RAGE

“No!” Hermione tried to jump up; tried to reach for her parents, her wand in hand. “No! Let me back up! Let me up!”

Hermione banged on the glass and she saw the Ministry floor approaching.

“No!” Hermione cried. “Let me up!”

“Sorry!” Came a cheerful feminine voice; the booth. “All Magical Persons, Creatures and Muggles seeking refuge from the Rage Virus are currently prohibited from returning to the surface.”

“Just let me up!” She cried, tears streaming down her face. “I have to, I have to get up! My parents are up there!”

“Sorry!” She came again. “Our sources say that there are no survivors within one kilometre of the Visitors Entrance.”

Hermione looked down. There were so many people. The ministry had never been so crowded.

“Let me up…” Hermione whispered. “I need to find them… please…”

The booth did not answer.

“Hermione!” Voices called from the sea of people. “Hermione! Over here!”

She looked over towards the fireplaces where people were flooing in. There she saw Harry, Ron, Ginny, George and Draco. The tears started anew.

“They’re up there!” Hermione cried, placing her hands on the glass. “Mum and Dad; they’re up there. I have to get them…”

She hung her head and saw them battling through the people to get to her. The booth finally stopped and the door opened.

“Have a lovely day!” Said the booth happily.

Hermione stepped out, followed by the children. They were all sobbing and Hermione realised that three of them were clinging to her legs, too scared to let go.

She bent down and enveloped them. They all cried together until a man emerged from the crowd and they ran to him.

“Daddy!” They cried. “Where’s Mummy?”

Hermione stood and turned around, trying to spot her friends; her family. She spotted Ginny first and was tackled by the red-head. They cried together and they took a moment to check each other over.

“Are you alright?” Ginny sniffled. “Are you hurt?!”

Hermione shook her head.

“My Mum and Dad are up there!” Hermione cried, holding onto Ginny for dear life. “They were taken by the infected…”

“Oh Hermione!” Ginny whimpered. “I’m so sorry!”

She pulled her best friend back for another comforting hug. Then the boys appeared, immediately pulling Hermione to them and squeezing the breath out of her.

“I thought you were gone…” Harry said, sounding relieved and astounded. “Reports came in that your area had been swamped and we couldn’t reach you.”

Hermione nodded. “I dropped my galleon!”

“Are you hurt at all?” Ron asked, looking her face over.

She shook her head and then began to weep.

“Hermione?” Harry asked. “What happened?”

Hermione put her head on Harry’s chest, wishing to hide her face from the world.

“Her parents…” Ginny answered for her. “They were with her, up there.”

Harry squeezed her tighter and she felt hands on her back, rubbing soothingly.

“Lets go find somewhere to sit, the Minister is going to speak soon.” George said, grabbing Ginny’s hand.

***

They made their way to the wall and sat down, holding hands.

Slowly the people arriving thinned. Eventually they stopped all together. It was then that the Minister spoke. He was hovering on his broom above the crowd, his wand to his voice.

“Attention!” He called. “Attention, quickly please!”

The crowd fell silent with the exception of the crying children.

“The Muggle world is lost, and we are so close to losing our world too, that there is only one thing that we can really do at this time.” He sounded shaky and not at all confident. “We will all be retreating to the country. As there are now eight hundred of us in here we will split into seven groups. We will have as many Aurors and Ministry Officials in each group as we can.”

A list appeared in his hand and he looked at it as he spoke.

“Groups will be sorted alphabetically.” He called. “This helps us track you.”

The crowd started to speak, protesting about fleeing.

“Silence!” He called. “Please, people! We are as good as infected or dead if we stay in the cities. The country is our best chance. From there we can get back our footing and plan where we go from here.”

The crowd remained silent.

“Those with last names starting with A all the way to F, please make your way to the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages.”

People began to head towards the lifts. When they were all gone, the Minister spoke again.

“Those with last names starting with G all the way to M, please make your way to the Department of Agriculture.”

“That’s me!” Hermione said. “I want to stay with you guys…”

“Just stay, know one will know.” Ron said.

“’Course they won’t, Ron.” George said sarcastically. “She’s just one of the biggest wizarding celebrities in the country.”

“Don’t worry, Granger.” Draco said, holding his hand out. “You won’t be alone.”

She looked at his hand, then back at her friends.

“Don’t worry.” George said. “Malfoy still has his galleon, we can still contact you. If anything happens, we can always Apparate once we’re out.”

Ginny looked worried.

“Love you.” She said, hugging Hermione.

“Love you too!” Hermione cried.

They didn’t want to part but Ministry Officials were scanning the crowd, hurrying people along.

“Come on, Granger.” Draco said, his hand still outstretched. “We have to move. The sooner we get out of London, the better.”

She looked at him and then finally took his hand. He immediately began pulling her through the crowd. She looked back at her friends and mouthed to them.

“Love you.”