Thanks to jessirose85 (shoutout: my first name is Jessica and middle is Rose xD) and Nicconicco for the reviews!

Y muchos, muchos gracias a mi beta, Alyssa, para su ayuda fabulosa. (If that was incorrect, I'm sorry. I don't have Spanish until next semester.)

Chapter 4- Attaque

Disclamer: I do not own. This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Though, if she's willing to sell...

Read on, dear readers...

Shoes clicked on the marble flooring. Severus, for the umpteenth time, mentally cursed the Malfoys. It was only on their floors, their marble, did he make a sound. He preferred his gait to be silent, all the better to sneak up on students. Their yelps of fright made his job almost tolerable.

The Dark Lord had unexpectedly summoned him. What really surprised Severus was the fact that he seemed alone in the manor, there wasn't any Death Eaters lurking about, or house elves fulfilling orders. There hadn't been any attacks that he had been involved in, nor was the Order up to much. What reason could the Dark Lord have?

Severus did have to say he was grateful, in a twisted way, for being summoned on this particular day.

It was Valentine's Day, which meant a long and odious Hogsmeade visit that he'd have to help chaperone. The faces of hormonal, lovesick fools annoyed him to no end. Unless… he thought of her.

No. Now was definitely not the time to think of Lily Evans. He needed to concentrate on his occlumency and when Lily invaded his thoughts, it was near impossible to focus.

Severus found himself in front of a dark-paneled door. As he raised his hand, a high voice hissed, "Enter." He took a breath and steeled himself.

The Malfoy's dining hall was dimmer than usual. The fire, which was usually roaring, was fighting to stay aflame. Also unexpected was the extra company.

The Dark Lord's inner circle was seated around the table, with an open chair on the Dark Lord's left. Severus immediately moved to take the seat. No thought, no hesitation; thus, suspicion was avoided.

He waited patiently.

Voldemort's gleaming red eyes, so starling to some, glided over each Death Eater, swiftly looking into their respective eyes. He saw exactly what he wanted to see, devotion and curiosity, except for Severus. His eyes were always blank, the black gave nothing away. Voldemort saw this as complete devotion. All Severus saw himself as was a servant, a servant that gave up himself to simply be a tool for the Dark Lord to wield.

And that was exactly how Severus wanted it.

A soft hissing rose from the entering snake. With that, Voldemort began.

"My dear followers, I believe I have kept you in the dark long enough. As you know, our actions have been small against the current Wizarding world. As… delightful torturing muggles is, I believe the next pawn should be set in place." He glanced around again, his gaze resting solely on Severus. "Now, where does the morale of the Wizarding world reside?"

Severus cursed in silence while Bellatrix's eyes brightened.

She spoke in a lover's whisper, "Oh my Lord, surely you mean Hogwarts." Her excitement was palpable. The other Death Eaters shifted in their seats from anticipation.

Voldemort's lipless mouth stretched into a smirk.

Hermione scowled at the couples on the street, simpering and whispering. Those gits. That was supposed to be her and Ron. She wanted him to whisper sweet nothings in her ear and make her blush from the warm, glowing feeling. She wanted to lounge Madame Puddifoot's and kiss over tea and pastries. Gods, she wanted Ron.

But the prat was nowhere to be found. They had agreed to meet outside the Three Broomsticks at 11 o'clock.

"You would think that he could remember to be on time today of all days," she muttered darkly. It was their very first Valentine's Day as a couple, and when Ron had asked her to meet him in Hogsmeade, she had high hopes for the day.

She checked her watch. It was 11:30 and Ron was nowhere to be seen. She turned on her heel and started back to the castle.

"Hermione?" someone called.

Up ahead of her, coming down towards Hogsmeade, were Harry and Ginny.

"Have you two seen Ron?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, he said he was headed out to the Quidditch pitch for a while. Why?"

Hermione locked her jaw. "He was supposed to meet me here at 11 for a date."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "He chose Quidditch over his girlfriend? Who does he think he's dating? Lavender? C'mon 'Mione, let's go get him."

"No Ginny. I don't want to talk to him right now. I'll just go and finish up the Transfiguration essay."

Harry looked pained. "Why don't you come to the Three Broomsticks with us? It'll be more fun that studying."

"I don't know… It's your first Valentine's Day together, and-"

"It's supposed to be your first Valentine's with Ron as well and the prat isn't here. You're coming with us, if you like it or not."

Hermione surrendered and vowed not to think about her boyfriend the rest of the day.

It was a fairly easy promise to make.

"Exactly."

Not for the first time, Severus had to acknowledge Voldemort's genius. It was truly a good plan. An evil plan, yes, but a very intelligent and unexpected plan. How better to strike fear into every witch and wizard than to attack so close to the invincible Hogwarts?

"When do we attack, my Lord?" asked Yaxley.

"Today."

Severus kept his face smooth. There was a Hogsmeade visit and the Death Eaters were going to attack. Students and people were going to be killed. There was no way for him to alert Dumbledore without giving himself away.

"Now," Voldemort twirled his wand with his pale, spider-like fingers. "Rookwood and Severus. You both will destroy the town. Leave the others to the killing. Bellatrix, Yaxley, and Travers, you can go play, with one exception. Do not kill the students. No need to scare them that thoroughly. We wouldn't want Dumbledore closing the school, would we?"

Voldemort started to gesture a dismissal, but halted. "I trust you all know to not touch the boy. He will be mine to take."

With that, the five Death Eaters apparated to Hogsmeade. They appeared behind the Hog's Head. Bellatrix's mouth spread into a wicked grin as she pulled back her left sleeve and touched her wand to the brand.

Soon, Hogsmeade would be reduced to flames.

After all Death Eaters arrived, Bellatrix took command and led the charge out into the main street.

Let the festivities begin, Severus thought sarcastically.

Laughing and feeling considerably happier, Hermione followed the couple out of the Three Broomsticks.

"Now, isn't this more fun than working on McGonagall's essay?" Ginny asked.

"Well… Transfiguration is very fascinating, and I'm-" Hermione stopped talking when she saw them. At Hermione's sudden silence, Harry and Ginny looked around, only to become as frozen as Hermione.

Death Eaters in Hogsmeade.

Hermione quickly looked around. The Hogs Head was in shambles, with low flames surrounding it. Zonko's was torn apart, debris surrounding its previous spot.

They weren't the first ones to notice the figures clad in black. A bright burst of red shot out from the middle of the line and hit an elderly wizard. A wild cackle of laughter echoed through the air. Bellatrix Lestrange was in attendance.

Within seconds, Harry's wand was in his hand, pointed straight at the heart of the mass of black.

"Sectumsempra!" The spell charged through the air, only to be deflected off of an invisible force.

Hermione and Ginny pulled Harry back as he tried to run at the Death Eaters.

"Harry, you have to get out of here and tell Dumbledore! They're probably after you. We cannot lose you," said Hermione.

"I can't leave you two here! What if they capture you? You're my best friend, Hermione, and they'll be after you as well. And Ginny, they could know what we mean to each other. You'll be their other target."

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the Death Eaters approaching quickly. "Harry, you're the only hope of killing Voldemort. Take Ginny, and get Dumbledore. I'll stay here and help the younger students evacuate," Hermione ordered.

"Then take the invisibility cloak," he insisted.

"You'll need it more than me. And I know how to make myself invisible. Now, go!" And with a shove, Harry and Ginny took off, their bodiless feet scrambling away from the destruction.

"Kill the mudblood!" Someone shouted, and Hermione knew it was for her.

Before she could cast the spell to make her invisible or even move, green light shot over her head and all she saw were flames descending. A strong something pulled her back into the alleyway behind Honeydukes.

A hand clapped over her mouth and whispered in her ear, "Dumbledore's coming. They cannot hurt the students. Go!" And without hesitation, Hermione was pushed into the cellar of the candy shop and into the passageway.

Harry ripped the cloak off of himself and Ginny as they sprinted through the front door.

"Potter, Weasley, what do you think you're doing?" McGonagall's sharp voice stilled the pair.

"We need to find Dumbledore! He needs to know, Hogsmeade has been-"

"Attacked, we know. He has already left with Professor Flitwick to repair the damage," McGonagall informed them as she waved her wand in a crisscross pattern.

"But they just attacked, they can't be gone yet!" Ginny said.

"I assure you Miss Weasley, when Professor Dumbledore appears, they most certainly will be gone."

"How did he find out?" Harry demanded.

"He has his ways, Potter. Now, since the excitement is soon to be over, shouldn't you be finishing an essay for me?"