“Know how sublime a thing it is
To suffer and be strong.”
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Light of Stars”
A horrendous scream ripped from Lieutenant Commander Ginevra Weasley, a rank Ginny didn’t even know she had. And, in truth, it wouldn’t have mattered, for she had far bigger problems at the moment. She was strapped onto a torture table, iron bands digging into her wrists, with an evil man known as Blaise Zabini standing over his wand pointed at her and him using the Cruciatus Curse to “play” with her.
“Are you going to cooperate?” Blaise asked lazily, as if he was just doing his job, and wasn’t taking pleasure out of the torture of another human being. She had nothing left to give him; she had, to her eternal shame, broken the night she was captured. No, Blaise said this only to rub it in her face just one more time.
“Go to hell,” Ginny spat, hatred and anger in her eyes. And she spat too, spitting a large drop of spit into Blaise’s eye. Enraged past, Blaise punched her across the face, hard. Brave still, Ginny spat in his face again. Seemingly controlling himself this time, Blaise sat down. A moment later, Blaise said. “We’re going to play a game, you blood traitor slut. Do you enjoy games?”
“Not when I’m being forced to play with you!” Ginny shouted.
“Well,” Blaise said, a sadistic smile breaking out on his face. “I’m afraid you have no choice.” He flicked his wand and five golden lightning bolts appeared.
Great, Ginny thought to herself. He had to use the image associated with the man I love. And yes, she now freely admitted to herself that she loved him, she could thank Janet Granger for that. She had confided in the old Muggle woman the uncertainty of her feelings for Harry, and how she thought she didn’t truly love him. Janet, in response, suddenly slapped her hard across the face.
“Like hell!” Hermione’s grandmother had begun angrily. “I’ve seen the way you look when you talk about him. You’re so in love with him, you’re eyes shine with it! Now you were involved with him. If we ever get out of here alive, I suggest you grab onto him and never let him go. Believe me, I know, I’ve been in your position.” Ginny had sensed a story there but had not pursed the issue. Well, she thought. You’re right.
“How many lightning bolts do you see?” Blaise’s voice broke through bringing her back to the present.
She, without much of a choice, counted them. “Five.” Ginny said.
“Wrong,” Blaise said. “There are six.” He pointed his wand at her and said, “Crucio!” The pain ripped through Ginny like a vise squeezing her organs. She couldn’t help it, she screamed in pain and rage into the darkened room, her screams echoing off the wall. After ten seemingly endless minutes, Blaise stopped.
“Guard!” Blaise called. A young woman with black hair and brown eyes walked out of the darkness towards them.
“Yes, sir?” she said in a crisp Scottish Highland accent.
“Take her to solitary confinement,” Blaise said. “Fed her and keep her there for a few hours, then put her back with her cellmates.” The guard marched over, and released Ginny, marching her at wandpoint to a corridor full of small, individual cells. She forces Ginny into one of the cramped, uncomfortable cells, closes, and locks the door She returns a few minutes later and shoves a dull grey metal tray with a cracked chip bowel, a faded metal spoon, and a glass of water under the door.
Ginny, extremely hungry, rushes over, grabs the spoon and takes a bite. Gruel, Ginny thought sarcastically, what a surprise.
“You know,” Ginny complained. “Can we eat some real food? I’m sick and tired of gruel and water all the time.”
“We’re out of that,” the guard said through the door. “That’s Dark Lord –brand Tofu Gruel, which I call Tofugruel.”
“Tofugruel!” Ginny snapped. “That’s not even a word!”
“Sorry,” the guard said as she walked away, “can’t hear you.”
Ginny grumbled and continued to eat her food, alone, in a darkened corner of her cell.
A few hours later, guards returned and marched her back to her cell. The guards, holding Hannah and Jane off at wandpoint, threw Ginny roughly into the cell and closed the door. Once the guards were gone, Hannah Abbott rushed over and helped Ginny up then gripped her friend and cellmate in a bear hug.
“Nice to see you again, Ginny,” Jane said amicably.
“Likewise,” Ginny said. And than, much softer, she said, “By the way, you were right, about Harry.”
“I know,” Jane said, smiling knowingly.
“Hey,” Hannah said bored. “Why don’t we go into the courtyard for some fresh air?” The prisoners were free to go out into the courtyard and back to their cell that was it.
“Good idea,” Jane said, getting up from where she had been sitting in the corner of the dark and musty cell; or tried to, as Ginny and Hannah had to help her up. “Let’s go.”
Just as they opened the door and were about to walk out into the old stone corridors into the courtyard, Ginny turned to Jane and said, “By the way, what did you mean when you said, ‘I’ve been in your position?’”
“I’ll tell you later,” Ginny wanted to force the issue, but she decided she’d tell her when she was ready.
They emerged under a cloudy sky into the vast courtyard. The ground was cleared and was filled with milling men, women, and children, almost many of them looking hurt, beaten, and showing signs of malnutrition. She looked around feeling sadness and pain fill her. These people shouldn’t have to suffer, like she was. She was probably sporting a black eye from where Blaise punched her. They could attempt to escape, but there were Death Eater guards all over the walls, and they’d get killed before they’d even reach the front gate.
Harry, Ginny thought, please get here soon. Save us. Save us all. Her thoughts were interrupted by two Death Eater guards dragging a prisoner into the courtyard. Ginny just stared, because the prisoner was Ollivander, the old wand maker that had disappeared a year ago. Ginny and Hannah looked at each other, registering the shock and surprise in each others eyes, and rushed over to the old man in his tattered old Wizards robes. They helped him over to a corner.
“I know you,” Ollivander began. “I remember every wand I’ve ever sold and everyone I’ve ever sold a wand too. Ginny Weasley and Hannah Abbott, what are you doing here?”
“We were captured by Death Eaters, just as you were,” Ginny responded.
“So what are you doing here?” Hannah said. “When you were captured we all assumed you would be forced to make wands for them, not shoved into a urine soaked hellhole like this.”
“I am being forced to make wands for them,” Ollivander responded roughly. “This is not just a ‘urine soaked hellhole as you so colorfully put it, this is the primary wand production facility for the Death Eater war effort in Western Europe. Everytime someone snaps a wand or looses his or her, I have to make another. Death Eater cells as far out as Warsaw using my wands for evil. In my opinion this facility should be destroyed, and quickly before more lives are lost.”
“You won’t have to worry about that,” Ginny said. “As soon as Harry finds about this place, he’ll attack at the earliest opportunity. Hell.” Ginny said with a smirk. “Knowing him, he’ll create a few early opportunities.” But then she looked around her, at the sad faces of the men, women, and children around her and knew she couldn’t wait for Harry. This has gone on long enough, she decided. It was time to make the call, and it was hers to make. Beginning to formulate a plan she asked, “Ollivander, my wand was lost in the attack that captured me, and Hannah’s was taken. Do you think you could make me a new one and get Hannah’s back?”
Ollivander thought about it and said, “Yes.”
“I’m going to ask around and find people willing to start a ‘disturbance’. I’ll give you a list, and when I do, you’ll either get them their wands back or make them new ones. Do you understand?” Ginny asked..
“I don’t know why I’m doing this, but I’m going to do this,” Ollivander said determined. Ginny smiled. Things were finally going to start to look up around here.
It had taken a week. A week or Hermione and her men traipsing about all over Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece, tracing every lead they could find, most of them either rumors or deliberate false tracks designed to fool investigators. Finally, on July 6th, 1997, they located something in Vratsa, Bulgaria, an old Order informant told them that the Death Eaters kept Viktor in their command center in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Specifically in an old auto plant that was built in the Communist era which had formally ended seven years ago. The Bulgarian government was experienced the same problems that the former Soviet Union and it’s satellite states experienced with those types of factories. In their attempt to privatize everything, they couldn’t sell it because they were so old and outdated, no one wanted them. That combined with the fact that no Muggle had stepped foot in their since 1994, when the last attempt to sell that particular factory was made, an ideal location for such a base. It was also ridiculously well-defended and seemingly impregnable to anything but a full-scale assault. However, if they sent for the required manpower, the Death Eaters would detect it and they’d kill him, along with him any chance of finding and rescuing Ginny. So Hermione ordered Lt. Kutsakabe to do an aerial reconnaissance of the factory. The results weren’t encouraging.
There’s a huge stone wall surrounding the main factory,” Kutsakabe said in the debriefing upon her return. They were showing Hermione and her officers some of the aerial photographs they took. They were all huddled around a desk in Viktor’s office, with Kutsakabe marking the various points she had found. “There are numerous building s in the courtyard, with the main assembly building in the center and various buildings surrounded it.”
“Good job, Lieutenant,” Hermione said. “You’re dismissed.”
Kutsakabe, her duty done for now, saluted and walked out of the office. Hermione Granger, Padma Patil, Michael Corner, Jonathan Wilcox and, due to the information-sharing agreement Hermione reached with her, Aysel Krum. Military decisions remained solely with the officers of course, but Aysel was allowed to be present.
“Hmm,” Michael said. “If we blow out that wall, it should distract them long enough to get in, pick up Viktor, and get out.”
“That’s a good plan, sir,” John said.
“Problem is,” Padma said. “We have no explosives.”
“The fluid from an Erumpet’s horn,” Aysel said.
“Excuse me?” Padma said, angrily. “It’s not your place to-.” but Hermione interrupted.
“Let her talk,” Hermione said.
“Erumpet fuel is wery powerful, wery volatile,” Aysel said. “Just rig something to detonate some, and you’ll have the equivalent of half a ton of TNT, vich should completely destroy that vall.”
Hermione looked at the other two officers, Michael, lost in thought, said, “Yeah, that would work.”
“And shower rubble over say half a mile of the surrounding area,” Hermione said. “Those fuel canisters are as long as a Phoenix, Aysel.”
“Do ve have a choice?” Aysel said. “It’s in the industrial district. No one’s going to be there at night anyway, half those factories abandoned anyway. Civilian casualties, if any, should be minimal.”
“But how the hell are we going to do that?” Padma said. “It’s not like a team will escape notice to plant something that big.”
“Air to ground strike,” Hermione said matter-of-factly.
“Excuse me, Sir?” Padma said, confused.
“I understand,” Wilcox a Muggle-born said. “We rig the Phoenix to launch a similar canister, filled with a much higher concentration and launch it at the base of the wall.”
“Only problem is,” Michael said. “We’ll have to send someone back and forth between the Burrow and here to coordinate this and too much Floo activity risks attracting Death Eater attention.”
“True,” Hermione said. As the on-site commander for this operation, Hermione had ordered that there was to be absolutely no unnecessary contact via the Floo Net between the Burrow and the forces operating in Bulgaria. Well, Hermione thought. This is necessary.
“I’ll handle this myself,” Hermione said. “Padma you have command.”
“Yes, Sir,” Padma said, her and everyone else standing up. Hermione walked over to Aysel and said, “Aysel, can I talk to you alone?”
“Okay,” Aysel said, and followed her out of the office and downstairs into the empty living room.
“One, I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable about Erumpets.”
“Vell,” Aysel said. “I vas good at Potions in school.”
“You’re insight was good,” Hermione said, hugging her. “Thanks.”
“You’re velcome,” Aysel said.
“Two, I think it’s best that you take Canan and come back with me,” Hermione said. This was a dangerous time coming up, and no one would be able to protect Aysel if they’re off in Sofia.
“I’m not leaving vithout my husband,” Aysel said stubbornly.
“Damn it, Aysel!” Hermione said, angrily. “Don’t you understand?! We’ll be pulling every single person we have here and assigning them to this op. You and your child will be completely alone for however long it takes to pull this off. You will be at extreme risk, you got that? I can’t believe you would risk the survival of you and your baby girl in the name of solidarity with your husband whom I have sworn to bring back alive!”
Aysel sighed and said, “Vell, vhen you put it that vay,” Aysel said. “Ve should go.”
“Thank you,” Hermione said.
“Just let me grab Canan, okay?” Aysel asked.
“Very well,” Hermione concluded. And Aysel walked upstairs. A few minutes later, she came down, cuddling her young girl in her arms. Hermione had a fire already lit and had grabbed a pot of Floo powder on the mantelpiece.
“You ready to go?” Hermione asked.
“Yes,” Aysel said, sadly.
“Depending on how long the war lasts,” Hermione said sympathetically. “You may never see this house again.”
“I’m vell aware of that,” Aysel said.
“You go through first,” Hermione said. “I’ll follow.”
“You’re house is ‘the Burrow’ correct?” Aysel asked.
“The house I’m staying at is the Burrow, yes.” Hermione said. “Well,” Hermione said. “See you on the other side.” Hermione then threw some Floo powder on the fire. The fire glowed green and Aysel, cradling Canan in her arms walked in and said, “the Burrow,” exactly, and they dematerialized, mother and daughter. Hermione offered up a prayer that Aysel and her daughter had arrived safely, threw more Floo powder in, and went to the Burrow herself. A few moments later, she was thrown out of the fireplace in the Weasley sitting room. A hand reached down, and she instinctively grabbed at it to discover Aysel Krum flanked by two stone-faced guards.
“Aysel!” Hermione said happily and hugged her friend.
A few minutes later, Hermione delivered her report to Harry and the others and went by Floo gate again to see Fred and George Weasley in Diagon Alley to talk to Fed and George.
They welcomed Hermione into their flat and around their table she said, “I need to be able to launch a fuel canister the size of a Muggle air tank from a Phoenix and I need that capability by the end of the day.”
“That’s a tall order to fill, isn’t it George?” Fred asked.
“Yes,” George said. “Why do you need it?”
“Viktor Krum,” was all Hermione said, and she counted on the weight of what Viktor knew to carry the day.
“Ah,” Fred said. He and George exchanged one look and George said, “Hermione we’ll have something useful by 8:00 tonight GMT is that okay?”
“Perfect,” Hermione said, and hugged both of them before heading back to the Burrow. She wasn’t in and told the Weasleys, who were happy to know that they may know at last where Ginny is by early morning Greenwich Mean Time. Harry was almost jumping with joy when he told her, as emphasized by the massive bear hug he gave her. After that, she hoped and prayed that this was not all for nothing.
At 1930 hours, Hermione was called back to Diagon Alley to see what Fred and George came up with. They went to the storage area to see a launcher and a keypad similar to the AMRAAM launch pad used to launch tactical nukes from an F-101 Stealth Fighter; the module with silvery gray and cylindrical.
“This is what your R&D team came up with Hermione,” The Erumpet tank is right here.” They showed her an air tank shaped cylinder filled with a hyper-concentrated amount of fuel, more than enough to tear a huge chunk out of the wall.
“Please understand you’ll have to get really close to the wall to the wall to really embed this think,” Fred said. “Say six to twelve feet.”
“Are you insane?” Hermione said, shocked. “This, if it does what it’s supposed to do, will spread debris over half a kilometer, this is suicide.”
“Ah, but the tank will not detonate upon impact with the wall,” George said. “Your pilots will have to remotely detonate it.”
“They can do it,” Hermione said. “She’d chosen Lieutenant Kutsakabe and Wallace for this mission and they were the best pilots Hermione had ever seen. If anyone can pull this one, Hermione thought, they can.
“Let’s do it,” Hermione said. “Help me get this upstairs,” she asked, and Fred and George obligingly helped levitate the launcher and keypad through the fireplace first, and Hermione and Fred helped get the payload through. George came in next, because he and Fred would be going to Bulgaria to help install the launcher and then they’d be back in the UK before the attack begin
As Fred and George worked on the Phoenix in the dark of the early Bulgarian morning, Lieutenants Kutsakabe and Wallace aside from where they were watching the twins work on their Phoenix.
“I won’t mix words,” Hermione said. “Even though the twins say the payload won’t detonate on impact, the fuel is so volatile…” Hermione said, trailing off.
“I understand, sir,” Shizuku said, turning to her friend she said, “We can do it, can we Lis?”
“We’ll blow that wall with style, Shi,” Lisa responded eagerly.
“Okay, guys!” Fred called. “We’re done here!”
“You understand your mission?”
“Yes, sir!” They responded in unison.
“Godspeed,” Hermione said. “Dismissed!” Kutsakabe and Wallace ran for their bird as everyone boarded their own transports. Hermione walked over and boarded transport two, which lifted off and followed transport one as they jumped to Sofia.
This better work, Shizuku Kutsakabe thought. If it doesn’t, we’ll have taken us but ten other people to our deaths. The plan was, if all went well, was to blow the wall, and, when everyone was distracted by it, swoop in and keep the Death Eaters occupied with the infantry squad on board. While Hermione and everyone else in the second Phoenix moved through the base looking for Viktor. Once they were out, they’d jump away and let the local Ministry come in and do mop-up. They’d return to the house, get Viktor through the Floo gate and come home by jumping the long way. All this assuming that the bomb wouldn’t detonate prematurely and kill everyone onboard both ships.
“Shizuku,” Lisa said, “we’re in position.”
Sighing, Shizuku said, “We should begin our attack run now.”
“I’ll let you know when we’re in range,” Lisa said, the calmness in her voice belying the seriousness of the situation. “We only have one shot at this.”
“I know,” Shizuku said darkly. “I also know what’ll happen if this doesn’t work.” We all die.
“Two feet, Four feet, Six feet!” Lisa shouted. “Firing!” As per instructions she launched the bomb by pressing the red button on the launch pad. Unfortunately, the demands of firing caused the power distribution system to reroute power from the Invisibility Booster and to the firing mechanism, causing the bird to de-cloak.
“Oh, crap!” Lisa said. “They can see us!” The enemy had seen them and was firing Reductor curses at them. Some hit, causing the shape to shake and shudder under the withering enemy fire. The squad in the back started to get ancy and restless.
“Shizuku get us out of here so I can blow this thing!” Lisa shouted over the din and the exploding consoles behind her.
“Hang on!” Shizuku said and punched it to get out of range of both the explosion and enemy fire.
When the shaking mercifully stopped, Shizuku said, “We’re out of range, do it!” Obligingly, Lisa pressed the appropriate button. Off in the distance, a bright orange plume of smoke and flame was seen that lit up the night.
“Oh, yeah,” Lisa said, as they patted each other on the back to the cheers of the infantry squad in the back. “I am so good!” Suddenly Commander Granger’s voice appeared over the squak.
“You did a good job guys,” Hermione, still in the cloaked Phoenix near the explosion sight said over the radio.
“Thank you, sir,” Shizuku said.
“Now,” their commander said. “Get your asses back here and keep these SOB’s pinned down so we can do our job!”
“Yes, Sir,” Shizuku said, flush with success.
Once Hermione heard that the squad on Shizuku’s bird and deployed and engaged the enemy, Hermione ordered her transport to land and get out. Hermione and the fourteen people beside her looked to see green and white blasts off in the distance indicative of the battle being raged at the breach in the wall. Looking around Hermione pointed out the assembly buildings off to the west and said, “We should check the assembly building before we do anything else.” They moved quickly for the assembly building, eyes alert for any Death Eaters that weren’t distracted at the wall. Hermione broke through the large, imposing metal door and her and the rest of the team were immediately forced to duck as Killing Curses flew at them from behind the assembly line machinery which ran the entire length of the building. Using hand signals, Hermione ordered one fire team to provide cover fire while the officers and the rest of the squad rushed forward at them, leaping over the assembly line and firing at point-blank range. A few bloody moments later, the men and women that they were facing were down, their eyes vacant and Reductor curse burns on their chest. Out of nowhere a Death Eater comes out of an office off the factory floor and she, presumably the base commander, comes out of the office and she is mown down as well. Getting and idea, they enter her office and begin pulling out files in a hurry.
“Damn it!” Hermione shouted, as it took only a few files to figure out they were all in Bulgarian. “We’ll have to search every building!” Unfortunately, this situation requires them to search every out building, blowing down the door and sweeping them one by one. Finally they achieved success when they found a trailer guarded by a dozen or so Death Eaters who opened fire as soon as they saw him, forcing them to duck under a withering hail of Killing Curses. Hermione and her squad immediately returned fire immediately killing five of them, Reductor curse burns and holes in there chest and torsos. The rest managed to block them in time with Shield Charms. This required them to close and engage them at point-blank range again. Once they were down, they burst through the door to see a man with the stocky well-toned body of a Quidditch player. The man’s face was a little older than Hermione remembered, and he had more of a beard but she knew it was Viktor Krum.
“Viktor!” Hermione called. “Are you alright?”
“Herm-o-ninny!” Viktor called back, surprise and relief in his eyes. “Are my vife and daughter safe?”
“They’re fine in Britain!” Hermione said. “Can you move, we need to get you out of here!”
“I’m coming,” Viktor said. “I’ll be here in a minute,” Viktor came out into the moonlight wearing a brown shirt and pants that were clearly prison issue. Hermione had already called for Transport Two to pick up Viktor up and lift off again.
“Now, Hermione said. “Let’s end the battle up at the wall.” The sounds of the fighting could still be heard and the firing could be seen. They rushed forward and attacked the enemy from behind. It appeared that Sergeant McClain’s squad had been taking cover behind the wall and some of the wreckage. From that vantage point, they could keep this up all night. But they didn’t have all night, so they attacked. The surprise attack from the rear, overwhelmed, and destroyed them.
“Sergeant!” Hermione called into the night. “Sergeant McClain! Report!”
A young Canadian woman with mousy hair named Corporal Lisa Spencer popped out from behind the rubble.
“Sergeant McClain,” she said, her voice breaking. “Is dead.”
The wave of shock and horror was unlike anything she had felt since Sirius died. For the first time, they had lost someone in combat.
“Sergeant McClain and two privates, sir,” Lisa said.
Great, Hermione thought, three dead.
“We should move out,” Hermione said. “Sergeant Spencer, when the Phoenix returns, get them packed into body bags.”
“Corporal, sir,” Lisa said. “It’s corporal.”
“Well today you’re a Sergeant,” Hermione said, staring at the three bodies covered in their blackened Shield Cloaks.
“Sir,” Padma said. “The transports are touching down.” Hermione noticed two Phoenixes touching down in the courtyard.
“Let’s get back to Krum’s house,” Hermione said sadly as they prepared the bodies for transport and heading back to what used to be the Krum’s house.
When they landed on the dark and abandoned property, Hermione told Viktor straight up when they stepped off the transport. “We’ll be going through the Floo gate directly, Viktor. I imagine that Harry will want you debriefed immediately, despite the fact that it’s late, you’ve just been through hell, and you haven’t seen your wife or daughter in a week.”
“I understand,” Viktor said. “Vhat I have to say is big, Herm-o-ninny, really big. This has vaited long enough.”
“Then by all means let’s go through.” Hermione said. She then ordered Padma to dismantle the command center and come home by Portkey jump. They moved through the darkened house and entered the sitting room, started the fire, threw the Floo Powder in and Hermione was the first to walk in.
In the darkened Weasley sitting room, Hermione was immediately ambushed by an extremely worried Aysel who looked as if she’d been up all night.
“Is Viktor all right?” Aysel said. “Is he alive?” The fire behind them glowed green, and began to roar and crackle once more.
“Aysel,” Hermione said happily. “I have a surprise for you.” The fire crackled, roared, and Viktor Krum stepped out of the fireplace.
“Viktor!” Aysel screamed and she flung her arms around and began kissing him furiously. Viktor, a tad overwhelmed at first began kissing her right back. Hermione let this heartwarming spectacle continue for five minutes and cleared her throat saying, “Uh, we still have business to discuss.”
“Of course,” Viktor said, breaking free.
“I want to wake the senior staff,” Hermione said. “Come on, let’s go. Aysel, you should come to. You deserve to hear this after Viktor went behind your back by not telling you.”
Viktor, red in the face turned to his wife and said, embarrassed, “You find out about that didn’t you?”
“Uh, uh,” was all Aysel said as Hermione radioed the senior staff for a meeting.
“The place is called ‘the Castle’,” Viktor said. “It is a stone castle located in the Scottish Highlands. It is not just a prison camp, but the vand production facility for Western Europe. You take it out, and you’ll have rescued hundreds of people, and kept the Death Eaters in Western Europe from creating replacement wands in the event they damage theirs.”
“I have a question,” Harry said, the question that was on everyone’s mind. “How do you know Ginny’s being held there right now?”
“The only proof I have of that,” Viktor said. “Is that after Marseilles acting as a liaison between Death Eater cells in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, and Eastern Europe boasted of vitnessing the capture of, and I quote, ‘that red-headed slut, Ginny.” He gave a general description of her, so I knew it had to be Ginny Veasley.”
“Do you know exactly where this castle is?” Harry asked, leaning forward a hunger in his eyes. “Does it have a name other than ‘the Castle?’”
“Are you saying,” Harry said, enraged, for he now felt the operation was a waste of time and had cost the lives of good soldiers, “that we’ll have to spend weeks searching Scotland for this castle?!”
“I’m sorry,” Viktor said contritely. “But that’s the best I can do.”
“Actually,” Hermione said. “I may have an idea.” Getting up, she said. “Wait here.” Then, without asking permission, she left the meeting, forcing them to wait in an uncomfortable silence. Half an hour later, Hermione returned with a notepad in hand, saying, “The castle is named Montgomery Castle and, according to the Ministry Central Information Office in Scotland only a few hundred miles in fact, from Hogwarts. I have an exact location and we can attack at will.”
“Let’s go than,” Harry said, bounding out of his seat and heading for the door only to be restrained by Hermione.
“Oh, no we’re not, Sir,” Hermione said. “It’s late and my units are at partial strength while Padma comes homes from Bulgaria. She should be here tomorrow and we can discuss attacking them. Right now we should go to bed and get some rest. Have you slept at all yet Harry?”
“I suppose you’re right,” Harry said sadly. “We’ve waited this long, we can wait a little longer.”
A/N: Remember when I said people were going to start dying before the end? Well, partially fulfilled that promise. But I’ll tell you this, before this first novel in the story is over one of the original members is going to die.
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