Chapter 1

July 1997

"He could have died." Ron's voice was broken.

Hermione considered her best friend, sitting on the bed across from her, head hung and resting his elbows on his knees. The small puddle on the floor grew between his feet. Another tear plopped to the ground, barely making a sound as it hit the wooden slabs. She reached out and squeezed the side of his thigh. It was warm. Ron usually was.

Harry had a hand on Ron's upper back, and his face was contorted in pain. She knew what Harry was thinking. It was only an ear, but George had almost died in order to move him from the Dursley's. Mad-Eye Moody did die. Just a few months ago, Dumbledore died. Prior to that, Sirius. Long ago, his parents. All to protect him and defeat Voldemort…which the Order wasn't any closer to doing.

"Harry?" she asked softly. He glanced up. "Do you have that picture of your parents? You know, the one with the Order?"

She knew he always kept it with him. Like his guilt. Harry nodded and reached around to pull it out of his pocket and hand it to her. She sat back in her chair and gently unfolded the old photograph, scrutinizing the smiling faces of the twenty-somethings who fought in the First Wizarding War. Only two were still alive.

One of them was a Death Eater. The other was downstairs.

"I'll be right back. Ron, can I get you something to eat?"

He shook his head and Hermione left the guest room, quietly closing the door. As her feet met the stairs, the reality of their situation started to scare her. Yes, the Order had moved Harry, but they barely made it back alive and another leader was dead.

Her trembling fingers clutched the bannister for support. McGonagall was still Headmistress. In the Auror Department, Kingsley was more involved in administration than field work, and although Tonks was also an Auror, she was still over a decade younger than her husband. Lupin wasn't currently employed.

No one had Mad-Eye's or Dumbledore's experience.

Everything felt hopeless. Her parents were in Australia and she had a sinking feeling in her stomach that the remaining adults in her life, the ones who were fighting this war, who were supposed to provide security and guidance, had no idea what to do. She pushed open the door to the Tonks' kitchen and was confronted with the agitated mutterings of the remnants of Order leadership, who immediately ceased talking.

After a pregnant pause, she asked, "Who's in charge now?"

Remus shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. "That would be me, Hermione."

Nervously squaring her shoulders, she sat down at the kitchen table.

"What's wrong?" Remus eyed her cautiously. "Is everything alright?"

Hermione took a deep breath, wondering where to start. "We were outnumbered tonight."

"Yes," Tonks agreed.

"Even though we knew they were coming," Her voice rose and Kingsley leaned back in his chair. "Had the Aurors been at the Dursley's in full capacity, they could have arrested and thrown quite a few Death Eaters in Azkaban. But they weren't because you don't even trust the Auror office."

Tonks' eyebrows shot up.

Breathing heavily from her outburst, she wasn't necessarily angry at them but at the desperation of their situation. "So there's no hope for the Ministry, is there? And Hogwarts won't be safe either."

McGonagall blinked, and fidgeted with something in her lap.

Remus contemplated her words in silence and leaned forward. "You're very astute, but there's no reason to worry. We were simply being cautious."

Kingsley silently observed the two of them, but no one contradicted Remus' statement. Hermione balled her hands into fists. They were patronizing her.

He continued, "The Ministry is still functioning and there's no reason to think Hogwarts won't be safe. Minerva replaced Albus as Headmistress and several professors are aligned with us."

"No reason to worry?" Hermione's voice became shrill. "It couldn't be more clear! The Ministry will fall and Hogwarts soon after. The Order is no better than Fudge if you all refuse to think ahead. What's your plan? Hope for the best? We'll all be dead." Her throat constricted and she tried to swallow. "Like Dumbledore and Mad-Eye."

McGonagall flinched and Tonks' bloodshot eyes now shone with unshed tears. Moody had mentored Tonks. The two must have been very close. About as close as one could be with Mad-Eye.

"We've been working on that, Hermione," Tonks explained in a shaky voice, rising to the defense of her husband. "Losing Alastor and Albus doesn't change that."

Hermione turned to her, exasperated. "So what's the plan then? We're at war. How are you going to win? We're essentially an underground resistance now. Aren't we?"

The four adults shared an apprehensive glance before McGonagall replied crisply, "Miss Granger, we have just been betrayed by someone that Albus told us to trust. While we do share information when necessary, the fewer that know our next move, the better. Even you, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley."

Hermione understood. She, Harry, and Ron didn't discuss Horcruxes with anyone for precisely that reason. But there had to be some link between the Horcrux mission and the Order's overall strategy. Impossible if she had no idea what the Order's strategy was, and had a sinking feeling that they didn't either.

She pressed on, undeterred. "The Death Eaters will grow their army and pick us off one by one like they did last time. Do we even have enough safehouses for those that will need to go into hiding? Or are we going to be so outnumbered that it won't matter? The odds were," she motioned with her hand at Remus, "what? Twenty to one last time?"

Remus furrowed his brows. "How did you know that?"

Honestly, why did people always think that knowledge was hidden? Hermione held his gaze defiantly, but didn't answer his question. "So what's your next move?"

Remus steepled his fingers in front of his chin and spoke in a reassuring voice. "We're working on that, Hermione. Please trust us."

She didn't know if their cageyness was due to her younger age or their desire for secrecy, but it seemed that no one was taking her seriously at all.

"Trust isn't the issue!" Hermione snapped, smacking Harry's photo down onto the table. They all leaned towards the picture. Remus' face fell.

With a small sigh, he reached out, lifted the picture, and stared. His eyes traveled back and forth across the photo, perhaps momentarily lost in memories of those who were no longer here, and his lips lifted in a wistful smile. Tonks laced her fingers in his and he rubbed her knuckles with his thumb.

Tonks glanced over at Hermione and said gently, "We're all upset, Hermione. I heard what you did for your parents. And we've all lost people we love."

Hermione ignored her and turned back to Remus. It wasn't sympathy that she wanted. Sympathy wouldn't get them anywhere.

"Don't you see?" she cried out, pointing to the picture. "You're the only one left!"

His dark eyes slowly shifted to hers, and he scratched his stubble. "So this is why you came down here, Hermione? You don't think we're planning ahead?"

Hermione skipped over his question. "How did you win last time?"

His face hardened, unhappy with the answer. "We didn't."

"Exactly," she replied.

They all remained silent, reluctantly acknowledging the truth of Remus' answer. The wizarding world got lucky when Voldemort disappeared.

Hermione continued, her voice rising. "The Order is always on the defensive, always reacting. Just like last time! We have to think ahead! None of you told me to hide my parents! But I did! How many Muggle-borns and their families have to die before we start hiding them?And look at what happened tonight!"

"Hermione," Kingsley called her name thoughtfully, crossing his arms. He tapped his index finger on his upper arm.

She paused in her rant, panting, and turned to face him.

"What would you have done differently?"

Her eyes opened in surprise.

Kingsley had been silent throughout the entire exchange. She didn't know him at all before this evening; riding on the back of his thestral and scared out of her wits while shouting curses at their pursuers.

"Differently?" she repeated dumbly.

He nodded.

"About tonight?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

She already knew what she would have done differently. The whole operation had been pointless, but she didn't want to say so in those terms. That would imply Moody's death was pointless.

"I wouldn't have sent Harry back to the Dursley's at all."

Kingsley's eyebrows rose.

"But he had his family's protection until he came of age," McGonagall explained. "Albus always said it was the safest place for him outside of Hogwarts."

Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes. Life and death situations occurred at Hogwarts at least biannually.

"For a month! What's the point of sending him to a place where no wizards lived and he couldn't even do magic until he came of age? Staying there didn't stop the Dementors from attacking him in fifth year."

"That was outside the house," McGonagall corrected her. "He promised to confine himself this summer."

Hermione didn't bother replying and turned to Tonks. "Why didn't we bring him to your mum's directly after Hogwarts? We're here now anyway. Or to the Burrow? We'll be there for the wedding." A muscle moved in Tonks' jaw, and Hermione shifted her gaze back to Remus. "We knew he'd be attacked when you moved him because he'd be vulnerable. Why plan to thwart an attack that you know is coming instead of removing the reason for it entirely?"

Remus peered back at her thoughtfully. "You're not wrong Hermione, but it's always easier to find fault in retrospect."

"But that's exactly my point!" She smacked her hand on the table again.

"Calm down, Miss Granger!" McGonagall admonished as Hermione wrung her stinging palm. "We're all on the same side."

Not realizing how loud she had been, Hermione's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Sorry, Professor."

Her expression softened. "It's been a terrible night, hasn't it?"

Goosebumps spread up her arms as she recalled wind whipping through her hair, flashes of light streaking past, missing her by mere inches, and clutching to Kingsley's back in terror. She watched Tonks' wipe away a tear and nodded silently at her professor.

"Alright, Hermione," Kingsley said, rubbing a thumb against his smoothly shaven jaw. "You've established that the Ministry and Hogwarts will fall. What should the Order be doing?"

Hermione blinked at him, mouth partly agape. He was testing her; she was sure of it.

She had spent many nights staring at her ceiling, contemplating the future with worry. However, her focus had been on her parents - that's why she Obliviated them.

She didn't know enough about their current situation, though. But Kingsley had asked. He expected an answer. Her mind raced through the implications of their current state of affairs while they watched her think. There was one glaring deficiency that all else hinged on.

Twisting the cuff of her jumper, she forced herself to hold his gaze. "We should be finding a source of funds."

No one replied and Kingsley's face remained impassive. Hermione continued, unsure whether to be encouraged by his silence.

"Known Order members like the Weasleys won't have an income once they're forced into hiding – and they will be. And then there's the Muggle-borns and their families."

McGonagall and Tonks shared a glance.

"They'll be targeted and need to be hidden. Yesterday. And I bet many of them would fight."

Remus tapped his fingers on the table, but he was listening.

"They have the most to lose if You-Know-Who wins." She picked up steam, speaking faster. "And on that note, we need to actively recruit, and that requires money to support them. We need full-time Order members and those who are still working at their old jobs - undercover Order members who can supply us information in the areas of society that they still interact with." She glanced at Kingsley. "Like you, in the Auror office. And Professor McGonagall at Hogwarts."

Hermione shifted her gaze to Tonks. "But not you. You should go into hiding now. They know you're married to a previous Order member and your father is Muggle-born. Why wait for the arrest warrant to come out? Use your clearance to raid the Auror office before it's revoked. Because it will be."

Tonks' lips lifted in a small smile, the first one Hermione saw this evening. Did she have an ally?

Hermione sat up straighter, encouraged by Tonks' reaction. "We won't be able to use St. Mungo's, so we need Healers and hospital beds. We'll need to buy medical supplies, potions ingredients, and other items to aid in skirmishes. Like Portkeys and spare wands. " She paused, wishing she had a quill and parchment to write everything. "In the First Wizarding War people disappeared all the time. We need Portkeys above all else so people can get safely out of Anti-Apparition wards. And we need space. Space to live, space to train fighters, space to heal, space for prisoners. Again, all this requires Galleons."

"That's quite the list, Hermione." Remus leaned back in his chair, a small smile gracing his features, but he was taking her seriously. "Anything else?"

"Well…" She took a deep breath and leaned forward. "We should be proactive and go on offense. We don't know anything about what You-Know-Who is planning. Domination of Wizarding Britain is somewhat vague." Kingsley laughed softly. "We can't rely on the Auror office to punish Death Eaters for targeting Muggle-borns and their families. Instead, we could kidnap and interrogate them." Remus's mouth spread in a wide boyish grin. She couldn't tell how outlandish her suggestions were, and stared down at her fingers in embarrassment. "Well, once the Ministry falls, Death Eaters won't be in hiding anymore. We can go nab them off the street. Or in their homes. Maybe we could recruit spies and hone our offensive. Oh!" She glanced up again, feeling more confident. "We could use Muggle weapons!"

Everyone raised their eyebrows. Tonks' lips lifted again. She definitely had an ally.

"Yes," she repeated, feeling emboldened by Tonks' reaction. "Muggle weapons. The Death Eaters won't know what hit them."

"If you're thinking of guns," Tonks replied, leaning forward on her elbows, "It only takes one Summoning Spell to disarm everyone. Then the other side has guns and will start using them, too. You may knock out a few from the element of surprise but they're not worth the money to procure or the time to train in the usage of. Muggle communications devices are easily disabled with an Anti-Electronics Charm. And as you may already know, all their high-tech weapons are operated electronically."

"Yes," Hermione said, lips parted in surprise.

"So RPG's are off the table. Shame." Tonks pouted, and Remus smiled fondly at his wife. She turned back to Hermione. "You've essentially got one shot to catch them off-guard with electronics-based weaponry before they're forever neutralized. They're not worth the effort and as you've noted, we have limited funds."

"What about–"

"Chemical weapons are made obsolete by Bubblehead Charms."

Hermione blinked, floored by the entire conversation.

"Explosives," she countered, finally finding her words. "The Blast Containment Charm is ineffective unless you know where the explosive is. The damage is done before you realize you have to cast."

"Dangerous and requires specialized training," Tonks answered without missing a beat. "Especially if you're going to operate them without electronics. We'd be more likely to kill ourselves than the enemy."

"We could acquire that specialized training."

Tonks sat back and stared at her in thought. "It's a long game. We wouldn't see an immediate pay off."

Kingsley, Remus and McGonagall watched their discussion in silent attention.

"We are playing a long game," Hermione replied. "The last war was eleven years. I'm sure with a bit of research we can find some ex-military explosives specialist to train a few people in homemade bomb manufacture."

Tonks rubbed her finger tips together in reply.

"Which we'd also need money for," Hermione continued. "Of course. Like everything else. That's not a reason to forego explosives use."

McGonagall gazed down her nose at her former student. "None of this is easy, Miss Granger."

"I didn't say it was," Hermione protested. "Look," she explained, digging her thumb into the wood grains on the kitchen table. "I have no idea what the Order is planning and you put me on the spot." She snuck a glance at Kingsley thinking she may have overstepped some bounds, but he still appeared interested in what she had to say. "Maybe I don't know enough about what happened twenty years ago or what's happening now. But it seemed like there was no strategy in the First Wizarding War. A few brave people tried to stay ahead of the kidnapping and murder of those trying to take down You-Know-Who and ultimately…" She gazed up at Remus apologetically. "They failed."

She watched them eyeing each other for a few tense moments. Tonks shared a knowing look with Remus, motioned in Hermione's direction, and he nodded.

The Metamorphmagus changed her hair from blonde to pink and leaned forward on the table. "I've been copying classified documents for the past half-year regarding known Death Eaters. I've also been spying on my colleagues who we suspect are sympathetic to You-Know-Who, and I'm not the only one of us in the Auror office. I'm just the only one you know, aside from Kingsley. We won't lose a presence when I go into hiding. And don't worry," she gave Hermione a genuine smile. "I'm going into hiding."

"Oh," she replied softly, feeling her cheeks flame. Of course they have other people in the Auror office. Of course they'd been preparing. They weren't stupid.

She wondered what else had been happening behind the scenes while she essentially did nothing over the summer, worrying about her parents. She wanted to ask, but felt it wasn't her place given the distrust and borderline disrespect she had just displayed.

Kingsley cleared his throat. "We haven't yet worked out a financial source. As you may have guessed already, many of the rich, pure-blood families are funding You-Know-Who, willingly or not. We have a few leads, both domestic and international; it's our top priority."

Hermione was shocked at the information he was sharing.

His lips spread in a thin smile. "I'll be receiving a promotion soon to leave the Auror Department for the Office of the Deputy to the Minister."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Why would you do that? Tonks just said–"

"When the Ministry falls, which office do you think they'll target first? There's no point in being stationed in a doomed department. And I'll have wider access from the Office of the Deputy."

She saw the briefest hint of a smug smile on his face, and furrowed her brows. "But you're a known sympathizer of Dumbledore. You tried repeatedly to warn of You-Know-Who's return. Won't they come for you like Tonks?"

A wicked gleam appeared in his eyes. "Not after I help them dissolve the Auror Department."

Hermione's lips parted in amazement. She couldn't believe how devious they all were.

"My loyalties to the new regime based on blood purity won't be questioned," Kingsley continued with a widening smile. "I was sorted into Slytherin, I'm a pure-blood and Sacred Twenty-Eight. I'll have a wider berth to act without suspicion if they believe I'm on their side. My promotion to the Office of the Deputy has a dual purpose."

Covering her face with her hands, her voice was muffled. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you of not planning ahead. Of course you're trying to win the war. I don't know what's gotten into me." She stood up from her chair and turned to go.

"Where do you think you're going, Miss Granger?" McGonagall sounded as if she'd caught Hermione wandering the halls past curfew.

She turned back to see the Headmistress' sharp glare. "Sit down."

Nervously, Hermione slid back into her seat and cast her eyes downward. They were right to chastise her. She should never have said anything.

"Well, we shouldn't be surprised," Remus spoke in a warm voice. Hermione flicked her eyes up and he turned to face her. "She figured out I was a werewolf at the age of thirteen."

McGonagall released an uncharacteristic snort. "I've taught Miss Granger for six years. I'm not surprised in the least."

"It'll be a long night of planning," Kingsley warned her. "Coffee?"

August 1997

Heart hammering furiously, Hermione crouched in the bathroom, holding Mary Cattermole's trembling hand while Ron Silenced and Disillusioned the three of them. Dean Thomas and Cho Chang had run out the back door with Mary's husband, Reginald, the moment they realized Anti-Apparition wards were installed. Three Death Eaters chased after them blasting hexes; she couldn't tell if anyone had been hit.

Despite the Silencing Charm, she held her breath. Three faint cracks of Apparition echoed in the distance, and her shoulders sagged with relief.

Ron knelt down next to Hermione and whispered, "Do you think they're gone?"

A door slammed as Voldemort's soldiers burst back into the house. She startled, and terror made the blood pound in her ears.

"Fuck! He'll have my head for this!"

Hermione recognized Dolohov's accent immediately. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and she absently fingered her side where he'd cursed her.

Mary tensed and squeezed her hand with a clammy palm. Hermione leaned over and said with more confidence than she felt, "They don't know we're here. Just wait."

"Let's get out of here," an annoyed voice called from the dining room.

"Who's that?" Hermione whispered to Ron.

"Buckley? Berkley?" he replied. "He's usually with Dolohov, but not in the Inner Circle."

"This was supposed to be easy!" Dolohov shouted.

They heard a loud thump followed by a crash as pieces of something shattered on the ground, making all three of them jump. Hermione glanced at Mary, who was squeezing her eyes shut.

"How did they know? Crucio!"

Immediately, they heard a body drop to the floor and a blood-curdling scream. Hermione ground her teeth at the sound of pure, unadulterated agony. Mary whimpered beside her and breathed, "It's not right."

"Antonin! What the hell are you doing?" Buckley/Berkley yelled.

Chills ran up and down her limbs. She couldn't listen to the wails of pain. Hermione crawled forward towards the crack of the door, angling herself until she had a line of sight. A shorter Death Eater was pulling on Dolohov's arm but was shaken off; Dolohov held the curse while the third screamed on the floor. Ron pulled on her shoulder so she would stay out of sight despite her Disillusionment Charm.

"You stun Dolohov; I'll get the short one on the right. The third can't fight. On the count of three."

The screams intensified, echoing off the ceiling, and Hermione raised her wand, trying to steady her hand. Ron's breath came in short pants as he leaned over her to see out the crack of the door. Adrenaline sped through her body as she carefully aimed her wand.

Ron counted down. "One, two, three!"

"Stupefy!"

Hermione vaulted out of the bathroom to the sight of two unmoving, black-robed figures on the floor and a third cradling himself in a fetal position. Hermione collected their wands as Ron cast ropes to snake and tighten around their wrists and ankles. Without wasting any time, she started patting down one of the bodies, searching for objects of interest.

The residual fear of their mission gone awry quickly morphed into excitement. They hadn't yet captured anyone in Voldemort's army. Now they had three, and Dolohov was Inner Circle.

Dean and Cho burst through the front door, wands out, eyes widening at the sight of the three bound men on the floor.

"Cho," Ron waved her over. "Get Mary out of here."

Mary exited the bathroom, a frightened look on her face. "I can't thank you all enough."

Pawing black fabric, Hermione admonished the older witch, "We don't want to stay too long. Is there anything you need besides your wand?"

Mary nodded and ran up the steps and down the upstairs hallway as they heard her feet thudding heavily above them.

Hermione finished patting down the body and removed his mask. Not Dolohov. She glanced at Ron, who peered down at the unknown face.

His lip curled in disgust. "Bixley," Ron recalled as Hermione waved her wand for one last check for magical objects. "That's his name."

Dean motioned towards the three bodies, still panting from running back inside. "What do we do with them?"

Hermione started patting down Dolohov. "Bring them in for questioning. Pinner safehouse. Can you Apparate him out of here?"

"Yeah," Dean replied, pointing his wand at Bixley and carefully levitating him up. "After so many hours working with Remus I could Side-Along anyone in my sleep."

Dean kept his eyes on the floating body, tongue partially sticking out of his mouth in concentration. Walking backwards out the door, he was careful not to bump Bixley on the door frame.

Mary ran back down the stairs, clutching a few books and what looked to be a medical bag. Her greying hair was slightly frazzled with the last-minute scrambling. Hermione smiled inwardly. Their future prospects for Healer recruitment looked promising. Mary's profession was the reason the Order had prioritized hiding the Cattermoles.

Cho reached out for Mary's hand. "Come on, Mary. We'll meet up with Reginald."

Mary stared down at the Death Eater who'd been tortured. He was still trembling and clenching himself in his bindings. "Wait." She crouched, extended her wand to the small of his back, and muttered a charm. They all watched as a golden glow emerged from her wand tip, shone brightly at his lower back, and diffused throughout his body. He released a soft moan in relief. His shaking stopped and they watched his limbs sag.

Hermione watched the gold tendrils slowly disappear. "What was that?"

"Muscle relaxant," Mary explained. "Without any potions, it's the only thing you can do after the Cruciatus Curse." She paused, then added, "No one deserves that."

Hermione winced, remembering his bellows reverberating off the walls. "I agree."

"I don't," Ron retorted. Mary glared at him in disapproval.

"Go on," Hermione told Cho, urgency in her voice. "Get Mary out of here." Cho and Mary ran out the back, the door slamming shut.

"Nothing on Dolohov either." Hermione lifted his mask off and remembered his gleeful dark eyes watching her while her abdomen slowly burned from the inside out. "Can you get him back, Ron?"

"And leave you here alone with that one?" He motioned to their captive on the floor.

"It's Dolohov," she turned to him. "He's Inner Circle. We need to get him back for questioning now so we know who their other targets are. Quickly."

"But–"

"Ron. You need to move. He might know if others were attacked today."

Ron hovered next to her, seemingly hesitant at the thought of breaking procedure and leaving Hermione alone during what had essentially turned into a raid.

"Even if he wasn't bound, he's not in any shape to attack. And I've got his wand." She motioned to the three confiscated wands lying on the floor. "I won't be long; I just need to make sure he's not carrying anything dangerous."

"Hermione…" Ron rolled his wand apprehensively between his fingers.

"Look, if I'm not back in ten minutes, come get me. Send a Patronus to…" She eyed her quarry as he lay on the floor, shifting his tightly bound arms in front of him. Even as a prisoner, he shouldn't know the Order hierarchy. "Send it to Moony immediately. They need to question Dolohov as soon as possible."

Hermione tapped her fingers on her thigh impatiently while Ron mulled over her directives.

"Ten minutes, Hermione." Ron warned her. "No more."

"Ten minutes," she agreed with a smile. She couldn't wait to tell Tonks.

Ron squeezed Hermione's shoulder and left out the back, balancing Dolohov in the air with his wand. She heard a thunk as Dolohov's head hit the door frame on the way out.

"Oops," said Ron, with no hint of apology in his voice.

Hermione turned back to the remaining Death Eater. He'd been silent. Anxious to complete the body search and Disapparate, she removed his mask, pulling off his hood in the process, and nearly fell over in shock.

"Malfoy?"