Disclaimer: I do not own either of the series in this story.
Author's note: I can just hear what all of you reading this are saying: 'Another story?!'. Yes, another story. This story is an answer to a challenge made by DragonTamer01. On the one hand, this crossover story would probably seem like it's a bit out of left field. While there are elements that each series has in common with each other, it seems the difference would be how the elements are utilized. Now that I think about it, they're not that different from each other. Anyway, Hermione will be the main character in this entire story. So as you can imagine, this will be a major alternate universe, especially with the crossover. I ask that readers be patient with me as I write this, because with what I have in mind for the story, there will be some things ignored from the Harry Potter canon, mainly the number of minor characters mentioned. Anyway, here is the story. Hope you will enjoy. And please don't be shy about reviewing.
A man in red armor strode down the stone stairway to meet his quarry. Another creature met him face-to-face. The creature stood taller than the man, with white skin and black tattoos. The creature had fangs and pointed ears despite his human-like face. He wore the lower half of armor like the man standing before him, and platinum boots embroidered with feathers, gauntlets on his arms, shirtless, and wielded a large hammer.
"A warrior of the brotherhood," the creature said.
I have come here to put an end to your reign here, beast," the man said.
The same man traversed upwards to a door leading to an inner sanctum. Inside was a circular room with statues of angels holding swords. However, a lone mirror with two dragons on each side stood out, particularly being in the center of the room. The man watched as a tall woman, covered in a black robe, with the front exposed showing a great deal of cleavage and her midriff exposed, stepped forward, with her hips swaying seductively. However, her eyes showed red irises and black sclera.
"I'm told you are looking for me warrior. That you seek to attain the power of my other half. You are brave and handsome. I could show you many things. Many pleasures," the woman said.
"Your empty promises mean nothing to me. You and your brothers have betrayed us all," the man said.
"You are a fool Gabriel," the woman said, identifying the man.
On a floating stone platform, Gabriel stood with a metallic mask in his left hand, while a man in similar armor with white hair stood across from him with a ruined mask.
"It's time we finish this, come," Gabriel said.
"Yes. Let's put an end to this charade. Let us remove our masks," the man said. He put on his mask, and was surrounded in green lightning before a flash of light revealed him in a brown robe.
"You are the Lord of the Necromancers?! The final lord?!" Gabriel demanded.
"Now you finally understand Gabriel. It was I who cast the spell separating the earth from the Heavens. I was able to influence you while you slept. It was you who murdered your wife!" the robed man said.
As Gabriel laid dead on the ground, the robed warrior held the full mask before laughing. However, his laughter was cut short.
"Hmhmhmhmhm. Hail mighty Zobek," the presence said.
"Who's there? Who?!" Zobek said.
"Don't you remember me? I came to you in the void. I gave you power. Power that you could never have attained on your own. In fact, I planted this whole elaborate ruse into your tiny mind. In order to serve my own higher purpose. I no longer need your assistance. The power is now mine," the voice said before Zobek was set on fire.
"No! NOOOOOOOOOO!" Zobek said before finally collapsing. The flames dispersed before a 'man' stood naked on his body, wrapped in darkness, stepped forward picking up the mask. The 'man' held a ghost of a sinister smile on his face before it turned to a sneer, and he looked towards the skies.
"Father! I come for you! Before the end, YOU will bow down to ME!" the 'man' said.
Gabriel held the evil man in a choke hold, preventing him from escaping.
"I will have such fun with your Marie. I will introduce her to such pleasures," the man said while wearing the full mask.
"Her soul will go only to him. Once I'm finished with you, Angel," Gabriel said before light surrounded his body and captured the angel before he disappeared.
A woman with brown hair stood before Gabriel.
"The mask is a powerful device," she said looking at the man who was her husband.
Gabriel stood with what appeared to be a pale young girl with red eyes and fangs a top a tower that appeared to have a rift.
"Wait! Only dark beings can survive on the other side! You'll die!" the girl said to the warrior.
"There is darkness in me," Gabriel regarded coldly.
"But there is also love, compassion, and tenderness. You must leave it all behind to survive. You must become a creature of darkness. Like me," the girl said.
Gabriel drank the girl's blood from her wrist, and continued to feed from her, even as her screams and cries of pain sounded off in his ears. Finally, the girl laid limp in his arms. Gabriel entered the rift.
Inside a dark and humid cave, with the shadows feeling as if they crept into his very being, Gabriel stood on a stone platform. However, facing him was a giant creature over fifteen feet tall, with what appeared to be white, impenetrable armor. However, the right knee of the creature was missing a chunk of it's protective covering, with dark skin and glowing green veins exposed.
"That outfit. You are a warrior of the brotherhood. But something about you is different. Your soul is...unusual," the creature said.
"Mark my words, when I am through with you, you will beg for your miserable life!" Gabriel said.
On a floating platform, with what appeared to be blue-gray skies with floating rocks surrounding it. The monster stood with much of it's armor missing, including one of it's horns missing, with part of it's face exposed. In the sky, what appeared to be a sealed gateway had opened due to a glowing aura that had forced it open. The monster stood towards to seal and looked triumphantly (despite only having it's eyes visible and not it's mouth) as it's power was returning to it. However, Gabriel sprinted to it with his magical boots and used the phantom wings to further lift himself into the sky. Gabriel had stolen the power of the monster and became suffused with it.
"No, no NO!" the creature shouted before it charged at the former human. However, Gabriel disappeared and floated in the air. The creature looked on fearfully, if it were possible to tell, of the power that Gabriel was emanating.
"I yield to you. Mercy my liege. Mercy," the monster said. Gabriel looked coldly at the creature before swiping his arm and slicing the creature in half. The monster disintegrated seconds later. As Gabriel stood at the portal back to the real world, he looked at the cross in his hand and crushed in half.
Hermione's eyes shot open as she found herself propelled in a place unfamiliar to her, still in her pajamas. She remembered falling asleep in her home as the summer was close to coming to an end. As she looked around, all she could were what would be gray skies if it weren't for the giant glowing object with energy that had coalesced, at the top of a high tower. As she took a look around, she could make out that the tower was connected to a large castle in the distance, even through the snow storm.
"Intriguing, is it not?" came a woman's voice. Hermione spun and saw an older woman, possibly in her thirties. The woman had dark locks flowing down to her shoulders. She had fair skin with was covered by a black dress with parts of red armor on her shoulders and also served as a chest plate. Interestingly, the chest plate exposed her copious amount of cleavage, which made Hermione feel four times smaller than she was willing to acknowledge.
"It'll be even more so when I know where I am," the teenager replied with annoyance in her voice.
"Very well. First, my name is Carmilla. And where you are is far from your home or that so-called school you go to for training in your powers," the woman replied.
"Why am I here?" the teenager asked with trepidation.
"Because you've been chosen for a special task. One which will open your eyes to the world in ways which you can't imagine," Carmilla said.
"If that's true, then I'll need your word," Hermione said pulling out her wand.
"Of course you don't believe me, which is why you must follow me," the older woman said.
"No. Not until you make a vow. You couldn't have brought me here without using magic. You must make the vow," Hermione demanded. Carmilla gave the young girl a smug smile.
"You think your magic can work on me?" Carmilla asked with amusement lacing her voice.
"Why not? You seemed to use it well enough," Hermione said forcefully. Carmilla acquiesced to the girl's request and held out a hand. Hermione grabbed the woman's hand.
"Do you vow that you mean to do no harm to me, and that you are telling me the truth; the whole truth?" Hermione demanded. Carmilla smiled.
"Yes," she replied to the teenager. Hermione looked at their arms but there was no reaction. She was confounded as she wasn't sure what to do.
"What's going on?!" the young girl nearly yelled.
"I told you. YOUR magic doesn't work on me," Carmilla said simply.
"Why doesn't it?" Hermione said.
"Let's just say that my powers and abilities are under a much different jurisdiction. That vow you tried to have me undertake can only work on someone who's powers work in a similar manner to yours. You were born with a genetic predisposition to being able to use it. My powers were not. If you want to know the truth, I could very well teach a number of you not to mess with the very fabric of creation the way you have. But it is not my place. My place here and now is to help you," Carmilla said.
"You threaten me and then you say you want to help me?" the teen asked incredulously.
"You do understand that some of those powers involve messing with the foundations of human on a fundamental level? Erasing a person's memory? Love potions that manipulate emotions against a person's will? Do you understand how much damage those things are capable of?" Carmilla explained.
"That's why my school teaches us not to use our magic for evil," Hermione shot back.
"And yet you have people in charge who are quick to treat anyone who has a normal parent as second-class citizens? Not to mention your friend being treated as a pariah and never having to make his life his own?!" Carmilla threw right back in her face.
"What does Harry have to do with this?" Hermione asked.
"Besides the fact that he has the potential to become the Antichrist alongside that delusional fool who thinks himself greater than everyone else, nothing," Carmilla said.
"Antichrist? What are you rambling about?!" Hermione demanded.
"That's why you must follow me," Carmilla said, taking the girl by her arm and leading her down the stairwell. Inside the lower level of the tower, Carmilla brought Hermione into a room with three quarters that were separated. The teen witch saw portraits of two older men, and the third with Carmilla's portrait.
"That's you. In the painting. But this portrait has to be centuries old," Hermione determined.
"It is. As am I," the woman said.
"Who on earth are you?" Hermione said.
"I'll explain later. For now, just follow me," Carmilla said as she led the girl to the lowest level of the tower.
Down in the lower levels, Carmilla and Hermione stood at a ledge and looked out at the ruins of what used to be a grand hallway. As Hermione looked at the murky waters, she saw the fins of large oceanic creatures poke out of the waters every few seconds.
"In the words of Ronald: BLOODY HELL!" Hermione said as she was able to see one of the creatures. It had multiple eyes and had a large, which from her estimation, would allow the creatures to swallow a man whole.
"Indeed. But to save time, we'll just walk right over them abominations," Carmilla said taking the girl's arm again. Before Hermione could say anything, they flew across the corridor and to another platform. As they regained their footing, Carmilla looked at the teenager in bemusement, as she was catching her breath.
"You don't enjoy flying very much, it seems," Carmilla said.
"It's not the most enjoyable activity for me," Hermione replied.
"Don't worry. We'll walk from here," Carmilla said as she took the girl's arm again.
The two found themselves in the courtroom, which to Hermione was oddly designed to be a chessboard with had winged creatures and wolf-like bipedal creatures, and men dressed in robes for some reason. They made their out of the area, and they found themselves taking a tunnel and found themselves back outside at another stairwell, leading to a red door with an ornate carving of a dragon on it. Hermione traversed the steps as she was drawn to the carving. As she reached the door, she laid a hand on it and the doors slowly creaked open leading to a circular room. She glanced at the angel statues until her eyes fell upon a single mirror with two dragons on both sides of the mirror with a skull on top.
"I've seen this room. In a dream," Hermione recalled.
"Are you so certain it was a dream?" Carmilla asked. Hermione looked at the woman strangely.
"This room is where Gabriel fought...'Her'. And it was where he found the one thing that changed everything for him. That mirror has more power than you would think. It can show you your true fate, or so the brotherhood believed. Tell me, what do you see?" Carmilla asked the teenage witch. Hermione peered into the mirror before I glowed brightly.
"I see myself fighting beside Harry and Ron. I see Harry and I growing closer, possibly as more than...than friends. But now it's years later and Ron and I are married, with children. And Ginny is married to Harry. With a son. Why are you showing me this?" Hermione asked as she felt tears begin to fall.
"I'm not. The mirror is showing you what IT wants your future to be. And I'm afraid there are others who are conspiring to do the same. Have you ever wondered why your friend Harry was never made aware of his heritage and potential before becoming a wizard?" the older woman asked.
"As far as I know, his uncle and aunt kept his heritage away from him after the death of his parents," the teen replied.
"Yes. But then why is it that no one in the magical community could take him in? Especially when there were a number of capable magic users who could defend themselves from the Deatheaters, as you call them? And when Voldemort had been nothing but a wandering spirit?" the older woman asked. Hermione was about to answer until she really thought on the implications of the question. There had been a number of people inside and out of the ministry capable of keeping her friend safe. But no one had even believed that he was still around. There was also his condition whenever new school years started. He was always thin and pale, and it bothered her.
"Now you understand that things seem to be more wrong than you, your friends and classmates, and your teachers understand," Carmilla said.
"But why would someone manipulate Harry's life this way?"
"So that he could be likely be strong enough to take down Voldemort, but not so strong that he would survive the encounter. But even the vision you see in the mirror is not by your own choices. And that's why I'm here. Come," Carmilla said, taking the girl's arm again and taking them to the mirror. Hermione's eyes widened as Carmilla literally went into the mirror with her following. As the exited through the other side, she saw that they were in another corridor, which led to a pedestal a grand room with a pedestal at the end.
"What is this place? I haven't seen this," Hermione said. Carmilla was about to respond until she sensed something approaching. As she looked at the floor, she noticed trails of blood slowly creeping in. 'Oh no. This is just like before' the woman thought. Carmilla grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her away, while lifting up her dress slightly to run away. Behind the two, the floor began breaking apart. The two ran fast enough that they escaped into the corridor before the floor behind them was gone. Unfortunately, their troubles weren't over as scattered stones were reforming the remains of a statue.
"Listen to me! Go to the pedestal and take the Void Power! And do not argue with me!" Carmilla said. Hermione quickly obeyed and stood at the pedestal where she found a lone blue gem with a brilliant cut. The young girl grabbed the gem and immediately felt a rush of power flow through her that she did not understand. As she turned her attention back to the forming statue, she found that the statue had come within five feet of her. The statue was a hulking ten feet tall, with the cracks in it being filled with the blood that she had seen in the hallway. The statue lifted an arm preparing to attack. Hermione turned and dashed but was too slow as the arm careening down on her. She had managed to jump away but part of the statue's stone fist had scathed her back, causing a bleeding scar as a result. Hermione had turned to see the statue approach quickly. Carmilla immediately jumped in the way and raised a barrier with blue energy with cracks of lightning appearing ever few seconds. The statue tried it's best to break it but was repelled at every attempt.
"I can hold him it off but you must be the one to take it down!" Carmilla said.
"Why me?!" Hermione heaved out, still feeling the pain.
"You have the Void power! You can use it and shape it in any way you desire! Form it into a weapon! A sword!" Carmilla ordered. Hermione did her best when in her right hand, a grey mist formed, and a strange sword formed. The handle of the sword was in the shape of a crucifix. The blade was the strangest part as it was not made from any metal, but instead appeared crystalline and with a blue, misty hue to it. Hermione stood on her wobbly legs and held the sword at the ready. Carmilla dropped the barrier and the statue swung again. As Hermione shielded herself with the sword, the statue's fist collided with blade, immediately repelling it's attack, causing it to slightly retreat.
"What?!" Hermione said as she looked at the blade.
"Hermione, pierce it's chest!" Carmilla shouted.
"How?!" the teen shot back.
"Just do it!" the older woman shouted. Hermione saw the statue advancing once again. As the young girl thought about what was happening, she thought back to the stories of the last major battles that Harry had been through. How even when the odds were against him, it didn't stop him from bravely, even if she considered it foolish of him at times, charging into battle to save people. Hermione expertly, unknown to her, twirled the sword in hand and charged. She leapt onto the statue's chest, and with the strength she believed she did not possess, pierced the chest and pushed until the blade poked through the back. Light exploded inside the creature until the statue exploded back into the pieces that it was when the two women found it. Hermione breathed heavily as she still held the mysterious sword. Carmilla approached and smirked at the girl.
"Not bad. Though you will need serious help. Come on. Let's get you back home," Carmilla said walking away. Hermione caught up until they were at the large gap where the floor in the hallway was.
"Brilliant. We can't get across," the teen spat out.
"You sure?" Carmilla asked. Hermione saw, in her mind's eye, Gabriel wielding a much similar sword and fighting the same monster she destroyed. After Gabriel defeated it, he pulled out a blue gem that was in the head of the monster. The man in question had used the sword to launch an orb of energy at a nearby waterfall, freezing it. As Hermione came back to herself, she extended an arm, and energy shot out of it, forming a bridge made of sturdy ice.
"The Void gem?" Hermione asked.
"Yes. While I would love to tel you more, you must get back to your home. The mirror will lead us back," Carmilla said as a burst of light shone in front of them. They both stepped through and found themselves back in her bedroom at her home.
"So where does that leave us now?" the teen asked the woman.
"You close your eyes and then you wake up new, that is after we become one," the older woman replied.
"Become one?" the teen asked, hoping this 'dream' would end soon.
"Yes. You are a talented girl in the use of spells. Capable of much especially with your knowledge. But for what lies ahead. You will need help. My spirit will merge with your body. And when you awake, you will find things much more different on other scales. But I will do so with your consent," Carmilla said as she extended a hand. Hermione looked at the hand for a few moments. This woman had shown her unbelievable things and had kept her safe from a hulking monster. But still she knew that the questions presented to her made her come to some rather disturbing conclusions. Hermione took the hand and a bright light flashed before everything went dark.
Light filtered into the teenage girl's room as the sun was rising. As she opened her eyes and rolled onto her back, she immediately hissed and sat up straighter. The girl rushed out of bed and into her bathroom realizing what the pain meant. As she looked into the mirror, she became enamored by what she saw. She had grown six inches taller and her hair had become a darker brown and her lips fuller. As she continued to look at herself, she noticed that she had become curvier in her hips, and strangely, her chest had grown four cup sizes, leading to an impressive bust in her opinion. She shook her head of the thought turned around with her back to the mirror. She lifted the back of her shirt, and turned to the mirror, seeing a large scar on her back. Her thought back to the stone statue that attacked her in what she thought was her dream.
'I assure you, it was no dream. It was very real,' came Carmilla's voice in her head. Hermione's eyes widened at the implications before she left the bathroom. As he returned to her room and started pack more of her things for the new school year, her parents knocked on the door.
"Come in," Hermione acknowledged. Her parents entered and she turned to see them. Their expressions went from smiling faces to expressions of shock, awe, and confusion.
"Erm. Good morning dear," Mrs. Granger addressed her daughter.
"Is everything alright sweetheart?" her father asked.
"Yes Father. I'm just getting more things together," she replied, hoping there was no tension in her voice.
"Well, breakfast is ready in the kitchen. We'll be ready to meet with Harry and the Weasleys in three days. We'll leave you to it then," her father said as he left the room, trying to reconcile the memory of the shy yet strong-willed girl with the girl who had suddenly grown in ways that he feared boys would be drawn to like bees and honey.
"With everything going on in the wizarding world, I would imagine that things won't be as easy this time around," Mrs. Granger said trying to make conversation. Hermione stared blankly at what she was doing, as her eyes began glowing crystal blue.
"Yes. This year shall be interesting indeed."