Happy New Year! ((Main Thread))

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Hermione had volunteered to continue the preparations and run the New Year's festivities to allow the new administration time to continue adjusting to their new roles. She was helping to make sure the giant snitch would be functioning once it was time for the countdown.

Around Hogsmeade, there were bunch of kiosks selling 2021 merchandise along with plenty of food stands to satisfy appetites. Hermione was very excited to be able to spend yet another year with her loved one and helping others out.

Listening to Cassandra, he nodded. Harrison summoned magical crime scene tape as a way as keeping the crowd within the same perimeter.

"Unfortunately, I can't guarantee Edith Grayson's dirty work being prevented, but I'll try my best with such a large crowd. If James is still there, you can find out if he witnessed anything."

@Cassandra Night

Edith kept a neutral face following being told the tragic news. On the plus side, this meant Daily Prophet sales were going to explode, especially if they could get their hands on any juicy details regarding the case.

Shit. No wonder why she was told to take off. Miriam looked around nervously hoping that her brother wasn't involved somehow. She wouldn't have let this happen.

She fell to her knees and tried to suppress any tears.

Rose had found herself table before the count down and had been almost done eating by the time count down for new year happened. When she heard the announcement then the girl dropped her fork she was holding on the ground. "No mother can't be dead," she mumbled awhile tears running down from her eyes. The girl stood up and she didn't feel like finishing her food. Rose knew she needed to find her family. She went to search for them. "Where are they?" she mumbled again and ended up walking towards weasley stands since she hoped her brother and father will be there.

Lily had come to the event for a little bit of fun over the holidays and a way to get away from her family a little. Being a Potter or a Weasley wasn't always easy. She struggled to work out who she really was among her many family members and under her fathers fame.

The count down found her standing of to the side of the room. Not really away where but she smiled as she joined in the count down, thinking about the year to come. The announcement on her Aunt left her in shock. It had to be some sort of prank didn't it. That was just one of those things that wasn't meant to happen. It was about as ludicrous as hearing of her father dying,. It was just something that didn't happen.

Lily found herself routed to the spot in shock at the news.

Upon hearing the news, Rosemary tilted her head down and began tearing up. She really adored Hermione and her passion for making things right in the wizarding world, especially as a fellow muggleborn.

Dominique had decided to visit the festival to surprise her family. She had been gone a few months with Austin and she knew she needed some family time. It wasn't long after her arrival that the announcement about Hermione went over the crowd. Hermione was dead? Her aunt Hermione was dead? She knew she had to find her family immediately. But she didn't know who was there. "VICTOIRE? LOUIS? UNCLE RON?!

When the countdown elapsed, Ron turned to the stage, awaiting the arrival of his wife to make her speech. Although he thought she was a very good public speaker (and a lot better than he), he wondered if she was having some last minute nerves. But nobody came. The stage was empty until Harrison Jetson stood in her place...

It was like a pillow had been clasped over his ears, and he temporarily went deaf. He knew the crowd around him were crying, gasping; hysterical and in disarray. But they all seemed distant - inside while he was outside. Alone.

His wife, his only real love, had died.

He felt the presence of his son beside him and his eyes turned; his face now drained of its colour. He held his hand tightly. His ears were ringing, he thought his stomach was going to expel from his mouth. He didn't know how to respond to his son... he didn't know what to do at all. The only person who would know what to do was dead. Suddenly, finding some kind of sense, he frantically searched the crowd for his daughter.

"Rose." He found her, and took hold of her hand tightly. Now his children were both beside him. He knew they would be looking to him for guidance now more than ever, and yet he stood there rooted to the spot; staring at that spot on stage where she should have been. His head shook.

@Hugo Granger-Weasley @Rose Granger-Weasley

Louis was still looking at Carina. Moments ago, they had kissed on the stroke of midnight. Now it was after midnight, the new year, and everything was different. Louis just sort of stared blankly at her. He looked as though all coherent thought had gone astray, and he was merely an empty shell - standing there - rigid.

"Yeah." He said finally, in a voice very unlike his own. But he didn't move. He just held Carina's hand and felt nothing. Like numbness.

@Carina Malfoy

Fred immediately began rounding any of his cousins and relatives that he could find. He heard Victoire from a way off, and Dominique too. Then he spotted young Lily and immediately took hold of her hand. "I'm going to find someone to apparate you back to The Burrow, okay?" He smiled at her, but there was very little strength behind it. Fred had to be strong in a crisis like this. He couldn't use magic, but he had to do something. "Vic! Dom!" He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly to get their attention. He ran up to Victoire who was nearest. "One of you apparate Lily back to The Burrow, and any other of our kid cousins you find. Nan and Grandad will look after them - they'll be safe there."

@Lily Potter @Dominique Weasley @Victoire Weasley

Dominique turned when she heard her name being shouted. Fred! She rushed over to him and looked around, "Victoire, take Lily. I'm gonna find Louis." She squeezed her sisters arm and nodded at her and their cousin, "Go!" She shouted before running out. She tried to find the blonde head of her brother and narrowed in on him when she found him, "LOUIS!" she ran over to him and immediately pulled her into him hugging him, "You need to get out of here." She noticed the blonde gripping her brothers hand and figured that was a conversation for later.

@Victoire Weasley @Louis Weasley @Fred Weasley II

Carina pulled on Louis arm a bit to kind of jog him from his brain, "We have to go." Suddenly, he was pulled into a slightly older girls arms. At first she was confused, but then she saw the blonde hair and the blue eyes. She figured this must be some type of relative of Louis, "Can you take him? I need to find my family." She didn't want to leave Louis side, and he more than likely would object to her going off on her own, but she needed to find her dad.

@Louis Weasley @Dominique Weasley

Victoire's heart was pounding when Fred came to her with Lily along with her sister following soon after.

"Okay, I'll take her to the Burrow. Try and get everyone else there..."

She took a hold of Lily's hand and squeezed it ready to apparate to the Burrow.

@Fred Weasley II @Dominique Weasley @Lily Potter

"I'll make sure Carina is safe, Lou. Get going."

Fred had joined alongside Dominique, Louis and Carina. He gave Dominique a look over, knowing that her absence will be discussed some other time. He was just thankful that she was there right now.

Louis looked at Dominique, looking strangely bewildered. She had been gone... now she was there. In any normal circumstance, he would be greeting her with open arms; but no emotion came out from him. He merely nodded to Fred, and didn't say anything.

Once he had found Albus, Darcy wrapped him in a hug. "A-ah-are you okay?" he asked a bit shaken up. These were some crowds.

"Where's your brother?"

@Albus Potter

Dominique knew her family was wondering what she was doing there. After all, she had been gone for the past three months. But there would be times for questions later. She looked as Fred came up and referred to the blonde girl as Carina. This must be Louis girlfriend. When did little Louis get a girlfriend? She shook her head clear of the questions that could be asked at a later time. She turned to Fred, "Help Carina find her family. You are any of our people, send them to the burrow. I'm gonna try to find the others. Has anyone seen Hugo?" She didn't want to think of her little cousin all scared and alone having just heard his mother was dead. She hoped he found Uncle Ron or someone to look after him during this whole disaster.

@" Louis Weasley" @Fred Weasley II

Hugo began clinging and into his father. "I want mummy!" He really wanted this to be some mean prank.

When he noticed his sister, he turned and gave her a hug not wanting to let go.

@Ron Weasley @Rose Granger-Weasley

Ron made eye contact with Fred. He said "I'm sorry." and apparated away with his two children to The Burrow. He had to put some trust in others that the rest of his family would be safe. Right now, he had to prioritise being there for his children who had just lost their Mother.

"Dominique! Suivre bientôt..."

He apparated to The Burrow.

Fred tried to make sure that Carina was close by as he found Molly, and then he found Albus with the boy he'd invited over for Christmas.

"Hey Albus. Do you know where James is? You two stay with me and Carina, yeah? I'll get you to a side apparition or get you to the floo. Okay?"

He wasn't really thinking or feeling while he was doing this: it was as though a much stronger, much more resilient side of himself had taken charge and knew what to do by instinct. Fred was just as lost as everyone else was, really.

@Albus Potter @Darcy Culkin @Carina Malfoy

Albus felt Darcy wrap him in a hug and he immediately broke down and clung to the other, when he was asked if he knew where his brother was he just shook his head and wiped a tear from his eye. Hearing his cousin Fred's words he just nodded as he did not know what else to do, he could not formulate words. He was in complete shock and just continued to cling to his friend. He however did want to find his brother and was not going to leave without him.

"I am not leaving without James," he finally managed to say, hoping that they would let him search for his brother.

@Darcy Culkin, @Fred Weasley II

Fred nodded. He realised that Albus would be concerned about his brother, and he wasn't prepared to argue with him. In desperation he looked about in the crowd, scouting for a sign of white-blond hair and prominent nose. His Uncle may not have trusted Draco Malfoy, but Fred trusted him as a Father.

"Your Dad is over there. Go to him, and get home safe."

He nodded at Carina. Hopefully she would do the sensible thing...

---

After a while of searching with Albus and his friend, Fred emerged somewhere that was blocked by Ministry officials. Beyond them, he could make out that James was in there...

"That's my cousin! Look, we just want to get him to safety!"

James was still sitting with Hermione's body inconsolable; he had reached his breaking point and was ugly crying. He didn't want to leave her. There was a lot of guilt he felt for not making it there in time to prevent the act.

"This is my fault! I watched it!" He struggled to wipe the tears from my face. "I couldn't save you..."

"I got a .45 if you prefer it over the 9."

The ministry men still appeared to be blocking him. He doubted that they comprehended what he meant, but they seemed to let him through.

"James. We're going--"

He saw the body. Immediately, he turned to Albus and his friend, blocking she and James from view. "I'll talk to him. Don't worry. You two stay over there, with those guys. It's dangerous here, okay?" A fourteen year old didn't need to see this. A sixteen year old didn't need to see this. He turned to James, and touched his shoulder.

"Your brother's freaking out, James. We need you." That meant it was time to go. "Come on..."