Hermione Granger had been walking towards Fred and George's shop when had someone petrified her. Her eyes had widened in fear - who was it? Her silent question had been answered by two masked death eaters, whom she had recognized as Rodolphus and Bellatrix, stepped into the light and lifted the spell.

'Well well well, who do we have here? The brains of the golden trio.' Bellatrix had smiled evilly while Hermione stretched her fingers. Rodolphus hadn't missed it.

'It seems she is not afraid of us, dear wife. What shall we do about that?' His own grin had widened as a flash of insight had passed his wife's eyes. Both had aimed her wand at her chest. She'd stared at them calmly.

Bellatrix had spoken carefully, as if considering her own words. 'A bit of pain will work, I suppose. What do you say?' She had looked at her husband expectantly. An evil look had been her answer. In unison, they had spoken the Unforgivable Curse.

'Crucio,'

Hermione's cynical laugh had been the only sound in the dark alleyway as several emotions crossed the married couple's faces. Expectancy, confusion, anger … fear. Hermione had carefully measured her steps so that she had been about 2 inches from Bellatrix' face.

'It seems you two are afraid of me,' She had hissed in their faces. 'And you are right.'

In a swift motion, she had petrified them both, put away their masks in case anyone should stop by, and walked away.

A pair of brown eyes blinked as Voldemort retreated from her mind, a look of pure fury on his face. This promised to be entertaining.

Every Death Eater was sitting around a table in Malfoy Mansion, with her on her Master's right side and Severus on his left. Neither of them was looking at each other. Her potions master seemed to be intrigued by a small dot on the otherwise spotless table, and Hermione was staring intently at Voldemort.

'It seems you are not aware who is currently sitting at my side,' He hissed at Lestrange. 'Since when, exactly, have we started attacking each other without reason?'

Bellatrix was staring at her Master, pleading. 'My Lord, I did not know. Gra-'

'Shadow is currently more important to my success than you are, Bellatrix, so I would be silent if I were you. I hope for the both of you that your nephew has better news.'

At this, Voldemort turned his head towards a very nervous Draco Malfoy. Hermione heard both Bellatrix and Rodolphus sigh in relief. They were forgiven.

'My Lord … The c-cabin is not ready for use y-yet.' He stammered in his haste to provide an answer for an unspoken question. He refused to look into his Master's eyes, and instead bore his gaze into hers.

What a mistake.

She heard Voldemort hiss in disapproval against the boy and decided to take matters into her own hands.

She did not even lift her wand as she entered Draco's mind.

A dead bird. They were in the Room of Requirement. She saw Draco blast a frustrated spell at the cabin.

She returned to herself as Voldemort finished his question about the cabin. Her delighted laugh filled the room and she saw several Death Eaters shiver, including the Malloys.

'You broke the cabin?' She asked the pale, trembling boy as she leaned forward. 'I always knew you weren't up to the task of fixing it, but to break it even further is beyond my guess.' She laughed again as the schoolboy shivered and looked down. Voldemort caught her attention with a small cough.

'Draco, have you broken down our only way of entering Hogwarts?'

The boy looked at his parents for help. They were both staring at the ceiling, but his mother reassured him with a slight nod of her head. He returned his attention to his Master.

'I have, my Lord. My ap-'

Voldemort didn't let him finish. 'Crucio!'

Draco screamed out in agony. Hermione leaned backwards in her chair, trying very hard not to jump in front of the wand as Draco's screams filled the room. Finally, they stopped, and Hermione opened her eyes again. Everybody else was staring at the werewolf in the middle of the room. Fenrir Greyback had entered the room, together with –

She gasped unwillingly as she recognized the girl he was dragging with her and she was eternal grateful for the mask covering her face and disguising her voice. Voldemort turned his face a bit and looked at her school friend.

'I caught this school girl in Hogsmeade, my Lord.' The werewolf told them. 'I wanted to leave her, as she is pureblood, but she dared to speak out your name.'

The misty voice spoke up to the snake-like man next to her, this time with a certainty Hermione had never heard before in that particular voice.

'I do not fear you, Voldemort. Kill me if you want, but you will never victory over Harry Potter. He will win, and you will lose. Remember that.'

Several shivers went through the crowd as she spoke, but Voldemort himself barely looked amused.

'Oh, but I will not murder you. Shadow …' He let the word drift of and Hermione nodded. She stared into the eyes of her friend and tried to collect the courage to murder her. Named friend gasped.

'Hermione … why?'

She did not answer, but lifted her wand and spoke the spell.

'Avada Kedavra.'

A green flash shot out of her wand and to the end of the room. She closed her eyes as the light hit a solid object and took away its life.

The body of Luna Lovegood fell lifelessly to the floor.

With strong, rhythmical paces Hermione Granger was walking towards the end of the protective circle that surrounded Malfoy Manor. She heard Draco drag himself after her, and how he was supported by her teacher. She didn't care, just walked on and on. She felt a shiver when she stepped out of the circle and waited impatiently for the dreaded potions master and his godson. Her foot tapped the ground as she saw him appear. With a look of disgust on her face she grabbed his hand, only to let it go the second her feet hit the ground.

'Still can't see why I can't do it myself.' She muttered as she pulled of the mask. With her wand, she straightened her hair.

Severus had also removed his mask and was now pouring some drinks down Malfoy's throat. 'They'd know,' he answered her muttered question for the hundredth time since she had joined the Death Eaters.

'It's not like it's the first time I'll break the law,' she spitted out the last word as if it was venom. 'For Merlin's sake, Malfoy, if you don't drink that the only thing that'll be left of your miserable brain in the morning is a raisin!' she added as the pale boy on the ground spit out what she had poured into his mouth. She tried again and he swallowed.

'That should do it. Now get up, it's almost morning.' It was true: the sky was already a bit reddish and in no less than an hour school would start.

He did as told and stood up, removing both his mask and his cloak. Hermione transfigured her own in school robes and pulled a clip out of her hair. A flick of her wand and it was a Gryffindor tie. She started pacing, followed by the two man.

Hermione sought in her robes for the potion and gulped it down. A ticklish feeling crept through her arm as she handed it to Draco. He drank it.

'We're gonna need some more of that if you want us to stay anonymous.' I told the greasy-haired man. He gave me his 'glare of death'.

'Must I remind you, miss Granger, that we are on school grounds –'

'Not yet, we're not.' She interrupted him, pointing at the gate. With a laugh as she heard him mutter in anger she jumped over it with a single jump. She quickly disillusioned herself and continued her pace. Malfoy followed her as he focused on the feeling of the Dark Mark.

'If I were you, Shadow,' Severus spat out her nickname and emphasized it to show how much he hated her. 'I'd be careful how I'd treat my elders.'

'Don't make me laugh.'

The snappy remark shut him up until they were in the Great Hall, and Draco and Hermione went for breakfast while Snape got to his classroom.

'Hi,' She said happily as she sat down next to Harry. Everybody smiled.

'Wer af ou 'een, 'Oyny?'

She sighed as she remembered not to murder Ron. 'Swallow, then speak.' She said as kindly as she could.

He took a big gulp of pumpkin juice and licked his lips. 'Tasty breakfast. Where have you been, 'Mione?' He repeated his question.

I've been discussing how to kill your best friend with Voldemort. 'Nowhere special.'

'Hey guys, have you seen Luna today?' Ginny interfered. I shook my head but didn't say anything.

Ron shrugged and took another bite. 'She's probably just petting a nargle,' he comforted his sister. She nodded in silent agreement.

But, of course, nobody had seen her until lunch.

'I checked the infirmary, and she's not ill. I feel worried,' Ginny told them.

Or at dinner.

'Would something have happened to her?'

Or the next morning.

'Where is she! She won't answer her Triamo!'

Hermione almost chocked down her tea. 'You guys made a Triamo?' A Triamo was like a phone in the muggle world, just very hard to make. Ginny nodded. Hermione wanted to ask more, but just then, her arm started to burn.

'I just remembered, I need to go to the library,' she told everyone, and within a second, she was outside. She hurried upstairs to get her cloak. She pulled it on and hurried downstairs again.

Just then she remembered her mask. She almost ran upstairs.

'Password.'

'Sugar.' Hermione hissed out in pain.

'Correct,'

The painting moved and Hermione jumped in.

'Forgot something?'

She skipped to a halt when the very familiar voice sounded through the otherwise empty Common room. Slowly, she turned around to see Harry standing next to the entrance, with her Death Eaters Mask in his hand and his wand in the other.

Oh, how her arm burned! She could feel the tears filling up her eyes, that's how much it hurted.

'Harry, it's –'

'Ginny sought your room. She was worried when she found this. It does explain a lot.' He looked at her with those green eyes. Normally, she would have mastered both his wand and her mask in a second, but oh how her arm hurt! He kept staring at her as he continued. 'Like why you were absent this much, or why you kept drinking your 'strength potion'.' He literally made the air quotes. She rolled her eyes. 'Roll up your sleeve.'

She shouldn't have done it. She still had her wand. But somehow, she couldn't remember one spell or jinx. So she just grabbed her sleeve and pulled it up. Now that it was activated, the Dark Mark wasn't hidden by a potion. He just nodded at the sight of her plain betrayal.

'Where is Luna?'

The question came out of nowhere, so it took her a few seconds to answer. Her voice sounded normal when she answered, even brave.

'She is dead.'

Again, all he did was nod.

'Expelliarmus,'

She didn't have time to realize her wand was in his hand, before the pain made her see all black.

'I don't believe it!'

She was woken roughly by a loud voice. In fact, it was a wonder she hadn't woken up from the burning in her left arm, for it was feeling like a fire just consumed it.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open and she noticed she was tied to a chair. Great.

One look told her she was in the Headmaster's office, and that the Headmaster was not particularly happy. He was sitting right across from her, staring as if he could indeed see right through her. The usual twinkle was missing.

'Hermione? Hermione, you're awake!' A chair next to hers cracked and the face of Ronald Weasley appeared before Hermione's eyes. He looked – exhausted. She glanced around the room and found it filled with 6 people, including herself. Dumbledore, Snape, Harry, Ron and a very sobbing Ginny were standing around her. Harry didn't look at her, but the rest did. Both Ginny and Snape looked accusing, Snape because she had let herself got caught, and Ginny because she had murdered Luna.

'Miss Granger, can you hear me?' Dumbledore's tone was serious and she turned her head again.

'Yes, I can,' she answered. Veritaserum. This just kept getting better.

'Do you know why you are here?'

'Yes.'

Ron cut in before Dumbledore could ask another question. 'Are you a Death Eater?'

she turned her cold gaze to him. 'Yes, I am.'

Now Harry cut in. 'Since when?'

'Since the start of this school year.'

Before either of them could ask another question, Dumbledore coughed. 'As much as I understand your hurt, I would like to ask some questions myself. Miss Granger, have you been forced into becoming a Death Eater?' He added immediately. Now, that was a fun question.

'No, I haven't.'

'Have you voluntarily become a Death Eater, while fully understanding what you were about to do?'

'Yes, I have.'

'Why did you become a Death Eater?' Ginny's sob was barely audible. 'Harry is your best friend.'

Great. A choice.

'He most certainly is not.'

Ginny began sobbing again, and I turned to stare and Dumbledore again. He seemed to think for a second.

'Are you able to perform Occlumency?'

'I am.'

'Are you able to perform wand less magic?'

'I am.'

'In what way?'

'If it were my intention to, I would be able to break free of these bonds within a second.' She did hesitate for a second, knowing his next question. Behind Dumbledore, Severus moved just slightly.

'Why is it not your intention to do so?'

'I am waiting.'

'Waiting for what?'

Just then, he was hit by Severus' curse and fell to the ground.

'For that,' Hermione said a bit smug. The rope that bond her to the chair fell down and she picked her wand from the desk and flicked it. The door was clicked shut a millimetre before Ronald's eyes. Another flick caused the rope to tie Harry down. Hermione quickly got his wand and smiled evilly at him.

'Hermione?' His eyes were now full fear. 'You wouldn't really hurt any one of us, right?'

'I would most certainly not,' she told him while making a few extra knots. Hermione saw Snape being busy with the Weasley's. Harry sighed in relief. 'But the Dark lord will.'

He almost chocked from this.

The next sound came from Ginny. She stared at Hermione.

'Why?' she asked silently.

Only one thing popped into Hermione's mind. The Veritaserum made her say it.

'Because I am told to,' she whispered, before pressing the Dark Mark.

'Hermione, you don't have to do this! Untie me, and we'll stop him together! Hermione!'

''Mione, please, don't! Just listen to Harry!'

'Hermione,' Ginny's voice was merely a whisper. That was all she said.

It said enough.

Both her and Severus were sitting in the Headmaster's office, trying very hard to ignore the desperate screams of Hermione's friends. Suddenly, they felt someone else come closer, but as they felt a Death Eater's magic, neither was surprised when the door BANGED open and Draco stepped in.

'What in Merlin's hairy underwear has happened in here?' He screamed out. Hermione stiffed a giggle and aimed her wand at Dumbledore as she heard him stir.

'Petrificus Totalus … again …' she complained. 'Why can't the Dark Lord just hurry up? What's taking him so long, anyway?' The last was aimed at their Potions Master sitting in the Headmaster's chair, while she was leaning against the desk. Draco was still standing in the doorway.

'Easy, Shadow. Explain.' The latter grinned as he took in the entire room. 'Not that I complain, the cabinet wasn't going that good.' He took a seat on a leather chair and looked at her. Hermione opened her mouth to start but Harry interfered … again.

'Shadow?' He spit out the word as if it would kill him.

'Like my nickname,' She asked, winking playfully. 'That way if anyone found out, all they'd know was that there was someone called shadow, not me.'

Harry was staring at Hermione as if he didn't know her.

Which he didn't.

Just then, they heard a lot of noise and the three Death Eaters grimaced from the sudden stab of pain.

'Ready, guys?' Draco laughed at the three terrified expressions of his prisoners. The door opened.

'Shadow, what a surprise,' the high-pitched voice called her.

'My lord,' She bowed her head.

'And whom do we have here? Harry Potter …' He slowly moved inside and Hermione noticed a grinning Bellatrix behind him.

Harry was staring at Voldemort with all the hatred he had, but the pain was visible on his face. Ginny was looked at Harry, fear in her eyes, but not for herself, for her boyfriend. Ron was switching looks; from Hermione, to Ginny, to Voldemort. He was anxious.

Then it hit Hermione.

They were going to be murdered.

Because of her.

She was feeling …

Guilty?

She hadn't felt like that in a long time.

Not since …

No! Focus!

Voldemort was staring at Harry with mild interest.

She only had seconds.

Her wand lay in her hand.

She heard herself murmur the words.

'Tempus exercete odiis perstat qui.' Time stands still for those with hate.

Voldemort froze. Bellatrix and Snape followed.

Draco didn't freeze.

She didn't, either.

'What in the –'

'Oh for Merlin's sake, Malfoy, that spell froze everyone with hate in their souls, so don't even pretend you hate anyone! Now untie those while I try to undo the spell on Professor Dumbledore!' To her surprise, he did as told.

'Finite Incantatem,' She furiously hoped the spell wasn't as hard as it sounded.

It wasn't.

'Thank you, miss Granger,' Professor Dumbledore pierced her eyes with his as he got up. Hermione blushed and looked down.

'The spell lasts for an hour. I – I should go now,' she turned to leave the room but found it locked. Slightly irritated, she turned to see who had done it.

Only to look in the eyes of one VERY angry snake.

'You have done very well, Shadow.' The Dark Lord sat on his throne and was looking at a bowing figure on the ground.

'Thank you, my Lord.' Hermione muttered. No feelings, nothing … think of a black sky, endless, without any emotion. Snape's voice recited in her head. It worked. The grief and guilt of what she had done to her … former … friends, washed away. Thankfully, the Dark Lord did not feel the need to intrude in her mind.

Thank Merlin!

'Give them their meals, they need to stay alive for the Ceremony.'

'Yes, my Lord.'

She stood up and walked towards the kitchens, picking up the plates and headed to the dungeons. The first door was opened by a masked Death Eater she didn't recognize immediately and she entered Harry's cell.

He just looked at her as she put the slice of bread and can of water in front of him. He was sitting against the wall, his hands wrapped around his legs. Hermione concentrated on her eyes, so that they would not reveal her true feelings. She succeeded. The next cell.

The masked Death Eater closed Harry's cell and opened the next one. Draco's.

She just did the same and walked away again. He stood up but she didn't mind until he headed for the door.

'Crucio,'

It was just a whisper, but Draco screamed it out in agony. She lifted the spell and went outside again.

The next one was Ron's. He had heard Draco's screams and didn't head for the door, just stared at her with a pained look as Harry had done.

It became harder and harder to look indifferently. She could hold it up at Ginny's cell, luckily, but just barely. Then came the next one. She stood in front of it for at least 30 seconds before she nodded to whomever was under the mask and the door was opened.

Her Headmaster was sitting in a way Yoga-masters sit in the muggle world and seemed to play a mind-game with himself. His eyes were sparkly as he spotted the food.

'I did not expect to be fed, miss Granger,' he said pleasantly, but Hermione couldn't answer. She couldn't tell him exactly why he was kept alive …

'Are you quite alright, Hermione?' He asked, worried now. He was worried about her, while he was being held captive in a cell with just a slice of bread and a bit of water? That wasn't normal! She felt everyone's wand in her robe and as she thought about his worries, she couldn't help herself.

She let Dumbledore's wand ''slip'' from her robe. He merely nodded and began to chew on his food.

She couldn't comprehend.

He hadn't stupefied her yet?

She left the cell confused …

That man was really confusing!

She turned for the door, still in thought about how he hadn't hexed her within a second, when his voice made he turn around.

'One more thing, miss Granger. Who is currently Headmaster at Hogwarts, as it is obvious that I am not.'

I thought before a second and then decided it couldn't hurt. 'Severus, Professor.' She muttered before closing the door and walking away. Her hand hovered near two doors that were opposite to Dumbledore's, but she wasn't foolish enough to enter. She heard their voices and that was enough.

Her parents were still alive.

They would be free soon enough.

She sighed as she turned to face Harry's cell again.

'Leave me for a second.' She told the Death Eater. He nodded and left. She had proved herself faithful.

Months ago.

Not today.

She opened the heavy door and entered, closing it behind her. Harry had finished his food and was just staring at her again. He opened his mouth.

'What has happened to you, Hermione?' His voice sounded raw and she had to swallow to answer.

'This is me, Harry … you just hadn't realized it yet …' It hurt to tell him. He shook his head and seemed to disagree.

'Not, it's not. Something happened to you, because this isn't the Hermione that risked her life for Sirius' …'

Hermione sighed and got the plate. He didn't move, just waited. A tear threatened to roll over her cheek. A black sky, no stars and no emotions, everything the same as always … It worked again. Her stone look returned. She headed for the door again.

'If you obey him he won't hurt anyone,' She told him, both a help for him and herself.

She sighed again before Ron's door.

'Alohomora,'

' 'Mione?'

The voice asked her before she had even entered. She shook her head.

'No, I'm not,' She answered, knowing the truth in it. 'I'm Shadow …'

This time, she just got the plate and left.

She realized she'd skipped Draco's cell. She opened it and found a fist meeting her nose. She closed the door behind her as Draco kept beating her. She knew she deserved it. Finally, he stopped.

'Episkey,'

All the evidence of him beating Hermione up disappeared and she took the plate. He was sitting on the ground.

'Why, Hermione?' He asked her.

'I'm not Hermione,' This time she didn't hesitate. 'I'm Shadow.'

And it was true. She was Shadow again. Not Hermione. She was the same person who had murdered Luna Lovegood, the same person who had locked everybody she knew up.

And Harry was right.

Hermione wouldn't do that.

But Shadow would.

'My Lord, the potion is nearly finished. In a week's time, you will be immortal.' Severus was kneeling before the Dark Lord's throne. Shadow took a step forward and tilted her head a bit sideways.

'A week?' She repeated. Severus looked at her, hate written over is face, but nodded. 'Vita Secundem takes three days to brew, Severus.'

A flash of white-hot anger was shot at Shadow, but she didn't mind. She just looked at him. She heard the Dark Lord stand up and she looked left just in time to see him raise his wand at the kneeling man.

'Legillimens.'

Shadow waited, but then noticed something.

Severus was staring at her, not with anger, not with hate … with pity. Then he turned to look at the floor again and seemed to return to normal.

A black sky has no emotions, and neither do you. Think of nothing … belief me.

It helped. At the time, she had learned Occlumency from this.

Now it just kept her face straight.

'Why won't you let me in, Severus? Perhaps a little pain will help you let your master in.' The Dark Lord sat down.

'M- my Lord –'

'Shadow?'

'Of course, my Lord.' Shadow summoned all the hatred she had ever felt and raised her wand.

'Crucio,'

The man screamed, and screamed, and screamed. At a sign from the man besides her, Shadow lifted the curse and grinned.

'Legillimens,' The Dark Lord repeated the second Snape's screams stopped.

About a minute later, both returned to the present. The Dark Lord looked furious, while Snape looked slightly scared.

This promised to be nice.

'Shadow, will you escort this traitor to the dungeons?' The man besides her said. 'I now know all I need.'

'Gladly, my Lord.' She couldn't help but feel an evil grin spread though her face. Snape stood up and aimed his wand at her. She laughed.

'Go ahead. Try.'

He did try.

'Sectumsempra!'

'Protego Horribilis,' She whispered quickly. The spell bounced off and hit Snape. Another laugh escaped her.

'Shadow, keep him alive,' The Dark Lord said lazily. 'We need another sacrifice.'

'Naturally, my Lord.' She walked over to the bleeding man and smiled. 'Too bad I can't kill you. But you will make a great sacrifice, I'm sure of it.'

A quick thought and she nodded. She carelessly flicked her wand over Snape's chest.

'Vulnera Sanentur,' The wounds started to heal, and Snape seemed to breath better. Another flick of Shadow's wand and he was lifted in the air. She floated him to the dungeons, where another Death Eater opened and empty cell. She let him drop.

'Expelliarmus,' she said, catching Snape's wand. He was still breathing heavy. She couldn't leave him there like that, could she? She sighed, realizing she was thinking as Hermione again.

'A black sky has no feelings. Neither does a Shadow,' She murmured too low for Snape to hear. She rumbled in her pocket and threw him some Essence of Dittany. He looked at it and nodded gratefully.

'Don't get used to me being nice,' She told him before she left. 'Or else he won't free them.'

Again, all he did was nod.

She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. This was going to be tougher than she thought.

'Shadow, you will be brewing the Vita Secundem.'

Shadow bowed her head. 'It is an honour, my Lord.'

'You can brew it in the dungeons. I will expect it in four days.'

She descended the stairs, ignoring the screams from the prisoners. Shadow has to concentrate.

She found a magical barrier in the corner of the lab and saw a small note. She took a step towards it, intending on picking it up.

'State your name,' a patronus appeared. Snape's patronus.

Without hesitation, she spoke in a loud, fearless voice. 'Shadow.'

The patronus bowed his head but didn't move. She took another step –

Only to be thrown back with a smack.

Okay.

Shadow knew the patronus would move if she stated another name. She was completely sure of it.

But she didn't.

She couldn't.

Because she wasn't that person.

She wasn't Hermione Jean Granger.

Not anymore.

The Vita Secundem was getting on pretty good. Just one more day and it would be finished. She checked the time and decided it was time to, as Bellatrix liked to call it, 'Feed the prisoners', something that was still her job. She sighed as she made her way to the kitchen. She levitated the six plates and went back to the dungeons, opening the first door.

Again, all Harry did was stare. His cheeks were drawn back and his eyes seemed to pop out. She put the food down and moved for the door. In a second, he was in front of it, blocking her way.

'Get out of the way,' She refused to look at him and just closed her eyes.

'Not before I get an answer.' Was his reply.

'Get out of my way, Harry,' Her voice was stone cold, but broke a little at the mention of her used-to-be friend's name. Wonderful.

'No, Hermione.'

'Crucio.' She didn't move her wand, but the spell hit him anyway. His screams filled the small room as she opened her eyes and move over to the door. She lifted the curse and the screams were replaced by breathing.

'I'm not Hermione,' she whispered before closing the door. She locked it and opened Draco's at the same time. She found him staring at the wall that separated his cell from Harry's.

'You hurt Potter?' He asked bewildered. She nodded and put down the slice of bread.

'Why?'

She didn't need to answer, did she?

But she did.

'He confused me with someone I'm not.'

And he just had to push his luck.

'With whom?'

Was there still some Veritaserum in her blood? She couldn't lie to him. Why couldn't she? She used to lie anytime, anywhere.

But not now.

'With Hermione,' was her whispered reply, a second before the door closed. It struck her that she did this a lot. She couldn't care much.

Ginny stared at her for a while before looking down at her food. This time it was Ginny who whispered before the door closed.

'Shadow …'

Ron said nothing, luckily. She braced herself for opening the next cell. 'A black sky does not feel, so why should you?' she muttered to herself. She opened the next cell, shoved the food in and closed it. She couldn't bare to look at her Headmaster as he had to be by now. So all she did was move on.

Severus was sitting on a chair, staring at a wall when she entered. She closed the door this time. He looked up, a slightly confused look in his eyes.

She knew why.

A sky is endless, as is the memory. A sky with an end is no protection.

The cold look returned.

She conjured another chair and sat down.

'What's on the note?'

He just stared at her. 'Why should I tell you? I am positive you will be able to walk through my patronus.'

She nodded her head but he spoke on.

'It is waiting for your name, and for you to mean it. If you know who you are, you can read it.'

She stood up and made the chair disappear before leaving the food.

'But I don't know that,' she told him. He merely nodded again and she left.

She knew she could read the note now.

Willing to give; the flesh of a servant.

Forcibly token; the live of a witch.

Forced to give; the life of an enemy

Three lives are one; three humans are dead. Only a Dark Wizard will survive.

Each sacrifice is one live; each gift is two; each drink is three. With this, become immortal.

'I already knew that.' Shadow murmured. She turned the page and saw the Latin translation.

Dare, caro famulatur.
Vi signum, quod vivant a pretium.
Cogitur dare vitam inimicum
Tres vitae sunt tres homines mortui sunt. Veneficus Tenebrosus sola superstes erit.
Ut vivat sacrificium est; doni duo, uterque potus tres. Per hoc fieri mortale.

Shadow's eye fell on the last word. Mortale. Mortal. Not immortal. He wanted her to ruin his return? She couldn't murder the Dark Lord.

Could she?

She was the one who was to speak out the spell. If pronounced incorrectly, the Vita Secundem would kill him. She could.

Did she want to?

She had to return.

She had to ask.

So that's what she did.

Instead of opening Severus' cell, she opened the first one.

Harry's cell.

He was staring at her again. Staring as if he didn't know her.

Which he didn't.

She conjured two chairs and sat down on one. He just stared.

'Ask your question, Harry.'

But again, all he did was stare.

Man, that was annoying!

'Harry, I'm losing my patience over here. You wanted to ask me a question, so go ahead and ask.'

He said down across from her and gazed into her eyes, searching for something.

Someone.

Hermione.

Which he didn't find.

'What happened to you? Why are you a Death Eater?'

She stared at the floor.

'Those are two separate questions.'

'No, they're not.'

Shadow sucked in a breath. 'I was kidnapped in the summer.'

Harry frowned. 'You said under Veritaserum that you weren't forced into becoming a Death Eater.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Because I could have refused.'

His frown deepened. 'Then why didn't you? We would've saved you!'

'He had my parents. Has.'

This made him silent.

For a minute.

'I'm sorry. But that doesn't explain one thing.'

'Go ahead.'

'Why you're loyal to him. Kill him! You're so close to him now!'

No emotions are allowable. Every feeling is a weakness. 'I can't.'

'Yes, you can!'

Shadow explained everything to him. How he had put a blood-binding spell on himself and her family and how it worked.

'I can't kill my family.'

'Why is he keeping me alive? And the others?'

'He is doing a ritual.'

'When?'

'When I've finished the Vita Secundem. The ritual makes him immortal forever.' Her voice was still cold, but Harry ignored it.

'You're brewing the potion? That way we have a chance.' He looked happy.

'No, you don't.' She exaggerated the ''You'' and he looked pained. She stood up and made the chairs disapparate. 'As I said, I won't kill my family. Not after so long.'

She'd made her decision.

'My Lord, the Vita Secundem is ready.'

The Dark Lord was sitting on his throne again, and she bowed. He nodded. 'Great work, Shadow. Prepare the Sacrifices. We will do the Ceremony tonight.'

'Yes, my Lord.' Once again, Shadow descended the stairs, this time with six little bottles in her hand. And once again, she opened Harry's cell first. He looked up and noticed the little bottles.

'The Vita Secundem,' His whisper was barely audible, but Shadow heard it. She handed him one bottle.

'Drink.'

'I won't.'

She didn't even hesitate. 'Crucio.' He screamed. After a while, Shadow lifted the curse. 'Drink,' She ordered again. He shook his head.

'Crucio,'

It took Shadow three times more, but finally, he drank it. He shivered, but couldn't talk. Shadow left the cell, locked it, and went to the next one. Draco's eyes were unaware, but he seemed terrified. He took the bottle with shaky hands and drank it in one gulp. Shadow left his cell just as he fainted. It worked.

Ginny simply refused to drink. After a full five minutes of the curse, she still refused.

'I'm sorry, Ginny,' Shadow murmured. 'Imperio.' She was used to the feeling and simply forced Ginny to take it. She still looked furious, though.

Shadow closed Ginny's cell. She quickly took a moment. A shadow of a light, that's what you are. If you just step out of it, you'll be yourself again.

Her face straight, she opened the next one.

The second she closed Ron's cell a pair of hands gripped around he throat.

'You hurt my little sister,' He hissed. 'You are not Hermione!'

Her own hiss was ice-cold and very intimidating. 'Let go of me.'

He didn't let go. He was beyond angry. He was almost radiating.

'Stupefy.' He stepped back and fell down. She threw him the bottle.

'Drink.'

'What is it?'

'Drink.'

'No.'

She lifted her wand. 'Crucio,' 10 seconds passed by, filled with Ronald's screams. She lifted the curse and waited.

'How can you do this to us?' He whispered in pain. 'We're your best friends!'

'No, you're not. You're Hermione's best friends. And I am not Hermione. Not anymore.'

He swallowed the drink and she left the cell. She decided to skip Dumbledore and first move on to Severus. He was standing in a corner, just thinking. He looked up when she walked in and spotted the bottles. He also spotted the paper.

'I'm not doing it.' She told him, throwing one of the bottles in his face. He caught it. 'I can't do it. If I kill him, I kill my family. I won't do it.'

'Don't you get it, you stupid girl? If you speak out the spell you will murder your friends!'

Shadow shook her head. 'Technically, they'll still be alive. Now drink that.'

Severus stared at her for a second, eyed her wand, and gulped down the drink. He sat down and seemed to fall asleep.

She couldn't make herself enter the next door.

But she had to.

A sky does not feel. You cannot touch it, or hold it, but you can see it. It does not feel, and neither do you.

Again, it helped.

Not enough, though.

So all she did was put the potion inside the door and close it again, not looking, not forcing … just opening and closing a door. She didn't even think about if he'd take it. She just made her way upstairs as the Dark Lord began his speech.

She watched them as they woke up. They all looked differently. Harry looked pained, hurt and betrayed. Ron looked angry and kept looking at his sister. Ginny reassured him with a nod and turned to look at Shadow in a way that said ''we were friends …''. Draco looked terrified, knowing what would happen. Professor Dumbledore was looking at her … disappointed?

She simply refused to meet Severus' gaze.

They were all tied up to a separate pole, so all they could do was stare at her.

It was enough, though.

'Shadow,' She heard the Dark Lord call for her. 'Prepare yourself.'

'Yes, my Lord.'

'Don't do this! You can still stop it!' Harry called after her. She just shook her head. She walked over to the kettle and started mixing some ingredients. After ten minutes, the potion was finished.

'It is ready, my Lord.' She called out. All the Death Eaters formed a circle around Shadow and their master. The ''sacrifices'' were also included. Shadow started.

'Dare,' She held up both hands. 'caro famulatur.' {Willing to give; the flesh of a servant.} Shadow grimaced as a little energy escaped her.

'Vi signum, quod vivant a pretium.' {Forcibly token; the life of a witch} She heard Ginny scream out in pure agony.

'Cogitur dare; vitam inimicum.' {Forced to give; the life of an enemy} Harry started grunting. Ron was reassuring both.

'Don't do this, Hermione!' He screamed.

'Tres vitae sunt, tres hominess mortui sunt. Veneficus, Tenebrosus sola superstes erit.' {Three lives are one; three humans are dead. Only a Dark Wizard will survive.} She nearly sank to her knees, that much did it hurt. Ginny and Harry's screams filled the backyard.

'Ut vivat sacrificium est; doni duo; uterque potus tres.' { Each sacrifice is one live; each gift is two; each drink is three.} Shadow sank to her knees but held up her hands. They were bleeding. Ginny's head was bleeding, too, and Harry's scar had burst open. She could feel Severus' gaze upon her.

'Per hoc, fieri' all depended on her now. Severus was actually muttering ''don't do it''. Would she do it? She looked at the ''sacrifices.'' Her friends, or her family? She met Severus' gaze. ''Don't do it,'' he mouthed. She closed her eyes.

'Per hoc, fieri mortale.' {With this, become mortal} She said it, knowing she had just sentenced her parents to death.

She opened her eyes again as Voldemort's scream of rage. He had noticed. Oh, well. Hermione couldn't make herself care. So what if he killed her?

She looked at her hands. They had stopped bleeding. Harry's scar was back to normal and Ginny's head was just a bit red. Both of them were practically hanging on their pole. She could feel why. All her energy had left her body.

But she couldn't be weak now.

She lifted her wand and undid the ropes that bound everybody. Next, she threw them their wands. On shaky legs, she stood up. She noticed how Ginny and Harry hadn't stood up yet. Instead of joining the fight Ron and Dumbledore immediately started, she sank to her knees and started summoning power.

She felt a hot flash and looked up. Dumbledore had practically burned Voldemort.

'Professor,' She called out to him. 'I just need a few minutes.'

He nodded and fought on. Harry came to join her. Half.

'Summon all the magical power you can,' She half noticed the shield Snape pulled up. 'We're going to need it.'

She helped Harry to his feet and they looked to Ginny.

'She won't be of much help. Grab my hand.' She held out her hand. He grabbed it firm and she flinched.

'Softer, please.'

'Oh sorry,' he now just held on to a finger.

'Try to send magical force to me. Whatever happens.' He nodded and she started.

'Omnis potestas habeo in corpore meo, quod omnis magica effluit me caedis satis est tibi.' {All the strength I have in my body, all the magic that I own, is enough to kill you.} She could feel Harry sending her power, and she aimed it as weapon towards Voldemort, whom was fighting both Dumbledore and Snape to get through their defence.

'Manebitis in morte, ex nunc usque in aeternum. Praesent venenatis tellus et custodiet animam tuam donec te.' {In Death you will stay, for all eternity. My magic will keep you there, until your soul is burned.} She could feel the earth underneath her knees but kept speaking.

'EVANIDUS ex planeta soulless et exanimis. Infernum vos manete donec saeculum finiatur.' { Disappear from this planet, lifeless and soulless. In hell you will stay until the end of days.}

'Hoc est, magiam deditionem meam ad te custodiam sinus. Hinc, et libenter do veneficus, utmoveant eum ad uos.' { Hereby, I surrender my magic, in order to keep you at bay. Hereby, I give my magic willingly up, in order for you to move away.} She could literally feel the magic leaving her. Just one more sentence.

'Hoc ego committo me notoriam. Hoc, quod ego praecipio tibi vis relinquere me adhuc. Per egovos ad vitam in Inferno sentence!' { Hereby, I commit to my magic. Hereby, I willingly surrender my magic. Hereby, I sentence you to hell!}

The last she saw was a burning Voldemort.

Then she fainted.

I'm sorry, mum, dad. Were her last thoughts before she joined a recently deceased Voldemort in hell.

Okay, some things.

This was just a one-shot that sprung to my mind when I was in history (and that's the best thing you can do there, my teacher's worse than Binns.) and I decided to type it out. So ... review, review, review!

Disclaimer: My name's not Joanne, issit?

_SFTR