Brownies For Breakfast

Chapter One: Brownies For Breakfast

DISCLAIMER: You know Harry Potter and his friends and teachers and the whole world that he exists in? Yeah, they aren't ours, and more's the pity. They belong to the utterly brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling-the lucky gal! We will return everybody and everything in a mostly recognizable state when we're done playing! We promise!

Cass here! Just to let you know, we have nicknames that might confuse. Sarah is Lex, and Renee is Cass (which is me!!!!). Just to clear up any confusion. Enjoy!
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***Thursday Night***

Nymphadora Tonks screamed as the Crucio spell hit her again. In trying to defend the Burrow from the seven Death Eaters, Tonks had been caught off guard when she got slammed by a cutting spell from behind. Looking up into the face of her fellow Auror as he smiled down at her; she wished she could move. "Crucio," her partner hissed again, sending her back into the depths of pain as Lucius Malfoy laughed in the background.
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As the Dark Mark burned a sickly green in the sky, the Burrow burned. Fred and George had already escaped through the Floo, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Weasley against their wills. Mrs. Weasley grabbed the trunk labeled "Important Things" and lugged it toward the fireplace. "Come on, Arthur!" she coughed through the smoke struggling to keep a grip on the trunk. Grabbing a large handful of Floo powder, she waited a moment for Arthur, stepping into the fireplace as he stumbled through the kitchen. Ducking to avoid being clobbered by a falling flaming beam, Arthur fell into the fireplace and Molly dropped the Floo powder. "Twelve Grimmauld Place!" Molly yelled over the smoke and the scream of the flames consuming the house.
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"What's going on, Headmaster?" Harry asked as he, Ron and Hermione were ushered into the office by a pajama clad Professor McGonagall.

"The Burrow has been attacked by Death Eaters," Dumbledore said without preamble. Ron sank down into the nearest seat, nearly missing it. "It has been burned to the ground. But, don't worry, your parents and brothers are fine. They are currently at Grimmauld Place, singed but fine," Dumbledore said offering them a lemon drop. Harry simply glared at Dumbledore as Hermione began to sob in relief; both she and Harry wrapping their arms around Ron as all three gave way to tears. "You three will be going to Grimmauld Place for the weekend, pack and meet back here in half an hour," Dumbledore told them.

"I'll pack your things, mate," Harry offered, leaving Hermione to comfort Ron.

"And I shall pack yours, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said to Hermione, who nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around Ron.

Within ten minutes all three students were ready to leave. "Everyone packed?" Dumbledore asked as all three clutched their overnight bags. "Twelve Grimmauld Place," each said, disappearing in a whoosh of green flame.

"Shouldn't we have told them about Nymphadora?" Professor McGonagall said quietly as the green flames disappeared.
"In time, Minerva, in time. We'll see if we find her in the morning," Albus said, many things compounding his mind.
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As Professor Severus Snape stumbled from his car and toward 12 Grimmauld Place, he saw an unknown lump on the stoop of number thirteen. Exhausted and in pain, he still chose to investigate in case it was another Death Eater trap. Nudging the lump with one foot, his wand drawn, Severus noticed the lump looked highly familiar. It was none other than the missing Nymphadora Tonks, unconscious and bleeding everywhere. Attempting an Enneverate to no avail, Severus simply levitated the woman into the house. "Anyone?" Severus called, accidentally waking the portrait of Mrs. Black. As her screams echoed through the house, doors opened and half conscious people poured out.

"What the?" chorused Fred and George still struggling to wake up.

"TONKS!" yelled Lupin, managing to get from the second floor to the first in under a second. Lupin scooped Tonks up and turned toward the stairs.

"Minerva!" Severus bellowed, managing to wake the rest of the sleeping household. As the Gryffndor head of house came down the stairs at a run, she saw Tonks in Lupin's arms and Severus looking ready to fall over.

"Summon Poppy," Professor McGonagall snapped at the twins, directing Lupin up the first flight of stairs to Tonk's bedroom. As the Hogwarts Mediwitch made her way up the stairs a few moments later she spared a smile for Harry, Ron and Hermione who were sitting on Hermione’s bed together.

"Everything's going to be fine," Madame Pomfry smiled.
"Yeah, how many times have we heard that before?" Ron asked sadly, his thoughts drifting to his unconscious parents in the bedroom above.
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"This note was found with Nymphadora," Professor McGonagall said, handing a roll of parchment to Headmaster Dumbledore later that night.

"We took one, we'll take them all. Potter and Traitor Malfoy you'll be next. We have a spy amongst you and we will kill you all." The Dark Mark leered up from the bottom of the page as Dumbledore read the note over another time, sighing and resting his head in his hands.

"It's all hit the goddamned fan now, hasn't it, Minerva?" Albus asked with a sigh.

"We'll think of something," Minerva sighed, wrapping one arm around him. The old man turned into the embrace and the woman sat on the arm of his chair, wrapping both arms around him and resting her chin on his head. "There is always hope," Minerva said. "Who knows what tomorrow will bring?"

***Friday Morning***

"I can't believe we're in London. This is too cool," Renee grinned, pointing to a coffee shop.

"Coffee would be a good idea," Sarah grumbled as both women glanced back and forth across the street before crossing.

"Oh, come off it, Lex! Its not that damned early!" Renee sighed as they reached the other side of the street.

"It's eight o'clock in the morning here which makes it three a.m. back home!" Sarah snapped, stalking up to the front counter and ordering a large frozen espresso.

"And how often did we stay up until dawn and then some?" Renee countered, calmly ordering tea.

"That's different," Sarah protested.

"How is it different, Lex? It's the same damn thing! You slept on the plane-loudly I might add-and you're already complaining of exhaustion. Enjoy London, Lex! After all, we're only here for a few weeks," Renee smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll enjoy it a whole lot more on a full night's sleep," Sarah grumbled sipping her drink dantily.

"That is, anticipating that you don't shack up with some hot European dude and spend the night doing anything but sleeping," Renee said as she stirred the honey into her tea. Lex grinned evilly and sighed as the caffeine coursed through her.

"Or some hot British Asian guy," Sarah said dreamily.

"It would be just my luck for you to find someone within a day of our being here," Renee smirked, sipping at her tea and staring out the large windows of the coffee shop. Sarah laughed and drank, the pair falling into a relaxed silence for a time, each lost in their own thoughts.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Sarah asked smiling as two hot guys came sauntering into the coffee shop.

Renee followed Sarah's gaze and rolled her eyes. "Not play the 'how many stranger's numbers can we get in one day' game, that's for damned sure," she said dryly, tossing her empty cup into the nearby trash can. Sarah stuck out her tongue in an oft-practiced retort and sipped from her cup once more, still relishing the caffeine rushing through her system. "How about we play tourist?" Renee suggested after a moment of thoughtful silence, eyeing the massive white chocolate brownie that seemed to be calling to her from the bakery display case.

"You mean wandering around shopping and laughing and not do a single productive thing all day?" Sarah asked, nodding in agreement as Renee pointed to the gigantic sugar-source with a questioning look.

"Exactly! Think of it as a celebration!" Renee said, turning to face Sarah as the counter girl pulled the brownie from the case. "Come on Lex! We're in London for weeks. We should get the tourist thing out of our system now so we can get our bearings easier." As she carried the brownie and a fresh cup of tea from the counter to their table, Sarah bounced up from her seat and leaned on the counter; considering her next beverage as she scanned the well-varied menu.

"I'd rather play tourist when I'm at my best not my worst, thank you very much," Sarah said as she paid for another drink.

"Your worst is most people's best and it's not playing tourist if you don't have jet lag, Lex," Renee grinned, taking the first bite of the gigantic confection as Sarah sat down with another huge drink, already drinking steadily.

“You're only saying that because it's true," Sarah responded with a sweet grin as she nibbled a bit of the brownie. "And it's decaf this time I swear,” Sarah said in response to Renee’s questioning look of her attacking the drink once more.

“I didn’t say anything,” Renee responded with a shrug, munching more sugar.

“You didn’t have to! I'm just that good,” Sarah grinned.

"You're something all right," Renee said, laughing when Sarah kicked out at her. "Oh come on, I'm joking! I wouldn't be that mean to you! Someone else, maybe, but not you."

“You better not,” Sarah frowned, sipping again at the new drink. “Try this,” she offered, extending the drink to Renee.

“Pretty good,” Renee nodded after a sip, handing the drink back carefully.

“Well, I’d say all in all it has been a decent trip thus far,” Sarah said as she reclined slightly in the chair.

“Except for the dying of exhaustion on your part,” Renee remarked, slouching as far as possible in the comfortable chair. Sarah simply glared at her and continued drinking.

“No trouble at either airports, a decent nap on the plane and a great hotel room; all leading up to a good cup of coffee and a heavenly brownie for breakfast,” Sarah smiled.

“Then a toast, dear Lex. To the awesome start of another adventure and browines for breakfast. May it continue in the same vein!” Renee said, raising her cup in toast.

“Hear, hear,” Sarah grinned around a mouthful of brownie. The two friends touched cups and smiled, attacking the brownie with renewed concentration.