Warning: This fic will not be a ship fic until later on. The first part of the fic will focus on Hermione and Harry growing up together and going through their first years at school helping Neville along his journey as the BWL. I cannot promise regular updates, but I will try to get one chapter (I'm aiming to have large, infrequent chapters) per month. No guarantees, though, sometimes I have to live in the real world, too (: Also, the first part of this fic will be relatively non-angsty, and will start to get more dramatic as the characters age. I'm hoping that it will be somewhat a crescendo of drama that explodes at the end, and then a happy ending. I don't do sad endings, so even if things seem sad, they won't stay that way for long. I also won't have Author's Notes at the beginning of every chapter, because I think it's annoying, so treat each one as something important. I won't have one unless I have something important to say. (: Please enjoy!
Typically, Albus Dumbledore was a fairly easy-going wizard. He had been around for quite some time, and with age came the knowledge that an extraordinary emotional reaction when faced with a problem did not typically lead to a simple, logical solution. Therefore, thinking with one's emotions was simply unwise and unnecessary. However, as his ice blue eyes scanned the missive on his desk for the fifth time this late August evening, they lost their typical jolly twinkle and narrowed in its stead. Gone was his calm, peaceful manner. The world went red, and Albus was filled with raw, menacing rage, and a burning, passionate hatred for the one known as Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Albus,
There's been another Death Eater attack. Nine Muggles dead – six adults and three children. The only survivor we found is a little girl. She has a few superficial wounds – Lily is tending to them. We don't know her name, age, or magical status, but we can only assume that the deceased are her relatives. She won't speak to anyone and she hasn't moved a muscle since we arrived. Sirius is setting up wards to deter the Death Eaters from coming back and to keep other Muggles away. James, Severus, Kinglsey and I are trying to get the girl to talk to us. Come as soon as you can.
R. J. Lupin
The letter was scrawled hastily on a paper towel with what appeared to be a ball point pen in the messy scratch hand of Remus Lupin. Though barely discernable, the words on the page were horrifying.
Albus strongly disliked the fact that the Dark Lord was killing innocent Muggles and Muggleborns out of sheer prejudice. He strongly disliked that the Dark Lord was turning innocent witches and wizards to his side and forcing his beliefs upon them and their children, which they readily adopted. Albus did not like it, he didn't like it at all, but he could still sleep at night.
But now that Tom and his servants were killing children, Albus would not rest peacefully until something was done. It was bad enough when he had tried to kill poor little Neville Longbottom, who was now growing up under the care of his Gran and didn't know why he didn't have a Mum and a Dad. Now though, Tom had succeeded. Three children were dead by his wand. Albus hated the fact that children, sweet, innocent children, were now the victims of Tom. The three kids that were murdered tonight had bright futures ahead of them, long lives to live to the fullest. They could've achieved greatness, moved mountains and more if they wanted to. But now they were dead, and their killer felt no remorse, he was sure. Tom didn't do "sappy emotions". These kids were just three more kills under his belt. Victims of genocide, with no one to grieve their loss but the side of the Light that was too late to save them.
And Albus hated it.
After a long few minutes of pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself to no avail, Albus stood and turned over his left shoulder, his elegant purple robes billowing behind him until he disappeared with a pop. Fawkes the Phoenix, startled awake, let out a loud trill, then settled back into a deep sleep after ascertaining that there was no immediate threat to him or his seemingly absent familiar. The office was quiet once more.
What do you think? (: It's just a prologue, so it's very short, but other chapters will be pretty lengthy. Reviews are greatly appreciated, particularly ones of constructive criticism and ideas or things you would like to see in the story! Thank you!