Chapter 87: Silence In Spaces Between

{A/N: Here's Another Update...Late Post}

My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

The Common Rooms, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Summer seemed to be on the horizon as the warm rays of sun seemed to beat down upon the grounds and the students whom had found themselves attempting to avoid direct contact with it via their temperature charms and cooling aids. Hermione Granger had been among the rabble that had made up the current class of Gryffindors as she attempted to read near a window, finding herself lost in her thoughts more so than she had ever been in her book. Harry Potter had been quite frantic about this upcoming summer as it seemed to him and all whom had known him that the despot apparently loved to go after him when school had been out. On one hand, Harry was very much looking forward to spending time with his godfather Sirius Black as opposed to venturing to the Dursleys' home. On the other, his fear of something happening while on the way or worse seemed to be getting the better of him. Hermione turned her attention back to her book as Harry rambled on about what he'd do once school ended and they had exited the Hogwarts Express. Ron was busy with thoughts of Qudditch and food mainly. Ginny seemed to be more infatuated with Harry and his plans than she'd been interested in her brother or Hermione's occasional input. The day had not been very eventful, as far as their previous days at Hogwarts had been and as far as Hermione was concerned she was quite alright with it staying that way. Until Harry was contacted via the floo by his godfather. Sirius Black had been quite bold in feeding an already inexperienced and traumatized Harry information pertaining to the plans and ideas going on via The Order Of Phoenix.

Hermione had barley taken an interest in the discussion when Sirius admitted that things had gone quiet for a while and ramped up again via the papers reporting the murders of numerous Muggles. Whole towns had been wiped out by the death eaters and then some. In that moment, Hermione thought back to Snape's strange behavior when she'd last spent the night in his quarters. He seemed terribly uncomfortable and even a bit resentful when he spoke to Dumbledore. She'd known from a previous encounter that her husband was often tasked with assignments that went against everything he stood for and then some, not even the justification of war could alleviate his apparent suffering as a result of carrying out those rather unsavory tasks.

The more Sirius spoke of the terrible things the death eaters had done and were suspected of doing, the more Hermione began to worry for her husband. She couldn't imagine the toll this whole ordeal had been taking on him let alone how he'd been coping with it all. It was no wonder he'd taken to going for the firewhiskey as a means of distraction.

"There was a good deal of mass killings in the Muggle world before." said Sirius Black as if testing the structure of his own memory. "This time...just like the last time...it seems the despot has it in for those that can't fight back."

"Do we know what his next move is?" asked Harry getting to his feet.

There was a long pause before Sirius replied again.

"Padfoot." said Harry unable to stand the silence. "Padfoot are you there?"

"He's got his own share of spies...we need to be careful about communication...I'll talk to you when I can..." replied Sirius before severing the line.

Harry seemed to be quite frantic for a few moments, but ultimately gave up knowing there was nothing much he could do in that moment.

Ron seemed to understand his friend's concern as he continued to look over the flames of the floo.

"I'm sure he'll call back." said the red head wizard currently stuffing his face with a roll he'd been saving since lunch.

Ginny rolled her eyes as she took note of Hermione peering out the window apparently lost in thought after this recent conversation. The news of more Muggles being hunted down and murdered seemed to bother her immensely and more so than the knowledge of her parents being in the Muggle world defenseless against an impending attack via The Death Eaters. Not only did she have to worry about the two people whom had given her life being murdered but she had been fighting against the very idea that her own husband might very well be the one elected to kill them if only to appease the despot and continue his spying for Dumbledore.

"Hermione you look rattled." said Ginny observing her.

The amber eyed witch tore herself away from the window in time to catch the end of the comment and take note of everyone staring at her.

"She's right you know." agreed Ron still chewing. "You don't look well."

"I'm fine." replied Hermione slightly annoyed that he'd been chewing with his mouth open again. "Just doing a bit of thinking."

"About your parents?" asked Harry knowing all too well where her concern had been.

He, himself had no parents to lose, but that didn't mean he didn't understand with the Dursleys and all.

"They're going to need some kind of protection." said Hermione coming to her senses. "Somewhere to hide even."

"We'll have to talk to Dumbledore." urged Harry. "He'll know what to do."

Hermione had not been so sure but allowed Harry to take the lead on this none the less. She didn't dare add that she had feared that Snape had been the one assisting with eliminating Muggles. Despite her attempts to suppress it in her mind, she knew all too well that there was a real possibility of that happening. He had after all been a different man when under the influence of the despot and the other death eaters.