28. Where Fear Takes Shelter
Then they climbed toward the castle.
Mortavius had opened the gates of hell, and all those degenerates who never needed much of an excuse to hate — the ones who filled his ranks — had been given free rein to massacre and do whatever they pleased. Chaos and disorder took over.
The attacks, despite their apparent randomness, were directed mainly at families and at anyone who had the slightest connection to Hadrian Percival or to Aurelio Dominus.
As they walked along the dirt road, a singsong voice called from behind:
"Hermione!"
Luna Lovegood was walking toward them, wearing a white dress and tiny pumpkin-shaped earrings. Her father, Xenophilius, walked beside her, his whirlpool-shaped hat spinning slowly.
"It's a pleasure to see other people as well. Dominus thought we might be attacked," Xenophilius explained, as if commenting on the weather. "After all, Luna is part of Hadrian Percival's inner circle. Such a talented boy… and so popular!"
No one replied. They were all exhausted.
The group continued in silence, the air heavy, until they reached the gates of Hogwarts. There they found Argus Filch, with Mrs. Norris curled around his feet, and another member of the Order — a taciturn wizard named Eldric Thorne.
"You're late," Filch growled, tapping his rusty watch. Mrs. Norris meowed at the Grangers, as if she could smell Muggles from miles away.
Hermione quickly warned her mother:
"Don't touch the cat. She bites and spits."
Mrs. Granger pulled her hand back. Mrs. Norris gave Hermione a resentful glare before curling herself around the caretaker's legs again.
Tonks ignored Filch and turned to Eldric.
"Who's already here?" she asked, still catching her breath from the rushed walk.
"You were the last ones," he answered in a low voice.
Tonks realized immediately that something was wrong. Eldric's posture, usually steady, now seemed heavier. The look he gave her said more than his words.
"What happened?" she asked, a faint tightness forming in her chest.
Eldric took a moment to answer. His brief silence was enough for Tonks to know the news wouldn't be good.
"The Greengrasses were attacked as well," he finally said, voice rough. "Cassius fought back, but in the end…"
Tonks frowned. The information hit her hard. Until now, the attacks seemed focused only on families aligned with Dominus — the Weasleys, the Longbottoms, the Lovegoods, and others. But now… the Greengrasses?
Not all pure-blood families served Mortavius; most were neutral, just like the Greengrasses. Attacking them was an obvious declaration: anyone not with them was against them.
She cast a quick look at Eldric. She knew he had ties to that family.
"And your nieces?" she asked gently.
"They had nowhere else to go," he replied with a sigh. "So they came here."
Hermione, who had remained quiet until then, absorbing every word, glanced at her parents beside her. They didn't deserve to be dragged into this.
Lost in her thoughts, Hermione walked in silence as they reached the school's corridors and entered the Great Hall.
Upon stepping inside, Hermione felt the weight of the atmosphere before she even noticed the details. The space, usually orderly and illuminated with serene magic, now buzzed with tense murmurs, hurried steps, and distressed expressions. Some people sat in tight groups; others walked back and forth, seeking information or comfort. When she crossed the threshold, some eyes turned toward her — curious, hopeful, suspicious — but soon returned to their sea of worries.
She and her parents found the Weasleys seated close to the left wall, away from the windows. Ron was the first to notice them. He stood up immediately, a mix of relief and exhaustion in his eyes.
"Hermione!" he exclaimed, giving her a light hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"We're all here," said Arthur, nodding courteously to the Grangers. "At least for now."
Hermione sat between Ron and Ginny, while her parents exchanged brief words with Arthur and Molly. The tension was almost palpable.
"We were attacked by Death Eaters," Ron said, still processing everything. "The house… it was invaded. We had reinforcements, protection spells, but they broke almost everything. We tried to hold them off for a while, managed to slow a few…"
"Until we had to flee," Ginny completed, her voice trembling. "We used the teleportation amulets Dad gave us. We had to go. There was no way to fight that many."
"At least we left them a little present," Fred added, a mischievous grin appearing. "The fart bombs left an unforgettable aroma. Bet they'll think twice before showing up again."
"Fred!" Percy snapped, visibly irritated, standing up and walking away before scolding him. His girlfriend followed in silence, giving the twins one last disapproving look.
George raised his eyebrows and muttered behind his brother:
"Sorry if saving lives wasn't on your weekly schedule, Perce."
"Boys!" Molly scolded, glaring at the twins and the younger ones. "This is no time for jokes! Someone almost died tonight!"
Silence briefly fell over the group. Ron turned to Hermione.
"And you? Are you okay?"
Hermione nodded with a faint smile, though her eyes betrayed the truth.
"Yes. But… I'm worried about Hadrian. We haven't heard anything from him since he disappeared," she said, changing the subject.
Ginny looked at her, eyes glistening.
"So am I. Sometimes I think he might not come back."
"He will come back," Luna said with serene, absolute certainty, sitting near Ginny's sister. "He always does. It's just part of his path. He needs to lose himself so he can find himself again."
Hermione didn't reply. Luna's faith was comforting — but also frightening in its coldness.
Meanwhile, a little farther away, Mrs. Granger was speaking softly with Molly. They exchanged serious looks as they tried to make sense of that night's chaos. Nearby, Tonks — who had been standing with them moments earlier — had vanished without warning. Hermione noticed this with a slight start.
Then, as she cast her eyes to the other side of the hall, she saw something that made her hesitate.