"I'm afraid this is it." Dumbledore said softly, his voice sounding flat, and scared. He suddenly looked very small sitting behind his massive desk.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"Voldemort." Snape spoke up and said. "He has declared the beginning of the war tonight."

"What did he do?" Harry asked, and Hermione noticed his skin was pale white now.

"He attacked the front entrance of Hogwarts twenty minutes ago. He is trying to get in." Snape said calmly.

"But he can't!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up. "Hogwarts is protected against him."

"Yes, it is, but Voldemort planned on that and he has taken to attacking Hogsmeade, trying to draw us outto fight. And now we have to. People are already dying out there." Dumbledore said gravely. "Harry, you know what you have to do."

"I do sir." Harry said. "But I am not going to go with without Dumbledore's Army behind me sir. We trained together and we will fight together. We will get everyone ready and go to Hogsmeade."

Dumbledore nodded, amazed at the young man's courage and bravery. He nodded to the other professors who quickly left to round everyone up.

"I admit, I don't feel comfortable putting children in this much danger Harry, but I know it is the only way to defeat Voldemort." Dumbledore said, resting his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"We are not children anymore sir, don't feel guilty for this. We are going to stop him once and for all, this is what I was born for." Harry replied.

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Hermione shivered from the cold and the fear in her chest. They had set out for Hogsmeade. Snape had gone ahead, still posing as a death eater, hoping to lend some protection once they arrived. As awful and mean as Professor Snape was, Hermione prayed he would be okay. If Voldemort finds out about Snape's betrayal before they could get there, he would be killed.

Hermione gasped to herself as she realized Lucius would be apart of this. A part of the attack on Harry, Ron, and herself. He would be part of the evil they were going to try and destroy. She shook her head as she fought off the weight in her chest. She couldn't think of that right now, it would block her ability to do what she needed to do.

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The group entered Hogsmeade and Hermione gasped. Lupin, Moody, Dumbledore and Tonks lead the group into the village, with many of the other members of the Order of the Phoenix behind the students.

The village was on fire, many of her favorite shops were burning down, women and children were out in the streets crying. Hermione fought her tears.

They continued into the village, watching around them, not knowing where the Death Eaters and Voldemort were hiding.

They found out quickly, as two hooded figures jumped in front of the group, and were quickly taken care by Tonks.

Confusion set in quickly as more of Voldemort's followers appeared. Hermione lost track of everybody as the Death Eaters began to attack the group, separating everyone.

It was the Order's job to keep the Death Eaters busy, so that Harry could take care of Voldemort, with Dumbledore guarding him. They had been preparing for this, yet when the massive number of figures in hooded black cloaks began to attack, Hermione felt overwhelmed, yet she kept in control and began to cast curses as quick as she could.

She wondered briefly which of the hooded figures was Lucius, but she dismissed that thought. She couldn't afford to think about that right now.