Prologue: Where Are They Now?

This story is mostly set three years after the end of Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts. A brief summary of what happened to the characters during the intervening three years—

NOTE: This story was written prior to the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince; thus, all major characters will still be alive, despite rumors of a character death in Book 6.

Harry: After defeating Voldemort in his 7th year, he joined the Auror service along with his best friend Ron. They now work as partners on Auror missions. Harry's job is enough to support him, so he has donated most of his fortune to Hermione's research.

The Slytherins: Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Blaise, and most of the other Slytherins in Harry's year and most of the ones who were a year lower are still loyal to Voldemort, despite his death. Most have taken the Dark Mark to become Death Eaters.

Tom Riddle, the Lord Voldemort: His death has deprived him of corporeal form, but his wandless magic skills, while insufficient for dueling, are enough for him to effectively control the Death Eaters, even though he is now a ghost. He cannot touch a wand, so he cannot cast the Unforgivable Curses, but he can still summon his followers with the Dark Mark, Apparate, and use Legilimency/Occulmency as before.

Professor Snape: The final duel with Voldemort was close enough to force Snape's hand, thus exposing him as a spy for Dumbledore. Now it is no longer just the students who call him "Snivellus"; the Death Eaters do as well, and they do it openly as well as behind his back. Snape is more despised than even Dumbledore; both are blood traitors, but Snape also personally betrayed the Dark Lord—something even Dumbledore never did.

Hermione: Torn between her love of learning and her desire to stay with her Auror friends, Hermione decided to pursue both tracks by using a Time-Turner to simultaneously train as an Auror and open a research laboratory of magic. She is trying to discover and invent new spells, and find a counter for Avada Kedavra. Most of her research funds are provided by Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and Harry Potter.

Neville: One of the students who helped in the final duel with Voldemort, and now works as an Auror; Seamus Finnigan is his partner.

Ron: Harry's partner in the Auror service (just as many fanfics predict…), and before that, in the final duel with Voldemort.

Ginny: Another of the students who helped against Voldemort, now a Healer at Saint Mungo's (just as many fanfics predict…)

Parvati: Initially worked as a reporter for the Daily Prophet, but was fired by Rita Skeeter after refusing to write a defamatory (and untrue) article about Harry & co. She has found a new job as the publicist for the Order of the Phoenix, writing pro-mudblood propaganda.

The Other Gryffindors: Although they've gone to many different careers, their membership in the Order of the Phoenix keeps them together, and their wand-dueling skills are only marginally below that of an Auror.

Please, please go to the next chapter--that's where the real story begins. Then, if you don't like it, you can say so.