In a brief statement Friday night, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be Named has returned to this country and is active once more.

“It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord — well, you know who I mean — is alive and among us again,” said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters.

“It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the dementors of Azkaban, who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry’s employ. We believe that the dementors are currently taking direction from Lord — Thingy.

“We urge the magical population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defense that will be delivered free to all Wizarding homes within the coming month.”

The Minister’s statement was met with dismay and alarm from the Wizarding community, which as recently as last Wednesday was receiving Ministry assurances that there was “no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumors that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more.”

Details of the events that led to the Ministry turn-around are still hazy, though it is believed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and a select band of followers (known as Death Eaters) gained entry to the Ministry of Magic itself on Thursday evening.

Albus Dumbledore, newly reinstated headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, re-instated member of the International Confederation of Wizards, and reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, was unavailable for comment last night. He has insisted for a year that You-Know-Who was not dead, as was widely hoped and believed, but recruiting followers once more for a fresh attempt to seize power.

Luna and and Erin were met with angry Daphne immediately as they got back from the Ministry.

Daphne was incredibly upset with them for doing something this dangerous but that didn't stop them from hugging them and kissing their cheeks and top of their heads for the next thirty minutes.

The nineteenth of June, a day after Sirius Black's death, Erin caught Harry in the courtyard.

"Hey, Harry," she greeted him. "Can we talk?"

The boy nodded and patted on a place next to him on the bench.

As soon as she sat down, Erin said, "I'm so sorry—"

"For what?"

"— I know you must hate me so, so much right now and I understand. I get it, Harry, I really do—"

"Erin—"

"—And I feel so incredibly guilty that someone who was so close to you got hit by a killing curse that was supposed to be for me."

"Erin, I don't hate you! It's not your fault."

"Yeah, I see why you hate my and why is it my fault— Wait, what?"

"Unless you were the one who yelled out the curse, it's not your fault. It was Bellatrix."

"She said that it's for my mother, Harry, so. . ."

Harry sighed. "It was meant for you, yes, but Sirius stood up in front of you. He was a good person and sacrificed himself so you could keep living and have your dream life. I can't be mad at you because you did not kill him and I'm sure you did not want him dead either," he paused. "Wow, I spent too much time with Hermione and it's showing."

Erin laughed slightly. "Thank you, Harry, that really helped me."

Harry smiled. "Of course. And please don't think that I hate you, because I don't. You could die and I think that would hurt me a little bit more, because Hermione loves you and I—"

"WHAT?!"

Harry froze, his eyes widening.

"Potter, what did you say?"

He stayed quiet.

"Potter," Erin repeated. "What did you say."

"I said that if you died it would hurt me more and then I was quiet, I swear!"

"Harry," Erin warned. "You said that Hermione loves me."

"No, I did not!" Harry was quick to defend. "I think that the way you hit your head yesterday was a bit hard and so you hear things."

"Harry!"

"Fine!" The boy put his head into his hands. "Oh, she's going to kill me."

"Did she tell you she loves me?"

"Well, no. . . ." he said. "There were just some people talking about you two."

"Who?"

"Well, Ginny was the first one I heard to bring it up. She said that Astoria and Daphne told her something. . . "

"Of course, they did," Erin said, rolling her eyes.

"Then there were Fred and George who teased Hermione about something. When I asked them about it, they told me I was an oblivious idiot. That was when I started noticing things. I overheard Lupin and Sirius talking about you two. Oh and when I got detention with Professor McGonagall, she asked me if there's something going on. . . "

"Professor McGonagall, too?!" Erin asked wide-eyed. She had no idea that so many people knew that she and Hermione liked each other, not that they tried to hide it much or something. "Well, and what did you say to her?"

"I only shrugged, saying that I don't know. But I started to get a little bit curious, too, after even McGonagall, who has not spent Christmas with you two, started thinking something." He shook his head. "Anyway, you love her too, then?"

Erin thought about it. Wasn't "love" a bit strong word? She was only sixteen, after all, and she didn't even had any crush before. Only Theodore and that does not count because it lasted, like, a week.

But Hermione made her feel like nobody else ever did.

She looked at Harry and smiled. "Yeah, I do."

Erin did not talk to Hermione about what had Harry told her. It was hard for the Slytherin to not to kiss Hermione everytime she saw her, but Erin wanted it to be romantic.

It was twelve days after the day at the Ministry Of Magic and all Hogwarts students were heading home for summer holiday.

Erin was with Daphne, Luna, and Astoria in a compartment of the Hogwarts Express. Erin decided to tell Daphne that her boyfriend may be involved with the Death Eaters.

"He told me about it," said Daphne. "He said that he won't work for You-Know-Who, even if his parents threat to disown him."

"I just want you to be safe and not get involved with someone whose parents are Death Eaters."

"He's really kind, you know?" said Luna after a moment of silence. "Me and Astoria saw him helping a first year with their homework."

"Yeah, it was quite adorable," agreed Astoria, her arm now around Luna's shoulder.

And so, the conversation about Theodore ended.

The other three girls were talking about something Erin didn't hear. Well, she could if she wasn't leaning against the window and thinking about Hermione. Since Erin found out that the Gryffindor loves her, she couldn't get her out of her mind. Not that the Slytherin tried.

Erin glanced at Luna and Astoria. The blonde, with her head on the brunette's shoulder, had laughed about something Astoria said, her pale face turning red because of that.

Erin smiled at the sight of them. And thought that maybe she was not the only girl loving her girl friend.

It made her think about her and Hermione and when will they confess to each other.

And then she thought, Maybe I could be the one to make the first step.

And so, she stood up.

"Where are you going?" asked Daphne.

"I've got something to do."

As she walked out of the compartment, Erin saw Hermione walking towards her in a fast pace but she thought that the Gryffindor was only going to use the toilet, that there was no other reason.

When Hermione spotted Erin, she smiled and fastened her pace.

"He—" Erin began but was cut off by Hermione's lips on hers.

Hermione pressed Erin against the window of the train, her palms on both sides of her face. The blonde didn't hesitate before kissing her back.

This may be Erin's happiest memory.

This wasn't like the moment at Madam Pudifoot's, this was completely different. That was a spontaneous kiss and maybe Hermione didn't want to kiss Erin then. But she did now. That's what made it different and better.

Erin smiled widely into the kiss, her hands travelling to Hermione's hips and back, fireworks exploding in their bellies.

None of them wanted to pull away, but because they had a lack of air, they had to.

When Erin caught her breath, she laughed and said, "Three really is a lucky number, isn't it?"

Hermione's eyebrow's furrowed. "What? What do you mean? We had already kissed. . . "

"It wasn't that romantic!"

"We were at Madam Pudifoot's! How could that not be romantic?" Hermione joked. "You better not say that in front of her."

"I was thinking. . ." whispered Erin. "If you maybe want to spend some time with me and my parents over the summer? It's okay if you don't want t—"

Hermione pecked her girlfriend's lips. "Of course, I want to!"

Erin let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, okay, great."

The Gryffindor took the Slyherin's hand in hers and together, with bright smiles on their faces, they slid into Erin, Daphne, Astoria and Luna's compartment.