Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OCs (Katherine, Septimus, Helena, Christoph, Elisa, Henry, Nick, Justin, Kyle, Carlos, Mike, Nurse Canter & Headmaster Mickels) are entirely my own.


Chapter 5: The Prophet's Report, Part 1

The house was dark and empty; the only light that occasionally occurred came from the thunderstorm erupting outside. Furniture was overturned; pictures and books blasted from their resting places on the shelves. Silence. Complete silence.

The only sound that he could hear was his own beating heart. He moved down the hallway, quickly and quietly. Avoiding the broken chair and foyer table laying in pieces upon the dust covered floor.

Something silent drove him on, towards the shattered door at the end of the hall. He brought his hand up to move the pieces to find himself staring into a small bedroom. The room was no bigger than the small bathroom back at home.

Slowly he advanced into the room, lighting his wand along the way. But as soon as the light filled the room, he stopped in his tracks. For there, in the center of the room, laid two bodies; one man and one woman. He gasped, nearly dropping his wand, as he looked down upon the unmoving man.

Black eyes, black as his own, were shining up at him. But there was no life to these eyes. The man's face was deathly pale, as it laid in a pool of crimson blood that leaked from the body's neck and torso. The man's raven hair was matted to the sides of his face. The right arm outstretched further into the room, reaching out towards the woman, but failing to touch her.

He gasped even louder when his eyes fell upon the woman. She was also lying in a pool of blood, which still wept from her chest and neck. Blonde hair, matted with blood fanned out around her pale face. But it was her eyes that stood out the most. Lifeless icy blue eyes.

"Mom?" he said hoarsely, backing up slightly towards the door. "Dad?" A suddenly rustling sound came from behind him, followed by a loud pitch hiss. Slowly he turned around, only to see a giant snake with large venomous fangs lunging straight towards him.

"NO!" Septimus shot up in his bed, panting hard and covered in sweat. The sound of rustling bed curtains echoed around the dorm room, followed by four pairs of feet padding across the floor.

"Septimus?" His own bed curtains were thrown back relieving four disheveled looking fifth year boys. Mike Palmer, Justin Burke, Kyle Fuchs and Carlos Gonzalo had been his roommates for the past five years; and as it was, they weren't unfamiliar with Septimus' nightmares.

"You alright?" Mike asked, as Kyle lit the room with his wand.

"Yeah..." Septimus said between taking deep breaths. "Yeah...just a nightmare, that's all."

"Was it about the snake again?" Carlos asked, as he sat down on the foot of the bed.

"Yeah, but it was different this time," Septimus muttered, rubbing his hands across his face.

"Listen Sept," Justin started, glancing around at the rest of his roommates. "Maybe you should go to Nurse Canter. She could give you a sleeping draught so you could actually, you know, sleep for once throughout the entire night."

"Justin's right Sept," Kyle said. "The way your nights have been the past couple of weeks, you'll be in no shape for Saturday's game against the Ouachita Sidewinders."

"Alright, fine," Septimus grumbled. "I'll go see her after classes today."


Three hours later...

"All students and staff, please report to the main lecture hall at once," a man's deep voice echoed through the common room around seven in the morning. "All student and staff, please report to the main lecture hall."

Those who were not already out and about for the day, were dressing quickly and making their way towards the large auditorium on the north end of the building. Septimus and Helena walked together among the other fifth years, all who were rapidly discussing the sudden meeting.

"What do you think is going on?"

"Nothing in the Journal all weekend long. So who know."

The crowd made their way into the large room, and took their seats according to years. A dark skinned man made his way out onto the stage. He was tall and intimidating-looking, but the students knew he was a fair and kind-hearted towards his students and staff alike.

"Settle down everyone!" Headmaster Mickels yelled over the group of noisy students. "Quiet down everyone please!" He raised his arms gaining the students attention, quieting them at once.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I have called you here this morning," he continued. His eyes roaming over the student body before him. "I'm sure many of you remember the meeting we had about a certain dark wizard causing problems in the UK..." He paused watching the students' reactions carefully.

"We, the staff, have been informed that as of last Friday night, a terrible battle broke out on the grounds of the British wizarding school called Hogwarts," Mickels paused again, as gasps were admitted from several students around the hall. It wasn't uncommon for students from New Salem to have relatives who live in the UK, and were, or had once, attended Hogwarts.

"I am here to inform you, that the dark wizard...Voldemort...is dead," Mickels shouted, gaining a cheer from almost all of the student body. All except for one.

Septimus felt his chest tighten at the thought that his mother and father had gone to Hogwarts. 'Had they both been foolish enough to had gone to the school to avenge it?' Septimus feared. He knew that was why he was where he was. His mother had always told him that his father had been trailed by that dark wizard because of his potion skills, and his father had send his mother to the states to protect her and himself. 'Would they have been foolish enough to go back and fight?'

"Settle down!" Headmaster Mickels shouted, quieting the room once again. "Yes this is all good news...however...with victory comes a price. As a result of the battle, fifty of those who fought against Voldemort and his followers have lost their lives.

"So, as for today, classes are cancelled," Mickels continued on. "A memorial service for those fifty, who lost their lives for what was right, will be held right here at seven o'clock tonight.

"Also," Mickels paused. "The Department of Education and the USWG has decided to close all United States' schools early. Those of you who would be taking their OWLs and NEWTs this year, will begin taking them tomorrow afternoon, and they will last through Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon at five o'clock, the trains will arrive to take you home.

"The reason for this decision is simple," Mickels sighed. "The government realizes that many American families have European ties, and we wanted to make sure that during this time, family is what is most important.

"Remember," Mickels said, "the memorial service will be held at seven tonight. Until then you are dismissed."

The student body rose noisily, and exited the hall. Many chatted about the sudden exams, about Quidditch season being ended early, and others about how the battle took place.

"Septimus," Helena said, grabbing his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Kyle told me about the dream. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. It's just..." Septimus stopped suddenly, and pulled Helena out of the busy hallway into a dark corridor. "Do you think my mom fought in that?"

"What?"

"I just have this strange feeling that both of my parents would be stupid enough to drop everything and fly into battle to protect the school that they attended," Septimus said, running his hands through his shoulder length black hair. "Helena please tell me I'm jumping to conclusion."

"Sept," Helena sighed, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sure your parents are fine. Besides, you got a present from your mom on Saturday so she must be fine."

"But it take five days for an owl to reach the states from anywhere along the European western coast Helena," Septimus growled in frustration, back up in her arms a little. "She would have had to send it days before then. Plus I don't even know where she is! All the card said was 'Happy Birthday Septimus. Hope school is going well. Love mom.' That was it!"

"Septimus calm down," Helena said, grabbing his upper arms. "You'll give yourself an anxiety attack.

"Septimus listen," Helena sighed, pulling him back in for another hug. "I'm sure they're fine, if they weren't I'm sure you would have been pulled aside before the meeting. Everything will be okay. I promise." Helena reached up and planted a light kiss on his cheek. Septimus sighed deeply and enveloped the witch in his arms, hugging her as close to him as possible.


The rest of the day went on painfully for Septimus. He and Helena, along with the rest of the fifth and seventh years gathered in quiet places throughout the school and grounds to study for their exams. All the other years' exams had been cancelled, but the school remained quiet and mournful throughout the day.

When seven o'clock arrived, the students and staff were once again seated in the lecture hall. All the professors were dressing in black, seated on either side of the podium, where Headmaster Mickels stood once again.

"Thank you all for being so pensive today," Mickels said, his voice quieter than it had been earlier in the day. "I have here, in my hand, a list for Barnabas Cuffe, of the Daily Prophet from England. A list of those who died during this exhausting battle.

"From his information, we were told that the battle began shortly after nightfall on May first, and ended in the early morning hours of May second. Fifty-eight names are listed here. Fifty-eight who died for what was right.

"Students...staff...civilians alike, sacrificed themselves so that they rest of the world could remain peaceful and unharmed," Mickels paused. "For each one of these names, our clock tower bell will toll once. One strike, for one life that will never see the light of day again. One strike, for one body that will never stir again. One strike, for one set of eyes that will remained closed forever...Let us begin...

"Colin Creevey, Hogwarts Student..." The clock tower bell rang once, echoing eerily through the empty corridors and silent lecture hall. A sound so heartbreaking that it sent shivers up Septimus' spine.

"Lavender Brown, Hogwarts student." And the bell rang again.

"Fred Weasley, London businessman."

"Remus Lupin, Former Hogwarts Professor."

"Nymphadora Tonks Lupin, Auror." And the list continued on. Septimus gripped Helena's hand harder everytime a new name was called, but it was the fifty-seventh name that made the air leave Septimus' lungs.

"Katherine...Dumbledore, Hogwarts' Professor and Deputy Headmistress." The bell rang again.

"Dumbledore..." Septimus exhaled slowly. "They said Dumbledore, not Prince. Plus mom isn't a professor." He looked towards Helena, who was smiling back softly at him. But the last name caught Septimus' attention as well.

"Severus Snape, Hogwart's Headmaster." And the bell rang one final time.

Septimus breathed a sigh of relief once more when Headmaster Mickels had said Snape instead of Prince, but he was somewhat shocked to hear the name Severus. 'Must be a more common name than I thought.' Septimus thought to himself as Mickels made to speak again.

"The memorial service has ended," Mickels said quietly. "I would like you all to remember these names in your thoughts and prayers tonight. Think of the families that lost a loved one. Children who lost parents, and parents who lost children; and thank them for defending our world and our safety...You are dismissed."

The student body rose quietly and filed out of the hall. No one spoke out loud; only hushed whispers could barely be made out.

"I told you they were fine," Helena whispered to Septimus, linking her arm with his.

"Yeah, you were right Helena" Septimus whispered back, smiling slightly down at the strawberry-blonde on his arm. "They're safe."


a/n: Okay, sorry for the delay. I wrote this chapter once before, but ended up scrapping it at the last minute because I didn't like the way it turned out at first. Alright so now onto explanations...

1. USWG - Intials for United States Wizarding Government

2. Ouachita - Wizarding school located in the southern US, alonging the boarder between Arkansas and Texas. There will be one other wizard school in the states, plus two others mentioned throughout this story. I'll explain more about them in the next coming chapters.

3. More about the Prophet's report will be discussed in the next chapter, or part 2.

4. As you can tell, Septimus does not know the truth about his parents...but he will...soon...

Anyways, a big thank you to RequiemWolfenstein87, grumpirah, Edwardswife1988, sandradee27, ILuvOdie, Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape, LemonDropsWoolSocks, MRSSPICY, & AccioSS for their wonderful reviews!

Chapter 6 should be posted by next Tuesday night. I promise I will not scrap that chapter at the last minute :)