Thank you to my beta, Haphne24

Attack at Hogwarts

Headmaster Dumbledore steps down

An attack took place last night in which two students were killed and one critically injured. Sources inside the ministry have leaked that Harry Potter may have been involved in the incident and may have been the reason for the two deaths. Names have not been revealed yet, but the sources confirmed that all victims were of pureblood lineage and had no affiliations with death eaters. This morning, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore announced that he would be stepping down from his position as headmaster, citing that "The school would be far safer in the hands of the ministry and that he applauds the minister for his tough action on the Dark Lord." Minister for Magic Scrimgeour had only this to say, "I am saddened that we are losing undoubtedly one of the greatest headmasters of our time, loved by students and staff alike. However, I am confident in the ministry's ability to carry out its duties in protecting its citizens and students. I am asking the Board of Governors to stand with me in hiring John Dawlish as the new headmaster. I am confident he has the experience, the insight, and the vision to make sure Hogwarts is not only safe but prepares your children for the tough decisions ahead. I promise we are doing everything in our power to ensure you that this war is under control. I urge citizens to continue to stay vigilant and continue to support the ministry in these difficult times."

Hermione set the newspaper down and leaned into Neville, who wrapped his arms around her. Much like many other students, Hermione couldn't help but feel the gloom that had quickly enveloped the campus at the announcement of Dumbledore stepping down and that two students had been killed. She couldn't believe any of it, but classes had even been canceled and there had been far more aurors roaming around than usual. Basically confirmed, rumors had been circulating that Cormac Mclaggen, and Ernie Macmillian were the two who had died. She didn't know who had gotten injured yet, which she assumed meant they were probably in Slytherin, which is why she hadn't heard.

"It gets worse and worse every day..." Neville trailed off as he stared into the crackling fire, almost as if waiting for something jump out, "Hermione… maybe you should think about not coming back, you know? I mean, after Christmas- not forever, of course, but for a little while, at least? It would be safer."

Hermione unwrapped herself from Neville's arms to look him in the eye, "I'm not afraid of Voldemort or his death eaters-

Neville flinched.

"- and you shouldn't be either! I'm not leaving the place I call home just because of that-that, miserable man! I'm damn proud to be what I am, and I will not be run off!"

"You know, you're really smart, Hermione, but that man...because of his power...my parents can't even recognize their own son..their only son. I will always be afraid ...and you should be too," Neville said as he quickly got up, tears streaming from his eyes, "I'll...see you later."

Before Hermione could get up, Neville had already left toward his room. Hermione couldn't move, as the sting of his words rattled inside of her brain, the only sound coming from the fire as it popped. She felt like an idiot, he was just trying to be protective, she shouldn't have snapped like she had.

"I guess now would be a good time to go work with Madam Pomfrey," she said openly.

Hermione shook her head as she got up and went upstairs to her room. Once she entered her dorm, no one was there besides Lavender Brown who was sitting on her own bed.

"Oh...Hermione, I thought you would have been at the memorial by now?" Lavender asked as she hid something under her pillow.

Hermione could tell she had been crying. If she remembered correctly, Lavender and Cormac had a brief stint last year.

"Memorial?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, Even though nothing's been confirmed, aurors are letting us have a service for Cormac and Ernie. Are you going?" Lavender asked.

"No, I'm going to go work with Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said as she changed clothes.

"Oh... I just don't understand...How can they continue to let that evil monster go? He's obviously guilty." Lavender said loudly, "It's awful, he's a really messed up person, isn't he? That's what Ron-Ron thinks, anyway, He says he could be as bad as you-know-who!"

"No one is as bad as you-Voldemort," Hermione said as a Lavender flinched, "Besides, we don't even know if he was involved; the only proof we have is some newspaper...that hasn't always been the model of journalistic integrity, I might add."

"Katie said she saw aurors escorting him to the office earlier this morning!" Lavender exclaimed.

Hermione pulled over her robe, "It's not wise to trust everything you hear, Lavender."

"Well, I'm sure people tried to defend you-know-who before he was you-know-who too," Lavender said angrily.

Hermione rolled her eyes before waving Lavender goodbye and leaving out from her dorm. There was no way she believed Harry was some younger Voldemort. She needed to know why everything involved him and why he was so powerful for his age. She didn't even know what she would do with the information once she found it, but she had to know. The only thing that worried her was whether the information she wanted would be bigger than she could fathom. Hermione sighed, as she made her way to the hospital wing, maybe Neville was right? Maybe she was better off leaving, but that's not what she believed in. She wouldn't sit on the sidelines as people died, she wanted to help, no, she had to help.

"PLEASE, I DON'T-"

Hermione was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of someone yelling at the end of another corridor. Hermione pulled out her wand, making sure to cast a silencing charm before sneaking down that hall. As she got closer, she could hear groans and mumbling and she quietly peered around the corner. Draco Malfoy was standing over a Slytherin boy, who was being held down by Crabbe and Goyle. She quickly pulled herself back, fighting the urge to scream out for an auror.

" Let me make this clear for you. You scream, bite, or hesitate in giving me the information I want, I will gladly let Goyle turn you into a woman! Crabbe, let's go!" Malfoy said.

"Malfoy, please-I promise, I don't- The boy stuttered.

"Goyle, make him talk," Draco said.

The boy's scream were muffled but still shocked Hermione. Instinctually, Hermione brought her hands to her mouth to avoid yelling, but as she did this, her wand fell from her hands. Her heart dropped as she watched it crash onto to the ground and roll a few inches away from her.

"Stop... alright, finally, ready to confess?"

Hermione felt relief, Malfoy didn't hear her wand fall. Quietly and quickly, she picked it up, gripping it closely.

"Fine-please...no more. Listen, All I know is that there's a rumor that- that that some people here- different houses- have been imperio'd. I don't know anything else, just that it's apparently coming from You-Know-Who himself. "

"Not exactly what I wanted, but it's a start, hmm...alright, let him go," Malfoy said.

"Why do you need this information? Is it for him...the pureblood slayer, I mean?" The boy questioned.

"We all play our part in serving the Dark Lord, and I have my part, it's that simple... Now, you tell anyone about this meeting, you know what I'll have to do you or anyone you tell. Right?"

Hermione turned and prepared to leave, just as Malfoy jumped from around the corner and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus".

Hermione slammed herself into the opposite wall to avoid the spell, causing a sharp pain to go through her shoulder. She could hear her the pounding of her heart, as she prepared herself for any other spells. Hermione pointed her wand at Malfoy, she could wipe the floor with him and she would be impressed if either Crabbe and Goyle knew how to use a wand.

"Ahh, well now, seems we have an eavesdropper...nurse mudblood!" Malfoy jeered, which caused Crabbe and Goyle to do the same.

"Listen, you parasitic worm, whatever you're thinking about doing, you know you can't beat me, and aurors are around here!" Hermione said.

Malfoy sneered, "All the aurors are either with Potter or at that memorial service. Besides, I'm not wasting my time on a mudblood like you; I've got much more important things to do."

"Whatever you or Voldemort have planned will be stopped! You won't get away with it!" Hermione screeched.

Both Crabbe and Goyle flinched while Malfoy laughed, "Goyle, make sure our friend gets back to his dorms safely and quietly."

Malfoy pocketed his wand, walked past Hermione, who was prepared for any tricks, but Malfoy simply walked past her not even bothering to acknowledge her.

"Oh, one last thing, I would be careful about sharing that information. We have ears...everywhere and we wouldn't want our little nurse mudblood to get injured now, would we?" Malfoy said as he continued walking. At the hall, Malfoy turned his head and his face went red, "Crabbe, what the hell are you doing? COME ON!"

Crabbe was sitting on the floor watching the exchange, and at the mention of his name, he quickly got up and ran after Malfoy "Oh... sorry, boss... I didn't know you wanted me to follow!"

Hermione thought she heard Malfoy mutter something about zucchini before turning at the end of the hall. The Slytherin boy limped past her, his eyes completely focused ahead of him. Hermione stood there for a while processing everything that had just happened before leaving the hall. Allegedly, there were multiple students under the imperius in Hogwarts, meaning the two in last night's attack were most likely under the spell and there were more. She wanted to go run and warn Dumbledore but she felt a knot in her stomach as she realized that would no longer be possible. She had to warn someone..with power. This scared her, more than she wanted to admit since it was something she had read, but for it to be actually happening was scarier than she could have imagined.

As she entered the hospital wing, she noticed how empty it was, usually, it was filled with at least three students but only one lay on the bed at this time. A girl was sitting on one side of it, her wand in her hand, her attention focused on whoever lay on the bed, not even unmoved by Hermione's entrance.

"Hermione, dear! Are you okay?" Madam Pomfrey said as she came over to Hermione.

"Yes, Ma'am; I'm fine!" She said as she put her things down. She wondered whether to tell Madam Pomfrey what had just happened with Malfoy.

"You know it's fine if you take the day off today, It's been a chaotic day for everyone." Madam Pomfrey said.

"Did Daphne take the day off?" Hermione asked.

Madam Pomfrey's face saddened as she gestured toward the bed. Hermione felt her the knot in her stomach become tighter as she walked over. The person laying on the bed was Daphne who was unmoving. Hermione looked over at the young girl, who must be Astoria Greengrass, Daphne's younger sister.

Hermione turned back to Madam Pomfrey, who was saddened.

"Will she be okay?" Hermione whispered.

" I know the curse... it's almost like a variation of the cruciatus curse. It's designed to make the brain shut it's own body down, which is why every so often her vitals should drop suddenly and rapidly, and she'll wake up screaming and vomiting before passing back out."

Hermione felt sick; that sounded awful.

"She should have already been dead a few minutes after the spell but by luck, I suppose, she made it. However, there's a more despicable part of the curse, if the person manages to survive the initial vital drop, the curse will continue to torture her using her own worst fears and worries hoping to compel her to give up her own life. " Madam Pomfrey shook her head in disgust, "As I've said before, the first rule to someone being healed is that they have to want to be healed, so the truth is she could be fine, eventually the curse will wear off, but that's if she doesn't give up and who knows about after."

Hermione felt saddened as she looked over toward her fellow healer, "That's...awful, who could do such a thing?"

"Only a despicable person could do this, and unfortunately, war brings out the despicable."

"Madam Pomfrey... do you think Harry did it?" Hermione asked.

"No, it wasn't him," she said quite firmly, which was surprising to Hermione. "Hermione, would you take inventory, I want to be sure we have everything we need." She asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Hermione replied.

Hermione heard the screeching of a chair as Astoria stood up. Her hand tightly gripping her wand as she looked over at Hermione and Pomfrey before walking to leave.

"Ms. Greengrass, please stay out of trouble!" Madam Pomfrey said as Astoria walked out the door, "We already have enough of it."

Hermione put her attention back on Daphne. Madam Pomfrey was right, there was more than enough trouble for everyone.

Harry stuffed another piece of bacon down his throat.

"Is Mr. Potter want more?" one of the house-elves asked.

"No, I'm full, but thank you!"

For once Harry felt extremely tired, not being able to sleep even with an additional potion and then the auror summons earlier this morning. They went over every detail of last night and examined his memory in a pensive, going over it multiple times to check for tampering before admitting that it probably was true. Finally, they let him go, to which he went straight to the kitchen because he was extremely hungry. Harry took one last sip of his orange juice before leaving. He wished he could have seen Dumbledore before he left, but he knew if Dumbledore wanted him, he would find a way. It made sense Dumbledore would offer to leave, it enabled him not to be tied down at Hogwarts and allowed Harry not to be crucified just yet. One thing he had learned from his mentor, by extension Aberforth as well, was to always think ahead. After thinking about everything last night, he wished he had been more thoughtful. He was too careless, and for that, she could've died and two innocent boys lost their lives. He could have stopped them, if he had heard them coming and he should have known there was more than one, he could have saved her, but she had saved him.

Daphne risked her life for him; the thought had been at the forefront of his mind since last night. She had purposefully jumped in front of that spell, and it didn't make any sense. Harry was sure he wouldn't have done the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot. He wanted to go visit her in the hospital, but he knew it was better not to raise any more suspicion. Harry kept walking, paying attention to his surroundings, and the people and aurors that had passed him. Some would stare and quietly whisper but a lot more were just sad. It was one thing to being reminded of all the bad that was happening outside the castle but another to be personally reminded inside the walls. Aurors were a little more professional, glancing at Harry only quickly before going back to scanning the area. Eventually, he made it to the first floor where Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was located.

Harry pulled out his wand and stopped once he turned the corner to where Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was located.

"You can come out now; I noticed you've been following me for a while," Harry said loudly as he turned around

A girl with brown hair came from behind the corner. Her face was austere, but her hands were shaking as she pointed her wand toward Harry.

"How could you tell?" she said, her tone stern.

"You started following me on the third floor without any silencing charms, the third floor is empty and the hallway before you get to the first floor is just as empty to which you were still following me...rather closely I might add."

"It doesn't matter... I know you hurt my sister and you're not going to get away." The girl said.

Sister? Harry forgot that Daphne had a sister. It further dawned on him that her sister must think he was the reason her sister was hurt.

"Astora?-

"Astoria," she corrected.

"Astoria, I wasn't the one who hurt your sister."

Astoria's wand did not waver, "I know you're powerful, you're the only one who could have done something like that curse to her and you killed the Nott family, so why not someone close to them, right?"

Harry sighed as he pocketed his wand, to which Astoria shot a nonverbal spell at him. Harry didn't have to move out the way as the spell went over his head; it was a warning shot.

"Don't underestimate me, Potter. I'm not going to leave until you undo the curse on my sister or you kill me." She was serious. Even with her shaking, she was prepared to do whatever it took to get the answers she wanted out of him. Harry was a little impressed, he didn't expect her to know nonverbal spells nor had anyone ever been this bold to him, but then again it started to seem like all the Greengrass family were a confrontational bunch.

Harry slowly pulled his wand out of his pocket before tossing it toward Astoria, "Do you know the reverse spell? Use it, that should clear this up. "

Astoria nodded, moving slowly to grab his wand, her eyes, and wand still unmoving from Harry.

"Prior Incantato," she said, while finally focusing on the wand. Golden threads emerged from Harry's wand, only two threads were a dark purple color, each listing a previous spell he had done over the past few days. Astoria carefully examining each one.

"The two purple threads are the dark spells, I've used over the past few days, neither one was the curse afflicted on Daphne." Harry calmly said.

"You could have used someone else's wand." Astoria accused.

Harry got angry, "Listen to yourself, If I was as evil as you think I am, I would have killed you already."

Astoria's wand lowered, obviously, thinking about what he had said. Harry's wand flew from Astoria's hand into Harry's as he quickly ran to grab her hand, "Follow my lead," he said as he pulled her into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Astoria tried to yell but Harry covered her mouth and pushed her into one of the stalls. Harry made a 'shhh' motion before closing the stall and entering into a stall beside her.

A couple of seconds went by before two aurors entered the bathroom.

"Man, this bathroom gives me the creeps," one of the aurors said

"Myrtle did die here,"

One of the aurors took a stroll down the aisle, not bothering to check the stalls.

"What do you think about Steve's new haircut? It's so terrible." One of the aurors said as they left the bathroom, Harry patiently waited until he knew they had left the floor before opening the stall. When Harry went to open Astoria's stall, he was met with a hard punch directly to his face. Harry fell to the floor as he grabbed his nose, muttering obscenities.

"Don't you know I'm a lady? You don't have to be so rough!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Harry shouted.

Astoria smiled sadly, ignoring Harry's outburst, "I guess it's true then, you're not the one that hurt my sister."

Harry got up, wiping the blood away from his face and wandlessly fixing his nose, "Oh, I wonder how you came up with that conclusion?"

"How did she get hurt, it couldn't have been Ernie or Cormac, they weren't death eaters," Astoria stated.

Harry sighed, "They were under the imperius curse, a classic Voldemort tactic. I...wasn't careful and your sister got hurt. I wasn't exactly sure of the curse at the time, but I was able to slow it down."

Astoria flinched at the sound of Voldemort's name as she put her wand up, "Do you know who's responsible for putting them under the imperious?"

Harry shrugged, "Not sure yet, but I will be soon enough."

"I'm sorry for attacking you...it's just…she's my sister and she and my dad are all I have."

"She'll be fine," Harry replied, calmly, rubbing his nose.

Astoria smiled slightly, "Thanks...I guess you're not as bad as I thought you were."

Harry frowned, "Thanks?"

"There is one more thing though? You are really powerful, and you can do magic without a wand...Will you teach me everything you know? "

"No," Harry said flatly.

"Why not? I'm worthy enough!" Astoria pleaded.

"What is wrong with you?" Harry asked, "You were just blaming me for all the evil things in the world and now you want me to train you?"

"I apologized! if we're not enemies, we can be friends," Astoria suggested.

Harry glared at her, "We're not friends."

"I said we could be," Astoria said as she began leaving the restroom, "You'll come around, trust me."

Harry watched as she left the first floor in a hurry. Harry exhaled out of relief, but he had a bad feeling that wouldn't be the last time he would have to deal with her.