Is it not strange how one day you can easily assume that you have forever, that the world is within your grasp, and then the next everything is over? Christmas had come and gone, and rather than feeling the ebb of happiness that often remained after such a joyful holiday it was replaced by a fear and horror so beyond what any of them could ever possible think existed.

Harry was at work, he was being drilled relentlessly. He was running back and forth with the other twenty guys that were training to be Aurors, they were in the inside training hall, it was like a big Astroturf field with harsh light shining down on them.

Auror Dawlish was the drill leader, yelling at them constantly, but he was no harder on them than Moody, who had been called away some minutes ago.

When he returned he moved as fast as he possibly could towards Dawlish, they spoke for a mere second before the training Aurors were stopped.

"Potter, get over here!" Moody called to him gruffly, pointing his walking stick at Harry.

Harry instantly broke off from the rest of the group and jogged towards his mentor, coming to a stop before the pair.

"Sir, what's up?" Harry asked, looking at Moody's expression, which was decidedly stressed.

"I'm telling you this before we call everyone else in, there's been an attack on the Evans Manor, and as everyone is still there after Christmas..."

It was like the blood had all plummeted to his feet, rushing down to his feet, causing him to feel dizzy for a second before he realised the implications of what those words meant...


"Oh come on!" Maggie hissed as she sat on the toilet seat, Benjamin was downstairs and that meant she had their en-suit to herself, which is exactly what she needed. Christmas had just passed, and it was definitely not the amount of food she's eaten that caused her to lock herself into the bathroom.

Downstairs most people were out in the back garden, either throwing snowballs at each other or making the highest possible snowman; some were in the kitchen making hot chocolate and warm cookies. It was busy either way, as all the kids were back from school over the Christmas Holidays, and weren't due to return until tomorrow.

"Hey Maggie!" A familiar voice called through the door, Maggie almost jumped out of her skin, before quickly standing before the mirror, she tucked a stray strand of chocolate brown hair behind her ear, and inspected her reflection, she looked paler than usual.

"Hey, hold on one sec!" She called back, quickly shoving the things she had nestled on the side of the bathtub into the washing basket and closing the lid on it, not daring to risk looking at it for even merest of moments. She knew as she pulled the bathroom door open, she was slightly too breathless, but she could not give herself that to worry about as well, so she simply shot Oliver a bright smile. "What's up?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow at Maggie, grinning at her slightly, and Maggie was reminded just how much the brothers were alike.

"Benjamin is downstairs whining about you being up here all on about you being up here all on your own, and it's starting to get a bit annoying, want to join the rest of us?" Oliver ask, he was looking at Maggie with a expression that had lost a lot of his amusement and was growing with concern. "You alright?"

"Er, yeah, fine, why?" Maggie said, then silently cursed herself because her voice was so high only a dog would be able to hear it. Oliver who was still standing opposite her raised his eyebrows at her, watching as her cheeks flush red.

"You look... Maggie, I'm pretty sure that you're eventually gonna be my sister in the future, so you really need to trust me, that's kinda how the family works," Oliver said, slinging his arm around Maggie's shoulders, they had their backs to the bathroom, and Oliver caught her looking back at the washing basket. "Maggie, whatever it is you can tell me."


"DUCK!" Samantha screamed, falling to her knees and laughing as a snowbell flew over her head, crashing into Mackenzie's face. Samantha laughed loudly, pointing at Mackenzie who was spluttering, and wiping at her eyes, wandering in circles blindly, eventually walking into a tall body.

"Hey!" The body exclaimed, catching Mackenzie before she fell on her butt into the cold and wet snow, Mackenzie blinked open her silver eyes and looked up at Fred Weasley, his red hair falling messily and damp into his kind eyes. "Don't want you getting yourself hurt again. Especially since I was kind of hoping that you might consider joining me tomorrow for lunch, on a date..."

"Oh, well..." Mackenzie looked towards Samantha who was pretending that she wasn't listening to their conservation, Mackenzie looked back to Fred and smiled softly, she'd had the biggest crush on him for ages, she'd kissed him before but the timing had all been wrong... there was nothing stopping her now... "I like Italian food."

"Just as well I know a nice little restaurant..."


"Can you look at it for me?" Her voice was quieter than usual; she looked smaller, and more delicate than ever. He wanted to argue, this wasn't his place, his brother should be doing this, but the lost look in her expression stopped him from arguing with her, so instead he reached forward and grabbed the item she was glancing out fearfully.

He looked down at it, unsure what he should say, how did he tell her?

Just as he figured the words however, there was a great scream, one that rung around the house, instantly Oliver was on his feet, he looked out the window and saw His family running back towards the house, as they were slowly surrounded by robed figures.

He looked at Maggie for a second before looking down at the item in his hand once again. He met Maggie's icy blue eyes before managing a week smile.

"We've got to get out of here... We've got to get you out of here Maggie," He didn't need to say anything else, she knew what he meant, so with teary eyes she nodded, and followed him running out into the corridor.

"The fireplace in the Reading room," Maggie said looking at the door across the hall about five doors down, Oliver looked towards the staircase, weighing his options, he knew it would be unwise to let Maggie go anywhere on her own, but he could already hear shouting downstairs and he needed to help the rest of his family, weighing his options he grabbed Maggie's elbow before practically dragging her towards the reading room.

He was surprised by the stillness of the room, as the door closed it blocked out the sounds of the yelling below, he felt like he was somehow betraying them as he reached for the floo powder, but as he looked at Maggie and realised that he was protecting someone who couldn't save themselves, he knew it would be worse if he left her.

"Can you go to the ministry, tell them Minister James and the whole family is in trouble! Maggie, I need you to do this for us, and then Benjamin will need you to be at St Mungo's, call a emergency team to be prepared, and then get yourself seen to," Oliver told Maggie quickly, he quickly and as reassuringly as possible he squeezed her hand.

"Good luck," Maggie said before throwing the floo powder Oliver handed her into the flames in the fireplace, and yelled 'the ministry of magic' and disappeared in an emerald green swirl.

As Maggie fell out into the Atrium of the Ministry she saw a few people look at her oddly. She disregarded this however as her hand gripped over her stomach, and reached for the nearest person using the other hand.

"HELP! You have to help!" Maggie yelled tugging relentlessly on the sleeve of the man's jacket, she recognised the face, it was Rodger Davis, he was only a few years older than she was, and he seemed to recognise her.

"Maggie Preston?" His voice was rough and slightly panicked, his eyes were wide, and he was attempting to support her.

"Help, you have to get help, the Potters... Minister Potter – attack, there's been an attack!" Maggie gasped out, she was breathless, and exhausted, and very suddenly she found herself gasping more through the tears that seemed to very suddenly catch up with her. "Benjamin – Sophie – Ala-Alastor!"


When they burst the doors from the hinges attempting to get into the house, the first thing they saw was the stray spells shooting from various rooms downstairs. They could also distantly hear a baby screaming, Harry looked to his squad leader, Moody who nodded.

They knew who was doing what, and Harry had already asked Moody to make sure Alastor and Sophie were safe, he was the best and Alastor was only a baby. Harry however was meant to go through and help whoever he could, which he was more than willing to do.

He instantly moved to the nearest door way, dodging a stray spell as he rushed into the living room, there he quickly found Joshua, his small body hidden behind the overturned oak coffee table, beside him Spencer and Jonathon were yelling the few spells they knew at the oncoming Deatheaters. Harry quickly stunned and tied up the Deatheater nearest to them, before quickly shoving a portkey into their hands, it would take them almost instantly to St Mungo's where a team was waiting for them.

Harry could feel as the portkey pulled the four boys away, but clearly not fast enough, as there was a flash of colour before his eyes, and as they disappeared it shot into the group of them... he did not see who it hit.

The panic he felt as he was left staring into empty space stuck with him for what felt like a lifetime until he was knocked out of it quite literally when an explosion to his left shattered a wall and the debris hit him, the pain was awful, and he could feel as warm wetness slinked down the back of his head, and dribbled down his neck, but he could not bring himself to care, as with a ferocious roar he turned on t he nearest Deatheater and hit him with an emerald spell that sent him flying and left him lying silently on the floor some twenty feet away.

He struggled through the pain and fear towards another Deatheater, this one cackling away, sending deadly curses at whatever target she willed, Harry did not stop to consider his next move, and simply shot his deadly curse at her, he missed by inches but it was closely followed by another curse and she fell back, her hood falling down revealing the face of Daphne Greengrass.

It saddened him for a instant, that someone he knew and grew up with in school lay endlessly silent because of him, but the tugging feeling that she had somehow brought this upon herself would not allow him to stop for too long, but rather encouraged him to continue with his fight.


Sophie sobbed as she held Alastor to her chest, he was screaming and she could not help him as she attempted to steady her wand, she did not know who she could hear stepping up the stairs towards her, and she was sure that she would not care, but to risk Alastor... There was no apparating out of this house, and she could not risk leaving the room now to get to the nearest fireplace in the reading room, so she remained huddled down the side of her mum and dad's bed and prayed that this was someone who was going to help her.

The door flew open and Sophie raised her wand-

"EX-" She stopped her spell instantly upon seeing the face of the man in the doorway, she lowered her wand slightly and glared at him tearfully. "What's my patronus?"

"A swan, now come on Longbottom, bring the kid, and get out of here!" Moody barked gruffly, holding out an old silver spoon. She felt the familiar pull on her naval and not soon enough she landed in the familiar setting of St Mungo's hospital, however when she landed she noticed the group before her, a number of healers were crowded around a body, blood was covering the floor, and nearby stood Jonathon and Spencer, tears streaming down their faces, as they watched the scene before them unfolding.

"Spencer, where's Joshua?!" Sophie demanded of her brother as she held Alastor on her hip, and grabbing Spencer's shoulder, shaking him from his daze slightly. "Spencer! Where's your brother?"

She looked fleetingly towards the gaggle of healers, and then did a retake.

She did not realise she was screaming, until a healer carefully held Alastor, and she felt her hands reach her mouth, as she vainly attempted to cover her mouth to stop the screams, but as her eyes saw the body before her being worked on insistently by the healers she could not help but feel the horror, and then the bile rose up in her throat, and she wheeled around, collapsing to her hands and knees and gagged onto the floor, tears streaming heavily down her cheeks.

She did not need for them to say it, she could tell by that one fleeting look, there was nothing to be done, though they tried, the damage was too much for one young body to handle.

"Miss Longbottom..." She could not raise her head to look who was talking, but she felt the arms wrap around her waist and pull her into the nearest chair, she felt someone else nearby, hovering with her baby, she reached blindly for him, and was reluctantly allowed to take her baby back into her arms, sobbing into his warm side, and hearing his screams in her ear.

"T-take him to the nursery!" She sobbed out, quickly handing him back to the healer, and pulling Spencer and Jonathon into her arms. She could feel a coldness within her, building up and making it painful to breathe.


The noise ringing in her ears was almost deafening, she wanted to drop her wand, and clutch her ears, in what she knew would be a vain attempt to stop the ringing, however in this setting she knew to attempt it would be a big mistake. But to cast her spells and curses was becoming ever difficult, it was then as she almost dropped her wand she saw the flash of purple, shooting towards a smaller figure, she did not know who it was, but quickly, she ran forward, knocking the person down, and felt the rush as the spell shot over them.

She looked down and saw Samantha's grateful expression, the younger girl opened her mouth, but whatever she was saying Katie couldn't hear, she shook her head, quickly getting to her feet... it was almost like someone was screaming into her ears, slowly getting louder and louder, it was starting to make her dizzy.

She did not realise she was falling until she felt Samantha grabbed her... In fact she was not sure she felt that either.

"HELP!" Samantha screamed suddenly, looking around the room, as she supported Katie's limp form, she saw as a Deatheater looked up at her, and pointed her wand at him, screaming a curse, a shot of yellow sprouted from her wand and hit the Deatheater square in the chest.

As they were in the kitchen Samantha ducked around the island in the centre of the room and gently tapped Katie's face trying to get her to open her eyes once again, it wasn't working however, and she felt the frustrated tears well in her eyes, she was tired and scared. Suddenly a body fell beside them and she found herself looking at none other than Charlie Weasley.

"Are you alright?" He asked her over the shouts and screams around them, he was looking at her with great concern, and watching over the counter, yelling the occasional spell.

Samantha shook her head, she was not alright, still lying silently in her arms was an unconscious Katie, and she could feel the freezing fear in her stomach as she listened to the sounds of her family fighting.

"I want to get out of here, I'm scared!" Samantha sobbed, she felt Charlie pull her to him, and hug her protectively for a second before peering over the top of the counter, quickly he drew away, just an instant before the top of the counter was blown away, Samantha screamed, as she felt Charlie cover her head, so she wouldn't be seriously injured.

Without so much a second thought Charlie brought Katie into his arms, and got Samantha to grab his elbow before he ran with them to the Hallway, ducking any curses that may have strayed their way. When they burst out into the hallway it was Samantha's job to deflect curses because Charlie had his hands full carrying Katie.

"Good girl Sam!" Charlie yelled as they ducked behind the staircase and away from the spells that risked hitting them.

"PROTEGO!" Samantha screamed as a blue spell risked hitting Charlie in the back, he was bent over a small object, having laid Katie's body down; quickly he turned back to Samantha and placed something in her hand.

"Take this, get Katie to touch it to; it'll take you to St Mungo's!" Charlie yelled over the curses being screamed, he looked away and quickly rushed off as Katie and Samantha disappeared from the room.


Sirius cursed as he felt a searing pain across his leg, but ignored it, quickly grabbing his daughter from a stray spell, Ivy was somewhere nearby, he could hear her voice, yelling her curses.

"AV-"

"CRUCIO!" Sirius was expecting the extreme pain that came from that curse, however it never came, in fact in the instant after he heard the most pained screams he had heard in a long time, he swirled around quickly, his eyes landing on Mackenzie who was standing over the screaming form of Ginny Weasley.

Sirius saw with anger as his daughter sobbed and attempted to protect the form of her screaming best friend.

"Protego!" Mackenzie yelled, pointing her wand towards the Deatheater who was yelling a curse to send at the pair. "DAD!" Mackenzie yelled up at him. "Get it to stop!"

Instantly Sirius stunned the female Deatheater who had sent the curse and the horrified screams stopped, and Mackenzie struggled to help Ginny to her feet, she was quickly helped by Pansy, there was blood on the older girls face, but she was unconcerned about herself as she helped drag Ginny away.

But quite suddenly Mackenzie heard another scream, and felt the whole of Ginny's weight fall to the side as Pansy collapsed, Mackenzie had little time to figure out what was happening, but she had felt the blood splatter across her face, and her ankle break as she too fell.

From her position on the floor, half on top of Ginny the both of their breathing raspy, she could see Pansy on the floor, her eyes wide, her hands at her lower stomach, she was barely breathing with the shock that she was in as she watched the blood seep through her expensive red jumper, and onto her hands.

Mackenzie did not realise she was screaming until her voice gave out on her, and then she was crawling towards Pansy, and ripping her jumper off her own body, pressing it against the wound that was bleeding relentlessly. She could barely breathe or see, the tears that were pouring down her cheeks making it near impossible.

She needed to do something, but she didn't know what... She met Pansy's dark eyes, and silently begged her to remain awake, but there was nothing she could do as she desperately tried to stem the bleeding, as Pansy's eyes rolled back into her head.

She did not notice the rest of the battle around her, or hears the screams and the yells; all she could hear was the rushing of her blood through her body and the crackling sound of white noise... She could not feel the pain in her ankle or to her arm, but only the pressure against her hands, the warm wetness of thick blood... She could not smell the smoke, or the sweat, but only the off scent of young blood...