Dramione; A Battle Worth Fighting

Danger up Ahead

Hermione woke early on January 3rd. She felt sick. Today was Lucius Malfoy's trial. Today everything might change. Or it might not.

The stars were still out when Hermione walked over to the window. She decided to wish upon them for luck in today's trial. Narcissa and Draco would, of course, be wishing for luck as well.

Hermione decided to call her muggle friend Aaliyah Carla-Dae from her primary school. It had been a while since they spoke, and Aaliyah was still under the impression Hermione had moved to the other side of the country and was in a private school as she had won a scholarship. It rang for a while, but there was no answer. There was a voice.

"Hi, you've reached Aaliyah Carla-Dae. I can't take your call at the minute, but please leave a message or try again later!" said the voice. There was a beep.

"Um...Hi Aaliyah, it's Hermione. Hermione Granger. I'm really sorry I haven't called or texted or anything much but the school work is really overwhelming me, so I've really not had time for much except studying and sleep. Err....why don't you call me back when you have the time? It will need to be today because there's no mobile phone reception at my school. The next half term is February, so I'll call you then if you can't get back to me today. I hope you are well and um...had a nice Christmas. Bye....."

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At Grimmauld Place, Ginny was reading The Daily Prophet. Harry had just come in with the shopping bags.

"Hi Harry. Did you get the butterbeer from Hogsmeade?" she asked, not looking up from the newspaper.

"Yes, I got everything on the list, and the flour, as you forgot to put it on the list and we needed some. What's up in the world of news?" he said as he pulled up a chair. The front page had a moving picture of the gates of St Mungos hospital closing, and photographers everywhere, flashing their cameras.

Recent events in the Wizarding World have led most of the Ministry question our health in this shocking epidemic of a new and highly contagious disease spreading through the country. Just this morning, Kingsley Shaklebolt, Minister for Magic, told the Daily Prophet this.

"I am no expert in medicine, but I can urge the public caution! Stay in your homes whenever possible! Do not let your children out alone! Read the enclosed pamphlet in all Daily Prophet copies of avoiding those with the disease and the symptoms related. If you suspect yourself or anybody to have the disease, which is called Statureificus Totalus Virus (S.T.V), contact the Wizarding Health Organisation (the W.H.O) immediately. The sooner, the better."

St Mungos Hospital is now over-run with patients being admitted with the disease to their special wards. Just yesterday, chief healer Alec Wimple-Mimple said this to The Daily Prophet:

"We can not have any more patients in the hospital! There's no room, there's no staff to tend to you. If your wound is not a magical accident, I strongly urge to see a Muggle doctor in a Muggle hospital! I can not leak any information about the patients, but please do be cautious!"

The Ministry of Magic is alerting the Muggle Prime Minister Mr David Cameron on the disease as it may affect Muggles. This is a shocking epidemic, as over thirty have been reported dead. In this terrible time, we are doing all that we can.

Ginny showed Harry a bright orange pamphlet, emblazoned with sparkling red words, throbbing every few seconds. He opened it.