DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.

It started slowly, really. Took them completely by surprise. So much so that they didn't quite realise it was happening until they were down to only a few.

Soon after Voldemort had fled the battle at Hogwarts, having realised he was no longer protected by his horcruxes, the wizarding world of Britain had sighed in relief if only for a few months during which Voldemort had begun to strategize once again.

The Order had started to feel hopeful fuelled by his inactivity. They believed that they now had the upper hand. The two sides were finally equal albeit they still lacked the numbers. Although overcome with grief over the deaths of their bravest soldiers and for many, the deaths of their family, there was still a chance that they might just be able to win the war.

The Weasleys had lost their son. Their brother. But they still kept fighting. And along with them stood Harry and Hermione.

As did Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and Blaise Zabini.

The Malfoys had switched sides. Although Draco and Narcissa were received with lesser amount of suspicion than what Lucius was shown, they still had to prove themselves.

Draco turned out to be a great ally. Privy to Voldemort's fucntionings he was able to provide the Order with vital information. As for Lucius, he tried to help every way he could, primarily through his vaults, still quite intact despite the plundering they had taken due to Voldemort's effort.

Death eater attacks were sparse and few. Voldemort could no longer be tracked as hard as Shacklebolt may have tried.

The ministry was being rebuilt. People began coming out of their houses. The Auror Department saw many youngsters fresh out of Hogwarts and hardened by its battle enter the good fight.

Almost a year had passed before the Order finally realised what was happening.

It began very slowly, but soon it had become an obvious truth that glared at the Light side wherever they went. Muggleborn witches and wizards were being killed. Tiny babies with magic in their veins, sleeping in their cribs in their Muggle homes were found murdered with their medical reports not being able to solve the mystery of the reason behind their deaths. But for the practiced eye, it was an easy feat to tell that it was the work of dark wizards.

Voldemort had wiped out a large part of muggleborns before their magic could even manifest. As for those he called blood traitors, were killed quite suddenly. They were murdered while on their way back home after a tedious day of trying to find Riddle and his followers. Muggles were still being murdered. Muggleborns witches were still brutally raped.

There had been a striking increase in the number of werewolves. Greyback was certainly to be blamed. Poor children innocent of any crimes were being turned into a personal army for Riddle.

The giants were on the move once again. The cold that came with the Dementors carried everywhere.

And yet, Voldemort could not be found.

It was particularly cold one February morning when Ginevra Weasley was declared missing. Harry Potter, her fiance, along with his two best friends had left no corners unchecked. The Minister, Shacklebolt, himself had assigned a team of his most skilled Aurors to find the girl.

The Weasley family was once again struck with tragedy. Arthur Weasley refused to come back home, choosing instead to spend his nights at the Ministry studying all suspected Death Eater stake outs, struggling in vain to catch a glance at his daughter. George Wealsey, it seemed had finally realised he was still alive. The loss of his twin had kept him alienated but now that his baby sister could not be found, he once again reared headfirst into the war. Bill, Charlie and Percy had met with their most trusted contacts but nobody, it seemed had seen the girl.

She had disappeared into thin air.

Almost a week later her body, mauled and scarred, was found in the middle of Hogsmeade grounds. Her red hair pooled around her head. Her pale skin almost as white as the snow on the ground. Her lips as blue as her eyes had been.

Harry had been the first to be alerted.

Upon seeing what his fiancée had been reduced to there was nobody who could console him. He found himself, yet again, facing the loss of another loved one. But this time, it hurt so much more.

It hurt him incredibly to see a once breathing and laughing Ginny, his love, the girl he was going to marry, thrown against the pearly white snow with her wounds still bleeding. Her clothes ripped apart leaving her body open to the warring elements.

Ginny.

The fiercest woman he had known. The woman who had once written him a poem. The only woman who had shared with him the burden of being possessed by the darkest wizard of all time.

Ginny with her blazing red hair and her nice skin.

As the Aurors arrived, they had to fight him tooth and nail to carry him away but he wouldn't budge. It took the combined efforts of Hermione and Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress to Hogwarts, both of whom could not help their own tears, to remove him. To drag him away from the girl he had loved. Away from the future he deserved with her. Away from the life she had promised him.

George had been found, only two days later, in his room. His wrists slit with blood still oozing out. In his hands was clutched a picture of himself standing with his twin, his little brother Ron and his darling sister Ginny.

Perhaps he just couldn't bear the pain of losing not only his better half but now his baby sister too. A sister he had promised to send Hogwarts toilet seats to all those years ago. A sister he had seen beat him and his brothers at Quidditch. A sister he had sworn to protect.

A funeral was held a week later. The wizarding world was shocked to find its war heroine's battered body out in the open as a clear warcry from the Dark side and its last beacon of joy in the face of the half of duo of joksters taken by Death. Many a wizards and witches had pooled in to pay their respects to the two Weasley children.

Bill and Fleur tried to keep the family together. But as much as he tried, the Weasleys were broken beyond repair. Arthur was reduced to an alcoholic. Molly refused to leave her room, forgetting that she still had a part of her family left to feed.

Charlie left the country turning once again to the refuge his work provided him. Percy spent his nights in bars and pubs still untouched by the darkness Voldemort had instilled.

And as for Ron, as much as he wanted to break down, he couldn't. For he still had to look out for his best friend. He saw it as clear as the day that Harry's grief knew no bounds. If left alone to his own devices, Harry wouldn't survive.

Ron had to make sure that the Chosen One didn't succumb to his pain for he still had a world to save.

And so it was that the war had begun. Once again. Their reprieve hadn't lasted as long as they'd have liked it to and time had found Hermione Granger once again battling for her and her friends' lives.