XVI
Nomads
The following morning came with an ominous sort of quiet; sunlight rolling over the forest, the lake, and finally the castle. Hermione woke up before dawn, watching light fill the grounds through the window in her dormitory and thinking deeply about what would come next. They were to leave Hogwarts today. Taking the Express home was something Hermione both dreaded and desired. She dreaded it because it made her feel terribly vulnerable to be away from Hogwarts but still within what she considered to be the world of magic. She also felt a longing for one final train ride home because of the simple fact that it felt like an end. It was a good, proper end to her time at Hogwarts. One final train ride home, then it was over.
Little did Hermione know that she would not be taking the Hogwarts Express home today. She wouldn't even be going home at all.
Sitting in her dormitory, Hermione found that her thoughts couldn't quite stray from remembering her encounter with Professor Snape last night. It wasn't long after dawn broke that she was shrugging on her clothes and rushing off to the Gryffindor Common room, intent on finding Harry, Ron, and Ginny to explain what she'd seen.
She did so, waiting until it seemed like somewhat of a reasonable time and first fetching a sleeping Ginny from her dorm, then finding both Harry and Ron in their own dorm. Together, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and a very grumpy Ron proceeded out of the Gryffindor tower and towards the nearest empty classroom. Hermione explained everything she'd seen last night with Snape.
"I'm really worried," she muttered, pacing back and forth between the aisles of desks in the classroom. Harry, Ron, and Ginny all sat atop the desks, watching her pensively. "I just-" she paused, "I feel like something must be wrong. Snape looked frightened, and you all know as well as I do that Snape has never ever betrayed even an ounce of fear or weakness if he could help it."
"But he said that Dumbledore was aware, right?" Harry chimed in. "If Dumbledore knows about this then I'm sure he can handle it."
"D'you reckon Voldemort might be angry at Malfoy?" Ron asked, staring off at the ground pensively.
"Merlin," Ginny gasped. "What if he is? Maybe he's only just found out about how Malfoy failed to kill me, and months before he failed to kill Hermione. Maybe he's going to take matters into his own hands."
Harry had grown pale and still. Hermione decided that even if what they were speaking about was true, it wasn't the time to have a hypothetical conversation like this. "I think we should just go to breakfast and see what happens from there." As she said this she pulled her wand from her robes and cast a Tempus charm. Breakfast began in ten minutes.
Harry didn't say anything, but nodded once, following Hermione, Ginny, and Ron as they led the way towards the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was abuzz with excited chatter and the clatter of food and drink. The group of Gryffindors slid into their usual spots at the Gryffindor table, all eyes drifting towards the Head Table every few moments. Dumbledore sat in his usual spot, not looking at all out of the ordinary. Down the table, Snape's seat was empty. Hermione could only assume that the Potions Master was still away from the castle. She supposed that it was possible that he had simply returned late last night and decided not to attend breakfast, but something within her was certain that he would at least make an appearance and appease any curious students, especially Hermione.
Her eyes fell on Remus next. He chatted idly with Hagrid, eating his breakfast and gazing out at the students that filled the tables with something akin to nostalgia. She wondered if he didn't plan to come back and teach next year. She wondered if he felt the same strange sense of discomfort that she experienced when even considering if there would be a next year that any of them would be alive to see.
Hermione snuck many more glances at Remus as breakfast progressed. In fact, the only thing that actually tore her concentration from Remus was a flurry of movement and the entrance of Professor Snape.
The dour Potions Master entered the Great Hall in the same manner he did on every other morning. His expression betrayed nothing. The thing that did cause Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny to worry was the fact that he did not take his usual seat between McGonagall and Remus. Instead, Snape approached Dumbledore, leaned down ever so slightly, and whispered something. Dumbledore glanced up at Snape with an unwavering smile as he listened. Hermione was sure that neither she nor any of the others were being covert in their staring anymore. In fact, a second after Snape started speaking to Dumbledore, his eyes darted over to where Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor table, turning away a millisecond later.
"Something's wrong," Harry murmured ominously. Snape pulled away from Dumbledore's side, and turned towards the back exit of the Great Hall by the Head Table. He exited the room. Dumbledore got up and followed behind a moment later. McGonagall, who sat beside Dumbledore, watched in utter confusion for a long moment before returning to normal and pretending to focus on her breakfast.
"Yeah," Ginny nodded in agreement, "something's definitely wrong."
Harry, Hermione, and Ginny barely ate for the rest of breakfast, unable to think about food while waiting and wondering in such suspense over what was going on. Ron, on the other hand, handled his stress by doing the exact opposite and eating more than enough food for the four of them.
Time passed at a languid, tedious pace. Soon, however, students finished their meals, eager to get back to their dormitories and do some last minute packing before the Express was scheduled to depart. "We should probably get going," Harry murmured, "I doubt Dumbledore or Snape are going to come back in here."
Hermione nodded in agreement, following Harry as he led the group from the Great Hall. She stole one last glance up at the head table upon her exit, seeing that Remus was now speaking in low tones to a worried-looking Professor McGonagall. Just before she lost sight of him his gaze turned in her direction, meeting her eyes for a split second.
"Ah, I wondered when I would find the four of you."
Hermione almost started at Professor Dumbledore's cheery voice. She whipped her head around to look at him. He stood just outside of the Great Hall in the corridor, alone. Nothing in his expression betrayed that anything was out of the ordinary, but Hermione liked to think that she knew better than to believe that.
"P-Professor," Harry sputtered, stopping in his tracks and causing Ron to walk right into his back with a grunt. "Is everything okay?"
Dumbledore smiled cheerfully, looking out through the open front doors of the school to the scenery outside, "why it's quite a wonderful day outside, isn't it? I like to think that this is a most joyous occasion for many students excited to go home and begin their summer holidays."
Nobody spoke. He was equivocating. Hermione almost went so far as to repeat Harry's question in irritation.
Dumbledore sighed, "Anyway, the reason I've come to find the four of you is because there is a matter that requires discussion. Would you mind accompanying me to my office?" He looked over the four of them, eyes still twinkling like every bloody thing was right in the world. Hermione idly wondered if perhaps he wasn't just pretending to be cheery for their sake, but because there were other people around them that shouldn't know something was amiss. She looked at the waning crowd of students exiting the Great Hall, spotting several Slytherin robes among other students who seemed general intrigued by Dumbledore's appearance outside the Hall and his conversation with the four Gryffindors.
"Of course, Professor," Harry said, nodding.
Dumbledore smiled once more before turning and leading the way to his office. Hermione fell into step behind Harry, with Ginny at her right and Ron at her left. Both Ginny and Ron gave her many suspicious and questioning looks as they walked she just shrugged at them, trying to convey that she still hadn't figured out for sure what this was about.
"Cocoa Clusters," Dumbledore intoned once they arrived outside of his office. Only a second later, the gargoyles began to shift and move, an ascending staircase revealed. Dumbledore pressed on.
Inside his office, Hermione was shocked to see that there was already a bit of an assembly present. Professor Snape was there, along with McGonagall, Remus, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Harry, Ron, and Ginny all seemed to be in relatively the same state of surprise as Hermione. "Mum? Dad?" Ginny muttered, allowing her mother to give her a hug while she looked around the room. Mrs. Weasley moved on to hug Ron, Harry, and Hermione as well, her expression one of a sort of twisted sadness. Hermione felt her chest tighten with anxiety. Had something happened? Was someone hurt? Did Malfoy strike again and actually find success? All these questions swarmed within her mind.
"Have the others been contacted, Minerva?" Dumbledore intoned, taking a seat behind his desk and looking at Professor McGonagall, who stood just to his right.
McGonagall nodded. "The rest should arrive any minute."
"Excellent," Dumbledore grinned, his eyes focusing back on Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny once more. "Lemondrop, anyone?"
Everyone shook his or her head in dissent. Hermione felt too sick to want to eat anything. Her stomach was tied in anxious knots. She wrung out her hands nervously, glancing around the room and trying to gauge the situation. McGonagall wore an expression of slight unease. Snape betrayed nothing at all. Remus looked anxious and confused. Hermione realized that he probably knew just as much as herself at this point. Mr. Weasley watched Dumbledore and Snape intently. Overall, everyone seemed to be in similar states of suspense as Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny.
In the following minutes, a few more people arrived in Dumbledore's office. First were Tonks and Mad-Eye, both wearing their Auror Robes and looking foreboding. Next were Fred and George, and then Bill. All received great hugs from their mother while panning the room nervously, probably worried that it had been Ron or Harry or someone else who'd been attacked this time. After them came Sirius, stumbling through the special Floo connection to his flat, looking groggy with sleep. Upon finally getting his bearings in Dumbledore's office he looked to the Headmaster himself and raised his hand to his forehead in a little mock-salute before stepping back beside Remus. The twins barely hid their amusement at Sirius' antics.
"I believe that is everyone who can make it right now," McGonagall intoned, her voice causing any idle chatter around the room to die down. She looked to Dumbledore expectantly.
"Excellent," said Dumbledore, clasping his hands together. "The reason I have called this meeting is because last night many important events occurred, events that I feel are pertinent to discuss so that everyone here knows why I have decided to make a certain decision."
Hermione felt as if a switch had been flipped in her head, turning on some sort of emission of unease. Before she had just been worried, but now she was suspicious. Dumbledore had made a decision. He wanted to discuss what had happened, but everything he'd just said led Hermione to believe that this decision was in no way open for discussion.
"Is everyone okay?" Mrs. Weasley cut in, gripping Mr. Weasley's arm in one hand and Bill's in the other.
"Yes, yes, Molly," Dumbledore assured her, "no one has been injured. There have simply been a few… advancements." As Professor Dumbledore finished his sentence his eyes drifted over to Professor Snape, who stood straight as a ramrod with an expression of bored disenchantment. "Severus, would you like to explain?"
Snape met Dumbledore's eyes, paused for a long beat of silence, and then opened his mouth. "I daresay you may be able to explain it just as well as I can, Headmaster. Please, go right ahead." There was a hint of frustration in his tone, but Hermione was perplexed as to why.
"Very well," Dumbledore nodded, leaning back in his chair and gazing at the small crowd. "Last night Severus was called into a meeting with the upper ranks of Voldemort's Death Eaters."
"Albus," Mrs. Weasley cut in quickly, stepping forward, "I'm sorry, but are you quite sure that the children should be present for this? I know that you haven't called an official Order meeting, but surely they do not need to be present for a conversation such as this one?"
"Molly-" Mr. Weasley began, only to be cut off by Dumbledore's raised hand.
"It is an understandable concern, Arthur." He shifted his gaze to Mrs. Weasley, "Molly, I did consider excluding them from this conversation, but what we are about to discuss is something that very much pertains to all of them, and will very much affect their lives in the coming weeks. Do not fret; I am not inducting them into the Order, I simply feel that this conversation requires their attendance, and I trust that you will soon feel this way as well."
Hermione watched Mrs. Weasley closely as she let out a deflating breath, her eyes ghosting over Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione before returning to Dumbledore. She nodded.
"Very well," the Headmaster smiled brightly. "Now, at the meeting it was revealed that Voldemort is now aware of Lucius Malfoy's failed attempts at the lives of Miss Granger and Miss Weasley." He paused, and Hermione felt the whole room grow heavy with some sort of intangible weight. She shared a brief look of sadness with Ginny before returning her attention to Dumbledore.
"The Dark Lord also discovered through Severus, Lucius, and other surveillance methods that we have been utilizing many resources to increase security around Hogwarts and the children." Hermione disliked the way Dumbledore called them "children," but she tried to ignore it. Professor Dumbledore continued; all attention was honed in on him. "Voldemort was, understandably, quite enraged. He has decided that any means necessary must be used to first eliminate Harry's loved ones while they are not under the same protection as Harry, and then pursue Harry himself."
Stifling silence stretched and expanded between the occupants of the office. Hermione found herself almost unwillingly breaking the silence, but she did so anyway. "We're going into hiding," she murmured, "aren't we?"
Dumbledore nodded solemnly. Everyone in the room seemed to shift with discomfort and whisper something to their neighbor in disbelief. Hermione looked to Ron, Harry, and Ginny. All three of them were nearly slack-jawed. Harry, however, looked sadder than anything else. In response, Ginny reached for his hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.
"We can't possibly!" Bill spoke up, stepping forward, "there's too much here that depends on us. What about Tonks and Mad-Eye? We need people at the Ministry. What about all the other people who need our protection but can't simply hide away? We can't take everyone into hiding."
"Nor can we save everyone, Bill." It was Mr. Weasley who spoke, despondence weighing down his voice.
"There are many factors that have been taking into consideration," Dumbledore continued, standing from his desk and beginning to pace around the room. "While there are some members of the Order that will need to remain here and continue on with their lives, both for surveillance and precautionary purposes, I believe that the safest bet at this point is to bring those closest to Harry into hiding for the time being. At least until there is more stability, or until this war is over."
"That could take years," Mad-Eye said brusquely, "as the head liaison with the Auror Department for the Order I simply cannot allow it."
"That is exactly why you will not leave, Alastor," Dumbledore panned the room of people, "I do believe that it would be wise for everyone in this room except for Alastor, Minerva, and myself to go into hiding. Nymphadora," he addressed Tonks, her hair now a faded rusty red color where it had once been bubblegum pink, "I would understand if you wish to remain here and continue your work at the Ministry, but I also know that everyone here would feel safer if you accompanied them."
Tonks wore a closed off expression. She turned to Mad-Eye for a short moment and he nodded once at her. "I'll go," she said, looking back to Dumbledore.
"Very well," Dumbledore said.
"But where will we go?" Mrs. Weasley interjected shrilly, "back to Grimmauld?"
Hermione was sure that no one but Remus and herself heard Sirius' groan and accompanying whisper of "not fucking again."
Dumbledore shook his head and looked at Snape. The Potions Master had remained silent for a long time. He still said nothing, didn't show a flicker of emotion or response. Dumbledore turned back to the group. "Grimmauld Place, while having helped greatly in the past, is no longer the safest location, I'm afraid. The Death Eaters are aware of the Order Headquarters being located in London, and we have a reason to believe that it would be fairly easy for them to locate Grimmauld Place with only a little work. It is because of this that another location has been decided on." Another furtive glance was sent in Snape's direction. Hermione narrowed her eyes, watching Dumbledore and Snape closely. "Severus has graciously offered up a property owned by his family to be used as a safe house."
The room filled with tension like a gust of wind breathing through a newly open window. Hermione could almost hear the thoughts of outrage from Ron and Harry. They didn't trust Snape completely, especially with matters like this.
"How can we be sure that it is safe?" McGonagall was the one to finally speak up.
"It's safer than nearly any other location on this earth," Snape said flatly, "perhaps even as safe as Hogwarts itself. It belonged to my mother's family. I am the only living person with knowledge of its existence and whereabouts."
"I will be the Secret Keeper," Dumbledore spoke up, "and extensive wards will also be put into place. In addition, Severus is willing to stay at the house for the majority of his time to ensure that everything goes smoothly and to strengthen the blood wards."
"Blood wards?" Harry murmured, a fearful look on his face.
"In the early seventeenth century Wizarding families started to use them," Hermione explained, "they're especially strong wards that function better if more people who share the blood of the creator of the wards are nearby."
"They're essentially archaic now," Remus added from across the room, "but still remain in some estates of a few of the ancient pureblood families."
"Yes," Dumbledore nodded briskly, "and Severus' presence on the property of the Prince Estate will indeed strengthen and rebuild these wards."
Estate… he called it an estate. Hermione had to admit; she was quite intrigued about where they were going. She'd never really thought much about what Snape's family was like, but she supposed that this whole debacle would provide her with at least a bit more insight.
"So who all will be going then?" Tonks spoke up, looking around the room and then back at Dumbledore.
"I should hope that mostly everyone here would feel comfortable with this plan and be willing to go. The only exceptions are myself and Minerva because we must remain at Hogwarts to keep the castle in order, and Alastor so that he can remain at the Ministry. Kingsley will also remain at the Ministry, of course, so that he can provide us with more of the information he's been passing along for the past several months. Does anyone else here have any objections to this?"
Bill Weasley stepped forward, "With all due respect, I don't think I want to leave, sir."
Mrs. Weasley looked at him with something akin to outrage. "And why is that?" she began crossing her arms over her chest and staring him down. Beside her, Mr. Weasley looked perplexed.
"I have Fleur now," Bill stated simply, "we just bought a house and we're trying to have a normal life away from all of this while we can. Mum, you must understand why I don't want to uproot my family. Besides, neither Charlie nor Percy have even been spoken of!"
"Charlie's in Romania," Ginny interjected harshly, "he's not in the same danger you'll be in."
"And Percy?" Bill continued looking around at his family members.
"I don't quite know if I could stand living with Percy again," Ron grumbled under his breath.
"Agreed," Fred and George echoed in unison.
"Don't speak that way about your brother!" Mrs. Weasley snapped at Ron, Fred, and George.
Hermione watched the exchange closely. Ginny was incensed that Bill didn't want to go with them. She loved Bill dearly, and Hermione understood why she was upset that Bill would not put himself and his wife into a safer situation with the rest of his family. Her gaze drifted around the room, from Sirius, to Remus, to Tonks, to Snape. Snape wore a sour expression, like he detested the whole of the Weasley family more than anything. Hermione wondered how much he was dreading having bring the Weasleys into his own house.
"Look," Bill said, deflating after the lashing out, "Shell Cottage is safe. No one knows where we live. We might as well be in Romania like Charlie." He turned to face Ginny, tenderly now, "I'll be safe, Gin. I can stop by for Order meetings whenever we have them. I just don't want to uproot my family."
There was a pause. Dumbledore was the one to break it. "I don't believe there will be a problem with that plan, Bill. You are not one whom I would expect to be a target anyway."
Bill nodded, stepping back between his father and Fred.
"Now that we've resolved that," Dumbledore clapped his hands together, panning the room, "are there any other matters to discuss?"
Hermione cleared her throat, feeling the shift of gazes onto her. "I actually have a few things I'd like to speak about, Professor."
Dumbledore nodded for her to continue.
"First," she breathed, squaring her shoulders and trying to sound as strong as she could, "is the matter of my parents. Am I to simply leave and not tell them where I'm going? How can they be safe at home if I'm not safe there?"
Dumbledore regarded her for a moment. "I believe that there are already several sets of protective wards around your parents' house, am I correct?"
She nodded.
"While those wards can provide plenty of protection to your parents, they are weakened by a magical person residing within the house. I'm sure you've learned about this, Miss Granger."
"Of course," she conceded.
"Well," Dumbledore sighed, "I do believe that as long as someone goes there and strengthens the wards sometime soon, your parents will be completely safe there. You, on the other hand, we cannot be sure of. There is also another option, of course. If your parents are willing, I'm sure there will be room enough at the Estate."
Hermione thought about this deeply for a long moment before shaking her head and echoing Bill. "I can't uproot their life… and I don't want them to have to face the full extent of this war be being put in a house with the Order. I think- I feel like they will be safe at home without me."
"Very well," Dumbledore conceded, "perhaps after we are finished here someone can take you to your parents and work on the wards while you speak to them about what is going on?"
"Okay," Hermione murmured, nodding and trying to convince herself that this was indeed the best option.
"Is there anything else?" Dumbledore asked, watching her intently.
"Yes," she breathed, straightening her shoulders and standing up taller, "I have two requests that are key to my compliance in all of this." She knew that she probably shouldn't have made it sound like this was some sort of bargain, but she couldn't help it.
McGonagall stood beside Dumbledore, arching a brow at Hermione. Dumbledore seemed unfazed. "And what are these requests?"
She looked around the room, her gaze hesitating on Harry, Ron, and Ginny. "I want all of us to become official members of the Order of the Phoenix," she said, meeting Dumbledore's gaze brazenly, "and I want Draco and Narcissa Malfoy to accompany us to the safe house and live under it's protection."
"What?" Ron whispered, shocked and outraged, "Malfoy? You do realize that his father is the one we're trying to get away from, right?"
"Yes, Ronald," Hermione replied cooly, "his father. Draco and his mother have been struggling to try to get away from Lucius Malfoy, and I know that they would benefit from being under the protection of the Order. There would have to be some precautions taken, of course, because we obviously can't be certain of their trustworthiness yet, but I think that both of them could turn out to be highly beneficial allies to have in the end." She hoped it wasn't too obvious that she'd rehearsed those exact words dozens of times in her head.
Dumbledore watched her closely. She looked around the rest of the room. Snape was looking at her blankly, but she felt like there was just a hint of approval in the tilt of his head. Tonks and Mad-Eye just looked suspicious. Remus, Sirius, and most of the Weasleys looked very conflicted. Harry's expression was one that surprised her the most. He was actually smiling at her in something akin to pride. It was quite odd, really, that Harry looked proud of her.
"Severus and I can certainly look into this, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, sitting at his desk and tapping his fingers on the wood of the desk. "If it turns out that Mr. Malfoy and his mother are truly to be trusted, I think that can be arranged. Now, as for your other request..."
She tried to stand taller yet again, and she felt as if Harry, Ron, and Ginny did the same, uniting behind her. They'd all wanted to become a part of the Order since spending that summer at Grimmauld Place years ago. It had always been a matter of age and necessity, but now it seemed like there was no real way they could be excluded anymore. "Harry, Ron, and I have graduated school now. All of us are of age, even Ginny. With the war picking up and such a drastic measure as this being taken, I don't see why we should not be inducted right away."
"That's outrageous!" Mrs. Weasley cut in, "you're barely adults! Ginny is far too young!"
"Molly," Mr. Weasley whispered lowly, "let's be civil about this."
"I think it's a great idea," Sirius cut in next, grinning brilliantly at Harry and the rest of them. Harry grew taller and prouder.
"They barely even know how to fight," Mrs. Weasley muttered, sounding almost horror-stricken, "we can't send them on missions or into danger while they're so young."
"It's not like there will be many missions to go on when we're all locked up in hiding, Mum." It was Ginny who spoke this time.
"Besides," Ron said, "Fred and George only had to wait a couple months after leaving Hogwarts before becoming a part of the Order." Fred and George both nodded in affirmation.
"But you're still so young," Mrs. Weasley whispered mournfully. She seemed to be nearly on the verge of crying now. Mr. Weasley put his arm around her. Hermione glanced to Dumbledore. He'd still barely spoken a word.
"To be fair, Molly," Remus interjected, "Sirius, James, Lily, Peter, and I were all inducted straight out of school. We managed alright back then, and I daresay our skills at eighteen barely compared to those of these four now." His words were meant for the group of them, but his eyes wavered on Hermione. Her chest grew momentarily tight and constricted as she held his gaze.
Mrs. Weasley tearfully gazed at Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "But surely-" her voice broke off, "surely Ginny is still to young."
Ginny spoke next, her voice softer, "Only by a few months. I deserve to be a part of the Order now, just like them."
"Perhaps it would be for the best," Mr. Weasley muttered to his wife.
"I do think that it can be arranged," Dumbledore said, focused on Hermione alone, "the four of you may join the Order, but you must remember that it requires a large amount of responsibility and discretion. While I'm confident that each of you can handle it, I must know that you all understand."
Mrs. Weasley made a small noise of grief. Hermione wanted to tell the woman that it wasn't like she was actually sending her children off to fight in a war or giving them a death sentence.
"We understand," Harry said sturdily. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny nodded in agreement.
"Very well," Dumbledore nodded, "we will deal with the technicalities of admission to the Order at our next official meeting, sometime next week."
Hermione wanted to ask why they couldn't just get it over with right now, but she didn't. She needed to be a member of the Order, and if she had to wait a few days, that was okay.
"Now," Dumbledore sighed, looking around the room, "is there anything else we need to discuss here?"
No one spoke.
Dumbledore nodded. "We will reconvene here at four o'clock this afternoon, after the Hogwarts Express has departed." He looked to Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny once again, "I'll need the four of you to keep quite and try to remain unnoticed while everyone is leaving. We don't want to arouse suspicion by having other students find out that none of you are taking the Express home."
"What about my parents?" Hermione said softly.
Dumbledore looked around the room. "I believe Severus would be the best person to strengthen the wards. Nymphadora, would you mind accompanying them?"
Tonks nodded, smiling at Hermione. "I'd be happy to."
She was relieved that Tonks and Snape would be the ones to accompany her. She trusted both of them very much.
With everything sorted out, Dumbledore told everyone to continue on with their days and prepare for the departure later that afternoon. It was rather sudden, but apparently Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been anticipating something like this for a long time and were already prepared. Sirius could easily get his belongings out of his flat in only an hour or two, as well as everyone living at Hogwarts, who were already packed.
The only thing left for Hermione to do was go to her parents and try to explain what was going on. It would be a difficult conversation, and Hermione knew that she had to be very strategic about it so as to not scare them too much while also ensuring the necessity of all of this. On the bright side, though, at least it would be safer for her mum and dad. That was all she really wanted in the end.
Her eyes met Remus' as she followed Snape and Tonks out of Dumbledore's office. Her only thought upon meeting his gaze was the fact that they would be living in the same house now; a house that was as far away from Hogwarts and their student-teacher relationship as they could get. Her gut twisted with a strange mix of emotions.
Things were changing.
Author's Note: I just finished writing chapter 26 and I've realized that this is going to be a lot longer than I initially thought. I imagined we'd hit 30 chapters at most, but now that I'm looking at my outline, I'm realizing that I have about 10 chapters left, give or take a few. So I'm gonna make a rough guess and say this will end up at about 37 chapters. That's a lot, right? It certainly feels like a lot. I can't wait for you guys to read all of it. I can't wait to write it.
Part one is officially over as of this chapter. Part two is up next. We hit 200 reviews on the last chapter, and I can't even tell you guys how happy it made me. Thank you all so much! I tried to show my thanks by giving you this chapter ASAP. Hopefully you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think!