A/N: Here's a short chapter. I'll be updating next week. Enjoy!

The Long and Winding Road

by The Beatles

"The long and winding road, that leads, to your door

Will never disappear, I've seen that road before

It always leads me here, lead me to your door

The wild and windy night, that the rain, washed away

Has left a pool of tears, crying for the day

Why leave me standing here, let me know the way."

Chapter 8

The last Order meeting had left the inhabitants of Hogwarts in a solemn mood.

As usual, Kingsley had arrived in his midnight blue robes and required everyone to gather in the Great Hall. What was not usual, was Kingsley requiring the participants of the meeting to perform a Wizard's Oath of Secrecy to not reveal the information they were to learn that night.

The younger members of the Order, those who were former members of Dumbledore's Army, had exchanged excited glances at the break from routine. They were all hopeful, eager, and itching for the chance to do something that would disable Voldemort's forces. They were tired of the trivial raids and rescue missions. Yes, the Order was successful in bringing down minor Death Eater locations with their raids, but it was not something to celebrate about. It had been almost a year and Voldemort still occupied the Ministry of Magic and the higher-ranking Death Eaters slept soundly in their homes. The rescue missions, while they were never going to stop saving members of the resistance and on the run muggle-borns, the food rations had gotten smaller and smaller each day. The adults had offered to give their share of meals to the younger children, but Hermione had estimated that they would begin to run low on supplies by the next month or so.

As MACUSA signed a treaty with the British Ministry of Magic, the Order had no choice but to accept American muggle-borns and refugees. Their Ministry had ordered all muggle-borns to be monitored for traces of stolen magic. Kingsley had sent teams headed by Arthur and Bill to transport the refugees safely into the protected walls of Hogwarts. The number of refugees was growing too soon and too fast. As much as they wanted to offer shelter to all of the dissenters, even Hogwarts cannot stand as the home of the entire wizarding population that stood against Voldemort.

When Neville raised the concern about their dwindling potion ingredients and ever-reducing meal rations, Kingsley had asked them for ideas.

Hermione had suggested that they should expand and protect Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. A few of the businesses would still be operating. They would gain access to food deliveries and potion brews. Voldemort would lose control over two main wizarding communities.

The older members of the Order had argued against her. Although Remus and Tonks shot Hermione a sympathetic glance. The Order feared Voldemort's retaliation if they would take over Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

What's the point of fighting if we hide inside our walls like rats and scurry outside veiled by the shadows when we get hungry?

After deciding that they would write to other Wizarding countries before Voldemort could send his diplomats to treat on his behalf, Kingsley finally revealed the reason why he asked them to take an oath of silence.

"You can let them see you now." Kingsley had said in his deep baritone. Eyeing the empty space behind him.

A young man with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes stepped forward from the shadows. He was wearing long black robes. He was holding his wand in his right hand. On his left, a mask. A Death Eater mask.

Someone seated in the back of the Hall gasped audibly.

"Death Eater!" Cormac McLaggen had fired a spell at the approaching figure. It was easily deflected with a flick of a wrist.

"Mr. McLaggen, it would be greatly appreciated if you refrained from attacking our source of information." Kinsley reprimanded.

Ron stared at the Death Eater casually standing beside Kingsley's chair. "You're our spy?"

"Theodore Nott." The words were out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop them. Memories of a younger version of the man in front of them sitting alone in the library flashed before her eyes. In what seems like lifetimes ago, when Harry and Ron had not yet decided to include Hermione in their friendship, Hermione had sat on the same table as Theodore Nott. They had not spoken a word to each other but they had a silent companionship. Hermione wandered into the library for the first time on their first day at Hogwarts. It had been empty, seeing as all the students had no interest to study on their first day back. To Hermione's surprise, a small boy had come in and sat at the table in front of her. The following day, she decided to sit beside him and declared her name. It did not matter that he was in Slytherin, Hermione had thought. What mattered was that he took out a large book on Alchemy for a bit of light reading. The little boy had raised a brow at Hermione before accepting her hand and politely introducing himself.

Hermione had given much thought to who their spy might be. Hermione had been sure that it had to be Draco Malfoy. Harry had told them that he lowered his wand that night in the Astronomy Tower before Snape took over and killed Dumbledore and Hermione knew that Malfoy recognized them during their skirmish at Malfoy Manor yet he did not confirm their identities. She was wrong. Hermione had not even known that Theodore was a Death Eater. Was he the one who let me go?

The present Theodore caught Hermione's eye. He raised his brow at her exclamation. She lifted her chin in return, refusing to feel embarrassed about blurting his name.

"Yes, Ms. Granger." Professor McGonagall said. "Theodore Nott had been working for the Light Side for months. The information he had provided us saved lives, bought us time, and made our little victories possible."

Ron looked confused. "Why do we need to know about his identity?" His ears reddened. "No offense, mate. We appreciate you risking your life and all that. That's brave of you, considering you were a Slytherin, but Kingsley refused to tell us who you were before. Why tell us now?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's tactlessness and obvious prejudice against Slytherins. She had to give him credit though. She had expected him to lash out like a child and refuse help from a Death Eater. She sat up straighter in her seat, keen on finding out what information could be so important as to require the spy himself to deliver the message.

Theodore had taken a deep breath but before he could begin the double doors of the Great Hall were thrown open and a female pierced the silence.

"YOU!"

Unlike Hermione's dramatic tirade into the Great Hall when Kinsley refused to allow her to go out on missions, Parkinson strode up to Theodore like a black panther. Strong, simmering, and ready to pounce.

"Ms. Parkinson! Were you eavesdropping to an official Order meeting?" Professor McGonagall had asked, looking aghast.

"Hello, Pansy." Theodore had said pleasantly.

Parkinson scoffed at his airy greeting. "You defected and you did not bother to tell me."

"Ms. Parkinson, please leave at once. You are not authorized to be part of this meeting. Mr. Nott, please continue with your report." Kingsley said gravely.

Kingsley's orders fell to deaf ears. "If I had told you and your father decided to break into your mind, we both would be dead," Theo explained.

"Idiot." Parkinson had murmured before shooting a spell at Theo.

He blocked it.

Parkinson threw another stunning spell.

At this point, everyone was watching the reunion of the former Slytherins.

Theo blocked it and threw one of his own. "Getting soft from being cooped up with all the red lions, Parkinson?"

Parkinson growled and marched forward after dodging the blue light that was sent her way. She punched Theodore's face.

Molly gasped. Ron had a dopey expression on his face as Bill and Charlie exchange an amused glance.

Hermione caught Ginny's amused grin as Tonks cheered Parkinson on. The pink-haired auror had enjoyed the scathing remarks of the Slytherin girl and had decided to sit beside her during meal times. Teddy had turned his hair into a dark shade of black when Tonks had introduced her son to Parkinson. Hermione had marveled at the way Parkinson had begun to respond to Tonk's incessant questions but she was more surprised when Parkinson told her she would be meeting Ginny to train. It had been two weeks since Ginny had effortlessly gave Parkinson a beating and it had been a week since Parkinson managed to knock Ginny unconscious. The two girls had talked about different ways to curse a man and their favorite flavor of ice cream. It was an unlikely rapport. Eventually, Tonks and Ginny convinced Parkinson to talk to Hermione, considering she was her charge. Parkinson had grudgingly conceded and shared clipped conversations with Hermione during their walks from her room to the Great Hall. Although theirs was a far cry from a friendship, Hermione would gladly accept it in exchange for the icy glares she had received from Parkinson.

Parkinson threw herself into Theodore's arms, gripping him for strength, for security, for familiarity. The others had averted their eyes from the private moment. As unorthodox as Slytherins seemed to show care and affection for one another, Hermione reminded herself that Parkinson and Theodore were friends who had gone on months of not seeing each other. Her throat tightened when she realized it had been almost a year since they had buried an empty casket for her best friend.

She had looked away from the two friends who drew strength from being in each other's arms.

After Kingsley interrupted them, he politely reminded Parkinson that she should leave the meeting and Theodore should share with the rest of the Order what he found out about Voldemort's plans.

A hush had fallen over the Great Hall as Theodore began.

He cleared his throat, addressing the people in the Hall with a grave tone. "The Dark Lord plans on taking over muggle London. Soon. You need to prepare for battle."

Shouts of outrage and intakes of breath could be heard, but Hermione could not focus on the sounds. All she felt was the pounding of her heart.

Voldemort was going to make himself a ruler out of himself and he wanted a bigger territory.

Theodore's piercing blue eyes found Hermione's. "There might a Death Eater who would defect. The information he could relay would be of much greater relevance than mine. He might know the Dark Lord's motives, plans, and the exact date of the attack."

There were a few grunts of approval but nobody gave any thought to the prospect of another possible ally within Voldemort's ranks when they have an insurmountable task ahead of them. They were broken and wounded. What could they possibly do?

"Potter's dead! Do we even stand a chance against the Death Eaters?" McLaggen asked.

Amidst the shouting and chaos, Neville stood up. He had an undecipherable expression on his face. He eyed the people around him. "Whatever comes next, we would do everything we can to defeat Voldemort. With all that we have. We fight for what's right! For the light! For Harry!"

It was a long and winding road ahead of them with no guarantee for survival or victory. Yet, they all knew they had to take the path in front of them. Wherever it may lead them.

Ginny followed Neville's example.

Then Luna stood up.

Then Cho.

Then Seamus.

Then Dean.

Then Ron.

Then Hermione.

For Harry.

They had ended the meeting with fire in their eyes and a different kind of hunger in their bellies.

That was almost a month ago, Hermione now sat at the stands of the Quidditch Pitch, watching as Remus trained the number of refugees who volunteered to help them stop Voldemort. They were mostly children, barely into adulthood.

We all are, Hermione thought. The Order of the Phoenix mostly composed of her former classmates. The older members were either deceased, too old to fight, or were better suited for strategic planning than running around for missions.

Kingsley had allowed Hermione to join the drills and training sessions after making her promise that brewing healing potions and research work should be her priority. Hermione had defeated all her dueling partners, much to the delight and amazement of the refugees. The younger refugees had approached her to ask her for tips.

Everyone went to her when they felt like their attempt to resist Voldemort's rule was hopeless. Hermione projected the image of strength and unwavering hope. She had always been the pillar everyone relied on.

They did not know that her pillar had been Harry. Since Harry's absence, the curly-haired witch had been crumbling on the inside. Shattered by their loss and crumbling under the weight of all those who turned to her for strength.

Hermione took a deep breath. Her hand shook. Voldemort was going to take over muggle London. They had to prepare. They were going to go into battle again.

This time, they were weaker, hungrier, and more desperate.

This time, there was no Harry to lead them.

Neville and Ron had stepped into the role that Harry played before his death. Neville had Harry's natural ability to lead and Ron had developed the knack of strategic battle planning. What they did not possess was Harry's prophetic destiny to defeat Voldemort. When Seamus pointed that out, Hermione had said that it was all up to them to take down Voldemort. Without his Horcruxes, he was just like them. Mortal. Hermione did not need Seamus to point out that even if Voldemort was mortal, he was the greatest dark wizard of their time. Hermione did not care, she would take down that monstrous villain with her own hands if she had to, even if it got her killed.

She tore her eyes away from the group of people training and lifted her face to the heat of the sun's rays. She felt sunlight warm her skin and her shaking hand stilled. Hermione closed her eyes and imagined the bright rays of the sun enter into her pores. Heating her insides. Lighting up the beacon of hope that was still preserved in her heart.

Hermione did not open her eyes until she was no longer chilled with fear. Once she felt beads of perspiration start to form on her brow, she slowly opened her eyes.

Below the stands, she could see Kingsley looking at her contemplatively. Expectantly.

Hermione knew that look.

Kingsley needed her to do something.

"It's empty." Hermione held the letter that Theodore and Kingsley had retrieved from a source a month before. She was annoyed that they had kept this from the rest of the Order, but she understood the need to be a hundred percent sure about the truthfulness of certain information before allowing it to circulate amongst their ranks. False hope was almost as terrible as grief.

"Andromeda?"

Andromeda sat beside Hermione on the green sofa of the Slytherin common room and slowly took the letter from her hands. The older which tapped the parchment and murmured a soft incantation.

Secretum soror mea revelare.

Hermione eagerly looked over Andromeda's shoulder. Eager to learn the contents of the letter that Kingsley had requested her opinion on.

It was still empty.

At her confused expression, Andromeda smiled. "My sisters and I used to exchange notes when we were in Hogwarts together. We created a spell that would allow only the three of us to read the contents of our exchanges."

Her sisters?

It certainly could not be Bellatrix. "Is that a letter from Narcissa Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

Kingsley nodded. Hermione tried to hide her surprise. Only then did she notice Andromeda's tired and saddened eyes. How the parchment was crumpled and lined with creases.

"This one," Andromeda continued. "was spelled so only through my eyes would it reveal itself."

What information did that letter contain that would require such stringent measures? Hermione mused. Granted, Narcissa Malfoy communicating with her blood-traitor sister was certainly something that the Dark Lord would not take lightly.

"What does it say?"

"Before that, Ms. Granger." Kingsley interrupted before Andromeda could begin reading the letter to Hermione. "The contents of the letter, if proven to be true, would change the tides of the war. If proven to be false, it would be but false hope to those who had learned of it. If proven to be a trap, it would be the end of the Order and the resistance."

Hermione stayed silent. Waiting to see what Kingsley wanted from her. She knew that their Order leader had an alternative choice, he would choose not to involve the younger members of the Order. The fact that he was asking her help showed that whatever he wanted her to do, it was essential she does it perfectly.

"We need your help to determine how reliable the person this letter is from. Although it is undeniable that it is from Narcissa Malfoy, seeing as it is the Black Sister's spell that masked its contents, we need to know if we could trust the person who gave us this letter. If what they are saying is true."

A mission? Hermione thought excitedly. Was Kingsley finally allowing her to lead a mission?

"I'll help," Hermione said, eager to prove that her talents are better suited to helping the Order through missions than through maintenance supply.

"It is also imperative that nobody else should learn about the contents of the letter until it is approved by me, Ms. Granger. I need your magical word on that."

A slight chill went up Hermione's spine. She knew Kingsley was not referring to an ordinary Wizarding Oath. He needed Hermione to perform the Unbreakable Vow.

What could Narcissa Malfoy have said that required such secrecy?

Hermione nodded.

After performing the vow with Kingsley, he nodded at Andromeda to begin reading.

Andromeda,

A thousand words would not be enough to bring back just a shadow of the trust and care we had for each other when we were children. Still, I write without expecting that a mere scrap of paper would heal years of hurt and estrangement. I write out of necessity.

I have no other means to do what I must. No other person turn to. I cannot begin to imagine what retribution would befall my family if the Dark Lord discovers my treason.

Harry Potter is alive. He is cursed. I have done all I can to keep him well.

Your sister,

Narcissa.

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."

― Plato

A/N: This is my first multi-chapter fanfiction. I would like to thank each and every one of you for the encouraging reviews and messages. They motivate me to write better for you readers. I am humbled and I learn every time I write a new chapter. Thank you, readers!