Chapter 11: The Life of a Spy
September 20th, 1996 was one of the longest days of Harry's life.
It was only the night before that they'd thrown Hermione's surprise birthday party, after which Hermione had kissed him on the lips. Harry wasn't sure how long he stood stock still right where she'd left him in the common room, nor was he actually aware of walking up the steps to the Gryffindor sixth year boys' dorm. He vaguely remembered Ron going on and on about some new strategical move he'd drawn up for the quidditch team, but the only thing he'd been able to focus on for the rest of the night was Hermione's lips and the way they'd felt against his own.
Harry was glad she'd given him time to process it, because he'd been incoherent for the rest of the night. Even when he'd woken up in the morning (following a very restless sleep), Harry was still not any closer to figuring out how he was going to respond when he saw her.
Thankfully, Hermione hadn't pressed him when he'd come down the steps and into the common room that morning. She'd simply given him a light hug, whispered that they'd talk after dinner, and walked with he and Ron down to breakfast. She made no further reference to what she'd done the night before, and at least as far as Harry could tell, she seemed to be behaving just as she always did.
Harry couldn't say the same for himself. He'd been preoccupied and distracted all day, and several of his professors had scolded him for it. But he couldn't help it. How could he be expected to focus on transfiguration or goblin rebellions when his best friend—Hermione-had kissed him the night before? About the only thing Harry took solace in was the fact that he no longer had to take Potions. He could only imagine how badly Snape would have ripped into him for his inattention.
The day dragged on forever, and Harry was sure that no meal in history had ever lasted as long as that evening's dinner, but finally, Hermione set down her fork and stood up from the table. Harry had quickly followed suit and looked towards Hermione anxiously, unsure what to do next. Hermione provided the answer, as she told Ron and their other friends that she and Harry were going to head up to the Room of Requirement for some Potions work. Then she'd given Harry a brief, encouraging smile and walked out of the Great Hall, and Harry had quickly fallen into step beside her.
"Well, here we are," Hermione announced unnecessarily, leading Harry inside. Harry took a deep breath and looked Hermione in the eyes, sure that his anxiety had to be written all over his face.
"Harry, relax, it's just me," Hermione said warmly.
"I know, but it's just...I mean this is...it's a huge deal," Harry stammered.
"I know it is, Harry," Hermione agreed, nodding. "But there's no need to look so terrified." When he didn't respond, Hermione continued speaking. "So, I know you haven't had the best luck with understanding girls, but I'm hoping you got the hint last night."
"I might be thick, but even I couldn't miss that," Harry answered, managing a small smile. "You fancy me," he said quietly, feeling his face heat up as he did. Hermione went slightly pink as well, but she smiled and nodded.
"'Fancy' probably isn't the word I'd use, but that's the general idea, yes," Hermione affirmed. "Harry, I like you. You've been my closest friend for years. I know you so well, and I love spending time with you. I'm attracted to you, and you admitted that you're attracted to me too. I'd like to try and turn our friendship into something...well, something more. Now that you've had some time to think about it, how are you feeling?"
Harry was stunned at how calm Hermione seemed, considering the nervousness he'd been dealing with all day. Steeling himself, Harry tried to figure out how to explain exactly what he was feeling.
"You already know that I think you're pretty," Harry said needlessly, to which Hermione nodded, a pleased smile on her face. "And we obviously already know each other really well and get along great most of the time." When their mutual feelings were stated matter-of-factly like that, there didn't seem to be any reason for him not to date Hermione. But still...
"But...?" Hermione put in quietly, picking up on his hesitation.
"What if we try this and it doesn't work out?" Harry asked anxiously, giving voice to his biggest fear. "What if we date for awhile, things go bad, and we lose what we already have? You're my best friend, Hermione. There's no one I trust more than you, or depend on more than you. I don't think I could take it if I lost you."
"I couldn't take that either, Harry," Hermione said, a serious expression on her face, and Harry's initial thought was that she agreed with the point he just made and had changed her mind. Before he could decide whether he was relieved or crushed, Hermione continued. "But Harry, the friendship we already have is something we're never going to lose. I know you. I know that you're a good person and would never intentionally hurt me, and I hope you know me well enough by now to know that I'd never want to hurt you either. So if we try being a couple and it doesn't work, we can always go back to just being best friends. Like I said, I'll alwaysbe there for you, no matter what."
"You promise?" Harry asked, taking a step towards Hermione and staring into her brown eyes.
"Always," Hermione repeated softly, staring right back at him. "Harry, I want this, and I know you do too. If we don't take this chance, we'll always wonder what might have been."
She's right. As usual. His mind made up, Harry closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing his lips to hers.
-NMM-
"About time you two got back. Up for a game of chess, Harry?"
"No, not right now, Ron," Harry said, his anxiety back in full force. The moment he stepped through the portrait hole and saw Ron sitting on the couch in the common room, the elation he'd been feeling since kissing Hermione evaporated. Despite Hermione's assurances, he had a very bad feeling about what was about to happen.
"Actually, Ron, Harry and I have something we'd like to speak to you about," Hermione said. "Could we go somewhere and talk?"
Ron's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he abruptly broke eye contact and stared at the wall. Harry's sense of foreboding went up a notch.
"Sure, I guess," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders while still not looking at either of his friends. "All of the 5th year boys are still down here, so we could just go up to our dorm."
"OK, great," Hermione said, her voice sounding overly enthusiastic to Harry's ears. It made him wonder if maybe she wasn't as confident about this as she'd let on. Still, they both knew it had to be done, and putting it off wouldn't help matters any.
Soon enough, the three of them made it to the otherwise empty dorm room. Ron and Harry sat down on their respective beds, and after a moment's hesitation, Hermione sat down beside her boyfriend. Ron raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing.
"Get on with it, then," Ron said, sounding resigned and looking back and forth between them with an odd look on his face.
"Well, Hermione and I just had a talk, and we've decided that we're going to..."
"You're going to start dating," Ron interrupted, his voice flat.
Harry suddenly found himself at a loss, so it was up to Hermione to jump in. "Yes, Ron, that's correct," she said quietly. The conversation fell into a tense silence. Harry glanced over at Hermione, who looked uncomfortable but determined. She must have felt him looking at her, because she gave him a quick smile and briefly squeezed his hand. Ron's eyes darkened at that, and his knuckles turned white with the death grip he had on his bedspread.
"How did you know?" Harry couldn't help but ask, even though Hermione had insisted that Ron probably wouldn't be that surprised about their news.
"Oh, come off it, Harry," Ron said. "Hermione might think I have the 'emotional range of a teaspoon', but I'm not stupid. I've seen this coming for awhile. Hermione probably has too."
"I'd thought about it, yes, but I wasn't sure how Harry felt about me until recently," Hermione affirmed.
"And then he said he thought you were pretty," Ron put in, staring straight down at his bed.
"Right," Hermione agreed quietly. "But Ron, this doesn't change anything-"
"Of course it bloody well changes things!" Ron exclaimed, shooting up off of his bed and onto his feet. "If you two are together, where does that leave me?"
"Where does it leave you?" Hermione repeated incredulously. "You're right where you've always been! Ron, you're our best friend and that's not going to change just because Harry and I are together."
But Ron wasn't listening. He turned and marched away from them, his long legs taking him almost all the way out of the room before either Harry or Hermione could even react. Just before he reached the door, though, Harry spoke.
"C'mon, mate, don't be like this-"
"Just...just leave me alone for a bit, alright?" Ron requested, his back to his friends. "I need to be by myself for a while."
"Ron-" Hermione pleaded, but Ron just shook his head.
"No, Hermione," he said gruffly, leaving the dorm and heading down the stairs before anything more could be said.
Harry saw Hermione's shoulders slump as their friend left, and immediately decided that even if they'd only been together for a matter of minutes, it was still his duty as her boyfriend to try and cheer her up. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders in what he hoped was a comforting gesture, and she turned her head towards him. She favoured him with a grateful smile before leaning in and giving him a quick peck on the lips.
"That could have gone better," Hermione said after they'd broken apart, smiling at him ruefully.
"Yeah, definitely," Harry agreed, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze. "He'll come around, though. He always does."
-NMM-
The days and weeks passed, but things still weren't truly back to normal with the trio. Ron had approached them the next day and apologized for his reaction, and the three of them had done their best to act as if things were perfectly fine between them. But they weren't. Things were awkward and tense, and Ron was clearly uncomfortable around his two friends. Harry wished he could ease the tension somehow, but Hermione correctly pointed out that as it was Ron with the problem, it was Ron who was going to have to adjust. The two of them were happy together, and if Ron was truly their friend, he'd eventually accept their relationship and stop letting it bother him.
Thankfully, Harry and Hermione's other friends didn't have such a negative reaction when they were told. Neville just grinned and slapped Harry across the back, Ginny smirked and subjected them both to some good-natured teasing, and Luna was, well, Luna.
It had been nearly a month since Harry and Hermione had gotten together, and Harry was hard-pressed to remember ever being happier. They had tried to keep their new relationship secret from the rest of the school for as long as they could, but the news inevitably got out. Much of the female population was disappointed that Hogwarts' resident celebrity was now taken, and most of the Slytherins in their year insulted the couple at every opportunity. On the whole, though, Harry was enjoying finally being a normal teenager for a change—or as close to normal as possible for someone fated to clash with the most evil wizard in at least a century.
But, as Harry was discovering, even being a normal teenager came with its own problems, which was why he found himself staying behind after Professor Lupin's Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson.
"Harry? Aren't you coming?" Hermione asked, looking confused as he remained in his seat. Even though he had a free period after Defence, he almost always walked her at least part of the way to Snape's dungeon.
"Nah, I've got something I wanna ask Remus about. I'll see you after you get out of Potions, alright?" Harry offered, running his hand through his hair nervously.
"Oh, OK, Harry," Hermione said slowly. Harry could tell that she knew something was bothering him, but fortunately she didn't press him. She bent down and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before turning and walking out the door. Harry's eyes followed her until she disappeared from sight, a goofy smile on his face.
"I know that look. Your father got that same look on his face whenever Lily was around."
Harry was brought back from his daze by the voice, and looked up into the amused face of Remus Lupin. "Sorry about that, sir," he said, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"Nonsense, Harry. Do not apologize. I'm just happy you came to your senses where the wonderful Miss Granger is concerned."
"Seems like everybody saw it coming except for me," Harry grumbled, causing Remus to chuckle.
"That's often the way those things happen, despite your father's foresight regarding your mother," Remus reasoned. "Now, was there something you needed, Harry?"
"It's...well, the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year is coming up..." Harry began, and Remus cocked his head at him in confusion.
"Is there some kind of problem? I was under the impression that Sirius signed your permission slip after your 3rd year," Remus asked, frowning.
"No, that's not it," Harry said, shaking his head. "It's just...this is going to be the first time me and Hermione are out of the castle, y'know, alone..."
"Ah, I see," Remus said, his eyes brightening and smile widening as he understood what Harry was trying to ask. "You want some advice on what you should do with Hermione on a date."
"Yeah," Harry said, laughing nervously. "I've only ever been on one real date, and it was a disaster."
"Oh, I'm sure you're exaggerating. It couldn't have been that bad," Remus said, but Harry shook his head adamantly.
"Trust me, it was," Harry insisted. "She got jealous when I mentioned I had plans to meet up with Hermione later, and she left in tears."
"OK, maybe it was that bad," Remus said, his lips twitching as he tried to contain his mirth. "Although it would seem that the young lady had reason to be concerned about your relationship with Hermione."
"I didn't realize it at the time, but yeah, you're right. And that's exactly why I need your help. Hermione's not just some girl, she's...I really like her, you know? I want this to go well."
"I understand, Harry. Let me ask you this: aside from the argument about Hermione, what else do you think went wrong on your first date?"
Harry paused to think for a moment, recalling that disaster of an afternoon with Cho. "Well, for one, we didn't really have anything to talk about aside from quidditch. And she took me to Madam Puddifoot's, which was this really awful tea shop. But maybe Hermione might want to go there, too? I mean, there were a lot of other couples in there."
"Harry, it sounds to me like the two of you just didn't have very much in common. Fortunately for you, you already know this isn't the case with you and Hermione. You've known Hermione for years, and while she may not share your love of quidditch, I'm sure the two of you won't have any trouble finding other things to talk about."
"Yeah," Harry agreed, "but what should we do? Should I take her to the tea shop? I might have felt ridiculous with the frilly decorations and the lacy napkins and the golden cherubs floating around and dumping confetti on people, but if Hermione wants to..."
Harry couldn't finish his thought, because his father's friend suddenly burst into laughter. He stared at the professor, waiting impatiently for him to stop laughing so he could answer his question, but the werewolf showed no signs of stopping. How much time passed, Harry could not say, but the former Marauder finally got himself under control.
"I'm sorry about that, Harry, but honestly, have you met Hermione? Do you actually think she'd have any interest in that sort of thing?" Remus asked, though it was clear what his opinion on the matter was.
"Maybe not, but I've never been on a date with her before. And I just got through telling you how bad my last one went. I just don't want to do anything to screw this up. That's why I came to you."
"Harry, you know Hermione very well. Better than I do, certainly. There's nothing I can tell you about her that you don't already know. Don't over think this. Just have a good time, and be yourself. As long as she's spending time with you, I'm sure Hermione will enjoy herself."
"Be myself? I think I can do that," Harry said, relieved, as Remus chuckled.
-NMM-
"I thank you for your report, Severus. But I can't help but notice that you left out one piece of information."
A kneeling Snape raised his bowed head, staring up at Lord Voldemort. The Dark Lord looked down at him from his throne, but Snape could not tell whether or not he was angered by this supposed admission.
"Beg pardon, My Lord, but I'm not sure what you are speaking of," Snape said, his voice calm and his face blank despite the fact that if he said one wrong word or showed the slightest hint of fear or guilt on his face, the tyrant seated above him could torture him to the brink of insanity in the blink of an eye. The life of a spy, he thought to himself, taking care to keep his mental shields in place.
"Many of my servants have passed on information given to them by their children from Hogwarts. It appears that Potter has followed in his father's footsteps and taken up with a Mudblood. Tell me, Severus-did you overlook this, or did you intentionally withhold it from me?"
No sense in denying any knowledge of Potter's relationship with Granger. If I can't notice what's right in front of me, what use am I to him? "I am sorry if I have displeased you, My Lord, but I did not believe that you would be interested in a silly teenage romance," Snape said.
"Ordinarily, you'd be right. But Potter is no ordinary teenager. I want to be informed of any move he makes, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Do I make myself clear?" Voldemort said, his voice dangerously low.
"Perfectly, My Lord," Snape said, bowing his head lower than he had all night. "But if I may be so bold, why are you so interested in this particular piece of news?"
"Questioning me? That is bold, Snape. I wouldn't tolerate such insolence from most of my other servants, but you have proven yourself most useful to me, so I will humour you. You have often told me how much the boy takes after his father, in deed as well as appearance."
"Indeed," Snape said with a sneer. "Potter is every bit the cocky braggart that his father was, despite Dumbledore's fondness for the brat."
"Yes, but those weren't James Potter's only qualities. He was also a sentimental fool who let his emotions rule him. That is why he lost his life. A smart man would have handed the boy over to me the minute he learned of the prophecy, and saved his own life. But Potter defied me right to the end—his end. All for the love of a Mudblood and their whelp! And after being mentored by Dumbledore all these years, it's no surprise that his son has become an even greater fool."
"You'll hear no argument from me, My Lord. But, begging your pardon, you already knew this about Potter."
"Yes, I did, Severus. And I also knew of his close friendship with the Mudblood. Quite a stain on the magical community, that one. Not only has she sullied Hogwarts with her filthy blood, but she has the gall to receive the highest marks in her year? She is an insult to true wizards, and I always would have targeted her eventually, even if she had never spoken two words to Potter. But now, I believe it's time that we teach Potter a lesson through his precious Mudblood," Voldemort explained, a maniacal grin on his snakelike face.
"You're planning to attack the Mudblood?" Snape asked, feeling his skin crawl as he uttered the word that had destroyed the one true friendship he'd ever had. "But she's at Hogwarts with Potter. If you're going to strike at Hogwarts itself, wouldn't it be easier to simply kill Potter and be done with it?"
"Now Severus, surely you don't expect me to reveal everything?" Voldemort asked, amusement shining in the red slits he called eyes. "I'll tell you more in due time, my friend. After all, you'll be a vital part of the plan."
"Me, My Lord?" Snape asked, surprised. "You expect me to expose my true colours for an attack on someone as unimportant as Hermione Granger?"
"I expect you to do as you are commanded," Voldemort snapped, causing Snape to flinch involuntarily. "That is all for now, Severus. I will contact you soon."
Recognizing the dismissal, Snape bowed his head once more before rising and heading towards the door. Before he departed, Voldemort had one last instruction for him.
"Oh, and Severus? Be sure to tell Dumbledore all about our conversation. I want the old fool to know we are coming."
-NMM-
"Ready, Harry?"
"Absolutely," Harry said with a grin, feeling butterflies in his stomach at the thought that he and Hermione were about to go on their first true date.
Thankfully, Ron had had the sense to know they'd want to be alone, and mentioned that he'd made plans to spend the day with Seamus since Seamus' best mate Dean would be off somewhere enjoying the day with Ginny. With their best friend doing his own thing, Harry and Hermione had the whole day to themselves.
"Where would you like to go first?" Harry asked soon after they made it to the village.
"Well...I was hoping to have a quick look in Scrivenshaft's, and maybe also the book store, if that's OK," Hermione said softly.
Harry could tell she was nervous too, and somehow, that knowledge allowed him to relax a bit. "That's just fine, Hermione. We can go wherever you like. I know I'll have a good time as long was we're together," he assured her, smiling.
Harry felt like quite the cornball as the words left his mouth, but it was apparently the right thing to say, because Hermione's face broke out in a wide smile. She gave him a peck on the lips and slipped her hand into his, gently steering him towards Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop.
In stark contrast to his one date with Cho, things actually went well for Harry this time. Taking Remus' advice to heart, he just relaxed and enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with the most important person in his life. They had a wonderful time strolling through the village hand in hand, and stopped in any shops that interested either of them.
After Harry patiently accompanied Hermione in Scrivenshaft's and the book store, she did the same as Harry indulged himself inside Honeydukes and Zonko's. They didn't see Ron and Seamus at any point, which privately pleased Harry given the circumstances. They did run into Ginny and Dean, and after the redhead got off a few light-hearted wisecracks at the expense of the "Gryffindor Golden Couple", the four of them entered The Three Broomsticks for a bite. Interestingly, Neville and Luna were seated together, but they invited the foursome to join them. Together, the six of them had an enjoyable lunch.
It was after lunch, when the six students broke off into pairs once more, that things took a rather unpleasant turn for Harry and Hermione. They were walking through the village hand in hand, and eventually ditched the packed High Street for a more sparsely visited side street. It was while walking along that path that they spotted Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy standing in seclusion beside an abandoned shop building. They were facing each other, and if their body language was any indication, they were engaged in a very heated discussion. Harry took a step towards them, but Hermione put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Harry, what are you doing?" she hissed. "Professor Snape will be very upset if he catches you eavesdropping on his conversation!"
Rather than turning to look at her, Harry stared at his two least favourite people in Hogwarts, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Harry, what's-" Hermione began in hushed tones, but Harry held up a hand.
"Quiet, Hermione. Do you hear that?"
"That buzzing sound?" Hermione whispered after she'd done as Harry asked. "What about it?"
"We're close enough to Snape and Malfoy that we should at least be able to hear them talking, even if we couldn't understand what they were saying. But all I can hear is that buzzing."
"I guess you're right," Hermione agreed. "Perhaps Professor Snape used some kind of privacy spell?"
"And don't you think that's strange?" Harry persisted. "I don't trust Snape, I don't care what Dumbledore says. And we both know that Malfoy's a foul git just like his father. I have a feeling they're up to something."
Before Hermione could reply, Malfoy stormed off in the opposite direction. After shaking his head in obvious disgust, Snape waved his wand in front of him and tucked it back away before he began walking towards them. Hermione motioned to Harry that they should start walking away, but they only managed a few steps before Snape cut them off.
"Going somewhere, Potter?"
Harry and Hermione froze as the potions master approached them, looking perturbed.
"Oh, and Miss Granger is with you as well. How charming. Do you always bring your female companions along with you when you attempt to eavesdrop on the private conversations of others?"
"We weren't—"
"Do not lie to me, Potter," Snape snapped. "You are every bit as meddlesome as your father and his friends were. Unfortunately for you, I am not so easy to spy on."
"Fine, then," Harry mumbled. "Sure didn't look like Malfoy was very happy with whatever you two were talking about."
"What we discussed, and how Mister Malfoy reacted, is none of your concern," Snape said, his voice dangerously low.
Harry took a cautious step back, nudging Hermione so she was standing behind him, and lowered his hand to his wand. Rather than reaching for his own wand, Snape sneered at the son of his boyhood nemesis.
"Quite foolish, Potter," he said. "Not to mention pointless. If I had truly wished to harm you, you would have been incapacitated before you'd even known you were in danger."
"Guess I'll need to get better, then," Harry retorted, ignoring Hermione's tug on his sleeve.
"You will indeed, Chosen One," Snape snarled. "Be cautioned, Potter: the next time you reach for your wand around me, I may not be so forgiving."
Harry fumed at that, but before he could reply, Snape's right hand suddenly dropped to clutch at his sleeve. Specifically, the sleeve of his left forearm.
"Your arm," Hermione gasped, "that's-"
"The Dark Mark, yes," Snape said through gritted teeth. "The Headmaster must be informed, but I have no time. Find McGonagall, Flitwick or Sprout; all should be in the village, and can contact him swiftly. Do you understand?"
Harry and Hermione nodded, bewildered, just before Snape disappeared with a pop.
-NMM-
"Ah, Severus. Just in time."
"I am yours to command, My Lord," Snape said as he knelt in front of the Dark Lord.
"And so I shall. Rise, Snape." Snape did as he was bid, rising to his feet and taking a cursory glance around at the others who were currently gathered beside the throne in the Dark Lord's latest safe house. Bellatrix, ever the devoted servant, was right by her master's side, staring at him suspiciously. Nothing new there; she has made her distrust of me abundantly clear. Wormtail was also there, cowering in a corner like the spineless coward he was. The true surprise was the presence of Charles Goyle, father of Hogwarts student and Draco Malfoy flunky Gregory Goyle. Odd; the Dark Lord rarely relies on that buffoon for anything.
"So, Snape, did you do as I commanded during our last meeting? Did you tell Dumbledore what we discussed?"
"Yes, My Lord," Snape said. "I told Dumbledore about your intentions towards the Granger girl, and also that you gave me specific instructions to do so."
"And? How did the old fool react?" the Dark Lord asked, his cold red eyes seeming to peer into Snape's very soul.
"His feeling is that you were merely trying to run a diversion. He thinks you wanted him to focus on protecting Granger and the other Hogwarts students against the threat of an attack so you could strike elsewhere."
"Of course he does. I expected nothing less. But, being the emotional weakling that he is, he no doubt took measures to protect the Mudblood nevertheless. And, this being a Hogsmeade weekend, I assume he has increased security in the village?"
"Yes. He has stationed many of his more capable professors throughout the village, though he himself remained in the castle," Snape confirmed. "Also, regrettably, Potter and Granger were nearby when you summoned me to your side. Potter is obviously familiar with the Dark Mark and how it works, so I think you can expect Hogsmeade to be on high alert."
To his surprise, the Dark Lord did not appear perturbed by that last piece of information. "That is of no consequence, Severus. That may work out even better, in fact."
"Am I to assume we will not be attacking Hogsmeade, then?" Severus dared to ask, ignoring the outraged shriek Bellatrix gave at the audacity he'd shown by questioning their master.
"Yes, Snape," the Dark Lord confirmed, also ignoring the fuming witch. "I'm sure that doesn't surprise you, or Dumbledore either, for that matter. But he won't be willing to take the chance, not with his precious students potentially in danger. That will give us the time that we need."
"Very wise indeed, My Lord. I shall be glad to carry out whatever task you require of me," Snape said.
"I'm glad to hear that, Snape," the Dark Lord said, a sadistic smile on his face. "I think you will enjoy your assignment. You see, I wasn't lying the last time we spoke. Not truly. While Bellatrix and I have our own, more important task to take care of, we are still going to inflict a blow on Potter's filthy Mudblood. To be more precise, you and Goyle will strike the blow on my behalf."
"I do not understand, My Lord," Snape said, truly confused. "You wish for Goyle and I to attack Granger?"
"Yes, Snape. But not Hermione Granger. No, you are going to bring me the heads of her filthy Muggle parents."
Chapter 12: Up in Flames
"So you're telling me that Voldemort told Snape he was going to come after Hermione, you knew about it, and didn't tell her?" Harry hissed, his fists clenched as he glared at his Headmaster. Dumbledore sighed and nodded.
"Yes, Harry, that is correct, but-"
"Don't try and talk your way out of this," Harry spat. "You promised that you would tell us whenever you learned something important about Voldemort or the war, but you sure as hell don't seem to be keeping that promise. And this concerns Hermione directly!"
"You are quite right, Harry," Dumbledore said sadly. "I should have told you, regardless of my feeling that this was merely a ploy on Voldemort's part. I wanted the two of you to enjoy your visit to Hogsmeade, and not have to worry about a potential threat that I did not believe would materialize. But that does not excuse the fact that I promised to keep you informed, and failed to do so. I apologize."
Harry wasn't anywhere near satisfied with that, but Hermione held up a hand to forestall him so she could speak instead. "So what happens next?" she asked.
"Thanks to Professor Snape being able to warn you before he departed, we are taking every precaution possible. Various members of the faculty are escorting the rest of the students back here to the castle as we speak, and are prepared to defend them should any Death Eaters show up in the village. Also, given his precarious political standing, Minister Fudge was more than happy to loan me some of his aurors. To be perfectly honest, though, I still do not anticipate any attack on either the village or the castle at this time," Dumbledore explained.
"Why is that?" Harry asked, his need for answers overriding his anger with the Headmaster for the time being. "I don't know about you, but I think Voldemort is arrogant enough to tell you exactly what he plans to do, and then attempt to do it. He's not exactly subtle."
"Perhaps not. There is no denying his vanity, though he can be quite clever when he chooses to be," Dumbledore agreed. "However, I do not think he would undertake an operation as big as a direct attack on Hogsmeade or Hogwarts purely to harm Hermione. She is not important enough in the grand scheme of his campaign, no offence intended, Miss Granger."
"None taken," Hermione said with a nod. "You're right. If he were going to attack us here, he'd be going after either you or Harry. Or both of you."
"Precisely," Dumbledore nodded. "Voldemort is clearly up to something today, but I don't believe you are in any danger, Miss Granger."
Relieved, Harry settled back into his chair and exhaled. But things were about to get much, much worse.
One of the many instruments located on Dumbledore's desk began beeping. Harry saw the look of concern cross Dumbledore's face, and knew something was terribly wrong.
"What is it?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Something has tripped the wards we discreetly placed on your parents' property following Voldemort's return, Hermione. Your home is likely under attack."
-NMM-
Scant moments later, Dumbledore had apparated all three of them just outside the wards that the Order had placed around the Granger property. The moment they landed, they witnessed a most horrifying sight.
The Grangers' home was engulfed in flames.
"MUM! DAD!" Hermione screamed, and she took a few tottering steps towards the house she'd grown up in.
"Stop, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said sharply. She gave no sign that she'd heard him and took four more steps, picking up speed as reality set in.
"Hermione," Harry whispered, wanting to help his girlfriend but having no idea how to do so.
"Harry, you must hold her back," Dumbledore said beseechingly. "I have to get closer so I can quickly analyse the situation before the muggle response team arrives, but I need the two of you to stay well away in case the flames react to my presence."
Harry nodded and rushed forward. He wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and halted her unsteady march towards her house. She tried to fight him off, but he doggedly held on, using his larger frame to restrain her despite her struggles. He held her back tightly to his chest as Dumbledore hurried towards the flaming house.
A few of the neighbours who happened to be at home began to come outside once they realised what was happening, but Dumbledore ignored both their presence and the Statute of Secrecy for the sake of urgency.
Dumbledore's wand was in his hand as he paced around the perimeter of the house. He waved it back and forth swiftly every so often, but the flames did not abate in the least. If Dumbledore was attempting to put the fire out, he was failing.
Dumbledore soon tucked his wand away and hurried back the way he'd come, as Harry and Hermione watched him intently. Neither teen missed the grave look on their headmaster's face. Hermione trembled in her boyfriend's arms, and Harry squeezed her tighter.
"Aside from the three of us, there are no living life forms in or around the house," Dumbledore announced once he'd rejoined them. Hermione sobbed and went limp in Harry's arms, and his tight grip around her waist was the only thing that kept her from falling to the ground. Knowing that his girlfriend was in no state to speak coherently, it fell to Harry to ask the question.
"You mean..." he whispered, but Dumbledore held up his hand.
"We must not jump to any conclusions, Harry," he said firmly, while pulling a knut from the pocket of his robes. "All we know for certain is that there are no signs of life. Now, it is important that I alter the memories of the surrounding muggles before their emergency response teams arrive. I must request that you and Hermione take this portkey back to Hogwarts. I will join you shortly."
"But I want to help-" Harry protested, but Dumbledore cut him off.
"There is nothing you can do, Harry. Her neighbours are sure to know that Hermione attends a boarding school, so she must not be here once the authorities arrive. It will create complications that we do not need right now."
"But-"
"Hermione needs you, Harry. Please, take her away."
Harry nodded reluctantly, and unhooked his right arm from around Hermione's waist in order to accept the knut that Dumbledore was holding out to him. He grabbed the knut with his right hand, and gave Hermione a reassuring squeeze with his other arm as the two of them were portkeyed back to Dumbledore's office.
-NMM-
As soon as their feet touched the ground, Hermione sagged into Harry's waiting arms. She buried her face into his shoulder and sobbed, soaking his shirt with her tears. As Harry rubbed his hands up her back soothingly, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and noticed that they were not alone in the office.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Nymphadora Tonks asked urgently, rushing towards them, her face pale and anxious. Hermione reluctantly extricated herself from Harry's arms, though she stayed close by his side and gripped his hand tightly.
"He's still at Hermione's house—there's a fire," Harry said quietly. Hermione took a ragged breath next to him, and Harry gave her hand a squeeze, letting her know that he was still thinking of her. But the look on Tonks' face gave Harry a very uneasy feeling.
"What's wrong, Tonks? Did something happen?" Hermione asked, her voice choked with tears.
"I've just got word that the Death Eaters have appeared in Diagon Alley!"
-NMM-
Bill Weasley was not a stranger to danger. When one becomes a curse breaker, danger is accepted and acknowledged as part of the job. Even so, nothing could have prepared him for this.
Gringotts Wizarding Bank was under attack. Throughout the bank, the mostly goblin staff was trying to shore up the bank's defences and organize a counter-attack, or at the least, a defence strong enough to hold them off until help could arrive. Bill admired their resolve, but it was clear to him that the situation was dire. The Death Eaters were out en masse, and they were being hit hard. Gringotts was one of the most secure institutions in the wizarding world, but it had never before faced such a brazen all-out assault. Despite their best efforts, they were losing, and losing badly.
Bill was not a wealthy man by any means, but at that moment, he would have given every last hard-earned knut simply to live out the day and find himself back in the arms of his beautiful fiancé. Unfortunately, he had to admit that the odds of that happening were looking quite grim. Still, he was at least able to take solace in the fact that Fleur hadn't been working at the bank on this fateful day. She was out with her mother, doing some shopping and making plans for their wedding.
A wedding that we'll never get to have unless I make it out of here alive, he reminded himself. With that thought in mind, Bill clutched his wand tighter and narrowed his eyes as he spotted a pair of masked Death Eaters walking down the corridor and towards him. He snarled, popped out from behind the wall he'd been using as cover, and fired off a powerful cutting curse at the Eater on the left before he'd even managed to react. The robed figure let out a surprised grunt and clutched at his neck, trying to staunch the flow of crimson.
Knowing that the first Eater was disposed of, Bill focused his efforts on his companion. The Eater fired off a red curse that he did not recognize, so Bill rolled to the side to avoid it before returning fire with a blasting curse that caught his opponent in the stomach. The man tumbled to the floor in a heap, and Bill concealed himself behind cover once more while keeping his eyes peeled for any other threats.
Before long, another robed figure appeared in the corridor beyond, walking the same path as the two he'd just dispatched. Once again, Bill darted out from behind cover and launched a pre-emptive strike. He cast the same cutting curse that had made a messy end of the first Eater, but this time the curse was deflected with ease, and the robed figure continued striding towards him. Undeterred, Bill stepped to the side and gripped his wand securely, his next spell on the tip of his tongue. Before he could cast, the intruder got close enough for Bill to get a clear look at him, and his incantation died in his throat.
The Dark Lord was walking towards him, his red eyes shining and his unnatural snake-like face twisted in a grotesque grin.
"Not bad," Voldemort said, nodding in Bill's direction. "You didn't waste time with silly disarming spells, at least, which is more than I can say for most of the fools I've crossed wands with over the years. Unfortunately for you, it's going to take quite a bit more than that to get the better of me."
Bill shook himself out of his stupor and pointed his wand at the Dark Lord, but with one simple careless wave of Voldemort's wand, he was forced to his knees. He tried to train his wand on Voldemort in order to fire off a hex, but found that he no longer had any control of his body. Voldemort slowly walked up to him and casually took the wand from his hand, shaking his head.
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that, but I admire your spirit. What is your name?" Voldemort asked, inspecting Bill's wand and not even looking at him.
"Bill Weasley," he replied, doing his best to sound calm, collected and defiant. The Dark Lord's unnatural eyes narrowed as he gave him his name.
"Ah, one of Arthur Weasley's brood? I should have suspected. It is rather unfortunate that your family has betrayed true wizards in order to side with the dregs of magical society. Even more unfortunate that your youngest brother has become so attached to Harry Potter. But it is not too late for you, Bill Weasley."
"What do you mean?" Bill said slowly, nonplussed.
"Your family may be blood traitors, and your brother may be Harry Potter's best friend. But you are not your ancestors, nor are you your brother. You showed great courage in standing up to me, and judging by the pair of corpses littering this very room, you have ample knowledge and power as well. I could use more men like you, Bill Weasley. Join me, and help me give this decaying world the revolution it sorely needs."
"You want me to become a Death Eater," Bill said, more to himself than anything, hardly believing that the words had come out of his mouth.
"Of course," Voldemort said, nodding. "Our world is in a dire state, and you should know that better than most. It must bring you great shame to work here at Gringotts, having to bow your head to these filthy goblins. Wouldn't you like to remind them of their proper role—servitude?"
"Servitude? Like house elves, you mean?"
"They won't be given the same tasks to accomplish, but yes," Voldemort agreed. "A bit of that elvish devotion will make the goblins far more useful. Once I have taken this country over, I will put them in their place."
"So I guess you think all non-humans should spend their lives as slaves, doing all they can to please their human masters?" Bill said, his face turning red with anger.
"Why, yes," Voldemort said, either not noticing the look on Bill's face, or simply not caring. "What else are they good for?"
Bill's eyes flashed, but Voldemort had already turned away from him as a witch approached. She removed her mask, and Bill could make out enough of her features from his vantage point over the Dark Lord's shoulder to recognize her as Bellatrix Lestrange, the psychotic witch that had killed Sirius Black. Bellatrix began conversing with her master, but they were speaking too quietly for Bill to understand. With this time to himself, Bill eventually noticed that he had full control of his body once more, and he briefly entertained the idea of attacking Voldemort while his attention was diverted. But with his wand in Voldemort's possession and no other weapon readily available to him, he knew that it would be a futile act.
"What about veela?" Bill asked, raising his voice loud enough to be sure Voldemort could hear him despite his conversation with Bellatrix.
"What's that? Veela, you say?" Voldemort said, sounding bored and not bothering to turn back around to look at Bill. "I've never had much use for them myself, but I suppose they serve their purpose well enough. They were a very popular form of entertainment amongst my followers during our previous revolution, even if I never saw the appeal. Why? Would you like one, Weasley?"
"Would I like one?" Bill repeated, seething.
"Yes. One to warm your bed, perhaps? I shall make you a deal: join me, and the first veela we capture will be yours to do with as you please."
Wand or no wand, there was no way Bill could restrain himself after a comment like that. He rose to his feet and lunged at the Dark Lord from behind, hoping to catch him by surprise before he or Bellatrix could get a spell off. He closed the gap quickly and narrowed his eyes, zeroed in on the back of Voldemort's head, envisioned grabbing it in his hands and snapping his neck before the Dark Lord even knew what was happening...
And then, almost too quickly for Bill's eyes to follow, Voldemort turned. The Dark Lord raised his wand, and with one casual flick of the wrist, a wedding was cancelled.
-NMM-
By the time Albus Dumbledore returned to his office, it was too late to do anything to counteract Lord Voldemort's swift strike on Diagon Alley, and more specifically Gringotts. All that was left for him to do was assess the damage.
He wasn't sure if it had been Voldemort's intention for him to learn about the assault on the Granger home, or if it had just been a coincidence, but it had worked to the Dark Lord's favour in any case. With Dumbledore out of the picture and his staff and the aurors Fudge had loaned him busy ensuring that the students made it back from Hogsmeade safely, it had fallen solely to the remainder of the auror department to respond to the attack. Unfortunately, that department had been sorely neglected and underfunded during the bulk of Minister Fudge's reign. With that problem compounded by some of their best being stationed in Hogsmeade for the day, they were no match for such a sudden and overwhelming assault. The Death Eaters managed to strike their true target, and strike it hard.
The brunt of the attack had been aimed straight at Gringotts, and with good reason. The managers at Gringotts remembered full well how much damage Voldemort's last war had done to both the economy and their own bottom line, and had no desire to see history repeat itself. Thus, once Voldemort's return had become public knowledge, the goblins had begun instituting radical new measures that financially handcuffed anyone found to be willingly serving the Dark Lord. Following his arrest in the Department of Mysteries, Lucius Malfoy had been hit hard by these measures. This served as a deterrent to some of Voldemort's other wealthy followers, to say nothing of the fact that with Lucius' funds unavailable to him, the Dark Lord had lost his single biggest source of gold.
Despite his rhetoric about blood purity and wizards holding dominion over all, Tom Riddle was too intelligent not to realise that for many of his followers, there was no greater motivation than avarice. Now he had gold aplenty—possibly even more than he'd had at his disposal in the last war. He didn't have a bank to put it in, perhaps, but Albus didn't think he would need one. No, that gold was going to be put to immediate use.
Dumbledore suspected that the Dark Lord was about to significantly bolster his ranks.
-NMM-
"Rise, Severus."
Snape got up off of his knees and back onto his feet, making sure that his head remained bowed in deference.
"So, Severus, I see that you have returned as commanded. And yet, Charles Goyle is not with you. Would you care to explain his absence?"
"My Lord," he began, eyes fixed on the floor, "I am afraid that our task was not completed as planned."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"When we arrived at the muggles' home, Goyle was a bit...overeager, shall we say? He set some curtains on fire, but he had no control over the flames. They quickly grew out of control and spread throughout the house. I was forced to abort the mission and apparate away. Goyle was not so lucky."
"I see," the Dark Lord said, his mood impossible for Snape to read. "We both know that Goyle was an incompetent fool, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Were the mudblood's parents engulfed in the fire as well, at least?"
"I'm not sure, My Lord. The flames spread before we could locate them, or confirm they were indeed inside the house. I offer my profound apologies for my failure, and am prepared to accept any punishment you deem appropriate," Snape finished, bowing his head even closer to the ground.
"That will not be necessary, Severus," Voldemort said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Your mission was hardly an essential one. If the muggles were burned to death, excellent. And even if they weren't, the destruction of their home should still serve as a fitting example to what happens to those who throw in their lot with Dumbledore and Potter."
"That is most kind, My Lord," Snape said, surprised at how little his revelation seemed to bother the Dark Lord.
"Think nothing of it. Despite your failure, the day was still most successful. Our assault on Gringotts was flawless," Voldemort said with a twisted grin.
"Gringotts? So that was the true objective?" Snape questioned.
"Yes," Voldemort confirmed. "Those disgusting goblins have been quite a nuisance since Lucius failed me in the Department of Mysteries. Thankfully, that will no longer be a concern. We left the bank with enough gold to fund our revolution indefinitely."
"That is very good news, My Lord," Snape agreed. "I offer my congratulations on your success. However, if I may be so bold...why was I not informed of the full extent of your plan?"
"You-" Bellatrix snarled from beside her master, but Voldemort beckoned for her to be quiet. Like an obedient animal, Bellatrix immediately fell silent.
"Do not misunderstand me, Severus. I do not doubt your loyalty. I simply couldn't risk Dumbledore learning my true target. The old man is crafty, and he may well have been able to weasel the information out of you without you even knowing."
"I understand, My Lord," Snape said, "but why was I not included in the assault on Gringotts once I arrived? Surely the attack would have run even more smoothly had you included me." Voldemort's eyes narrowed, and Snape realised too late that he'd gone a step too far in his efforts to ensure he remained in the loop.
"You were not included because you were not needed, Snape. I judged that we had strength enough to make our mark before leaving with an ample supply of gold, and I was correct," Voldemort said, his voice dangerously low.
"Of course, My Lord, I did not mean-" Snape began, but the Dark Lord cut him off.
"You are one of my most intelligent and cunning followers, so I allow you to speak more freely than most," Voldemort explained. "However, openly doubting my planning and decision-making in the manner you just did will not be tolerated. I trust that you will keep this in mind in the future, because I would hate to have to remind you again. I'm sure you would hate it, too," he added, and Snape had no trouble grasping the thinly veiled threat.
"Indeed, My Lord," Snape said, dropping back down to his knees and bowing so low that his face touched the floor. "My deepest apologies. It will not happen again, I assure you."
Snape paused, head against the cold floor, and waited for the Dark Lord to reply. He heard Bellatrix cackling at his dilemma, but knew better than to respond at this point. All that mattered was recovering from his faux pas and redeeming himself in the Dark Lord's eyes. He was of no use to anyone otherwise, least of all himself.
"Very well, Severus. See that it doesn't happen again," Voldemort said at last. "You are dismissed."
Snape exhaled, slowly pulled himself to his feet and departed, counting himself fortunate that he'd avoided the Cruciatus.
-NMM-
With everyone having been rushed back from Hogsmeade and straight to their common rooms, the corridors of Hogwarts were virtually deserted as Harry and Hermione slowly walked hand in hand to Gryffindor Tower. They walked in silence, their footsteps all that could be heard in the empty halls.
"Dumbledore better tell us the second he hears something about your parents," Harry said, his tone equal parts anger and worry.
"He will," Hermione said softly, absent-mindedly running her left hand across her eyes, which were reddened and puffy from crying.
"He didn't tell us about Voldemort and Snape's little chat where they plotted to attack you," Harry pointed out, eyes flashing at the memory. Hermione acknowledged this point with a nod.
"You're right. And we can press him more about that later. But he knows we're going to be waiting anxiously for any news about mum and dad, and he has to know that if he learns something and either hides it or delays in telling us, he'll lose us for good. We both know he can be manipulative and deceitful, but look at this logically, Harry. He has absolutely nothing to gain by being dishonest about this, but everything to lose."
"I guess you're right," Harry conceded, then turned his head to look at her more closely. "Merlin, Hermione, I don't know how you can think straight right now."
"It's not easy," Hermione admitted, and she felt comfortable pressure on her right hand as Harry gave it a sympathetic squeeze.
"I really cant imagine it," Harry continued. "I know how I got when I was worried about Sirius, and I'd only known him for a couple of years. Your parents have always been there for you."
Hermione nodded and blinked rapidly, trying to hold back a fresh batch of tears. She was too choked up to say anything in response, so Harry said nothing further. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close enough for their sides to touch. Hermione sighed and leaned in even closer to him, relishing the comfort of his touch.
They remained like that for the rest of their walk, until they made it to their destination and gave the Fat Lady the password. Harry stepped through the portrait hole and held out his hand to assist Hermione, who accepted it gratefully. Before the portrait had even swung shut behind them, Ron came rushing forward to greet them.
"Where have you guys been?" Ron asked, sounding relieved to see them.
"We were with Dumbledore," Harry said. He shared a significant look with Hermione, and they reached a silent agreement. "Listen, Ron, we've got something to tell you," Harry said quietly. "And Ginny should probably come too," he added.
Ron seemed to sense that this was important, so he nodded in consent. He caught Ginny's eye and motioned for her to follow them, and she did so after sharing a quick kiss with Dean. Together, the four of them went up to the 6th year boy's dorms, which were otherwise empty, giving them plenty of privacy. Harry sat on his bed, and Hermione sat down next to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"So what's up?" Ron asked them after he'd made himself comfortable on his own bed. Hermione could hear the uncertainty in his voice, and her throat tightened. She was not looking forward to this. Still, it had to be done, and better they hear it here and now.
"Ron, Ginny, the Death Eaters attacked Diagon Alley today," Hermione explained, holding her breath as she waited for her red-haired friends to react.
Ron looked confused at first, but the reality of the situation soon struck him, and his eyes widened. Ginny was quicker to catch on, as she gasped and brought a hand to her mouth.
"Fred and George!" she sobbed, but Harry quickly shook his head.
"We're pretty sure they're OK," Harry assured her. "Their shop wasn't targeted."
Ginny sighed in relief at that, but it didn't take long for her to realise that Harry and Hermione still looked grim. She tensed, waiting for them to elaborate, but it was actually Ron who spoke.
"Gringotts. Bill," he said flatly. Hermione nodded and closed her eyes, unwilling to witness the pain she knew her affirmation would cause. She heard one of the beds creak and reluctantly opened her eyes to see that Ginny had plopped herself down beside Ron, and was instinctively clutching his hand.
"B-Bill...did he..." Ginny began, but Harry shrugged helplessly.
"Dumbledore didn't have any information on injuries or casualties yet," Harry said as gently as he could manage. "They're still sorting out the damage. Gringotts apparently got hit pretty bad though."
Ron nodded, and Hermione's lip quivered at the dazed expression on his face. Looking at Ginny's watering eyes and trembling face wasn't any easier Hermione understood the emotions her red haired friends were experiencing all too well; she was experiencing them herself. It was a cruel sort of torture, not knowing whether someone you love is alive or dead.
"So, did they only attack Gringotts, then?" Ron asked, and Hermione could see that he was keeping his mind busy to prevent himself from panicking.
"They did some damage throughout Diagon Alley, and killed some people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the information Dumbledore got said that Gringotts was clearly their target," Harry explained.
"They also burned my house down," Hermione added quietly, and Ron's wide eyes met hers.
"Your parents?" he asked, sounding pained.
"We don't know yet," Harry answered. "We apparated there with Dumbledore, and he said that there wasn't anyone alive in the house. Dumbledore wanted us to get out of there before the firemen showed up, but he's going to let us know as soon as he hears anything. Hopefully they weren't home at the time."
"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ron said as he got up off of his bed. He quickly walked over to Harry's bed and extended his hand to Hermione, who accepted it and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. She let out a surprised squeak as Ron, usually so reserved and hesitant to touch her, put his arms around her waist and gave her a hug strong enough to make his mother proud. She returned the embrace tightly, content to both comfort and be comforted by her friend.
Ron's ears reddened as he shot a nervous glance at Harry, and he probably would have let go of Hermione if she hadn't tightened her own grip on him, unwilling to be separated from him just yet. Things had been incredibly awkward between the three of them since she and Harry had become a couple, and she'd missed her friend.
Thankfully, Harry understood perfectly. He raised no objections to the embrace between his best mate and his girlfriend, and in fact rose to join them. Harry wrapped Hermione in his own hug, pressing his chest into her back and resting his head on her shoulder. Hermione sighed, perfectly content to be held by her two boys: her best friend, and her love.
Hermione was familiar with the idea that grief brings people together, and she could feel it happening at that very moment. She didn't yet know if her parents had escaped that fire, or if Ron's brother Bill had been injured or killed during the assault on Gringotts. But she could feel the strained relationship between the trio repairing itself, and she could be thankful for that if nothing else.
Hermione was so caught up in their reconciliation with Ron that she was oblivious to everything else, so it came as quite a shock when someone else cleared their throat to gain their attention. Hermione, startled, spun around to see Professor McGonagall looking at her.
"S-sorry, Professor McGonagall, I didn't hear you come in," Hermione rambled, but her Head of House waived her off.
"Do not worry yourself, Miss Granger. The Headmaster asked me to escort you back to his office," McGonagall said. Hermione gasped, realising that there was likely only one reason Dumbledore would call for her at the moment.
"My parents! Did he say anything? Are they OK?" Hermione asked, rapid-fire, but McGonagall shook her head.
"He did not give me any details, Miss Granger. He merely contacted me via floo and asked me to bring you to him," McGonagall explained patiently.
"I see," Hermione said. "W-would it be alright if Harry and Ron came with me?" she asked, hesitant to face this potentially devastating meeting by herself.
"I don't see why not," McGonagall decided after a moment. "If the Headmaster wishes to speak to you alone, he can always send Mister Potter and Mister Weasley away himself. Now, if you are ready, we can depart."
Hermione nodded, relieved that no matter what happened, her boys would be there beside her.
"Let's go," she said, her voice trembling despite herself. As she stepped forward, she felt Harry grab her right hand, and Ron, after a brief hesitation and an encouraging nod from Harry, took her left. Emboldened by their support, she took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was to come.