All Hermione could wish for was a cool breeze. The summer was brutal and the gusts of wind were hot and scorched the skin it touched. The landscape was different shades of brown showing its various signs of decay. Hermione gazed down at her watch, she watched the second's hand tick closer to her departure and closer to an answer. Hermione touched her damp forehead and sighed as she felt a wave of fear wash over her. What was coming was not going to be easy, downright impossible in fact. Her friends were in danger, her family, everything she cared about most could be destroyed, but here she was, wishing for a cool breeze.
Hermione took a shaky breath in and walked back into the air-conditioned home. A middle-aged woman appeared in the doorway holding a tray with a teapot, two cups, and a plate of biscuits. She smiled at Hermione and gestured to the table next to her. Hermione smiled and walked forward kissing the woman's cheek and sitting down.
"Thank you mom, you didn't have to do all of this," Hermione said as she gestured to the tray her mother was holding. Her mother shrugged her off and put the tray down and started to pour the tea. She smiled lightly as she set the full teacup down in front of Hermione.
"It's the least I could do Honey. Especially not knowing when I'll see you again." Her mother's mouth quivered as she sipped her tea. Hermione felt the fear wash over her again and took a deep breath. She put on a smile and grasped her mother's hand.
"I hope to see you in my future mom. But this is the only way I know you and Dad will be safe. I need to know you'll be ok." A tear slipped down Hermione's cheek as she whispered to her mother. Tea forgotten by her mother wrapped Hermione in her arms tightly and sobbed. Hermione shook as tears escaped down her cheeks. This was the hardest thing she had, had to do up to this point. To keep her family safe she had them moved to Australia and was staying with them for a few days before reporting to the order of the phoenix for further instruction.
They held onto each other for what felt like seconds when Hermione's watch lit up brightly with three flashes. A new wave of tears burst forth as Hermione held onto her mother one last time. With that she stood and walked toward the fireplace.
"I love you mom, I love you and Dad and I will never forget you," Hermione said through a choked sob. As her mother started a heartfelt goodbye, Hermione cast obliviate silently to the house. Bit by bit she vanished from photographs, her childhood things disappeared like they never existed. Her mother sat at the table as her father walked in and greeted her, not even noticing Hermione so close.
As the last of the memories vanished, Hermione pulled a glowing key out of her pocket and tugged on the ribbon three times. The key was a port key and it took Hermione to the burrow where the Weasleys live.
Hermione started to wipe away her tears that streamed down her cheeks before meeting up with her friends. But just as she thought she had her composure and took her first step toward the house, Harry Potter walked out of the door and they made eye contact. Hermione let out a sob she did not know she was holding back. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she covered her mouth as grief overtook her body. Harry went running just as Hermione's knees hit the ground. Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione and pulled her close as sobs wracked through her entire body.
Harry held onto Hermione until she slumped against his chest, exhausted from her output of energy. As the sun started to set Harry scooped Hermione up into his arms and took her inside of the burrow. As he walked in with a sleeping Hermione in his arms, the normally noisy home became silent. Mrs. Weasley hurried over with concern,
"Is she alright dear? She's not injured is she?" Harry shook his head and gestured to the rooms. Mrs. Weasley nodded and helped part the sea of people as Harry took Hermione to the place where she would be staying. Mrs. Weasley opened the door for them and Harry laid Hermione down softly on the available bed. Her curls spilled out in all directions. Harry brushed them away from her face and took note of how swollen and red her eyes had become and how purple her lips were. He looked around and like magic Mrs. Weasley handed him a spare blanket. With a smile he draped it over Hermione before walking out and closing the door.
"I don't think she'll be alright for a while. She had to say goodbye to her parents." Harry said with a frown. Mrs. Weasley's eyes welled up and she shook her head,
"Blast this war. Tearing apart families like this." She said with a broken heart. "Let's get some supper in you Harry, You're skinner than a corn stalk!" Harry smiled and nodded, he glanced back at the door before following Mrs. Weasley down into the Kitchen.
The first person to greet them was Ron, he had one hand shoved into his pocket and the other leaning on the back of a chair. "How's Hermione?" Asked Ron "Fred and George said she was really upset earlier." Ron continued with a frown. "Hermione is sleeping right now. She had to say goodbye to her parents Ron." Harry answered. Ron shook his head and pushed his bangs out of his face. "This was never supposed to happen. I never even thought this was actually possible and now here we are." Ron growled out in frustration.
Harry nodded in agreeance before Mrs. Weasley came up to the table with a big bowl of soup in hand. Behind her floated a ladle, plates, forks, a jug of juice, and cups. As she set the soup pot down every other item landed perfectly in place. Then like clockwork, the other Weasleys started to show up. Fred and George popped in with a laugh and started to pick fun at Ron and Ginny walked in with the grace of a gazelle. Harry looked at Ginny was a soft gaze. Locking eye contact they both looked away with red-tinged cheeks.
Mr. Weasley waltzed in a flourish of questions for Harry about muggle objects. He was currently on a rant about an "electric blanket." Harry laughed and tried to explain what exactly an electric blanket did and why muggles found them necessary.
"You mean to tell me, it's a blanket that you wait for it to become warm so that it is constantly warm? Because they do not have simple heating charms. Fantastic! Muggles are so interesting. Creating the strangest of inventions!" Mr. Weasley said with a grand smile. The table erupted into laughter. Soon the dinner was finished and the fireplace light up. Different members of the order started to come through. As soon as Professor Lupin arrived, Mrs. Wesley ushered all of the "children" out of the room in a tizzy.
"You all are still too young to be a part of this! Now off to bed! Get!" She said with grand sweeping arm motions. Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny all retreated with sighs as they climbed the staircase to their sleeping quarters. Once out of the view of their mom, Fred and George produced a listening device, and ear fastened on a string, it could pick up everything the order was saying in their meeting.
As they lowered the ear to the crack in the door the meeting was housed, Hermione made an appearance. Rubbing the sleep out of her eye she looked at the group huddled at the top of the stairs.
"What are you guys up to right now?" She asked, her voice groggy and throat sore from the crying. She was met with a unanimous "Shhhhh" Harry motioned her close, "We're listening in on the meeting the order is having, it sounds super important." Harry said in a whisper. Hermione crouched down close to the group and felt a hand wrap around hers. She looked up to meet Ginny's eyes. Ginny's grip tightened to a squeeze and she gave Hermione a warm smile. Hermione squeezed and smiled back at the younger redhead.
Just then Dumbledore's voice came through on the ear as he presumably just arrived, "We must discuss what we need to quickly and efficiently." The group at the top of the stairs leaned in and listened closely to the serious tone of Dumbledore.
"We have a change in plans. We need to move them to a safe house as soon as possible. I have word that if we do not they will not last until the month." Dumbledore continued and a few gasps and hushed voices were heard. "I know it is risky but if we do not do this now, it could endanger all of them," Dumbledore said in a hushed tone.
"If we move them all right now, who is to say they do not kill each other? You are putting enemies together in the same house, not to mention the fact that this is pure insanity. You are letting a snake into a lion's den." Lupin responded quickly. "Watch your tone wolf. I am also a snake and let me remind you about who you are talking about." A voice that the group at the top of the stairs knew all too well.
"Snape is here? Why is Snape here right now?" Ginny questioned. Fred and George gestured for her to be silent as they listened on to the rest of the conversation.
"There is nothing to discuss here. We have a safe house, we know they changed their plans. Currently, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny are all at risk. Their names are up on a board and people are looking to collect. What we also know is the snake we are talking about is a student. And a boy who had no choice in his upbringing. Right now if we do nothing he dies, an innocent hurt person dies. Do you want that Lupin? You want a young boy's blood on your conscience right now?" A gravelly-voiced chimed in belonging to mad eye moody.
"This is not a debate. We will help him regardless of the house. I swear if they because of him I will not forgive this choice." Mrs. Weasley chimed in angrily. "We don't know where his mother is currently. We just know he is our top priority in his condition." Dumbledore continued seemingly unaffected by the banter of the Order.
"Then it is settled, we will trade them off, each person takes another and we will meet at the safe house for all. Then periodically we will check on them, take turns. But stay away as much as possible. We cannot allow anyone outside of this room to know its location." A masculine voice chimed in. Harry smiled, recognizing his godfather's voice immediately.
"You will be assigned someone you are not normally seen with, you will stop three different times and change disguises each time. The pairings are as followed. Harry is with Severus, Ginny is with Lupin, Fred and George are traveling with Mad eye, Hermione is with Sirius, Ron is with Tonks, and Draco is with Arthur and Molly." Dumbledore announces with finality. "You will leave tomorrow" He said as he retreated to the fireplace. The sound of the fireplace departures then began.
At the top of the stairs five pairs of eyes as big as saucers connected. Each with various emotions, shock, anger, disbelief, confusion, and curiosity. A safe house, with all of them plus the infamous Slytherin who has been their arch-nemesis? This was not how they planned their next year at Hogwarts.