AN: :)

Young Hero Meets Early End

Two-time Order of Merlin winner and Grand Sorcerer Herminia "Hermione" Lotulelei-Sanchez y Granger is just one more in an ever-growing list of those murdered by Death Eaters in the recent months. What was supposed to be a peaceful Christmas morning at home ended in bloodshed as Miss Granger and her family were attacked. Three bodies burned beyond recognition were found on the scene, but there is no sign of the other relatives who had been with her that morning. Aurors have been working tirelessly to find them, but as each day passes hope has been dwindling. They are absolutely certain that the three bodies found belong to: Roger Granger, Beatrice Granger, and Hermione Granger. If there is any word on the location of: Esperanza Sanchez (Singer), Cecilia Sanchez, Chibuzo Granger, Manuia Lotulelei, Hana Mun-Lotulelei (Potioneer), Amalea Lotulelei, and world-renowned Seeker Viktor Zdravkov (a.k.a. Viktor Krum), please contact the Auror office as soon as possible. It is believed they had attempted to escape, but as they have not reached out to report who attacked them, the outlook is grim and we can only hope to find their resting place soon.

Nobody could argue that Miss Granger wasn't a hero. Her recent addition to her growing list of achievements was freeing ten people, including a current Hogwarts Student, Miss Cho Chang, from a Cursed Book, yet she would not accept her awards for the feat unless the teachers who aided her were awarded as well. Many tears had been shed as they accepted their Order of Merlins and Miss Granger's absence was felt. Accepting the award in her place was foster brother and Chosen One, Harry Potter. He could barely keep a stiff upper lip as he accepted the Order of Merlin, the Gamp Cross (a new award for humanitarian works), and the certificate of Grand Sorcerer in her place. Word has it that he and godfather, Sirius Black, arranged a private funeral for the Grangers and have been named the benefactors of their estate. A memorial at which to pay respects will be built as soon as affairs have been sorted.

The Minister, Rufus Scrimgeour, has given his sincerest regrets to Miss Granger's fate and expressed that he wishes he could have done more to help her in her efforts. In hopes of honoring her memory, he has fully pardoned Cedric Diggory of all charges, acknowledging Dolores Umbridge's confession of using Bailey Todd's suicide to persecute him as well as noting that the night the Ministry was attacked was in fact a Full Moon and Mr. Diggory could not have possibly been there, much less in human form, without a miracle cure.

"I only wish I could have acted upon this sooner," said Minister Scrimgeour. "We have lost a strong ally in Miss Granger, but this just proves that no matter how talented someone may be, these Death Eaters are to be taken seriously."

Sirius Black has expressed that he wishes for the rest of the family to be left alone while they process their grief. Miss Granger's extended family in the Dominican Republic could not be reached for comment.

In these times, we have to wonder. Is anyone truly safe or prepared?

Dear Cedric,

I don't know if you heard, but there's been an attack. Hermione's gone. Nobody really knows all the details, there aren't any known survivors, but she was supposed to be on her way to HQ. There wasn't anything left to bury, the place is just destroyed. We haven't been able to reach her aunts yet, either. I hope this letter reaches you.

Please come home.

The Minister has pardoned you in her honor. All charges cleared. You don't have to keep running. You can stay with me and Fred. Tonks and Sirius are still waiting for police clearance to salvage what's left, but I'm sure she'll have things she would want you to have.

George

Cedric pushed his motorcycle as fast as it could go down the streets of London. She couldn't be dead. How? How could they? How could they have only pardoned him over her dead body? He had to see for himself. He didn't care if she hated him or if she slapped him, if only it meant that she was alive. He'd risk anything just to see her one more time. He turned down Herbert street. Hoping, praying to whoever was listening that it was a lie. He smelled the house before he saw it. His heart plummeted into his stomach.

"No," he whispered, braking so hard he nearly threw himself over the handlebars. "No, no, no!"

The windows were shattered and black with soot on the first two levels, the door was broken down, there was police tape stretching across the property. The houses on either side of it were scorched, but somehow okay.

"Hermione!" he croaked and ran inside to see the damage for himself.

There were markings where three bodies had been. No. How could this have happened?

They had wards… they had a backup plan. And yet… somehow they got unlucky. It wasn't even her month for it. How?

Scrubbing his cheek, he chanced going upstairs to her room. The stairs groaned but held his weight. The worst of the damage was downstairs. The office was burned, but her bedroom only smelled strongly of smoke, the door blackened and crumbling. It smelled like his house had after Amos burned it down. Everything was tidy. She still had clothes around the hamper that missed the mark. Her hairbrush was still on the bathroom counter. She had been going about her day. She hadn't sensed anything wrong.

He pressed her pillow to his face and was disheartened to only smell smoke rather than her hair.

On her desk, he found a half-written list documenting objects from around the house, no doubt by Sirius for the insurance claim. The money would probably go towards various charities. It's what all three of them would want.

Cedric found her binder of letters he had sent her over the years and picked it up, hugging it to his chest. She couldn't be gone… he was sure he'd feel it. He would need to contact Tía Manola. Ask about her clock hand. If she truly was dead, it would have fallen off. He refused to believe it until he had proof.

Stashing the letters in his backpack, he brought out the mirror that would call the family. He had avoided it, sure they would hate him, but he had to know. He held it up and realized he wasn't alone.

"Now I've got you!"

Cedric whirled around in time to receive a silver bolt in his shoulder from a crossbow. Yelling out, he stumbled back into Hermione's desk, dropping the mirror to the ground. His arm went slack and his prosthetic suddenly felt like a hundred kilos. Damn!

The Hunter, the one who had been chasing him for months, fired a spell at him. Cedric dodged and crashed into the dresser. He drew his wand and cast a stunner, which was immediately blocked.

"You've fallen right into my trap, Wolf!" the Hunter snarled with savage glee.

"You sent that letter," Cedric whispered. "You pretended to be my friend. Is Hermione even dead?! What have you done with her?"

"I? I didn't do anything to that little bitch," the Hunter sneered. "She is not my target. My employer had her killed all on his own, I just used her death to lure you back."

"No. You're lying!"

"Am I?" he said. "The only person who cares about you is dead. Really, it's better just to give up. Hand over the prophecy and I'll make sure your death is painless. You can join her."

She wouldn't want him to give up. He was sure he could hear her asking him to hang on. His mother wouldn't want him to give up either.

"PISS OFF!" he roared and cast bombarda.

The hunter dodged the attack and Cedric booked it towards the door. He gagged as the chain keeping his mother's ring around his neck was grabbed. The hunter dragged him back and twisted it until the metal bit his skin and he couldn't get a single breath in.

"I will never stop hunting you," the man hissed. "If you ask for help, I will kill them whether you stay or not. Do you really want more blood on your hands, filthy wolf?"

Cedric worked his fingers under the chain and snapped it, breaking himself free. Gasping for air, he clutched his shoulder and stumbled down the stairs. The hunter's crossbow clicked with another bolt, but it had embedded itself into his backpack, which was too thick with things to pierce his flesh.

Once downstairs, he ran for his motorcycle and kicked off, using the street as a runway to take off. It couldn't remain in the air for too long lest he be caught by No-Majs, but it would get him far enough away so he could plan his next move. Thankfully, the Hunter couldn't fly. He had no broom, but he was an excellent tracker and would no doubt be on his trail soon enough.

Balancing his bike, Cedric summoned his bottle of dittany and bit down on the collar of his jacket to rip out the bolt. He had barbed them. Of course he did. Groaning in pain, he poured his last bit of dittany on the wound and felt it close up most of the way. At least enough so it could heal on its own. The remaining limb felt numb and his prosthetic still felt much too heavy to raise, but the fingers twitched.

He knew the Hunter spoke true. If he went to Grimmauld Place, he would put them in danger. If he went to D.R. he would put them in danger. If he went to his grandmother's camel farm, she'd be in danger. He had missed the funeral, but it was just as well, there would no doubt be someone waiting to arrest him.

How on earth could he think he was free?

Clearly the pardon was a lie. She was gone, who left would make sure they followed through on their promise? Luna would never be able to strong arm like Hermione did.

He would never see her again. He should've been there for her. He should've found a way. Why did he take their notebooks? Their mirrors? What a stupid move. He took them hoping he wouldn't torment her and now… he wasted all the time they had left in the world. Time he could have spent hearing her voice, seeing her kind words, her beautiful face.

Tears burbled up and he doubled over the handlebar of his bike, a wail tearing out of his throat.