Chapter 7: Admonition
Harry, Ron, and Ginny were walking across the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch towards the spot in the stands where Hermione had been watching them practice. They had just reached her when Professor McGonagall literally ran out onto the pitch. As she came closer Harry could see that she had been crying.
"Professor," Hermione stood up, "what's happened?"
"It's terrible...Oh! You four'd better come with me."
Harry didn't have to ask where they were going. When they reached the entrance to Dumbledore's office she gave the password ("Ice Mice"), and the spiral staircase appeared. Harry heard a small sob from behind him. He turned to see that it was Ginny. He slowed his pace to let Ron and Hermione pass. Harry then took her hand. He could sense that she, like him, somehow knew what was coming.
They entered the office to find Dumbledore and Snape as well as several other members of the Order.
"I am sorry to say that something terrible has happened at headquarters," said a member Harry didn't recognize. One look at the headmaster told him that it was true.
"What happened?" Ron asked shakily, his hand in Hermione's.
"Minerva?" Dumbledore said.
"Yes. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny," she said looking directly at each respectively, "I will be taking you to Grimmauld Place to see if we can find anything in the rubble–"
"No!" Ginny gasped. Harry pulled her towards him as she began to cry again.
"We'll be taking a portkey," she finished tearfully. They gathered around the hat that was being used. Harry felt the all too familiar jerk behind his navel, and they were off.
They landed in Muggle London. Harry recognized them to be about a minute's walk from number 12. He looked into the sky and saw it. The skull and snake. He'd never forget it. The Dark Mark.
"No, no, no!" he shouted.
Hermione screamed as she too saw the Mark burning in the sky.
Professor McGonagall led them around the corner into Grimmauld Square. The place was deserted. The House of Black stood no longer. The four children ran over to the pile of rubble. Professor McGonagall followed slowly.
After about an hour of searching they'd only found a few signs of the numerous people who'd lived there. Nothing else. No one.
Exhausted, they retreated. Professor McGonagall conjured an umbrella that somehow fit all five of them, as it had started to rain.
"I'm sorry," she said over and over, as she massaged her sore hands.
"Harry," Ginny turned toward him, "where are they?"
"I dunno, Gin," he hugged her hard.
"We should have found...something," a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Maybe they got away," he said, wiping it away.
"Let us return to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said wearily.
They gathered into a group again. Harry felt his blood curdle as he heard the cold, mirthless laughter.