"Death Eaters desecrate Hogsmeade!" the headline screamed.

The pictures splashed all over the front page barely showed anything. It was difficult to understand what you were seeing at first, and then the whole picture suddenly sprang into focus.

I'd used every bit of artistry I remembered from following the Slaughterhouse. I hadn't expected the papers to show much of it but it had been meant to send a message to the Death Eaters and possibly to the aurors.

I could hear people gagging all over the Great Hall.

Apparently what little was shown in the picture was more than some people could handle.

The evening papers had just come in, and people were still eating when they opened their papers. I was surprised that the school hadn't confiscated them all.

I calmly continued eating as I read the article.

Apparently the leading theory about the deaths was that it was the work of Death Eaters, although there were some people who thought it was the work of werewolves.

I'd have thought that I'd left no doubt that it wasn't an attack by a violent beast, but Wizards were apparently gullible. Unthinking monsters didn't artfully arrange things; only thinking monsters did.

People were staring, not just at me, but at Hermione and Harry at the other tables. Nobody was bothering with Neville.

"Last night wasn't even a full moon!" I heard Hermione shout indignantly. "Hasn't anybody read the textbooks about werewolves?"

Hmm... nobody was sitting near me. I'd assumed that was because of the lower number of students this year, but apparently people were still believing the werewolf rumors. Or maybe rumors of what I had done to the Death eaters had spread before the Death Eater kids had left.

Having this attributed to the Death Eaters...had that been Voldemort's plan all along, or was it fortunate happenstance?

He'd managed to avoid some of the public relations damage from his former failure; the incident with the acromantulas wasn't known to the general public, and the incident on the train had been attributed to werewolf terrorists.

However, he had to work with the damage to morale within his own ranks. Having so many of their members killed by a small girl would be crushing, and undoubtedly there were members who were reconsidering their loyalty. He needed to win, and he needed it to be visible.

With this, he'd steal my message and make it his own.

Undoubtedly, very few people would even know that Avery had come to meet me, possibly only Lucius Malfoy and Draco.

Everyone else in his organization would think that he'd done what he'd done to send a message.

He might even send a message to the newspaper later, explaining that the Death Eaters were not responsible for Tracey's death, and that it had been a copycat trying to use their organization as an excuse.

He didn't even have to make up much of a story. Avery had struggled with an unhealthy obsession with me, and he'd done what he'd done to hurt me.

It blunted my message to the people at school, but it was useful in that it might divert the attention of the aurors.

I'd gotten my message across anyway; Voldemort knew that if he continued to escalate against my friends that I'd find ways to make his life a living hell, or I'd find a way to end it.

He was likely to spend a while regrouping and consolidating his power. He had time, and I had little doubt that he'd get stronger as memories faded.

I looked up; both Dumbledore and Snape were looking at me with disquieted looks. I smiled and waved a piece of bacon at them.

Snape scowled and Dumbledore looked troubled.

I'd given Dumbledore a chance, but even if he was honest, he couldn't protect my friends. A school was too soft a target; a determined attacker would get in sooner or later.

Finishing my meal, I stuffed some bacon in my pouch. The basilisk liked bacon too; it rarely got cooked foods.

The food enlargement spells were turning out to be highly useful.

As I stood up, Hermione stormed up to me, followed by Harry and Neville.

"They had the nerve to ask if I did this!" Hermione said, waving her rolled up newspaper. "If I was a werewolf I'd have eaten them all last night!"

"Well, it wasn't Harry," Ron said. "I was with him last night."

"It could have been a wereweasel," Draco said, walking by. "I think there are some red hairs on the bodies...oh, that's blood, my mistake."

He sneered at Ron, but he did not look at me at all.

On the surface he looked like he always did, but I could tell that his posture was stiff and he looked like he wanted to run. He was trying to bolster my story, such as it was, which meant that I couldn't punish him, even with little things like I did with Pansy.

"Shut up Malfoy," Potter said. "This isn't funny. Hogsmeade is right outside of Hogwarts! If the Death Eaters are this close, then nobody is safe!"

Draco glanced at me, then shrugged.

"Glad you're the one they're after, and not me."

"They're after all of us," I said.

The room went quiet.

"Why do you think they did this?" I asked. "This wasn't some random act of violence. They did this to make your parents afraid. They're telling your parents that they need to bow down, because they've got every one of us as hostages."

People were staring at me now.

"They didn't just kill Tracey," I said. "They killed her mom and her dad, her little sister and her brother. They murdered them because they wouldn't give her up."

"That was your fault," Pansy said quietly.

"Was it?" I asked.

Personally I agreed with her, but that didn't fit the narrative I was creating.

"They'd have come for her eventually, just like they'll come for every one of you. Maybe the pure bloods will be able to join up, but what kind of life will you have? As a Death Eater, they'll threaten your family as a way to keep you loyal."

I stood up higher.

"They'll throw you at aurors like Mad Eyed Moody, and at Dumbledore, thinking that it doesn't matter how many of you die, because all it takes is one man who gets through. How many of you would like to face the other side of Dumbledore's wand?"

"So what do we do?" a Slytherin third year asked.

"Learn to fight," I said. "Because sooner or later you are going to have to. That, or run."

"Miss Hebert," Snape drawled from behind me. "Kindly stop trying to start a revolution. The Headmaster would like to speak with you."

I nodded. I'd expected it, really.

There had been only two paths that the man could take; pretend that nothing had happened, or face up to it. The fact that he was calling me in now wasn't necessarily indicative of which path he would choose, but there was some hope.

I followed him down the hall.

We were silent until we reached Dumbledore's office.

I seated myself without being asked.

"Miss Hebert," Dumbledore said. He stared at me for an agonizingly long moment. "I told you yesterday that I would handle the Death Eater problem."

"Like you've been handling it?" I asked.

"These things take time," he said. "I did not expect you to take manners into your own hands less than an hours after we spoke."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "It was the Death Eaters who killed those men; the papers said so."

"It's taken more than a day to piece enough of them to identify them," Dumbledore said. His eyes were hard. "But all three of them were Death Eaters."

"Is that what the tattoo on their arms means?" I asked. "I was curious. I've seen that tattoo on a few people in the Wizangamot, but nobody seems to care."

"Are you admitting that you did... that?" Dumbledore asked.

"No," I said. "I may have Seen a thing or two, but I wouldn't be surprised if things like that keeps happening."

"What do you mean?"

"Vigilantes arise when the people in power don't protect the people," I said. "The rule of law can only be firm if it is enforced. Right now, people don't feel protected."

"Is this something you have Seen?" Dumbledore asked.

"I don't see the future, usually," I said. "But it's obvious. I wouldn't be surprised if you see other people in masks doing the work that the aurors don't."

"Is that what you think happened?"

"It's how these things work," I said. "It's like a riot. There are people who won't break windows or destroy things on their own... but if one other person does it first, they might."

Both he and Snape frowned.

"Other people might not do it if one other person does it, but once two do...and down the line, three, four, or more. I'm sure you have seen something like that at dances."

"This isn't a dance," Snape said irritably.

"Isn't it? I asked. "Isn't war a dance; you anticipate your opponent, move in tandem with how you think they will move. If they anticipate you, it becomes a thing of beauty."

"Do you think war beautiful, Miss Hebert?" Dumbledore asked. He sounded almost disappointed. "Because I was involved in the last Great War, and I can tell you that it was horrible."

"It's only beautiful from a distance," I said. "Up close, it's blood and death and destruction. War should never be the first resort, but there are times that it is inevitable."

"So you think this will keep happening," Snape said.

"You think it won't?" I asked. "All it takes is for the right people to get the idea, and then it will start."

"So you are saying that you did not do this," Dumbledore asked.

"When the Aurors ask you," I said. "You can tell them that I've always only defended myself."

"That's not an answer," Dumbledore said.

"What do you expect me to say? Admit to some kind of atrocity? Hasn't it occurred to you that Voldemort wanted Avery dead just as much as I did?"

Neither asked what I meant. Obviously they knew what I was talking about.

"He had every reason to kill him, and every reason to take credit for it. I'm going to assume that it was a peace offering for the death of my roommate."

"And that means that you have no intention of...further action?" Dumbledore asked.

"I've always said that I just wanted to be left alone," I said lightly.

I was lying, of course.

Conflict between me and the Death Eaters was inevitable by this point. They hated what I was with every ounce of their beings, and I'd killed enough of them that every member probably knew at least one person I'd killed. Many of them were likely family members.

"Were we to discover that you were the one to do this, I would be forced to expel you." Dumbledore said. "Which would not be a healthy option for you, not at this point."

"If you do so, what do you think I will do?" I asked.

Both of them stared at me silently.

"This is the safest place in Britain," I said. "And I just had an entire summer without incident, when I wasn't being attacked. You put me out there, and I won't have much of a choice. Most likely, I'll die, but I won't go alone."

"I am not asking you to leave," Dumbledore said. "But I can assure you that I will be taking action. The information you gave us is being double checked as we speak, and once we are sure...,' he said.

If it was true, then that was what I needed.

I needed time to get stronger, and having Moody's people and Dumbledore harass the Death Eaters would take attention away from me. If I was lucky, I might get an entire school year free of interference. I couldn't depend on that, of course, because a sudden attack after months of inactivity might be their smartest move.

"Then we have nothing else to talk about," I said. "If people believe that their government can protect them, then they'll be happy to leave it to them."

By people I meant me.

I could see that they both understood me.

Hopefully, Snape would send my message to Voldemort. Letting him know that I didn't plan to go after him any time soon would mean that he wouldn't feel forced to take action himself. I doubted that I'd survive something like that.

I stiffened.

Aurors were entering the building, and they were heading in our direction with a sense of purpose.

I rose to my feet.

"I'd better get back to class," I said. I carefully didn't reach for my wand; both Dumbledore and Snape were undoubtedly able to stop me without much effort.

Dumbledore nodded. "As long as we understand each other."

"There are aurors coming," I said. "they don't look happy."

The fact that they didn't try to stop me from leaving meant that they weren't trying to betray me. I stepped out into the hall, and I disillusioned myself.

I moved quickly toward the closest secret passageway. If the aurors were coming for me, I wouldn't make it easy for them.

I'd been hiding supplies in the Chamber for a while; sooner or later the Ministry was going to come for me, and I was going to need a literal bug out bag.

My plan to escape was simple; I could disillusion myself, and I had a broom down there. Once I was out in public, I'd have to watch my magic usage, so I'd been slowly accumulating some useful items. With a broom, it would be simple for me to get to France, and from there, I'd be able to move wherever I needed.

Lupin had gotten me a small book filled with maps. He hadn't known why I wanted it, but he'd seemed relieved that I'd had a seemingly normal interest.

I'd had him buy me a few other things as well.

Escaping wasn't the problem; the problem was what I would do afterwards. I could start a guerrilla war against the Death Eaters, but I wasn't ready yet. If it weren't for the Trace, I might have more of a chance.

I moved farther away; if they were coming for me they weren't going to find me easily.

The group of four aurors were grim faced and they moved directly toward Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle let them in without asking for a password.

"Sir!" the first auror said.

"Are you here for Miss Hebert?" Dumbledore asked. "I fear she has already fled."

The man shook his head.

"I have news. An hour ago Minister Fudge was assassinated by the muggleborn wife of a Ministry official."

"What?" Dumbledore asked.

"She's claiming to be part of a muggleborn terrorist organization," the man said. "And they say they won't rest until every pureblood is dead. She says they were responsible for what happened in Hogsmeade too."

I closed my eyes.

Obviously the woman had been mind controlled.

Voldemort was trying to change the narrative; if he could create a fictional danger, it was possible that he could gain the loyalty of the people.

"Who is taking command?" Dumbledore asked.

"The Wizengamot is being called to a vote," the man said. "You have been asked to attend."

Dumbledore nodded. His face was grim.

He should be.

The Death Eaters wouldn't have risked killing Fudge unless they were certain that they had the votes to put one of their people in the office of Minister.

If that happened, I might need my bug out bag sooner than later; the whole reason why I'd gotten away with as much as I had was because of the support of Dumbledore and his people. Had the scales finally tipped in the other direction?

There was nothing I could do but wait.