Once More Unto The Breach // DHr

f o u r t e e n

"He's not in our cot..."

"Have you searched..."

"...not stupid! Of course, I've looked..."

"...Justin went to..."

Words float around Hermione's sleep-addled brain without them registering.

Not just words. Arguing voices.

She casts a Tempus charm, the magical clock reading four past eight in the morning, then swings out of her own bed, shaking off whatever remained of her usual bout of nightmares.

Just outside her tent are Terry Boot, Jeremy Stretton and Katie Bell.

"What in Circe's name is going on here?" Hermione asks the three, now joined by Justin Finch-Fletchley looking as though he just ran five kilometres in the span of five minutes. "And where did you come from?"

Before Justin could open his mouth, Katie's hands are wild and all over the place as she beats him to explaining the situation. "Philip is missing, 'Mione! He - he wasn't in our bed when I woke this morning and... and he would've said something, I know he would've, left a note maybe, or - or anything, if he were planning to leave, but he hasn't said anything and now he's just –" The poor girl couldn't speak anymore, words have failed her upon the realisation of what Philip's disappearance might now entail.

As Ron, whose head has poked out of his own tent that he shares with Charlie due to the noise, is mouthing at her 'what is happening?', she silences the four in front of her.

"Meeting. Now. Wake everyone."

Eight o'clock is nothing. They've had earlier meetings before. Everyone is used to the common occurrence of briefings before missions when the moon's shadow is still high in the sky. This time, however, is different. The silence that blankets over them is suffocating but somehow it's all still too loud.

Or maybe that's just her own thoughts that's resounding between her ears.

In the two years, they've lost people in battle. They've lost people after. But they've never had a kidnapping – all thanks to the impenetrable wards that Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick themselves taught Hermione to perform before they set off for France to help with the refugees there. Wards that mimic Hogwarts' own based on transparency and security. Wards that, even when they're jumping from place to place, have never been broken into – up to this day, that is.

Her frown deepens. The magic of the wards are tied to the magic of those who put them up. Her's, Ron's, Luna's and Charlie's – so if anyone attempted to tear them down, they would know. They would feel it. Even in the throes of her worst nightmare, she was sure she would feel something. But she didn't.

One look at the chosen people in the room, their faces impassive, told her that none of the others felt it too.

That could only mean one thing.

"No!" Katie shrieks, shattering the unsettling peace. "You're all thinking he's turned traitor! He – he wouldn't!" The jumper that she's wearing is three sizes too big for her, clearly Philip's, and she looks so small, so frail, standing in the corner with her arms wrapped around her in an attempt to stay in control of her emotions.

"There's simply no other explanation," Hermione starts. She has no patience to be gentle with the girl. Lives are at stake. It's a war. "Unless you know something we don't?"

For only a split second, Katie's mouth opens, and then half of that second passed by and she's closed it. Eyes glassy, she looks away from Hermione, away from everyone. The arms she has wrapped around her tightening by just a margin.

"He wouldn't." She whispers, there's a resoluteness in her faraway eyes that makes Hermione falter for a moment. So she does know something.

The swotty know-it-all in her still hates being left in the dark.

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A/N:

Tweaked it just a little bit for more plot insight, woooo!

Feedback is always much appreciated! I honestly don't even know what I'm doing at this point lmao but ah well, we'll just run with it. If you have any suggestions, criticisms, possible scenes you would like me to add/explore, my inbox is always open! Let's have a discussion about it xx

As always, thank you so much to everyone still reading! You are all near and dear to my heart xx