DEAR READERS,
Welcome to my new story. Hope all of you enjoy this, as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave some reviews for me and tell me what you think. I have deleted two of my previous works as I found that not many people liked them. There is not even a single favourite or review for those stories, so I decided to remove them and write better ones. Now, here is a brand new piece of work for you guys. Do let me know what you think. I am quite open minded and will accept any form of criticism. Let me know what you liked or disliked after reading this one shot. I await your reviews with joy and pleasure.
By the way, I am currently stuck with the plot of my previous stories. I am doing some editing for the chapters that I have already written, and I found that there are too many things that do not fit with my storyline. I am in the process of rewriting certain parts, and this would take a while, as I do not have much time to write anymore as my semester had already started. I promise that I will update as soon as possible. Please be patient and continue to review my stories if you have viewed it. I am really disappointed with the number of reviews thus far. I only got about two or three reviews for a chapter, and that is really demotivating for an author of fanfiction. Please let me know if there is any problem with my stories, or any problem at all with my writing style. I hope to get at least ten to fifteen reviews per chapters, but this are not the case as of now. There is really not much motivation for me to continue my stories now. Your reviews will make my day and put a smile on my face. As an author, I really want to know how is my work. Please tell me whatever you think in your reviews. I really do not mind a bit. So, for new readers, welcome to my world of fanfictions. If you find this piece of work interesting, do check out my other works and let me know how you liked them. To my old readers, hello again and have a good time reading this latest piece. Once again, sorry for any grammatical mistakes and spelling errors. I have still not managed to find myself a beta. If any one of you wishes to volunteer to be my beta, do PM me. I would really appreciate your help in helping me to edit my stories.
Enough for now. Without further ado, let's get on with it, shall we? Another story featuring my favourite pairing! Enjoy!
~~ Lady Merope Riddle aka Hermione Hean Fui ~~
Disclaimer: The rights of Harry Potter remain with the respective author and publishers. I do not own anything, save the plot of this story. ^^
Note: This story does not take into account the final chapter and the epilogue of DH.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
to-morrow and to-morrow and to-morrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time
And all our lives have lighted fools;
The way to dusty death.
Out, Out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.
Life's Brief Candle, William Shakespeare, Macbeth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 31, 1944
He was lonely.
For the first time in the seventeen years of his life, he finally permits himself to see the truth. The truth had haunted him for a very long time, ever since he knew how to read and write, but he had tried to deny it every time it popped into his mind's eye. He refused to believe it. He simply could not make himself to believe it. Thus, he had made up plenty of excuses for himself, which always comforted him. Deep down inside, he felt empty and hollow. As the days passed, he felt bitter and miserable. His life was meaningless. He did not belong in this world at all, this horrible world who hated his existence ever since he was born. From the first day he arrived in this world, it was as though his whole life was being dictated to him. He was nothing, an emotionless human being. As time passed, every single emotion that was left in him left his soul. By this time, he was devoid of any emotion. This was how he shows his resentment to the world, to the people who disliked him, to those who made him suffer. They will pay.
But yet, on this cold New Year's day, the horrible truth came back to him, more realistic than before. He was lonely. He needed someone, a friend, or a partner. He could not live like this any longer. Nevertheless, he could not bring himself to find a friend or a partner. He believed that this was a weakness that he should avoid. He should not be weak like other fools. He will walk down the path he had chosen alone. He will become the greatest wizard in no time and dominate the world. Everyone will learn to fear his name, and show him the respect he deserved.
Still, the truth haunted him. For the first time in his life, he felt that he had lived for nothing. Life was meaningless for him. Why should he continue to live like this, he wondered. He should be like the others. He was no longer a boy; he was a young man now. A handsome young man. He should find his other half before continuing his plans. He would need an heir someday.
The seventeen year old teenage reclined back on the soft green and silver rocker which he had conjured, and closed his eyes. He was a handsome young man. His jet black hair was neatly combed and parted to one side, his eyes were the deepest shade of blue that one could ever look at, his face was chiseled into perfection, with strong muscles and high cheekbones, and he had a sharp nose and a full-lipped mouth. He was tall, broad and thin, with long and thin fingers and pale skin, which was so pale it made him resembled a waxed doll.
He closed his eyes and sighed. His other half, he kept turning the thought over in his head. Where should he find his other half? It was funny how this thought came to him on his birthday, he mused and his lips curved upwards into a thin smile, which did not reach his eyes.
"No," a voice in his head said after a while. "You do not need to find her. Why should you do such a thing? You're the great Lord Voldemort! She'll come to you at the right moment. You will find her some day."
He relaxed a little. This was a comforting thought. Will he ever find his other half, he wondered. Will that day really come?
An image suddenly flashed into his mind. He did not know how it happened. It happened too quickly. The image lasted for only a few seconds, but he could still picture it clearly in his mind's eye.
He saw her. His other half. She seemed so real. He knew that she was what he wanted the moment her image flashed into his mind. Soft and curly honey brown hair that was too bushy and curly covered her head, but he liked it all the same. Perhaps he could tame it later, he gathered. Soft hazel brown eyes that were warm and loving, a smiling face with just a few freckles, a perfectly shaped nose and mouth, fair skin, and a body which was perfect in his opinion. Too perfect. She had all the curves that a woman should have in the right places, and her built was just right for him. He could looked into her beautiful eyes easily, and towered over her due to his height. He could easily maintained his control on her.
He smiled again, another dry and emotionless smile that did not reach his eyes. This was exactly what he wanted, and he was sure that he was going to own this beautiful creature some day in the future.
He had a feeling that she will come into his life in the future. He would wait patiently for her.
Or will she do so? He never knows. Only time will tell.
June 1991, the room where the Mirror of Erised was kept and where Harry faced Professor Quirell
He was agitated. He could sense a presence which attracted him. Although his body was not fully formed and he was merely surviving through another person's body, he could feel his pulse quickening. However, he did not give it much thought at that time as he was busy planning to get the stone. Someone was near. Someone he valued and was waiting and hoping for years to meet. His other half. He had a strong feeling that she was just a few feet away from him. Yet, he could not do anything. His body was weak, he would dissolve into nothingness again if he tried to resurrect himself by magic. He could do nothing, and resentment washed over him. This was all Harry Potter's fault. Now, his dreams of finding his other half, along with his plans of dominating the whole wizzarding world were thwarted. He would have to wait much longer to carry out his plan successfully, and that is only if there were no flaws in his plans and all went well as he had hoped.
This was actually the moment when Harry and Hermione had been in the small chamber, figuring out Snape's potion riddle. Hermione finally solved it, and told Harry about the contents of each bottle. Harry had asked her to take the bottle of potion that would lead her towards the purple flames, and out of the room. Hermione agreed, and smiled at Harry. She had full confidence in him.
Voldemort's pulsing heart stopped. She was gone, and he would have to find her another time.
June 1995, Ministry of Magic, atrium
"You're weak," he hissed. He wished that he had possessed the boy successfully. He tried to taunt and mocked him.
Yet, he became weaker and weaker as the boy started to form certain happy images in his mind. That old codger Dumbledore was making matters worse now. He was completely under the water of the Fountain of Bretrin now. The broken statues were vaguely distinguishable from where he stood, deeply submerged in the water. He could not bear it any longer. He should leave and come back another time. He had failed yet again!
Should he go on? He had gone so far after all. The nerve of his idiotic followers! They will be severely punished later, especially that pompous and pigheaded Lucius Malfoy. All his plans were ruined now. He had failed to hear the prophecy, after so much has been done to ensure that he managed to get hold of that prophecy and hear it. It was the key to everything.
He tried again to penetrate Potter's mind. The boy was not helping him at all. He kept on bringing happy thoughts into his mind. He sifted through them irritably. The boy together with his parents when he was a small kid, the boy winning the house cup in his first year, the boy hugging his godfather, and then…
He stopped. For what he saw made his heart jumped. The boy was with his friends, and his particular interest was on a certain brunette, who was smiling up at the boy and another redheaded boy, a Weasley, he gathered. She seemed familiar, but yet he could not remember where he had seen that face before.
As he stood under the water, boiling with fury, he distinctly heard a few "cracks". It was time to go before it was too late. The Ministry authorities were here. He would be surrounded by aurors in no time. With a quick movement, he apparated to a spot beside Belatrix and grabbed her arm tightly. That fool of a woman did not even scream as he grabbed her and moved closer to him. He pictured the place he wanted to apparate to in his mind's eye.
He was just about to turn on the spot when he caught a glimpse of a mane of bushy honey brown hair. His pulse quickened. Could she be here? His other half, which he had dreamt about for many years now?
And suddenly, something clicked. He had find her, or so he thought. The girl who was friends with Potter was the one he was looking for. Or was she? He had probably made a mistake. She could not be his other half, how could she? They were considered as enemies! He was getting desperate, he told himself. He had been mistaken.
"You-Know-Who? Dumbledore? You? Here? Now?" Fudge's voice could be heard not far away. There was no time to lose. He tightened his grip on Belatrix, and turned on the spot immediately, channeling all his strength to break through a few security and anti-apparation charm that the aurors had just put up. Together, he and Belatrix disappeared into the night.
Hermione had been swimming in a fog ever since Dolohov's curse hit her. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth. She felt that she was floating in a could of mist and nothingness. Every time she tried to open her eyes, she found that she sank lower and deeper down into blackness and nothingness. She was suffocating. She could actually still hear parts of the battle raging on around her as the other Death Eaters tried to look for Harry and the others. She wished with all her heart that she could help Harry, but it was useless. She just could not open her eyes at all, her eyelids were too heavy and reluctant to part even a tiny bit. She could not even open her eyes a tiny crack, to see what was happening.
She hoped that all would be well. It would be well, she kept on telling herself. She knew that it was a bad idea from the beginning, and Harry had fallen into Voldemort's trap yet again, but she did not have the heart to tell Harry off, not when he was so determined to save Sirius. She did not want to hurt her best friend's feelings. Furthermore, she knew that Harry was a stubborn person. Once he had made up his mind. There was nothing that anyone said that could dissuade him or made him change his mind.
She did not blame him. He had suffered enough. Hermione knew that Harry could not afford to lose Sirius, as he was the only relation who still lived until today.
She felt someone lifting up her body and carrying her down some corridors. She heard the clatter of a lift's door not far away. All was going to be well, she kept assuring herself.
Suddenly, she felt alert. It was as though someone had just looked at her, but she could not tell who it was. She felt uncomfortable.
However, as fast as it had washed over her, the feeling faded away seconds later, and Hermione sank once more into oblivion.
July 1997, open space, a little away from Little Wingin
He eyed the testhral thoughtfully. Kingsley Shacklebolt and a fake Potter was riding it, their wands out and at the ready. For some reason, he was attracted to this fake Potter. Who could this individual possibly be? Something had attracted his attention. He lingered in the shadows, still under a strong invisibility charm. His followers have been warned that if they spotted the real Potter, they should warn him at once. Any failure on their part will not be tolerated, and they know better to do what he told them to do if they know what is really good for them. He had no need to worry. He was curious for some unexplainable reason about this fake Potter.
He followed closely behind, flying along in the night sky smoothly. The warm summer wind lashed against him and he cringed. He did not like flying much, for he actually had a fear for heights. Nevertheless, what he had set out to do must be done immediately. There was no time to lose.
He followed the testheral closely. Both Kingsley and the fake Potter were shooting curses everywhere and in every direction, where some of his followers were circling above the large testheral.
"That's him! That him!" the shrill voice of Stanley Shanpike the conductor of the Nightbus could be heard, and son enough, Stan had summoned him by pressing his dark mark. All other thoughts were gone from his mind. At once, he glided quickly in the direction of the conductor's voice and smirked. There was no escaping for the boy this time. He would get him before they reached the security barriers placed around one of the houses of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. He would once and for all vanquish his greatest enemy.
He turned away.
Hermione felt uneasy. She could not help feeling that Kingsley and herself were being watched. She told Kingsley about her worries, and he chuckled.
"Well, what do you expect, Hermione? The whole ring of Voldemort's followers is on our trails. Every single one of us is being watched."
Hermione said nothing after that. She felt quite uneasy. As if something bad was going to happen to her any moment. However, soon afterwards, the uneasiness gradually passed, and their testheral flew higher into the air, bringing Kingsley and Hermione further away from the ring of Death Eaters who were now far behind them, still circling around the seven fake Potters.
She felt uneasy. She had a strange feeling that she had felt like this a few times before this. The first time she had the same feeling was when she helped Harry to get the philosopher's stone. The second time had been the time when she was unconscious at the Department of Mysteries. She could not tell what had made her felt so uneasy.
December 25, 1997, Godric's Hollow, Bathilda Bagshot's room
Harry's scar was burning. Nagini inched closer to him.
"Hermione! Don't come up here!"
"Harry?" Hermione's worried voice drifted from below.
"Hold him!"
A sudden shill ran down Harry's spine. He knew he had no chance of escaping.
"Yes, yes," the great snake hissed. "Hold you, hold you."
"Hold him," came another angry and cold hiss. Harry knew that voice before he even saw the speaker.
It was a trap. He was going to fall into Voldemort's hands now. This was all his fault.
"Harry!" he faintly heard Hermione's panicked voice as Nagini lashed about, and the ornaments in the room was knocked down and scattered all over the floor of the small bedroom.
"Hold him!" Voldemort was excited. At last, that stupid boy had fallen into his trap. He began to glide silently but quickly towards the small cottage. He had ordered Nagini to hold the boy whilst he was on his way. Harry Potter would be destroyed, he was sure of it.
He glided towards the front door of the cottage, and stepped into the small hall. It was empty. Slowly, he trudged upstairs, without making a single sound.
He could hear the boy still struggling. Suddenly, he heard another different voice. A female voice. Who could it be, he wondered.
"Confringo!"
He could hear the sound of shattering glass and splintering wood as he stepped onto the landing and made his way towards the bedroom.
He was just stepping into the room when a terrible sight met his eyes. A girl dragged Potter towards the window, flourishing her wand at Nagini as she went. The great snake lunged forwards, but with a swift movement, she grabbed the unconscious Potter and disappeared into the night, spiraling down the high window, which pane had been shattered into a thousand small pieces.
He caught sight of an unmistakable mane of bushy brown hair and managed to catch a glimpse of a pair of scared hazel brown eyes before the couple disappeared into the night. His heart raced. He had not been mistaken after all. She was indeed the one he need. She was his other half.
He would get her. But how? He really did not know. Perhaps the time will come when she would willingly come to him. He had a feeling that she would come to him some day.
He smiled and hissed in Parseltongue for Nagini to climb onto his shoulders. The great snake turned its great yellow beady eyes upon him, nodded its ugly triangular head and then slithered slowly onto his shoulders. It made itself comfortable and then stayed still.
Voldemort started to turn on the spot. He need to apparate away from this smelly little cottage now. There was nothing left for him here. He had failed yet again. There would be time to vent his anger later, he figured.
Just as he was about to turn on the spot, something caught his eyes. He bent down, and picked up a strand of long, brown hair from the rubble. How could he spot it in this rubble, he simply did not know. He examined the smooth strand of hair by holding it up in his palms. Then, he smiled. This was his first genuine smile in the seventy years of his life. It totally transformed his features, although he did not notice it. He looked less ugly when he smiled.
He conjured a velvet box that had a transparent mirror as a lid and carefully placed the strand of hair inside the box. This is it. The first present to him from his other half. She had given him a small part of her body without knowing it. The hair was from her, and he will keep it until they met again.
He was certain that she would not fail him. She will come to him in the end.
After slipping the box tenderly into his pocket, he stroked Nagini, who hissed softly into his ears and turned on the spot. Together, both the darkest wizard of all time and his pet snake disappeared into the chilly and frosty Christmas night.
March 1998, Malfoy Manor
He felt uneasy as he opened his eyes. He had apparated back to Malfoy Manor on his follower's summons. He hoped that they better have something important to report. He had given orders that he was not to be summoned unless they had found Potter or one of his friends who knew Potter's whereabouts. Otherwise, they were to leave him alone. However, he felt uneasy as he walked up the long drive of the large and imposing manor.
As he opened the large front door of the manor with a flick of his wand, he heard a piercing scream. It was a terrifying scream of a girl. His heart raced. Could it be that his followers had managed to capture Potter and his friends. Was the girl there? His other half? Could that be her scream.
"Greyback, you can have her. I've done with her now. Now, we call our lord."
That was unmistakably Belatrix's voice. He felt panicked suddenly. Had they hurt his other half? How dare they hurt her without his permission? Anger boiled up in him as he started to make his way towards the drawing room, where all the commotion seemed to be coming from.
What happened after that was too fast that he was momentarily blurred. When he flung open the drawing room door, he heard a few thuds and a few screams.
"Dobby!"
"You filthy elf! How dare you betray your mistress!"
"Dobby has no mistress!"
"Quick, Dobby!"
There was a crash, and then a flash of silver, and a pop. Everything was still after that.
All the Death Eaters gaped in horror at the tall and imposing figure of their master, framed in the doorway. Belatrix screamed, and covered her face with her hands.
Lord Voldemort was very, very, angry.
He had seen just what he feared, but he did not show it now. His fear developed into anger. They had tortured his dearest love. He saw her limp form being hauled onto the shoulder of the redhead beside Potter [although the boy looked less like Potter due to his ragged and dirty appearance] before they apparate away. There was blood all over her body. And there were also cuts on her hands. It must be Belatrix's work, he gathered. She would pay for it now. He would make her sorry for hurting his love.
"Hermione," he whispered her name softly in Parseltongue. "Don't worry. I won't let this happen to you again."
He had found out her name from Nagini, and he had liked it the very minute he had learned of it. It sounded so nice on his tongue.
There was no time for this now, he gathered. He stepped into the drawing room and closed the door quietly behind him. Then, he turned around and faced his followers.
They all knew what is to come after taking one glance at their master's face.
May 2nd, 1998, Hogwarts
"Harry Potter is dead!"
Voldemort's magically magnified voice bounced off the castle walls and echoed all around the large castle. Hermione dropped the Basilisk fangs she was carrying.
She looked at Ron. He looked back at her. His shoulders sagged. What they feared the most had finally happened. Harry was dead. But was it true?
"There's Hagrid!" Ron said. "He's carrying something!"
"What is it?" came Ginny's choked voice from behind. "Can you see what is it, Ron?"
"It's…it's…oh!" Ron's mouth fell open, and his face was pale. Hermione knew what he saw after taking one look at his shock stricken face.
"Harry!" Ginny's screams filled the night. The redheaded girl was broken. She ran towards Hagrid, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Hermione knew what she had to do. At last, Dumbledore was right. It had to resort to this.
Taking one last look at Ron, she turned and ran towards the castle. As she reached the front steps, she looked back at Ron. He had joined Ginny and the others, who were now running towards Hagrid. She could just make out Hagrid's tall and bulky form as he walked slowly up the grassy slopes towards the grounds. And his arms, laid Harry, his eyes closed, his glasses slightly askewer. Hermione thought he looked peaceful as moonlight reflected his face. She would miss the green twinkle in his eyes forever. At least she would not be able to look into those beautiful green eyes for a very long time. When she would be able to look at them again, she doubted that they would ever recognized her.
She reached the last step and turned back to gaze at the group of people who was now crowding around Hagrid. From the trees of the forbidden forest, the Death Eaters emerged, with their leader in front of them. Voldemort looked tall and imposing amongst his followers. Hermione turned away from the horrible sight. She was not prepared to meet him just yet. Not in this form. It would haunt him forever if she looked at him right now, and her plan would not work out.
She turned towards the crowd around Hagrid again. The Weasley family was amongst them, all tall and gangly. Professor McGonagall was there too, looking shock but Hermione could still see the fire burning behind her professor's square glasses.
Unexpectedly, Ron suddenly turned and looked at Hermione. They were now quite far apart.
Hermione managed a weak smile. Ron did not smile back but instead turned away again.
"All will be well," Hermione said, taking one last look at Ron again. She would miss him, she knew that. But what had to be done must be done before it is too late.
It is for the greater good, Hermione assured herself, as she stepped into the castle after pushing open the half broken down front door.
Silence greeted her as she walked along the empty corridors of the castle, away from the battlefield. She could hear the sound of spells crashing against one another in the distance but she did not look back. On and on she walked. Past the Great Hall, where the bodies of those who fought and had fallen laid, passed the classrooms, up a few more flights of stairs. The castle was in ruins now. Walls were crumbling and broken chandeliers littered the floor. Hermione picked her way carefully along the corridors until she reached the Headmaster's office. She stepped onto the spiral staircase, which carried her up to the office.
She pushed open the door, and went inside. She knew what she had to do.
Dumbledore had plan it all, and Hermione was not going to fail him and the whole wizzarding world.
[Flash backs]
July 31, 1997
Hermione lay in bed, fingering the Tales of Beedle the Bard, which Dumbledore had left her. She still wondered why Dumbledore had left this book to her. Were there any clues in here about how to destroy horcruxes?
She turned the book over in her hands, and frowned. As far as she had found out from Ron in the boy's room just now, this is a book of children stories. Had Dumbledore gone cuckoo? How would this book of fairytales help them in accomplishing their missions?
She examined the book once more, and something caught her eye. She drew in a deep breath and squinted at it more closely.
The Minister of Magic had failed to notice this tiny detail, and Hermione was glad about it. There, written in Dumbledore's thin and slanting handwriting on the leather spine of the book, in a very small corner which was torn, and held together by a slightly new bit of leather, was the following:
"Enquire within for what thou seek".
Hermione turned the book over again, but still nothing happened. She tapped the spot where the writing was slowly, and suddenly, the room was engulfed by a bright white light.
Ginny stirred, but did not wake.
Hermione stared at the blinded flash of white light, which enveloped the book. After some minutes, the light faded, and beside the book was a tiny box. Hermione stared at it in surprise. Dumbledore was such a genius. Hermione wondered in awe how he had managed this complex bit of magic so cleverly.
Our story would now leave the parts where Hermione pondered her options and her feelings. We would now learn what Dumbledore intended Hermione to learn from the box and Hermione's choice.
Inside the box, there was a letter, written in Dumbledore's handwriting. There was also a long gold chain, with a large round hourglass dangling from it. Hermione fingered it thoughtfully, before putting it aside slowly. The final object in the box was a round crystal ball. Hermione stared. Was this a prophecy? Why had Dumbledore given her a prophecy? Harry had told her that the prophecy was destroyed on the night at the Department of Mysteries.
She squinted at the prophecy, and finally found the label at the bottom of the round ball.
SPT to APWBD: Dark Lord and ?
And after the question mark, written in Dumbledore's own slanting handwriting, Hermione read the following three letters, H.J.G.
She instinctively knew what those letters represented. She was shaken. How could this possibly happen?
With a trembling hand, she dropped the prophecy back into the box, and took out Dumbledore's letter. Hastily, she broke the seal, and read it.
Dear Miss Granger,
I am probably dead when this gets into your hands. Firstly, I would like to congratulate you for discovering the box which comes along with this letter. I must said that I am continuously amazed by your abilities throughout these years at Hogwarts. You truly are the brightest witch of your age. I dare say that you will discover this letter and the box soon enough after you got the book.
To tell you the truth, I am finding it difficult to write this letter. But I know that I cannot delude you from the truth any longer. The circumstances do not allow it.
I would not have the time to put down what you need to know in detail. I gathered that you would be able to figure it out just fine. I regret my actions of having to keep the truth from you for so long. I owed it to you. I am an old man, and old man will sometimes make mistakes as one is blinding by his own judgment at this age. It is also that I cared for you, my dear girl, that I figured that it is best to keep the truth from you as long as possible. There will come a time when you would have to know the truth, and I finally decided that now is the right time for it.
I have kept a close watch on young Voldemort, who was then known as Tom Marvolo Riddle. As you know, I have suspected him of opening the Chamber of Secrets during his fifth year, which had resulted in the death of a student. Although I have no evidence against him, I know pretty well that this was his deed. In the years to come, I soon discovered that he had killed his grandparents and father and made horcruxes, but this is not important here.
During Voldemort's final year at Hogwarts, I discovered something quite by an accident. As I was an accomplished occlumens, I managed to get a glimpse at his thoughts one day, when he was sitting by the fireplace in his commonroom. I know that this is not a good thing to do, but I had a feeling this it would be important to read those thoughts. Something had prompted me to go to the commonroom and observe him. Voldemort did not notice me, of course, as I was under a strong dissolutionment charm. And guess what I saw, reflected in his mind's eye? It was an image of you, my girl.
I finally draw a rather assuring conclusion from what I discovered. I knew that Voldemort was lonely and needed his other half. I wondered where he had came across the image of you so quickly at times. Perhaps he had made a mistake, I gathered. I continued my observations, and found that Voldemort was daydreaming more and more about you. He was less focused during classes, but still he excelled, for he was no doubt a great wizard. This leads me to believe that my earlier conclusions were true. He needed his other half, and he pictured you as the girl he wanted.
For many years, I looked out at all the students, wondering whether I would come across any girl who looked like the one in Voldemort's mind eye. However, before I managed to find the girl, Voldemort had risen to power. I believed that he thinks that the girl would come to him at the right moment, and there would be no need to look for her. It is my believe too that nobody is born evil. Had Voldemort discovered you before he left school, I believed that he will not be who he is today.
When I saw you, Miss Granger, I was certain that you are the one fate had destined him to meet. Sybil Trilawney had made matters worse, for, forgive me, Miss Granger, you must not be angry with me for keeping this back. On the night that Sybil Trilawney was interviewed for her job, she made not one, but two prophecies. One of them, as you know, concerned Voldemort and Harry Potter. The other, which I assured you that Voldemort did not know about until this day, concerned Voldemort and his other half. Yes, my girl, it concerned you. I have taken the liberty to hide this prophecy from the dark lord and the hall of prophecies as soon as I discovered it, for the dark lord must not hear of this prophecy. Now, the prophecy is in the box which came along with this letter. I urged you to break the prophecy and find out the contents of the prophecy for yourself. You will then understand what I needed you to do. You must fulfill the prophecy, my dear girl. Do this for the greater good.
You will learn more as time goes by. You will know the right moment to act, I am sure of it. Meanwhile, you should keep this information to yourself. Harry had enough on his mind. There is no need to burden him further with this information. You would go along destroying horcruxes with Harry and Ronald, but you would have to leave them when the right time has come.
Now, Miss Granger, I will tell you one last thing. You must not tell anyone about this. This will be the final piece of the puzzle. Most importantly, Harry must not know this at all. He would not possess the strength to fight on if he knew. It is best that you destroy this letter after reading it and forget about the problem as best as possible until the right time for you to act has come.
What Harry must not know is that, on the night that Voldemort tried to kill him but failed to do so, a fragment of Voldemort's soul detached itself from its master's body and lashed itself onto Harry's body. So, strictly speaking, a part of Voldemort lived in Harry. This was how Harry actually shared quite similar characteristics with Voldemort. Both can speak Parseltongue, and there are connections between their minds. By this time, I am sure you understand the problem fully. Harry Potter is the dark lord's final horcrux. And when the time has come, he must die. Yes, remember: Neither should live, while the others survived. To destroy Voldemort, Harry must be killed, so as to destroy the final fragment of soul of Voldemort attached to him. Voldemort must do it himself, and there will be no other way for it. I know that this is sad, but this is the reality of it, my dear girl. Harry must not know this, for it will drain his hopes when he knew this.
You are the key to everything, my dear girl. You can prevent all this from happening. When the wizzarding world is at the brink of losing, it will be the time for you to act. The wizzarding world depended on you. I am sure that you will succeed, Miss Granger. Good luck, and see you soon, when you have succeeded.
Yours truly,
Dumbledore
Without a word, Hermione folded up the letter, and set it on fire. Hastily, she took out the prophecy, casted "muffliato", and broke the glass ball.
A pearly white figure with huge magnified eyes rose, and started to speak, in a faint but clear voice:
"The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches
Born to parents who never defied him, at the middle of September
The dark lord will mark her as his other half
For all would be well when both are together.
The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches
Born to parents who disgusted him, in the middle of September
She will find the dark lord when the time is right
And both will live happily amongst the living,
And all is well, for the dark lord never rises."
The figure dissolved in a puff of mist, and Hermione Jean Granger let out a deep sigh.
She understood all of it at last. She knew what she had to do.
[End of flash backs]
Hermione knew what must be done. She must go back in time, and meet the young dark lord. She would be his other half. All would be well in the future. She must prevent him from rising to power. Dumbledore had faith in her. He was sure that she would succeed.
She knew that this was the right moment to act. The final horcrux had been destroyed. She will go back in time and prevent Tom Marvolo Riddle from making any more horcruxes. He had already made two horcrux, she believed, the diary and the Gaunt ring. That was more than enough.
"First, I need to forget," Hermione murmured, straightening up. She needs to do this quickly, before it is too late.
She stepped towards Dumbledore's pensive, who was still on the Headmaster's table. She puts her wand to her temples, and started to draw out strands of memories. She needed to empty all her thoughts into the pensive. She needs to forget the future in order to live in the past.
When her mind was empty, and Hermione felt that she was ready to go, she straightened up once more, pulled the golden chain with the time turner Dumbledore had specially designed around her neck, and started to turn the dial.
She had figured out that this was no ordinary time turner. Dumbledore must have designed it himself, for no time turner could bring her so far back in time.
She turned and turned. All would be well, she kept assuring herself. All would be well.
Shapes blurred in front of her. She closed her eyes. Colours spun in front of her. She hoped that the spinning would stop soon. She was starting to get dizzy.
A few moments later, the spinning stopped. Almost immediately after her feet hit solid ground, the time turner around her neck shattered into a thousand fragments and melt away on their own accord.
Hermione blinked and opened her eyes. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. She was no longer in the Headmaster's office, where she had expected herself to be. Instead, she was in the Heads' commonroom. She knew the design of the room by heart, as she had seen the picture of the room before in Hogwarts: A history.
Dumbledore must have sent her to the Heads' commonroom to meet the young dark lord immediately. He must have sent her to the night when Tom Marvolo Riddle first believed that he was lonely and had pictured her as his other half. How clever of Dumbledore to do this, Hermione gathered. This will be the perfect moment for her to turn up without anyone being suspicious. Voldemort would think that she had come to him by herself, just as he had believed so.
She smiled.
She spotted the handsome young dark lord at once. He was leaning back in a comfortable looking armchair, his eyes closed, deep in concentration. He did not even stir when Hermione landed a few feet away from him.
Hermione looked around to find Dumbledore. The young Dumbledore, of course. He must be here some where, for he had said that he was watching Tom Marvolo Riddle on this night. And sure enough, she saw a pair of twinkling blue eyes at the far right corner of the room. A younger Dumbledore was beaming up at her from where he stood, a thick envelope in one hand.
"I know," he mouthed. "This is from my future self," he said, brandishing the envelope in front of her. "Good luck, Hermione Granger."
Hermione smiled back at him. Dumbledore vanished silently.
With a jolt, the young dark lord suddenly stirred. His gaze fell on Hermione, and he gasped. He drew in a deep breath and stared at Hermione.
Hermione walked towards him, extending her hand. She had charmed herself earlier, before turning the time turner, so that she looked clean and tidy. She had also put on a beautiful gown of the 40s style before coming here.
"Tom," she said his name softly.
He stared at here.
"I'm Hermione," she said again. She felt comfortable looking at his emotionless and somewhat amazed face. She would change him. She had plenty of time to do it.
"Hermione," he said, taking her hand.
Without warning, Riddle pulled Hermione into his arms, and embraced her.
September 1st, 1991, Hogwarts Great Hall
"I say," Tom Marvolo Riddle exclaimed, looking towards the four long table from the high staff table. "I have a feeling that everything is going to be exciting this year."
"I bet so," his wife, Hermione Granger replied. Tom put an arm around his wife, and kissed her. She leaned into him.
When Tom turned away to exchange a few words with Dumbledore, who was Headmaster at Hogwarts, Hermione surveyed the students at the Gryfindor table. They should be here, somewhere.
And sure enough, she spotted them. The one on the right looked exactly the same as she had met him on her first year, in the past. He had red hair and a lot of freckles on his face. He was wolfing down his food quickly. She smiled. The one at the middle was a boy with dark raven hair and green eyes. She stared hard at his forehead. There was nothing there, not even a lightning bolt scar which she had saw when she first saw him years ago, in the past. The girl beside the raven hair boy interested her. She had curly brown hair, just like her, but her eyes were not hazel brown, but blue and watery. Her front teeth was also not too big, they were exactly the same size.
She smiled. All was well. She had succeeded.
Only one person shared her secret. Dumbledore.
Tom had stopped making horcruxes. They got married ten years later. Tom was then a successful auror and curse breaker. After their marriage, they decided not to have any children, for they had decided to live a quiet life and enjoy each other's company. Tom had slowly risen to become Minister of Magic for two terms. After that, he got bored, and decided to take up the post of DADA teacher at Hogwarts. Dumbledore wasted no time in accepting his application.
Hermione, meanwhile, have become an accomplished healer at St. Mungos before her marriage to Tom. After that, she worked in the Ministry of Magic and had risen to become the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department and Assistant of the Head Auror. Now, she had also joined her husband in applying for the post of Ancient Runes and Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts. The couple would now live a quiet and happy life together. Boy was now reaching the age of sixty-five.
Tom had finished his conversation with Dumbledore, and turned to look at her. She smiled at him. He gazed at the students in the great hall, and suddenly nudged her.
"Look, dear," he said. "I think that girl over there looked just a little like you."
Hermione smiled. She knew without even looking up that she was referring to the girl beside the redheaded boy and the raven hair boy. She flashed him a smile and planted a kiss on his right cheek.
"Oh, indeed?" she asked.