"It's a good thing Anne wasn't the one who had to destroy that Horcrux," Ron muttered, tossing the Sword of Gryffindor into its box with one hand before collapsing to the ground. His face was pale, sweat dripping down his forehead, the remnants of terror still frozen in his expression.
Harry stepped forward and picked up the locket, now split open with a thin crack. Holding it up to the sunlight, he said quietly, "We really should've guessed. Of course he'd put his fear in there. Still, this was a good wake-up call. Anne was right, we need to stay more alert."
Hermione pressed a mug of hot chocolate into Ron's hands. He gulped down a large mouthful, and color began to return to his face.
"You alright, Ron?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"My arm's fine," he said weakly. "But Merlin's beard, that thing scared the life out of me! It's at least ten times worse than a boggart…"
Hermione's face blanched. She frowned and helped Ron back to his feet.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm definitely not telling Anne about this," Ron added quickly.
"I'll make sure of that," Harry said before Hermione could respond. "Anyway, we've destroyed one Horcrux already. That's a decent start, right?"
"Yeah! Who knows, maybe by the end of the Christmas holidays we'll be back at school again. We're only taking a break, not dropping out," Ron said optimistically.
Hermione shook her head. "If that happens, we'll have to learn in half a year what everyone else learns in a full year."
"Hey, you're top of the class! And with Anne helping, half a year's plenty of time," Ron said cheerfully. "Just let me and Harry join your study group when the time comes. We'll really apply ourselves this time."
"'Apply yourselves'?" Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "I never thought I'd hear you say that, Ron. Fine. If you're serious, I'll draw up a proper study schedule for both of you."
"It's a deal," Harry said with a grin.
"Okay," Hermione replied, smiling.
The three of them laughed together, the tension finally easing.
That evening, Anne returned. She brought with her a map covered in tiny handwritten notes.
"This is a compilation map," she explained, spreading it out on the table. "It combines everything gathered by the official search teams and the Order of the Phoenix. I made a copy for you, it should be enough. See these red-marked zones? Those are your best options. Some small and mid-sized towns are good too; the Ministry's control there is weak.
"In the wild, try to camp on flat ground with open visibility, it'll make keeping watch easier, even better than using the Deluminator. You'll have more time to move if something happens. But don't rule out forests, they're natural cover. Things will go wrong during transfers, that's a given. Just remember, if you can run, run.
"These are flash bombs and escape charms. The Ministry restricted the materials needed to make them, so they're harder to produce now. Use them sparingly."
"As for locating you after you move, it's trickier now. I erased your Apparition records from the Ministry, so I can't track you that way. But I do have a workaround."
"I came up with two methods. The first one uses a system similar to Muggle longitude and latitude. See these lines?" Anne tapped the map with her wand, and a grid appeared over it.
"For example, this point, horizontal ten, vertical seven, is here." She tapped again, and words glowed above the map:
Location 10,7: Two kilometers north of Stamford Bridge, North Yorkshire. Terrain: river and hillside.
"There are about forty such points," Anne continued. "Just pick one at random and tell me the coordinates. Each area covers about one square kilometer, it shouldn't be too hard to find. But keep this map hidden. When you're not using it, make sure the grid lines are concealed."
"Also, these." Anne pulled a small stack of cards from her pocket.
"The password is 'The sky is round, the earth is square.' It's a Chinese phrase, remember it. Each card has the name and address of a small town or village. Most are single cottages. I had some Muggle friends rent them by phone, some for three months, some for six. You'll find the dates listed.
"You can't stay outdoors forever, keeping watch in shifts is exhausting. Proper rest is just as important. In these towns, no one will bother you. Just unlock the door with a spell, set up your tent indoors, use the Deluminator, and you'll get a solid three days' rest."
Ron took the cards and counted them. "Ten in total."
"Merlin's beard, Anne, be honest. How rich is your family?"
"I didn't touch any of the family money," Anne said. "The Roland family's businesses are under Ministry surveillance. This is all from my personal savings. Don't worry, everything's separate. Consider these safe houses a personal favor. The Order's main funds still come from Dumbledore's estate."
"How much is in your personal stash?" Ron asked. "And wasn't Dumbledore's will inspected by the Ministry?"
"My savings are none of your concern," Anne said lightly. "I started trading stocks at thirteen, making money in the Muggle world, it's just numbers, really. And no, I don't use magic for it. That'd only get me caught. The economy's far more complex than you think, it's all an invisible hand. Forget it, you wouldn't understand. Let's just say I've invested in some promising projects around the world.
"As for Dumbledore's will, well, given how corrupt the Ministry was back then, shifting half the gold through Muggle financial channels was child's play. To be fair, the Ministry's running a lot more efficiently now… though that's thanks to a regime of fear, which is both illegal and unjust.
"Anyway, Harry's technically the richest of you three, but since all his gold's in Gringotts, and Gringotts is under the Dark Lord's control, that makes him effectively broke. Just goes to show, you should never put all your eggs in one basket."
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A week later.
The coastal town of Rhossili, Wales, was shrouded in thick sea fog that rolled in each night. Through the mist, a gray-robed figure appeared outside a red-roofed seaside villa.
The figure frowned, scanning the fog, then stepped into the garden, removed an earpiece and a ring, and knocked on the door. Before he could speak the password, the door swung open, and Hermione threw her arms around Anne.
Anne stepped inside, shutting the door with her foot.
"Weren't we supposed to use a password?"
"No one else knows this place," Hermione said, smiling faintly. "Death Eaters and patrol squads don't knock."
"Still, someone could've impersonated me."
"The Roland family can't be controlled by the Imperius Curse, unless someone uses blood. Polyjuice would fail. You told me that yourself. So a password's pointless."
Anne paused, then nodded. "Fair enough. Still, with this fog, I don't like it here. You should move again soon."
"Alright. Did something happen with the Order? I didn't hear anything on the broadcasts," Hermione asked worriedly, pulling Anne inside the protection charm boundary. A tent appeared before them.
"My uncle nearly ran into trouble, but we handled it in time," Anne said.
"Was it serious?" Hermione pressed.
"Someone tried to leak information. Fortunately, I caught it." Anne's tone was calm. "What about you? I heard you ran into a search squad yesterday?"
"I'll explain in a minute. Ron and Harry are asleep. Have you eaten? I can make you something."
"They're asleep? Did they have dinner? What about you?"
"Not yet. We just got here this afternoon, and they were exhausted," Hermione admitted.
Anne stopped and reached out to take off Hermione's glasses, but Hermione caught her hand. "I'm a little tired, but it's alright. I'm just glad you're here."
"Even so, you should've slept. You could've set an alarm," Anne said softly.
"What about the Deluminator?"
"Let the boys handle watch duty." Anne led her to the dining area, sat down, and removed her glasses and cloak, setting her pack aside.
Hermione smiled faintly.
"What do you want to eat? I'll make it," Anne asked. "Then you go to bed. I'll take the next watch. How long till the shift changes?"
"Anything's fine," Hermione murmured, resting her head on the table, turning to look at Anne. "Ron's on watch in two hours."
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