Hermione was awakened by the sudden change of temperature in the room and a constant dripping sound coming from somewhere in the corner of the room. 'Just when I had finally got to sleep...' She grumbles to herself as she opens her eyes to see where the sound was coming from and also to locate her blanket. She curses softly to herself when her eyes had finally unblurred and she was able to see that the fire in the fireplace had burned out. Hermione moves to get up out of the bed but notices she wasn't even laying down on a bed but that she is chained to the wall. Struggling against the manacles that kept her detained, Hermione manages to create enough noise to alert whoever else was nearby. A ray of light came through the door as it opened momentarily, almost blinding Hermione before it shut closed.
She began trying to wriggle free again when she heard a low chuckle from inside the room. "I don't think I would be doing that if I were you deary. The Dark Lord wants to keep you around as thanks for turning on your friends. You did him a favour today and if you know what is best for you; you would be a very grateful Mud-blood for his kindness." A familiar feminine voice spoke from the depths of the inky blackness.
"Voldemort died today... I don't know what you are talking about!"
A hiss follows Hermione's statement as well as several torches being lit, "You dare speak his name! You filthy little Mud-blood!" Hermione's eyes adjusted to find herself almost nose-to-nose with none other than Bellatrix Lestrange. "And furthermore what is this rubbish you speak of the Dark Lord being dead? He is alive and well, He is even thinking of ways to push His forces towards the mainland and take over all of Europe. Our friends in Transylvania absolutely love the idea of having the return of the Dark Arts being brought back into practise. They have sent a contingent of their most powerful to join us in our march across Europe. And... do you know who the Dark-Lord wants to help in the forefront of this battle?" The raven-haired woman smirks as she sees the fear in the younger brunette woman's eyes. "He wants you... and me to lead His first march against France. The ladies of Beauxbatons Academy for Witchcraft will never stand a chance against us... Technically, they are the only people who stand in our way to take over that country because everyone else is too frightened to deny the will of the Dark Lord."
Hermione shakes her head at the news that she is now receiving. None of it made any sense , Voldemort was dead and the Light had won out. Even if she didn't really care how things had went to begin with, this news was doing her head in. There were too many questions floating about in her mind but she dare not voice them to the manic Death-Eater in front of her, for fear that the woman's favoured spell would be the only answer to all of Hermione's questions. Looking back up towards Bellatrix, who never left her position in front of the younger witch, she decides she finally has an question to voice that would not, hopefully, get her tortured. "Why does the Dark Lord want me at the forefront of this battle? I am a Mud-blood, as you so rightly mentioned before, and also I am not part of his inner circle; so why was I chosen for this task?"
The older woman smirks while she listens to the young witch, "You obviously are confused my pet... maybe the engagement at Hogwarts left you a bit muddled." Bellatrix walks away from Hermione, flicking her wand causing the shackles which held the younger woman to the wall to open. The brunette gingerly rubs her wrists to get the circulation to flow back to her hands, while looking at the older witch questioningly. "The Dark-Lord has decided to forget about your blood status in lieu of the recent events that you helped bring about. You helped him defeat that damnable Potter boy as well as the whole Order. You even cast the shield that kept the killing curse, that Shacklebolt himself had cast towards the Dark-Lord, from harming Him. You, my dear, have the most powerful wizard imaginable in your debt. It is amazing how quickly you have came from being enemy to ally in His eyes. But..." Bellatrix turns towards Hermione, eyes flickering dangerously as the thought of her next phrase crosses her mind. "We have to see if your loyalties truly lie in Him, or if you were just trying to save your on Mud-blood arse. He may be indebted to you but He is not without His cautions, surely you- the brightest witch of her age- should understand His reasons. Now relax... I promise you that this will not hurt a bit. The Dark-Lord does not wish me to harm you... unless you resist, then I am told to do what I must to make you comply."
Hermione nods her head slowly, understanding that this was actually the best time to learn to be compliant, a trait she never really had learned while growing up. She sighed audibly and relaxed her mind to allow the raven-haired witch to use Legilimency on her; hoping against hope that there was no damning thought hidden somewhere in the dark recesses of her mind.
It was over quickly and Bellatrix must have been content with what she had found in the brunette's psyche, "Come... we have a meeting to attend." The raven-haired witch walks towards the door, only stopping when she realises she is not being followed. "I said come on! We mustn't keep the Dark-Lord waiting!" She pauses again as she assesses the state of the younger witch's clothing. "Ah... I see. We need to get you a fresh change in clothes if you are going to meet with the Dark-Lord... Those Muddy clothes just will not do in front of Him." Bellatrix waves her wand again, causing a black velvety robe to appear in front of Hermione. "There are more robes for you in your quarters upstairs... He wanted you to feel as comfortable as possible in your transition into our ranks. I however, was the one who pick out the clothing for you." Bellatrix winks at Hermione then turns her back to allow the younger woman to change in privacy. "Once the meeting is over I will show you to your rooms."
"If I have rooms ready for me upstairs, why did I wake up in the dungeons? And where are we if I might ask?" Hermione questions the older witch as she changes out of her torn, muddy muggle clothing and into the soft, warm robes.
"Well we had to make sure we took all necessary precautions before we allowed you to roam freely. And as for where are current location is... we are in Black Manor. Also, if you must know we will be travelling to my sister, Narcissa's, estate. Before you even ask... yes you will be living here with me because I personally asked to take you under my wing."
"Why?" Hermione asks, without realising that she asked and knowing it was to late to retract her question.
Bellatrix never turned around to answer the younger witch's question, instead she leaves out the dungeon, and waits for Hermione to finish getting ready. Hermione takes that as a clear sign that the older witch no longer wanted to discuss things, sighing with relief, for she was fearful at what Bellatrix's answer might have been, Hermione finishes getting ready for the conference.
Walking out the door of her temporary prison, Hermione walks towards the raven-haired witch that was staring at a painting hanging on the wall. "That's my aunt..." Bellatrix says as she senses the younger witch walk towards her, but never takes her eyes off the painting. "She was bit of a character... you knew her son of course. Sirius always seemed to make her so mad that you could hear her screeching at the top of her lungs at him even if you were miles away. She hated that he spent time with that blood-traitor, James, and that half-breed, Remus." She pauses as she ponders something that crosses her mind. "Huh... I wonder what she would say about me now?"She turns and genuinely smiles at Hermione for the first time since Hermione had woke up. "Follow me, Granger... the Dark-Lord would not want us to be late."
Hermione takes in the portraits along the wall, musing on the reason why she didn't see any pictures of Bellatrix's husband amongst the collage paintings that covered the long corridor they were traversing. "It was a marriage of convenience." The older witch says as she continues walking towards the main vestibule of Black Manor.
"Excuse me?" Hermione says slightly stunned by what the witch in front of her said, forgetting momentarily that the older woman excelled in Legilimency.
"You were wondering why there are no pictures of Rudolphus on the walls, so I am telling you the reason why." Bellatrix replies nonchalantly as she opens up the main door leading to the grounds outside. "He had a fixation for his brother... while I fancy more curvier younger bodies to curb my longings and to keep me warm at night." Bellatrix tosses the younger witch a suggestive wink before she walks out into the night air.
Hermione blushes profusely at the flirtations of the older witch. Shaking her head to quell the heat that had risen, she tries to deal with the inner turmoil that also had risen from the affectuous way the older woman had spoken. It wasn't the fact that it was a woman that spoke to her that way that caused her heart and her head to clash, it was the woman who said it.
The same woman who had tormented her for answers at the Malfoy Manor- the same estate they were about to Apparate to. Ever since that night Hermione had been taunted in her dreams by this woman but now... now she is following her back to the place of her torture and willingly. But even worse still is the fact that she is not as apprehensive as she was when she first woke up in the dank cell. Sure, the thought of meeting the most evil wizard of their time was causing her heart to skip a few beats in trepidation, but standing a few feet behind her tormentor from the past had somewhat of a calming effect on her which caused the rational part of her brain to go into overload and scream at her that this was all wrong.
But she needed to find out why things ended so differently than she remembered; and the only way, was to follow Bellatrix.
