Disclaimer: All characters are JK's, plot is mine
Here's the second chapter, and it'll hopefully be better than the first. Without further ado…on with the story.
Chapter II: Lost
Voldemort was satisfied. More so than he had been in a very long time. A milestone, as large as the Ministry falling, was a rarity these days. In the sea of incompetence he often found himself in, it felt good to have something turn out as it was supposed to for once.
The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgouer, had fought the oncoming wave of Death Eaters, holding his own very well from his years as an Auror. In the end, however, when the tide could not be reversed, he managed to disapparate away to an undisclosed location, along with some important Ministry officials, among which was the head of the Auror Department.
The Prophet article continued its narrative, but Harry stopped paying attention. He was spiraling deeper and deeper into despair. For many a wizard folk, he remained a sole anchor of hope. To others, all was completely and utterly lost with the Ministry's demise.
However, Harry's situation was burdened further. What would be next? Hogesmeade? Hogwarts? Voldemort did have an affinity with the school after all…
"Harry? Harry, are you listening to me?"
He snapped out of his reverie. Apparently, Hermione had been talking, and he felt slightly embarrassed for being out in his own mind and not listening to the conversation taking place between the remaining occupants of the office.
"Sorry…what were you saying?"
She gave him a glare. "We have to leave Hogwarts. There's no guarantee if Voldemort will attack the school next."
"Miss Granger is right, Mr. Potter," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I expect the school will not be opening this autumn. The governors will announce their decision in a few hours," she added, almost as an afterthought.
Harry looked at his former Transfiguration professor's face. Its usual sternness had slightly dissolved. There was fear, etched on the lines of her weathered features, and a tear seemed to form in her right eye.
"Never has Hogwarts closed before," she whispered. "How can such evil be possible?"
Harry wished he had an answer. Beside him, Hermione was speechless as well.
A whooshing sound in the fireplace told them someone else had arrived in the office. Arthur Weasley appeared, and he walked over to the trio.
"It has started. You-Know-Who's forces have attacked Hogesmeade, and they're advancing on the school. We have to go. Now."
Grim faced and sullen, Mr. Weasley stood by the grate of the fireplace, beckoning the headmistress and the three students through their last safe passageway.
Somewhere in the castle, a blast was heard, and a shout, as Argus Filch was heard attempting to apprehend some perpetrator. Then all was silent again.
With all haste, the three best friends made for the fire.
"Come on, quickly. Hurry!" Running footfalls sounded in the corridor outside.
Harry, Ron and Hermione dove in the flames. They saw McGonagall running towards them, and Mr. Weasley following close behind.
The door was ripped from its hinges, and a masked servant of Voldemort's ran in.
Bellatrix Lestrange cursed soundly, as she saw the flames turn green and extinguish right afterward. Her quarry had escaped, but that would be soon rectified, she thought, and a sadistic smile lit up her gaunt face.
Over at Grimmauld Place, work was hasty in severing all Floo connections to the house. The Fidelius charm had by some means survived intact, and that provided supplementary security for the Order. Nobody was capable of explaining the reason the house was still untraceable, but as it happened, the need to recuperate and analyze the events of the last day was greater.
Voldemort had won. Mass killings and purges were sure to begin soon. Attacks on wizards without pureblood origin, and Muggles, were also going to increase. Harry felt sick at the thought of these monstrosities taking place. He had to figure something out, and quickly, before Voldemort's hold on power became absolute.
Some hours later, he sat in his room, thinking. The sun had started setting outside, and the red, gold and orange glows made it beautiful to look at. Like something good was leaving, dying, in order to be replaced by eternal darkness. Harry felt worse still.
Suddenly, a knock came on the door.
"Harry, can I come in?"
He stood up, and opened the door. Remus walked in. They looked at each other, unable to articulate anything, until Harry asked the question ebbing at him for the last few hours.
"Professor, what are we supposed to do now?"
"That's what I wanted to discuss with you, Harry, but not today. You need rest. I just came by to give you this," and he held out an intricately carved golden medallion out on his palm.
The simple beauty of the medallion awed Harry. He looked up at Remus for explanation.
"It was your mother's, Harry. See?" and he showed two sets of initials carved on the back: JP & LE
"James gave it to Lily on the day we graduated from Hogwarts."
Remus' face had taken on a dream-like quality, as he was lost in the memory. It showed how much he still missed his friends.
"Thank you, Remus…" was all Harry could say. This medallion brought him closer to his parents. That was something he greatly cherished, but he could never quite show it properly. Unfortunately, the Dursleys had made him so.
"Alright then, Harry. I have to leave; the Order is about to have a meeting. You don't have to come if you don't want to."
"No, I'll come," said Harry, after a second's indecision
Together, they downstairs to the sizable sitting room, where the Order, in its entirety, was assembled around an enlarged table. The mood of the meeting complemented the glum nature of the ancestral Black home. Nobody moved or spoke much, waiting for Remus to take the lead. Ron and Hermione were sitting near the fireplace, and they beckoned for Harry to join them in a seat they had saved for him. Listlessly, Harry walked over, and sat down.
"Well then, now that we're all here," began Remus, "I think we should figure out where we stand. Hogwarts and the Ministry have been wiped out, and that leaves us with very few options. We could be next on the Dark Lord's list for all I know. I propose we do all we can to make his reign as difficult as possible, until Harry has a chance to defeat him, and restore the rule of the Light." He spoke the last words were spoken on a high note, sending Harry an approving look.
Confidence was lacking all around.. Most of the members had lost the will to fight. Hopelessly outnumbered, what could they possibly do? Fight for what was right? They were going to die anyway; the only question was, when?
A chair moved. Heads turned, as Ron Weasley stood up. He had a scowl on his face, and it succeeded in making some people in the room uneasy.
"What is this? Why are we giving up so easy? If we're going to die, then we'll do it opposing You-Know-Who. I, for one, would rather die, than have him rule over me. But I don't want to stand on the sidelines, watching him destroy the things in this world that I, we, care about! Family, friends, hell, even Quidditch - I don't want to see that go."
Breathing heavily, he sat down, glaring at the people around him. At least, last year had done something good for Ron - he had grown up, however slightly.
"The young Weasley is right," Kingsley Shacklebolt said deeply and thoughtfully. "We have to find out how You-Know-Who managed to succeed so quickly," he continued slowly.
"Then it's settled. That'll be out next mission," Remus was quick to seize the moment. "Arthur, Tonks, try and locate any Ministry employees that were witness to the attack. Ask them what they saw."
"Aye, Remus, consider it done," Arthur responded, a small smile coming across his otherwise sullen face. It was a tiny ray of hope.
Harry, in the meanwhile, had a mission of his own to attend to with Ron and Hermione. They had to start looking for Voldemort's horcruxes, and quickly.
A/N: Next chapter will be up soon, but probably not tomorrow. I have to work, and it will be more difficult to write. Leave a review on your way out though.
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