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"Powerful infatuations can be induced by the skillful potioneer, but never yet has anyone managed to create the truly unbreakable, eternal, unconditional attachment that alone can be called Love."
-Hector Dagworth-Granger on love potions.
Amortentia
Amortentia is the name of the most powerful love potion in existence. It doesn't create actual love; it's impossible to manufacture or imitate love. A wise man should never underestimate a powerful infatuation and what it can do to a person. It is dangerous in that it is akin to the most powerful Imperio in forcing a person to act against his or her will and act instead in his or her "love" for another. It is obsession, a sickness and a poison in its intensity. Fortunately however, its effect is temporary and has to be drank or taken in continuously. But, there had been rumors of a more permanent love potion created almost a thousand years ago and a young desperate Severus Snape had been eager to grasp at any hints of it. It was unfortunate that his object of affection had died in the hands of the master he served long before his potion was created and finally perfected. He would later place the said potion in safe keeping, along with its accompanying antidote, the only potions of its kind in existence.
If a man lost what little has in his meager existence, it will be sure that he will seek vengeance for his loss. He will let neither morality nor values to stop him in his endeavor. He knew that Albus Dumbledore knows of his desperation and of what he can do in his grief. Instead of stopping him in his insanity, Dumbledore took advantage of it, festering the wounds and scars of Snape's tortured psyche and utilizing it to his goal. They always said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Thus, when Albus asked him to convince Aro of the Volturi to join their cause, Albus did not ask nor told Severus how he will go about doing it. Dumbledore did not need to know how his trusted spy would get the Volturi to join their cause, it is only necessary that he does. After all, the idea of the vampire world joining forces with Voldemort is horrific, not only due to the power of a select few among their number but their natural immunity to most spells and charms makes them a formidable foe. Snape was in despair because he knows of no leverage to use against the ruling vampire coven before realizing that blood replenishing potions works on their bodies and figured that potions may be able to work. He then remembered the potion he brewed more than a decade back. It had been quite simple to get a sample of DNA from the person he aimed to be the focus of his potion. He synthesized her DNA with his potion before doing more research on the one he planned to administer it on.
He used his considerable spying skills to use, monitored the feeding habits of those in Volterra, particularly Aro, the vampire behind the thrones. He gave numbers and data to Sinistra, birthdates and numerology of names from those the vampire king fed on, only claiming to help the war cause and not giving more details than needed. Many people underestimate the power of numbers, but Snape is not one of them, he knows that these figures would lead to commonalities that would enable him to predict the patterns of feeding Aro has. Thus, he had been able to correctly inject his improvised Amortentia in the veins of an unknowing victim before oblivating any memory of this act. The next day, Aro would feed on the said muggle and Snape would give an innocent Sinistra a pint of butterbeer, a favor amongst co-teachers and a figurative pat on the back on fellow revolutionists.
That year, Snape took on the herculean task of teaching Harry Potter the subtle arts of Occlumency on the conditions that he would also teach his friend, Hermione Granger the same, given how she would be able to help him learn better. Dumbledore had been pleased at his "enthusiasm" suggested that he also take Ronald Weasley under his tutelage and Snape merely looked at the old man as if he suggested dancing naked under the cold Scottish rain. He merely dismissed the idea by saying he does not like to prolong the presence of dunderheads in his life. Ron, despite not wanting to spend more time with Snape than he had to, was jealous and irritated at not being a part of something "special" that as usual he took his anger out on a convenient Hermione who almost grew depressed at his irrational anger induced bursts.
Severus Snape's bitterness and Harry's own anger made the latter's lessons in Occlumency useless and in fact, weakened his defenses and enabled the Dark Lord to manipulate his mind to his godfather's detriment. But Hermione, more disciplined, more academically inclined and eager to please the teacher she'd feared most, flourished. Her mental defenses became natural, her youth fueling her learning, enables her to protect her mind against torture, a most skilled Legilimens of even Dumbledore's and Voldemort's caliber and even the powerful probing of a tactile telepath who can read every thought that came into a person's mind at a touch. Snape took pride in showing Hermione's progress to Dumbledore and proved that he is not an incompetent teacher, merely had issues against Potter and the student against him that made their learning together difficult.
That summer, it would not take much convincing on his part to have Hermione accompany him on an Order mission. Ron would jealousy insinuate that Hermione and Snape might be fooling around, which had Harry, who often took Ron's side during arguments respond angrily at Ron who quickly backed down. Dumbledore insisted that Hermione's ability at Occlumency would enable her to help Snape out with this particular mission. Ron would sulk because of the adults' agreement with this decision, even though his mother had initially voiced out her opinion that Hermione might be too young.
That summer would be the beginning of the end for an unknowing Hermione.
When Severus Snape killed Dumbledore and "betrayed" the Order, there had been some concerns regarding the fact that he had been the one who garnered the support of the Volturi, the reigning Vampire coven. But Aro, one of the three kings had been quick to ascertain that his coven's support goes on beyond Snape's membership in the Order and that he had been a mere messenger for Dumbledore for whom he pledged his support. He vowed that he would rid the world of uncontrollable werewolves, so that vampires and other supernatural beings like wizards and witches can live in peace and safety. While he does not begrudge Remus Lupin for his transformation and instead admire him for his ability to take control of the beast by locking himself up during the full moon, the likes of Fenrir Greyback and his gang needs to be eliminated. The members of the Order of Phoenix lapped up his explanation as he expected. He, his coven and a number of talented vampires fought for the Light.
Hermione, precious dear Hermione, had not been tortured by Bellatrix because Aro ordered Dmitri to look for her and with the help of Dobby the house elf, rescued them and they were even able to capture Fenrir Greyback and Bellatrix Lestrange as they went on. Caius took great joy in torturing Greyback for information while Jane found it difficult to extract information from a deranged Bellatrix even with her powers of inducing great pain. Caius, being a brilliant strategist, realized that capturing Lestrange, Voldemort's right hand, would ensure that the war draws to its climax. Aro took over Bellatrix's interrogation and relayed the information to the awaiting Order. He, with the help of his brothers and Professor Minerva McGonagall drew a strategic plan to ensure that Harry would be able to face Voldemort and fight him as stated in the prophecy.
All of Dumbledore's planning and the strategies the Volturi brothers and McGonagall drawn up did not quite work as expected, regardless, Harry Potter won and Voldemort is now defeated. But an unfortunate thing happened along the way; Severus Snape died, while he had been able to share his memories of Lily to Harry, he had not been able to warn him or Hermione who accompanied him of what else he had done to ensure Harry's victory. He could never imagine the consequences of his actions.
Hermione stood by the Weasleys as they mourned the death of their youngest son, her boyfriend Ronald. They have only been dating for weeks when Ronald was attacked by a pack of Inferi while he and the group of Aurors he was sent to responded to a Muggle report about "zombies". While he was given full honors in his burial, despite the fact he was only an apprentice Auror, given his status as a war hero, this does little to console his family. Especially, Hermione, who have yet to find her parents and had just found this small dose of happiness in her love with Ron.
Next to go was Harry Potter, his death had been mundane in that he was hit by a Muggle truck. That in alone could not have killed him and St. Mungo's would have sent help but the Muggles acted faster and sent him to a nearby hospital where a wrong dose of medication injected in his IV sent him into a coma before his heart succumbed. Hermione wanted to press charges against the hospital but there had been no trace of who did it and what drug they administered. The magical community grieved and stood in shock at the fast chain of events.
The Wizardry World was abuzz with rumors. The Dark Lord had been said to have cursed the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts post at Hogwarts, while his death seemed to have released the curse, many speculated that he could have used his last strength to curse the three who led to his demise. Hermione scoffed at this superstitious nonsense and did not allow the Weasleys or any of her friends to accompany her to and from work saying that she cannot allow fear to rule her life.
She was the next to disappear. The magical community rose and expended all efforts to look for her, but it was in vain. They would not easily find her, their Persephone was taken by Hades.
When Hermione woke up she was on a plane, protected by what she assumed to be runic charms given how she cannot even feel her magic. She did not know that Aro had these specially commissioned on all the properties and vehicles of the Volturi so as to make them impervious to magical search, security breech and to render any witch or wizard incapable of using their magic within. Aro, one of the vampire kings she'd met sometime had her hair on his lap while he lovingly stroked each strand. Aro smiled at her. "You are finally awake. We are a few hours from home but we'd be there soon, cara." Hermione sat up and noticed that she wore a dress, different from what she wore that morning. She looked at him confusedly, her head still buzzing from whatever they drugged her with. "What do you mean home? What am I doing here?" She asked trying to look for her wand.
Aro merely smiled at her. "We are going home to Volterra, where I will take care of you." Hermione struggled but was too dizzy to fight the feeling of sleepiness that overcame her. She once again fell unconscious; she felt arms around her placing her into a more comfortable position.
Aro smiled at the realization that he finally had her in his arms. He remembered the days when cattle and other livestock had all you needed to barter for a wife. Since the medieval ages though, war was sometimes part of the bride price and he did not consider this any differently. He went to war for this mere slip of a girl and he would have her. She may protest at first, but he knows she will soon be happy with him. He'd done more than go to war for her. He killed those who might protest her loss, those who will not stop to look for her and finally, got rid of his wife of several millennia when Sulpicia protested their separation, but he'd assumed she protested the loss of Corin's powers more.
Hermione would fight with all she has, but upon her turning she will forget her old life and forget why she struggled so. Strangely, despite her turning, she did not lose her magic as one might expect (there had not really been any wizard or witch turned into vampires as their families would usually burn the bodies of those going through the transformation) and Aro could not have been any happier. Even if somebody knew to administer Snape's antidote to Aro or informed him of the need to take it, he would not have. Not only did he relish in the emotions he felt for the young witch, emotions he'd all but forgotten in the three millenniums of his existence, but now her formidable powers made her a treasured asset in his collection. She had been a brilliant witch before her turning and she turned into a great one afterwards as she had resources previously unavailable to her. He treasured her, taught her of the culture and history of people long gone and he catered to her thirst for knowledge and cultivated a thirst for power he eagerly shared. With her by his side, he knows that Volturi would be impossible to defeat.