Edited 9/13/2023 Minor Grammar/Spelling.

2/6 for today!

Sunday, August 2 1998

They awoke to a pop of Apparition, and shot up from their hunched positions on the couch. They'd waited well into the night for Draco to reach out again. They sighed in unison when it was Gertie who was standing in front of them. "Would you be eating your breakfasts in the Floo's room too?"

Theo cleared his throat and nodded, "Y-Yes please, Gertie. We're waiting for Draco here."

Gertie put her hands on her hips. "I be thinking that you need to be eating in the dining room, Master Draco won't be being home for many hours."

Hermione sighed and looked between the other two. She stood and began to make her way to the dining room, where a small breakfast was waiting for them. "Gertie be making sure Master Draco is being okay," she said quietly. "There is being nothing Master and Mistress can do for him right now."

That morning, no Daily Prophet arrived, but if what Daphne had to say was true they'd be receiving an evening edition that elaborated on all of the havoc that Tom had wreaked.

The rest of the day was spent in nervous anticipation. Ginny found that flying didn't help, Hermione couldn't read a single sentence and Theo couldn't stop pacing. Finally, as the sun was setting, Gertie delivered them the paper. Theo stood and began to read aloud.

Darkness Comes

This weekend, the most esteemed Dark Lord has seen fit to celebrate the coming of the Winter Darkness with his own Lughnasadh celebration. This three day festival celebrated the glorious year that has come and continued the descent into Darkness that we've all been honoured to experience.

"As we know, Lughnasadh has traditionally been a celebration of the first harvest of grain, but this year, the Dark Lord has decided to celebrate his own Harvest," says celebrated Magi-Historian Wolfgang Wolesheim. "Many families celebrate by offering the first cut of grain to Magic and dancing."

While that may have been tradition, the Dark Lord has chosen to do something differently. On Friday, which happened to be the birthday of the Insurgent, Harry Potter, the Dark Lord had an effigy made of the wizard. "We'd filled it with all sorts of things," an unnamed Death Eater was heard saying, "we each were able to submit something, many chose to add a souvenir from their most illustrious kills. The remaining space was filled with grain liberated from Muggle slave farms."

During the night, Godric's Hollow residents were required to watch as the effigy was burned and various Muggles were tortured. Any protest was quickly silenced by the Dark Lord's followers. This reporter was fortunate to have front row seats to the spectacle. By the end of the evening, the effigy was smouldering above a pile of notorious bodies including one Arabella Figg, a Squib who was assigned as Harry Potter's watch dog when he was a child.

Saturday saw another celebration. The Dark Lord sent his followers to the Lughnasadh Festival hosted by the Abbott Family. The family is rumoured to have declined the Dark Lord's generous offer and snubbed him. This festival saw the burning of the grain fields that have been synonymous with the Abbott family since 1803 when they were originally gifted the land. During the festivities insurgents like Helen Fawley and the Abbott Patriarch and Matriarch were killed.

The skyline was lit with the orange flames of the Dark Lord's glory. The burning continues now into the third day. A rumoured curse is said to be on the fields that will not allow them to stop burning until the last of the Abbott line, Hannah (19) or Patrick (5) has died. The Abbott Heir and his sister have disappeared, but have been added to the Undesirable List, but will be offered leniency if they return and vow themselves to the Dark Lord.

Sunday brought a wave of pillaging on the Muggle countryside with piles of bodies left in the wake of the Dark Lord's glorious might. There was also a reported mass execution of the Muggleborn's being held by the Muggleborn Registration Commission.

This weekend has accounted for the bloodiest week since Grindelwald's reign with over 50 Witches and Wizards dead and countless Muggles and magic-stealing Muggleborns.

Hermione let out a heavy sigh, "Did they get the Muggleborns out then?"

"It would appear so, as they didn't list any names or have any public executions," Theo said heavily.

"We should go to the Order," Ginny said, quietly, to see if they need any help.

"I-" Hermione started, "but Draco…"

"We can come back as soon as we hear from him, no matter what we're doing," Theo said softly.

Hermione nodded, knowing that sitting and waiting wouldn't help anything. When they arrived at Headquarters, things were bustling. Theo and Hermione were brought into the command room, while Ginny was sent to help calm down the young children.

"Glad you could join us," Kingsley said, sparing them a glance. "We were able to retrieve over one hundred Muggleborns of all ages. There's rumour of a facility of young Muggleborns who were taken from their families. According to some information from Lucius the goal is to adopt them into extinct family lines with Blood Magic."

"They will be cleansed of their impure blood," Remus spat, and Hermione noticed that he was holding Teddy close to him. Hermione gasped, horrified by the idea of experimenting on babies, gripping her stomach.

"What can we do?" asked Theo. "We haven't heard much from Draco although we know he's alive."

"We appreciate your warning about the Lughnasadh festival," Arthur said from his seat at the table, "We were able to get there in enough time to save most of the guests, although you must have seen that Helen Fawley and the Abbott's died. We have Hannah and her brother here, but they're not in good shape."

"There isn't much to be done," Minerva said, looking at them kindly, "you could help settle the Muggleborns, Hermione. It might bolster them to see you."

Hermione nodded, "I'll go do that, please let me know if there is anything else you need." When they went to get up with her, she placed a hand on his shoulder, "they need you here, tesoro. We need to continue to play our roles and that means you need to help with the plans."

Theo nodded, begrudgingly, and Hermione left the room. When she walked into the ballroom she was horrified to see the state of the people inside. There were people in all stages of injury. Groans of pain were echoing off the walls. "Oh good," Andromeda said, bustling over. "I was hoping you'd speak to them, raise some spirits and such."

Hermione was led to a small podium that looked out over the room. She cast Sonorous and swallowed heavily. "Hello," she squeaked, and cleared her throat, finding her voice again. "I'm honoured to be here in your presence. You know better than anyone what Tom will do if he wins this war. We will not ask that you stay and fight with us, for you have done your time. We hope that your time with the Order brings you peace and that you're able to find strength. I'm going to pass over the speaking to my colleague who will inform you of what's next."

Hermione stepped back and saw the faces around the room turn to watch a glamoured Narcissa speak to them. "Thank you, Hermione," she said kindly. "As you know Hermione Granger has been working diligently to end this war. We hope that each of you know that we fight for you and for all of Wizardingkind." She paused for a moment and let the words soak in. "Over the next week we will be shuttling those who are able to safe houses around the world. We do not ask anything of you, but to get better. If you are above the age of seventeen and would like to join our cause, you're more than welcome to discuss it with any member of the Order at any time. For now we wish you healing and peace."

Hermione felt tears running down her cheeks. She found herself in front of a young boy. "Hello, Miss Granger," he said quietly.

"Hello," she responded, sitting in the chair next to his bed, "what is your name?"

"My name is Kevin Whittaker," he said, "I'm a Ravenclaw and should have been in my second year. They-" he choked off and let out a sob, "they killed my parents at the station on September 1st and took me to the Ministry then. I've been there since October."

Hermione was horrified. This twelve year old boy had been in Azkaban since October. She reached out her hand to hold his. "I'm so sor-"

"No Miss Granger," Kevin said with a sad smile, "you don't have anything to be sorry about. I know that some of the old folks are upset with you because they think you escaped, but me and some of the others know that you're doing everything you can to keep us safe. I always looked up to you, Miss Granger, I hope to be as smart as you one day."

She straightened her spine, "What can I do to make things easier for you right now, Kevin?"

"Could you tell Angelica and I about the time you battled a Troll?" he asked, his eyes sparkling. Before she knew it she was surrounded by about 20 children as she told them stories about her early years at Hogwarts.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think or if you have any thoughts about what might happen next!