"The muggle Prime Minister was found dead, an autopsy done on his body had reportedly found no reason for his sudden death, his personal adviser had been arrested as the last person to have seen him, minutes before he died," Albus' voice was heavy as he spoke, he looked at the group before him, knowing that the minutes ticked away slowly, bringing them closer to out right war. "It is my belief that Pius Thicknesse used his direct access to the Prime Minister to kill the man. The Prime Minister was a muggle, locked into his own office, trying to salvage a world which Lord Voldemort and his followers are attempting to destroy; he was defenceless to the powers used against him."
Sirius looked around the room, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphais Dodge, Arabella Figg, Hagrid, Alastor Moody, Sturgis Podmore, Tonks, Hestia Jones, Emmeline Vance, Arthur, Molly, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Fred and George Weasley, the first line of defence.
"If that's the case, and it was minister himself, we are well and truly on our own," Sirius said finally looking to Albus, a small smile playing on his lips. "We better make sure if we go down, and bloody least take the buggers with us."
"As long as Teddy is safe with my mum, I'm happy to go down fighting," Tonks agreed, she held the growing baby in her arms and smiled. "At least then I can finally rest."
"The only information I can give is that he is biding his time," Severus told them with a heavy sense of regret. "At this rate it will be one day we'll get a summons and there will be a fight, his supporters are the frightened and the blackmailed."
They each looked at each other, knowing that any given day from now that it could happen, out right war, death, destruction, and no guarantee that it would get them anywhere. Sounded ideal.
"We've done all we can, Harry and Aimee have both been training for this moment, they know what they are doing, and better yet, they aren't doing it alone," Moody growled. The matter was settled; they had done all they could, now it was just a waiting game.
"Are you ready?" Aimee asked, looking at Harry, he nodded, barely milliseconds later a shot of bright red light flew toward him. Harry was unprepared, and went flying backwards, hitting his head painfully against the stone behind him. Pushing himself up with one hand he used the other to inspect the lump, it stung. "Harry! Don't nod if you're not ready!"
She rushed to his side, and frowned as he sat up. His head was not bleeding, but that didn't mean he hadn't hurt himself.
"We should get you to Madame Pomfrey," She help Harry to his feet and looked around the room, various faces looked back with concern. This hadn't been the best idea, but it hadn't been the worst either. The world was under attack, their lives at risk, so calling together Dumbledore's Army had seemed like an idea. Ginny had once told her of the group, how they had trained together, Aimee couldn't see a better way of doing what needed to be done.
She looked to Ginny who watched with concern as Harry stood up, matched by many of the others around them. Aimee looked back to Harry, he was a horrid shade of crimson. She laughed despite herself.
"Yeah, thanks," Harry muttered as he stood up. He looked at the concerned face before raising his wand and sending a shock of blue light at Aimee who was instantly thrown through the air, she landed heavily on the stone floor. "Never let your guard down, they won't stop to see if you are alright. Don't give them the chance to kill you, because they will."
The darkness was falling and Ron was sat with Lavender in the room of requirement, he wanted to say something to her, but everything had changed. They had not spoken in the two weeks that had passed since she had told him, in that time he had told his parents and Dumbledore. Lavender, however, refused to tell anyone.
"It's not going to go away, you know that right?" She refused to admit to her friends what had happened, as such so far the rumours had not spread, but soon there would be no denying what was going on.
"I can hope."
He sighed; frustration building once more, this would soon descend into another argument. She clearly didn't want this, not with him at the very least; she'd made that much clear. Someone with more potential, and chances of survival. Someone smarter. Someone with money. The arguments had made everything so clear.
"Look, you've got to decide what you want to do for you, and then we can talk, but you not talking to me isn't gonna get either of us anywhere. You're still in your first tri-thingy, figure out what you want."
"I don't want to be pregnant, that's what I want Ron Weasley," Lavender spat at him. "I don't want to have a kid, and for some god awful reason I didn't get rid of it. Do what you want; because once it's out, it's out of my life."
Ron looked at Lavender; he nodded and walked away towards the door, slamming it closed behind him. He moved through the corridors blindly, until finally he leaned against a wall and slid down it, and for the first time in a long time, he cried.
He did not know how long he had been there before someone sat beside him, he rubbed his eyes when he had heard the footsteps, finally looking to his right it see an all too familiar face. She smiled at him, resting her head on his shoulder, as he rested his head atop hers.
"Do you remember the time when Fred and George turned your pillow into a spider? You panicked so much, dad had to come home from work, it was the only thing that made you stop freaking out… You're gonna be doing that soon. Sooner then we would like, but you will be, and I think that you will make an awesome dad, I'll be the bestest aunt in the world, and that kid will be spoilt rotten."
There was silence; nothing was said between the pair, not as the reality of it all sunk down on them.
"I think I want this, I mean, not now, not if I had the choice, I mean…" Ron stopped his words, half mumbled behind a wall of tears. "I can't change it, but I guess if this is it, I might just make it work… I really don't know what I'm doing Ginny."
"I don't think any of us do," Ginny replied with a small smile, she wrapped an arm around her brother's shoulders, and sighed. "If we did, everything would be just that much easier, guess this way keeps it interesting."
"Professor McGonagall, can I ask you a question?" Hermione asked, walking up to her professor after her transfiguration class, she held her books tightly in her arms as if they would protect her from the information she was about to request.
"Of course Miss Granger," Minerva McGonagall replied with ease, looking at her top student through her glasses.
"Last time… No one seems to realise how real the threat is out there… but then, I don't really know… What is it like?"
In all her years Minerva had been asked many questions, some more thoughtful, some from scared students, some from arrogant students, but never a question like this. Her head hung slightly as she tried to find the words, finally she settled for a slow approach, motioning for Hermione to sit across form her at the desk.
"When He was around last time, people were too scared to leave their houses, no one trusted anyone, and people died. It's hard to describe what it feels like to have a warrant out on your head because my beliefs state that equality is the way forward… I had a friend, called Simone, she was a muggle born witch, she was murdered, as were her entire family. I think it's only when you start to loose people that you realise how real the threat is, we've lost Remus and Deaulus, but we've lost a lot more, if I am honest with you miss Granger, I don't know whether to count my blessing for those that have survived so far, or pray for those that I know I'm about to lose."
"Everything has seemed so quiet?" Hermione put forward, hoping for a reassuring lie, but the knowing smile on McGonagall's face was evidence that she would not get it.
"To us maybe, what about the people who have died in the muggle world? He's biding his time, but you didn't need me to tell you that Hermione." McGonagall's eyes searched Hermione's young face, before looking at her own wrinkled hands clasped together on the table. "My advice to you Hermione is enjoy what you have at the moment, because there are people out there, stupid, foolish, selfish people, who want to take it away from you. And if it's in you, it might well not be, but if it is, fight for what you want. A lot of people in my day were too scared, and had their lives overturned… I hope, pray and beg that this time, people will stand up to Him."
"I'd be naïve to believe it might just go away, that it was just a bad dream," Hermione murmured, she smiled briefly at her professor, and turned on her heel, before pausing and looking back at the aging woman who watched her. "I love Fred Weasley, he's annoying, and loud, he's a prankster and foolish, and immature, and I love him with everything in me… I didn't think I would… I didn't think I'd ever feel like this… I don't think I could ever let anyone take that from me. He wants to kill Harry, he's my best friend, he was to destroy Aimee… I don't think I could ever stand by and watch that happen. Harry knows the prophecy, we all do, it's one or the other, and you'll be damned if I sit by and watch my friends die."