This is my first ever Hermione fic so please be gentle with me. This story is in 6 chapters for now. But I shall continue it in a follow up sequel. So I hope you all like it.

The Tarnished Trio

Lovers of the Potions MasterMay/June challenge:

The Challenge

Just when it looked like the war was over the sky was filled with fire and asteroids rained down destroying most of Hogwarts and many of both sides. Black ash filled the sky and the ground shook, Voldemort lay dead, the war was over, but with no clear winner and the very earth trembling beneath them where were they to go now. Tensions are higher than ever.

No more than 25,000 words

Challenge Response

The Tarnished Trio By Janette i.e. Wildcard/Gemini Sister

The Tarnished Trio Chapter One

Three people ran past the Whomping Willow after exiting the secret passageway that led to the Shrieking Shack.

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley trotted towards the Castle with Hermione Granger in their wake. She had slowed down and kept looking back, thinking on the sickening scene that they had all just witnessed.

"Come on, " Ron called out to her and waved her along but she ignored his call and still lagged behind. Harry groaned and thought he was about to witness yet another argument between Ron and Hermione.

Ron stormed up to Hermione and tugged on her arm hauling her after him while ignoring her protests as they entered the Castle.

"Enough Ron!" Hermione angrily cried out while thrusting her wand up into his face. "You will leave me alone, this instant." she stomped a foot on the stone ground for emphasis.

"Come on Mione..." he wailed as if a toddler. "We've to look at Snape's memories."

"No you don't!" Called out both Hermione and Harry in unison.

"Ron, you need to go and look for a Basilisk fang like we talked about... remember?" Hermione glared at Ron, then rolled her eyes.

Ron huffed and pouted and tugged once more on Hermione's arm as if to lead her away with him.

"Get off Ron!" Hermione growled at him. "I have other things to do ."

Harry interrupted and as he was keen to view Snape's memories shoved past them then called out, so they knew he was leaving.

"I am off to the Headmasters Study, alright?" Harry shook his head as he saw the anger between his two best friends. They had locked eyes and were angrily staring daring the other to speak first. Harry shrugged and bounded up the stairs three at a time. He had important memories to view and his two best friends would just have to work out whatever it was on their own .

Both were aware Harry had gone and it was then Ron leashed out his anger at Hermione with harsh words.

"Some girlfriend you turned out to be." He snarled. "You don't even want to be with me, or listen to what I want to do anymore. You don't even like kissing me, do you?"

Hermione knew he was right on all counts. She had wanted a boyfriend at one time but that had been last year and she had been jealous of his friendship with Lavender Brown. She had been happy when Ron had turned his affections to her but once he did she instantly did not want it. This became even more obvious to her whilst camping, that they could only ever remain friends .

"You are a fucking tease, do you know that?" Ron was so angry his face was redder than his ears. "I should have stayed with Lavender at least she enjoyed listening to me and touching me too."

Hermione had been quiet up till that final remark them she blew her top. It hit home for her especially when she knew it to be true and it hurt.

"Ron Bilious Weasley, you are a rat for casting up the past like that. If you want Lavender Brown feel free. I don't want you anyway!"

"Yeah, think I know that now." He sneered at her. "No one will give you house room, you are so bloody cold even the Dement ors would run from you screaming."

A resounding slap connected with Ron's' jaw. Hermione thought it a good effort and beat that blow she gave Malfoy. She was stronger than she looked. She stormed off heading back outside.

The ground under him was hard and cold and now his own blood was seeping down into his clothing and adding to his distress.

Severus Snape had assumed that after the predicted attack on his person from the Dark Lords snake. He would be able to pretend to lay dead or dying as the bastard exited taking his basilisk with him.

But fate bit him on the arse and had the Golden Trio pop up wrecking his plans. Instead he had to pretend to be dying. If the idiots did not move soon he would be dead and all his plans would be for nowt. He could feel his head swimming and he was sure he lost consciousness for a few moments. Then to his utter disgust Harry Potter was staring down at him with those eyes that so much reminded him of his old friend Lily.

Words spouted from his mouth, slightly slurred as if he was drunk. He had to get rid of the twits before he kicked the bucket.

Severus closed his eyes and waited for the trio to exit. There was a few moments when Granger showed signs of returning to save him. He felt a pang of sadness when she was lured away by her two partners in crime.

At last they had gone. But by this time Severus felt his whole head swim as he tried to push himself up to a sitting position. Instead the shack swayed and he slumped to the ground. "Fuck it!" He thought thinking he was about to die.

He did not know of how long he lay in his own blood and piss. He was angry with himself and felt the pull of death tugging at his boots.

Then his own stubbornness kicked in and had him rolling onto his front. This allowed his weak and trembling hand to slide into his secret pocket and extract a handful of vials.

He had prepared for this day after being tipped off by Lucius Malfoy.

Severus shakily unstoppered the potions and gulped some of them down. Two vials rolled from his fingers and he swore as the dark green one smashed losing the antivenin of his own making.

He cursed loudly as he stood swaying then tore off a strip from his shirt to tie around his neck that was still bleeding and oozing a disgusting foul smelling venom.

Then he thought he heard footsteps. He had to leave before anyone found him and he reached inside his frock coat for the special port key he had made. But before he could reach it three things happened all at once.

The first, Hermione Granger stepped into the dim light. Illuminating each to the other.

The second, the Port Key dropped from Severus's pocket to land on the dirty floor.

The third, the Shrieking Shack came crashing down around their ears and all went black..

Still buzzing with anger Hermione ignored the battle that was going on around her and ran without thinking. Before she realised where she was she had entered the secret passageway for the second time that day.

She was angry with Ron, angry with Snape for dying but also angry at herself for not doing what her conscience had screamed at her to do earlier and to help her former teacher. She had to return to check Snape had died. Then she could mourn for him properly. She was aware he had been a spy and knew he had worked for Dumbledore. She could not understand why Snape had murdered him. It did not make sense to her logical mind.

Hermione heard the sound of tinkling glass. She froze. She was breathing hard with anxiety as she approached the place where Snape lay. She felt faint at the thought she had left the Professor bleeding to death. She berated herself for going along with the boys. She shook her head, no never again. From now on she would follow her own instincts.

Draco Malfoy was in the midst of Death Eaters looking for his father and then he caught sight of his long unmistakable blonde hair.

"Father!"

Lucius looked around and spotted his son. Without much preamble Lucius strode over and thrust a vial into his hands. "Take this to Severus he is injured in the Shrieking Shack, Quick boy as he may be already dead. Severus has a port key so he will keep you safe."

Draco shivered and knew of this antivenon potion his Godfather had been working on behind the Dark Lords back. Draco hardly uttered a word before his father was thrusting him away from the battle field.

Draco ran manically avoiding magical curses and maladies along the way then spotted a very erratic looking Granger ducking into the secret hole that led to the Shrieking Shack.

He had reached the Willow tree when a stray Death Eater flew at him and cursing him as a traitor to the Dark Lord. A jelly legged jinx followed by a swift spell that immobilised the man allowed Draco to continue towards the secret entrance.

He had just entered the narrow and low lying tunnel and shuffled about five yards in, when everything around him shook and he was blasted forward along the tunnel hitting the sides before deposited him in a heap onto the ground.

Hermione Granger felt herself flying through the air and not on a broom. She landed on something hard and immediately lost consciousness.

At the same time, Severus felt a hard wallop across his back and head and all went dark.

The Muggle prime Minister adjusted his tie and nodded to the television cameras surrounding him. He was to make an emergency statement to the country.

"Three, two...one!" The studio manager waved his hand in a downward motion to alert the Prime Minister he was now live on TV and Radio networks both in the UK and listened to by millions of people around the world. The Prime Minister looked nervously into the camera and began...

"It is with profound regret that I have to announce that a most severe meteor storm occurred earlier today in Scotland. The Metrological Department having warned us of this possible occurrence three days ago.

The disaster occurred at 3.43pm this afternoon. and was worst in the North West Highlands of Scotland. At the current moment we have no fatalities listed but emergency services and medical teams have been deployed to the worst hit areas.