Prologue
As the trio's 7th year at Hogwarts begins, a new shadow is cast upon the wizarding world. Voldemort's new weapon. And not at all the weapon that one would expect. No, it's not a sword, a wand or a charm. Not a prophecy, a spell or a potion. Just a girl. A girl with the most amazing powers, such that can be compared to ones of legendary Harry Potter, or even Tom Riddle himself. And Lord Voldemort can see that clear as day, and thus became the girl his new weapon. The weapon everyone fears, for not only are her powers extraordinary, she owns great gifts that the Dark Lord treasures: the ability to do magic with eyes and mind alone, to converse with various magical creatures, to curse with the unforgivable, and not only with them but with incantations of her own, such charms that no one ever is or will be able to lift. The youngest Death Eater in centuries…
The summer brought many changes into the life of Hermione Granger. She suddenly and unexpectedly even for herself became more elegant and sophisticated. Her face became more rounded, aristocratic and womanly. What yesterday was still a bush of brown hair, now was a beautiful crown of soft curls that cascaded down to her shoulders. Her eyes, plain brown before, now where a tinted hazelnut shade and her gaze could make any boy redden, especially Ron Weasley.
Since they broke up, half-way through summer when he declared that she was a bitch and she hissed that he was a total immature child, their relationship took a new path. He would flush furiously when they were in the same room, and she would look the other way, refusing to talk to him. And with Harry not there to reunite them and make them at least friends again, this would have gone on for ever, if not of course for Mrs. Weasley. She confronted them and brought it out in the open. They were put opposite each other like first-years and made pinky-promise that they would now be friends. After that, things seemed a little more relaxed, though even Hermione could see that Ron still had feelings for her. However Hermione was quite sure she wouldn't go down that lane for quite a while, for now anyway.
Harry, though committed to his search for the Horcruxes was convinced by over-protective Order members that he was better off doing other errands for the Order while other associates would go ahead with this dangerous search. Somehow, surprisingly Mrs. Weasley and Remus Lupin (who now acted to him as merely advisors rather than parents for he was well taller than both of them now that he was 18), didn't object to his intention of leaving school. They felt the headquarters of the Order were a safer place than Hogwarts.
Then came the letters from Hogwarts and Hermione was unpleasantly surprised that she in fact wasn't made Head Girl. Instead, the letter told her that the new Heads of Houses were Draco Malfoy and Lavender Brown. Also inside the same envelope she found a letter from their new Headmistress – Professor McGonagall.
Dear Ms. Granger,
Would you please report to my office before the start-of-the-year feast so we can discuss a special project that you will be working on for the next month. It will require most of your time from 5-7 every other day starting Monday, so please do not plan any activities on those days. Good luck getting to school, and I wish a safe trip for you and Mr. Weasley,
Professor McGonagall.
Another subject of this discussion would have to be Draco Malfoy. After his flight from Hogwarts after the end of the summer with the potential murderer of Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, the ministry and Hogwarts put him before a choice. Either he meets the same fate as his father which is a life-long sentence in Azkaban, or, returns to Hogwarts and stays as a spy for the Order. Malfoy, deep inside himself a coward, chose the latter. Since then he had been to many Death Eater meetings and all he could bring back so far was the one and only topic they all were discussing. The wonderful, new, dark witch, the weapon of the Dark Force – Gillian Granger.