Minerva McGonagall turned the corner quickly, and the normally proper witch hiked up her robes so that she could run faster. She came to a gargoyle in the wall and spit out "Acid Pops," barely waiting for the thing to open before rushing through. She sprinted up the twirling staircase, shouting "Albus! Come quickly. There's been a breach in the wards."
Albus Dumbledore looked up as the normally calm deputy headmistress burst into his office. He and Severus had been having their weekly meetings to discuss the on goings of Voldemort and his followers when they had been interrupted. He stood immediately, quickly giving off commands, "Severus, secure the students. Minerva, show me where." Albus and Minerva hurried out of his office toward the great hall, where Minerva told him the intruders were located.
Luckily, it was late on a Saturday night, All Hallows Eve, no less, and most students were safe celebrating in their dorms, or had chosen to skip dinner in the great hall. Albus just prayed that no students had been present, knowing that they would be foolish enough to try to challenge the intruders.
His heart plummeted when he reached the great hall to find Brian Potter with his wand out and pointed at six still bodies. Standing behind him were Oliver Wood and Cedric Diggory, both boys with their wands also out, but smart enough to keep back. Thankfully, the boy was unharmed, Albus didn't want to think about the tongue lashing Lily would give him, regardless of how willing her boy had been to throw himself into danger.
"Thank you, Mr. Potter, I'll take it from here." Albus noted that at least James's eldest son had the presence of mind to look slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry Professor, it's just, the ninth years have got Moody this year and, well, stupefy was my first instinct."
Albus smiled at the boy, "Of course, Mr. Potter, perfectly understandable. Though, if you could refrain from mentioning this to your mother." Albus said with mirth, his eyes twinkling, and quickly levitated the inert bodies from the room.
For now, Albus would avoid getting Aurors involved, because he knew that would mean following strict ministry protocol. He also knew the Voldemort had plenty of spies in the ministry, and he wanted to figure out what exactly what was going on before any deatheaters could.
Albus doubted that the intruders were deatheaters, for one they were simply too young, and for another, if Voldemort had finally discovered how to break Albus's wards, he doubted he would have sent six teenagers. However he would still need to be cautious, as he had been known to make mistakes every once in a while.
Once Albus had reached the infirmary, he levitated all six bodies into hospital beads and strengthened the wards. No one would be able to leave, or cast spells, without his permission. Next, he confiscated all of their wands, just to be safe.
"Poppy? If you would, could you run diagnostics and attempt to identify these students? I have to warn you though, they managed to breach Hogwarts wards and could be dangerous."
"Of course headmaster." The plumb mediwitch began to bustle around the hospital room, gathering everything she would need to preform her diagnostics. After five minutes, she had gathered the necessary potions.
Pomphrey moved towards the first bed, which contained a small girl with a large amount of curly brown hair. She hadn't even begun her spells when she let out a startled gasp, not quite sure if she could believe what she was seeing.
"Poppy what is it?" Albus moved quickly to the mediwitch's side.
"This is Hermione Granger."
Albus turned to look at the girl, "Are you entirely sure?"
"Yes, I recognize the birthmark on her shoulder, and I've never seen anyone else with hair exactly like that." She broke off and turned to look at the headmaster. "Albus, how is this even possible, I examined the body myself."
"I don't know Poppy, perhaps we will uncover more when she wakes." Albus turned to leave the infirmary.
"Notify me in an hour if the she still appears to be Hermione Granger. Don't let your guard down, these are dangerous times."
"Of course headmaster."
"Har, Duck!"
Hermione Granger had yelled, two hours previously. She had been blocking a cruciatus curse sent her way by Antonin Dolohov when she caught a glimpse of green from over her shoulder.
Rose Harriet Potter, Harry for short, and Har during battle, dropped and rolled under the curse, before responding with a stunner and then giving Hermione a grateful look. She'd have been dead several times over just that night if not for her best friend.
Getting to her feet, Harry observed their work while Ron helped Hermione finish off Dolohov. The battle had been hard, but there hadn't been any casualties, and for that Harry felt blessed. After the battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort's deatheaters hadn't dispersed like they had hoped, and the war had trudged on for another several months. But now the attacks were slowing down, and the Order of the Phoenix almost always won under the guidance of the girl-who-lived-twice. This had been her first fight in almost a month, and Harry sincerely hoped her work was almost done.
For a moment, the walls around her transformed into those of Hogwarts, and she was brought back to that battle almost six months ago. Harry was still in mourning for all she had lost for the sake of the wizarding world that night, inside despite taking solace in the knowledge that it was worth it in the end.
She would gladly suffer a thousand lives if it meant a world rid of war.
"Nice one Har! That has to be a new record or something" Ron Weasley patted her on her back and marveled at their success. Harry new that Ron enjoyed the fighting, not because he was blood thirsty, but because it was something he excelled at. Harry admitted that she too enjoyed the rush of adrenaline after a victory, and liked having a purpose to her life. Not that that made the bloodshed worth it.
Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Ginerva Weasley joined them, completing the group in charge of the order. The six teens had always been friends, but the bonds of war had rendered them inseparable, and an extremely effective team.
"Is anyone injured at all? No? Well then we should start writing up the reports for Minister Kingsley. The sooner we start the sooner we can sleep." Ron's shoulders slumped, "Come on Har, can't we skive off reports just this once? We're bloody war heroes for Merlin's sake."
Ginny came up behind him and rolled her eyes at her elder brother. "Come on Ronnikins, you know what fearless leader wants, she gets." The redhead teased. She loved poking fun at all of the glorification Harry got in the press, because she knew it was the best way to get under her skin.
"Shut it Weas-" Harry didn't get to finish her sentence, because her scar started throbbing and she twisted her eyes shut. But more than the pain, it was fear that gripped her heart. Her scar hadn't felt like this since the height of His reign.
"Harry?" Hermione approached her with a look of worry marring her face. "What's wro-"
But Hermione didn't get to finish her sentence either, because suddenly the world had gone black.