Running.

That’s what life in wizarding London has come down to these days. Everyone’s running. They’ve all got different stories, different lives, different reasons. But all running.

I should have told them to run, as fast as they can. Run away because the monsters are coming.

In the dark, under the cloak of night, the cover of darkness, they run. They escaped the reportedly impenetrable fortress of Azkaban in one terrifying night and then disappeared. The wizarding world lives in fear; the escaped prisoners are still out there, meeting secretly, plotting, still striking fear through the random senseless murder that cannot be otherwise explained. And in the nightmares of every witch, wizard, and child. They run in the shadows.

And we never stopped, did we? Running, running, running.

At every corner, under every street light, everywhere, they run. The new defense of the Ministry, a force of less-prepared wizards under the leadership of the new Minister, chases shadows and odd noises in the hopes of catching the phantom evil that disappeared from the infamous prison. The Ministry scrambles to maintain order and peace in the midst of chaos, replacing true defense and protection with more rules and regulations, trained Aurors with average wizards who barely survived their O.W.L.s. They run in confusion.

Very first word I ever said to you..such a long time ago. I took your hand, I said one word. Just one word. I said,“Run!”

When nobody knows, behind mild manners and regular jobs, they run. Former Aurors with Ministry regulations tying their hands, old and young wizards tired of the new hypocrisy of the new regime and the looming threat of Azkaban escapees, they fight their resistance against the residents of the darkness and the binding regulations of the current Ministry. They work in secret to defend against the evil the Ministry pretends not to notice. They run in rebellion.

That one time we had to hop! Do you remember? Hopping for our lives! Yeah! All that hopping!

Behind closed doors, in whispered conversation. They are all afraid. While the Ministry ignoring the explanation blaming escaped prisoners, the new Minister takes the rise in crimes as an opportunity to crack down on all he considers suspicious. Werewolves, elves, Veela, half-bloods, Muggle-borns, and even those loosely connected to them are running from the law meant to protect. The Ministry’s list of suspects is long and growing longer. And if you’re on it, it’s not long before you disappear as well. Even the smallest thing could put anyone under Ministry surveillance, make you a threat. No one is safe. They run in fear.

When I say run, run!

Running.

That’s what life in wizarding London has come down to these days. Everyone’s running. They’ve all got different stories, different lives, different reasons. What are you running for?