Moments in Love

White Knights Take Castle, Black Knight Takes Pawn

AN: Warning for this chapter: Violence.

When Harry finally came to rest he was sprawled face first in a powdery white snowdrift. He clambered to his feet, sputtering and shivering, thinking he liked traveling by Portkey about as much as he liked traveling by Floo - which is to say, not at all.

Not looking in any better shape, Hermione quickly cast a Warming Charm on the pair of them, and the rest of their friends followed suit, casting warming charms on each other.

"Brrrr..." said Harry, his breath clouding in the frosty air. "Thanks Hermione! Loads better... But I still wish Madam Black had a copy of Phineas Nigellus's portrait. I don't get it... You'd think Black Manor would have his portrait." Harry glanced at Dora, but she simply shrugged.

"Dunno Harry... You'd 'ave to ask Sirius or my aunt."

Harry sighed and put that at the top of his questions-to-ask-Sirius list. He didn't have to wait long because Sirius was traipsing through the snow towards him from the manor.

"What's taking you lot so long?" Sirius asked, a big grin on his face.

"I was just wondering why Madam Black's manor doesn't have a portrait of Phineas Nigellus?" Hermione grumbled, much to Harry's delight.

"Ah, well, that is an interesting story Hermione," chortled Sirius. "One of the things Uncle Cygnus and my dear sainted Mum differed on was Phineas Nigellus... Their rows at Christmas were the stuff of Legend!

"Cygnus was a real Statute of Secrecy Hardliner... He hated Phineas Nigellus's stance that Purebloods should openly rule over muggles. Mum was always more 'open-minded' in that regard..." Sirius couldn't help chuckling again at the idea of his mother being open-minded about anything.

"Anyway, I was just teasing. The real reason I'm out here freezing my arse off is because I just thought I should give Dora a heads up... We found your mum and dad! ... Remus and I finally sniffed out where they were hiding."

Dora's face briefly lit up and her hair shone like the lights on a Christmas Tree, flashing all colours of the rainbow, before she groaned, remembering the reason why she had been avoiding her parents since Harry and Hermione's trial.

Everyone followed Sirius up to the manor, Dora lagging back and hoping to just sort of blend into the background. Soon everyone was inside, hanging up their coats and enjoying the warmth of Black Manor. There were a lot of familiar faces milling around as everyone gathered in preparation for retaking Hogwarts.

Harry and Hermione both grinned when they spotted Fred and George chatting with Dean Thomas in Narcissa Black's sitting room.

"Hey Dean, good to see you again! ... And I'm glad to see that Percy didn't get his hands on you two," said Harry, catching the Twins' attention.

"There he is... the man of the hour," Dean said with a grin. He looked much better; more rested and not as thin as he had when Harry and Hermione had last seen him.

"Heh!" Fred snorted, smirking, "We've had a lifetime of experience evading Percy the Prat and keeping his pointy nose out of our business."

"We saw your handiwork on the Wiz-Vision - that was bloody brilliant Harry!" exclaimed George. "And thanks for rescuing Dad..."

"When this is all over, you'll be the Boy-Who-Made-the-Ministry-Look-Like-Amateurs," Fred chuckled.

"It wasn't just me," Harry said quickly, his face reddening. "I couldn't've done it without Hermione and the others... They were all brilliant!"

"How's your mum doing?" Hermione asked, coming to Harry's rescue.

"Oh, Mum's alright," Fred replied, "Dumbledore's put up all sorts of protection charms at the Burrow. But she's still having kittens about what a bloody sod Percy turned out to be..."