Everyone seemed careless about Moody's arrival, even though slightly relieved. But they were quick to ask him questions to make sure he was the real Moody. And when they were made sure of it, they were mostly curious as to what Mundugus had done.

        But not me.

       At his sight, my eyes widened and before I knew what I was doing, before I could even stop myself, I ran forward and flung my arms around Moody, hugging him.

      "Get off, silly girl! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Moody growled, trying to push me away from him. "Get off!"

       But I only laughed, taking a step back, only to realize that everyone was looking at me as if I had gone mad.

The truth was, the previous night, I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was Hedwig, George, and Moody. I knew I couldn't meddle too much, but I still had to risk it. After all, Dumbledore himself had told me that only the deaths that were sacrifices shouldn't have been stopped. But with the innocent ones, things were different.

        I was sent here to save as many people as I could. If I didn't, then what was the point of returning?

       Cedric's death was necessary, because he was proof that Voldemort had returned. Dumbledore dying was crucial, because Voldemort had to trust Snape. And I knew Snape's death was going to be important. But perhaps other lives could be spared, as far as I could help it.

So right before arriving at Privet Drive to pick Harry up, I warned Mad-Eye about Mundugus disappearing at the sight of Voldemort.

      "You," Moody snarled, pointing a finger at me angrily, "I thought Dumbledore had warned you not to meddle!"

        "One would think you'd appreciate the fact that I saved your life, but nope." I grinned.

       "Can someone tell us what's going on here?" Fred asked demandingly and everyone else nodded, staring between Moody and I questioningly.

      "Mundungus saw You-Know-Who and panicked and made a run for it the exact moment and Disapparated," said Moody with a grimace. "You-Know-Who sent a killing curse and it nearly hit me, but I dodged it, which I was not supposed to!"

       "I don't understand," Mrs. Weasley said in a hollow voice, looking away from George. "You — you weren't supposed to make it?"

       "No, but this thoughtless girl warned me!" Moody growled, gesturing at me.

      Fred folded his arms at him. "And you're mad that you're alive because...?"

        "Because Dumbledore said no meddling, so end of story!" Moody snarled. "He had probably looked into Lexi's head years ago and seen his death, but for some reason didn't even bother to stop Snape from murdering him! He clearly didn't think it wise to change the timelines!"

       "That was different," I tried to reason. "Dumbledore's death had an effect on many things, but your death was unnecessary. I had to warn you about Mundugus! I know Dumbledore had forbidden me, but he's not here anymore and I couldn't live, knowing that I could've saved you but didn't! Besides, I saved Sirius and nothing has changed, other that stopping unnecessary suffering from his loved ones! Because it was an unnecessary death!"

       "I'm not a fool, Hooper! I know this is about your own conscious more that it is about me," said Moody, "but didn't you think for a second how worse you would've felt if I had dodged the curse and instead it had hit Fred? How about Sirius, eh? I know you care more about them than ever about me!"

      I threw my gaze down guiltily. "I — I didn't think of it that way."

        We heard George scoff from where he laid on the sofa. "Couldn't you have warned me instead? I know I would've been more grateful than Mad-Eye." Everyone chuckled, the mood picking up.

       "I couldn't," I said, giving him a sad smile. "I actually did think about telling you... but then I realized that if I warned you and you became more careful, you would've ducked from the curse and instead it'd have hit Lupin. I knew you would survive... but I couldn't risk Lupin's life."

No one said anything for some while, as if trying to process everything that had happened around them. So I then turned to Harry sadly, saying,

"I'm sorry about Hedwig, Harry. I really am," I said earnestly, tears shimmering in my eyes. "But if Hedwig hadn't sacrificed herself, Voldemort wouldn't have recognized you and come after you; meaning that he would've had more time to hurt the others."

Harry said nothing, but after a pause, merely nodded. At the end of that discussion, Moody made me promise not to tell anyone about their fate ever again, and made me see reason.

       Although the rest didn't seem to care much about that, and simply felt happy that Moody had survived and that I had stopped it.

        "So Mundungus disappeared?" said Lupin. The atmosphere changed at once. Everybody looked tense.

       "I know what you're thinking," said Bill, "But Mundungus can't have betrayed us. They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of skullduggery. Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point? I think Dung panicked, it's as simple as that. He didn't want to come in the first place, but Mad-Eye made him, and You-Know-Who went straight for them. It was enough to make anyone panic."

      "You-Know-Who acted exactly as I expected him to," said Moody. "He'd expected the real Harry to be with the most skilled Aurors, or the ones he was closest to."

      "Yes, and zat eez all very good," snapped Fleur, "but still eet does not explain 'ow zey knew we were moving 'Arry tonight, does eet? Somebody must 'ave been careless. Somebody let slip ze date to an outsider. It is ze only explanation for zem knowing ze date but not ze 'ole plan."

          "No," Harry said aloud after his gaze fell upon Hagird's tear face. "I mean.... if somebody made a mistake, and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to do it. It's not their fault. We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me to Voldemort."

       More silence followed his words.

        "Well said, Harry," said Fred unexpectedly, breaking the silence.

       "Yeah, 'ear, 'ear," said George, with half a glance at me and Fred, making us smile.

        Lupin was wearing an odd expression as he looked at Harry.

        "You think I'm a fool?" Harry demanded.

          "No, I think you're like James," said Lupin, "who would have regarded it as the height of dishonor to mistrust his friends."

        By that, for some reason Sirius and Lupin threw each other a quick glance before briskly looking away.

I then remembered how they had said that neither trusted one another in the first war, assuming that the other was the spy. But in the end, it turned out to be Pettigrew after all.

        There was silence until Harry broke it again by suddenly saying, "I've got to go."

        Many pairs of startled eyes looked at him.

        "Don't be silly, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley. "What are you talking about?"

        "I can't stay here," he said. "You're all in danger while I'm here. I don't want —"

       "But don't be so silly!" said Mrs. Weasley. "The whole point of tonight was to get you here safely, and thank goodness it worked. And Fleur's agreed to get married here rather than in France, we've arranged everything so that we can all stay together and look after you —"

       "If Voldemort finds out I'm here —"

       "But why should he?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

       "There are a dozen places you might be now, Harry," said Mr. Weasley. "He's got no way of knowing which safe house you're in."

        "It's not me I'm worried for!" said Harry.

       "We know that," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "but it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left."

        "Yer not goin' anywhere," growled Hagrid. "Blimey, Harry, after all we wen' through ter get you here?"

        "Yeah, what about my bleeding ear?" said George, hoisting himself up on his cushions.

         "I know that!" Harry shouted, making everyone go quiet, so he said that he needed some air and left the living room.

        Although I knew nothing that anyone said would stop Harry, Ron, and Hermione from leaving on the night of Fleur and Bill's wedding, which was approaching soon.