Task: Write about an assassination/ attempted assasination.
Oliver Wood crept through the darkness, his mess of brown hair temporarily falling in front of his face. It had grown long in the years since he had been at Hogwarts, but he would be sure to get it cut soon.
A sharp intake of breath echoed through the corridor as his foot pushed down an old floorboard, causing its creaky moan to fill the building. He stood, silent, for a moment, expecting someone to come and find him. To attack him, to discover him. He wasn't supposed to be here, though fate seemed to disagree, as nobody heard the creak.
He sighed with relief, releasing the breath he had been holding. Carefully, he tiptoed across the rest of the corridor, pressing his ear to the door at the other end.
On the other side of the door, a single dim desk lamp was the only source of light. It revealed the face of a man who quite resembled a grizzly bear, with an angry, dishevelled, aged face, and a ridiculous amount of hair. If Oliver could see the man, he may have almost mistaken him for Rubeus Hagrid, but this man didn't have the jolly, rosy-cheeked, cheerful grin that Hagrid often wore.
The man spoke in a much lower voice than the already deep-voiced Hagrid, too. This man's voice was rough, like sandpaper. Oliver pressed his ear closer to the door, every inch of his body concentrated on the man's words.
"Hermione is gon' be in 'er study, by 'erself, till 'alf nine. 'Er study is soundproof so tha' she can concentrate on all 'er ministry work. We gotta strike before 'alf nine. Tonigh'." The man explained to his comrades.
Oliver grimaced. He had to get out of here and warn Hermione, but he couldn't apparate. These wizards had put a spell on the place to stop anyone from apparating.
He heard footsteps coming towards the door. He had to get out of here.
Now.
He jumped up and snuck down the hall as quickly as possible. Just as he rounded the corner, he heard the door open, and three men stepped into the corridor.
Oliver continued to sneak down the hallway, somehow remembering his way out of the maze of corridors and rooms which this disgusting building presented. He could see the door which led to the outside, and relief washed through him.
The relief disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, as he heard a shout from behind him.
The grizzly bear had spotted him.
Oliver made a mad dash for the door, crying out in pain as a rather painful spell hit him squarely between his shoulder blades, and another hit him in the head. He felt blood spill from his foot as he lunged through the door, apparating away as soon as he felt the sun's rays hit his face.
With a loud crack, he appeared beside Hermione Granger herself, who was just about to enter her study.
"Oliver!" She cried out, as he collapsed beside her.
"Don't go into your study." Oliver said, his voice filled with pain.
"Is this about that ridiculous job which Percy sent you on? Oh, I knew it wouldn't end well." She pulled him into a sitting position, leaning him against the wall.
"Tell me it was worth it. Tell me you found something." Percy said as he rounded the corner.
"Those guys you sent me to spy on, they want to assassinate Hermione. They are going to-" Oliver was cut off by his own coughing and spluttering. He recovered before Hermione could echo the worry on her face with words. "They are going to kill you whilst you're in your study tonight. They somehow found out that it's soundproofed, and that you stay there till nine-thirty."
"We'll send guards to my study, and place some protection spells around it. As for you, you need to get help." Hermione gestured to a passing guard, and explained the situation.
Oliver stood up, and was about to allow Hermione to help him when a wave of dark spots flew across his vision, and the lights of the ministry disappeared from his sight.
"Oh!" Hermione gasped as Oliver fell to the floor.
"He'll be fine. I'll sort it out." Percy kissed Hermione's forehead, and they shared a look of affection. Percy sighed, walking away with Oliver's unconscious body floating behind him. He was extremely worried for his wife's safety, but he didn't show it. He knew that if she knew he was worried, she would only worry more. He threw her a smile, and left her with a crowd of guards.
He hoped to hell that he would see her bushy hair and toothy grin again.