In The Fight To Survive (Golden Trio Era) {4}

Death Toll Grows

Since the arrival of Mikayla's rushed letter on Valentine's Day, Ron seemed to be taking charge of the Horcrux Hunt. With a deep desire to prove himself to his best mates, Ron has spent the last five weeks encouraging and exhorting Harry and Hermione into action. He was like a broken record, exclaiming more than once a day that they only had three Horcruxes left to destroy and how they needed a proper plan of action. "Where haven't we looked? Let's go through it again. The orphanage... " Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, the Riddle House, Borgin and Burkes, Albania, every place that they knew Tom Riddle had ever lived or worked, visited or murdered. Ron and Hermione spent most of their time hunkered over a map with marks of where the other Horcruxes were found.

They have been trying to cross reference the destroyed objects to their discovery location, searching for a pattern that would lead them to another Horcrux's location. Harry joined in every now and again, only so that Hermione would stop pestering him about it; he wanted to try to infiltrate Voldemort's mind in order to learn more about the Elder Wand, despite Mikayla's advice. Ron was watching him like a hawk, whenever Harry became quiet or began zoning out, Ron would suggest they journey to every unlikely place Voldemort could've possibly visited across the UK and Ireland throughout his lifetime. It was possible he was also just trying to keep them moving, so doubt couldn't seep into their low tones.

"You never know," was Ron's constant refrain. "Upper Flagley is a Wizarding village, he might've wanted to live there. Let's go and have a poke around." These frequent excursions into Wizarding territory have caused them to come in contact with an array of Snatchers, 'Potter Spotter' has become a frequent segment on Wizarding Wireless Network News. Despite being able to outsmart or outrun the Snatchers, Ron made a point of warning them against becoming cocky about it. "Some of them are as bad as Death Eaters, we've gotten incredibly lucky that we only come face to face with the pathetic lot. Bill recons some of them are really dangerous. There's been loads of warnings on Potterwatch."

Ron has spent evening after evening using his wand to beat out various rhythms on top of the wireless while the dials whirled, all of them desperate to hear any familiar voices that didn't belong to them. So far, all they've managed to catch was tidbits of advice on how to treat dragon pox, and once a few bars of 'A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love.' Ron was not deterred from his task, from eight to half nine he would tap away trying to hit the correct password, muttering to himself about how his failed passwords would link back to the Order. They might've not worked at that instance, but they were a possibility for future passwords and he hoped to stumble onto the channel again.

It wasn't until March 24th that Ron's luck changed, while he was listening to a radio host ramble on about how the new regime in Hogwarts has led to Great Britain becoming the highest ranked in an array of subjects. They wouldn't name the subjects, but Ron could only guess they meant the Dark Arts and all new subjects that fell under that principal. When the host made a snide remark about the ex-headmaster, Albus, Ron tapped the wireless radio with his wand, whispering "Albus" as he did so. To his astonishment, his whisper was followed by a crackling of static before a cheery voice broke the quiet of the night, Lee Jordan. "Hello listeners, welcome back to Potterwatch."

Ron roared for his friends to come join him, Harry had been sitting in the tent entrance on guard duty, while Hermione was in the kitchen making a pot of tea. Harry and Hermione both rush to him, Hermione handing each of the boys their mugs of tea while Ron shares what the password was. "Firstly, we'd like to apologise for our temporary absence from the airwaves after our relocation, Death Eater activity has been at a new high and we had to lay low for a while. Now that they've somewhat cleared out of the area, I'm pleased to tell you that two of our regular contributors have joined me here this evening. Evening, boys!" Fred and George's voices crackled through the waves after Lee's introduction, they didn't sound as enthusiastic as Lee did.

"Good to see you both again," Lee continued on, "now as usual, let's take a moment to report the deaths that the Wizarding Wireless Network News and Daily Prophet don't think important enough to mention over the last few months. Rapier..." Lee handed the task off to Fred, who cleared his throat reading out the many deaths that have occurred in the last two months. The Clark family were murdered in their family home in Brighton on January 19th, a Muggle father and his three kids. They were targeted because his youngest daughter, Ethel, was a Muggleborn witch due to start Hogwarts in September.

A week later in Inverness, four others were killed; Noctua Flint, who was a squib disowned from her magical family. A Muggleborn wizard named Fiachra Harris, and his Half-blood wife, Yasmin Harris. As well as Half-blood, Maggie Felton, who had been in hiding since the last Potterwatch airing after defending Mikayla against the scripted Gawain Robards. It had made sense why Lee decided to hand over the responsibility of the Death Notices to Fred, he had known Maggie personally, and didn't want to give away his own grief while he spoke out about her untimely death.

On the 24th of February, there were casualties in both Cardigan in Wales and Derry in Northern Ireland. Muggleborns Reece Connors and Kayleah Thompson were the targets of the Cardigan attack, their neighbours, a squib named Fulcran Goyle and his Muggle wife, Louisa, were also killed in the attack. In Derry, Muggleborn Braiden Alexander and his Muggle flatmate Macy Lewis were killed as well as Muggleborn Maryanne Oakley and her Squib partner, Mirabelle Hall.

On March 12th in Standhill, Ireland, a Muggleborn witch, Margie Owens, her squib neighbour, Conall Ferguson and their two Muggle friends were attacked by werewolves. There were no survivors of the attack, each of them torn apart during the Full Moon. On March 20th, a Muggle family of five were killed. "Muggle authorities are attributing the Lyons family's deaths to a gas leak, but members of the Order of the Phoenix inform me that it was the Killing Curse. It is regrettable that Muggle slaughter is becoming little more than a recreational sport under the new regime." The trio wore matching frowns, there has been a lot more deaths to announce during this Potterwatch than the last one they tuned in to.

A sinking feeling settling in each of their stomachs, it seems like the Death Eaters are winning at this point of the war. "And it is with great regret that we inform our listeners of the murder of Dirk Cresswell..." The trio shared a horrified look, remembering just a few months ago they saw Dirk alive and well. "...and two goblins, Gornuk and Murdoch. They were killed in Lower Berry Hill in Coleford, England in the early hours of yesterday morning. It is believed they were travelling with Muggleborns, Ted Tonks and Dean Thomas, as well as a third Goblin. It is believed that they may have escaped with their lives, no doubt due the interference solely caused by Mikayla Black arrival to the fight. If any of you are listening to this broadcast, or if anyone knows anything about their whereabouts, their families are desperately awaiting news."

Fred's conclusion of the Death Notices was followed by static crackling with the momentary absence of a voice. The way his voice sounded as he spoke Mikayla's name was deeply worrying, it was as if it was filled with despair. It left the trio with even more questions than what they had before the broadcast began. Has something happened to Mikayla? Why did she go to Lower Berry Hill alone? What information was being hidden by Fred's detached tone. They didn't have long to obsessively analyse the fleeting mention of their best friend. Lee jumped in, seconds after Fred's conclusion to ask the listeners to partake in a minute of silence for those who have died. Out of respect for the fallen, the trio didn't utter a word of worries for their missing piece. They allowed themselves to mourn the souls that they couldn't save, that were lost to the cruelty of war.

None of the deaths of the innocent would be in vain, they had to win this war or die trying. Harry thought to himself that dying would be the most selfish thing he could ever do. The responsibility of ensuring Voldemort's demise would fall on another's shoulders, most likely a certain blonde, and she has already sacrificed to ensure victory. "Thank you." Lee spoke, bringing an end to the minute long memoriam. "It is not lost on us at Potterwatch that a minute's silence is not near enough to commemorate those we've lost during this brutal war, nothing will ever be good enough for such loss. There will be justice served for each and every one of them, it can't bring them back, but their souls will not be lost forever. We all must honour their memory in our hearts, so that the fallen will never be forgotten, allowing them to live on with us all."