I was back to work the following night. Rosmerta was happy to see me. I acted as if nothing happened, though I did get some looks from some of the customers. They must know.

As the week went on, there were no updates. The Prophet had been pretty quiet about the attack aside from the initial story in the paper. At least the Death Eaters weren't doing any harm, but I wanted to see that more were captured and thrown in Azkaban. They could join the other Death Eaters that got put in there after the Battle of Hogwarts.

Now I wondered if my ex was there, rotting in a cell. I hoped he was, the bastard.

It was a Saturday October night. When I Apparated into Hogsmeade, I could hear chatter inside the Three Broomsticks. I entered the warm pub. I expected to see Rosmerta behind the bar, but instead I found a girl whom I'd never seen before.

She looked to be my age just about. Her brown eyes were shifting anxiously, her dark brown hair that was once in a ponytail now looked as if a bird had just gone through it. Brows furrowed in confusion, I strolled over to the bar.

"There you are!" the girl breathed. "I was beginning to worry! Oh, I'm so behind! I have no idea what I'm doing!"

I wondered if she was a new girl as my temporary replacement for that one day I was out. "Easy, easy," I said calmly. "Take orders, let me do the rest."

"O-okay."

As the girl got the orders, I filled the drinks. The tips I got I split with her.

As the bar was currently empty, we wiped it down.

"I haven't seen you around," I noted as I scrubbed one spot hard. "Then again, I'm still fairly new here myself."

"Oh, I'm new," she said. "I'm Anita. You must be Jenelle."

"Where's Rosmerta at?"

"She said she wasn't feeling well. She was here earlier, had to leave."

"So she left you to tend to the bar, someone who doesn't have experience?" I didn't see Rosmerta as someone who would leave something so big as her pub to someone who was new. Maybe she was feeling so sick that she didn't know what she was thinking or saying.

"Yes, I know, shocking," Anita said sourly. "Some of the others have been helping as well as a few of the customers. Rosmerta told me you'd be here to help."

"Well, I haven't been at this very long, but I think I know enough. After all, it's not like you're waiting tables," I reminded her. "We'll keep this system going for now until you're ready."

"I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"Don't apologize, the first day is always the scariest."

We had a busier night. Most of the customers were nice. We got a few nasty ones which sadly I had to handle. I threatened to kick a few out if they continued to have such an attitude. A few of them shut up and took me seriously. I actually kicked one person out.

Ten o'clock came. One more hour to endure the drunks before heading home. Anita seemed to be improving, but slowly. Wherever she was weak, I'd make up for it. As Anita gave out drinks, her head snapped forward.

"What's going on?" I whispered as I cleaned out a mug.

"Look," she said.

Ahead, a brawl was happening. Two men were arguing—probably too drunk and got into a fight over something stupid, no doubt. Everyone stared at them. Workers nearby tried to break them up but were pushed aside.

"What do we do?" Anita whimpered.

"Let me take care of it," I said.

"What? They might drag you in too."

While I left Anita alone, I strolled to get in between the two men. "Alright, break it up!" I yelled as I pried them apart. A server held one guy back while I stood in between the two that were once fighting. "We have a certain atmosphere to keep in here, and you're not helping it. Escort them out, please," I told the workers. They nodded and calmly escorted the drunks out of the bar.

People eventually went back to normal. Very few eyes still lingered outside, hoping to see the brawl continue. Whether it did or not was not my concern.

"That went better than I thought," Anita said.

"Better to stop it than let it go on," I explained.

"Good point."

"When does your shift get done?"

"Eleven."

"Perfect, that's when I get off."

The remaining hour we had left was peaceful. I overheard some people talking about the sudden fight, but it soon died down. It wasn't anything worth gossiping over.

When eleven came about, Anita and I couldn't have felt more relieved.

"I hope Rosmerta gets better for tomorrow," Anita said quietly as we left the Three Broomsticks.

"She will," I assured her.

"I saw what happened last week in the Prophet, that attack on you. How have you been since then?"

And there it was. "I've been okay," I said slowly. "Aurors are looking into it."

"Good. Well, I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Right. It was nice meeting you," I said as we both parted ways. "Be careful."

"I will!"

I Disapparated back to Godric's Hollow. My landing was just near perfect. However, I didn't exactly Apparate to my front door like normal. Instead, I was near the wall that, on the other side, contained tombstones. Godric's Hollow Graveyard.

It was eerie at times, living in a town that had its own graveyard. Inside were many names I didn't know, but two anyone at Godric's Hollow knew well: James Potter and his wife, Lily. Parents to Harry Potter, who was currently undergoing Auror training himself. That's what was heard anyway.

Somewhere else in Godric's Hollow was what was left of the Potters' house. That house told a terrible story of lost loved ones and a miraculous defeat.

For some odd reason, I now wondered if Harry Potter's life would be any different if his parents hadn't died that Halloween night. Would Harry still have that lightning bolt scar on his forehead? Would Voldemort have still gone after him?

Why am I thinking that? I strolled past the graveyard on to my house.

All was quiet in Godric's Hollow. Usually the silence was peaceful. However, as my house started to come into view, the silence felt off. Normally, the door would be locked tight, and you could see light inside.

The door looked to be blown off its hinges, inside complete darkness.

I gasped, running to one of the windows to peek cautiously inside. Nothing sprung out or shot spells at me, so I assumed inside to be safe for the time being. With wand in hand, I cautiously entered the breach.

"Lumos," I whispered. The tip of my wand ignited. I tiptoed through the house, lighting up every inch so I could weed out intruders.

My parents...

I checked every inch of the living room. Holes were in our walls near the kitchen. The fight must've started with my Dad defending Mum in there. I shone my wand light inside. The refrigerator door had a huge hole in it, exposing the contents inside. The table had collapsed; one leg was blown off. Dad's chair that he normally sat in at the table was nothing but ash. So far I found signs of a battle, but no real sign of what happened next.

Since everything downstairs seemed to be abandoned, I bravely—and quietly—made my way upstairs, my wand held in front.

A scuffle noise up ahead made me freeze. My breath quieted.

Someone grabbed me, yanking me inside of my room. I was thrust against my wall, my head knocked right into it. I had a scream ready, but it never came out, as he covered my mouth with his hand. I was about ready to knock him in his sweet spot, but since Neville had just brought me into safety, it would be a stupid move.

"Neville?" I whispered once he allowed me to speak again. "What the hell are you—?"

"You shouldn't have come here," he whispered. "You walked right into a trap." He silenced me, his wand pointed at the doorway.

I wanted to ask him so many things, but now wasn't the time.

My heart skipped a beat when I heard a thump of a boot down the hallway. My eyes got huge. I had a sinking feeling that step didn't belong to my father.

The footsteps got louder and closer. My heart pounded furiously in my chest. Please turn around and leave. Leave my family alone.

The moment Neville's eyes narrowed, I knew the Death Eater was in sight. Since I was too afraid to attack, and since it was his job to go up against Dark wizards, Neville took the first shot.

"Stupefy!" he shouted. I heard the spell hit a wall.

"Crucio!" barked a gruff voice from the hall. Neville rolled to his right, barely missing the curse. I gasped, covering my mouth quickly.

The Death Eater rushed in. He looked around until his black eyes set on us both. Thinking quickly, but not very smartly, I pounced on him, without even thinking I had a wand and could Stun his arse. I tackled him to the ground, but he soon had me pinned down. I screamed.

"Jenelle!" I heard Dad's voice yell further down the hallway.

While the Death Eater had me pinned down, his wand raised. "Cruc—!"

"Get away from my daughter!" Dad roared. His pounding feet briefly made the floor vibrate. "Expelliarmus!"

"Stupefy!" shouted another voice in the hallway.

Spells were being exchanged in the hall while Neville yanked the Death Eater off me and threw him against my wall. The Death Eater fired a jet of green light at Neville—which he missed once again—and then yelled, "Crucio!" at me.

It was like someone poured acid all over my body. I screamed louder than ever, surely to wake up the neighbors, unless a Silencing Charm was cast over our house. Maybe that was why nobody had come to investigate.

I screamed, convulsing. I had never seen the Cruciatus Curse in effect, I had hoped I never had to. I'd hoped to have never been under its control ever, either.

Since my screaming drowned my ears, it felt odd having to suddenly calm down, as the pain vanished. I broke out into a sweat.

"Jenelle!" Dad cried.

I lolled my head to my right to see Dad still fighting another Death Eater in the hallway. I desperately wanted to help him, but I couldn't tell my tired limbs to get moving.

"Jenelle," Neville said. Suddenly, all I could see was his face. "Can you hear me?"

"U-uh huh," I whimpered. I felt myself being scooped up.

"Get her out of here!" Dad bellowed to Neville.

"Wait...no!" I croaked.

"Take her somewhere safe. I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

"No, I want to stay here and fight!"

"You can't, you're too weak!"

"I can't leave you and Mum here alone!"

"No time to argue with him, he's right," Neville panted.

Before I could even protest, pack anything, or even have a chance to say goodbye to my dad, Neville took me and Disapparated, abandoning my father to battle Death Eaters on his own.