The Eighth Year Universe
Love Wins
Faded in Twilight
The chapter title is from the song:
Outlaws by Greenday.
Diagon Alley
London
12 noon
28th August
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
"Freddie! Get me some more dung bombs!" George was yelling as he tried to cover the counter.
It was the last Saturday before the kids returned to Hogwarts – aka the busiest day Diagon Alley ever saw in a year. The street was packed; Weasleys' Wizards Wheezes was even more crowded.
"Ron!"
"Cover the counter, I know!" Ron called as he hopped over the counter and smiled at a girl waiting to be served.
"Oh, skiving snack box, nice choice!"
She grinned, "Thanks! It's to skip Potions. Professor Greengrass is so harsh."
"Ah, she's alright," Ron said as he put the girl's money through the till and handed her some change, "You should have met the old git who was there when I was a kid."
The girl, who looked no older than fourth-year age, laughed, "Don't you normally work in Hogsmeade?"
"Yep," Ron said, packing her order and handing it to her, "But it's closed during term time, and it's all hands on deck here. I'll see you next Hogsmeade day?"
"You can count on it, Mr Weasley!"
Ron smiled and was about to call the next customer forward when something made him freeze in his tracks. He didn't know what made him act, whether the soft shuddering of the ground set him on edge or whether he just reacted to the sound faster than anyone else.
"EVERYONE GET DOWN!"
People screamed and dropped to the ground. Ron threw up the strongest shield charm he could muster, then he pulled the girl he had just served under the counter as every single window blew in. The shards hit the shield charm and fell to the ground, but the shield didn't stifle the sound of the explosion that had just ripped through the alley.
His ears were ringing as he pushed himself to his feet and looked out at the carnage that was Diagon Alley.
Ron swallowed as George got to his feet, holding onto his good ear, "What just happened?!" he yelled.
"We're under attack!" Ron yelled back.
He ran out onto the street and looked at the bodies and rubble strewn across it. He took a few steps into the alley and turned around, feeling sick when he realised why the explosion had felt so close. It had come from the close between Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and the ice cream parlour – a close which had a manhole cover that opened up into stairs. Through that little underground tunnel was Muggle London.
He was about to run forward and close it. But then another explosion sounded from further down the alley, close to Slug and Jigger's Apothecary and Ollivanders. Ron looked along the alley, only to hear a third explosion behind him, in Knockturn Alley.
His blood ran cold as he realised what was happening.
"No," He said, looking up at the Leaky. Having worked in the Three Broomsticks for years, his wife Felicity had become the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron not too long ago.
"No," He said again, his feet carrying him towards the Leaky even though somewhere deep down, he knew what was about to happen.
He got as far as Potter and Weasley Curse Breaking before the inevitable happened.
A fourth explosion ripped through the street, blowing the roof off the Leaky as people ran to it in an attempt to escape the alley.
Ron stopped in his tracks in the middle of the street. His hands went to his hair as he spun around and looked at the damage. The Leaky was crumbling, with an almighty roar and crash, the building collapsed in on itself.
Fire had begun to rip through Slug and Jigger's, and people were screaming as they tried to escape from the collapsing flats above the Ice Cream Parlour.
All he could hear from Knockturn Alley were screams and shouts. Ron swallowed as he realised what had just happened.
All four entrances from Muggle London had just been blown wide open.
.
Potter Manor
7 am
Five Hours Before the Attack
Daphne woke up with a groan and a pounding in her head. She got up, immediately ran to the bathroom and was sick, then splashed cold water on her face. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she shook her head and reminded herself never to drink tequila again.
She stepped back into the bedroom and realised that Harry was absent and Neville and Lilly were still comatose.
There were three little potion bottles on the bedside table, along with a note from Harry.
"As the tee-total person in this family, I thought I would get up and make you all breakfast. Enjoy the hangover potions. Love you!"
Daphne shook her head in amusement and knocked back the hangover potion, which instantly settled her stomach and made her headache ease. The potion literally dissolved the alcohol in the blood, and Daphne was sure she could feel it doing that. There was probably more alcohol than blood there right now after the copious amounts of tequila last night.
But Merlin, it had been worth it. Daphne couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.
"Lil," Daphne murmured, giving her a nudge.
Lilly grunted in response, so Daphne dropped onto the edge of the bed and gave her a shake, "Lilly, time to wake up."
"Hmmm, don't wanna. Feel sick."
"I have a hangover potion for you," Daphne said, letting it hang in front of her face.
Lilly opened one eye, made a non-committal sound then knocked it back.
Daphne watched in amusement as the other woman rolled onto her back and rubbed her eyes, "Oh my god, I drank so much last night."
"You and me both," Daphne said with an amused smile, "But you have to get up. We promised the girls we would go to Diagon Alley today, remember? Laurie needs a new cauldron, and I promised Thea I would buy her a cat for company this year."
"I know," Lilly yawned, "But it's not fair that Neville gets to sleep till midday."
Daphne chuckled and said, "I know, but Harry's making breakfast."
"Oooh, I love him," Lilly said as she pushed herself out of bed, "I'm so hungry."
"You also stink, so I would say a shower is in order before we go anywhere," Daphne said, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the bathroom.
Blacknot Castle
7 am
Five Hours Before the Attack
"Mum, can we - "
"No," Sadie and Hermione chorused.
"You don't even know what we were gonna ask!" Ada objected.
Sadie looked over at her youngest daughter.
"You were going to say 'Mum, can you take us to Diagon Alley?' and your mum was going to reply, 'No because I'm more organised than you and I've already bought everything you need for next year'. Isn't that right, Hermione?"
Hermione smirked, "Perfectly right, Sadie."
Dora groaned, "Ugh, but we wanted to go today!"
"All our friends go today!" Ada objected.
"That's because your friends don't have two super organised mothers," Draco said when he stepped into the kitchen.
Ada crossed her arms over her chest, "It's just not fair!"
"Life isn't fair, Adeline," Theo said, clicking into the kitchen with his cane, "And then you die."
"Cheerful, Pops," Ella said from the table.
Theo grinned at her, "Last night was fun, huh? Bet you're happy you came home from Egypt for it?"
Ella smiled at him, "Yes, I am. Although, I'm pretty happy I decided not to drink."
"I stole some firewhiskey out of Dad's flask," Cas said with a grin.
"You had about three sips then started crying about how in love with Thea Potter you are," Ella said dryly.
Hermione chuckled, "You danced with her all night long. Then you two disappeared for a while."
"Ooh, were you being all – mwah, mwah?" Ada asked as she made hideous kissing faces.
Cas shoved her face away and turned red, "No, we weren't."
Dora sniggered, and Sadie clipped her and Ada around the back of the heads, "Leave your poor brother alone."
"Where's Charlie?" Draco asked, glancing around, "He left pretty early last night."
"He took Vic home," Ella replied, "She wasn't feeling great. I think he took her back to Shell Cottage and stayed there because I haven't seen him this morning."
"He's doting on her, you know?" Hermione mused.
"Of course he is," Theo said with a smile. "There's being with the love of your life, then there's being with her when she's got your baby inside her. It's a totally different feeling."
"Hm," Sadie mused, kissing him on the cheek as she went by, "Especially when those babies seem hell-bent on killing you."
"Nothing much has really changed, has it?" Hermione joked, looking over at Ada and Dora.
"Oi!"
"Hey!"
"Uncalled for!"
Ella and Cas grinned at each other, "Guess we're just perfect, huh Cas?"
"Guess so," Ella smirked, making the others chuckle.
Potter Manor
8 am
Four Hours Before the Attack
"Good morning, ladies!"
Daphne shot Harry an amused look, "You're awfully chipper this morning."
"Well, I didn't attempt to give myself alcohol poisoning last night," Harry said as he dropped a plate of bacon onto the table.
Lilly grunted non-committedly, "Is there coffee?"
"In the pot," Harry said, motioning to the table.
Lilly dropped down and poured herself a mug, and Daphne squeezed past Harry, kissing him briefly as she did so, "You're making pancakes?"
Harry nodded, "Uh-huh. Thea requested them, but she also hasn't dragged her arse out of bed yet."
"She wasn't drinking, was she?" Daphne asked sharply.
"No, just dancing with Cas until midnight," Harry said with a grin, "She says she hurts in places she didn't know she could hurt."
"Irish dancing will do that to a person," Lilly chuckled, "I hurt in places I didn't know I could hurt too."
Harry put a plate of rolls on the table and leant across to kiss her, "Not entirely sure that was the dancing, Lil."
Lilly swiped his face away and let her head drop onto the table.
"I hate you, Harry."
"She doesn't," Daphne chuckled, "I guess the hangover potion didn't quite do it for her."
"I'm pretty sure it's the after-effects of all that mandrake leaf," Harry said with a grin.
"How are you so fine?" Lilly snapped, "You've never even smoked it before!"
Harry smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.
"A pint of water before bed, a pint of water in the middle of the night and a pint of water when I woke up in the morning. I know how to deal with mandrake leaf hangovers, Lil. I used to have to ply perps with water to get them functional enough to talk to me."
"That's annoying, but also kind of hot," Lilly muttered.
Daphne snorted in amusement when Harry placed a large glass of ice water in front of Lilly.
"Drink up."
"I hate you," Lilly said again.
"No, you don't!" Harry and Daphne echoed.
"Where's Neville?" Harry asked with a chuckle.
"Dead to the world," Daphne answered, "And since he doesn't need to be up, he isn't. Why are you up so early anyway?"
"I'm taking Al to that Puddlemere friendly this morning," Harry said with a yawn, "I think Draco's going too."
"It's against the Arrows, of course Draco's going," Daphne said, giving Harry an amused look.
Harry was about to make a comment about how he wouldn't brag too much when Puddlemere won, then Andrea walked into the kitchen with slightly red eyes.
"Good morning, sweetheart," Harry chirped, "Coffee? Bacon? Hangover potion?"
Andrea gave him a look so icy it could rival her mother's, and Daphne grinned proudly.
"Like you can talk," Andrea retorted, "You were obviously smoking mandrake leaf last night."
"What?" Harry asked, trying his best to sound horrified, "Andrea Lilly Potter! That heinous accusation wounds me. I was Head Auror for over a decade. I know all about the dangerous, hallucinogenic and even fatal side effects of mandrake leaf."
"Yes, I know," Andrea said dryly, "Makes you even more of an idiot for smoking it, really."
Lilly snorted loudly, "Oh, Andie, sometimes you say something, and it's like I'm looking at your mother as a young woman again."
Daphne gave Lilly a pointed look as if to say, 'oh, so I'm old, then?' but Lilly just grinned in response.
"Dad, you were in the kitchen eating dry cereal, and drinking water from the tap at 3am," Andrea pointed out, "And you stunk of the stuff."
"How do you know what it smells like?" Daphne asked pointedly.
"I went to enough Hufflepuff parties at school," Andrea said offhandedly.
Harry grimaced while Daphne turned away to hide her grin, and Lilly positively cackled with laughter.
Thankfully though, the attention didn't stay on Harry for too long.
"Mum! Dad!" Thea called as she ran into the kitchen, "You'll never guess who - "
"Silencio!"
"Andrea!" Daphne scolded, "Take that silencing charm off your sister!"
"No!" Andrea objected, "She's going to rat me in like the slimy little Slytherin she is."
In the absence of words or her magic, Thea tried to punch Andrea.
Lilly threw her back into a chair with a nonchalant wave of her hand. Then she removed the silencing charm, "Theodora, speak."
"No," Andrea groaned.
"She had a boy in her bed this morning," Thea said quickly, "And not just any boy either, Freddie."
"I hate you, Thea!"
"Freddie?" Harry asked in disbelief, "Freddie Wood?"
Lilly raised an eyebrow, "Dragon tamer, tattoo-covered, Frederick Wood? That Freddie?"
"Ron's son?" Harry echoed, "Ron's son, Freddie?"
Andrea groaned and said, "Yes, that one! He's my boyfriend, okay? And I know what you're going to say – oh but Andrea, he's older than you, and he's a dragon tamer, so he's probably bad news. But he isn't. He's not weird; he's not into dragons or anything weird. He's sweet and kind, and he loves me, and I love him, so it doesn't matter that he's a few years older. Okay?"
Harry raised his hands, "Nobody mentioned the age gap, love."
"And it's only what, three years?" Daphne asked.
"Four," Andrea admitted.
"Well, boys do take longer to mature than girls," Lilly mused.
"He was in your bed this morning then?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow at his daughter.
"She snuck him out via the roof!" Thea grinned.
"Thea, you're such a fucking grass!" Andrea said, lunging for her sister again.
"Hey!" Daphne objected, "Watch your language, and don't hit your sister."
"I hate you."
"I hate you more."
Lilly rolled her eyes, "I'm so glad I don't have two girls."
Daphne looked exasperated, "So you should be. Look, darling, nobody cares that you're dating Freddie. He's a nice guy; we all know him. You didn't have to hide it."
"I'm just shocked that she's not a lesbian," Thea admitted.
Andrea rolled her eyes, "Maybe you're a lesbian, Thea. Maybe that's why you're projecting onto me."
Thea shook her head, "Uh, no. You were just acting like a prude and dressing like a lumberjack, so yeah, I thought you were into chicks."
"Girls," Harry and Daphne said in unison before any more fighting could break out between the two of them.
"He snuck out because he had to go to work," Andrea said. She rubbed her eyes, "He's been back home helping his dad out in the shop this summer because his contract in Romania ran out, and he's not got a new one yet. Anyway, it's the busiest day of the year in Diagon, so he had to get to work early to help stock up."
"Hm," Daphne mused, "Well, the next time he stays the night, let him stay for breakfast."
"Do I have to?" Andrea asked dryly.
"Yes, you do," Harry, Lilly and Daphne all echoed.
Andrea rolled her eyes and stabbed a pancake aggressively while Thea smirked, proud of the fact she'd ratted out her sister.
Shell Cottage
9 am
Three Hours Before the Attack
"I need to go."
Fleur muttered something in French, and Bill rolled over, pressing his body tight against hers. He kissed her neck and murmured, "I don't want to either."
"Then don't," Fleur said, shifting so that she was facing him. She ran a hand over his face where light stubble was beginning to grow.
"I have to," Bill said. He brushed his lips against hers lightly.
"Artie asked me to take him into Diagon Alley to get a few things, and it's the first time he's spoken to me since Lara and I called it quits."
Fleur's eyes softened, "Okay, I'll come with you. I promised Victoire I would get her some things from the apothecary to ease her pains and help with the sickness."
Bill's eyes darkened, and Fleur added, "I won't let Arthur see us together. I know this must be hard enough on him. When we get there, we will go our separate ways."
Bill nodded, "I'm sorry. It won't always be like this, you know? Like you're a…."
"Dirty secret?" Fleur finished.
Bill nodded and brushed his lips against hers again, "I'll tell everyone soon, I promise."
Fleur deepened the kiss and pulled him closer, "You had better," she murmured.
Bill wanted nothing more than to lock the door, put up a silencing charm and spend the entire morning in bed with her. So pulling himself away was difficult, but he had to.
"I really need to get going. I said I'd meet him at half nine," Bill said regrettably, "Lara's taking him to see her sister at half 11."
Fleur got up and threw on a silken robe, "Then shall we have lunch in the alley at noon?"
Bill smiled and leaned forward to kiss her.
"It's a date."
Diagon Alley
10 am
Two Hours Before the Attack
"So, I guess your mum told you the truth about me?"
Arthur looked up at his dad, "About why you're not living with us anymore, you mean?"
Bill nodded. They hadn't talked about it. They had talked about everything else – from Quidditch to Hogwarts to girls Arthur did and didn't like at school. But they had ignored the elephant in the room.
Arthur shrugged. He wasn't an idiot, he was a brilliant kid who was about to head into his fifth year, and Bill knew he'd do well in every single O.W.L that he wanted to. He was stubborn for a Slytherin but ambitious and single-minded.
"Mum said you were an adulterous whore."
Bill snorted, "Did she say that to you?"
"Nah," Arthur grinned. He shoved his long dark red hair behind his ears, "She said it to Aunt Lucie on the phone."
"Right," Bill said with a nod, "Course she did."
Lucie was Lara's sister who had never really liked Bill in the first place, so that made sense.
"How do you even know what a whore is anyway?" Bill asked his son.
Arthur shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets, "Kai told me. People tell him his birth mum was a whore. They say it a lot, to be honest. Lucas started it, he's a right prick."
"Lucas Lorne?" Bill asked.
With a nod, Arthur said, "It's fine, Kai's used to it, and we curse anyone who talks shit to him these days anyway. We can look after ourselves."
"Yeah, you shouldn't have to though," Bill pointed out.
Kai MacDougall was Arthur's best friend; both boys were in Slytherin. Kai and his sister Kyra had been raised by Padma and Morag MacDougall, but his birth mother had been a 'Closes girl'.
"I'd have thought better of Lucas though," Bill mused, "I know his parents. They're good people. I've worked with them both. If they knew he was saying stuff like that, they wouldn't let it slide, Artie,"
"It's fine, Dad," Arthur promised, "And you being back with Vic's mum, that's fine too. You and Mum weren't really that happy together anyway; it was kind of obvious. You seem better since you moved out."
"Does she seem better?" Bill asked, "Your mum, I mean?"
"Well, she's had that idiot Jonesy from the bank over like three nights this week, so yeah, I think she's doing fine without you."
Bill snorted and tussled Arthur's hair, "Come on, I'll buy you an ice cream."
Potter & Weasley Curse Breaking
10.30 am
One and a Half Hours Before the Attack
Daphne ducked her head into the office, which was all locked up because they were closed on a Saturday. Lilly was waiting outside for Susan and Alyssa, who they had agreed to meet here. But Susan was running late, as always.
She jogged up the stairs into the office, where her mother was fast asleep on the couch. Daphne gave her a little shake and pulled a flask out of her bag, along with a Tupperware box.
Lareina looked up blearily, "Daphne."
"Morning, Mum," Daphne said, "I brought you coffee, laced with hangover potion, and breakfast."
Lareina smiled and kissed her cheek, "You're a good girl, Daphne."
The words were bittersweet. Daphne had heard them all the time as a child – from her mother when she had done something typically 'pureblood good' like told her she would marry Draco Malfoy one day. And from her father when she had brought him hangover potion, having heard a particularly loud argument between him and her mother the night before.
Daphne hovered in the doorway, "I just thought you might need it."
Lareina nodded and looked over at her daughter, "Thank you. I had fun last night."
"I know," Daphne said, smiling slightly, "I saw you and Harry dancing."
Lareina smiled, "He's a good man. A great fit for you."
"I know he is," Daphne said.
Lareina took a sip of the coffee and asked, "Is this my prison for the day, or can I go shopping?"
Daphne shook her head, "Just stay here. I need to get some last-minute school supplies for Thea, but Harry and I will bring you into the ministry and get your statement after that. Then we'll put you up in a safehouse. The last thing I want is for Lazarus to work out what you've done and send someone after you."
Lareina nodded, "I understand."
"See you later, Mum," Daphne said, kissing her on the cheek and dashing down the stairs out of the building.
As she left, Susan arrived with Alyssa trailing behind her.
"Good morning!"
"Is it?" Susan asked dryly, "Why did we decide to do this the day after a bloody quarter Irish wedding? I was drinking until 3am last night. I feel like death warmed up."
"Addison is still throwing up," Alyssa said with a grin.
"I only just got some hangover potion down Natasha's throat before we left," Susan said with a roll of her eyes. "I floo-ed Rob and Jen to tell them not to worry because Nat was at the manor with Addie, but they hadn't even realised because they were still in bed."
Lilly snorted, "Guess they're getting old."
Daphne gave Lilly a pointed look, "Like you can talk."
She smirked at Susan and said, "Lilly had a whole other kind of hangover this morning."
Susan laughed out loud and muttered in Daphne's ear, "And they say Hufflepuff's are stoners? That's the reason Caroline hasn't gotten out of her bed either."
Daphne tutted and whispered back, "Ravenclaws. Such bad girls underneath all the bookishness."
Susan grinned, and Lilly shot Daphne a glare.
Thea groaned, "Mum, quit flirting with Aunt Lil. We have shopping to do!"
Susan snorted, "Yeah, Daphne, stop flirting with your girlfriend in public!"
"Stop sleeping with yours in every room of the house," Alyssa muttered, which made James and Harry cackle with laughter.
There was only a year between them. James, Harry and Laurel would be starting their fifth year on Wednesday, and Alyssa would be going into her fourth year along with Ada and Dora.
"Right then, let's split up," Daphne said calmly, "Thea, we'll get the cat last. Firstly, let's get the textbooks you need for starting your N.E.W.T year."
"We're off to Malkin's for new robes," Susan said.
"Oh, take the boys with you please, Suse," Lilly said, "That way, I can take Laurie into Potage's for a new cauldron."
"Sure thing," Susan said, shepherding the Longbottom boys over to her.
"Let's meet up at this spot for an ice cream around noon?" Daphne suggested.
"Deal," Susan said.
"Don't be a pain in the arse for Susan!" Lilly warned her twins before heading over to the cauldron shop close to the Leaky.
"We won't!"
"We will!"
James and Harry chorused as they crossed the alley and headed into Madam Malkin's, opposite the ice cream parlour.
Daphne chuckled in amusement and headed into Flourish and Blotts with Thea.
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
11 am
One Hour Before the Attack
"Freddie!"
Frederick Wood, who had changed his surname when his mother, Katie Bell, married his step-father, Oliver Wood, rolled his eyes.
His father was calling him, and he was hiding in the storeroom because it was the only way to get a break on a day like this.
He didn't even want to be here. Working in a joke shop was his dad's calling. His was dragons. Only finding work with dragons was hard, especially when the only country offering contracts was China and the girl you were head over heels in love with lived in England.
"Freddie!"
"Coming, Dad!" Freddie yelled. He picked up the box in front of him and lugged it up the stairs, dropping it onto the desk with a smile.
"Getting bloody manic up here," Ron said as he ran a hand through his hair, "You fancy running over to the café and coming back with coffee? With extra sugars."
Freddie snorted, "For you or Uncle George?"
"For both of us!" George called from the upper level, "I'm running on pure willpower up here, Freddie!"
Freddie laughed and grabbed his cloak, "Do I need to ask Mrs Jones for some of those blueberry muffins too then?"
"Ugh, yes," Ron said, "I've not eaten since 7. I think I'm gonna pass out. Next customer here, please!"
With a chuckle, Freddie stepped out of the shop. He smiled at the young woman who was putting signs outside the ice cream parlour, "Are you out of three flavours already, Rosie?"
Rosie shook her head and swept her hair back, "It's manic on the last weekend in August, Freddie. I don't know why you choose to help your dad out."
"Ah, the overtime pays well," Freddie said with a grin, "You want anything from the café?"
"I would thank you forever for a cup of decent coffee," Rosie admitted.
"I'll pick it up. Consider it my thanks after you brought those pancakes in last week," Freddie said as he jumped across the busy alley.
"You're too good to us!"
"Always happy to serve the Diagon Alley family!" Freddie joked as he stepped into the busy café and tearoom across the alley from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
CPS
11.30am
Thirty Minutes Before the Attack
"I want to be anywhere but here today."
"Is that because you're still hungover?" Karina asked Sorenson.
Sorenson opened one eye and looked at the two juniors he was on shift with today.
"No, Karina, it is not because I am still hungover," Sorenson replied matter of factly.
"Unlike you, I have not been chugging water like my life depends on it, and unlike you, Callie, I have not thrown up three times this morning."
Callie rolled her eyes, "It was a good wedding, okay?"
Sorenson snorted in amusement, "Clara decided to be a good Samaritan and tell Oscar and Cass to take the night off. 'Have fun', she said, 'We'll look after Sage', she said."
He waved a hand, "Only Sage wakes up at 5 am every damn morning. 5 am! I was drinking to Percy's memory with Susan at 3 am, and my goddamn granddaughter is at the foot of my bed two hours later asking for a glass of fucking pumpkin juice."
Karina and Callie weren't very sympathetic to his plight; they were both sniggering.
"Have a nap, boss," Callie said, patting him on the head with false sympathy, "You know what it's like in here on a Saturday."
"Dead as a doornail until at least 4 pm when someone starts yelling at their neighbour in the Closes, and we get called in to mediate?" Sorenson quipped.
"Exactly," Karina said.
She sniggered and placed cucumber slices on his eyes, "Sleep well, sir."
"You two are a pair of idiots," Sorenson said, but he couldn't fight the fond smile on his lips.
"You love us though!" Karina said.
"Sleep like a baby, sir!" Callie added.
Sorenson took the cucumber slices off and threw them at the two Junior Aurors.
The Auror Office in the DMLE
11.50am
Ten Minutes Before the Attack
"Sir?"
Ben looked up and saw Jack Sheppard peering through the office door, "Morning, Jack. You doing okay?"
Jack laughed and nodded, "Yeah, a hell of a wedding though."
"Wasn't it just?" Ben chuckled, "Did you need something?"
"Yeah, come and have a look at the map," Jack said, pulling the office door open a little wider, "Something looks off."
Ben frowned and got to his feet. He headed along the corridor into the map room, which had the same level of security as most rooms in the Department of Mysteries – three-factor authentication [retina, DNA and a wand check].
When they stepped in, the lights automatically came on, lighting up Theodore Nott's masterpiece – the huge map of London.
"Where am I looking, Jack?" Ben asked.
Jack pointed to Diagon Alley and zoomed the map in slightly.
"Jeez, it's busy today," Ben remarked.
"Last weekend before the kids go back to school," Jack said offhandedly, "It's always packed. But it's not the alley that threw me. It's the other side of it."
He pointed to Charing Cross Road – the muggle street that allowed the primary access into Diagon Alley via the Leaky Cauldron. Four people were standing outside it.
"They've been hovering there for at least five minutes," Jack explained, "And at first I figured they were meeting someone, but I ran their names anyway. They all came up as Muggles with no prior arrest history. Just like the four at these entrances."
Ben frowned and followed Jack's line of sight. The young Auror was right. At each entrance into Diagon Alley from Muggle London were four Muggles with non-descript names, who probably also had non-descript appearances.
"Four at the westerly entrance that brings you in at the other side of the alley," Jack said, pointing at the map. "Four on Litchfield Street which brings you in at the back of Knockturn. Another four on Upper St Martin's Lane, which is the underground entrance that comes up between Weasley's joke shop and the ice cream parlour."
"There's definitely something off about that," Ben agreed, "Take your team into the Leaky via floo and see if you can grab the four outside for questioning."
"Yes, sir," Jack said, disappearing from the room while Ben stayed to study the map for a few minutes.
When Ben did leave, he walked straight into a panicked Jack.
"Sir, there's no floo access to Diagon or Knockturn Alley," Jack's Auror partner, Romilda Vane, informed Ben.
"Then apparate in," Ben said as if this were obvious.
"We can't," Jack said, his eyes meeting Ben's. "Someone has hacked the floo system and completely cut off Diagon and Knockturn. Anyone trying to apparate in bounces back, which means that there are anti-apparition and probably disapparition wards on the alleys too."
Ben swallowed and nodded, "Ready a task force then. Whatever this is, it's not - "
The siren that Theo had installed in the Auror office blared loudly, and the lights in the entire department shone red.
"The ministry is under attack. Repeat; the ministry is under attack. Full lockdown protocol initiated."
Jack swallowed, and Owen stepped out of the Organised Crime office, "Ben, someone just hacked our security protocols."
"Locking all of us in here while Lazarus attacks Diagon Alley," Ben finished, his eyes dark.
"What do we do?"
"Send a Patronus to CPS. Warn them," Ben replied quickly, "And somebody get the Minister on an open floo channel now. We need to override the security protocols and get the hell out of here to where we're needed."
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies
11.55 am
Five Minutes Before the Attack
Michael yawned and leaned back in his chair. He was covering his own ward and Maternity today, so he was beyond over-stretched, but still, Lilly deserved the holiday. She had at least six months of the damn stuff stored up because she didn't ever take enough of it.
He got to his feet and jogged downstairs into Trauma, where Clara was nursing a cup of coffee and ordering Nevaeh Hall about.
"Tough morning?"
"Irish wedding last night," Clara said with a yawn.
"Sorry I missed it," Michael joked.
"Trust me, you aren't," Clara muttered, "And my granddaughter woke me up at an ungodly hour, only around two hours after my husband crawled home, so all in, it's not a good day."
Michael laughed, "Well, I'm thinking of heading off for a coffee run, so if you want anything - "
Clara didn't have a chance to reply. The lights all flashed red, and a siren blared, making everyone stand up straight as their hairs stood on end.
The doors slammed shut and sealed, and Michael looked at Clara in disbelief, "Isn't that…."
Clara nodded, "Emergency lockdown procedure. The hospital goes into protection mode when it comes under attack."
"I've never seen it happen before," Nevaeh said, rushing over to them as patients began to mutter and panic.
"I've only ever seen it once before," Clara admitted darkly, "During the second war, when Voldemort attacked Diagon Alley. It's close enough to be considered a direct threat."
"Diagon Alley?" Michael panicked, "Linda's there today. She's taking Gracie to get some last-minute school supplies."
"Sorenson's there too," Clara said darkly, "He's at work in CPS."
"But we'd know, wouldn't we?" Nevaeh asked anxiously, "If someone attacked Diagon Alley, we'd know. It's only a couple of streets away."
Clara opened her mouth to say that no, we wouldn't necessarily know.
Then the entire building shook, and all the lights flickered out. People started to scream and complete chaos set in. Then they heard the first explosion, the sound was distant enough that they knew it hadn't hit the hospital, but it still sounded close.
Clara and Michael ran to the window while Nevaeh tried to calm their patients.
Both of the Senior Healers swallowed hard when they looked out over Charing Cross Road to see the plume of smoke coming from the middle of what they knew to be Diagon Alley.
From there, they saw the domino effect as another blast hit the west side of the alley.
Seconds later, a third blast hit in Knockturn. Then, when Michael was throwing his hands into his hair, muttering, "No…." the final blast hit the Leaky and sent the most enormous shot yet up into the skies of London.
"Michael, prep every OR," Clara said quietly, "When this hospital unlocks, we're going to need them."
- TBC -
