Blitz

Chapter 4

A/N: All of the thanks to infallible angel for her excellent alpha/beta skills. Sorry, this is a day late! Yesterday got away from me.

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blitzkrieg - war conducted with great speed and force

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September 1939

Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogsmeade, Scotland

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Hermione was relieved to be back at school. The summer had been incredibly boring, although sharing a room with Tom had been a pleasant surprise. Hermione still didn't know what Tom said to convince Mrs Cole that it wouldn't be a problem, but she didn't interfere. She did pinch her lips anytime she saw Hermione or Tom though. Hermione didn't care. She only had to put up with Mrs Cole for a few months out of the year. And the rest of the time she was at her home, her sanctuary, Hogwarts.

Over the summer, when Professor Dumbledore had come to take them to Diagon Alley, she had asked about a subscription to the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Dumbledore nodded and informed her he would take out a subscription on her behalf, granted that she shared it with Tom and burned it when finished with each copy at the orphanage. Hermione agreed readily, she was eager to learn more about the wizarding world, and her glimpses of the Daily Prophet were fascinating.

Three days into the school year, the Great Hall went deadly silent approximately thirty seconds after the Daily Prophet had been dropped off.

WAR IN THE MUGGLE WORLD! Emblazoned across the top of the paper. Below was a moving photo of the Muggle Prime Minister giving a speech about his decision to declare war on Germany. There was even a blurb from the French Prime Minister as well.

"What does this mean for us?" a sixth-year Gryffindor stood up and shouted toward the head table.

Headmaster Dippet stood slowly and moved to the podium to speak to the school. Hermione listened closely, she too was concerned about this. More concerning was that she and Tom still had a foot in the Muggle world. How would the impending war affect them? Luckily Tom was much too young to be called up, but the fact that he might be in a few years terrified her. She'd heard all too many stories about the Great War from her father who had served. It had been the thing of nightmares.

Dippet rambled for a while and Hermione tried to follow him, but frankly, he seemed rather confused and bumbling.

"Any idea what he's trying to say?" Fleamont murmured.

Hermione shushed him and she ignored Tom as he rolled his eyes. Finally, Dippet was finished and a murmur rose up throughout the whole hall.

"He basically said we'll be safe. That hardly any wizards who didn't get themselves directly involved in the fighting during the Great War died. That and since Britain is an island, it was unlikely that the fighting would come here, just like in the Great War," Hermione summarized for those sitting near her. "Honestly, he didn't sound that concerned."

"What about those of us who live in the Muggle world?" a third year whose name Hermione didn't know asked. Hermione could only shrug in response.

"We live in the Muggle world too," she said. "London actually, which worries me a bit. What if London gets attacked?"