Shifted

Warfare

They apparated back to Grimmauld Place to collect Ginny.

Her face was drawn tight and her eyes were near lightless, but she embraced Hermione all the same. Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny's shoulders, begging the numb feeling to go away.

She spent the next five minutes shuttering away the betrayal in Draco's eyes. Occluded away all feelings and memories of the past few months. Would not let herself be distracted when they were flying into a trap

"What's the plan?" She turned to Harry.

He tossed her a vial. She held it up to the light, squinting her eyes at the narrow handwriting.

"This is just pain relief draught." She glared towards him.

He shrugged. "Make it last. There's only enough for each of us to have one."

Her mouth fell open. "We're just— apparating in? Have you gone mad?"

Harry shrugged, casting meticulous spells on his cloak. "We go in, find Ron. Get him out. I have no information, Hermione." His eyes met hers, wide and desperate and near frantic. "We've waited two days. I can't imagine the damage they could have done to him in that time period. If I have to—" he cut off, his throat clicking. "We have a building. One you aren't familiar with, but Ginny is. That's all."

Once more, he tossed something at her. Hermione caught it, flipping it over. Despite it all, a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Are you in or not?"

Hermione opened the pack and took out a piece of bubblegum.

"Let's go."

---

It was raining, wherever they'd apparated to.

They were just on the outskirts of a chain linked fence that housed what looked to be a warehouse of sorts.

She could hear waves hitting wood in the distance .

"A boardwalk?"

Ginny nodded. "Bellatrix and Theo were close. They took up here all the time."

"And you've no idea where Ron could be?"

Ginny grimaced. "It's mostly an open floor plan. Two floors. There are a few separate rooms, off to the side. But this place is warded out of its mind and we have absolutely no chance of sneaking in."

Hermione nodded, puffing up her cheeks and releasing a breath. "Let's go. Harry— if possible, you be the one to grab Ron and apparate out. Ginny and I will follow as soon as possible." She turned to Ginny. "We don't wait. We get out ourselves, if we have to."

The unspoken rule. That they couldn't afford to lose any more members of The Order. Don't stay and save the doomed.

"Let's go. If we spread out, we have the best chance."

---

Nott found Hermione first.

She was inside the building, had just nailed a soundless landing from a nearby window and was about to check out the door to her left. Figured if she was extremely lucky Ron would be in there.

"Miss Granger."

She whipped around, wand gripped tightly in her knuckles. She kept it lowered. Knew from Ron's reports that Theo liked to talk. Figured the longer she kept him distracted, the more likely Harry and Ginny could find Ron and get out.

"Theodore," she greeted back with a nod. "You look well."

And he did. Tall and lithe just like he'd been in school. Dark hair curled tastefully over his forehead.