Slytherin Army [HP]

37. Dogs Hold All the Answers

The Ministry fell on August 1st.

No surprise there. It was a long time coming. Muggle-borns, and any kind of wizard really, had been going missing at an exponential rate. The papers could barely keep up.

Months ago, The Daily Prophet had scrapped almost all the entertainment sections, dedicating themselves to reporting Death Eater sightings, deaths, torture, Imperius Curses, and missing people. It became standard for them to rush out Evening Prophets to cover everything.

Until those reports began fizzling out. Stories didn't add up. Suddenly Muggle-borns were getting "arrested" for trivial things. Murders changed to suicides and accidents.

Needless to say, Drew had grown grudgingly relieved that they had created the blood map.

Drew was pacing her empty house now, testing the wards. Ari was out with her friends finding some protection charms. Wilby and his mother were staying at Blaise's manor indefinitely, and she wondered if she should just live there too.

Every few days, Cyndee sent her an update on the ever-worsening Ministry situation. People were getting Imperiused left and right, and no one knew who was on whose side.

So when Cyndee used the S.A. sickles to signal the Ministry takeover, she didn't panic immediately. She had mentally prepared for this, but even then she had hoped that the Ministry wouldn't fall.

She was about to call Ari when a huge owl flapped through the door, a small card in its beak. Drew flinched in surprise. The wards shouldn't have let it in. Then she noticed the black dusting its feathers and realized it came via Floo Network, despite her house having been long disconnected.

She thought she'd seen the owl's particular zigzag markings before, but wasn't sure where.

The owl dropped the card on her bed before leaving through the open window. A couple of quick checks didn't reveal any curses.

This was weird, and she didn't know anyone who would contact her this way. But she shouldn't worry, right? All the Muggle-borns that had gone missing so far were established and influential wizards, or at least someone connected to one. Random teenagers were safe. Totally.

She flipped the paper over.

Drew —
I sold you out
RUN NOW

A cold chill enveloped her. "Jinx!" she yelled. "Jinx! Come out here right now! Where are you?"

Drew ran out of the room and flung open Aurora's door. "JINX GET DOWN HERE!"

Jinx meowed and leapt off the wardrobe into her arms, and they Disapparated just as the house exploded into red and green fire.

* ° * ° *

Drew appeared in front of Cyndee in her bedroom, scaring her to death. Sage came forward, "Whoa, what is happening?"

"My house blew up." She dropped Jinx on the bed and shoved the note into Sage's hand. "Get Cyndee and your phone. We're going to Burlington Arcade. Tell your parents —"

"NO!" Cyndee cried. "We can't tell my parents anything!"

There was no time for questions. Drew took Cyndee's hand and Apparated them to the Arcade entrance. Drew raced past the startled passerby.

"AURORA!" she bellowed, looking frantically through the numerous shops.

Cyndee hastened at a close pace with her cell phone to her ear, "Drew! I can't connect to Aurora's phone. I'm going to call Blaise and Wilby."