"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action."
Auric Goldfinger

"He will win who knows when to fight and
when not to fight."

The Art of War

The Death Eater seemed to hesitate. Sirius noticed how odd it seemed because time seemed to stop. The leader simply nodded to the closest Death Eater and began to walk away. The man he had nodded it at, turned and touched his nearest ally who turned and motioned to another and so on. Fletcher and Ella Figg reacted in the same way Sirius did. So did the reinforcements that had recently entered the fray. They all stood dumbly watching as the Death Eaters pulled themselves away from their respective fights and began to pool around the leader. The glimmer of gold caught Sirius' eye. The Leader had what appeared to be an hourglass in his grip and all the Death Eaters were scrambling to touch it. He was holding a portkey. A second later they had disappeared.

And only the dead and those near it remained.

"Alright, lets go!" The head Auror shouted. "Leave a detachment of Hit Wizards to help with the wounded and the dead."

"Where are you going?" Fletcher demanded. He was bleeding from what use to be his right eye. "They might come back!"

"That's not my concern sir, I'm under strict orders to leave you some help and then to move on to my appointed post."

"And where the hell is that!"

The Auror looked at him blankly. "Hecate Academy."

"On whose authority?"

"An Auror named Alex Rouge. He pulled me aside outside Hogsmeade and told me he had orders from Hawke herself to go there as soon as this fighting was over."

Black and the rest watch them go. He was too angry to fight with the Aurors too. What was worst was he was spent, physically and emotionally. Gingerly he leaned down and began to search through the rubble for survivors.

"It's a fucking trap!" Lucius Malfoy shouted over the chaos that ensued.

The attack was supposed to have gone off flawlessly. Lucius, and the twenty others with him for his was the most daring, were to have entered from the hills that protected Hecate from the rest of the world. Like Hogwarts, it was impossible to Apparate to on the grounds so they entered through a little known, and seldom used footpath that lead straight into the Auror classrooms.

And when they entered the classroom, Gideon Mallory and seven top-level cadets that were with him greeted them. Gideon smiled. "Welcome to Hecate Academy, gentlemen. A mutual friend of ours, Alexander Rouge told us that you would coming to visit."

A second later the thirteen Death Eaters from Godric's Hallow appeared.

"He'd said you'd be bringing guest too." Gideon nodded. "Which is why I think he made sure…"

Shouting came from behind the Death Eaters as the Aurors arrived from Godric's. Lucius cursed again.

"…we had friends too." Gideon finished. "Alright, box them in!"

10 minutes prior.

"Stupefy." The Dark Prince whispered.

Jena Key fell to her knees then forward as the curse hit her squarely in the back.

The Prince smiled and turned to the rest. "Masks on, children."

Malone slid his mask onto his face but not before stealing a glance at Jacqueline. She shook her head but her eyes were smiling. Not yet, she seemed to say, but soon. He looked over to the Dark Prince and to the Death Eater hovering on his left. Malone figured it was probably Galen McKenna, who worked the Prince's bodyguard. Galen didn't have to die though. Only the Prince.

Malone hoped Dumbledore wouldn't beat him to it.

"Ask not for whom the bell tolls." Erskine murmured, twirling his lighter between his fingers.

"It tolls for thee."

"If you boys are done reciting poetry to create an atmosphere of brooding and upcoming danger…" The Prince mused slightly annoyed and slightly amused.

"Almost." Raine said. "Give us five minutes."

"Hermione!" Ron shouted. "Hermione!" He coughed, trying to force the smoke and soot from his lungs. This was the last time he went with his father to work. Hermione had wanted to come because she was Hermione. She was curious about anything boring. Or at least he that's how he teased her as they walked up the stairs of the Ministry's headquarters.

Ron's father's office was on the ninth floor of a short, thirteen floor building that housed the Ministry of Magic. Outside, to anyone Londoner or tourists who looked at the building's signs that proudly boasted it was a paper factory. Around thirty minutes ago a blast had rocked the top floor. Moments later Aurors and Death Eaters fought openly in the halls. Ron had pushed Hermione into closet and had raced off to join the fight.

It had been stupid for him to do but he had too. Like most boys who were able bodied and youthful, he saw war as a game to be played and won. He never saw the body count until he feared Hermione was among the lost ones.

"Hermione!" He shouted again. His heart felt like it was going to burst of his chest from the pain. "Please, Hermione!"

"Ron!" She called back, overjoyed to see him. She ran into his open arms and embraced him. He buried his head in her dirty hair and held unto her for life.

"I thought you were dead."

"Oh Ron, I almost was. The closet collapsed…. I thought you were dead. I…I…"

He silenced her with a kiss, long, hard and too long pent up. He kissed her but more importantly, she kissed him back. In times of war…love prevailed.

"Charming. Now if you two don't mind." They turned to the dark hair man only a few years older then them. "The name's Lewis. Come on."

"Where's my dad?"

"Arthur Weasley? He's been sent to St. Mungo's Hospital." Lewis raised his hands. "Nothing serious, just some minor burns."

"Where are we going?"

"You're going with this man." Lewis pointed to his counterpart. "You'll be going to the hospital with your father."

"Wait, are you going somewhere else?"

"I am going with the Minister to America."

"I'll take my chances at St. Mungo's." Hermione said, holding fast to Ron. "But good luck."

"After tonight…" Lewis said slowly. "We're all going to need it."

Outside, on the streets of London, a group of Muggle carolers were singing "Silent Night."

5 minutes prior.

"I'm sorry Minister but you've seem to brought your war with you. I would have thought customs would have confiscated." Vladimir took Fudge's hand and shook it hard. "No matter. We'll coping."

"Marcella….my daughter Marcella Fudge." The Minister mumbled. "She's here already, isn't she? She's safe right?"

"Your wife is arriving shortly, Minister." Vladimir coaxed. He glanced to Desmond. The young Auror shook his head grimly. Vladimir understood. "But as for Marcella, we have yet to locate her."

"Send Hawke and Mad Eye to search the Ministry building for her."

"Right away sir." Mad Eye Moody mumbled slowly. "We'll go right now."

"No one is protecting Hogwarts you see." Fudge continued to ramble. "I hope the Headmaster will forgive me…"

Chandra entered the Headmaster's office, her gowns soaked in sweat. "Headmaster…" She paused when she saw Fudge. Vladimir waved her on. "The fighting is finally over at Godric's Hallow and at the Ministry Headquarters in London people are working non-stop to put the fires out. In both places, the Hit Wizards are working to aid the wounded."

"And the Aurors?"

"It's the damnedest thing, sir. The first wave Apparated here just in time to help in the battle. The second wave of Aurors from the village came just a few minutes ago to help protect the orphanage and school."

"Did you authorize this?" Vladimir asked Laud.

He shook his head. "I was too busy trying to keep him alive. We're in disarray."

"Sir," Chandra interjected. "The orders came for someone named Alexander Rouge."

The name didn't sound familiar to anyone in the room but neither Vladimir nor anyone else was going to question the order. Whoever Rouge was, he had saved their lives.