Chapter One

The Dark Room

Hermione Granger entered the dark room with her wand at the ready, her brown eyes surveying the room, looking for her target. Her orders were quick to the point, but easy to remember. Bring him to the order, alive.

She rounded a corner slowly, her breathing steady. A flash of lightning lit up the room for a brief second where she saw a dark shadow run through the nearest door.

"Stop!" She yelled running after him into the next room. "Lumos." A light ignited from the tip of her wand illuminating the room. She inhaled an uneven breath as she took in the room which was apparently a butcher's kitchen. Several knifes were hanging from the ceiling, their blades glinting off the light from her wand. One false move would send them upon her in an instant; putting her sadly to her death.

"Drop your wand and turn slowly." A raspy voice sounded behind her. She did as she was told; the wand fell to the floor darkening the room dramatically, all except her enemy's boots which she could see as she turned to face him.

"What do you want?"

He chuckled as he stepped forward into the light. His death eaters mask covering his features remarkably. "I want you dead of course. Crucio!" He shouted, sending a brilliant stream of light bounding towards her, which she dodged quickly. She went to the ground and retrieved her wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

Her captor's wand flew from his hand, but he quickly drew his hand to the ceiling and a large knife flew into his hand he smirked at her before throwing it directly at her.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" She shouted stopping the knife in mid air and then sending it back towards her captor. It narrowly missed his head and went straight into the wall be hind him. The death eater dodged for his wand but she was too quick.

"Petrificus Totalus!" The death eater became stiff and fell to the floor. She crouched next to her captor her hand reaching slowly to his mask. She pulled it off his face slowly revealing a very scared Ronald Weasley.

The room's lights went on and Madeye Moody entered the set. "That was much better Miss Granger."

"Thank you Sir!" She said proudly, the rest of the Aurur training Class entered the room. Moody turned to address them personally.

"Now can anyone tell me why Miss Granger would remove the mask of the death eater before bringing him to the order? Ah yes Longbottom."

"Well Sir, It would give Hermione a chance to see the identity of the death eater in case he were to escape of course."

"That is correct Longbottom, Now can anyone tell me why it is also extremely dangerous to remove the mask, when capturing a Death eater? Ah yes Miss Weasley?"

Ginny stepped forward from the rest of the class, "Well professor, wouldn't the Death Eater have to kill her if he did escape? I mean, she now knows his identity. His life in society is ruined as well as a majority of usefulness to the Dark Lord."

"That was a wonderful answer Miss Weasley. Miss Granger put herself in serious danger, but for a cause she more than believes in. Just remember if you pull the mask from a Death Eater you need to be fully prepared for the consequences, because if he escapes I can assure you you'll have the killing curse on you in an instant. Does anyone else have any comments to make on Miss Granger's performance?"

"Oh I sure bloody hell do." Ron snapped getting to his feat as Hermione removed the body binding charm.

"Oh? And what is that Ronald?" Hermione snapped folding her arms across her chest.

"What in Merlin's name where you thinking?" He yelled, walking around to the rest of the class. "She almost killed me!"

Moody rolled his eyes. "And how Mr. Weasley, did she do that?" Ron looked angrier then ever.

He pointed his fingers at Hermione accusingly. "She narrowly missed my head with that knife!" Hermione stormed over to him and poked her finger at his chest.

"Did you forget Ronald, that you threw the knife first!" Ron Looked completely taken back, his mouth hanging loosely towards the floor. By now the class and Moody had retreated leaving the two alone. They were long since tired of the two arguing all the time in the middle of Aurur training.

"Well it was my job!" He said smacking her hand away.

"And it's not mine to show how to defend yourself from a knife being throttled at you?"

"Not when you nearly kill your friend!"

"Oh don't be stupid Ronald, if I had meant to kill you, I wouldn't have missed!" Ron Boiled with rage.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You know perfectly damn well…" But she was interrupted by a familiar but long since heard voice.

"You two, just the way I left you. Bickering like an old married couple."

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked running into his arms. "It's been too long!" Harry chuckled at her.

"Hermione don't be silly, I have only been gone a year."

"Well a year's much too long." She said as Ron walked up to join them.

"So you've come back to the living." He shook Harry's hand excitedly. "How do you feel?" He asked taking in his appearance, he wore nicely tailored robes which was a definite change compared to the last time he was seen, shabby and sickly.

"I feel wonderful. A year was enough time to get over the war, and get a new job. I got a job as a top Aurur, and it was the Ministry's gift for destroying the Dark Lord of course." Harry face turned from excited and happy to that of deep seriousness. "Which is actually why I'm here, well partly to see you two, but frankly Hermione, I need your help."

"Harry I would help you on anything, but I'm still in training I don't know what they'll let me help you with."

"I've already discussed this with Professor Lupin and he has allowed me to use your help in this case." Hermione smiled at him excitedly. Ron however did not look so pleased.

"A real case Harry! Of course I'll help."

"Great!" Harry said, pulling out a manila folder from his bag. "It's this dark rising, we have a few ideas on who the new dark lord is but none of them seem to fit. At this point we can't figure it out."

"All the older followers were taken to Azkaban after the war, or killed. They're all accounted for, so we think it's possibly one of the younger newly recruited death eaters, so our only chance is to track down the youngest Death Eater we know." Harry said as he passed her the manila folder. She was apprehensive to open it. In saying we know he implied that she had known this death eater.

The picture slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. The figure in the picture sneered at her and Ron eyes widened in shock, he looked back up to Harry whose face was solemn. "Harry mate, you're kidding right?"