Chapter 2: The Alliance

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Remus cleared his throat attempting to get the attention of everyone at the table. Hermione nudged her husband who was animatedly talking with George about some new joke idea. Hermione had to smile. Fred and George were their comic relief in this world. They could make them smile if only for a second. Remus had begun to talk so she shifted her attention to the topic at hand.

"Voldemort has finally taken over France. Their government fell late last night. All the muggles are being rounded up."

Sirius spoke up. "Can we do anything to help?"

Remus's eyes lost some of their life. "We lost communication with the team we had stationed there. I fear that trying to help now would not end well."

There was a general murmur of agreement around the table. However, no one really seemed pleased about leaving France on it's own. Hermione knew that they had no choice, but it pained her to think about all those people who would die. Ron seemed to sense her thoughts and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She smiled up at him as Remus began to talk again.

"We have also received word through one of our spies that Voldemort is planning an attack on one of our safe-houses. We do not know how he discovered it, but we think it has something to do with the disappearance of McKenly Konop. We are in the process of evacuating the muggles, but we need more volunteers."

Bill and Charlie glanced at each other and then raised their hands. Remus nodded at them in agreement and dismissed the meeting.

Hermione headed to the nursery to find her daughter her thoughts filled with what she had just learned. McKenly had disappeared about a week ago and it was widely thought that he had been taken by Voldemort, but their spy had been unable to confirm that. She shook her head at the thought of another lost safe-house. That was the second one in three months. She carefully pushed those thoughts out of her head as her daughter came running towards her. She smiled as Ella dove into her arms.

"Hi Sweetie how was your day?"

Hermione smiled as Ella started a detailed description of her day.

"and then James Potter told me that there really was a three headed dog named Fluffy and that it was going to come and eat me in the middle of the night." She looked up into her mother's eyes. "There is no dog named Fluffy is there mommy?"

Hermione had to smirk at her innocent expression. "Yes sweetie Fluffy exists, but he isn't going to eat you in your sleep. He is with Hagrid. You remember Hagrid right?"

Ella nodded and seemed content with this explanation and immediately started talking about how James had gotten her in trouble today. Hermione was going to have to have a talk with Harry about what stories he told his son.

She felt a hand on her shoulder as she entered the kitchen with Ella. She turned to see Harry smiling at her. She glared at him.

"James was telling Ella today about how a three-headed dog named Fluffy was going to come eat her in the middle of the night. I wonder how he heard that story."

Harry smiled at her guiltily. "Sorry 'Moine. I'll talk to him." He smiled down at Ella. "Sorry Ella, James is a little too much like my father."

Ron choose that moment to enter the kitchen. Ella squealed and reached for her father. Ron laughed and plucked her out of her mother's arms. Hermione smiled at the pair and sat down at the table with Harry.

"So how is Ginny getting along?"

Harry smiled at the mention of his wife. "She keep complaining that she looks like a whale. I think she looks beautiful, but with her hormones and temper I just keep my mouth shut. She only has about a month left anyways."

Hermione grinned at the thought of Ginny and her temper. She definitely had inherited it from her mother and with the pregnancy hormones added in, everyone knew to stay out of her way.

A sharp shrilling noise cut through their bliss. An attack was occurring at one of their muggle safe-houses. Ron immediately grabbed Ella to bring her back to the nursery. Hermione ran to her room to change. It looked like it was going to be a long night.

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