A/N: Thanks to my betas; Ru, Ellie, & Charli! You guys rock! This chapter was updated August 6, 2004.
Chapter 2: Things Can't Always Be Perfect
Hermione Granger had just shrieked like a little girl. Up in her bedroom her friend Morgan had heard her scream and had practically flew down the stairs to see what the matter was. Morgan was greeted with the sight of Hermione, standing behind a mess of crackers and water on the floor, and a man standing directly in front of Hermione's fireplace wearing the most interesting outfit she had ever seen. Morgan silently wondered to herself how this man could startle her friend so much. After all, she had to have let him into the house. But Hermione didn't let him into the house.
"I'm so sorry Headmaster, you startled me. May I ask what you are doing in my home?"
"I flooed here in order to bring you to the Order's headquarters. I was very concerned when you didn't come through as directed in Harry's and my letter." Albus Dumbledore replied.
"I haven't opened either of the letters yet. Why is my house on the floo network? I thought you said it wasn't safe for it to be on the network."
"It is not safe Miss Granger, but if you would have read Harry's letter you would know that your house is temporarily on the network. I would love to discuss this more with you Miss Granger, but time is of the essence. You must quickly pack up your things as we need to get to headquarters as soon as possible."
Hermione went to pick up the mess on the floor, but before she could reach it, Albus had already made it disappear. As Hermione ran up the stairs she grabbed Morgan's arm and pulled her into her bedroom.
"Hermione, who is that?" Morgan asked with wide eyes at what she had just witnessed.
"That is Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of the school I go to."
"Why is he here? What's going on?"
"He is here to take me someplace safe, which means that something must be very, very wrong."
The two girls quickly packed up everything Hermione would need for the rest of the summer, as well as for the next school year, just in case. When they went back downstairs, Albus was waiting.
"Miss Granger, who is this?" Albus asked.
"This is my friend Morgana Draven." Hermione answered.
"How much does she know?" He asked.
"I know that Hermione is a witch, and that she attends a school for witchcraft and wizardry of which you are the Headmaster." Morgan said, not liking being talked about as if she was not there.
Albus turned to the girl. "Well then Miss Draven, I am afraid you will have to come with us. I will escort you to your house where you will pack some things."
Morgan was confused and looked to Hermione for some reassurance. Hermione nodded and gave a half smile. Although she did not know the man, she wasn't afraid to go with him. She wasn't sure why he wanted to come with her to her house; after all, it was just down the street. Albus and Morgan began heading for her house when Hermione stepped onto her front porch. After looking in the direction of Morgan's house, she called out "Headmaster, look!"
He did look, and so did Morgan. There in the sky above Morgan's house was a looming Dark Mark. Albus suddenly paled and rushed the two girls back inside Hermione's house. "It's too late to floo." Albus said. "We will have to apparate." Albus yelled up the stairs to Fawkes and Hedwig telling them to leave. He then placed a shrinking charm on Hermione's things and, after Hermione had a firm grip on Crookshanks, took hold of the two girls and apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place.
"What the hell just happened? What was that thing over my house? Where are we? What is going on?" Morgan asked in rapid-fire succession while on the verge of tears as soon as they arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place.
"Miss Granger, is this young lady a cousin of yours?" Hermione spun around to come face to face with Professor Severus Snape. "I'm only asking because she has your tendency to ask an insufferable number of questions." He finished in his usual snarky tone.
"Now, now, Severus. Miss Draven is Hermione's muggle friend. She was at Hermione's house when I went to collect her. After seeing Miss Draven in Miss Granger's home I came to the conclusion that her life, like Hermione's parents, was in danger."
"What?" Morgan and Hermione yelled at the same time.
"Do not worry Hermione. You parents are quite safe."
"What about my family?" Morgan asked.
"I am afraid Miss Draven, that your family has most likely been killed." Albus answered, loosing the twinkle from his eyes.
Tears now flowed freely from Morgan's eyes. "Why would anyone want to kill them? They would never hurt anyone." Hermione wrapped her arms around her friend.
"It's because you are friends with me. The thing hovering over your house is called the dark mark; it is used as a sign that a group of people called Death Eaters have just committed murder. They were looking for you because you are friends with me, because I am friends with Harry Potter. I am so sorry Morgan! I never thought that you'd be in any danger." Hermione was now crying as well.
"Albus, if she wasn't in the house the Dark Lord will not be informed. Polyjuice will be used on some other muggle girl and none of the Death Eaters will tell the Dark Lord that they failed to kill the right teenager. However, I am afraid that if Miss..." Severus began.
"Draven." Morgan sniffed while wiping the tears from her eyes. "My name is Morgana Draven." She finished and extended her hand to Hermione's potions professor.
Severus paused before shaking her hand. "Right. I am afraid that if Miss Draven was to return to the muggle world she will be targeted for execution."
"Wait a minute." Hermione spoke up. "I know that my being friends with Harry puts me in danger, but why are my friends and family in danger now? Why did Voldemort wait until now to start attacking them?"
"I was wondering when you would ask Hermione. Severus, why don't explain this to Hermione while I take Miss Draven to get some tea." Albus said.
"Very well Albus. Miss Granger, I believe you may want to sit down for this."
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