ATTENTION: All Anonymous reviews have been prohibited from my stories. This has nothing to do with my reviewers but everything to do with a coward who has reviewed my story for the purpose of spoiling the seventh Harry Potter book by putting down events (whether or not they are true is not certain) that are to take place in Deathly Hollows, primarily the deaths and aftermath in that review. I am taking action against this in hopes that if these events are true they will not spoil it for anyone who reads the reviews. My apologies for anyone who has already seen the review, it has been removed and my apologies to any reviewer who has been reviewing anonymously. I am really upset at this and hope the person has the guts to come forward. If not, I pity them and pray for them.

Lupin sank into a couch, exhausted and filled with loss.

Bill was now missing, though every Weasley brother knew exactly where he had gone. As for Ron… he had secluded himself to the attic in Sirius's house's attic. Hermione had tried to get in but after a really nasty and really loud spew of words from Ron, Hermione backed down, sitting down at the kitchen table silently with tears running down her face.

Lupin leaned forward, placing his head in his hands and rubbing his eyes. They had arrived at the Burrow way after Greyback and the other Death Eaters had left, only to find the place burned to the ground, with Fleur's body in the snow a few meters away from the wreckage. By then her body had turned blue from the cold, her beautiful dead eyes staring up at them in horror.

None of the Weasley's spoke for the rest of the day.

"You ok?"

Lupin looked up to see Tonks watching him carefully from the doorway. Lupin sighed and shook his head, looking into the dying embers with sad eyes.

"They've lost everything… They've lost everything and Bill…"

Tonks walked over and sat down next to him, biting her lip as she watched him struggle to keep it together.

"We couldn't have known-"

"We should have had the house guarded," Lupin snapped. "Malfoy's been quiet for so long that we let our guard down. We should have had someone there… now she's dead."

Tonks looked down at her hands, nodding. "You're right, we should have had them protected…"

"Now everything's falling apart. Ron's blaming himself for what happened to Fleur…"

"Why?"

Lupin looked over at her. "From what I heard from Fred and George, he and Bill had a little talk the night Hermione might have died. Apparently, Fleur's name was brought up when they started talking about what Ron would do if Hermione died… I think he feels guilty because he feels he was responsible for protecting Fleur for Bill…"

Tonks was silent for a while before leaning into Lupin's shoulder and resting her head against his.

"Are you scared?"

"Of course I'm scared. I'm scared that someone I love might die…"

"Like Harry?"

"You too," Lupin answered, turning so he faced her. She glanced down at his lips then leaned in and kissed him softly, letting him convey the feelings he couldn't say through the kiss. When they pulled away, she leaned her forehead against his, breathing deeply.

"I'm scared too."

Harry started, sitting up in bed suddenly and forcing Hermione off of the bed with a thud.

"Hermione?"

She looked up from the floor and nodded.

"Hi," she whispered, getting up and sitting back down on the bed.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, glancing over at the door.

Hermione bit her lip and looked down at her hands. "I… I just needed someone to talk to. And with my parent's gone, I couldn't think of anyone else to talk to," she told him as she pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs to her protectively.

Harry glanced over at Ron's bed, which was empty.

"I understand," he muttered. "What did you want to talk about?"

Hermione looked up at him, her eyes teary. "What are we going to do, Harry? How much longer are we going to have fought before…" She let the rest hang over them, knowing that saying it would give in to the power it was slowly taking over them.

Harry shook his head, looking over to the window. "It's not over yet, Hermione. We're not going to give up just because of what happened to…"

"We can't get into Hogwarts, Harry," Hermione said to Harry. "Malfoy's destroyed the bridge, gained control of Hogsmeade and has over a hundred prisoners he could use as leverage. He has the ultimate upper hand, Harry."

"There has to be another way," Harry said, ignoring Hermione completely.

Hermione stood up from the bed, glaring at her friend.

"There's no way in there, Harry! We've lost!"

"NO!" Harry screamed before the two quieted down, suddenly remembering the time of night.

Hermione sat down on the bed, her tears running down her cheeks, as she watched Harry sit back down as well.

"There's no where left… The only place left is the Ministry."

Harry looked up at her and shook his head. "No… Malfoy's doesn't have that guy in the Muggle elections for nothing… He's going to try to gain control of all of England."

"He's not that egotistical," Hermione told Harry. "He may be a ferret, but he's learned from Voldemort's mistakes…"

Harry closed his eyes and placed his head in his hands.

"We have to keep fighting…"

Hermione looked out the window, wiping away the tears.

"For how long, Harry? For how long?"

Bellatrix stepped out of the bath, watching as the bloodied water went down the drain. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked out of the bathroom to a dresser where she started searching for clothes.

"Ah, Bellatrix. You always looked ravishing in nothing."

Bellatrix smiled and took out underwear before turning around.

"And you were always such an arse," she responded.

Greyback watched her move across the room from his place in a lounge chair.

"I have what you needed," he said.

Bellatrix stopped and turned to him. "I heard you also burned down the famed Burrow."

Greyback stood up and approached her slowly, his eyes boring into hers. "I got bored."

Bellatrix placed a hand on his chest, stopping him from getting to close. "I hope you got the right ones," she told him.

Greyback looked over her with lusting eyes and then took a deep breath. "You know me better than that. Especially with those five you lent me," he responded.

Bellatrix tilted her head to the side. "Where are the vials, Fenir?"

The man shrugged. "Where's the body?"

"She's being kept in Hogsmeade until I find use for her. I hope you weren't looking forward to having her."

Greyback shook his head in disgust. "That whore?" He removed her hand from his chest and then proceeded to pull her flush up against him, his lips caressing her ear. "In fact, I was turned on by the way you killed her," he whispered to her.

Bellatrix grinned as she felt his hands travel up her legs and under her towel. She closed her eyes in pleasure and pulled him closer.

"Where are the vials, Fenir?" she asked again.

"Give me the blueprints for the Ministry and I'll tell you," he growled, removing her towel as she removed his robes.

She pulled away so that she could look into his eyes. "I will give you what you need," she whispered before kissing him.

Draco watched as Bellatrix entered the Headmaster's office, her black robes billowing behind her as she strode in.

"You're late." His cold voice rang throughout the office as Bellatrix approached the desk.

"I was busy."

"Shagging Greyback?"

"You have my room watched?"

Draco shook his head and stood up, grabbing her arm and watching her flinch.

"You were always very aggressive while having a good lay," he commented, releasing her. Bellatrix shrugged.

"I enjoy casual sex once in a while," she told him.

He leaned back on his desk and watched her through expressionless eyes. "Do you know why I called you hear?"

Bellatrix flipped her hair out of her face and glared at him. "I couldn't imagine why," she responded coolly.

Draco smirked and went behind the desk, opening a drawer and pulling a black letter out.

"Do you know what this is?"

Bellatrix shook her head, watching his hands carefully, knowing his temper was subject change rapidly.

"No, but I'm assuming you're going to tell me, Draco," she answered smartly, meeting his hardened gaze.

Draco moved around the desk and went right up to her, fiddling with a strand of her hair in his pale fingers.

"These are orders for Roland," he told her, placing the letter in her hands. "I want them delivered to him now."

"What about my plan?"

Draco smiled and leaned in, their lips meeting in a searing kiss.

"Greyback has the prints?"

She nodded and he looked down at her neck, taking hold of it as he tried to think.

"Then let him attack the Ministry. It will provide a descent distraction," he said.

Bellatrix nodded and was about to leave when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him, their lips meeting heatedly, their hands roaming over each other with uncontrollable lust. He moved his lips down her jaw and up to her ear, tugging on it.

"Do you think this is casual sex?" he asked.

Bellatrix grinned, catching the hint of jealousy in his voice. She unbuttoned his robes and then pulled the shirt off of him, kissing his chest.

"Nothing with you is casual, Draco," she whispered, moving up to his neck and biting down on his pale skin.

Draco raised an eyebrow, shoving the robes off her shoulder and toying with her bra.

"Oh really?" he asked. She gasped when his hands ran over the scratches Greyback had left earlier. Draco picked her up and laid her down on the desk, straddling her as they continued their little game.

"Jonathan! Jonathan, come here," a woman called from the bottom of the spiral stairs.

"What is it, Mary?!" he shouted back from the bedroom.

"There's someone here to see you! Says it's urgent!"

Jonathan muttered under his breath and got out of bed, going down the stairs and going into his office after his wife motioned where to go.

"What is it?" he asked rudely.

The hooded figure turned away from the picture on the wall and faced the aging man.

"Hello, Jonathan," came a light woman's voice.

"What do you want?" Jonathan asked again, looking over at the clock on the wall impatiently. It was eleven at night.

"Close the door," the woman ordered.

Jonathan frowned, a cold chill running down his spine as he quietly closed the door. He heard a small click and when he tried to open the door again, it was locked. He whirled around, his eyes wide when he found himself looking into the business end of a wand. The woman pulled back her hood, revealing fake blonde hair with black highlights and bright blue eyes that flashed with a sick happiness.

"Bellatrix is very upset with your progress, Jonathan. Very upset," she whispered.

Jonathan held up his hands, backing up. "I'm watched all the time. I can't do everything she asks. I've given her blueprints haven't I?"

The woman shook her head. "I don't think so. You haven't fully upheld your end of the deal, Jonathan," she growled. "Bellatrix is very upset. We should have gotten into the Ministry by now!" she screamed, slapping him, her nails catching his skin.

The man clutched his face in pain, his eyes wide in fear. "I'm sorry! I'll get you in! I just need more time!" he said, sinking to his feet.

The woman smiled, shaking her head. "It's too late to grovel," she sneered, pointing her wand straight at him.

Jonathan looked up at her, his eyes pleading for mercy. "Please…"

"Goodnight, Minister."