Remus ran into his bedroom shaking Tonks awake.
"What?" she asked.
"We have to go" Remus cried throwing on a pair of shabby robes. "Now, get up"
Tonks stood up yawning and fell flat on her face.
"Come on" Remus urged throwing her clothes at her. She put them on clumsily looking at Remus as though he had gone mad.
"Go straight to the Weasley's" he ordered Tonks. "If Molly and Arthur aren't there, then just wait for me"
"What's going on?" Tonks cried.
"No time" Remus replied before disappearing.
He arrived outside of the Granger's house and nearly hit the ground. The once beautiful three story stone home was now a smoldering pile of boulders. The dark mark did indeed hang over the home although it was fading; it still made his heart drop to the floor.
Remus ran as fats as he could into the house his wand at the ready. The first person he saw was Minerva and Alastor Moody.
"Remus" Minerva whispered.
"Is she?" Remus started.
"We don't know" Minerva interrupted. "We haven't see any proof suggesting she is but her parents are dead"
Remus suddenly felt sick, he let himself slide down the wall and onto the floor. Todd and Emily Granger were dead. How could this happen to two innocent people, people who had nothing to do with this war.
"Remus" Minerva snapped pulling him out of his own thoughts.
"What" he mumbled.
"Get off the floor this instant. " She ordered. "We have to look for Hermione"
Remus sprang to his feet suddenly filled with the strength to keep going. Hermione, she needed them now the most.
"I'll look down here," Moody told them. "You two head up the stairs, what's left of it anyway"
"They sure did a number here didn't they" Remus remarked bitterly as he led Minerva to the steps. He held out his hand, helping her up.
The first room was obviously Todd and Emily's. Remus shuddered as they entered. They searched and found nothing, the same with the next two. Remus was drawn to a room at the end of the hall. He pushed open the door hoping this would be it.
First thing he heard was muffled crying.
"Hermione" He called out. The crying topped. "Hermione don't worry it's me Lupin. Remus Lupin."
"What's your middle name?" she called out from somewhere. Remus laughed, that was Hermione, the world crumbling around her but she remembers to use the ministry safety precaution for potential polyjuice users.
"Jasper" He said. "What's your favorite childhood game?"
"Hide and seek" came the reply. Then he saw the closet door open. He moved and looked inside. Hermione was sitting on the floor shaking with a cloak wrapped around her.
"Hermione" Remus started gently. "Are you ok?"
She nodded but looked anything but ok. Tears were streaming from her eyes and she was paler than any Hogwarts ghost. Remus took her gently by the hand and helped her to her feet. "Minerva" He called, "I found her"
Minerva and Alastor ran into the bedroom and gasped at the sight. "Hermione" Minerva said, "Thank Merlin". She embraced the young girl and then checked her for injuries. The three adults decided she should go to St.Mungo's anyway; she seemed fine but better safe than sorry.
Minerva sat with her at St.Mungo's while Remus and Alastor made their way to the burrow. Molly was pacing in the kitchen, Tonks and Arthur were speaking in hushed tones at the table.
"Remus" Molly cried, "Is she?"
"She is alive" Remus advised, "Minerva is with her at St.Mungo's"
"Emily and Todd?" Arthur asked sharply.
"They are dead" Remus replied sadly.
"Poor, poor girl" Molly moaned, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Have you told the kids?" Remus asked.
"No, we didn't know what was happening so we..."Molly trailed off, sobbing hysterically.
"I will go and tell them," Tonks suggested. Arthur wrapped Molly in a hug, silently comforting his wife. Remus sighed and threw himself into a chair, he was sad that two wonderful people had died for a cause that wasn't theirs but relieved that Hermione had survived.
