As much as it hurt, Hermione hoped that she would never get used to it. The day that she could accept the fact that a child had to be killed, that innocent people need to die simply so other innocent people could have half a chance of living their own lives... she'd rather that day would never come.

"Magic isn't the same as a vaccine," Hermione pointed out. "The effects are much more immediate, much easier to see with the naked eye. And Anders was standing right there as proof that there's a ritual that worked, so why would they... why would he...?"

Because that had been the bit that had really stuck with her, hadn't it? That someone who knew exactly what was happening to that poor boy, someone who knew firsthand how much it hurt and how he could actually be helped, had simply resorted to violence. It didn't matter that the demon had attacked first. One demon against eight adults - most of them mages - wouldn't have caused nearly as much damage, and Hermione isn't going to be able to stop thinking about that.