Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter story. I would greatly appreciate any comments, opinions or suggestions anyone may have. I should warn you that the first few chapters are big with dialogue, meant to lay the ground work. Please bare with me; I think it gets better, everything will be explained, and hopefully you won't be disappointed.

Disclaimer: I am not a successful professional Author worth millions, so obviously I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters therein. Also, I have little, or no imagination of my own, and so have shamelessly used ideas, and occational quotes, from many of my favourite TV shows and movies. This fic should therefore be viewed as a sort of tribute to people much smarter and more creative than myself, and that is in no way intended to infringe on anyones rights or property.

War Stories

Prologue The attempt

Hermione Granger and her friend, and fellow Unspeakable, Luke Anderson, stood before the Veil in the infamous Death Chamber, deep within the Department of Mysteries. They were about to try a procedure that Hermione had developed to rescue Sirius Black from behind the Veil that, until recently, everyone had believed lead directly to death.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Luke asked, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "Because we could do further testing," he added hopefully.

"We have already done exhaustive testing," Hermione replied patiently. Having been surrounded with overprotective boys (ie, Harry and the Weasleys) since she was twelve, she was used to this attitude. "We can't do anything else. The process is as safe as we can make it – there is nothing left to do now but to make this attempt."

Luke sighed. He knew she was right, he just wished that this 'attempt' didn't involve so much risk to Hermione. He had never personally known Sirius Black. Like everyone else, Luke had believed him to be a mass murderer escapee from Azkaban until Peter Pettigrew was captured during the Final Battle of the war, proving Black's innocence. So really, saving the man was a matter of almost complete indifference to Luke. But he knew that Hermione had known and cared about the former fugitive – that is what inspired the 'Veil Project' to start with. Consequentially, he knew that further argument or stalling would be useless.

"Well, you'd best get going then," he said with false cheer, before giving his friend and co-worker a hug.

"Just remember not to panic if I'm gone a while. Only tell Harry and Ron if we pass the three month mark, and don't you dare try and send anyone through after me," Hermione ordered sternly. "You know about the difference in the rate of time there. I'll find a way back; it isn't as though I'll be getting any older." She smiled.

"Right," was all that Luke could think of to say as he stepped off of the dais, giving Hermione room to perform the required spells on herself. "Good luck," he added.

Hermione smiled her thanks before closing her eyes. She stood directly in front of the Veil with her hands held palm to palm before her as though she was preying, but with her wand held between them, pointed at herself. She took several slow, deep breaths, then began whispering the incantations that she had written for this very purpose.

It took about half an hour of doing this before her words finally took effect. A shimmering silver mist slowly grew from the wand tip, enveloping Hermione until she was surrounded by it's gentle glow. She stood still for a moment before opening her eyes and stepping forward without hesitation, right through the Veil.

Luke closed his eyes, letting out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. All he could do now, was wait.

AN: Questions? Comments? ... I hear crickets :)