DISCLAIMER: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. I thank her for allowing fans to dabble in her universe.

AN-this is a darker fic, but it is NOT a strong Harry fic. Any extra skills Harry has come from the fact that he is older, wiser, and more experienced. I assume the Ministry trains its aurors.

Harry had seen the signs coming for days now. People in the office looking at him skittishly, others sympathetically. The furor in the Daily Prophet getting worse… the hate mail coming via owls. He had thought, however, that Kingsley, the current Minister of Magic, former Order member and friend to Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, would protect him.

. That morning, when he got the official owl as a member of the Auror department informing him that the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, had been injured and in St. Mungos Harry knew that his greatest fear was coming to life. Harry took a deep breath and called "GINNY!"

Ginny ran downstairs. Harry took a deep breath as his pregnant wife came down the stairs. He showed her the owl. He locked eyes with her. She knew what this meant as much as he did. "We know what is coming." Ginny said, grimly. "Let's get prepared."

"Gin." He said, his voice pacifying. "I know that in normal circumstances, I could never persuade you to do this… but you are pregnant. This will likely end up with me in Azkaban at least until Kingsley is back... and I need someone watching Teddy. Please…"

Ginny sighed. Her eyes displayed fire for a minute, but the fire died and she deflated.

Harry smiled to himself. The battle was won. "Ron and Hermione can watch Teddy… Let my no good brother come in handy." But her voice lacked the fire that it normally would have had.

"You just started your position on the Daily Prophet, you can keep public pressure and attention on what is going on as well."

"The Daily Prophet has been such a help already." Ginny said, sarcastically. Harry knew she was referring to the large PR campaign that Rita Skeetor's daughter, Emmeline Skeetor, had undertaken "Spawn of Werewolf and Metamorphogus=freak of nature."

"Well, I trust you to help lift the tone of the debate. Highlight Teddy's age.." A sense of urgency hit Harry. He had always trusted his instincts so he sprang into action. "Okay. I need you to go to the house in France." Harry had, on his 25th birthday, been given title to a property that his grandparents owned in France. Due to Potter inheritance law-Harry's great-great grandfather had wanted the family's first loyalty to be Britain—no Potter got title to the property until their 25th birthday. One benefit of this was that the British Ministry of Magic did not know of this property as it didn't show up in any Potter wills.

"The French Ministry of Magic controls title to that land, and the French Minister and I are good friends." It was true, Harry could trust that Nicholas Bertrand would support the Potters over the British ministry of Magic.

Ginny snorted. "And having Fleur as a sister-in-law doesn't hurt." The Delacours were an old influential French wizarding family which gave the French ministry as much gold as the Malfoys had in Britain.

"Yes it doesn't. Don't stall, Gin, go. I still need to get Andromeda there."

The look in Ginny's eyes told Harry that she had forgotten about Teddy's fiercely protective Grandmother. "How are you going to get her to go."

Harry was silent. He didn't want to share his plan in case Ginny didn't approve. "My innate charm."

Ginny shook her head. "Keep your secrets." But she was interrupted by the noise of a floo. "Harry. Why did your and Ginny's faces on the clock go to mortal peril?"

Molly turned her face as someone else yelled something. "Just yours Harry?"

"Because Ginny was mad at me." Harry winked.

More seriously, he nodded at Ginny. "Floo can be monitored." He whispered. "You no longer have time to tell the family anything. Remember, Hermione is on bed rest at the Burrow. We will fill them in later."

Molly looked at the couple skeptically. "Ma, everything is fine. Perhaps Harry and I can come over and have your stew for dinner. In the meantime, check your clock again. I have no plans on killing the idiot."

Molly's face grew even older. She nodded. "All right." She said, uncertainly. "I do have experience with Stew and I know how you so love it, Harry."

"Code?" Harry asked when Molly's face disappeared from the fire.

Ginny nodded. "Something dad came up with in the last war, a way to let the other know that we think we may be being monitored and there is trouble. If she kept asking things or focusing on mortal peril it would have tipped the ministry off."

Harry nodded. He leaned in and kissed Ginny. "I love you." She said, her eyes serious. "I would say stay safe—"

"But you know this is more important." Another wave of love ran through Harry. This is why he loved this woman. She didn't make a fuss about you are more important. She shared his belief that their godson and doing what was right came first.

"And I know that despite what I say you are going to play the hero." Ginny said, resting her hand on her belly.

Harry put his hand there too. "I love you." He said to the child.

"Bye." Ginny said and she apparatted, watching him with sad eyes.

After she left Harry started concentrating. He ran up to his room and whispered a charm that he had used to keep the papers hidden. He wished he had had more time to add to this, well, he wished it wasn't coming to this at all.

"HARRY!" A voice called up the stairs.

Harry cursed. "I should have changed the charms so he couldn't get in." Harry said, grimly to himself knowing then Ron would have either tried to break through the charms or, more likely, just waited for him at Andromenda's. "In my room, Ron."

Ron ran up the stairs. "Harry. Did you get the owl? Kingsley is in the hospital which means it is rather likely that the ministry will come after Teddy."

"I heard." Harry said, quietly.

"You sent Ginny away, good." Ron said, looking around.
"And I am sending you away, old friend." Harry said.

Ron looked mutinous, like Harry knew he had. His and Ron's partnership had just gotten cemented over the years. They had been partners in the field for the last three years not to mention all the battles against Voldemort. Ron and Harry together had fought evil together at every step. "Ron," Harry said, softly before Ron could say, like Harry knew he would, 'who do you think you are sending me away.' "Someone needs to watch and take care of Gin, 'Mione and the kids and I want it to be one of us."

"Ma, George, Bill, Charlie, Perce, dad… there are a lot of people." Ron said, furiously. "Besides, Ginny and Hermione can take care of themselves."

"Then also think of the fact that you can help me more by staying on the outside… keep your job as an auror and the information access that provides. We wouldn't have had this extra preparation time if you and I hadn't gotten word that Kingsley was in the hospital. If you keep your job you can keep feeding me information. You will know where they send me and when Kingsley gets better can tell him the truth rather than have MacMillan or one of the others feed him a story."

Harry saw the logic of what he said play in Ron's eyes. "But why do you have to do it? Why can't you be the one feeding information. I mean, you are the more senior auror?"

"Because, Ron, I am Teddy's godfather." Harry said simply. In his head, he added. "I have the right and obligation to fight for him. That was the promise I made to Remus and Tonks."

Ron sighed. "And I am not going to be able to talk you out of this. Here, lemme at least help you with some charms."

Harry lifted up the papers in his hand. "Like I said, we all knew this was coming." He said, grimly.

"How are you going to get Andromeda to leave?"

"Portkey if I have to." Harry said, calmly.

"Why not just Portkey or apparate Teddy out? Take him to the house in France."

"If I am right then, Loretta Umbridge and Bernard Bulstrode have already planned for that." Harry said, grimly.

Ron cussed. "Incidentally, you know where I sent Gin and where I recommend you move the entire family if things go very south."

"You should probably hurry." Ron said, catching Harry's eye, obviously sharing the belief that the ministry was going to move quickly.

"One thing." Harry said, catching Ron's arm. "Teddy and the kids are what are important. It is pretty likely I am going to spend some time in Azkaban, don't risk everything on an escape attempt. And, I have this pretty well planned out so don't worry. Teddy will come out of this fine."

Ron nodded, his face demonstrating that he felt sick promising what he had.

Harry opened his drawer one last time and pulled out a vial containing a potion crucial for his back up plan and two innocuous looking balls. Both were Teddy's favorites and he had been seen with them multiple times.

Harry apparated just outside Andromeda's house and knocked fast. "Who is it." Andromeda asked, her voice ferocious.

"It is I, Harry James Potter."
"Harry?" Andromeda asked, her voice a little calmer and definitely lacking the anger now. "Mimicry?"

"Is NOT flattery." Harry finished the code sentence.

Andromeda flung the door open. She took in Harry's angry expression and sighed. "It is as we feared. Kingsley is in St. Mungo's and I fear the aurors will not be long behind."
Andromeda took out her wand. "Well, they will have to pass both of our corpses before they get to Teddy."

"Mrs. Tonks, we can't let it come to that. I have a plan." Harry said, knowing it was futile.

Andromeda cocked an eyebrow.

"Let's get Teddy downstairs so we can watch him better." Harry suggested.

"I like that thought better."

"Teddy." Harry called, putting effort into making his voice light.

"Hawy." Teddy squealed running down the stairs.

Harry's face softened seeing the young boy running down the stairs, excited to see him. "Aww. I love you." Harry said, reaching into his pocket and discreetly pointing his wand at something.

"Here, play catch with Grandma. Mrs. Tonks, catch!" Harry said, tossing one of the balls at Andromeda.

Harry smiled to himself as she instinctively caught it and the ball-turned-portkey transported her to France.

"Gwama bye-bye?" Teddy asked, turning in Harry's arms to look at him.

"Grandma went on a bit of a trip. But she is fine." Harry explained.

Teddy hugged Harry. "Go'father Go'son day?"

Harry smiled sadly. He made it a point to do a special godfather-godson day every other week in addition to all the other times he came over or Teddy came to his place where he took Teddy to a park or zoo or some other outing . This was good for him and Teddy, but it also was good for Andromeda as Teddy was an active, adventurous, and curious boy and these outings kept him engaged and doing something without overly burdening her.

"Not quite, squirt. But there will be a lot of excitement." Let's just hope the good kind.

Harry put Teddy down and let him crawl. In the meantime, he took out his wand and began casting spells. After casting all the defensive and offensive spells he wanted, he scooped up Teddy and cast a gentle evaluation charm. Sure enough. "evil gits." Harry muttered, as the spell confirmed that the ministry had set up a locator charm on Teddy.

Harry scrawled a note and put it in Teddy's pocket. "No playing with that, okay, buddy?"

Teddy nodded seriously.

"Hey buddy, don't forget. Harry won't let anything bad happen to you. I love you, okay. You are an amazing boy and don't let anyone tell you differently."
Teddy nodded and snuggled closer to Harry. "I love you, Hawy."

Harry smiled and kissed the boy's forehead. "I wanna wun."

"Sorry, bud. Not just yet, okay?"

Teddy nodded, though he did start squirming. Harry sat, in the rocking chair, alert. Teddy had about started to doze off when a loud knock came on the door. "Mrs. Tonks, open up. It is the ministry of magic."

Teddy started wailing, making Harry curse a bit. "After all the curses, you forget a simple silencio." Harry said, after silencing Teddy's wails.

"We heard that. We know you are in there. Two of you. This will go easier on all of you if you cooperate."

Harry now recognized the voice as Loretta Umbridge. Harry always attempted to not blame the child for the mother's crimes, but Loretta had taken after Dolores.

Harry quietly rocked Teddy. "I love you."

As he waited for the ministry officials he thought quickly about his own son. Harry hoped that he would get to rock him as well.

It took the ministry officials fifteen minutes but they came inside. Harry cursed when he saw that there were 15. He had hoped his offensive spells would whittle down the numbers more. "Ah, I should have known." Loretta cooed. "Potter is protecting the half-breed, the freak of nature."
"Only you would call a cute five year old boy a freak of nature." Harry responded letting her see her anger at her addressing his godson as a freak.

"Cute? Werewolf spawn? That itself should be sufficient for a quick culling, but the child of a metamorphogus as well?" Bulstrode spat.

"You should mean the child of two war heroes. Or need I remind you that Teddy's parents both sacrificed themselves at the Battle of Hogwarts. Need I remind you that while both of your parents were hiding behind indeed supporting Voldemort's reign, Remus and Nymphadora were fighting."

Loretta waved off that comment. "Doesn't change the fact that that child is a freak of nature and a danger to the wizarding world. Or, what should move you more, the muggle world."

Harry didn't rise to the bait that he was a muggle lover. Loretta couldn't say it overtly, as under Kingsley's ministry she would be out on her ear if she overtly espoused such views, but the meaning was clear.

"Teddy was tested high and dry." Harry winced internally at that memory, holding his godson as mediwitches and wizards tested him again and again. Harry remembered Teddy's screams. "Not to mention the fact that he has slept over multiple times at my place during the full moon and I will swear on my office as an auror that he has shown no wolfish tendencies."

Loretta was unmoved. "Enough chatter. We have an official order to remove Theodore Remus Lupin to protective custody for the protection of the wizarding world. I ask that you cooperate, indeed assist as is your duty as an Auror."

"My duty as an auror is to fight and remove dark creatures. And I find your timing convenient if not suspicious. When did you secure this order for the wizengamot?"

"I will be happy to show you the order when you hand us the… creature… known as Theodore Lupin."

"Come and get him if you so please." Harry said, calmly though his words crackled with energy. "However, I must warn you, I will not make it easy." He added, as some of the DMLE officials and aurors stepped forward.

Most paused at that. "I am the Boy-who-lived, chosen one, and to some of you, Dumbledore's pet. I have learned magic that I have put at disposal of the wizarding world." Harry said, very aware that some of the ministry officials, particularly the aurors—many of whom knew Harry personally or at least by reputation were at least slightly embarrassed by what they were doing. "I always have and always will stand up for the wizarding world. And this, is not it. Trying to imprison a five year old child for who is parents are?"

"He should be getting PRAISED and AID from the Ministry because of who is parents are or need I remind you that Remus and Nymphadora Tonks died fighting Voldemort? Need I remind you that Andromeda Tonks is raising Teddy alone because her husband was sought and killed by the Death Eaters and Death Eater controlled ministry? His godfather, me, fought and continues to fight on behalf of the wizarding world-"

Loretta and Bernard cut off Harry. "Go get him. Its 15 on one unless you count the freak."

Harry continued to rock Teddy. All 15 of the ministry officials bounced off of Harry's protection charm.

Harry smiled coldly.

"Go Harry." A voice from the back of the room cheered.

"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter has obviously lost his job, if you would like to too, please join in." Loretta said, coldly.

"Oh I have no intention if giving you an excuse to remove me." Ron said, locking eyes with Harry. "I just wanted to tell you how idiotic what you are doing is. Harming a little baby? Fighting the chosen one himself…"

"Silencio!" Loretta yelled.

Ron and Harry smirked at each other. "Go." Loretta ordered.

While they tried again, indeed, while Ron had provided the wonderful distraction, Harry quickly cast a charm and began working at disabling the antiapparition wards which prevented disapparating as well as portkeying— as well as the locator charm on Teddy. This was one of the benefits of knowing most of the assailants. He knew their work and their weaknesses.

Five minutes later, he was able to disable both items. He smiled grimly and got ready to take Teddy away. He had made his point and not to mention this was the safest way, let the ministry see him and then take him away.. He heard a loud gong and cursed. They had gotten through his curse as well.

"Portus." Harry muttered quickly and handed Teddy the ball. "Hold ball. Good boy. Keep holding the ball until you can give it to someone." Harry hesitated for a second to make sure Teddy was gone and then started to apparate when someone stunned him from behind.

"HARRRRY." Ron yelled. "You cowards. You filthy cowards."

"The locator!" Loretta yelled. "FIND THE FREAK! NO!" She yelled, when one of her aurors tried to take Harry. "I will deal with Potter. YOU find the FREAK."