Ch 2 – The decent into truth
The fall into the basin was quick and the landing was smooth and as Hermione looked around she noticed they were in her apartment but she was alone not with Ron and Harry like she remembered.
"I had to get around a false memory charm to get this for they planted a memory of you with Harry and Ron in case you remembered who you really where you might not try and fight that charm... Merlin knows why though but his is what I found under it all and hopefully it will give us some..." but Will was cut off as the memory Harry sprung to his feet as a high pitched evil laugh rang throughout the apartment.
"What was that?"
"What was what mate," memory Ron asked accepting the tea Hermione handed him but Harry blew them both off and Ron shrugged as Harry ran out the door. "The pressure must be getting to him."
"Hmmm," the memory Hermione said taking a sip of her tea, "I'll talk with Tonks today to see how long this doing pointless stuff goes on because I'm not sure I can do several months of applying posters to buildings and running around doing all the grunt stuff... we are Auror just like them plus we fought you know who... none of those top muckity muck can say that now can they? I..." but she was cut off by a swift knock on the door which Hermione went to get as Ron dug into his breakfast.
Moments later she returned with Luna in tow. "Wi Wuna," Ron said threw a mouthful of toast but Luna didn't reply as she sat on their loveseat and stared out the window and shook her head when Hermione offered her something to eat.
"Luna is there anything wrong," Hermione asked.
"Raxbird got your tongue," Ron teased.
"Hush Ron," Hermione said giving him a scolding look as Hermione went to sit next to Luna but before she could get there Luna stood suddenly.
"Petrificus Totalus," she shouted causing Ron to fall off his stool hitting the floor hard and the real Hermione was sure she heard his arm break.
"Luna," Hermione gasped but then noticed the vacant stare of Luna's eyes and a pang of terror ran threw her as she dodged for her abandoned wand which was sitting on the counter but Luna had learned a lot from the trio and being quick was one of them for before Hermione could even think 'Accio wand' she was laying on the floor of their living room staring up at the ceiling as Luna floated Ron over to lay next to her.
"Do you realize what you two have put me threw," evil words issued from Luna's mouth Hermione knew couldn't be hers for she had to be imperioused or something but she couldn't voice it. "Crucio," Luna said playing with Ron as she applied and lifted the curse from which he couldn't even scream as the real Hermione cried out for Luna to stop for she knew from first hand experience the pain Ron had to be feeling.
At this moment the door opened and Luna dropped a handful of instant darkness powder as the memory Harry walked in looking worried. "Run," the real Hermione could only yell as the scene played out to her horror. Luna had grabbed the first heavy object within her reach and clocked Harry over the head with a rolling pin before he even saw her and he feel with an equally sickening crunch as Luna laughed with pleasure.
Will pulled hard on Hermione as they excited the memory for she was crying and panicking enough that she was having trouble breathing. "Breath," Will ordered as he waved his wand toward the door which gave a loud click and swung open as he yelled, "I've found out what happened to them."
"She took them... I can't... she must have been..."
"Child you have to breath or you will end up in St. Mungo's."
Hermione grabbed Will's robes looked right into his eyes, "Luna wouldn't do that. What was wrong with her? Why..."
"Makes you think twice about saying the war is over doesn't it?" Will asked raising his eyebrows as about six other witches and wizards ran into the room.
"Where are they," someone asked.
"We don't know yet," Will said pulling Hermione off him, "but we at least know what happened to them and where to start looking. Roberts take Miss Granger back to..."
Hermione pushed off the wall she had leaned against for a moment to think, "No way! I'm going with yo..."
"No, Miss Granger you are going back to your mother who..."
"Listen here," Hermione got almost dark as she gritted her teeth, "I'm not the one who dropped the ball here... Harry is my BEST friend and Ron is just as good as my fiancé and I will be dammed if anyone is going to send me anywhere except to help look for them."
"But Miss..."
Hermione held up an angry hand stopping a scared woman in her tracks as she hissed, "I was fighting Voldemort and his groupies with both those boys before you even though about working here plus they would never sit home if I was the one missing so if you won't allow me to be part of your search I'll start one of my own. Now if you will excuse me... I'll be at Remus Lupin's," and with a crack she was gone.
A dumbfounded group looked at the place where she once stood and a man finally broke the silence, "I thought we had ward up to prevent people apparating in and out of here?"
Will stroked his brow, "We do... but if she's half as smart as they say she is she probably figured out a way around it although Janice check in with Remus just to make sure she's there and we don't have another victim of a snatching on our hands."