Chapter 45:

            The next morning, Harry awoke to Ron pelting him with a pillow.  "Harry- get- UP!  What were you doing up so late with my sister?  Honestly, Harry- get UP!"  Harry sat up and blinked sleepily a few times. 

            "Stop hitting me, Ron!"

            "What were you and Ginny doing up until one in the morning?" he demanded, his ears bright red.  Harry frowned and suddenly laughed.

            "Did you think that- oh, Ron, honestly… We just sat and watched stars by the lake and forgot the time… it was a really pretty night."  Harry held back a chuckle as Ron's face darkened to math his ears and hair.

            "So you didn't… I mean, you wouldn't… with my sister, I me-"

            "No, Ron.  You need to trust Ginny more.  And me, for that matter.  But mostly Ginny.  She's fifteen; nearly sixteen, and she knows what she's doing." 

            "Well…yeah, but… still."  Harry laughed and reached for his glasses.  "But, anyway, Harry, you've slept through breakfast.  Potions is in ten minutes, so I think you should get ready…"  Harry let the words register a moment and suddenly bolted out of bed. 

            "Bloody hell- we'll be so late!" 

            Two minutes later, Harry and Ron were hurrying out of the Gryffindor common room, both looking extremely sloppy and bedraggled.  To Harry's dismay, when he reached the dungeons, as Ron hurried to Transfiguration, the class had already been in session for three minutes.  He gulped opened up the door slowly.  To Harry's great surprise, Snape's back was turned to the rest of the class; most of which was crying.  Harry startledly looked at Hermione and Lenore, who both looked extremely upset. 

            He tiptoed over and sat down next to Hermione.  "What happened?" he asked, bracing himself for the worst. 

            "Oh, Harry," whispered Hermione sadly.  "I- I couldn't find you at breakfast, and you've probably not read the paper, b-but y-y-yesterday night, th-there was a horrible attack.  No, m-more than one horrible attack…"  The blood drained from Harry's face and his mouth dried. 

            "Who?" he asked in a strangled whisper. 

            "A lot of Muggle-borns, Harry… everywhere; everyone.  And families of Muggle borns… a-and, the O-Order…"  Hermione began crying harder and Lenore put her head into her arms. 

            "Who?" asked Harry again, shaking violently.  The order? 

            Hermione looked at Harry pityingly.  "T-the Dursley's were on vacation, b-but, the house is destroyed… They're okay, though.  A-and Dennis and Colin's f-family.  They had two little sisters and another brother, and their parents… and Justin finch-Fetchley, and S-Seamus's family- his Mum married a M-Muggle…. And tons of other families, harry, that I didn't know of…. They also attacked D-Diagon Alley l-last night….s-some American and British Aurors a-are gone, and some casualties, and Tom the innkeeper…"  This hit Harry like a ton of bricks.

            "Which Order members?" he asked, not knowing how on earth he was managing to talk. 

            "Well… Dedalus D-Diggle, a-and Padma and Parvati's D-dad, and… well, some Ministry members… Fudge is dead.  As is the Editor of the prophet, and Serena Fawcett's M-mum, who was in the D-department of International c-cooperation…"

            "Is your family okay, 'Mione?" Harry asked quickly.  She nodded. 

            "Yes, but they will be moving into a Grimmauld Place apartment.  Lupin says t-that they're building onto it even more, and that it will be nearly as big as the Ministry by s-summer…"  Harry was in shock. 

            "Are the Weasleys all okay?" 

            "F-fred and George are in St. Mungo's, but we're taking them o-out soon, b-because D-Dumbledore says that there are a lot of s-spies th-there, a-and we're getting some medi-nurses and healers to c-come t-to the Order.  Tonks i-is in St. M-Mungo's as w-well…" 

            "Fudge is dead?" asked Harry quickly.  Hermione nodded. 

            "Lucius took him under the Imerius Curse and brought him to V-V-Voldemort…. They will be electing a new Minister really soon, while keeping Voldemort from the Ministry.  R-right now, Dumbledore is a-acting Minister… until they find a replacement.  Four people have been nominated…"

            "Who?" asked Harry. 

            "Madame Bones, Percy Weasley-" she scrunched up her nose, "Bagman-" she grimaced…. "And Mr. Weasley."  Harry's jaw dropped.  "And it gets worse, I mean, worse than Percy and Bagman… in all of the confusion, Umbridge's trial was cancelled and they just let her free!" 

            "You are kidding!" exclaimed Harry.  "They let that toad free?"  Hermione nodded glumly. 

            "W-wait, Hermione?"

            "Yeah?"

            "What time did the Diagon Alley attack happen?"  Hermione gazed pityingly at him.

            "Midnight."

            "DAMN!  I skipped my shift!"

            "W-we know, Harry… and nobody blames you."  Harry sighed.  Everything all tied back to him.  Harry Potter.  And Voldemort. 

A/N: Sorry soooo short!! Forgive me!