One stormy night in august when the moon was full and the rain was dripping on the tin roof of the shack; two yellow eyes reflected in the corner, intent upon the object of its desire. The flickering candle was all there was between the overpowering darkness that was creeping in threatening to cover the room's occupant.

A whispering breeze behaved as if it was a hurricane, the papers invisibly covering all the walls rushed in a spiralling, inky whirlwind. A rat like man in a drunken sleep lay in a ragged armchair. Startled from a dream, the disfigured man twitched awake and started grabbing the random papers. The two yellow eyes turned and disappeared in to the darkness leaving no trace that it had ever been there, leaving the unappealing man to fumble after papers unaware that he had been watched.

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Elsewhere in the suburbs of London was a snowy owl gliding with poise on to the windowsill of a mock Tudor house. With urgent grace, she started pecking on the window of a striking young woman at her desk, who turned as soon she had heard.

"Hello Hedwig, I been waiting for you." She approached the window and cautiously opening to make sure it gave no sounds. "Come in before my parents hear!" Hedwig flew in and landed on the bed holding her leg out so that she could remove the letter,

'Mione

How are you? We're missing you here and wondering would you like to come to Sirus's house for the rest of the holiday? We have something important to tell you about The War. Ron will be outside as I've made him the new secret keeper so he will let you in. please send Hedwig back with your answer.

Love

Harry, Ron, Ginny and everyone

Without a second thought Hermione wrote a reply, not bothering to ask her parents at all, as in her personal opinion she was old enough not to need to ask them about going to see her friends.

Everyone

I'm coming now. I think I have a bit of floo powder left from when you all said I could have some. But how do I get in unless Ron creates a fire place for me to come through. Well let me know

Love

'Mione

PS sorry if this seems a bit topsy turvy but it is past midnight and I'm "a go to sleep" person not a" stay awake till the early hours of the morning."

Hermione smiled at her letter as she tied it to hedwigs outstretched leg. She knew that even though she was near London it would take the owl a while to deliver the letter to number twelve-grimmauld place. So Hermione decided to read a book until she got the signal that she could leave.

Unnoticed by her, several hours passed and there was another sound not unlike the sound which Hedwig had made, but when she looked towards the window she saw nothing except the sun beginning to rise. She heard it again but it appeared to be coming from inside the wall next to her bed. She approached the wall cautiously only to realise, when she pressed her ear to the wall, that these were the coughing and spluttering's of one Ronald Weasley.

"Ron, it's Hermione"

"well of course it is. Isn't it," he yelled worriedly, "Er, I have my wand here, er, do you mind if I blast open the wall?"

"ok just give me a se…" there was a loud boom as the wall exploded sending hermione flying across the room. She managed a final look towards the hole and Ron before blacking out.

-----

"You are very lucky Ron! What did you think you were doing blasting open a wall when she was near it?"

"I thought I was shouting loud enough so that she could hear me through it I mean it didn't seem thick!"

"It's a bloody wall you idiot! Of course it would be thick!"

Hermione opened her eyes gently only to close them immediately at the bright light.

"I could hear clearly so I thought it was thin."

"That might be 'cause I was shouting straight into the wall you arse," Hermione whispered weakly, her eyes adjusting to light. Her voice had come so suddenly that both boys had jumped into the air shocked out of their skins. Hermione laughed a deep throated laugh quickly joined by Harry, whilst Ron blushed a deeper crimson then his hair, which was quite a feat. "you…should…have …seen…your…faces" she said breathlessly.

"she's awake" shouted Ron darkly.

"everyone's been worried sick about you 'mione! You gave us a scare!"

"I gave you a scare? How on earth would you feel with your brains on the floor," said 'Mione, "Whilst you guys are having a slanging match like a couple of bad mouthed toddelers." Which by this point had both boys reaching a rambunctious red blush. "You know boys that really is a beautiful red I should get a lipstick in that colour" she said joking.

"Funny how a second ago you were all weak and unable to talk and now you can joke like there's no tomorrow?" said Harry.

"Well I've always said being around you did some thing to my health," she pretended to look perplexed, "though it isn't normally good." Smiling she looked around wondering, for the first time, why she didn't recognise the place. "where are we?"

Harry answered, "My place"

"The Dursleys?" she croaked.

"No, this is my new home, Sirius's place. The twins and Ginny are here."

She turned to Ron, "Where are your parents?"

Both answered, "That's the bad news!"

"What!"

"They were attacked by death eaters while everyone was out" Hermiones eyes widened, "they're ok just a bit hurt, but not to much," he said when he spotted 'Mione's crestfallen face, " the house was burnt down and…

Percy's been kidnapped"

Not for the first time that day Hermione felt herself fall in to overwhelming darkness in a dead faint.