Before Lightning Strikes

Going back to Hogwarts seemed like the best option… at the time. 

The teenage years are never an easy time- secrets, lies, scandals, contraband fire whiskey? A risky combination, indeed.

But during a war that everyone is involved in, whether they want to be or not? Those secrets and scandals can become lethal. 

We’re not just risking detention anymore, kids. Prank the wrong person and it may just cost you your life in the long run.

Keep your friends close, and your DADA book closer. 

There’s always calm before the storm. For some it’s the fact that you don’t know it’s coming. Others, everything gets quiet, as if somewhere deep inside you can feel it approaching.

As students pack their trunks for another year at Hogwarts, this calm is upon them. It’s relieving for a while, but it won’t last forever. You’d think that going back to the safest place in the world would make them feel better about it- nothing can touch us here. It’s probably the only reason parents aren’t pulling their kids out, in truth- they’ll be safer at Hogwarts. 

But, what if the threat is inside the walls? What if the secrets of those around them put these unsuspecting students in danger? Secrets, you ask? Well, of course. Everyone has them- but some… some might cost lives. Maybe some already have.

There’s trouble brewing at Hogwarts, and it’s not just Peeves running amok or some bad Potions marks. School isn’t for the faint of heart this year, so think long and hard about coming back to old hoggy warty Hogwarts. 

With more serious things going on in the world now, the school is certainly affected. With traitors and maybe even killers within our very walls, things are spicing up, indeed. 

But, of course, we’re still teenagers. There’s still gossip and scandal- but when you’re dealing with warfare, even a little rumor can be high risk.

Watch your backs, witches.

There’s always calm before the storm. For some it’s the fact that you don’t know it’s coming. Others, everything gets quiet, as if somewhere deep inside you can feel it approaching.

As students pack their trunks for another year at Hogwarts, this calm is upon them. It’s relieving for a while, but it won’t last forever. You’d think that going back to the safest place in the world would make them feel better about it- nothing can touch us here. It’s probably the only reason parents aren’t pulling their kids out, in truth- they’ll be safer at Hogwarts. 

But, what if the threat is inside the walls? What if the secrets of those around them put these unsuspecting students in danger? Secrets, you ask? Well, of course. Everyone has them- but some… some might cost lives. Maybe some already have.

It’s the beginning of the First Wizarding War, and no one is safe. 

The once proud Muggle-born, so excited to have magic in their veins, are now hiding who they are - pretending to be a pureblood’s distant relative - or just in hiding all together. 

 The Half-bloods- well, it depends on who they are and where they stand. Half-bloods related to the Sacred Twenty-Eight are safer than most, but it’s so hard to uphold pureblood traditions and values when you yourself are so close to being muggle-born. 

Even Pureblood aren’t entirely protected. Many are blood-traitors, who’s hearts are too good to let the Muggle-born suffer for something they can’t control. They help in any way they can, but how far out of line can you stray before it’s your family on the front page of the Daily Prophet, announced dead? 

And, of course, there are the Pureblood who support You-Know-Who. The safest families at the moment- but still not quite. Because so many of them are devout out of fear of what would happen if they weren’t, or of upbringing- not knowing any better than the values that have been forced upon them. And, of course, those who blindly follow The Dark Lord into battles they very well may lose, or to fumble up a task in the smallest way that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named kills them himself for their error. 

And these are just the adults- those who have learned how to behave in society, outgrown their recklessness and rebellion. Imagine how much worse it is for the teenagers- All of these different categories, cooped up in one school for an entire year, while outside a war is raging. 

No, no one is safe.

There’s always calm before the storm. For some it’s the fact that you don’t know it’s coming. Others, everything gets quiet, as if somewhere deep inside you can feel it approaching.

As students pack their trunks for another year at Hogwarts, this calm is upon them. It’s relieving for a while, but it won’t last forever. You’d think that going back to the safest place in the world would make them feel better about it- nothing can touch us here. It’s probably the only reason parents aren’t pulling their kids out, in truth- they’ll be safer at Hogwarts. 

But, what if the threat is inside the walls? What if the secrets of those around them put these unsuspecting students in danger? Secrets, you ask? Well, of course. Everyone has them- but some… some might cost lives. Maybe some already have.