A/n: This story is A/U. I will explain the timeline and why things are slightly jumbled in time. All you need to know is, Hermione was born earlier and went to school around same time as Andromeda and Narcissa. Voldemort never happened, and at the moment there is political unrest. More information will be given as the story goes on.
Prologue
Fingers twitching over the hardback of the book, sweat trickles down the base of her neck. If her father catches her tonight in his study, she will not see daylight for the rest of the school holiday. The clouds cover the half moon, stealing her only source of light, she pauses at the sound of someone outside the door. Is father home early? Is mother looking for her?
The shadow passes cradling the book to her chest she breathes a sigh of relief, resting on the large chair she waits patiently. Her mind wandering, stretching further, wondering if he will be waiting for her in the garden.
"I want you to get something for me. A gift I bestowed upon your father, I want it back. A book, fetch it for me and I will do as you ask."
Clutching the book, she glances at the ragged appearances all this trouble for such an old book. She had peeked how could she not? The pages were empty, still, she could feel it, a darkness tugging at her mind. Seeping through her fingers, such darkness she could not comprehend what she holds in her hands.
A deal struck with anger, hatred blinding her reasonable thought. The mist that swirled around his feet as he swept along the gardens never seen by anyone but her. Hatred makes her foolish, a promise to get back at her sister for running away, for leaving them. If only she looked she may have seen the mist for what it was a; murky shadow an unnatural darkness.
A demon stalks the gardens.
Hiding the book she slips through the door, scurrying towards her room where she can wait safely for midnight. She only has an hour, an hour before he appears. Then everything will be right again, her sister will know how it feels, feels to be abandoned. To have a scorching hot knife stab her through the heart, a knife of betrayal.
"Oomf."
She collides with a solid form, skittish in her theft she jumps away, prepared to run. Prepared with several lies, afraid to see her fathers grey eyes. Afraid of the curse she would receive for stealing.
"Cissy! Merlin's beard! Don't scare me like that." The other woman grumbles patting her heart.
"Bella," So much relief at seeing her oldest sister, reassurance.
"The one and only," Bella grins, her dark eyes slipping over Cissy form. "What you up to?"
"Nothing, heading to my room."
"Hmm," Bella drawls. "Is that why I couldn't find you anywhere. What are you hiding?"
"Nothing," Cissy snaps brushing the hair out of her eyes. "What you doing here?"
A single brow rises at the brusque tone, a small shiver forcing its way down Cissy's spine but she ignores it. Father and Bella are eerily similar except she knows, Bella would never hurt her. Bella is everything, Bella is the first ever Black to become an Auror. A disgrace, her father would hiss under his breath, but never in front of Bella. He learnt long ago, in Bella's fourth year at Hogwarts she could beat him a duel. Her mother is proud though, her back always taller at the mention of Bellatrix being an Auror. Her tone always softer, Cissy envied Bella.
"Visiting my loving family." Ever the sarcastic reply.
Leaning against the wall, Bella folds her arms eyes swiftly darting down the hallway Cissy had emerged from. Bella no fool, Cissy can see her piecing the evidence together.
"I thought you worked nights," Cissy asks trying to steer the conversation away.
"I am, I came looking for you. Was wondering if you wanted to stay at mine this weekend, I finally got the spare room sorted. We could you know… go out for food… maybe I could take you to see that show."
Cissy beams, Bella hasn't invited her to her flat since buying it months ago. She had always wondered why? Although her mother had explained vaguely, that Bella is most likely embarrassed. Living in a small flat after living in the Black mansion. It would be pale in comparison, but it was Bella's earned solely by Bella. Not inherited. Bella never touching her inheritance, her mother would not see her name burned from the tapestry, her sisters yes, but not Bella. She had done nothing wrong, despite fathers arguing she remained proud on the tapestry. Stuttering over her words, Bella looks down, shrugging, she pushes from the wall.
"Or not you'll probably busy, so don't worry…"
"No, I want to." Cissy interrupts. "Can we go shopping?"
"Sure." Bella smiles.
"You won't be called in?"
"No, I booked it as a holiday."
"Even with the protesting at the moment."
"I promise you, I'll be off. Even if the protestors burn the Ministry down I will spend the weekend with you."
Grinning, Cissy hugs Bella, she has missed her sister. Understood her dedication to the Auror department, has seen the papers full of riots. The lower classes uprising over pay and their rights, her mother never lets her leave the house without an escort. Her sister though, she stands proudly in front of the rioters, never scared. Returned bloodied and bruised but never scared.
"Have you spoke to her?" Bella asks quietly, Cissy stiffening in the embrace.
Pushing away, Cissy straightens her robes, missing the sad look that crosses her sisters face. A mask sliding into place, she will not hear the word of that bitch.
"She misses you."
"She left us." Cissy spits, hatred spilling through her façade.
"Cissy."
"NO! She left Bella, for a mudblood. I won't speak to her. Have you?"
"Yes."
"I hope she's satisfied," Cissy grumbles. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed."
"Cissy," Bella sighs.
"What?"
"Just, I'm here okay if you ever need me, I'm here. I need to go to work but I'll pick you up Friday, yeah?"
"Yeah, I know Bella."
Nodding, Bella turns heading towards the exit, pausing in her stride she glances at Cissy.
"I would hide the book before father sees it. You know how he feels about his study."
Flushing, Cissy retreats to her room, Bella's cackle chasing her heels. She smiles into her pillow, looking forward to the weekend. What would Bella think if she knew the deal you made? It doesn't matter, maybe she will just give him the book and call it quits. Checking the time, she reaches for her travelling cloak, time to make a deal.
PREVIEW:
"I'm not sure how I can help you, my dear," The tea pot lifts gently, the reassuring sound of tea not settling the jittery nerves.
"Please, your my last chance. They sent me to you because they thought you could help. You are master of charms are you not?"
"I am a Master of Charms to some degree. One sugar or two?"
"None."
"Milk?
"A drop." She growls rubbing her forehead.
"Master of charms, I create enchanted items my dear but master of charms is held by my protegee." A door rattles in the back room. "Ah, that will be them."
"I brought some eggs!" A voice shouts from the back.
Rising to her feet, Bella paces the floor, dark shadows under her eyes. Three days she has been searching for this 'master' of charms a rumoured individual. Sent by her boss, sent in search of this legend. To find a bookshop and an ageing wizard. She was running out of time, her sister could… She cannot finish the thought, the very idea of Cissy dying bringing unshed tears to her eyes.
"My dear could you come out here, I have a customer." Mr Elderson shouts, spinning his spoon gently around his tea cup.
Pacing Bella waits patiently, expecting a frail witch to emerge, or annoying apprentice. The beads push aside, a cloak swishes through the air landing on the coat stand. They stop dead in their tracks eyes wide like saucers, returning Bella's shocked look.
"Ah Miss Black this is my protégé, Miss…"
"Granger." Black bites out. "We've met."
"Excellent. Hermione, dear Miss Black is here seeking help."
A snort escapes Granger's lips, a newspaper placed on to the side, arms crossed in defence she leans against the desk.
"This must be good." Hermione huffs, anger filling brown eyes.
Bella knows exactly where the witches mind has gone to, they have met when Bella arrested her. Dragging her off the street after a protest, threw her into a cell. They have clashed several times during the riots and once when Granger was part of the team that broke into Gringotts to rescue the dragon. Recently as well since the death of Granger's friend, who died during the riots, the blame going to Aurors for using an unforgivable. The ministry favoured on the side of the Aurors the decision not going down well with the public.
"It's regarding her sister." Elderson continues obviously of the tension.
"Which one?" Granger asks.
"Does it matter?" Bella hisses.
"Suppose not. So what is it?"
"No point, this is a waste of time," Bella grumbles reaching for her cloak. "I won't get help here."
"Now hold your gremlins, Hermione here may have an answer. Miss Black sister is very ill." Elderson intervenes.
"Ill?" Granger repeats.
"Very ill she was hoping for some assistance."
"Ill with what?"
"She's dying." Bellatrix snaps, a hand clutching the desk. "Someone or something has stolen my baby sisters soul! And no! It's not a Dementor. Whatever it was, it got through the Black estate charms and ripped her soul from her body, the healers… we are keeping her body alive while that thing stalks the lands. So please, I need to know what it is. I need to know how to save her, if I don't she will die before her sixteenth birthday."
**Worth continuing? Please R&R.