Life at Hogwarts continued and so did the Order's work. Then one day a rumour spread that Voldemort had somehow broken his supporters back out of Azkaban and after lying low after the incident with Harry in the Department of Mysteries, was going to attack Hogwarts!
Naturally everyone began to panic and when Christmas holidays rolled around again there was a stampede to sign up to go home. What was most frightening was that apparently there was some truth to the rumour because the Order were working overtime. Nevertheless, my parents wrote to me, telling me to stay at school.
Only me, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and two Ravenclaw first years stayed at school for the holidays. Draco was smug and made no effort to hide it. His father had reclaimed his place next to his master once again. He scowled every time he saw me and I scowled back.
Christmas Eve, I was sitting, laughing with my Gryfindoor friends in the Great Hall when Professor Snape burst in. He almost ran up to Dumbledore who was sitting at the staff table drinking tea. The two teachers and Order of the Phoenix members exchanged rapid whispers, their faces extremely grim.
Harry turned back to us and we leaned in to hear what he had to say. 'What do you think that couldn't be about?'
Hermione paled. 'Oh Harry if you're thinking what I'm thinking. Please don't jump to any conclusions before we know what's really going on'.
Harry's eyes narrowed fiercely, 'Will you stop reminding me every second of the bloody day that I jumped to conclusions once! I know, ok, I know!'
'The dungeons could be on fire' suggested Ron while stuffing a handful of Bertie Bot's beans into his mouth.
Hermione gave him a withering look, "The dungeons are made of stone, Ron".
"Oh, yeah".
It was then that I realized that the two Professors were watching me as they spoke. I madly tried to think of an explanation. Maybe it wasn't really me?
Snape and Dumbledore walked somberly to where I sat. They told me to follow them to the Headmaster's office. That was where I heard the horrible news.
My mother had been killed during an Order shift.
I stood there, in shock, madly trying to find another place other then those frightening eyes to look. My mind clouded over into madness, I opened my mouth to scream when a loud thud and a puff of smoke came from the fireplace. A very shabbily dressed man stepped over the grate. It took me a moment to realize that it was my father. I rushed towards him and father and daughter embraced. We stood in the middle of Dumbledore's office hugging and crying for what seemed like forever.
It was early evening when I finally pulled myself together enough to walk to Gyffindoor tower. Unfortunately this meant that I had to pass through the Great Hall to do so. My friends were still there, reading and talking. They turned, smiling when I walked in. There expressions quickly changed when they saw mine. The tears streamed and clouded my vision again but I felt them all around me, hugging and comforting and for a few minutes I felt safe, with my best friends.