I own nothing here but the plot, and even that has had some influence from other sources. Enjoy though, please, that's all I ask. I borrowed the icon, I liked it and thought it might go well throughout the story as it progresses. It is not mine, I found it floating around on the internet. I take no credit other than to want to show it off to others.
-Chisicet
The wind was in a state with the way it billowed around the gathering of cloaked figures standing within a forest clearing, a sheer rock wall at their backs. The only sounds surrounding them was the rushing of the wind through the tree tops as they swayed and flexed under the onslaught and the thunder booming down around them from the sky. The smell of the oncoming rain was heady in the air, the taste of it making them nervous as they all turned their gazes skyward to watch the rolling lightening through the deep grey and black clouds. They were becoming apprehensive the longer they stood there waiting, not knowing for how much longer they would have to torture themselves with the anticipation of the storm.
The smallest of the group, in both stature and figure, took one step forward but halted immediately upon doing so. A pair of glowing red eyes began to gleam out from the shadows of the trees, the intensity behind the glower being sent their way enough to make them feel as if a spell had been cast upon them. A man stepped out, his walk sure and graceful as he walked barefoot toward the group of twenty three figures.
He sneered at those gathered, the translucent paleness of his skin glistening every time lightening rolled through the skies. Through some potions and charm work he had managed to return most of his looks, no longer was he without a nose, and his hair had regrown over his scalp. He was quickly on his way back to his once regal and impressive looks many people had coveted, and once he did, no one would call him 'the snake' again, he'd be nothing but human in appearance then. His clothing was immaculate dress robes of the finest material made in this day and age, by one of his own as well.
The woman who had moved initially now knelt down to her knees, causing a wave to roll through the crowd as they followed her example. The quiet chuckle from the new comer had the rest shifting uncomfortably, a few of them visibly tensed and some fists clenched. When he finished laughing, the pale man moved forward, walked amongst them, touching their shoulders, the back of their necks or heads as he went until he stood back in the front.
"You are all here, I appreciate that you came under such circumstances, weather included. Rise, please." His words were polite, some might mistake them as kind, but the tone broke no argument and the crowd moved as one as they stood. "I have chosen twenty-five people to witness tonight the ritual that we will undergo to further our power as not only wizards, but as the elite amongst our brethren. Form a circle please, I have had the spots previously marked, so find an x and stand upon it, please do not move from there." He paused as they moved into action, making sure that everyone was where they needed to be. "No, McNair, move between Crabbe and Lestrange please." Again, his tone spoke the command his words didn't match.
The man that had been singled out moved quickly, not wanting to be in trouble with their master. No one wanted to displease him tonight, of all nights. They all kept their hooded heads down but their eyes watched the one figure that was uncloaked walk around the center of the circle. He touched them again, on their arms or shoulders, unaware as to what the true purpose of their being present meant. When he settled himself onto one of the three remaining x's he was smiling, the bright white of his teeth causing his skin to look more sallow until he closed his mouth with an 'hmmm'. The circle they made was big enough that one man stood with his back against the cliff wall, the rock wall uncomfortably digging into him, another had his back feet away from a tree across the clearing.
It was here, when they had all settled into place, that four shadows moved out from beneath the raging trees. The tallest, in a hooded cloak as well, had his wand out, trained up at two floating bodies in front of him. A smaller figure with cascading auburn curls followed a step or two behind him, ropes binding her hands behind her back and a gag placed within her mouth. The taller figure moved the two bodies and placed them in the center of the man-made circle. The original twenty-three members of the circle shifted forward to get a better look and a few gasped as the recognized those that had come into their clearing; the exception was the one unhooded figure. The new comer turned and grabbed the smaller female by her upper arm and pulled her along until she was standing beside him over one of the x's as well.
"Severus, how lovely of you to join us. I was beginning to think you had changed your mind and fancied some Firewhiskey instead." The smile that beamed with fake enthusiasm had a chill going through those in close proximity of the man.
"My Lord, no amount of Firewhiskey could keep me, I assure you. I was held up when I stumbled across our guests." Severus lifted his head enough that his regally hooked nose could be seen from under the cloak, his dark eyes glinting as the lightening continued to be their source of light.
"Good, good. Now, introductions are in order, I do believe. Who have you brought with you?" The lord moved slowly as he began slowly making his way from his spot as he began to talk, touching the cloaked figures once more, this time including Severus and the small girl at his side; she only came as high as Severus' mid upper arm. Once he was back in his place he reached out and put a hand on the two figures on either side of him, a grin working its way onto his face. He nodded once at Severus and then to the two boys laying on the ground in the center and dropped his hands to his side.
Severus pointed his wand and with a silent wave of hand the two prone figures awoke with gasps. They got to their feet quickly after a quick glance around them. They backed up until they were back to back and they spun slowly as they took in their surroundings.
"Hermione!" The taller of the two yelled out as he caught sight of her at Severus' side. "You evil git!" He made to surge forward but found he couldn't move and he swung around to see why. The smaller of the two had his arm in his grip, a grip that was ironclad and getting painful. "Harry?" His voice was soft as he followed his line of sight and caught the grin that turned to a smile that lead into a bone chilling laugh. "Bloody hell…" He whispered out as he went limp standing there staring at his worst nightmare.
"The boy-who-lived, the youngest Weasley male, and the brightest-witch-of-her-age, my Lord. Harry Potter has been delivered."
"Oh…" The wonder and pure excitement was evident in his voice as he clapped his hands in front of him. "How wonderful, now we can commence! This will be wonderful." His voice was breathy, his cheeks were flushed and the excitement he was exuding was becoming contagious as the, now twenty-five, that stood around the circle began to feel it rush them in waves.
"Tom Riddle." Harry's soft call was enough to catch the pale man and his gleeful eyes locked onto the deep jade ones of Harry.
Severus looked down at the girl next to him while his master was distracted and reached down to undo her bindings. He leaned over and whispered into her ear.
"You will not be getting out of this alive if you do not play along. No doubt the boys will die, but you do not have to. You are now an integral part of his inner circle, follow our plan. I will give you your wand back but you need to swear here and now you will not act foolishly."
She looked up at him, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks and nodded, her logical mind knew what he meant, they had talked on their way here, but she did not like this one bit. He reached over and undid her gag, pulling her wand from within his cloak. He stood up straight and faced forward just as Ron began to scream at him. Hermione took a deep breath, ignoring her friend's screams and pleas, and wiped her eyes until her cheeks did not have the tear tracks running down them and they were not damp anymore.
"I am ready, Severus." Her voice was even, and it carried across the clearing as everyone heard her, the determination and clarity evident in her tone as she straightened her spine and stood still.
Harry stood still, his eyes never leaving the pale, uncloaked man in front of him, even as he let go of his red headed friend. Once the grip was loosened Ron took a running surge toward Hermione but with a silent wave of her wand he was stopped, the feeling of a Petrificus Totalus washing through him. The silencing of his friend caused Harry to glance over his shoulder and he took in the scene between his two best friends.
"Hermione?" Harry's voice broke, it was defeated and worn, the last two years spent running had caught up with him and he slumped his shoulders in defeat. He sighed, the resignation becoming apparent. The glee that filled Severus' master swept through all that were connected in the circle.
"Go ahead, tell him what you want him to know. Tell him what you told me." Severus spoke clearly, his voice bland of any emotions. She glanced up at him, looking for the confirmation she needed as she played her part. When she received nothing from the man beside her other than a small nod she turned back to face the center of the circle.
"Harry Potter you are a menace. The last two years with you spent on the run have done nothing for me but make me realize how wrong we were and I took the measures to make sure at least I would survive. I'm sorry. This is how it has to be." She knew that her tone gave nothing away, her eyes glowered at her friends. It wasn't until Harry turned to face her fully and moved to Ron's side, ending her spell on the redhead, that the three of them understood each other. He watched her, he took in her words, Ron by his side reached for his hand and they squeezed their fingers together in comfort.
"Thank you, Hermione." Ron spoke up. They both were resigned now, the fight leaving them.
"Oh this is so amazing. The Golden Trio has broken up! Betrayed by the brains of the operation. Oh man, this could not be any better. Now, I do believe it is nearly time, we should commence with the ritual. Malfoy, please begin." Once again his hard tone was more a command than the polite words he spoke and the two figures halfway around the circle between Severus and Tom Riddle raised their wands. Both of their hoods fell back as they raised them high, their heads falling back as they began to chant. Their pale blonde hair became sickly with the light from the rolling lightening above them, the thunder beginning to drown out everything but the chanting.
As one, just like with the two Malfoy's, Tom and Severus raised their wands, they began chanting as well; Severus' hood fell. Starting to Severus' left and going around the circle in order, each person raised their wand at the same time as the person across from them, their hoods falling back, and began to chant. Many were present, more than Hermione recognized; she knew one thing though, there were only two females here and that made her uncomfortable. She shared one small pleading look with her friends, mouthing a quick 'I'm sorry' to them just as she began to raise her wand to follow the compulsion of the ritual that had long ago started.
The last thing that she saw before her eyes turned skyward was Harry and Ron's accepting eyes. They understood their role in this just like she did, they each had a part to play to end Tom Riddle. A tear slipped down her cheek as she continued to chant, the ebb and flow of the magic beginning to pulse around the circle. She saw it happen just before it did, the imprint of it etching itself into her mind as they called the lightening down into the center of the circle where it struck dead center. She closed her eyes and knew then that her friends had perished. No longer would she see them.
The magic receded after the bolt hit home and those standing in the circle sagged to their knees, no one excluded. She looked at the small crater where her friends had been, there was nothing there but smoldering ground and singed grass. She lowered her head for a moment of silence for her two friends as she wept slowly. It wasn't until a few minutes of raging winds and rustling of the trees that someone moved. She looked up and across the circle to see a man, in the place where Tom Riddle had been, standing in his flawlessly made up green and black velvet robes.