Wand-Leader & The Spy

25- Aftermath

London, Ministry of Magic, September 18th, 1999, 16.35 hours

Wand-Leader Hermione appeared in the Apparition Area for the Corps. She was safe. Alive. Before she could say anything, she felt herself float away from the area, deposited not so gently a few yards away.

"Clear the spot! Get the wounded to St. Mungo's!"

She was panting, coughing and covered with sweat. Her lungs hurt with each breath. Too much smoke, she realised. She blinked through eyes filled with tears - and not just due to the smoke she had flown in - and saw more Wands enter the area and disapparate.

"That's Hermione!" someone shouted, and once more she was lifted into the air.

"Hermione!"

"Dean?"

Her friend nodded, smiling widely. "You're alive! What happened? Jane alerted the Corps, and our first wave ran into an ambush!"

"What?" No, her team had been ambushed… she shook her head. Of course! "It was a trap… they were ready for us, the entire forest was a trap." She had to pause to cough. "Enchanted strangling vines, and Fiendfyre. The field was trapped as well. Anti-Apparition Jinxes everywhere."

"We heard that, yes. And our vanguard was just ambushed right where they appeared," Dean said.

"That's Hermione?" another voice cut in. Wand-Leader Benjamin. "What happened to the Minister's son?"

"We flew through the forest, away from the Fiendfyre…" She coughed. "He was the first to get away. Haven't seen him since then." Hadn't he appeared in the Ministry as well? What about Cleo? Jane?

"Hermione!"

Dean and Benjamin jumped to attention. Hermione followed their example, but had to bend over as coughs wracked her.

"What happened? Where is Draco?"

She repeated her report. The Minister turned to Benjamin. "I want that forest secured and those Fanatics killed or driven away! Save my son!"

"Yes, sir!" Benjamin saluted, and disapparated, presumably to inform Jane. The Wand-Commander would be at the front, directing the Corps. The Minister turned away, then stopped. "Get her to a Healer," he added, almost as an afterthought.

Dean helped steady her. "Can you walk?"

She nodded, coughing again.

"We'll take the Floo then." He started leading her towards the next Floo connection.

"What about Jane? Cleo?"

"I don't know."

She closed her eyes. "They knew we'd call for reinforcements. They didn't want to just ambush us, they also used us as bait."

Dean muttered a curse. In the background, she heard the Minister shout again. "The whole Corps is deploying?" She asked, between coughs.

"Yes. All but the skeleton crew. The Minister's son is in danger…"

"That's what they are counting on. They know we have to attack, no matter the cost, for Draco." She spat out the last word. "I saw Laura and Jasmine die. Teresa and Mabel disappeared scouting the forest. They must be dead as well. But Cleo and Jane…"

They had reached the Floo connection. Dean grabbed some powder and threw it into the fire. He dragged her with him while she was coughing too much to say the destination.

"St. Mungo's!"

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