The characters of the Harry Potter universe belong to Ms. Rowlings, and I'm borrowing them for my own imagination.

Chapter 56 - New Years Eve

Hermione was up in Lily's room helping her to get ready for the party at the Burrow's that evening. All the adults had headed out earlier for last minute shopping before the majority of the house would head back to Hogwarts the next day.

"Daddy said I could stay up until midnight wif everyone else at the party." Lily informed her.

"You sure you are going to be able to stay up that late." Hermione asked.

"Yes." Lily insisted, but Hermione doubted. She was just as excited about the party as Remy and Brian were, but Hermione figured that Lily would wear herself out long before midnight.

Suddenly Anna and Tonks came bursting into the front door yelling for everyone to come down to the living room.

"What is going on?" Hermione asked as she carried Lily down to the living room. Remy and Brian close behind her.

"We need to head to Grimald Place now." Tonks said.

"Why?" Brian asked. "I thought we were going to the Burrows."

"Plans have changed." Anna said lighting the fire place and grabbing the floo powder. "Brian come with me. Hermione, you follow with Lily next then Tonks will bring Remy."

"Tonks, what happened?" Hermione asked now very nervously. As Anna flooed to Grimald Place.

"The Ministry has been attacked. Most of the defenses were down due to many of the employees being on holiday." Tonks said. "Now go."

Hermione stepped into the floo holding tightly to Lily. When she arrived in the kitchen, she was relieved to see Ron waiting for her there.

Passing Lily over to Anna, Hermione wrapped her arms around Ron and hugged him tightly. "Is everyone here?"

"No. Only Mum, Dad, Ginny, Harry and the twins and now the six of you. They are expecting the rest of the Order to start arriving soon." Ron said. "Bill is to get back tonight from his honeymoon. Dad has already sent an owl to Charlie."

"What about..." Hermione asked.

"Don't know." Ron said shooting an anxious look at his mother, both worried because if anyone was working at the Ministry today it would be Percy. Then he quickly whispered, "Harry and I remembered something that might be important to our research, but we can't explain until we get back to school." Hermione just nodded in response.

"Ron, you and Hermione take the kids into the library." Mrs. Weasley ordered.

"Yes, Mum." Ron said. He retrieved Lily from Anna and led them to the library where Harry, Ginny, and the twins sat waiting. Harry immediately rushed over to hug Hermione.

"Have you heard anything?" Hermione asked.

"No, and Mum hasn't been too forth coming." Ginny said.

"Hopefully Kingsley or Mad-Eye can tell us who was at the Ministry today." Ron said.

"Other then Kingsley, the only other Ministry employees I care about are here." Ginny said.

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. "What about Percy?"

"He doesn't seem to care to much about us." Fred began.

"Why should we care about a git like him." George finished.

"Because he is your brother, and he cared quite a lot when Ginny was taken into the Chamber and when Ron was underwater with the Mermaids. You are showing the same prejudicial views as You Know Who if you hate Percy just because he doesn't share your views." Hermione argued.

Just then the front door slammed shut, eliciting from Mrs. Black, "Blood traitor, half-bloods, and filth! How dare you enter the most noble House of Black!!"

They heard the rustling of curtains, before Severus, Remus, Kingsley and Mad-Eye entered the library.

"Has anyone tried just painting over her?" Severus grumbled.

"Daddy!" Lily called out, and Ron set her down so she could run over to her father.

"Good you all made it." Severus said as he lifted Lily up into his arms.

"What is going on?" Harry asked.

"Ginny, can you take the younger children to the kitchen and get them some sandwiches to eat." Mrs. Weasley ordered.

"Mum!" Ginny huffed.

"Now." Mrs. Weasley ordered.

Hermione was proud that the Snape children didn't complain. Hermione figured that they believed that their parents or Hermione would tell them what they needed to know.

As soon as Ginny and the kids were out of the door, Mrs. Weasley cast a silencing charm on the room to prevent eaves droppers.

"Well?" Anna asked.

"Scrimgeour is dead." Kingsley said.

"Percy . . . " Mrs. Weasley sputtered.

"Was off on a personal day." Kingsley confirmed.

Of course, it was his anniversary. He would be spending the day with Penny and Patrick. Hermione thought gratefully.

"What are we going to do?" Anna asked.

"We need to resurrect safe guards around the Burrows and the households of other members of the Order, like we have at our home." Severus said.

"We are going to be staying at headquarters until those safeguards are put in place. Albus and Minerva have already headed to Hogwarts to make sure all of the defenses are readied to keep the students safe. I along with Remus, Tonks, Savage and Proudfoot will head there early tomorrow morning." Kingsley said.

"We would prefer all of the kids floo to Hogwarts. Anna and I will take our quartet home tomorrow morning, then bring them to the Burrows to floo to the school. I don't feel comfortable having them ride the train and flooing to and from my home will be out of the question for a while. Albus wants to convert our home into a safe house if needed." Severus said.

Anna just nodded in response.

"There you are, we got here as soon as we could." Bill said as he walked in with Fleur close behind.

"Bill." Mrs. Weasley gushed and rushed over to hug him.

"Sorry you had to come back to such evil tidings." Arthur said as he kissed his daughter-in-law's cheek then helped to extract Bill from his mother's crushing embrace.

"What needs to be done?" Bill asked.

"Severus and Remus will work with those of you not heading to Hogwarts in order to establish defenses around each of your homes. We are all staying here tonight." Kinglsey said.

"I know this is not the time for celebration, but the children were so looking forward to a New Years Celebration. Could we at least do something low key here for them?" Anna asked. "We can't let them be deprived of what little fun and happiness there is now."

"Anna is right." Tonks said.

"I can cook up some dinner for all of us. While you work on the defense plan, Fred and George you can help the kids decorate within reason. Stay in here and remember we must keep hidden." Mrs. Weasley said and Harry, Ron and Hermione knew they were included in the kids mentioned.

"Yes, Mum." The twins said in unison.

"Not sure how happy a new year it is going to be." Harry grumbled.

TBC