Hermione froze. She felt her brain moving a million miles a minute. She looked over at Harry and Ron who already lost all the color in their faces.
The Snatchers are here. They're completely screwed.
"Hello, beautiful," one of the Snatchers stepped forward, looking Hermione up and down. Hermione recognized him as Scabior, Death Eater.
"Back off, Scabior," a girl with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes walked over to Scabior and pushed him aside.
Hermione recognized the girl right away. They had Potions together last year, Annika Greyback.
"Oh my — she's related to Fenrir Greyback. How could I not realize that? Their last names are the same. She doesn't look like a werewolf though, not like Fenrir. She seemed so nice! We talked all the time! How could she be one of them?! I'm so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid…"
"Is there something wrong with her?"
Hermione snapped back into reality to see Scabior standing face to face with her again.
"Er — I-I'm sorry." Hermione stuttered. She stared at Annika who looked annoyed. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and she was leaning on her right foot. When Annika realized Hermione was staring she stood up straight and dropped her arms to her sides.
"I'll say it again. Your red headed friend claims his name is Barny Weasley and your other friend says he's Vernon Dudley — who are you?" Scabior said.
"I'm Penelope Clearwater — half-blood," Hermione said. She felt herself starting to sweat. Annika knows who they really are. She can easily say that she's not Penelope, Ron's not Barny, and Harry's not Vernon.
"I don't see their names here," one of the Snatchers said as he flipped through a small book he was holding.
Fenrir looked at Hermione who was looking at Harry, trying to figure out what to do.
"This one smells…sweet," a grin grew on his face as he walked over to Hermione.
"Fenrir, do you have to be an insufferable pain in the ass all the time? Leave Penelope alone," Annika walked over to Fenrir and pushed him away from her.
"She called me Penelope," Hermione thought.
"Why don't you just shut your mouth?" Fenrir got into Annika's face and flashed his sharp teeth. Annika didn't seem bothered by his intimidation tactic.
"I am so tired of you both going at each other! I don't care that your brother and sister. You both —"
"Shut it, Scabior," Annika broke her eye contact with Fenrir and walked to Scabior.
"They're siblings?" Hermione thought as she watched Annika, Scabior, and Fenrir fight. She looked over at Ron and Harry who hadn't moved an inch since they showed up. Hermione's mind had been racing, trying to figure out a plan, but she couldn't think of anything.
If they didn't think of anything soon they were going to be figured out and taken.
"Let's just leave already," Annika said. She combed her hair behind her ears with her hands and looked over to the other Snatchers.
"First we have to take them in," Fenrir grabbed Harry's arm and jerked him towards himself.
"What for? They're not muggle-borns or blood traitors."
"You mean mud-bloods?"
"I told you not to use that word around me!"
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Annika really helping them?
"Calm down, Annika. And you call me the insufferable pain in the ass?" Fenrir laughed. "Besides, what's the rush?" he knocked Harry over to Scabior and walked back to Hermione. "Maybe just one little bite…" he leaned over and sniffed Hermione's neck. Hermione held her breath.
"If you bite her I promise you it'll be the last thing you ever do," Annika walked over and slapped Fenrir in the back of the head. "Do you know what self control is?"
"You're a bitch."
"And you're a giant idiot."
"Stop!" Scabior stepped in front of Fenrir to keep him from probably attacking his sister. "I think we should take them in. This one looks a lot like Harry Potter," Scabior held onto Harry as he spoke.
"Well, he isn't. I went to school with him I would know," Annika looked at Harry and then back at Hermione. It looked like she was trying to tell Hermione something, but she didn't say a word to her.
"But —"
"But nothing! We're wasting our time here and if I have to keep spending my time with you morons we better be doing something productive," Annika glared at Scabior. "Now let him go."
Scabior looked like he was contemplating ignoring Annika, but when she flashed her own set of sharp teeth, Scabior quickly let Harry go. Harry readjusted his shirt and glasses.
"Whatever. Let's go. I'm sure I'll be seeing this one again soon anyway," Fenrir smiled at Hermione and laughed a sinister laugh that made Hermione shiver.
Fenrir, Scabior, and the other Snatchers started to walk away, but Annika didn't move. Fenrir must have noticed because he made the others stop and look back at her.
"Let's go, Annika."
"Give me a minute."
"For what? We need to get back to Malfoy Manor."
"Go — I'll meet you there. I just want these three to know why they shouldn't be wandering these woods."
Fenrir didn't seem too convinced of whatever his sister was trying to do, but he turned back to the other Snatchers and let Scabior disapperate them out of there.
Now Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Annika were alone.
"What are you guys doing here? And saying You-Know-Who's name out loud? Are you insane?" Annika lectured the trio. Hermione wasn't sure what to say to her. Her heart isn't even back to beating normal yet.
"Why did you help us?" Harry asked.
"And why didn't you say your brother was Fenrir?" Hermione jumped in.
"Would you admit to being related to that loser?" she smirked. "And I helped for obvious reasons."
"I'm sorry, but the reasons aren't so obvious to me," Ron said.
"I never mentioned I was a werewolf or related to Fenrir because I'd rather not be any of those things. I didn't want you three to be taken in because I'm counting on Harry over here to defeat You-Know-Who. It's because of him I can't live a normal life — well, as normal as it can be for a werewolf trying to hid her identity. I'm stuck being a stupid Snatcher, spending my days with idiots like Scabior and my brother. If You-Know-Who wins then my brother's going to try to create a werewolf army and none of us want that, right?"
Hermione, Ron, and Harry nodded.
"Can you just promise me you'll kick his ass and win this for everybody?" Annika looked at Harry.
"I'm trying my best."
"Good enough for me. Try not to get caught again. Oh and take this," Annika reached into her pocket and pulled out a small perfume bottle. "Each of you put this on at least once a day. It'll keep Fenrir, or any other werewolf's, from picking up your scent," she handed it to Hermione. "Well, Goodbye and good luck," she started to walk away when Hermione grabbed her shoulder.
"Thank you for saving us — we owe you one," Hermione said.
"You're welcome. If you really want to pay me back then destroy You-Know-Who — and if you destroy Scabior and my brother in the process than that's just a bonus," Annika laughed.
Before Hermione or the others could say anything else, she disapperated.