Chapter 24: Death Eaters Playing Dirty

The next morning, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sitting together at the Gryffindor bench eating their breakfast. Hermione was looking particularly cheerful as she filled up her second glass of grape-fruit juice, Ron looked like he'd just been dragged out of a grave and was finding it difficult to respond to any human interaction. Ginny was in a slight daze as well although seemed to be refreshed after the holidays and a night's rest. Harry was feeling better himself, as his sleep had been devoid of any nightmares and somehow the food seemed to taste better because of it.

By the time the supplies of bacon had started running low, the roof suddenly opened and the hall was filling with the sounds of screeching and flapping. The morning mail had arrived. The air around them was swamped with owls of all shapes, sizes and colours. Letters were dropped through the air landing on the knees of the people they were addressed to. Packages of Merlin-knows what, rolls of parchment, bags of goodies, envelopes ranging from the size of a square inch to a paving slab and the Daily Prophet where all flying through the air. It was quite amazing that no deliveries where lost in the flurry that took place every morning.

Harry had no mail and continued spooning his cornflakes into his mouth; he'd developed immunity to the disappointment he used to feel when no-one wrote to him and the morning deliveries were nothing but a show of owls for him now.

As Hermione unrolled her copy of the newspaper and her eyes fell on the headline her cheery attitude suddenly faded. No-one noticed her eyes widen and her breathing halt until she suddenly spluttered, her hands shaking slightly.

Harry looked up to see her staring at the page, face and finger tips pale. Her face was unreadable but the lack of colour in her cheeks and the watery look to her eyes was enough to say something was wrong.

 "What happened?' Ginny asked, her own voice shaking at the pure look of horror on Hermione's face.

But Hermione couldn't answer. Her eyes were scanning every line, her eyes widening further every time and when she finished – she bit her lower lip and looked up fearfully.

"What's it say?" she asked again. Hermione looked at her apologetically and wordlessly she handed the article across the table to Ginny, whose mouth opened and eyes bulged in shock as she too read the paper.

"What?" Ron asked, his bacon paused mid-way to his mouth.

Harry shrugged and leant closer to Ginny to read the article.

January 7th

Death Eaters Playing Dirty

Diagon Alley Attacked

Yesterday afternoon the wizarding community was sent into panic after a particularly horrific attack on Diagon Alley. Shops have been left in wreckage, smoke peeling around the edges and stones from the paths lying scattered among the bodies. The Dark Mark remains hovering over the back entrance leading in from the Leaky Cauldron, which also, has been destroyed.

Gringotts was raided, resulting in 23 goblins and 17 wizards and witches being killed with many more injured. No vaults were broken into although attempts were made. Imprinted along the vast, fallen walls of the bank's entrance hall, are the words 'We're coming. He's coming. You can run but soon there will be no-where left for you to hide'.

The world is in a state of terror and already a total of 68 lives have been claimed in this attack alone. Tom the Leaky Cauldron innkeeper was the first man to be struck, and the Death Eaters showed no signs of relenting after his sacrifice. Capsa Tutela and Tersum Foruli of Flourish and Blotts, Adelpha Bellusus of Adelpha's Beauty Cavern and Florean Fortesque of his Ice-Cream Parlour are among the many others now dead.

Those out for a day's shopping are now no more. Brown, Clyde, Delphi, Diggory, Ebrious, Evingfield, Guttula, Harrings, Ipse, Lovegood, Moke, Nebula, Prattle, Pratum, Tebo, Weasley and Zeller have been killed and those injured total more than twice as many. The wounded included the well-known names of Abbott, Boot, Johnson and Malkin.

The street was in chaos, explosions echoing from all corners, shops blown to pieces and lives along with them. A single ray of light, however, among this terrible occurrence is that someone seemed ready for it – and it is suspected the Ministry were informed - as 3 Aurors appeared on the scene 56 seconds after the Leaky Cauldron was ruined. More apparated at an overwhelming rate. The public took shelter amongst the debris whilst the Aurors and Death Eaters shot curses at each-other. It was quite a show of our Aurors' abilities, especially Brayden Pugil and Traci Virago, each of whom disabled 6 enemies, protecting the lives of all those crowded behind them.

In the end, 4 Aurors and 3 Death Eaters fell. Once the message was up in Gringotts the Death Eaters disappeared leaving Diagon Alley in ruins and its people in hysterics. The Minister and the Aurors were unavailable for comment.

His eyes drifted along the moving black and white pictures over the front page. Smoke clouding the street, but thin enough to reveal still, dark shapes slumped along the ground... the dark mark glittering above terror-stricken faces ... cloaked figures throwing their wand arms at Gringotts and it exploding, bricks flying and smoke billowing for all to see. Harry never thought a single article could horrify him so much, but suddenly he found his airways seemed to be restricted.

'Brown...Lovegood ... Weasley  ... have been killed'.  'Weasley.'

The entire hall was silent now, so silent you could hear the stifled sobs of even those on the other side. Next to him Ginny was shaking and he absently put an arm around to comfort her.

The hushed silence was starting to make Harry uncomfortable and he cast his eyes around the hall warily. His head was ringing and his legs felt strangely numb. 'Weasley'. Dumbledore was standing up from his seat gravely. He looked out at the students and down at the table again; for once he seemed to be lost for words. Everyone watched him, as though what he would say next could make the news somehow more bearable. He sighed and said despairingly, "I would like to see Lavender Brown, Ronald and Virginia Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Hannah Abbott, Terry Boot and Rose Zeller outside please. Now."

Lupin's head was hanging and his eyes were staring unfocused at the front page of the newsletter. Other Professors were trying to direct their attention to their food or laps and some were simply staring out at the student body with mingled concern and empathy. They've been through this before, Harry reminded himself. They must have experienced this when they were our age – they know what it's like. Look at the way they're looking at us, eyes full of pity. He was sure he saw Professor Sprout blinking viciously and drinking heavily from her goblet as an attempt to hide her display of emotions.

The Headmaster pushed his chair from behind him and walked away from the teacher's table. The students he had named were also getting up from their places, the whole hall watching uneasily. Harry knew what it was like for someone you loved to die, but so many here didn't – they couldn't understand what was going through the minds of these people. Harry couldn't even bring himself to give Ginny a quick kiss on her forehead before she left. What good would he a kiss do right now anyway? Ron left too, without a word. Every student's pair of eyes followed the 8 people as they left the room. Harry found he was no longer hungry and when he looked up to see tears running down Hermione's face he suddenly felt sick.

There was nothing anyone could say. There just weren't words for things like this. A Weasley had died. Who was it? Molly? Arthur? Fred? George, Bill, Percy, Charlie? He needed to know who it was. He had to know. He couldn't sit here, his knees shivering and wonder which one had died. Or two – what if it was two? What if it was all of them? Poor Ron. Poor Ginny. Harry closed his eyes trying to steady the confused thoughts rushing through his mind. His entire chest felt oddly starined, and his heart seemed to be weighing more with ever painful breath he took. At the same time as desperately needing to know, he didn't want to find out. He didn't want to be told which one it was. He didn't want to know which of them he would never see again. He didn't want to believe it. Hermione drew in a long breath and he looked up at her.

He didn't think he'd ever found it harder to look into Hermione's eyes. They were shining with wet tears and she just looked at him in silence. Sometimes, you didn't have to say anything. They both knew what the other was thinking. They both knew what the other was feeling.

The world seemed to have come to a silent stop. No-one in the hall was moving and nobody was talking. No teacher was announcing the end of breakfast. No owls were squawking. Hermione sniffed and closed her eyes, her eyebrows furrowing. Harry placed his hand on hers and she sniffed again, her face creasing as more tears rolled down her cheeks and her lips trembled. He wanted to say something, but his voice wasn't working.

"Can all students please return to their houses?" McGonagall didn't even have to raise her voice for the whole room to hear her. No-one moved. "We will tell you more later. For now, all classes are suspended – please return to your house towers immediately."

Around them, people started standing, glad for the sudden noise of scraping and shuffling to hide their sobs.

Harry couldn't understand why he was finding it difficult to walk, or why he had to concentrate to keep the room in focus. He'd faced death before, Merlin knows how many times. Why was it so different this time? Death was always different. Every time it hit you from a new angle; one you hadn't been expecting. Every time it hurt in different way. When they met at the end of the table, Harry slipped his hand in Hermione's who was now crying freely. "Come on," he said softly. She nodded and sniffed, squeezing his hand thankfully. They walked together in somehow supportive yet miserable silence and once in the Gryffindor tower they sat down on the sofa where Hermione laid her head on Harry's shoulder and wept. He wrapped his arm around her back, fighting to keep his own tears in check. The last thing Hermione needed right now was for him to break down too.

An hour passed and still there was no news from anyone outside the Common Room. Some of the girls had disappeared to their dorms to cry, the boys were busying themselves with anything they could possibly find to draw their attention from the Daily Prophet's Article and Hermione, despite Harry's sincere reassurance that no-one would think any less of her, insisted she'd feel worse if she cried any more, and had stopped within minutes of their arrival at the common room. The pair were now sitting in front of the fire, occasionally sharing their thoughts... and waiting – as waiting was all one could do right now.

Just when Harry was wondering if all the teachers had forgotten about them, McGonagall stepped through the portrait hole and called for attention. Harry and Hermione, along with all the others in their chairs, turned around to face her. Parvati went upstairs to gather up everyone from the dorms. Once they were all down in the common room again Minerva sighed and began.

"Professor Dumbledore has arranged for those he has been talking to, to be collected by members of their family ... or close friends." She didn't have to say any more about it. Everyone understood that some people no longer had any family members.

Harry and Hermione looked at each-other in horror. Ron and Ginny were going to go back to the Burrow and they would have to stay here like nothing had happened?

"At the moment the said students are in the hospital wing and I will not allow you to visit them. Classes will commence again tomorrow as usual."

"What? Seamus snapped. "You're just going to pretend nothing happened? Our friends' parents and brothers and sisters have just died and we're going to start school tomorrow?! You-Know-You just attacked Diagon Alley and you're going to keep going 'as usual'?!"

"Do not raise your voice at me, Finnigan!"

"I can't believe it!" he half-shouted, face turned in disgust. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm afraid I am. And it would be wise if you stopped talking to me like that, otherwise you'll be responsible for Gryffindor loosing its house points!"

"I don't give about house points right now and I don't think anyone else in this room does!"

Professor McGonagall stood up straight, her lips pressed together and her nostrils flaring. "Seamus Finnigan please control yourself! We are as upset about this as you are but there's nothing we can do!"

Seamus simply turned around grunting in anger and Minerva flipped a grey strand of hair out her face before sighing, "I will report here again later in the afternoon with more news."

Harry glanced at Hermione again, "Er Professor!" he said standing up. She turned to see him. "Can me and Hermione see Dumbledore please?"

She looked at him despairingly and then across to Hermione. Finally she agreed.

Other Gryffindors instantly roared their disapproval, shouting that they should be allowed to see the Headmaster too. McGonagall simply ordered them all to stay put and threatened them with a week's worth of detentions and the loss of 200 points each if anyone dared disobey. She then swept out of the common room and lead Harry and Hermione up to Dumbledore's office.

It was the second time he'd been here in two days, Harry thought dully. He wasn't exactly sure what he was going there for this time – but he had a vague idea what he wanted. He wanted to demand the permission to see Ron and Ginny and go back the Burrow with them, for one. He wasn't sure how he was going ask. In fact, he wasn't sure if asking was the wisest choice, as his request would most likely be refused. Perhaps he should simply announce that they were going to do it. But that sort of attitude had never worked on Dumbledore before. Harry knew better than to be anything but serious and collected when he wanted something off the Headmaster.

He was brought out of his frenzied thoughts by Hermione's delicate fingers touching against his. He looked at her as she clasped her hand in his own and smiled weakly. Harry forced an equally faint smile in return as he gripped her hand comfortingly. He hadn't shown her this much affection in years. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember an occasion where he had held her hand or wiped away her tears at all. He found himself regretful for this, but reminded himself too, that there hadn't been many occasions where they had both been in need of each-other's compassion like they were now.

Their hands remained linked as they walked the corridors to Dumbledore's office, and with each step they took, Harry felt a link forming between more than simply their hands. Without words, without even eye contact, they were sharing a bond that he was amazed hadn't been appreciated before. How had they gone so many years together and not noticed the height of their friendship? Hermione was like his sister, Ron was like his brother – and he realised now that he and Hermione weren't forming anything new. They were simply recognising what had been there all along.

Hermione must have felt it too, because she brushed his thumb gently when they reached the gargoyles. They leapt aside as McGonagall relayed the password and Harry let go of Hermione so they both could both step onto the staircase and wait for Dumbledore's office to come into view.

He was leaning in his chair, his head cupped in his right hand and his eyes staring at the wall behind Fawkes. He appeared to be deep in thought but pulled himself out of it as McGonagall coughed. "Albus, these two requested to see you," she said apologetically.

"Yes I thought they would. Sit down please," he directed.

Harry and Hermione did as they were told and Minerva left the room. Harry didn't even have to voice what he was thinking, Dumbledore already seemed to know.

"I suppose you wish to visit Mr and Miss Weasley?"

Both Harry and Hermione nodded and Albus continued, "And am I right in guessing that you wish to return to their home with them?"

They both nodded again.

Dumbledore sighed. "You realise of course that others will want the same. As soon as I allow you two to leave as well, people in similar conditions will demand they go also. And having all the students leave the school is the worst thing we can do right now. You know very well this castle will be the last place to fall. The world is far more dangerous out there and I cannot push my students out into it."

Hermione glanced at Harry sadly and he turned back to Albus, refusing to give in so soon. "But Professor please – the Weasleys are like my family ... a-and Hermione's second family."

Dumbledore nodded again, the skin on his forehead creased into rolls and his eyebrows threatened to become one.

"Harry, I understand that Mr and Mrs Weasley are like parents to you. But I would think that after our chat yesterday you would understand how infinitely important it is for you to remain here."

Harry's face fell and Dumbledore ran a finger down his nose broodingly. "I had thought of this before you came to see me. I want you to realise that it is vital that the lessons we discussed yesterday start immediately, and that allowing you to leave the school would be one of the most foolish and dangerous things we could do."

Harry sighed and Albus looked at him through his half moon spectacles, "But, I shall let you go."

Harry and Hermione looked up in disbelief. "I want you both to return tomorrow night, although Ron and Ginny may wish to stay."

"What?!" Harry exclaimed, "Only two days?!"

"Have you heard nothing of what I just said, Mr Potter? It is very risky for me to allow you even this short visit and we will be disabling our side significantly. I do appreciate how much you need to go, though. So, I will be taking every precaution possible, and you must return tomorrow, understood?"

Harry paused for a second and then reluctantly agreed.

"Alright. If that is settled then, I will allow you to proceed to the hospital wing and tell Ron and Ginny you will be accompanying them. You can pack your trunks too, we are setting up Port Keys to get the family and friends to Hogsmeade. It should be sorted within the hour."

Hermione nodded. "Excuse me, Professor," she said meekly. He looked at her raising his eyebrows. "Who – which – I would rather know before we got there, if you see what I mean?"

"Unfortunately I do not know, neither does Mr or Miss Weasley."

"Oh," she looked at the ground. "Ok."

"Thanks Professor," Harry said standing up. Albus merely nodded.