'Ready?' Hermione asked softly once they had all gathered outside the Room of Requirement. She checked her watch. It was only eight. The 'Hearing of the Prophecy', as the Daily Prophet had begun calling it, was not to occur until at least ten. But they needed to prepare. They needed to be ready.

Five sets of hard eyes turned to her. Five heads nodded tensely.

'Let's go, then,' Hermione breathed. She Disillusioned each of them and silently led them to the entrance of the one-eyed witch passageway. They walked down to their usual spot beyond the boundaries of the wards surrounding Hogwarts.

'Winky!' she whispered. The house-elf popped into the passageway and bowed to them.

'Take Susan and Luna to my parents',' she ordered, gesturing at the two girls directly behind her. 'After you arrive, get back to the kitchens. Understood?'

Winky nodded, looking perhaps surprised at Hermione's unusually direct attitude. She grabbed Susan and Luna's hands in her own and disapparated with another pop.

'Daphne, Neville, you next,' Hermione said. 'Ginny, wait here. I'll come back for you.'

Hermione grabbed Daphne and Neville's hands and apparated away. An uncomfortable second later, she was standing in her parents' kitchen. She let go of their hands immediately and turned to disapparate back to the passageway.

Ginny was ready for her the moment she returned. Hermione grabbed her wrist and the two of them departed, reappearing in the Grangers' kitchen once more.

'Sirius will be here within ten minutes,' she announced the moment she arrived, checking her watch once more. 'Help yourselves to tea or anything in the refrigerator if you want.'

No one was feeling particularly peckish, though. Luna nibbled half-heartedly at a biscuit and Hermione herself tried to sip some tea. There was no conversation. They waited in nervous silence for Sirius.

The front door lock clicked. Hermione was on her feet at once, pointing her wand at the opening door. The rest followed her lead.

Sirius came in, a woman that Hermione recognized as Andromeda Tonks following him.

'What did you do at every full moon when you were at school?' Hermione demanded.

'Turn into Padfoot and run around the Forbidden Forest with Moony, Prongs, and the rat,' Sirius replied. 'Yours and Harry's anniversary.'

'New Year's Eve,' Hermione answered immediately. There was no way she would ever forget that date, not even if someone applied a memory charm so powerful that she completely lost her mind like Lockhart.

Sirius nodded and lowered his wand, Hermione following suit. 'Andie's safe,' Sirius said as he came into the house.

'Everything normal…or as expected?'

Sirius nodded. 'The Aurors and Unspeakables are all in their respective positions. The wards are almost set. We'll apparate the lot of you directly into the Atrium and the Unspeakables will seal the apparition-preventing wards.'

Andromeda and Sirius came into the kitchen. Sirius took Neville's and Ginny's hands and Andromeda took Luna's and Susan's hands. 'See you in a minute,' Sirius said to Hermione with a nod before he and his cousin disapparated.

Hermione turned and took Daphne's hand. 'Go?'

The other girl looked nervous for a second before nodding stiffly. 'Go.'

Hermione turned on the spot and the two departed from her home to appear in the middle of the Ministry Atrium. At first glance, it seemed like not much about the place had changed, save for the fact that the statue of the wizard, witch, elf, goblin, and centaur – which Hermione hated, anyway – had been removed, nominally to give the journalists from the Daily Prophet a clearer shot of the ceremony taking place, but Hermione knew the real reason. It was to give everyone a clearer shot at Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

And beneath the surface, Hermione could feel the immensely different, high-strung atmosphere. Teams of red-robed Aurors and Hit-Wizards sporting black balaclavas and matching black garments that much more resembled her own muggle clothing than robes were moving about the Atrium, no doubt getting into position. Hermione saw Sirius and his two cousins off on one side of the Atrium. Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Neville were all standing near them.

Hermione hurried up to them. 'What's new?' she asked.

'There're going to be Aurors and Hit-Wizards posing as reporters from the Prophet or WWN,' Neville relayed. 'We're going to blend in with them. You, Hermione, you'll be with Sirius Black, the Minister, and Madam Bones.'

'The wards have been sealed,' Ginny added, looking paler than usual. 'The Unspeakables sealed them the moment you two apparated in. There's no getting in or out now, except through the fireplaces.'

Hermione swallowed. 'Nothing else?'

They all shook their heads. 'Aunt Amelia will get you when they're ready,' Susan said. 'As for us…she's not too happy that we're here…but…well…she'll work with us, I think. We'll just have to wait for the call.'

Hermione nodded stiffly. 'What about Harry?'

'They'll send Aurors to get him from the school half an hour before, I think,' Susan replied. 'They reckon that it'd arouse suspicion if Harry were here too early. That's what my aunt said, at least.'

Hermione chewed her lower lip with worry. Harry was safe, she told herself, for right now, at least. She would see him before…before all hell broke loose. They would get through this. Neville had been adamant, and she wanted desperately to believe him.

'Aurors, Hit-Wizards, in position!' Kingsley's voice boomed over the Atrium. It was not slow, deep, and calming like Hermione remembered. Instead, his voice now resonated great power and unquestionable right to authority.

The Aurors and Hit-Wizards in uniform began lining up along the side corridors leading into the Great Hall. Among them, Hermione spotted Remus. She knew Tonks must be there, too, but no head of pink hair was to be found. Perhaps she had used her abilities to disguise herself, Hermione thought.

A large group of witches and wizards in plain wizarding robes made their way up one of the corridors and got into position on either side of the Atrium. They were carrying wizarding cameras and quills in their hands as part of their disguise.

'Missus Tonks, Miss Black!' Hermione heard Amelia's voice call. Andromeda and Narcissa turned to face her. 'With the plainrobes Aurors, please.'

Sirius's cousins nodded before turning and making their way to their designated positions. Amelia next turned in Hermione's direction.

'All right, the six of you except Hermione,' she said with a frown. 'There's nothing I can do to stop you or get you out of here anymore, so I'll hold my tongue. With the plainrobes Aurors. Stand further back so you aren't as conspicuous.'

Hermione hugged each of them and bade them all good luck, and they marched off to join the other Aurors. That left Hermione, Sirius, and Amelia standing together, the last few still not in position.

'We'll be the closest to Harry when he comes in,' Amelia said. 'We'll be standing facing the Floo exits. Voldemort might attack the moment he enters, or he might funnel all his forces in before attacking himself. We don't know. Be on your guard at all times. We'll be the first ones to know if something happens.'

Hermione nodded. She checked her watch again. It was thirty minutes to ten. She was shocked by how quickly time had passed in the flurry of activity. Harry would be out of bed now, having woken up alone in his Dormitory…

She missed him, she missed his calming arms wrapped around her, like they had been nearly every morning before, but she needed to put that thought out of her mind now. She could not afford to be distracted. She repeated to herself Neville's adamant words. We will be fine. We will be fine.

Hermione turned to Sirius and shared a look. He gave a dark, grim nod, and the two of them followed Amelia to join Kingsley at the centre of the Atrium.


Harry checked the clock on his nightstand. It read eight fifty. He sat up on his bed and yawned. He felt as if he had only slept two hours. In retrospect, that had probably been how long he had actually slept for. He had lost track of just how much time he had spent tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

He climbed out of his bed in the Room of Requirement. Hermione had left long ago. Harry felt a jolt of some indescribable emotion shoot through him at the thought of her. To say he missed her would be a gross simplification; to say that he was nervous for her safety was a gross understatement. Harry pushed those thoughts aside and began pulling on the clothes that he had set on his nightstand. It was his standard 'battledress' – straight-legged jeans, a nice, stretchy and elastic shirt, and comfortable trainers. He pulled on a black coat on top of it all. He checked its inner pocket and found that the Invisibility Cloak was safely folded inside. Satisfied, he grabbed his wand off the nightstand and slipped out of the Dormitory.

Before heading down to the Great Hall, Harry stopped by the Room of Requirement. He opened his and Hermione's potions trunk and took out a flask of Invigoration Draught. There was just potion still left over to give him a few hours' energy boost, Harry saw. He unstopped the flask and drank the potion in three large gulps.

Feeling energized, Harry made his way down to the Great Hall. As expected, the room was nearly empty. At the Head Table sat only Snape and McGonagall. Dumbledore was nowhere to be found. Harry did not complain. Dumbledore's absence was perfectly fine by him.

He sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table and loaded his plate with some bacon, tomatoes, and eggs. He had little appetite yet felt ravenously hungry at the same time. He dug into his food and ate it without much enthusiasm.

Harry checked his watch again. It read nine ten. Another twenty minutes, perhaps, before the Aurors were due to arrive to bring him to the Ministry. He pondered again how Hermione and the others were doing. They must be getting prepared, Harry thought. He wondered if Hermione was feeling the same nervousness that he was.

No one came to talk to him through all of breakfast, not even McGonagall. Secretly, Harry was glad. He wanted solitude, not empty words of reassurance from people who had little idea of what was to unfold today.

Finally, at nine twenty-five, McGonagall descended from the Head Table and made her way towards Harry.

'The Aurors should be here for you anytime now,' she told him. 'I would make my way down to the Entrance Hall.'

Harry nodded stiffly and got up from the Gryffindor Table. He looked at McGonagall, unsure of what to say.

'Whatever happens today, Harry,' McGonagall said quietly. 'Know that I stand with you.'

'Thank you, Professor,' Harry replied, his voice filled with emotion.

He turned and shuffled slowly out of the Great Hall. Turning right, he found himself moments later standing in the Entrance Hall. He looked out towards the grounds and saw two figures in red robes walking towards him.

'Mister Potter?' one of them asked. Harry nodded.

'Come with us, then,' the other one said.

Harry obediently walked out towards the two Aurors. They looked quite young, and Harry did not recognize them. The two Aurors stoically turned and began walking back the way they came towards the gates of Hogwarts, Harry following close behind.

'We will be apparating to the Ministry employees' entrance,' the first Auror said matter-of-factly. 'The Ministry complex has been sealed against apparition on Madam Bones's orders. Take my hand.'

Harry grabbed the Auror's right hand and took a deep breath. The man turned on the spot, and the three of them disappeared.


Albus looked out onto the grounds from the window of his study. Harry and the two Aurors accompanying him had disapparated moments ago. Within minutes, they would be at the Ministry. Within an hour, perhaps, Tom will be making his move.

Albus left his study and made his way to the Defence Professor's office. He had no idea the numbers that Tom might bring in an attack on the Ministry. He might need Alastor's help, both to capture any Death Eaters that may be still left when he arrived and to liaison with the Ministry. Kingsley Shacklebolt was not so forgiving towards Albus these days and might not take kindly to his appearance. Having Alastor on his side would, Albus thought, make the Ministry more willing to listen to what he had to tell them, what was the right way to proceed from here on out. Albus was certain that only he knew the way that Tom could be defeated once and for all.

'Alastor!' Albus called, knocking on his door.

He waited for several minutes before the door opened. No doubt, Alastor had been checking every one of his Dark Detectors to make sure that he was not an imposter trying to kill him.

'Albus,' Alastor said gruffly. 'Come in.'

Albus came into the room and sat down. 'What do you need, Albus,' Alastor demanded.

'You do know what is to happen at the Ministry this morning, Alastor?'

The ex-Auror nodded. 'They're bringing in Potter to hear some Prophecy about him.'

Albus nodded. 'And, if you were Lord Voldemort, what would you do when you have Harry and the Prophecy that he so desires to hear in one place, which just so happens to be the centre of power for the country's magical world?'

'I would attack with all my forces,' Alastor replied. 'To not do that would be wasting a golden opportunity.'

'Indeed, Alastor,' Albus said approvingly. 'I am nearly certain that such an attack will happen this morning.'

'Do you not think the Aurors are prepared?' Alastor demanded. 'If you thought of such a possibility, then surely the DMLE would have, as well.'

Albus sighed. Alastor still had a bit too much loyalty to the Auror force for his liking. He would have to work with it, though.

'I do not doubt the Aurors have prepared, Alastor. Simply that I do not believe that they know all of Voldemort's secrets. Without knowing all his secrets, I doubt that they would be able to defeat him.'

'And you do?'

Albus nodded. 'I believe so.'

'So why're you here?' Alastor snarled. 'Go to the Ministry right now and let the Minister know instead of wasting time talking to me.'

Albus shook his head. 'Alastor, you of all people should understand that some information cannot be allowed to get out.'

'Maybe not to Fudge,' Alastor replied gruffly. 'Shacklebolt's a different matter. He was my highest-performing Auror for years. I cannot see the possibility of him not acting on your information, or allowing the information to leak out.'

Albus sighed. Why was it that no one understood the things that needed to be done for the Greater Good? He had thought that Alastor of all people would understand why secrets like the Horcruxes must be kept. The Prophecy leak had already done enough damage to Albus's plans. He could not allow another slip.

'Some things are too dangerous to be told, Alastor,' Albus tried to explain. 'If Voldemort finds out that his secrets are known, then what would he do?'

'So you, being the only one who apparently knows all of Voldemort's secrets, plans to take him out all on your own?'

'I do not, Alastor, and that is where you come in.'

'Explain.'

'No matter what the Aurors do, Voldemort cannot be defeated.' Alastor opened his mouth to protest, but Albus held up his hand. 'I must inform the Minister of the…proper…avenues that he must take in the war against him. The Minister, as you might have realised, does not trust me. I believe that your presence may help…soften…his attitudes.'

'You want to use me,' Alastor spat. 'You want to parade me around so that the Minister trusts you and listens to your ramblings about how secrets must be kept without thinking twice?'

Albus frowned. Ever since the end of last year, Alastor had a bit of an independent streak. Never did Albus think, however, that Alastor would be so openly confrontational where his plans were concerned.

'You will help save us all, Alastor,' Albus appealed. 'It is for the Greater Good.'

Alastor snorted. 'And why do I feel that your "greater good" is going to lead to hundreds of innocent people being killed?'

'It is the only way, Alastor,' Albus said. With a surge of guilt, he furtively drew his wand and cast two spells in sequence. First, a strong Confundus Charm. That was followed by a Compulsion Charm. Alastor's one natural eye went distant as he was hit by the two spells.

'What do you need me to do?' Alastor asked blankly.

'Meet me in the Entrance Hall at half-past-ten,' Albus answered, stowing the Elder Wand back into his robes.

Alastor nodded. 'Meet you in the Entrance Hall at half-past-ten.'

'Thank you, Alastor,' Albus said, getting up and walking out the door. He did not like what he had to do, but at least, with Alastor's compelled agreement to 'help' him, the Greater Good may be saved yet.


Harry reappeared in the middle of an underground public toilet. He recognized the place from his Ministry break-in two years in the future of the 'old timeline'. He looked around and found the place empty. Perhaps the Death Eaters had not arrived yet, or perhaps they had taken a different route. That thought worried Harry. What if the Death Eaters changed their attack route? Would they be prepared?

One of the Aurors reached into his pocket and removed three familiar-looking golden tokens. He handed one of them to Harry and his colleague. He slotted his own token into the cubicle door, opened it, and stepped inside.

'Watch me,' he said plainly, stepping up to the toilet bowl and climbing into it. He pulled the flush handle and disappeared down the toilet bowl.

'Your turn, Mister Potter,' the second Auror said, nudging Harry in the back. Harry put his token into the door of another cubicle and stepped onto the toilet seat. Just as he remembered, the water in the toilet bowl did not wet his clothes. He reached up to the flush handle and pulled. Immediately, he felt a dizzying sensation much like Floo travel, but somehow different. A second later, he had reappeared out of one of the Floo grates off to the side of the Ministry Atrium.

The Auror who had flushed himself in before Harry was waiting there. 'We've been told to escort you here, Mister Potter,' he said. Just then, the second Auror came out of a Floo grate opposite Harry. The first Auror turned to his colleague. 'We are needed.'

The other Auror nodded and looked at Harry. 'Go see Madam Bones. Good luck.'

Harry thanked them and they hastily departed. Harry turned to the right and saw a crowd of people standing on either side of the Atrium. The middle of the space was left mostly empty except for a few people. With a jolt of joy mingled with concern, Harry spotted Hermione and Sirius standing with Kingsley and Amelia.

Harry rushed towards them. Hermione saw him coming and flew at him, throwing her arms around him and squeezing him so tightly that Harry felt like his ribs were about to break.

'You're okay?' Harry asked softly.

Hermione nodded into his shoulder. 'We're fine. Well…as fine as you can be…but fine.'

'And how do you feel?'

Harry could feel Hermione shrug. 'How're you supposed to feel when you're a few hours away from possibly ending a Dark Lord?'

Harry chuckled softly and gave her a squeeze. 'I know.'

'Time?'

Harry checked his watch over Hermione's shoulder. 'Ten-to-ten,' he replied.

He could feel Hermione tensing in his arms. 'Ten minutes,' she murmured.

'We'll be okay, right?' Harry asked, holding her tighter.

'We'll be okay,' Hermione said. 'We've been preparing for this for…maybe more than a decade. We'll be okay.'

'I love you.'

Hermione gave a small sniff into his shoulder. 'I love you too.'

The two broke apart, but Harry still determinedly held on to Hermione's hand. They turned to face the adults.

'Good morning, Harry,' Kingsley said, sticking out his hand. Harry shook it clumsily.

'Good morning, Kingsley, Amelia, Sirius.'

Sirius nodded with a faint smile and squeezed Harry quickly. 'You be careful,' he breathed into Harry's ear. 'Remember, nearly the entire Auror Office and more than half the Hit-Wizard Corps are here. Don't overextend.'

Harry nodded. 'I won't.'

'You know the plan?' Amelia asked. Harry nodded. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but ultimately, she swallowed and remained silent.

Every one of the next ten minutes felt like more than an hour. Harry had his arm held firmly around Hermione's waist, and she was holding on to his arm in a tight death grip.

Nine fifty-five. Harry turned to her. Her face was pale and frightened-looking and she was nervously chewing her lower lip. Harry gave her a sideways squeeze and he was relieved to feel some of the tension escape her body.

Nine fifty-eight. The Atrium had fallen into total silence. A drop of a quill could be heard.

Nine fifty-nine.

'Hermione?'

'Harry?'

Harry turned to her, and in front of perhaps hundreds of spectators, kissed her passionately. When he pulled back, he saw that some colour had been returned to her face by her blush.

Harry opened his mouth, but Hermione shook her head. 'I know,' she whispered. 'I do too.'

The second hand and minute hand concurrently reached twelve on Harry's watch. At that exact moment, a procession of witches and wizards wearing deep blue robes walked up to the Atrium through one of the side corridors. The hoods of their robes covered their face in shadow, so that Harry could not recognize any one of them.

The people in the crowds on either side of the Atrium began clicking away on their wizarding cameras. Harry knew that most of them were Aurors posing as journalists. He also knew that he had far greater things to worry about, but he could not help but feel a sort of awkwardness at the attention that he was indirectly being given.

One of the Unspeakables came up to Kingsley and said something so quietly that Harry barely caught that the man was speaking. Kingsley nodded and pointed his wand at his throat.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' he announced. Harry was shocked by how normal he managed to make his voice sound, not at all tense. 'We are here today for the unveiling of the Prophecy concerning Mister Harry Potter and the Dark Lord. Head Unspeakable, please proceed.'


The Dark Lord apparated directly into the underground toilet that he knew to be the Ministry's employee entrance, the Malfoy boy popping into existence right next to him. He thought for a minute of the foolishness of the Ministry. Did they really think that such a simple system of tokens could stop intruders like the Dark Lord, the most powerful sorcerer on Earth? He raised his wand and examined the spells on the locks. They would be simple enough to remove. The Dark Counter-Charms required for the unauthorized removal of the spells were elementary Dark Magic, of the sort that he had learned in his second year at Hogwarts.

The Dark Lord quickly undid the various locking spells on the cubicles. One by one, the ten doors clicked and swung open, revealing the unprotected entrance within. Another point against the Ministry. They had no idea of defence in depth. They were arrogant enough to think that just one layer of protection was enough.

Then again, what could be expected from a Ministry so corrupted by blood-traitors and Mudbloods that it could barely stand on its feet?

'Your left arm,' the Dark Lord hissed to the Malfoy boy. Obediently, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark. The Dark Lord pressed the tip of his wand to it.


The Head Unspeakable turned to Harry and wordlessly reached into his robes. He pulled out a small wooden box and held it out towards Harry.

'The Prophecy,' the man said in a low voice. 'Made by one Sybill Patricia Trelawney to Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Concerning Harry Potter and the Dark Lord.'

The Unspeakable waved his hand over the box. With a click, the lid popped open to reveal a blue, glowing orb. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see all the gathered spectators – journalists or Aurors posing as journalists – craning their necks to look.

Harry noticed Kingsley and Amelia shoot glares into the crowd, and the ones who must have been Aurors shirked back. The real journalists followed their lead.

Hermione squeezed his hand and Harry turned back towards the orb.

'Lift it and you shall hear the Prophecy,' the Unspeakable said.

Harry tentatively reached into the box. He could feel the atmosphere of the entire room tense, he could feel the temperature suddenly drop by ten degrees. He curled his fingers around the glass ball and lifted it up out of the box.


The Dark Lord heard pops of apparition. Dark-robed and masked witches and wizards arrived one by one. He smiled proudly. This was only the first wave. There would be three more in total. The Dark Lord would personally lead the attack from the beginning to the inevitable sacking of the Ministry and his crowning as the ruler of all of Britain, of course, but his less skilled followers and foreign mercenaries would need their numbers replenished. The Dark Lord knew enough to not overestimate the performance of his followers, who would most likely be pitted against highly trained Aurors.

'This day is ours!' he proclaimed. 'Today is the first step of our noble revolution! Today, we shall topple the diseased, weak, and muggle-loving Ministry and begin our new order!'

The Death Eaters cheered, and the Dark Lord continued. 'When Britain falls to our righteous revolution, other nations around the world will see the worthiness of our cause and join us! Today, we will have magical Britain. Tomorrow, we will have the whole magical world!' The Death Eaters cheered again.

'Crabbe!'

The large man stepped out from amidst the other Death Eaters an knelt at the Dark Lord's feet. The Dark Lord beckoned him to get up.

'You will be leading the first group of Death Eaters, Crabbe,' Voldemort said.

Crabbe nodded. 'At your service, My Lord.'

'May it remain so for the rest of your life. First group, step up!'


Harry raised the glass orb to eye level. The mist in the ball cleared and a raspy female voice began speaking.

'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches,' the recording of Sybill Trelawney's voice played. 'Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…'


The Dark Lord raised his wand into the air. The first Death Eaters took their positions, standing ready in the toilets.

'Begin!'

The Death Eaters reached up and pulled the flush handles.


'And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…'


There was a flushing sound, and the first group disappeared.

'Goyle! The second group!' the Malfoy boy barked the order.


'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…'

The orb grew dim as the recording of the Prophecy ended.

There was the sound of a rush of fire. Harry looked over the Unspeakable's shoulder. He immediately replaced the orb back into its box. His wand shot into his hand. Next to him, Hermione copied him.

The entire Atrium was on high alert now. The disguised Aurors were drawing their wands, the Unspeakables were doing the same.

Ten wizards and witches stepped out of the Floo grates and turned towards them, drawing their wands.