Madam Maxime on the other hand seemed to be on her side as Hagrid commented she would be joining him in a job Dumbledore had assigned him. The last night Dumbledore gave a speech telling them about Voldemort’s return and the ministry’s position. He said he wouldn’t be taking that posture and one of his first measures was putting a teacher escort in the Hogwarts Express which also included the Charmed Ones who had volunteered to go. He also added to all the guest that if they needed they would be welcome back here and hoped the international cooperation that had started during the year would continue.

The next day when saying their goodbyes, both Fleur and Viktor Krum promised to keep in touch and to Chris’s surprise, Smith, the bully from Magic School approached him.

“I’m sorry for, you know, any rough time we might have given you. I guess Halliwell was right all along.”

Chris had smiled at him and extended his hand, “Just don’t give Wyatt a hard time and we’ll be fine.”

“I’m graduating, won’t be seeing him much now that I’m off to College. But if you need our help,” he motioned to his friends. “With the bad guys, just holler.”

After that Paige, Wyatt and Sam had orbed all Magic Students back t the US and Paige orbed back in time to catch the train. The train ride had been mostly subdued, and the only highlight had been Cedric and Harry cornering Fred and George and giving them their winnings to start their shop with their only condition being for them to buy Ron some decent dress robes. The Weasley twins had been speechless for the first time in their life and had promised to keep the other two as silent partners.

“Really silent though. I don’t want to be murdered in my sleep by your mother,” Chris warned.

At the platform Sirius and Remus had been waiting chatting seriously with Arthur and Molly Weasley. At seeing them the Charmed Ones had approached to greet them and talk to them about the possibility of having the twins, Ginny and Ron visiting again during the summer. While talking with them Chris looked around and frowned at what he saw. Hadn’t anyone warned them that they didn’t have to come? He worried even more as Sirius poked Leo, and he poked Piper and the three happily walked in the direction of the unsuspecting trio.

 “Why, hello there Pet! Remember me, Sirius!”

“How are you doing Petunia, I don’t think you remember me. I’m Leo, I was Lily’s Whitelighter-“

“Sh- what are you thinking, we’re in public! People might hear the freakishness,” Vernon spluttered looking around at the other occupants f Kings Cross station who weren’t paying them any mind.

“Oh, they won’t Notice Me Not and Muffliato,” Sirius said waving his wand at which the Dursleys’ eyes bugged.

“We’re awfully sorry we forgot to tell you that my son will be coming back home with us,” Piper said in a false cheery voice and then added in a whisper. “You see, you might have not known this but Lily and James adopted him-oh, no-of course you didn’t,” she chuckled dropping a vial on the floor at which the Dursleys coughed. “Or else you wouldn’t have treated him the way you did right.”

“We gave that little freak what he deserved, disrupting our lives- we never asked for him- the cupboard under the stairs was more than good for the likes of him- and so what if I thrashed him every now and then- had to stamp the freakishness out of him hadn’t I?” Vernon said and his eyes bugged once he realized what he had just admitted.

“Hey, mom and dad always said it was my right to kick him around!”

“And he never went more than four or five days without food, and it was deserved punishment, that’s all I needed, another attention seeker like my good for nothing sister. Why does he get to be magical when I’m not-no-no-no- I didn’t want to say that!”

“Pet!” Vernon looked horrified at his wife.

“Gotta love a truth potion don’t you?” Piper said with a steely gleam in her eyes. “Unfortunately we might need your useless blood again so I can’t permanently harm you. But you know? I just forgot how the antidote to that one goes. See you when Voldie is dead and I can really punish you,” she turned around chirpily and the other two smirked evilly at the Dursleys. Oh, yeah. The time would come and by then they’ll probably have lost a lot by speaking their mind.