"Silence" Professor McGonagall's shrill voice rang out through the Great Hall as students loudly spoke amongst themselves. Slowly the talking ceased until there was an eerie silence in the Great Hall. McGonagall's voice pierced through the silence "As you have all no doubt heard, Death Eaters broke into the castle last night and killed Professor Dumbledore and injured several other people." At this whispers broke out amongst the students which died down as quickly as they had started once McGonagall resumed talking. "Lessons will continue as normal and I shall be temporarily acting as headmistress until the Minister for Magic appoints a new headmaster. I am warning all of you not to pressure Harry Potter or any of his friends for the details or else there shall be grave consequences. On a lighter subject your NEWT results shall be arriving soon. I wish you all luck in getting the results you hope for. Now on to security. Students shall be in their common room no later than 9 and I don't want anybody walking around alone if it can be avoided. I want you to all return to your common rooms and await your NEWT results." With that said the students filed out of the Great Hall and started making their way to their common rooms. Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking up the stairs when they bumped into a group of Slytherins who immediately started hurling insults at Harry. Harry's temper flared and he let loose a string of curses which hit several of the Slytherins. The remaining Slytherins were about to retaliate when Professor McGonagall rounded the corner "Put those wands away this instant. 50 points from Slytherin. Now go back to your common rooms all of you. Potter, a word in my office please." Harry told Hermione and Ron to meet him in the common room later and with said he followed McGonagall down several flights of stairs to her office.
Elsewhere Voldemort and his Death Eaters were once again arranged in a circle with Voldemort impatiently paced the inside of the circle. Several long minutes passed when suddenly someone apparated inside the circle. "Lord Voldemort" he began. "The students are scared. Lessons are still going like normal but a lot of students have either gone home or are too scared to leave their common rooms. The professors are trying their best to ignore it but they're just as scared as the students and several of them have resigned." "Good work Draco" Voldemort's snake-like voice hissed into the eerie silence which followed Draco's speech. Draco smirked then took his place in the circle of Death Eaters. "The day when we shall scourge this land of mudbloods is near. Pure bloods will once again rule over all and each and every muggle shall know fear. Our time is coming." Volemort whispered softly yet loud enough for it to reach each and every Death Eater assembled there. "I want an emissary sent to the giants to see if they are ready to join our cause yet." Lord Voldemort commanded. With that said he then dismissed them. Him and Wormtail then apparated to a nearby deserted house where Wormtail stuttered "What is our next move master?" Voldemort cooly replied that Wormtail would do well to mind his own business to which Wormtail bowed his head and shook with fear. Voldemort simply laughed at him and said, "sit down Wormtail and I shall explain to you the next phase of my plan."
Back at Hogwarts Hermione and Ron were warming themselves by the fire when the portrait hole opened and Harry walked in looking slightly better and more cheerful than when they had last seen him. Hermione and Ron were on him the instant he walked into the common room, "What did McGonagall want Harry?" Ron asked. After a few seconds Harry answered him "She just wanted to talk and ask if I was ok and to tell me that should I ever need to talk then her door will always be open for me." Harry pushed through his friends to one of the arm chairs in the common room and fell onto it thoroughly exhausted. "Are you ok Harry?" Hermione hesitantly asked Harry after several minutes had gone by without him saying anything. Several more minutes passed before Harry finally replied "Yeah I just need a bit of sleep, I'm going to bed guys. I'll talk to you two in the morning. You coming Ron?" "No I think I'll stay and talk with Hermione for a little while." Harry merely shrugged then trudged up the stairs to his bed. After tossing and turning for several hours Harry decided to go back to the common room to grab a glass of water hoping to settle his nerves. As he passed Ron's four-poster bed he noticed that there wasn't any snoring coming from it but in his drowsy state he dismissed it until he got to the common room where there sitting in the arm chair closest to the fire was Hermione and Ron fast asleep in each others arms each wearing a smile of contentment. Harry stopped and stared silently at them for several long minutes before finally smiling then quietly grabbing a glass of water and heading back up to his bed. "Harry I PASSED I PASSED." Harry was awaken by Ron's excited shouts as he came running up the stairwell. "What's the time Ron?" Harry groggily asked Ron whilst rubbing his eyes to try and remove the sleep from his eyes. "I don't know but breakfast is soon and Hermione is downstairs in the common room and she wants to talk to you. Guess what Harry. I passed my NEWTs." Ron told him excitedly. "Congratulations, do you know where my results are?" No sooner had Harry said this than a tawny white owl flew into the room and dropped a letter at Harry's feet then flew off. Harry eagerly ripped open the letter and pulled out its contents, a single piece of parchment.Harry went quiet as he read what was written on the parchment in his hands. "Did ya pass mate? What'd you get?" Ron asked Harry. Harry was silent for a few moments as he read then he said with barely supressed excitement in his voice "O's in every subject." "Bloody hell. Well done Harry." Ron shook his hand fervourously. Harry grinned then raced down the stairs with Ron in hot pursuit both eager to find out how Hermione did. Hermione smiled broadly while she told them she passed with the same grades as Harry. "You two have fun last night after i went to bed?" Harry asked Hermione and Ron who both blushed furiously and seemed unable to speak. Then Ron suggested they go down for breakfast and he started walking out the portrait hole. Harry made to follow him but was stopped by Hermione who requested a word with him in private. "Harry the end of term is in a week and then Bill's wedding is two weeks after that" Hermione began. She then took a deep breath and said "Harry I think we should leave for Godric's Hollow straight after the end of term, then come back in time for Bill's wedding." Harry looked thoughtful for a moment then said "That's probably the best course of action. We'll need to tell Mrs. Weasley though." Hermione agreed then her and Harry walked out of the portrait hole and down to breakfast where they met up with Ron and Ginny. Harry and Ginny avoided each others eyes as they all sat down at the Gryffindor table. "Did you guys pass your NEWTs?" Ginny quietly asked them. All three replied as one with a simple "Yes". The four of them ate in silence until McGonagall stood up and made an announcement. "Attention everybody. Due to events of late school shall finish early. The Hogwarts Express shall be taking you all home tonight." This announcement was received with varying emotions. Some expressed their happiness to be going home to their families where they felt safe while some told of how they would rather stay at Hogwarts with their friends. Professor McGonagall allowed the students to chatter amongst themselves for a few minutes before clearing her throat in a very matter-of-factedly way. At this the chatter died down and everybody waited expectantly. "It is still unknown if Hogwarts shall be open next year but rest assured that I will fight until the day i die to keep this school open. I wish you all the best of luck in getting home safe and I pray to see you all here again next year." With that said the food appeared and everybody feasted. Later that night aboard the Hogwarts Express Harry and his friends were telling Ginny that they would be going away for a little while before Bill's wedding. She instantly wanted to go but Harry told her she couldn't go. She wasn't taking it all that well. Hermione and Ron ran out of the compartment once she started firing off hexes leaving Harry to face her wrath alone. Five minutes went and she was still firing off hexes whilst Harry was cowering behind some chairs. Suddenly it went quiet and Hermione and Ron wondered if Harry had calmed her down yet they didn't dare enter the compartment for a little while just in case. Five minutes later and they still hadn't heard anything so they decided to try their luck and enter the compartment. Inside they found Harry and Ginny kissing. "Bloody hell Harry that's not what I meant when I told you to shut her up" Exclaimed Ron. Harry and Ginny broke apart rapidly turning a deep shade of scarlet. Hermione playfully punched Ron and told him to leave them alone. Just as Ron was about to say something back to her the Hogwarts Express pulled into platform 9 3/4. Ron waited with his parents and Ginny whilst Harry told his uncle and aunt that he wouldn't be going home with them and nor would he ever see them again. His uncle merely shrugged and walked off whlst his aunt quickly wished him luck and gave him the briefest of hugs before walking after his uncle. By the time Harry had gotten his stuff and walked over to the Weasleys Hermione was already there waiting to go with them too. It no time at all they were back at the Burrow. Harry, Hermione and Ron were carefully telling Arthur and Molly Weasley that they were simply going on bit of a holiday for a few days and would be back soon. Mrs. Weasley was taking it surprisingly well. Next morning Harry was saying goodbye to Ginny whilst Ron was saying goodbye to his parents. After a few minutes they were all ready and they all apparated to Godric's Hollow.