Light in the Darkness

Chapter 25: Headmaster Severus Snape

"So, you're okay, then?" Fred said for the third time. Hermione frowned at him.

"Yes," she told him again. "We're fine. We're staying in Grimmauld Place for now."

"Yeah, Remus said that he saw you three." Hermione hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should ask about Remus and Tonks. She had never seen Remus so cowardly before. She did agree that he needed to be with his wife during her pregnancy, but she disagreed with how Harry went about telling him that. Their old professor looked seriously hurt by Harry's words.

"H-how is Remus?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"It's okay, he told us what happened," Fred stated. "Though, I agree with Harry. He should be with Tonks."

"He isn't with her right now?" Fred shook his head. "He's staying with George and me in our flat. Dad's come over a few times to talk to him about it." Hermione nodded. "It'll be fine. I reckon he'll be back with her before the month ends. George reckons next week."

"You two bet on this?" Hermione said indignantly.

"Course. I like taking money from his Holeyness." Fred told her about the new ideas George and him had for the store and how they still wanted to expand to Hogsmeade. They, of course, would have to wait until the war was over for that. Hogsmeade was crawling with Death Eaters at the present.

"Well," Hermione finally said. "I better go. Harry's got this plan that we're going to work on tomorrow. I better get some sleep."

"Alright, good night, 'Mione."

"Good night, Fred."

As Fred was carefully putting the mirror in the top desk drawer beside his bed, a knock came on the door. "Yeah?" Fred called. George opened the door and closed it behind him when he entered.

"I've talked to Christine," George stated. They had promised Christine Carthy that they would help her and her daughter, Anne, safe passage out of the country. Time was beginning to run out too, now that the Ministry had fallen. Fred's dad had told them that the Ministry was starting to track down all the Muggle-borns.

"Charlie's going back to Romania in two days. She's going to go with him and his Portkey." Fred nodded absentmindedly. Portkeys were illegal unless they were commissioned by the Ministry. Charlie had to authorize his use of Portkey through the Ministry weeks ago. He was set to leave nine o'clock in the morning.

"Good, so we need to bring her to the Burrow before tomorrow without using the Floo Network and without Apparating."

"What do you mean?" George said, frowning. "Why can't we Apparate?"

"We can. She'll be carrying a child with her. She'll certainly not want to Apparate."

"I've always said that kids ruin everything." George thought for a moment.

"We'll go at night. We can use brooms then," George stated.

"Good. Let's bring Lee or Remus. After the Death Eaters appearing a few weeks ago, we don't want to take any chances."

"Yes," George answered, "but we won't be transporting the Savior of the Wizarding World this time." Fred really couldn't argue with that. For the first time since George had entered the room, Fred really looked at his brother.

George looked more tired than Fred had ever seen him. He had told Fred that he was considering ending things with Angelina, felt it was safer for her. The twins had already decided they were going to cause as big a raucous as they could before Harry would end the war. They had started mass producing defensive products that they were sending along with Ginny when she would return to Hogwarts. They were even giving them free to every customer in their store. On top of that, they were spending most of their nights patrolling, looking for more ways they could help. They planned on being the Dark Lord's headache for as long as they could.