Budleigh Babberton -A Few Months Later:

A Letter of Warning

Hermione sat at the rickety table, a lone candle flickering beside her as she scanned through the latest set of letters from their double agents. The house was silent, everyone else either asleep or off on some mission she didn't have the strength to keep track of anymore. Her eyes ached, her body was beyond exhausted, but she couldn't stop. There were too many lives at stake.
She reached for the next letter on the pile, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the familiar, careful handwriting on the envelope.
Draco.
Slowly, she unfolded the parchment, her fingers trembling slightly. The message was short, but its implications sent a chill down her spine.

Hermione,
I have information you need to know, but I can't stay long. They're beginning to suspect. There's going to be a major attack in Budleigh Babberton tomorrow night—one of the largest yet. They want to make an example of it, burn it to the ground. They've been keeping it quiet, avoiding the usual channels. You need to get everyone out before it's too late.
I'll try to divert some of them, but I can't promise much. Be careful.
D.

Hermione's hand clenched around the letter, her heart pounding in her chest. A major attack? Tomorrow night?
Budleigh Babberton wasn't just any village—it was where Slughorn had been hiding out last year. It was small, quiet, unremarkable. If the Death Eaters were targeting it, then they were sending a message, a warning to anyone who dared to defy them.
She shoved the letter into her robes, adrenaline surging through her veins. She needed to get this to Kingsley, to Remus. They needed to move, to mobilize the Aurors and any DA students they could spare. They had to stop this before it turned into a massacre.
Hermione dashed through the darkened halls of Muriel's house, her feet barely making a sound as she reached the room Kingsley was using as his temporary office. She didn't bother knocking, just pushed the door open, her breath coming in short, frantic bursts.
"Kingsley," she gasped, holding out the letter. "We have a problem."

Mobilization
Within minutes, the house was a hive of activity. Aurors, DA members, and Order volunteers flooded the cramped living room, the tension in the air palpable. Maps were spread out, wands drawn, strategies debated in hurried, urgent whispers.
Kingsley stood at the head of the room, his broad frame imposing as he surveyed the assembled group. His face was set in grim determination, his deep voice steady as he barked out orders.
"Listen up!" he called, and the chatter died down immediately. "We have intelligence that the Death Eaters are planning a large-scale raid on Budleigh Babberton. They intend to wipe out the entire village."
A ripple of shock and anger swept through the room. Hermione caught sight of Remus, his face pale and drawn as he exchanged a look with Tonks. Fred and George stood side by side, their usual grins replaced with grim, resolute expressions.
"We can't let that happen," Kingsley continued, his gaze sweeping over the room. "We need to evacuate as many Muggles as we can, set up defenses, and—if possible—take down as many Death Eaters as we're able. I want two teams: one for evacuation and one for defense. Fred, George—you're with me. Tonks, take the defense squad. Remus, you're in charge of evacuations."
"What about us?" Dean Thomas called out, his voice tight with suppressed anger. He was flanked by Seamus, Luna, and Katie Bell, all of them looking fierce and determined.
"You're going with Remus," Kingsley said firmly. "Your job is to get the Muggles out—quietly, if you can. We don't want a panic."
"But we'll be fighting too, right?" Seamus demanded, his eyes blazing. "We're not just going to run and hide—"
"There'll be fighting, all right," Kingsley said grimly. "But your priority is the people. Save who you can. Then you join the defense team. Understood?"
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room.
"Good." Kingsley nodded, his gaze hardening. "Everyone, gear up. We move out in five minutes."

The Mission Begins
The cold night air bit at Hermione's skin as they apparated to the outskirts of Budleigh Babberton. It was eerily quiet, the small village nestled among rolling hills and twisting country roads. Lights shone dimly in the windows of scattered houses, but there was no sign of the chaos that was about to descend.
Remus moved quickly, his wand held high as he led the evacuation team through the darkened streets. Dean, Seamus, Luna, Katie, and several other DA members fanned out behind him, their faces pale and tense as they knocked on doors, whispered hurried warnings to bewildered Muggle families, and ushered them out into the fields beyond.
"Go!" Hermione urged a frightened young couple, her voice soft but urgent. "Take the road north. Don't look back."
The woman clutched her baby to her chest, her eyes wide with fear as she glanced from Hermione to Remus. "But—what's happening? Who are you—?"
"There's no time to explain," Remus interrupted gently, his voice soothing. "Please—just go. You'll be safe."
The couple hesitated, then nodded shakily and ran, their footsteps echoing faintly in the still night.
Hermione watched them go, her heart aching. How many more would they be able to save? How many would they lose tonight?
"Keep moving!" Remus called softly, his voice carrying over the still air. "We need to cover the entire village before they arrive."
The team split up, scattering down different streets and alleyways, knocking on doors, guiding confused and terrified Muggles out of their homes and into the dark fields beyond. It was a race against time, every second ticking by like a countdown to disaster.
And then—
A sudden, high-pitched scream shattered the silence.
"They're here!" someone shouted. "Death Eaters!"
Hermione spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. Dark shapes were materializing at the far end of the street, shadows cloaked in black robes and silver masks. A flash of green light illuminated the night as a curse shot through the air, striking the ground just inches from where Seamus was standing.
"Defense team, hold the line!" Tonks's voice rang out, sharp and clear. "Don't let them get past us!"
Hermione's blood roared in her ears as the battle erupted around her. Spells flew back and forth in a blinding, chaotic blur—red, green, blue—lighting up the darkened streets like fireworks. She ducked behind a low stone wall, her wand raised, firing off curses and shields as the Death Eaters surged forward.
"Get them out of here!" Remus yelled, his voice hoarse with strain. "Evacuation team, fall back!"
But it was chaos. Muggles were screaming, running in every direction as curses tore through the air, shattering windows, splintering wood. Hermione could barely see through the smoke and flashes of light, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
"Protego!" she shouted, throwing up a shield just in time to deflect a stunning spell aimed at Dean.
"We need to get them out, now!" Dean yelled, his voice barely audible over the din. "Hermione, go!"
"No!" Hermione shouted back, her wand moving in a blur as she shot a Stunning Hex at a masked figure advancing on Katie. "Not without you!"
And then, through the chaos and confusion, she saw him.
Severus Snape.
He stood at the center of the melee, his wand moving with deadly precision as he deflected curses, his face pale and set. For a moment, their eyes met across the battlefield, and something unspoken passed between them.
Then he turned, his gaze shifting to the line of Muggles still trapped at the edge of the village. With a flick of his wand, he sent a wave of blue light soaring into the sky—a signal.
"Go!" he shouted, his voice echoing over the roar of battle. "Now!"
And then, before she could even process what was happening, the Muggles were gone—disappearing in a swirl of light as Remus and the evacuation team activated their emergency Portkeys.
But the Death Eaters were still coming, relentless, merciless. And now it was just them—the defense team, the remnants of the DA—standing alone against the onslaught.
"Fall back!" Tonks yelled, her voice desperate. "Regroup at the town square—"
But they were surrounded, cut off. And as the Death Eaters closed in, Hermione knew, with a sickening certainty, that they were trapped.
The Imperius Curse
The battlefield was a maelstrom of chaos and fury, spells ricocheting off crumbling walls, shouts and screams tearing through the smoke-filled air. Hermione's heart pounded wildly in her chest as she ducked behind the shattered remains of a stone wall, her wand gripped tightly in her trembling hand. The Death Eaters were everywhere, their laughter cold and sharp as they closed in on the small group of DA members and Aurors still holding the line.
"Fall back!" Tonks was shouting, her voice strained as she deflected a jet of sickly green light. "Everyone, fall—"
But then something changed.
The air shifted, a strange, oppressive sensation creeping over the village square. Hermione glanced around, her senses on high alert, and then she saw them.
Figures moving out of the smoke—familiar figures, but with something horribly wrong about them. Their movements were jerky, their faces blank, eyes glassy and unfocused. Muggle-borns. Young witches and wizards she recognized from Hogwarts. Some were just children, barely old enough to hold a wand.
And they were marching toward them.
"Oh God," whispered Katie Bell, her voice tight with horror as she lowered her wand, staring at the approaching figures. "Are those—?"
"Yes," Hermione breathed, her stomach twisting in revulsion. "They're under the Imperius Curse."
Before she could say anything more, the Death Eaters emerged from the shadows behind them, their wands pointed at the back of the Imperiused Muggleborns like sick, twisted puppeteers.
"Potter's little resistance," sneered Bellatrix, her lip curling as she stepped forward, gaze sweeping over the defenders with cruel amusement. "Still fighting the good fight, are we?"
"What's the matter, Lestrange?" Tonks snarled, raising her wand. "Too scared to face us yourselves?"
Rodolphus chuckled, glancing at the confrontation between his wife and her blood traitor niece. "Why would we, when we have such willing volunteers?"
And with a flick of his wand, the Imperiused Muggleborns moved, their wands raising in unison, their eyes still blank and lifeless as they began to fire spells at the Order.
"No!" Hermione cried, her voice breaking as she threw up a shield, deflecting a Stunner from a first-year girl she vaguely recognized. "Stop! They don't know what they're doing!"
But the Death Eaters only laughed, their voices cold and mocking as they sent the Imperiused students forward, using them as shields, forcing them to attack their own defenders.
"Kill them," Crabbe Sr. murmured, his voice low and vicious. "Show them what happens to those who oppose the Dark Lord."
And then all hell broke loose.
The Imperiused Muggleborns surged forward, spells flying from their wands in erratic, uncontrolled bursts. Hermione ducked and dodged, her heart aching as she saw the blank, terrified faces of the students—faces she had once seen in the hallways of Hogwarts, now twisted into weapons against them.
"Petrificus Totalus!" she shouted desperately, trying to incapacitate rather than harm. A young boy crumpled to the ground, his body stiff and motionless, but there were too many, and they kept coming, a wave of broken innocence turned into deadly force.
"Get behind me!" George Weasley roared, his face pale as he conjured a massive barrier, shielding Luna and Seamus from a barrage of curses. "We can't—bloody hell, what do we do?"
"We can't hurt them!" Luna cried, her voice trembling as she sent a jinx flying at the feet of a girl who was no older than twelve. "They're not—they're just—"
"I know!" Hermione shouted, tears burning her eyes as she dodged a Blasting Curse from a blank-faced boy she remembered from Charms class. "We have to break the curse!"
But there was no time, no way to free them without putting them all in even more danger. And the Death Eaters knew it. They were toying with them, using the Muggleborns as shields and weapons, forcing the Order and DA members to choose—fight back and risk killing the children, or be overwhelmed.
"Such heroes," taunted Avery, smile wide and cruel as he sent a jet of red light slashing through the air, striking George squarely in the chest and sending him sprawling backward. "Come on, now—fight back, won't you?"
"No!" Hermione screamed, flinging herself forward, her wand blazing as she threw up a powerful shield, blocking another curse aimed at George. "Leave them alone, you—!"
But before she could finish, another voice rang out—a high, cold voice that sent shivers down her spine.
"Expelliarmus!"
Hermione's wand flew from her hand, spinning through the air as she was thrown back, crashing against the stone wall behind her. Pain exploded through her shoulder, but she forced herself up, her gaze snapping to the figure who had disarmed her.
It was Mulciber, his twisted smile widening as he advanced on her, his wand leveled at her chest.
"You think you can save them, little Mudblood?" he sneered. "Think you can save anyone?"
Hermione's heart pounded, her mind racing. She needed to get her wand, needed to break the curse somehow—but there was no time, no—
"Avada—"
But before he could finish the incantation, a blur of movement slammed into him from the side, knocking him off his feet. Severus Snape stood over him, his expression dark and furious as he sent a Stunning Hex straight into Mulciber's chest, dropping him instantly.
"Get up, Granger," Snape snarled, his gaze flicking briefly to her before he turned, his wand sweeping out to send a wave of blue light crashing into the remaining Death Eaters.
But they didn't flee. They didn't even flinch.
Instead, they smiled.
"Keep going!" Rodolphus shouted, his voice sharp and triumphant. "Use the children—force them forward—break their lines!"
And then, in one horrific, wrenching moment, the Imperiused Muggleborns surged forward, their wands blazing with deadly light.
"Run!" Snape barked, his voice fierce as he threw himself in front of Hermione, his wand moving in a blur as he cast spell after spell, desperately trying to shield them from the onslaught. "Get out of here—now!"
But Hermione couldn't move. She was frozen, her eyes locked on the blank, empty faces of the children—children who were being used, twisted, broken into weapons against everything she had ever fought for.
"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No, I—"
"GO!" Snape shouted.
And then, with a deafening crack, Kingsley and the rest of the Aurors appeared in the center of the square, their wands raised, their faces grim and determined.
"Fall back!" Kingsley bellowed, his voice carrying over the chaos. "All units, fall back—now!"
Hermione didn't need to be told twice. She scrambled to her feet, grabbing George and Luna as they stumbled back, the Aurors covering their retreat as the Death Eaters closed in, laughing and jeering as they drove the Imperiused children forward.
"Run!" Hermione shouted, her voice raw and desperate as they stumbled through the smoke and darkness, the screams of the Muggleborns ringing in her ears.
But they couldn't save them. Not tonight.
All they could do was survive.