Chaos and Definitive Plans

As soon as they arrived back at Prince Manor, they knew something was wrong. The entrance hall was buzzing with voices from the kitchen. A meeting was taking place. Hermione looked at Severus and realized this was why he had been so irritable earlier. He knew what was going on. Severus shook his head at her as if to say "You'll find out in a minute" and motioned for her and Remus to follow him into the kitchen.

The moment they entered the room, several people started talking loudly, asking Severus if he had known this would happen. Others quieted down after really looking at Severus' severe expression. Hermione and Remus took seats against the wall, and Severus walked to the head of the room and called for silence. He cleared his throat and fought the urge to lash out, his eye having caught one of the many copies of the Evening Prophet that were scattered across the long wooden table.

"As most of you have come to realize, a number of things have happened at the Ministry today. Before some of you start in with accusations... yes, I knew something was going to happen. The Dark Lord tasked his best Death Eaters to take over several jobs at the Ministry of Magic today. He did not divulge to us the whole plan, only the small part we played. I myself was tasked to dose the Minister and his men with Veritaserum. I had no choice, for he would have known it was me who failed him if I'd warned anyone or failed to do my job. It was a test." He paused while several people grumbled their opinions; others were picking up the Prophet and reading it yet again. In Hermiones and Remus' case, they were only now learning for the first time what had happened.

Chaos at the Ministry! The Dark Lord Strikes Again!

Chaos ran free today as an unexpected number of attacks rendered the Ministry of Magic in-effective. Melodie Minute, well-known Ministry Press Secretary, was unable to comment due to being hospitalized indefinitely. It seems the Dark Lord meant to scare the whole country and has succeeded. The Minister of Magic and his closest staff were Stupefied and then apparently dosed with Veritaserum. Several Aurors have confiscated our interviews and forced us reporters to make Unbreakable Vows so that none of the classified information we might have tried to obtain can be released. Half of the Ministry are locked in a secure wing of St. Mungo's; the few who were not present are trying to sort out the different curses and charms that were cast upon the Ministry officials. All we know for sure is that thirteen officials, including the Minister, were dosed with Veritaserum. Seven were cursed with an unknown Dark spell, which has left them in magically induced comas. Fifteen were Imperioed, eleven were Confunded, and two are dead. We have not been informed of the identities of the deceased and are unlikely to know any further details until their families are notified. With all the chaos present at the Ministry today, we can bet that something even more sinister was happening behind the scenes. What was The Dark Lord's aim?

Hermione gasped and looked at Severus. Ron, looking very put out, piped up and asked, "So why didn't you warn us, at least, if you couldn't do anything, huh? There must have been something we could've done to help!"

Severus sneered and replied, "Just what exactly do you think would have happened if members of the Order of the Phoenix had been present, hmm? I would have been exposed, and you all would have lost one of the biggest advantages we hold. Not to mention I would have been killed, but I guess the mere idea of that doesn't bother you, eh, Mr. Weasley?" Several people spoke out in Ron's defense as others continued to read or talk about what could be done.

Harry cleared his throat and, looking at Snape with a stern face, asked, "Where were you three? Where did you take Hermione and Remus, huh?"

Hermione glared at him and stood up to address the room before Severus could berate another of her friends for being rude--albeit justly.

"We completed the Avada-Bomb potion and tested it this afternoon. It was a success," she said, her voice quieting as the room fell silent. "Now, since the potion is successful, that means we're ready to use it. We're ready to end this blasted war. What we need to be concentrating on right now--" she looked pointedly at Ron, Harry, and the few others who had questioned Severus--"are the other preparations for the final battle. We need the Portkeys finished as soon as possible. We need to make final battle plans and clarify everyone's roles. We need to practice our skills and prepare our minds for this. This is it, people. We can end this! Now, if everyone would please get their head in the game, let's get to work!" As Hermione said the last, she conjured a butterbeer and walked out of the room, heading for the room where they were making all the Portkeys.

Everyone else started talking again and heading in different directions, intent on following Hermione or completing their own jobs. Severus pulled Remus aside as the room started to empty and spoke in a hurried whisper. "Keep her occupied for an hour. There's something I need to work on in the lab, and I wish not to be interrupted, even by her--understand, Lupin?"

Remus nodded in agreement and left to find Hermione, wondering what Severus had up his sleeve.

~{}~

Severus sighed and pinched his nose after closing his potions book. I know it's not much, but it may help her, he thought as he recalled the potion formula he'd just finished writing. Ever since he had found out--due to Remus' silly wake up call--that Hermione could not have children, it had bugged him. In the few spare moments he'd had since that day he had been forming a potion in his mind's eye. Now it was written, the best that he could offer should he die in the final battle. The formula itself would be tricky to brew for even the most experienced Potions master, such as he, but he knew Hermione would be capable. Beneath the formula he had written a short note to her... just in case. It read simply:

Hermione,

Yours, Severus

Satisfied that he had left her something of value, he put his potions book away and left his lab to join the others.

~{}~

Everyone was buzzing about the main floor as they finished plans and arrangements for the battle. Severus looked in on Hermione and decided to join Remus and the others who were discussing locations for luring Voldemort and his Death Eaters for the final battle. Hermione, meanwhile, was busy discussing the battle with Harry and Ron as the three of them charmed the Portkeys. "Ron, you can't just break apart from the front line and attack everyone. That's the best way to get yourself killed. You need to follow orders, plain and simple.

"Easy for you to say. You're not one of the few unlucky people who have been chosen to answer to Moody. Honestly, I always thought it would be us three in the end, right in front of Voldemort, finishing him off together! Harry, you need to speak up and fix this."

"Ron, Hermione's right. The elder members were smart to measure our strengths and assign us certain positions accordingly. If everyone is positioned like that, we have the best chance. Besides, it doesn't take three people to hide under a cloak and wait for an opening to kill Voldemort. Be glad you'll get your chance to down as many of those Death Eaters as possible. My role will be torture--I have to try and keep my eyes focused on everyone around me, and all I'm allowed to do is inch my way forward and kill him! Granted, it will be nice to finally be rid of him. Still, having to watch you guys and not help lest it gives me away... you're better off. Besides, if all this goes wrong, even if we kill him, I'm in the most danger of being left there when the potion bomb explodes."

"You're right, Harry, I know you're right. It just doesn't feel right, though. The three of us have been split up for so long--now, for the final battle? I just wish it could be the three of us watching each other's backs, ya know?"

Hermione smirked at Ron. "I don't know, maybe we are better off this way. I mean, how many times in the past have we been put in more danger because of your stomach, Ronald? I for one wouldn't want to be in the heat of battle only for you to be distracted by your tummy grumbling," she remarked, holding back laughter at his reaction. Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

Ron, his face looking ever so serious, replied, "Ha ha, very funny, Hermione. Besides, I've already packed away a sandwich that I can eat at a moment's notice, so there won't be any issues with my hunger, okay?"

Hermione and Harry just looked at each other and started laughing quite loudly. Ron, realizing how funny it really was, chuckled along with them. As he watched his two best friends laugh at his expense, he wondered if he ever could give up the notion of a family to be with Hermione.

~{}~

Later that night Remus went from room to room, calling everyone to attention and announcing another meeting. When everyone had gathered and taken seats or spots against the wall, he started.

"You'll all be happy to know the Portkeys are now ready. Now, everyone, please pay attention as I lay out the plan. If there are any questions concerning strategies, or any problems, please raise your hand to speak. We need to go over every bit of detail until everyone here remembers their place and duty. This is going to be a battle. We need to remember that if we fail to know the plan or to do our assigned jobs, then people in this room will die as a result. So pay attention!"

Remus pulled out his wand as everyone settled in. Several people took out pieces of parchment and quills, others pulled out their wands and practiced wand movements. Wand in hand, Remus conjured a chal board that floated above their heads at the head of the room; with his wand he directed the chalk and drew the plan for all to see. "Now, as most of you know..."

~{}~

At four in the morning, the Manor was quiet as everyone slept in bedrooms, on couches, basically wherever they could find a spot to drop. The plan was set and people had gone to bed exhausted by the thought of what was about to happen in mere hours.

Severus had been summoned during their long meeting only to return thirty minutes later and inform the Order that tomorrow would in fact be the best time to "warn the Death Eaters of a planned dueling practice the Order would be attending." Unable to sleep, he was spending the few hours before sunrise brewing extra healing potions they would likely need after the battle. Even though Hermione had already replenished their stock after the horrible attacks a few days ago, he knew that having extra was always a safe bet. It wasn't long before Hermione joined him as he was bottling the last of his extra potions and healing salves.

"Why aren't you resting? Everyone needs to be well rested before the battle," Severus said matter-of-factly as he put away the last phial.

"Probably the same reason you're not asleep either. I'm too... nervous about today. Too wound up. I don't think even a sleeping potion could knock me out. I just want it all over with, you know?"

"I know exactly what you mean. Come on, let's go get a bite to eat before Arthur wakes up. I'd hate for you to be starving while in the middle of the battle," Severus said, smirking when Hermione laughed quite loudly.

A/N: So... Please review cause I'm dying to know what you think of this one. And I've already started the next chapter... so stay tuned! *HUGS* EchoLynn