A/N: There's only one more chapter!

When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it? -Eleanor Roosevelt

"Oh no…"

Everyone looked up from their food, watching Hermione as she read the newspaper.

"What?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked up. "The Minister's been killed."

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "What?!"

Hermione looked over the paper. "His wife found him dead in his office at their house. It was a Death Eater attack… but listen to this. When they finally got into the office, there was a message on the wall. It said that Grindham got what was coming to him," she told them.

Harry stood up, slamming his fist on the table. "I knew it! I knew he was working with them!"

"Harry, sit down," Hermione said, flipping through the paper for the details of the disturbing story. "You shouldn't just jump to conclusions. The Ministry says that he was visited by someone."

Lupin watched her carefully. "Did the wife say who it was?"

Hermione shook her head. "No… she says that the person was wearing a hood. She also says that the person said it was urgent to speak to Grindham," she told them all.

"Sounds to me like the wife had something to do with this," Fred offered, biting into a piece of toast.

Mr. Weasley frowned and took the paper from Hermione. "I'm assuming that the wife had something to do with this too, though her alibi is that she was talking to her sister on the Floo," he said, reading the newspaper carefully.

"He was a bloody Death Eater," Harry muttered.

George was about to say something when Tonks came running into the kitchen, her hair sticking out in all directions. She hit a chair while trying to stop and fell the floor. Lupin got up and helped her stand, holding her as she tried to breathe.

"What is it, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, concern etched on her face.

Tonks took a deep breath and looked around.

"Moody's received word that Death Eaters are appearing around London, out in the open," she told them.

"What?!" Mr. Weasley asked, standing up.

Tonks ran a hand through her hair. "Death Eaters are appearing all over the place in front of Muggles, attacking them… Malfoy's just declared open war!"

Harry found himself in the Auror department, looking around as Lupin spoke to Moody and a few Ministry officials. Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Neville and Luna were with Harry while Fred, George, Ron, Tonks, Lupin and two other Aurors stood around the exit, watching the commotion by the fountain as several officals dealt with the press.

Hermione stood close to Harry, her eyes occasionally darting across the busy area to where Ron stood with his brothers.

"Why are we here?" Seamus asked, growing increasingly bored.

"We have to see if there's been any attacks anywhere near magical zones," Hermione answered quietly.

"But why do we have to be here?" Dean asked, motioning to him and the others.

"Because Mrs. Weasley doesn't want us alone in the house," Harry replied, watching Lupin and Moody.

Lupin and Moody finally stopped talking and walked over to them. "Strangely there haven't been any attacks near magical zones," Lupin told them.

"But why are they openly attacking? It makes no sense to attack Muggles and not attack anyone in the magical community. What's Malfoy trying to prove?" Harry asked.

A scream filled the air and they all froze. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, her heart racing.

"What was that?" she asked.

Another scream split through the silence and the Aurors took out their wands, moving towards the exit to see what was going on.

"Look!" Tonks exclaimed, pointing to the fires behind the crowd of people by the fountain. The flames had started to turn blue, growing higher and higher by the second. Moody turned to some Aurors near by.

"The Floo was supposed to be shut down!" he roared, pointing to the flaming hearths.

"It was!" an older Auror answered.

"This can't be good," Fred and George muttered.

Screams filled the air as Death Eaters started pouring out of the fireplaces. Hooded figures bearing wands that started firing instantly as the giant crowd scattered, screaming and terrified. Bodies flew through the air and dropped to the ground as the Death Eaters continued to come out of the fireplaces.

"Oh no…" Harry whispered.

Moody grabbed Lupin by the arm. "Get them out of here! Now!" he ordered before turning to the Aurors on duty. "Get down there!"

Lupin grabbed Harry by the arm and shoved him towards the back of the Auror Department before grabbing the others and forcing them to follow Harry.

"Wait! We can fight!" Harry protested, stopping and turning to face Lupin.

Tonks glanced over to the other Aurors before shaking her head at Harry.

"No! If they find out that you're here they'll stop at nothing to get you. Follow Lupin," she said before jogging to catch up with the other Aurors.

Fred and George shook their heads, angry. "We can fight. We're of age!"

"We all are!" Ron added.

"No! I promised you're parents that I'd get you back to the house if something went wrong! Now go!" Lupin told them.

There was an explosion and the ground below them shook and Hermione was the first to the railing, looking over.

"There she is!"

Hermione screamed when she saw them all point their wands at her and fire. She stumbled back, barely avoiding death as the ceiling above her exploded. Someone grabbed her and pulled her back, holding her while Fred and George started firing back at the Death Eaters below.

Suddenly there was a loud screeching noise and then they were plunged into darkness.

Hermione felt someone grab her and she was about to scream when a hand fell on her mouth. She was dragged back into what she assumed was an office and the door slammed shut. She then felt hot breath on her neck that smelt like cigarettes.

"You scream and I'll kill you," whoever it was growled into her ear before she felt hands fumble around, moving under her shirt and fiddle around with her bra. She tried to shove him off but she then felt something cool and sharp slide across her throat.

"I'm warning you," he snarled, his hands tugging her shirt off. She felt lips descend on hers, and she closed her eyes, silently praying for someone to find her. She bit down hard, tasting blood. When he pulled away, she spit in the man's direction. She then fell to the ground, a stunning blow causing her to see stars as she tried to move from her spot. She felt the man straddle her, messing around with her pants before pulling them down.

That's when she started screaming, tears running down her cheeks as she tried to get away. She kicked the guy in the gut and ran only to trip over a chair and come crashing back to the ground, her head slamming against a filing cabinet and stunning her once again while pain shot from her ankle.

She heard the door open again, there was a scuffle, three flashes of light then darkness and in two minutes she saw a small white light appear.

"Hermione?"

"RON!" she sobbed from her spot on the ground. He ran over to her, picking her up and holding her as she cried.

"I thought I was going to die," she whispered into his shoulder.

He kissed her brow, handing her the shirt and pants she had lost before walking her to the door, where Harry and Neville were standing, pale and worried.

"You ok, Hermione?" Harry asked, taking her hand as more flashes of light appeared from the entrance to the Department.

"What's happening?"

Neville shook his head. "We have to get out of here before the Death Eaters gain full access to this level," he said. Just then the lights turned on and revealed more Death Eaters than they thought possible. Some Aurors were still protecting the area, but it was an obvious lost cause.

Harry shook his head, starting for the fight. "No! If we give them the Ministry then we've lost the war!"

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm. "We can't fight, Harry! We'll die! Then what?! If we all stay here and die then what?!"

"I don't want to hide anymore, Hermione!" Harry shouted.

There was a large explosion and in that moment they were faced with a choice.

Fight or Run.

There were two more explosions that happened right near the entrance to the Auror Department.

"COME ON!" Seamus bellowed, moving passed them with Luna, Fred and George. Hermione and Ron were about to follow then they realized Harry was still standing there, watching the Death Eaters surge forward.

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed, starting to go back.

"Harry, come on!" Ron screamed, holding Hermione as she tried to go back to him. "HARRY!"

The young man turned to them and seemed torn before he moved over with them. Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and they went to the back before disapparating.

Greyback came out of the flames, his black robes billowing behind him as he moved towards the fountain. Along the far wall were the prisoners, bleeding and pale.

A masked man approached Greyback and bowed.

"We've done it, sir. We've done it."

Greyback grinned, looking around.

"Good."

A/N: I am seriously debating putting up the last chapter. It is probably the most nerve-wracking chapter in this series as well as the most highly anticipated one. Maybe in a few hours or maybe in a few minutes. I'm not exactly sure because I want to leave you all in suspense but I want to also show you what's going to happen. It's all very confusing.

OzDust: Well, I'm glad you're enjoying all the drama. You'll like the next chapter.

NairobiDawn: Well, after the next chapter, things are going to get very deep and heated.

Wesker888: That's basically what I was thinking, except I was trying to be a little more nice about it. I didn't want to... be rude... (Everyone knows that's not my nature) Anyway, aside from the jerk that ruined my precious five minutes, I'm glad you liked it and hope you update soon with the next chapter.

Chapter Tease: (Maybe after you read this, then you'll want me to update speedy quick!

Ron took a deep breath, his face growing paler by the second. He pointed to his bed.

"You might want to sit down," he suggested.

Hermione could feel the blood flood from her face as her heart started pounding against her chest so hard that she was afraid Ron could hear it.

He's going to break up with me, she thought as she sat down.